X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing, comprising: a magnetron for generating microwaves; an accelerating tube for accelerating electrons, wherein the accelerating tube is an X-band accelerating tube; a microwave system connected between the magnetron and the accelerating tube, the microwave system being configured to feed the microwaves generated by the magnetron into the accelerating tube; an electron gun connected to the accelerating tube and configured to emit an electron beam into the accelerating tube; and an electron gun power supply configured to supply power to the electron gun; wherein the accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron and the electron gun power supply are arranged in sequence along the front-rear direction of the accelerator, thereby determining the length of the accelerator. In the present disclosure, the use of an X-band accelerating tube makes it easier to achieve a small focus and high image resolution, and the arrangement of the accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron and the electron gun power supply in sequence to define the length of the accelerator makes it possible to make full use of the internal space of the accelerator and reduce the overall size of the accelerator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of electron linear accelerator technology, and more particularly to an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing. Background Technology

[0002] An X-ray source is a device that generates X-rays, typically an X-ray tube (X-ray machine) or an electron linear accelerator. Because different X-ray sources operate on different principles, they are generally classified according to the following energy ranges: X-ray tubes are primarily used to generate X-rays with energies below 500 keV (here, energy refers to the energy of the electron beam before impact). The focal size of an X-ray tube can be below 0.5 mm, which is beneficial for improving the spatial resolution of radiation imaging. However, due to the low energy, the penetration power is weak, and it can only detect thin workpieces. Electron linear accelerators are primarily used to generate X-rays with energies above 1 MeV. Electron linear accelerators produce X-rays with high energy and strong penetration power, allowing for the detection of large workpieces.

[0003] Currently, most linear electron accelerators use S-band accelerator tubes. Related microwave components such as magnetrons, four-terminal circulators, waveguides, and phase shifters are technologically mature and reasonably priced, and are widely used in the market. Taking an existing 2MeV S-band accelerator for non-destructive testing as an example, the accelerator focal length is approximately 1.5mm–2mm, and the spatial resolution is approximately 1.5–3LP / mm, which cannot meet the requirements for inspecting high-precision machined parts. Furthermore, this accelerator is relatively heavy and large. Many applications, such as industrial CT and vehicle-mounted security inspection equipment, require lightweight and compact accelerator heads, which this accelerator cannot meet for many market demands.

[0004] In summary, while current X-ray tubes have small focal spots and high image resolution, they have low energy. S-band accelerators, on the other hand, have large focal spots, low image resolution, are heavy, and have large head sizes, which cannot meet the non-destructive testing requirements of special fields. Therefore, there is a need for an electron linear accelerator device with small focal spots, light weight, and compact structure to meet the market demand in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an X-band small-focus accelerator for nondestructive testing, comprising: a magnetron for generating microwaves; an accelerating tube for accelerating electrons, wherein the accelerating tube is an X-band accelerating tube; a microwave system connected between the magnetron and the accelerating tube, the microwave system being used to feed the microwaves generated by the magnetron into the accelerating tube; an electron gun connected to the accelerating tube for emitting an electron beam into the accelerating tube; and an electron gun power supply for supplying power to the electron gun; wherein the accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron, and the electron gun power supply are arranged sequentially along the front-rear direction of the accelerator, thereby determining the length of the accelerator.

[0006] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the microwave system includes a waveguide and a circulator, the waveguide being used to transmit microwave power and the circulator being used to isolate microwave power fed back to the magnetron.

[0007] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the waveguide includes an inflatable straight waveguide and an inflatable bent waveguide, the inflatable straight waveguide being connected between the magnetron and the circulator, and the inflatable bent waveguide being connected between the circulator and the accelerator tube.

[0008] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the circulator includes a four-terminal circulator disposed along the front-rear direction of the accelerator.

[0009] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator further includes a solid-state switch unit for converting an input DC high voltage into a pulsed high voltage. The solid-state switch unit is connected to the magnetron, which receives the pulsed high voltage from the solid-state switch unit to generate microwaves.

[0010] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, in the installed state of the accelerator, the solid-state switch unit is located at the bottom of the magnetron.

