MYRRHA accelerator: Cyclotron versus Linac

In principle both accelerator types can deliver the required proton beam for ADS applications. However, the nature of each - one compact unit for a cyclotron and an elongated modular structure for the linac brings both advantages and disadvantages. It is clear from the table that the major advantage of a cyclotron is its compactness and its cost effectiveness. However, from a technical point of view a linac is the better option because its intrinsic design is more suited to tackle the realibility issues. Its upgradability makes a linac a more versitile tool for future expansions. For these reasons MYRRHA favours the linac option.

Cyclotron

• little room for redundant design
• less fault tolerance
• difficult to upgrade in energy

• more difficult extraction and generally higher beam loss
• space charge effects at high current: limit 5 mA ok, 10 mA diificult
• more difficult to pulse the beam for criticality measurements

Linac

• possibility of redundant design
• fault tolerance
• upgradable in energy

• easy extraction
• less (no) problems with space charge effect
• beam pulsing straightforward