Buckley Systems has recently acquired exclusive manufacturing and marketing rights to a brand new highcurrent, continuous beam proton accelerator.

Capable of producing 30+ mA @ 2.6 MeV, the accelerator incorporates innovative design features that give it many advantages over conventional accelerators. The first accelerator manufactured to this design has already undergone trials and will soon be installed in Helsinki University Hospital in Finland where it will be used for experimental Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) cancer treatment. Designed and developed by USA based Neutron Therapeutics, Buckley Systems already manufacturers many of the components and has secured the rights to market the accelerator through their business partner DPace. Potential uses for the proton beam include:

• Silicon and sapphire exfoliation
• Explosives detection

Neutron beam applications include:

•  BNCT R&D
• Physics and material research 
• Detection of fissile materials

The accelerator has always been designed with the commercial enduser in mind. A compact footprint, safely enclosed high-voltage electronics, and easy installation means that for the first time a reliable, high-power, continuous proton beam is available as a turnkey system.

• The modular construction of 15 identical stages, each powered by its own alternator, means that wiring is minimised and servicing simplified. 
• By housing all the high voltage systems inside an SF6 filled tank, both reliability and electrical safety are improved over conventional systems. 
• With an overall length of approximately 56 ft. (17 m) including the beamline and beam dump, the accelerator has an extremely compact footprint for its power.
• Exceptionally economical to run with a typical efficiency of 50% AC supply power to beam power output. 
• For simplicity, a single electric motor powers the accelerator making it easy to install. 
• The fully integrated cooling system requires only two connections to an appropriate sized water chiller.
• A highly efficient SF6 transfer system allows for rapid tank evacuation and refilling to minimise downtime. 
• Fully customizable to customer’s requirements.

The accelerator is the culmination of decades of design experience by the team at Neutron Therapeutics backed by Buckley Systems’ manufacturing know-how. Extensive investment in production tooling means that the accelerator and beamline can now be manufactured more economically than a one-off design. This opens up huge opportunities for businesses and research facilities that have previously found these powerful accelerators to be unaffordable. Inquiries for the accelerator and its components should be made to Morgan Dehnel, Ph.D. at D-Pace.

This piece was reprinted by D-Pace, Inc. from the Buckley Systems Spring 2018 technical bulletin with permission from Buckley Systems Ltd. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.