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the accelerator further includes an external collimator and an external collimator control unit, wherein the external collimator control unit is located at the bottom of the magnetron in the installed state of the accelerator.

[0012] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator further includes a magnetic pulse transformer connected to the solid-state switch unit and the magnetron. The magnetic pulse transformer, the solid-state switch unit, and the external collimator control unit are arranged sequentially along the left-right direction of the accelerator, thereby determining the width of the accelerator.

[0013] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator further includes a head frame, which is a frame-shaped structure. The accelerator tube, the microwave system, the magnetron, and the electron gun power supply are all disposed inside the frame-shaped structure and distributed along the length of the frame-shaped structure. The magnetic pulse transformer, the solid-state switch unit, and the external collimator control unit are all disposed inside the frame-shaped structure and distributed along the width of the frame-shaped structure.

[0014] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electron gun power supply includes an electron gun low-voltage power supply and an electron gun high-voltage power supply.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing is provided. The accelerator tube is an X-band accelerator tube, which makes it easier to achieve a small focus, resulting in high image resolution. Furthermore, since the X-band accelerator tube is smaller in size and weight, and the accelerator tube, microwave system, magnetron, and electron gun power supply are arranged closely along the front-back direction of the accelerator, the internal structure of the accelerator can be arranged more compactly, and the external size of the accelerator can be smaller. This enables the accelerator to meet the non-destructive testing requirements of large, high-precision machined parts in space-constrained scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the external collimator control unit is hidden.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a rear view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a left-side schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 7This is a right-side schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a magnetron and microwave system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a front view schematic diagram of a magnetron and microwave system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] In the diagram, there are: accelerator 100, magnetron 110, accelerator tube 120, microwave system 130, circulator 131, gas-filled straight waveguide 132, gas-filled bent waveguide 133, water-cooled large load 134, small load 135, electron gun power supply 140, solid-state switch sub-unit 150, external collimator 160, external collimator control unit 161, magnetic pulse transformer 170, and head frame 180.

[0027] It should be noted that, for clarity, the dimensions of structures or regions in the accompanying drawings used to describe embodiments of this disclosure may be enlarged or reduced; that is, these drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that an element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0030] In this document, unless otherwise specified, directional terms such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer" are used to indicate orientation or positional relationships based on the accompanying drawings, and are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device, element, or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed or operated in a specific orientation. It should be understood that when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationships they represent may also change accordingly. Therefore, these directional terms should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0031] Embodiments of this disclosure provide an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing, comprising: a magnetron for generating microwaves; an accelerating tube for accelerating electrons, wherein the accelerating tube is an X-band accelerating tube; a microwave system connected between the magnetron and the accelerating tube, the microwave system being used to feed the microwaves generated by the magnetron into the accelerating tube; an electron gun connected to the accelerating tube for emitting an electron beam into the accelerating tube; and an electron gun power supply for supplying power to the electron gun; wherein the accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron, and the electron gun power supply are arranged sequentially along the front-rear direction of the accelerator, thereby determining the length of the accelerator. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the use of an X-band accelerator tube makes it easier to achieve a small focal point and high image resolution. Since the volume of an X-band accelerator tube is smaller than that of an S-band accelerator tube, the volume of the accelerator tube and its surrounding shield can also be reduced, thus reducing the weight of the accelerator. Furthermore, by arranging the accelerator tube, microwave system, magnetron, and electron gun power supply required by the accelerator in sequence to limit the length of the accelerator, the internal space of the accelerator can be fully utilized, and the external size of the accelerator can be reduced. This provides an electron linear accelerator device with a small focal point, light weight, and compact structure to meet the application requirements in fields such as security inspection and non-destructive testing that use accelerators as radiation sources.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the external collimator control unit is hidden. Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 This is a rear view schematic diagram of an X-band small focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 This is a left-side schematic diagram of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7This is a right-side schematic view of an X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the X-band small focus accelerator 100 for non-destructive testing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least a magnetron 110, an accelerator tube 120, a microwave system 130, an electron gun, and an electron gun power supply 140.

[0034] The magnetron 110 serves as a microwave source, receiving high-voltage pulses to generate microwaves and transmitting them to the accelerator tube 120.

