Project submitted for the base funding of
Artem Alikhanyan National Laboratory (AANL)
Principal Investigator: Sarkis Taroian
TITLE: Creation of a commercial radiation processing complex at the
Alikhanyan National Laboratory
DURATION: 2 years
Estimated Project Costs
Estimated total cost of the project (US $) 29 000,0
Including:
Payments to Individual Participants 15 000,0
Equipment 4 000,0
Materials 1 000,0
Travel 7 000,0
Other Direct Costs 2 000,0
1. PROBLEM:
The aim of the proposed project is a preparation of the Conceptual Design for a commercial
radiation processing complex at the Alikhanyan National Laboratory.
The integrity of the proposed project will provide high efficiency for the commercial
radiation processing. The program incorporates a wide range of services, which have a great demand
in Armenia as well as in world market, including:
Highly sterilized radiation processing of medical products (bandages, cotton, first-aid packs,
disposable medical garbs, cloths and coverage gynaecological complexes, blood transfusion
systems and scarificators, wares)
Radiation processing of pharmaceutical preparations at the terminal preparation stage
Radiation processing of industrial products for the purpose of improvement of their
characteristics and the extension of their storage life
Radiation processing of foodstuff
Crop and agricultural products’ radiation processing
Production of heat-shrinkage polymeric pipes and membrane
Radiation refinement of color stones
Radiation modification of semiconductor products and materials
2. OBJECTIVES:
The objective of the program is to contribute to the industrial-innovation development of the
Alikhanyan National Laboratory through the application of science intensive high-technology
facilities in the sphere of nuclear and associated technologies. The main tasks of the program are:
creation of modern infrastructure for the technology development in the priority directions of the
institute activities, involvement of high-tech facilities, provision of the products’ advance to the
market and their implementation in industrial production, creation of lucrative investment climate,
creation of new job opportunities.
Creation of full-fledged technological base of radiation processing and the introduction of
new industrial capacities demand the fulfillment of a range of essential tasks, if not it will be
impossible to provide a world level competitive production of materials’ radiation processing.
3. MAIN TASKS
TASK 1: Preparation of the Conceptual Design for a commercial radiation processing
complex at the Alikhanyan National Laboratory
Task description and main milestones Participating
Institutions
Task 1.1 Development of the draft design of the commercial radiation Artem Alikhanyan
National Laboratory
processing complex
(AANL)
Task 1.2 Modernization of available radiation facilities (linear electron
accelerators ЛУЭ-5, ЛУЭ-8, ЛУЭ-10)
Task 1.3 Reconstruction and repairing of compartments
Task 1.4 Modeling of radiation processing conditions
Task 1.5 Methodology development
Task 1.6 Development of a system of electron accelerator diagnosis
Task 1.7 Development of a product radiation process monitoring
system
Task 1.8 Introduction of international standards
Duration: I-VIII quarters
Description of deliverables
Report, proposal
4. IMPACT
The full scale implementation of the project will enable to create industrial-technological
bases for the production of new generation of world level competitive science intensive products in
the sphere of radiation processing of materials, which will entirely boost the formation of
technological preconditions for higher economic growth rate at the expense of growth in the
economics structure of the products with higher level of extra charge, maintenance and creation of
new jobs.
Using only one high-current electron accelerator YerPhI can process more than 2000m3
medical products to the sum of $150 000 per year. We assume that the total market of rendering
radiation services in Armenia can be estimated $2 mln per year.
Brief survey of the worldwide researches made on the project topic, the competitiveness of the
project, and achievements of the group
In recent years a sustainable development of radiation processing has been observed
worldwide.. In 2010 about 550000 ton of foodstuff was processed by radiation (mainly spices and
dry vegetables). In Europe 12 centers of radiation sterilization perform foodstuff procession. A
positive tendency is the increase of volume of orders of the vegetative stuff sterilization to answer
the demands or bacteriological indices of the final manufacturer.
In the countries with developed science and technique, in order to increase the exploitation
characteristics and the product resource, concentrated energy flux based non-traditional technologies
of material processing are more extensively used. Among the non-traditional methods of material
procession much more perspective are their modification by means of high-current electron beams.
