US3400290A - Static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having a movable target - Google Patents

Static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having a movable target Download PDF

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Publication number
US3400290A
US3400290A US482409A US48240965A US3400290A US 3400290 A US3400290 A US 3400290A US 482409 A US482409 A US 482409A US 48240965 A US48240965 A US 48240965A US 3400290 A US3400290 A US 3400290A
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United States
Prior art keywords
target
atmosphere
accelerator
housing
ion beam
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Expired - Lifetime
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US482409A
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English (en)
Inventor
Reuben A Bergan
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Dresser Industries Inc
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Dresser Industries Inc
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Application filed by Dresser Industries Inc filed Critical Dresser Industries Inc
Priority to US482409A priority Critical patent/US3400290A/en
Priority to DE19661539866 priority patent/DE1539866C3/de
Priority to GB38081/66A priority patent/GB1161897A/en
Priority to FR74085A priority patent/FR1490842A/fr
Priority to NL6611989A priority patent/NL6611989A/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3400290A publication Critical patent/US3400290A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05H—PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
    • H05H3/00—Production or acceleration of neutral particle beams, e.g. molecular or atomic beams
    • H05H3/06—Generating neutron beams
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J27/00—Ion beam tubes
    • H01J27/02—Ion sources; Ion guns
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05H—PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
    • H05H5/00—Direct voltage accelerators; Accelerators using single pulses
    • H05H5/02—Details