[0035] The accelerating tube 120 has multiple accelerating cavities, which accelerate and focus the electron beam as it passes through them, thus achieving electron acceleration. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the accelerating tube 120 is an X-band accelerating tube. Compared to existing S-band accelerating tubes, the X-band has a higher microwave frequency, resulting in a smaller volume for achieving the same electron beam energy. Consequently, the shielding volume around the accelerating tube 120 is also smaller, and the weight of the accelerating tube 120 is reduced. Furthermore, since the electron capture rate of the accelerating cavities in the X-band accelerating tube is lower than that in the S-band accelerating tube, more accelerating cavities are required to achieve the same electron beam energy. The electron beam is accelerated and focused each time it passes through a cavity. Because the X-band accelerating tube has more accelerating cavities than the S-band accelerating tube, its design flexibility in electron beam focusing is significantly better than that of the S-band accelerating tube, making it easier to achieve a small focal point.

[0036] A microwave system 130 is connected between the magnetron 110 and the accelerator tube 120. The microwave system 130 is used to feed the microwave generated by the magnetron 110 into the accelerator tube 120, that is, the microwave system 130 is used to transfer the microwave power generated by the magnetron 110 to the accelerator tube 120.

[0037] The electron gun is connected to the accelerating tube 120 and is used to emit an electron beam into the accelerating tube 120, thereby accelerating and focusing the electron beam using the accelerating tube 120.

[0038] The electron gun power supply 140 is electrically connected to the electron gun and is used to supply power to the electron gun.

[0039] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the accelerating tube 120, the microwave system 130, the magnetron 110, and the electron gun power supply 140 are arranged sequentially along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100, thereby determining the length of the accelerator 100. It should be noted that, in this document, the front-back direction of the accelerator 100 is parallel to the ray emission direction of the accelerator 100, and the left-right direction of the accelerator 100 is perpendicular to the ray emission direction of the accelerator 100; these details will not be elaborated further.

[0040] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the accelerator tube 120 is an X-band accelerator tube 120, which makes it easier to achieve a small focal point and higher image resolution. Furthermore, since the volume of the X-band accelerator tube 120 is smaller than that of the S-band accelerator tube, the volume and weight of the accelerator tube 120 and its shield are correspondingly reduced. Simultaneously, by closely arranging the accelerator tube 120, microwave system 130, magnetron 110, and electron gun power supply 140 along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100, the length of the accelerator 120 is determined, allowing the overall dimensions of the accelerator 100 to be minimized. Through the above design, the embodiments of this disclosure can provide an X-band electron linear accelerator with a focal point size of no more than 0.5 mm, light weight, compact structure, and generated electron energy exceeding 1.95 MeV, which can meet the non-destructive testing requirements of large, high-precision machined parts in space-constrained environments.

[0041] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a magnetron and microwave system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 This is a front view schematic diagram of a magnetron and microwave system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the microwave system 130 includes a waveguide and a circulator 131. The waveguide is used to transmit microwave power, and the circulator 131 is used to isolate microwave power fed back to the magnetron 110. The waveguide connects the magnetron 110 and the accelerator tube 120, and is used to transmit the microwave power generated by the magnetron 110 to the accelerator tube 120. The circulator 131 is disposed between the magnetron 110 and the accelerator tube 120, and the circulator 131 and the waveguide form a microwave power transmission channel. Under the isolation effect of the circulator 131, microwave power can be prevented from being fed back to the magnetron 110.

[0043] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the waveguide includes an inflatable straight waveguide 132 and an inflatable bent waveguide 133. The inflatable straight waveguide 132 is connected between the magnetron 110 and the circulator 131, and the inflatable bent waveguide 133 is connected between the circulator 131 and the accelerating tube 120. In this embodiment, the magnetron 110 serves as a microwave power source and can be an X-band coaxial magnetron. The microwave power generated by the magnetron 110 is fed into the accelerating tube 120 through the waveguide and the circulator 131. Specifically, the waveguide uses only one gas-filled straight waveguide 132 and one gas-filled bent waveguide 133. The gas-filled straight waveguide 132 connects the magnetron 110 and the circulator 131, and the gas-filled bent waveguide 133 connects the circulator 131 and the accelerator tube 120. That is, the magnetron 110, the gas-filled straight waveguide 132, the circulator 131, and the gas-filled bent waveguide 133 are arranged sequentially along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100. Thus, the space occupied by the waveguide can be minimized without affecting the microwave transmission between the magnetron 110, the circulator 131, and the accelerator tube 120, thereby reducing the size of the accelerator 100.