Intensive works are lead on the development of technologies of middle sized products modification
for the enhancement of their resource and exploitation characteristics through combined processing
by different kinds of radiation, including strong pulse electron fluxes, high temperature pulse plasma
and ion mixing, applying polyenergetic ion beams. In the capacity of materials wide range of
constructional and functional materials are used, including pure metals, with different crystal
lattice, complex-alloyed materials with phase transformations, anticorrosion steel of different
classes, tool steels, coating materials and plating layers. Potential markets for the ecologically sound
and resource-saving radiation-beam technologies of combined processing products are different
industries where the enhancement of a range of exploitation characteristics is of utmost importance.
The high sterilized radiation processing of medical products and pharmaceutical preparations
at the terminal preparation stage have found a ready market.
Main references of the team:
S.P. Taroian, Development of new Technologies for Radiation Protection systems, 4th
RECAN Workshop on Problems in the Industrial Application of Ionizing Radiation Sources
Risan, Montenegro, 17-19 Sep. 2008
S.P. Taroian, Industrial Application of Radiation Processing in Yerevan Physics Institute.
Radiation treatment seminar, May 13-14, 2009, Lvov, Ukraine
S.P. Taroian, X-Ray Imaging Systems for Radiation Processing. ADVANCED X-RAY
IMAGING, Proceedings of the ISTC International Workshop, Yerevan-Tsakhkadzor, Armenia,
June 16-18, 2009, p. 17.
Р.О. Авакян, С.П. Тароян и др. Прикладная ядерная физика в Ереванском физическом
институте, Известия НАН Арм. Физика, 44, 5, с. 380-388 (2009).
Р.О. Авакян, С.П. Тароян и др. Создание канала транспортировки электронного пучка
с энергией 20 МэВ для экспериментов по радиационным процессам, Известия НАН
Арм. Физика, т. 45, N 1, с. 69-73 (2010).
Авагян В.Ш., Бабаян А.З., Тунян И.В. Вакуумная индукционна установка для пайки
ускоряющих структур , ISTC International Workshop Advansed X-Ray Imaging, 16-18 June
2009, Yerevan, Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, pp. 34- 41.
Авагян В.Ш., Бабаян А.З. Устройство для диффузионной сварки. А.с. СССР №1755481,
МК В23К 20/26,15.04.1992.
th
Avagyan V. et al. Design Study of CANDLE Synchrotron Light Source. Proc. of 25 ICFA
Advanced Beam Dynamics Workshop. SSILS, 2001, Shanghai, China. - P. 37-41.
Авагян В.Ш. Установка для диффузионной сварки длинномерных изделий: Патент,
АМ, № 1534 А2. Заяв. 20.04.2004: Опубл.11.05.2004,- №5 (45).
Avagyan V. et al Diffusion Welding of Heterogeneous Materials in Accelerating Technique,
Proceedings of 9-th European Particle Accelerator Conference, Lucerne, Switzerland, 5-9 July,
2004.pp.1586-1587
Personnel Commitments (chart, total number of project participants, responsibilities of
each)
Managerial responsibilities
Scientific Leader
Accelerator’s Part of Conceptual Equipment and Civil Engineering
Design Report Part of Conceptual Design Report
The number of team members above retirement age: 1
Project manager – S. Taroian, PhD
Accelerators
Kh. Arutyunian, PhD
Equipment and Civil Engineering
V. Avagyan, PhD
Equipment
Equipment description Cost (US $)
Computers 2 000
Printers, Xerox, fax 2 000
Total 4 000
Materials
Materials description Cost (US $)
Office Accessory 1 000
Other Direct Costs
Direct cost description Cost (US $)
Spent material, Software 2 000
Travel costs
CIS travel International travel Total (US $)
2 000 5 000 7 000
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Technical Approach and Methodology
The objective of the program is to contribute to the industrial-innovation development of
the A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory through the application of science intensive high-
technology facilities in the sphere of nuclear and associated technologies. The main tasks of the
program are: creation of modern infrastructure for the technology development in the priority
directions of the institute activities, involvement of high- tech facilities, provision of the
products’ advance to the market and their implementation in industrial production, creation of
lucrative investment climate, creation of new job opportunities.
