ERL Beam Dump Energy Recovery via Passive Decelerating Cavities

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Energy Recovery Linacs (ERLs) fail to recover a significant portion of spent electron beam energy, leading to energy wastage and radiation hazards due to the high power required for beam dumping.

Innovation Solution

The method involves adding passive decelerating cavities at the beam dump with coupling waveguides to extract RF energy, adjusting the external quality factor (Qext) for efficient energy recovery and transferring it back to the booster, reducing the power needed for the beam dump and radiation hazards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a conventional beam dump is used to stop the spent beam, then the beam can be stopped, but a large amount of energy is wasted and radiation hazards are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam energyVSAvoidradiation hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful high-energy spent beam into a beneficial resource by using it to drive a RF generator that produces RF power. This RF power is then fed back to the linac to accelerate new electrons, transforming the waste energy problem into a useful energy recovery solution that reduces both energy loss and radiation hazards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a RF generator as an intermediary device between the spent beam and the linac. The spent beam drives the RF generator, which converts the beam energy into RF power, which then serves as the accelerating power for the linac. This intermediary transformation enables efficient energy recovery while avoiding direct beam dumping

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If high-power RF is used in the booster to accelerate the high current beam, then the beam can be accelerated, but a substantial amount of power is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam accelerationVSAvoidRF power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system where the spent beam from the linac is directed to drive a RF generator, and the generated RF power is fed back to the linac to replace the input RF power. This closed-loop feedback mechanism recovers and reuses the beam energy, significantly reducing the net RF power consumption while maintaining beam acceleration productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding the spent beam energy in a beam dump, the patent recovers it by using the spent beam to drive the RF generator. The recovered RF power is then reused to accelerate new electrons in the linac, transforming a discarded resource into a valuable energy source that reduces overall power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables high-efficiency energy recovery from spent beams, reducing the size and radiation hazards of the beam dump, and allows for the reuse of significant RF energy in ERL injector cryomodules, resulting in cost savings and improved operational safety.

Implementation Method 1

adding a plurality of passive decelerating cavities at the beam dump of the ERL... extracting the RF energy through the coupling waveguides

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

adding one or more coupling waveguides between the passive decelerating cavities... transferring the energy back to a consumer for reuse

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic wave propagation: Waveguide (optics)

Data Source

PatentUS9872375B2Method for energy recovery of spent ERL beams

Publication Date: 2018.01.16 JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES LLC

AI summary

A method for recovering energy from spent energy recovered linac (ERL) beams. The method includes adding a plurality of passive decelerating cavities at the beam dump of the ERL, adding one or more coupling waveguides between the passive decelerating cavities, setting an adequate external Q (Qext) to adjust to the beam loading situation, and extracting the RF energy through the coupling waveguides.