Definitions

  • This invention relates to artificial sources of radioactivity, and more particularly relates to methods and apparatus for extending the useful life of static atmosphere ion beam accelerators adapted to produce radioactivity.
  • ion beam accelerators All such artificial sources of radiation are commonly referred to as ion beam accelerators, since they basically involve the acceleration of the bombarding ions (deuterons, tritons, protons, etc.) against a target to achieve the nuclear reaction sought to be obtained.
  • Such apparatus essentially consists of a source of ions, a target, and an accelerating means for accelerating the ions into the target to produce the sought for radiation.
  • the source of ions includes a pair of electrodes immersed in an atmosphere of deuterium and a power supply for passing a flow of electrons between the electrodes.
  • the target consists of a metal body which is impregnated with tritium, and the accelerating means is a voltage supply for establishing a very high potential between the electrodes and the target. Deuterium ions created by the electrons are thus attracted or accelerated into the tritium-impregnated target, and a 14.4 mev. neutron is generated from each interaction between a deuteron and a triton.
  • an ion beam accelerator will depend primarily upon the rate at which ions are produced, and upon the rate at which they are accelerated into the target.
  • the atmosphere must be sufiiciently rich in the vicinity of the electrodes that ions can be created at a satisfactory rate, but also sufiiciently sparse between the electrodes and the target so as to support an adequate accelerating voltage.
  • most ion beam accelerators are provided with systems which continually admit gas into the region between the electrodes, and also simultaneously pump away unionized gas from between the electrodes and the target. This type 'of accelerator is commonly known as a dynamic atmosphere accelerator.
  • an ion beam accelerator there are many uses for an ion beam accelerator, however, where it is either impractical or impossible to include a pumping system of the type hereinbefore described. For example, it is often desirable to use an ion beam accelerator as a radiation source in radioactivity welllogging systems.
  • well logging tools used in logging oil and gas wells must often be used in boreholes which are only five to six inches in diameter and thousands of feet deep.
  • therenited States Patent fore not only is space at a premium, therenited States Patent fore, but all power and control signals must be supplied to the subsurface equipment, from the surface of the earth, by way of one or more electrical conductors in a flexible logging cable.
  • an improved ion beam accelerator which has a single sealed atmosphere has been developed primarily for use in well logging systems.
  • This type of accelerator is commonly known as a static atmosphere" accelerator, since no pumping equipment is used to provide an atmosphere in the accelerating region which is different in density from the atmosphere in the ionization region.
  • a static atmosphere accelerator the atmosphere is common to both regions, but is maintained at a very low pressure (density) so as not to impede acceleration of the atmosphere ions into the target.
  • means such as magnets are provided in the ionization region to curve and greatly lengthen the path of the electrons so as to greatly improve the likelihood that they will strike the atmosphere atoms before reaching the anode member of the ionization electrode pair.
  • the static atmosphere accelerator has been a great success in that it can be made to produce substantial quantities of neutrons without any necessity for the complicated and elaborate pumping equipment used with the dynamic atmosphere accelerator.
  • it is much more difiicult to control the density and purity of the atmosphere in a static atmosphere accelerator, and the amount of neutrons generated depends very directly upon the atmosphere in any accelerator being held within very narrow limits of density and purity.
  • Establishing a static atmosphere within these limits of density and purity is a complex and time-consuming task. Thus, after a static atmosphere accelerator has been sealed, it is almost never reopened during its useful life.
  • the average static atmosphere accelerator is now a reasonably sturdy and dependable device.
  • the target proper has a predictable lifetime, and when the hydrogen isotope in the target has been exhausted or burned away, the target must be replenished or replaced.
  • Replacement of the target in a dynamic atmosphere is a relatively simple operation, since the tube atmosphere can be quickly and easily reestablished by means of the pumping system.
  • All particle accelerators may be broadly classified as either columnar or radial accelerators.
  • a so-called columnar accelerator is one in which the target is shaped in the manner of a fiat plate, and in which a columnarshaped beam of ions is directed at the target.
  • a radial accelerator is one in which the ionizing electrodes are centrally mounted inside the jacket or housing of the accelerator, the target is ring or hoop-shaped and is mounted so as to surround the ionizing electrodes, and the ion beam is radial or disc-like in shape.
  • the present invention is primarily useful in radial accelerators, it will be apparent that it may be readily adapted to columnar accelerators as well.
  • the present invention is adapted for use in a radial accelerator having a round and cylindrically-shaped jacket which houses the target, ionization assembly, and the internal atmosphere sought to be ionized.
  • the ionization assembly is centrally mounted so as to :be disposed inside the standard, hoop-shaped target which is normally fixed to the inner surface of the jacket.
  • there is an inner sleeve which is slideably disposed inside the jacket, and the target is therefore mounted on the inside surface of this sleeveboth the sleeve and the target being located so as to surround the ionization assembly.
  • the target in a typical radial-beam accelerator is approximately inch wide, whereas the ion beam is quite well focused and usually bombards only about 20% of the total *width of such a target.
  • the sleeve to provide a means for shifting the position of the target axially of the accelerator housing and the ionization assembly, so as to cause the beam to bombard a fresh area of the target after it has depleted the isotope content of the previously bombarded region or area.
  • the internal atmosphere of static atmosphere accelerator is sealed into the jacket at a very low pressure which is usually about 5-10 microns.
  • a moveable screw is provided which extends into the accelerator and is linked to the sleeve, and an accordian-like metal tube is disposed about the screw so as to provide a gastight barrier to separate the interior and exterior of the accelerator.
  • the accelerator jacket is basically provided with a flexible wall section by which motion can be applied to the target from a point outside the accelerator.
  • a partly functional, partly pictorial representation of a typical radial static atmosphere accelerator having an internal atmosphere 2 composed of deuterium, a tritiumimpregnated target 4, and having an ionization assembly 6 mounted centrally inside a cylindrically-shaped jacket 8.
  • the wire 22, which will hereinafter be referred to as the anode 22, is electrically insulated from the tube 20 which will hereinafter be referred to as the cathode 20.
  • the cathode 20 may be seen to be composed of a wire mesh 21 located opposite the target 4.
  • the static atmosphere accelerator depicted in the drawing is adapted to be energized in a conventional manner by a Van de Graaff generator (not depicted) which creates a voltage between the mesh 21 and the anode 22 by delivering a charge flow to the anode 22.