[0044] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the circulator 131 includes a four-terminal circulator arranged along the front-rear direction of the accelerator 100. The four-terminal circulator primarily functions as a directional power transmission and isolation protection device in the accelerator 100. In this embodiment, the microwave power output from the magnetron 110 is fed into port 1 of the four-terminal circulator and directionally transmitted to port 2 of the accelerating tube 120. The microwave power reflected back from the accelerating tube 120 is directionally transmitted to port 3, where it is absorbed by the water-cooled large load 134. The microwave power reflected by the water-cooled large load 134 is then absorbed by the small load 135 at port 4. The microwave power reflected again at port 4 has become very low, so even if it returns to the magnetron 110 at port 1, it will not affect normal operation, thus protecting the magnetron 110. The four-terminal circulator is a differential phase-shifting circulator 131, composed of a magic T, a π / 2 differential phase shifter, and a 3dB narrow-side crack bridge. In this embodiment, since the four-terminal circulator needs to isolate the microwave power fed back to the magnetron 110, the connection between the magic T, the π / 2 phase shifter, and the bridge is compressed as much as possible while ensuring a certain degree of isolation, thus achieving a miniaturized four-terminal circulator. Specifically, while ensuring 30dB of isolation, the length of the four-terminal circulator is reduced by about 1 / 3 compared to the original, thereby reducing the overall length of the accelerator 100 and achieving miniaturization of the accelerator 100.

[0045] It is understood that in other alternative embodiments, the circulator 131 is not limited to a four-terminal circulator; for example, the circulator 131 can also be a three-terminal circulator.

[0046] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the accelerator 100 also includes a gas supply system for supplying gas to the waveguide. For example, the gas supply system may include a sulfur hexafluoride cylinder, a flow meter, pipes, valves, etc., and the gas supply system may be placed in a void inside the accelerator 100.

[0047] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator 100 further includes a modulator and a solid-state switch unit 150. The solid-state switch unit 150 includes eight charge-discharge modules for converting an input DC high voltage into a pulsed high voltage. The solid-state switch unit 150 is connected to the magnetron 110, and the magnetron 110 receives the pulsed high voltage from the solid-state switch unit 150 to generate microwaves.

[0048] The modulator (not shown in the figure) is a lightweight solid-state modulator, mainly providing the high-voltage power supply, low-voltage power supply, and timing control required by the accelerator 100. The solid-state switch unit 150 is located inside the accelerator 100. Specifically, in the installed state of the accelerator 100, the solid-state switch unit 150 is located at the bottom of the magnetron 110, used to generate pulsed high voltage to supply to the magnetron 110 to generate microwaves. Specifically, the solid-state switch unit 150 is a device that converts DC high voltage into pulsed high voltage based on the MARX generator principle. Before the trigger signal arrives, the DC high voltage charges each energy storage capacitor in parallel. When the trigger signal is received, all the energy storage capacitors instantly discharge to the load in series.

[0049] In the embodiments of this disclosure, since the magnetron 110 is an X-band magnetron, and the operating voltage of the X-band magnetron is lower than that of the S-band magnetron, the structure of the solid-state switch unit 150 can be compressed. A typical solid-state switch unit 150 consists of multiple charging and discharging modules. In this embodiment, while meeting the operating voltage requirements of the X-band magnetron, the number of charging and discharging modules can be appropriately reduced. Consequently, the external dimensions of the solid-state switch unit 150 will also be reduced, i.e., the space occupied by the solid-state switch unit 150 will be reduced, making the internal structure of the accelerator 100 more compact.