Alikhanyan National Laboratory is one of the largest scientific institutions in Armenia
engaged in fundamental researches. The traditional areas of the institute’s researches are nuclear
physics and elementary particle physics, cosmic ray physics, theoretical physics, accelerator
physics and techniques, applied researches. The rich scientific-technical base enables the institute
to be also actively engaged in the programs of science intensive high-technology facilities in the
sphere of nuclear technologies. The availability of high intensity linear electron accelerators of
different energies in AANL allows the implementation of new technologies in radiation physics.
The institute has a broad experience of fundamental and applied researches on the effect of
different types of radiation on materials. The institute is one of the pioneers in the sphere of
observation of radiation defects in semiconductors and the radiation technologies of
semiconductors, has a broad experience of materials, articles and products radiation processing,
the radiation procession of medical facilities with high reliability sterilization. Detailed
researches have been conducted on the industrial application of these perspective directions of the
materials modification, studies of the physicochemical processes of the radiation interaction with
materials, the regularity of structure- phase condition and physics-mechanical features of
extensively used functional materials at their processing, which enables to extensively enlarge the
technological capacity of the radiation methods.
The objective of the given project is: creation of an electron linear accelerator based
complex of commercial radiation processing in AANL.
In recent years a sustainable development of radiation processing has been observed
worldwide. Radiation kills the pathogenic microbes in foodstuff, thus improving the foodstuff
safety and extending their storage time. In 2010 about 550000 ton of foodstuff was processed by
radiation (mainly spices and dry vegetables). In Europe 12 centers of radiation sterilization
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perform foodstuff procession. A positive tendency is the increase of volume of orders of the
vegetative stuff sterilization to answer the demands or bacteriological indices of the final
manufacturer.
In the countries with developed science and technique, in order to increase the
exploitation characteristics and the product resource, concentrated energy flux based non-
traditional technologies of material processing are more extensively used. Among the non-
traditional methods of material procession much more perspective are their modification by
means of high-current electron beams. Intensive works are lead on the development of
technologies of middle sized products modification for the enhancement of their resource and
exploitation characteristics through combined processing by different kinds of radiation,
including strong pulse electron fluxes, high temperature pulse plasma and ion mixing, applying
polyenergetic ion beams. In the capacity of materials wide range of constructional and functional
materials are used, including pure metals, with different crystal lattice, complex-alloy(ed)
materials with phase transformations, anticorrosion steel of different classes, tool steels, coating
materials and plating layers. Potential markets for the ecologically sound and resource-saving
radiation-beam technologies of combined processing products are different industries where the
enhancement of a range of exploitation characteristics is of utmost importance.
The radiation processing is largely used when studying the radiation-physics processes
within the structures of metal-dialectic-semiconductor under different types of ionizing radiation
(electrons, protons, neutrons) and when issuing practical recommendations for the semiconductor
material science and instrument making. Of utmost practical interest is the possibility to evaluate
the photo detector, power rectifiers, photo diodes and the semiconductor based field FET
operating capacity, as well as a considerable scientific interest for the interpretation of the nature
of inherent and radiation defects in the material and the impact of such defects on the electrical
and recombined characteristics. The world market of the semiconductor’s radiation processing
provides typical increase of 10% per year, the scope of market is ~$5-10mln per year.
In recent years methods of radiation modification of hard dispersed materials’ surface
properties have been intensively developed worldwide (coal, SiO2, Al2O3, pearlite, bentonite etc.)
through the radiation by fast electron flux with the possible subsequent chemical modification,
aimed at contraction of high-performance, selective catalyst, sorbents and filling materials. The
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possibility of radiation modification of micro-disperse structures opens new perspectives in the
formation of nano-composites and bioactive materials.
The radiation procession is also applied for the purification of smoke and gas releases,
sewage waters from contaminating agents, which are one of the environmental protection
essential problems. The technology of processing water flux flowing from a well by means of a
few MeV energy electron beams, when the beam easily decomposes the organic molecules, has
been long and largely used.
