EB technology vis-a-vis Gamma
radiation for Irradiation Sterilization
PENG Wei
M.Sc. of Nuclear Technology Engineering, USTC
B.Sc. Of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Soochow University
Registered Nuclear Safety Engineer, MEP（NNSA）
Senior Engineer in Radiation Technology and Engineering, CAS
Vice President of Vanform Corporation
Member of the Technique WG of iiA
Secretary of the Specialist Consulting Committee of CIRA
OC member and session chairperson of IMRP2013
Introduction of Irradiation
Technologies
Irradiation facilities
 Radiation sources
 Product conveyor system
 Radiation shielding and safety interlock
system
 Process control system
 Auxiliary system
Radiation source
FOSSIL
HYDRO
NUCLEAR
SOLAR
WIND
Gamma
Electron Beam(EB)
X-ray
The main difference
 Radiation Energy
 Gamma(Co-60):1.25MeV gamma
 EB: 5-10 MeV electron
 X-ray: 5MeV EB conversion to X-ray, energy
similar or a little better than Co-60
 Radiation directions
 Gamma: 4π
 EB and X-ray: one direction
 Consumption:
 Gamma: Co-60, 12.5% per year
 EB and X-ray: Electric power
Irradiation Facilities
 Gamma Irradiator:
 Co-60
 More than 130 sets in Operation in China with total
design capacity more than 180MCi with current
load activity about 65MCi
 Electron Accelerator
 Electron beam
 X-ray
 More than 40 Electron accelerators in Operation in
China for sterilization
Gamma Irradiator
EB accelerator-Linac
X-Ray
9
EB and X-ray suppliers in China
 Gamma:
 Irradiator : 3
 Co-60 source: 1
 EB:
 10MeV,15-20kW-Linac:>5
 10MeV, 40kW-Linac: 1
 10MeV, 50-100kW-Rhodotron: 0
 X-ray
 5 MeV, 120-150kW-Dynamitron: 3
 7.5 MeV, 7.5kW-Linac: 1
The advantages and drawbacks
of EB and X-ray
Advantages
 No radiation when power off
 No nuclear security problem
 No transportation of Radioactivity material
 No Radioactivity waste
 Simple regulation requirement
Drawbacks
 Electron Beam:






Less penetration
Complicate machine and key parts import
Difficult operation and maintenance
Need high level and trained personnel
Energy restrict
Less research on the irradiation processing
 X-ray
 Energy restrict
 Low conversion rate
 Less operating experience
The economic analysis of EB and
X-ray
The Investment Recovery Analysis
y
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
11250
22500
Gamma
45000
EB-Linac
225000 m3/y
90000
EB-Rhodotron
X-ray
Analysis Result
 The Gamma is most economical than EB and X-ray
when the throughput is less than14000m3/y, the Co60 activity to meet this throughput is around 500-600
kCi
 The EB-Linac is most economical when the
throughput is between 14000m3/y and 80000m3/y
 The EB-Rhodotron is most economical when the
throughput is higher than 80000m3/y
 X-ray is not economical now
Summary in Economy
 As most gamma irradiator is less than 600kCi in
China, so the gamma is still competitive now
 But following the industrial development and the
increase of cost of Co-60, and also the decrease of
the cost of electricity and the EB machine, the EB
especially for Linac will be more and more competitive
 The Rhodotron is good for the huge quantity medical
treatment
 The X-ray is not competitive at this moment
The discuss and outlook
Gamma
 Economically competitive in China now
 The source loading of most irradiator less than 600kCi
 Less initial investment
 A single gamma irradiator without the Co-60 is less than EB
 The process capacity can be increase easily by source
replenishment
 Other advantages
 operating experience
 customer acceptance
 wide product
 The full replacement of Co-60 in a near future is very
difficult from economical and market side , but the
reduction of Co-60 is very possible by EB and X-ray
Gamma + EB-Linac
 Best Combination for irradiation sterilization in China
now
 500 kCi Co-60 + 20 kW 10MeV EB-Linac
 Cover almost all products
 Success of few demonstration projects in Shanghai,
Guangzhou, Changzhou, Wuxi
 A good way to reduce the use of Co-60
 Most gamma owners are interested to build the EB
EB-Linac+EB-Linac
 20 kW 10MeV EB-Linac+ 20 kW 10MeV EB-Linac is
economic combination
 A new player of irradiation sterilization can start at
one Linac machine, and then followed by a second
one in next few years as the Linac consumption parts
problem
 Now two EB building construct at same time, and
purchaser the EB machine by two steps
 Some operating experience in Jinan, Shanghai….
 Economically competitive with Gamma but
can not cover all products, it is difficult to full
replacement of gamma
EB-Linac+X-ray




20 kW 10MeV EB-Linac+150 kW 5 MeV X-ray
One Rhodotron with 10MeV EB and 5 MeV X-ray
Less operating experience
The X-ray can fully replace the gamma but no
economically competitive now
 Need more research on the conversion target to get
high efficiency
 Need to modify the regulations of energy limit for Xray conversion from 5 MeV to 7 MeV
 But for the security problem and the cost of Gamma
source increased, the X-ray will be possible to replace
the gamma in future
Summary
 The different technologies have different
advantages and also drawbacks
 From market and economical aspect, the
different technologies have relative
competitive for different products and market
volume
 EB and X-ray are good alternatives to gamma
 Survival of the fittest
 The policy and regulations will guide and
speed up the alternatives in our industry
Introduction of Vanform
 Shandong Vanform High Energy Physics
Technology Corporation, established in 2007
 National & Local Joint Engineering Laboratory
of Electron Accelerator by Chinese centre
government
 Four demonstration irradiation centers total
equipped 8 sets Linacs with 10MeV/20kW
 Full industry chain for the electron beam
radiation processing
 List in NEEQ stock market: 834428
Thanks for your attention！
联系方式：[email protected]
www.vanform.com