Electron Beam Irradiation

Applications

Sunil Sabharwal
International Atomic Energy Agency

IAEA
Atoms for Peace
Greetings from the IAEA!

2
Outline of the presentation
• Fundamental aspects of radiation processing
using electron beam accelerators
• Established applications of electron beam
accelerators
• Emerging applications and the challenges
before electron beam technologists for such
applications
• Role of IAEA in enhancing applications of
electron beam accelerators
3
 Greenhouse Effect
Issues related to conventional techniques

High Energy Consumption !

Toxic residues!!

4
Expectations from new technologies

• Energy Saving
• Must provide superior products
• Environment friendly
• Cost effective
• Public acceptance

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 How is Radiation Different from Thermal energy ?

Thermal energy is very strongly

coupled to Translational,
Rotational and Vibrational
modes of the energy absorber. Ionizing Radiation
Ionization, bond rupture and
other processes leading to
chemical reactions occur P. E.
only in the high energy region
of the Maxwellian tail. Thermal energy

Internuclear distance
Ionizing radiation is almost entirely absorbed by the electronic structure of absorber
which increases the energy level of its orbital electrons.

Effective, Efficient generator of reactive Species.

Energy in the form of large quanta can have more pronounced

chemical effects than energy in the form of small quanta
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Effects of radiation on a covalent bond

Ionizing
Radiation

A-B

Dissociation
AB*
AB+ + e-

Recombination

Ax + B x
Radicals
Solvated ions

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What kind of reactions are amiable
with radiation (EB) processing?

Production rate (kw-hr) = 3.74x10-4G.M.f kg

where f is efficiency of radiation absorption

• G-value (yield) of reaction should be very high

• M - (mol. wt. of product) should be high
• Small change produced should have very large effect
on the properties
• Value addition to the product is very high

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The real dot -com

Free radical, R.

Mutli- billion dollar

industry providing
unique high technology
products !!
 Applications of Radiation Technology
• Crosslinking of polymers
•Curing of polymer coatings
Radiation
•Graft polymerization Chemistry
based
•Flue gas treatment
applications
•Waste water treatment

•Sterilization of medical products Radiation

Biology
•Food irradiation
based
•Sewage Sludge Hygienization applications
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 Electron Accelerators: Tools for radiation processing

Electron Accelerator (EB):

Energy:
low (300-700keV),
medium (2-3MeV)
high (5-10MeV)
Power:
Medium (20-100kW)
High (0.5-1MW)
Electron mode
X-ray mode
(>2000 worldwide)

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Penetration Depth of J-ray and e-beam

12
Applications of
Medium Energy
Accelerators

13
 High
Performance
Performance Plastics Price

Engineering
Plastics

Standard Plastics

Volume
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 PEK
PE FP
HIGH PERFORMANCE LCP
PLASTIC PPS
HDT>100 o PES
COC PSU
ENGINEERING PA4,6
PC
PLASTIC
PPO
BLENDPBT PET
HDT>100 o PP-GR
PMMA ABS
UPGRADATION
THROUGH
PP RADIATION
STANDARD PP SAN
PLASTIC PVC PE CROSSLINKING
HDT<100 o
AMORPHOUS CRYSTALLINE
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 Benefits of crosslinking

• Increased tensile strength

• Increased form stability
• Resistance to deformation
• Resistance to solvents
• Shrink memory
• Viscosity or melt flow behavior change

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 Benefits of Electron Beam
crosslinking
• Can be carried out at any temperature
and in any phase
• No toxic additives are required
• Crystallinity of the material is retained as
crosslinking occurs only in the
amorphous phase
• Only one parameter viz. Radiation dose
to be controlled in the process
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 Comparison of Energy Input of Thermal
and Radiation Vulcanization of Rubbers

Rubber Vulcanization at 80 kGy = 80 J/g

Thermochemical vulcanization of rubber

at 150 C to achieve the same crosslinking
= 281 J/g

Radiation vulcanization is 3-6 times more

energy efficient!
Ref: V.S.Ivanov, Radiation Chemistry of Polymers, Utrecht (1992)

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 Radiation Crosslinking
Electron beam
Polymer chains  
Crosslinking

Radicals
Film, Powder
Solution

 $GYDQWDJHV
࣭&OHDQ
 Improvement by crosslinking
࣭:LWKRXWKHDW  㸯㸬Heat stability

࣭.HHSVKDSH  㸰㸬High strength
࣭+LJKVSHHG    㸱㸬Processability
 㸲㸬insoluble
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Courtesy: Dr Bumsoo Han,
EB Tech
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Value addition to materials using
electron beams

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Unique advantage of electron beam
(selective crosslinking)

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EB crosslinked HDPE

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 Shrinkable Tubes
(a) Irradiation (b)

Heating for expansion

Fix after expansion

PE&PP
Re-heating for shrink

Poly(lactic acid)
Expanded
size

Expanded after irra.