A quite perspective trend in addition to the numerous applications of the accelerator is the
changing the precious stones’ color through radiation. Undyed faceted stones are radiated by
electron beams to form color-centers in the material. Radiation accelerates the natural process of
dyeing and as a result precious stones of light blue or super-blue colors are obtained and they
become commercially and esthetically desirable (Table 1). The world market scope is ~$2-3
mln per year.
Table 1
Natural stone - inconspicuous Bright color The possible colors
class color price $/ct price $/ct at radiation
processing
Emerald - 1 500 5000 Blue-green
Topaz - 2 1-2 $/g 11 $/ct Blue, orange
Aquamarine - 2 1.5- 5 20 – 70 Blue-green
Tourmaline - 2 1-5 70-100 Green, pink
Citrine - 4 1-2 12 Yellow, green
Quartz - 4 1-2 12 - 70 Pink, violet
The technology of foodstuff safe radiation processing is largely used worldwide. Vermin
containing products are radiated (for instance fruits for export) to prevent the vermin
dissemination in other countries.
The crop seed and agricultural products are radiation processed to initiate sorts of
agricultural products stable to affections and to extend their storage life. The reduced usage of
preservative in foodstuff demands sounder packaging to prevent the increase of bacteria
dissemination. The pharmaceutical and foodstuff packages are radiated for the bacteria and other
pathogenic microbes’ liquidation. The market scope is ~ $5-10mln per year.
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The high sterilized radiation processing of medical products and pharmaceutical
preparations at the terminal preparation stage have found a ready market. Radiation sterilization
is performed for a broad range of medical products, which are resistant to heat or steam
sterilization (bandages, cotton, first-aid packs, disposable medical garbs, cloths and coverage
gynecological complexes, blood transfusion systems and scarificators, wares). Using only one
high-current electron accelerator AANL can process more than 2000m3 medical products to the
sum of $150 000 per year. We assume that the total market of rendering radiation services in
Armenia can be estimated $2 mln per year.
AANL has the necessary equipments as well as experience and knowledge for the
successful implementation of the project. The project implementation will result in the creation of
new jobs, where will be employed specialist, who were previously engaged in developing
materials for the military technique and arming defense resistant to the striking factors of nuclear
explosion and cosmic radiation. During the project implementation linear electron accelerators
and unique nuclear-physical devices will also be used, which will make it possible to use the
institute’s equipment and instrument base for the execution of peaceful researches and the
creation of innovation technological engineering. The electron pulse technique and technology
available in YerPhI, research devices and benches, the rich set of radiation detectors, measuring
and calculating devices as well as the experience in the sphere of material radiation processing
provide sufficient base for the implementation of proposed works. YerPhI three linear electron
accelerators will be used at the commercial radiation processing program (Table 2):
Table 2
Electron accelerator Maximal energy Average beam
(MeV) current (mkA)
1. ЛУЭ - 5 5 750
2. ЛУЭ - 8 8 200
3. ЛУЭ - 10 10 750
Detailed characteristics of these linear accelerators are presented at the attachment.
These electron accelerators can provide high power radiation doses, and consequently, radiation
processing of products and materials within short time span can be conducted, i.e. run a highly
productive process for a mass quantity of production batch.
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The integrity of the proposed project will provide high efficiency for the commercial
radiation processing. The program incorporates a wide range of services, which have a great
demand in Armenia as well as in world market, including:
Highly sterilized radiation processing of medical products (bandages, cotton, first-aid
packs, disposable medical garbs, cloths and coverage gynaecological complexes, blood
transfusion systems and scarificators, wares)
Radiation processing of pharmaceutical preparations at the terminal preparation stage
Radiation processing of industrial products for the purpose of improvement of their
characteristics and the extension of their storage life
Radiation processing of foodstuff
Crop and agricultural products’ radiation processing
Production of heat-shrinkage polymeric pipes and membrane
Radiation refinement of color stones
Radiation modification of semiconductor products and materials
By means of electron accelerator ЛУЭ – 5 (Electronics U-003) development works on the two-
way commercial radiation procession are held in YerPhI (development of medical products,
modification of wide range of heat-shrinkage polymeric pipes).