  • a Van de Graaff generator not depicted
  • an electron flow will be produced between the mesh 21 and the anode 22, and any deuterium atoms therebetween which are struck by an electron will be converted into a positively-charged deuterium ion.
  • the internal deuterium atmosphere 2 is extremely sparse as has hereinbefore been explained.
  • a plurality of magnets are usually inserted equidistantly about the anode 22, and between the anode 22 and the mesh 21, so as to cause these electrons to have an extremely long path of travel and to greatly increase the likelihood that they will strike one of the deuterium atoms before reaching the anode 22. Accordingly, the rate at which deuterium ions are produced is greatly improved, notwithstanding the sparsity of the deuterium atmosphere 2.
  • the tritiumdmpregnated target 4 is electrically coupled to the steel jacket 8, and is therefore at ground or reference potential. Accordingly, the deuterium ions produced in the region between the anode 22 and the mesh 21 are accelerated through the mesh 21, and into the target 4, at very high speeds. Those deuterium ions which strike a tritium nucleus at a sufiicient speed will cause a nuclear reaction which, in turn, produces a 14.4 mev. neutron.
  • the apparatus depicted in the drawing is suitable for producing other types of nuclear reactions.
  • the target 4 is impregnated with deuterium instead of tritium, the resulting deuterium-deuterium reaction will produce a 3.3 mev. neutron.
  • the internal atmosphere 2 is composed of protium (hydrogen-1), and if the target is composed of lithium or some other light metal, the resulting nuclear reaction will produce a 17 mev. gamma ray.
  • the accelerated ions tend to flow directly to the target 4 in a radial manner from around the circularly-shaped mesh 21.
  • the resultant disc-like shape of the ion beam is further enhanced by the focusing or flattening effect provided by the ring-shaped suppressor electrodes 23 which are mounted on each side of the ion beam, and between the target 4 and the mesh 21, to suppress secondary electron emission by the target 4.
  • the radially-shaped ion beam tends to be concentrated on a thin section of the target 4, and thus the useful life of a static atmosphere accelerator depends, in essence, upon the number of tritium (or other) nuclei there may be in only a relatively restricted section of the target 4, rather than on the total supply of tritium (or other) nuclei there may be in the overall target 4.
  • the effective size of the target 4 in any static atmosphere accelerator is determined by the width of the ion beam which bombards it.
  • the target 4 is mounted directly on the jacket 8.
  • the target 4 may be seen to be inserted in a recess 24 in a cylindrically-shaped metal sleeve 26 which is snugly but slideably disposed inside the jacket 8.
  • a pair of arms 28 which protrude through apertures 30 in a support plate 32, and which are affixed to a disc-like header bar 34 having an end fitting 36 mounted in its center.
  • a coil spring 38 is mounted in a compressed condition between the end fitting 36 and the support plate 32, and is preferably attached to the end fitting 36.
  • a threaded bolt 40 is fixedly imbedded at one end, in the opposite side of the end fitting 36, so as to extend into and through the center of an end plug 42 which is fixedly, and gas-tightly, mounted in an aperture in the jacket 8 at the opposite end of the accelerator from the insulator 12 and socket 10.
  • the bolt 40' is preferably in axial alignment with the ionization assembly 6.
  • a round, internally-threaded nut 44 having a flangelike base, is rotatably mounted in a recess in the exterior surface of the end plug 42, and in threaded engagement with the other end of the bolt 40.
  • a retaining ring 46 may be inserted in the end plug 42 to keep the nut 44 from slipping free of the end plug 42. It will be apparent that there is an unavoidable gas leak between the bolt 40 and the end plug 42.
  • an accordian sleeve 50 is mounted in a gas-tight manner between the end fitting 36 and the end plug 42 so as to surround and house the bolt 40.
  • the accordian sleeve 50 is a tubular, metallic member having a thin, accordian-like wall so that it may be axially extended or foreshortened without causing it to lose its general shape or form, and without creating any structural weakness in it.
  • the ion beam is only about as wide as the standard target 4.
  • the nut 44 may be rotated a preselected number of turns (which will depend on the thread pitch of the bolt 40), and the sleeve 26 and target 4 may be shifted axially upward a distance equal to about 20% of the width of the target 4. Irt theory, this will permit the accelerator to be kept in service up to five times its present lifetime with a target 4 of conventional width.
  • the rotation of the nut 44 can be preselected -to position the target 4 as desired. This also provides a means for determining the existing position of the target 4, since the metal jacket 8 of the accelerator prevents the target 4 from being visually exposed.
  • the principle of the present invention is the axially shifting of the target 4 without breaking or penetrating the gas seal between the exterior of the accelerator and its internal atmosphere 2.
  • externally located magnetic means may be used to shift the target 4 or the sleeve 26 holding it.
  • an internally mounted bi-metal actuator means may be used which is responsive only to a temperature well in excess of that normally encountered in a borehole.
  • the apparatus depicted in the accompanying drawing is deemed far superior to such alternatives, since it is both simple and dependable, and since it may be incorporated without substantial redesign of those accelerators presently in use.
  • a housing having a longitudinal axis
  • an ionization means disposed at a point on the longitudinal axis of said housing for ionizing said atmosphere
  • a static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having: a cylindrically-shaped metal housing, an internal atmosphere sealed gas-tightly in said housan ionization means disposed at a point on the longitudinal axis of said housing for ionizing said atmosphere, and
  • a cylindrically-shaped metal target slideably disposed in said housing parallel to said axis adjacent said ionization means providing a substantially constant target area of ion bombardment
  • threaded bolt means disposed generally inside said housing in alignment with said axis and having one end in screw engagement with said nut means and having the other end linked to said target
  • a target composed of a circular metal band having a predetermined width relative to said axis and containing nuclei of a preselected type
  • threaded bolt means disposed generally inside said housing in alignment with said axis and having one end in screw engagement with said nut means and having the other end fixedly connected to said sleeve,
  • a target composed of a circular metal band having a pre-determined width relative to said axis and containing nuclei of a preselected type
  • a cylindrically-shaped metal sleeve slideably disposed in said housing along said axis and having said target fixedly attached thereto to face said ionization means providing a substantially constant target area of ion bombardment
  • threaded bolt means disposed generally inside said housing in alignment with said axis and having one end in screw engagement with said nut means and having the other end fixedly connected to said sleeve,
  • a target composed of a circular metal band having a predetermined width relative to said axis and containing nuclei of a preselected type
  • plug means mounted gas-tightly in one end section of said housing in general alignment with said axis
  • threaded bolt means disposed generally inside said housing in alignment with said axis and having one end in screw engagement with said nut means