Original size Bundled wire

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Courtesy: Dr M.Tamada, JAEA

Electron Beam Crosslinked Heat-Shrink Products

Packaging
Tubing
Sheets

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 Car Parts Produced by Radiation Crosslinking
Technology

• Wire and Cable

• Foam
• Shrinkable Tube
• Tire
• Polyswitch

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Applications of Low
Energy Accelerators

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28
29
 Electron Beam Curing for Surface Modification

Bar Coater Liquid polymer layer EB irradiation

Final Cured Surface

Substrate

Packaging (Abrasion,
scratch
Sheets
resistance,
Coating on metal, hardness,
wood, glass.. glossy coatings)

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 Energy Demand to Dry/Cure Coatings
System Solvent Solvent Water EB cure
Solids 30% 40% 40% 100%
Diluent heptane toluene water none
Boiling 98 0C 111 0C 100 0C -
Point,
Vapour 35 mm 22 mm Hg 17 mm Hg -
pressure at Hg
20 0C
Heat of 76 88 540 -
vapourization
(cal/gm
diluent)
Energy to dry 740 555 3390 30 at
1g dried 30 kGy
coating

Ref: A.J.Berejka, IAEA-TECDOC-1386, 2004, 6 65-72

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Applications of High
Energy Accelerators

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Electron Beam Sterilization of
Life Saving Equipment

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Enhancing food safety and security

Over half the food

produced globally is
lost, wasted or
discarded as a result of
inefficiency in the
human-managed food
chain.

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35
Ref: R.Eustice, NIC-2010, Mumbai 36
Radiation Treatment of Bio-hazards

Electron Beam
accelerator for
treatment
of postal mail in US

Irradiate packaged goods

for sterilization

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Scale of utilization of radiation
in various industries

7%
6% SURFACE CURING
5% 32%
WIRE, CABLE,
TUBING
SHRINK FILM
17%

TIRES

OTHER
33%

SERVICE

Over US$ 85 Billion industry! 38

Emerging Applications
And
New Challenges

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 Electrons Beam Applications
for Protection of the Environment

Flue gas Purification Wastewater Treatment Sludge Hygienization

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Tackling environmental challenges

Acid rain
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 Electron Beam Flue Gas Treatment (EBFGT)

Air Preheater
GGH

Air
Dry ESP
Electron Beam
Boiler

Flue
Gas
Fertilizer
By Product By product
Collector
Stack
Spray
Cooler

Fertilizer

NH3 Process Vessel

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 SO2 and NOx removal mechanism

HNO2
OH OH
O, OH OH NH3
NO NO2 HNO3 NH4NO3

OH O2, OH H2O
SO2 HSO3 SO3 H2SO4
NH3
NH3

O2, H2O
(NH3)2SO2 (NH4)2SO4
 )DFLOLW\IRUIOXHJDVWUHDWPHQWDW(36
3RPRU]DQ\3RODQG
‰ $FFHOHUDWRUYROWDJHN9
‰ 9ROWDJHVWDELOLW\s
‰0D[%HDPFXUUHQWP$
‰ %HDPSRZHUN:
‰ (%FXUUHQWVWDELOLW\s
‰/HQJWKRIVFDQFP
‰6XUIDFHGRVHXQLIRUPLW\s

Courtesy: Prof A.Chmielewski

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Set up in collaboration with IAEA
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Polluted industrial and municipal wastewater

Dye
Detergents
Solid waste
Pharmaceutical residues
Toxic waste….
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 Principles of Wastewater treatment with e- beam

Complete H2O,CO2
Decomposition
Harmful
Partial
Organic
Decomposition
in
Waste Suspended Coagu
Œˆ˜G Water solid lation

voQG like Monomer to

O H
dyes, Polymerization
H oQG POPs,
Removal of Bio-
oYvYG Drugs
Water Molecule Toxic group Treat
Removal of
Active Radicals
Color, Odor
IAEA CRP on “Radiation Treatment of
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Waste Water for Reuse”
 DYETEC
EB-TECH KAERI
-P
Pl
Plant Design Radiolysis Study
and Installation
Lab. Analysis

IAEA Korean City of

BINP Government
DYECEN Daegu
IPC

-Technical Support - Research Project - Analysis of Economy - Funding from

-Consulting - Peaceful use of - Electric Power Local Gov. Budget
Radiation Technology - Bio-treatment

Established in Collaboration with IAEA

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 High Power Accelerator
Accelerator: Irradiators : 3 (0~200mA)
Energy : 0.6 - 1.0 MeV Window width : up to 2m
Beam power: 400 kW Double extraction window
Beam current: 500 mA Discharge protection
High frequency scanning

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 WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Daegu, Korea

Photograph: Courtsey Dr Bumsoo Han 50

Treatment of PCBs using Electron Beam Accelerator

lT‰Œˆ”G
ⵐ㈑ὤG

ŒTG

ŒTG ŒTG
ᴴ㋁═G㤸㣄G
ŒTG
ŒTG ŒTG ŒTG
ŒTG
ΠTG
j“TG wji㢌G
ŒTG 䇼㜰㋀䞈G
ClmG ŒTG ClnG

i—Œ• “G

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 Mobile Plant is the Solution
Pilot scale
Experiments
(~500m3/day of
water)
(~2,000Nm3/h of
gas)

Picture Courtesy: Dr Bumsoo Han

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High Power EB Accelerators for X ray Conversion

80
Dose (kGy)

60

40

20
7 MeV, 700 KW
0
Rhodotron, IBA
0 10 20 30 40 50
Depth (g/cm²)
10 MeV electrons Gamma rays 7.5 MeV X-Rays
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Value addition to even valuable materials!!

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Conclusion
• Electron beam processing of polymeric materials
for value addition and producing commercial
products is a well established technology.

• Over 1400 industrial electron beam irradiation

facilities for polymer modification, surface
curing, sterilization of medical products form a
US$85 billion industry producing some unique
high quality products in an environment friendly
manner.

• The emerging applications, such as food

irradiation and remediation of environmental
pollution offer the prospects of significant 55
benefits to human health and welfare.
Thank you!
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