Fig. 1 Linear electron accelerator ЛУЭ – 5 and sterilized medical items of the firm MEDIAS
(Armenia)
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The works efficiency is low mainly owing to the incompleteness of the production
technological cycle.
Creation of full-fledged technological base of radiation processing and the introduction of
new industrial capacities demand the fulfillment of a range of essential tasks, if not it will be
impossible to provide a world level competitive production of materials’ radiation processing.
Initially it’s necessary to create a reliable system of quality control. Introduction of on-
line control system will provide the maintenance of necessary processing regime, applicable to
each product type. It includes a controllable beam scanner, technological channels measuring the
main parameters of accelerators, monitoring system and the radiation regime registration,
blocking and alarm systems. By means of modern mathematical programs it’s necessary to
conduct the modeling of radiation processing conditions, the process of particles propagation
(electrons, photons, positrons) in different environments as well as the registration of particles’
beam sizes, density of particles energy distribution, angles of setting in distinct points of
modeling devices and objects, calculation of absorbed dose distribution and optimization of
products’ radiation processing regimes on the accelerator.
It’s also necessary to demonstrate that the product has undergone correct industrial
procession and a right diapason of radiation dose has been observed.
For the full implementation of the project targets the following laboratories should be
created
Microbiological laboratory
Control laboratory
Laboratory for the radiation products detection
Physicochemical laboratory
Certification laboratory
The following tasks must be fulfilled within the project
1. Development of the draft design of the commercial radiation processing complex
2. Modernization of available radiation facilities (linear electron accelerators ЛУЭ-5, ЛУЭ-
8, ЛУЭ-10)
3. Reconstruction and repairing of compartments
4. Container manufacturing
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5. Acquisition and installation of equipments
6. Material acquisition
7. Modeling of radiation processing conditions
8. Methodology development
9. Development of a system of electron accelerator diagnosis
10. Creation of a product radiation process monitoring system
11. Introduction of international standards
12. License acquisition for radiation processing conduction
13. Launch of the commercial radiation processing complex
Date and main phases of the project realization – 2011-2013
The full scale implementation of the project will enable to create industrial-technological
bases for the production of new generation of world level competitive science intensive products
in the sphere of radiation processing of materials, which will entirely boost the formation of
technological preconditions for higher economic growth rate at the expense of growth in the
economics structure of the products with higher level of extra charge, maintenance and creation
of new jobs.
12
Attachment
Fig. 2 Scheme of the first line of the linear electron accelerator based complex of
commercial radiation processing ЛУЭ-5
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Technical characteristics of linear electron accelerators
ЛУЭ-5 (ELECTRONICS U-003)
• Final energy - 5 MeV
• Acceleration gradient – 2.5 MeV /m
• Average beam current - 750 mkA
• Electron energy regulation range - 1 - 5 MeV
• Energy instability – no more than ±5%
• RF frequency – 1.89 GHz
• Repetition rate – 1-200Hz
• Pulse duration – 5mksec
• Acceleration section length – 2m
• Beam emittance – 80 p mm-mrad
ЛУЭ-8 (LAE-8 ELECTRONICS)
• Final energy - 8 MeV
• Acceleration gradient – 4 MeV /m
• Average beam current - 200 mkA
• Electron energy regulation range - 5 - 8 MeV
• Energy instability – no more than ±(20-25%)
• RF frequency – 1.86 GHz
• Repetition rate – 150-250Hz
• Pulse duration – 4mksec
• Acceleration section length – 2m
• Beam emittance – 20 p mm-mrad
ЛУЭ-10 (ELECTRONICS U-006)
• Final energy -10 MeV;
• Acceleration gradient – 4.5 MeV /m
• Average beam current - 750 mkA;
• Electron energy regulation range - 6 - 10 MeV;
• Energy instability – no more than ±5%;
• RF frequency – 1.89 GHz
• Repetition rate – 1-200Hz,
• Pulse duration – 5mksec
• Acceleration section length – 2.2m
• Beam emittance – 80 p mm-mrad
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