Cyclotron TR-24
In 2015, after a successful installation, the new Cyclotron TR-24 of the Canadian company ACSI (Advanced Cyclotron Systems Inc.) was commissioned.
This cyclotron provides proton beams with energies from 18 MeV to 24 MeV. It is equipped with an axial injection system with an external ion source of the CUSP type, which significantly increases the reachable current of the accelerated beams (up to 300 μA).
The cyclotron is operated in the acceleration mode of the negative ions H─ which are converted to the protons and extracted by means of a thin carbon foil. The required extracted proton energy can be tuned by the radial position of the stripping foil over the full energy range. The accelerated beam can be extracted simultaneously to two irradiation sites. One output with three target positions is located directly on the cyclotron vacuum chamber. The second beam output is connected with an ionto-optical beamline that allows the transport, focusing, and beam diagnostics. At the end of the beam line, there is a switching magnet which can distribute the beam into the three separate target positions. This arrangement allows installation and flexible use of up to eight different targets. The vacuum system, which is permanently in operation, is formed besides necessary forvacuum aggregates by two turbomolecular pumps and two cryopumps.
The range of energies, high currents of accelerated particles and generation of secondary neutron fluxes opens up the possibility to perform a variety of physical experiments and applications including preparation of a wide range of radionuclides for radiopharmaceutical research.
Within the frame of the project CANAM OP the high power neutron converter via reaction p(24MeV) + Be is being developed. This generator will provide a neutron field density of 1012 n.cm−2.s−1.
In cooperation with Department of Radiopharmaceuticals, implementation of the new targets including high-power ones for production of novel medical radionuclides for diagnostics and therapy is carried out.
Parameters of cyclotron TR-24:
| TR 24 – Advanced Cyclotron System Inc. (Canada) | |
| Protons energy range | 18-24 MeV |
| Max. beam current | 300 µA |
| Accelerating frequency | 85 MHz |
| Accelerating voltage | 50 kV |
| Ion source | Multi-CUSP |
| Simultaneous beams | 2 |
| Weight | 25 t |
| Size | 1,8×1,8×2,5 m |
| Power consumption | 180 kW |
| Average magnetic field | 1,4 T |