[0050] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the accelerator 100 further includes an external collimator 160 and an external collimator control unit 161. The external collimator 160 is disposed on one side of the emitted rays of the accelerator 100 and located outside the accelerator 100, for collimating the emitted rays of the accelerator 100. It can be understood that setting the external collimator 160 is equivalent to extending the length of the accelerator 100. To avoid the accelerator 100 becoming too long, the external collimator 160 and the external collimator control unit 161 are separated. Specifically, the external collimator control unit 161 is disposed inside the accelerator 100 and electrically connected to the external collimator 160, for controlling the external collimator 160 to adjust the irradiation field. In the installed state of the accelerator 100, the external collimator control unit 161 is located at the bottom of the magnetron 110, which can minimize the impact on the length of the accelerator 100.

[0051] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator 100 further includes a magnetic pulse transformer 170, which connects the solid-state switch unit 150 and the magnetron 110. The high-voltage pulse generated by the solid-state switch unit 150 is converted into a suitable pulse by the magnetic pulse transformer 170 and then supplied to the magnetron 110, which serves as a microwave source. Upon receiving the high-voltage pulse, the magnetron 110 outputs microwave pulses, which are transmitted to the accelerator tube 120 via the microwave system 130. Since the magnetic pulse transformer 170 and the solid-state switch unit 150 are relatively large, if a conventional design were used to arrange them along the front-to-back direction of the accelerator 100, the length of the accelerator 100 would be excessive, resulting in an oversized overall dimension. Therefore, in this embodiment, the magnetic pulse transformer 170 and the solid-state switch unit 150 are arranged along the left-to-right direction of the accelerator 100. Because the accelerating tube 120 and its shield have a certain width, even if the magnetic pulse transformer 170 and the solid-state switch unit 150 are arranged side by side, the overall width of the accelerator 100 will not increase significantly. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the magnetic pulse transformer 170, the solid-state switch unit 150, and the external collimator control unit 161 are all located below the magnetron 110. The magnetic pulse transformer 170, the solid-state switch unit 150, and the external collimator control unit 161 are arranged sequentially along the left and right directions of the accelerator 100, thereby determining the width of the accelerator 100. At this time, the accelerator 100 can normally accommodate the accelerator tube 120 and its shield, and will not cause the length and width of the accelerator 100 to be too large.

[0052] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electron gun power supply 140 includes an electron gun low-voltage power supply and an electron gun high-voltage power supply. The electron gun is the core component for generating electrons, welded to the accelerating tube 120 body and located in a vacuum environment. During operation, the gun filament needs to be heated. After the gun cathode is heated, it emits electrons to form an electron cloud. When the beam exits, a high voltage needs to be applied to the electron gun to accelerate the electrons and inject them into the first accelerating chamber of the accelerating tube 120. Currently, in order for the electron gun to work properly, commonly used accelerators require a gun high-voltage power supply, high-voltage lines, pulse transformers, and an electron gun filament power supply. The installation positions of these components are scattered, wasting space within the accelerator 100. In this embodiment, the accelerator 100 integrates the electron gun low-voltage, high-voltage, and boost functions into a single power supply, forming the electron gun power supply 140, saving a lot of space and making the accelerator 100 structure more compact. Meanwhile, since the integrated electron gun power supply 140 is relatively large, in order to avoid interference between the electron gun power supply 140 and other components in the accelerator 100, such as the magnetron 110 and the acceleration tube 120, the electron gun power supply 140 is arranged along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100 in this embodiment. At this time, the electron gun power supply 140 will not affect the normal installation of other components, and at the same time, it will not make the external size of the accelerator 100 too large.

[0053] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the accelerator 100 further includes a head frame 180, which has a frame-like structure. The head frame 180 forms the outline of the accelerator 100, the external collimator 160 is disposed outside the head frame 180, and other components of the accelerator 100 are disposed inside the head frame 180. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the accelerator tube 120, microwave system 130, magnetron 110, and electron gun power supply 140 are all disposed inside the frame structure and distributed along the length direction of the frame structure, that is, arranged sequentially along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100, which determines the length of the head frame 180; the magnetic pulse transformer 170, solid-state switch sub-unit 150, and external collimator control unit 161 are all disposed inside the frame structure and distributed along the width direction of the frame structure, that is, arranged sequentially along the left-right direction of the accelerator 100, which determines the width of the head frame 180; and other components, such as the inflation system, are disposed in the remaining space within the frame structure of the head frame 180. Therefore, while ensuring that the accelerator 100 can achieve a small focal point, the external dimensions of the head unit 180, including its length and width, can be limited to make full use of the space inside the head unit 180. Furthermore, the external dimensions of the head unit 180 can be changed by appropriately reducing the size of components such as the four-terminal circulator and the solid-state switch unit 150, thereby achieving the miniaturization requirement of the accelerator 100.

