Designing power supplies for 2.5 MV, 100 madc for boron neutron capture therapy

摘要

Renewed interest by several major university medical centers (UCSF, Stanford, U. of Washintion, Loma Linda) in conducting Boron Neutron Caputre Therapy (BNCT) led to the investigation of generating a continuous proton beam with 2.5 MeV of energy and up to 100 mA of current. The power supply for the Heavy Ion Injector (Adam) at LBNL operated at lower currents from its completion in 1970 until it was shut down in 1993. This power supply consisted of 64 stages of shult-fed multipliers (Dynamitron) and seemed to offer an attractive first step for BNCT experiments. The Adam power supply was reactivated in Jue of 1995 extensive tests were performed to establish its maximum capability. After the tests were completed, it became clear that 100 mA was well beyond the capability of this power source and that even 10-20 mA would require extensive modifications. After some initial conceptual design studies, it was decided that the air-coupled transformer with multiple secondaries warranted some serious investigations and could offer the best chance for acieving 100 mA.