Design and evaluation of proton accelerator beam window cooling configuration

A 100 MeV, 20 mA proton linear accelerator is being constructed as a part of the Proton Engineering Frontier Project (PEFP) funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s (MEST). To irradiate a target with proton beam for multiple applications, a beam window with a sound structure is essential, which successfully divides the accelerator compartment from the target. This paper presents how the cooling method for beam window was designed while considering various factors. Multiple cooling configurations were considered during the beam window design phase and each cooling configuration was tested to determine if the configuration successfully minimizes average temperature of the window during irradiation and also minimizes hot spot area. The heat transfer analysis was followed by a structure analysis to determine if the beam window can satisfy the design requirements. Through this investigation, the requirements for beam window cooling configuration and fabricated material were identified and these newly found requirements will be iterated to improve the final design.