Cost Evaluation of Irradiation System with Electron Accelerator

摘要

The features of electron beam irradiation system using electron accelerator are direct energy pour into the irradiated material, no third material mixture such as catalyst, suitable for mass production and easy operation and maintenance work available. These features can bring the various applications such as cross-linking action, graft polymerization, radical polymerization and others. The selection of electron accelerator ratings is made under consideration of quality, width and thickness of irradiated material, production amount, dose required for reaction and irradiation atmosphere. Especially in a case of irradiation of wire with high insulation material such as polyethylene, the consideration of maximum thickness toward irradiation direction is necessary to avoid the discharge (Lichtenberg discharge) by charged-up electrons inside insulation material. Therefore, the acceleration voltage should be selected to make the maximum penetration larger than maximum irradiation thickness . The actual model case to estimate the irradiation cost was selected that the irradiation object was polyethylene insulated wire up to AWG #14, irradiation amount was 5,000 km/month, necessary dose was 200 kGy, operation time was 22 d/month and 8 h/day and actual operation efficiency was considered loss time such as bobbin changing as 80%. The selected ratings of electron accelerator were acceleration voltage of 800 kV, beam current of 100 mA and irradiation width of 180 cm with irradiation pulleys stand of 60 turns x 3 lanes. The initial total cost was estimated as 3 M$(US) and operation cost was evaluated as 215 k$(US). Therefore, the irradiation cost of wire was evaluated as 0.0036 $/m.