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Particle Accelerators (AREA)
US482409A 1965-08-25 1965-08-25 Static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having a movable target Expired - Lifetime US3400290A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US482409A US3400290A (en) 1965-08-25 1965-08-25 Static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having a movable target
DE19661539866 DE1539866C3 (de) 1965-08-25 1966-08-23 lonenstrahlbeschleuniger mit statischer Atmosphäre
GB38081/66A GB1161897A (en) 1965-08-25 1966-08-24 Improvements in or relating to Static Atmosphere Ion Beam Accelerators.
FR74085A FR1490842A (fr) 1965-08-25 1966-08-25 Accélérateur de faisceau d'ions à atmosphère statique
NL6611989A NL6611989A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1965-08-25 1966-08-25

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US482409A US3400290A (en) 1965-08-25 1965-08-25 Static atmosphere ion beam accelerator having a movable target

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US3400290A true US3400290A (en) 1968-09-03

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US (1) US3400290A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB (1) GB1161897A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
NL (1) NL6611989A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3911282A (en) * 1973-11-01 1975-10-07 Dresser Ind Axial ion beam accelerator tube having a wobbled target
US4898709A (en) * 1983-04-22 1990-02-06 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Ore irradiator
KR20140122232A (ko) 2012-02-02 2014-10-17 고이께 산소 고교 가부시끼가이샤 용접용 대차
US20180102191A1 (en) * 2014-05-26 2018-04-12 Adam S. Goldberg Cyclic nuclear fusion with single-cycle, charged cathode

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN113099600A (zh) * 2021-04-02 2021-07-09 西京学院 一种靶距可调式中子管靶极结构

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2926270A (en) * 1957-12-30 1960-02-23 Gen Electric Rotating anode x-ray tube
US2993996A (en) * 1956-07-27 1961-07-25 California Research Corp Movable target for bore hole accelerator
US3123739A (en) * 1960-08-16 1964-03-03 bergan
US3205389A (en) * 1963-01-21 1965-09-07 Tung Sol Electric Inc Adjustable constant current ionization device
US3229145A (en) * 1962-11-01 1966-01-11 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Adjustable precision spark gap

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2993996A (en) * 1956-07-27 1961-07-25 California Research Corp Movable target for bore hole accelerator
US2926270A (en) * 1957-12-30 1960-02-23 Gen Electric Rotating anode x-ray tube
US3123739A (en) * 1960-08-16 1964-03-03 bergan
US3229145A (en) * 1962-11-01 1966-01-11 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Adjustable precision spark gap
US3205389A (en) * 1963-01-21 1965-09-07 Tung Sol Electric Inc Adjustable constant current ionization device

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3911282A (en) * 1973-11-01 1975-10-07 Dresser Ind Axial ion beam accelerator tube having a wobbled target
US4898709A (en) * 1983-04-22 1990-02-06 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Ore irradiator
KR20140122232A (ko) 2012-02-02 2014-10-17 고이께 산소 고교 가부시끼가이샤 용접용 대차
US20180102191A1 (en) * 2014-05-26 2018-04-12 Adam S. Goldberg Cyclic nuclear fusion with single-cycle, charged cathode
US10770186B2 (en) * 2014-05-26 2020-09-08 Adam S. Goldberg Cyclic nuclear fusion with single-cycle, charged cathode
US11508486B2 (en) 2014-05-26 2022-11-22 Adam S. Goldberg Multi-node, cyclic nuclear fusion reactor with single-cycle, charged cathode
US11823803B2 (en) 2014-05-26 2023-11-21 Adam S. Goldberg Multi-node reactor for producing a cyclized nuclear fusion reaction
US12315644B2 (en) 2014-05-26 2025-05-27 Adam S. Goldberg Reactor for producing a nuclear fusion reaction

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6611989A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1967-02-27
GB1161897A (en) 1969-08-20
DE1539866B2 (de) 1976-01-02
DE1539866A1 (de) 1970-01-08

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