Conceptual design of a 100 MW electron beam accelerator module for the National Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Program

Abstract

Abstract. The National Hypersonic Wind Tumel program requires an unprecedented electron beam source capable of 1-2 .MeV at a total average beam power of 100-200 MW for several seconds. Direct-current electron accelerator technology can readily generate high average power beams, however, due to the nature of research and industrial applications there has never been a requirement for a single module exceeding approximately 500 kW. Although a 100 MW module is a two-order extrapolation from demonstrated average power levels, the scaling of accelerator components appears reasonable. This paper will present an evaluation of component and system issues involved in the design of a 100 MW eleetron beam accelerator module with precision beam transport into a high pressure flowing air environment.

A history of electron beam applications at Sandia National laboratories HAWK accelerator

“…The 3 kW peak laser power produced as a function of pump rate and wavelength appears in Figure 4. FALCON research continued into the early 1990s after which the HAWK system was reconfigured to support the radiatively driven hypersonic wind tunnel (RDHWT) program [10]. The goal in this program was to develop long runtime hypersonic ground testing capabilities through the use of an external energy source.…”