[0054] The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to embodiments of the present disclosure has at least one of the following technical effects:

[0055] (1) The accelerator tube 120 adopts an X-band accelerator tube 120. The X-band accelerator tube 120 can reduce the volume and weight of the accelerator tube 120 and its shield while achieving a small focal point, thereby reducing the overall size of the accelerator 100 and meeting the miniaturization requirements of the accelerator 100.

[0056] (2) The accelerating tube 120, waveguide, four-terminal circulator, magnetron 110 and electron gun power supply 140 are arranged in sequence along the front-back direction of the accelerator 100 to limit the length of the accelerator 100. The magnetic pulse transformer 170, solid-state switch 150 and external collimator control unit 161 are arranged in sequence along the left-right direction of the accelerator 100 to limit the width of the accelerator 100. Other components of the accelerator 100 are arranged in the gap of the head frame 180, thereby making full use of the space inside the accelerator 100.

[0057] (3) By miniaturizing the four-terminal circulator and solid-state switch 150, the length and width of the accelerator 100 can be shortened, making the accelerator 100 smaller in size. At the same time, by integrating the high and low voltage of the electron gun power supply 140, the structure of the accelerator 100 is made more compact, so as to be suitable for certain special working conditions.

[0058] While some embodiments based on the overall technical concept of this disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the overall technical concept of this disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing, characterized in that, include: Magnetrons are used to generate microwaves; An accelerating tube is used to accelerate electrons, wherein the accelerating tube is an X-band accelerating tube; A microwave system is connected between the magnetron and the accelerator tube. The microwave system is used to feed microwaves generated by the magnetron into the accelerator tube. The microwave system includes a waveguide and a circulator. The waveguide is used to transmit microwave power, and the circulator is used to isolate the microwave power fed back to the magnetron. The waveguide includes an inflatable straight waveguide and an inflatable bent waveguide. The inflatable straight waveguide is connected between the magnetron and the circulator, and the inflatable bent waveguide is connected between the circulator and the accelerator tube. An electron gun, connected to the accelerating tube, is used to emit an electron beam into the accelerating tube; and An electron gun power supply, used to supply power to the electron gun; The head frame is a frame-shaped structure. The accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron, and the electron gun power supply are arranged sequentially along the front-to-back direction of the accelerator. The accelerating tube, the microwave system, the magnetron, and the electron gun power supply are all located inside the frame structure and distributed along the length of the frame structure, thereby determining the length of the accelerator. The magnetron is located at the top of the head frame.

2. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circulator includes a four-terminal circulator, which is arranged along the front-rear direction of the accelerator.

3. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The accelerator also includes a solid-state switch unit, which is used to convert the input DC high voltage into a pulsed high voltage. The solid-state switch unit is connected to the magnetron, and the magnetron is used to receive the pulsed high voltage from the solid-state switch unit to generate microwaves.

4. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 3, characterized in that, With the accelerator installed, the solid-state switch unit is located at the bottom of the magnetron.

5. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The accelerator also includes an external collimator and an external collimator control unit. In the installed state of the accelerator, the external collimator control unit is located at the bottom of the magnetron.

6. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The accelerator also includes a magnetic pulse transformer, which is connected to the solid-state switch unit and the magnetron. The magnetic pulse transformer, the solid-state switch unit, and the external collimator control unit are arranged sequentially along the left-right direction of the accelerator, thereby determining the width of the accelerator.

7. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 6, characterized in that, The magnetic pulse transformer, the solid-state switch unit, and the external collimator control unit are all located inside the frame structure and distributed along the width direction of the frame structure.

8. The X-band small-focus accelerator for non-destructive testing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electron gun power supply includes a low-voltage electron gun power supply and a high-voltage electron gun power supply.

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