Application of Semi-Empirical Models of Electron Beam Control in Radiation Sterilization Technology
Abstract
An application of semi-empirical models involves analyzing data regularly recorded during irradiation control and processing it to determine the values of the semi-empirical model parameters. In the present paper, the recorded data used present the depth dose curves measured at the INCT radiation sterilization center in Warsaw, Poland. The measurement method is described. The depth dose curves are analyzed using the dosimetric wedge method. The characteristics of the depth dose curves are presented. The depth ranges are determined within which the measurement results can be used without special processing as depth dose curve values in the dosimetric wedge. Special procedures are developed to approximate and extrapolate the measurement results. The objective of the procedures is to obtain the basic dependencies of semi-empirical models, namely the doses as a function of depth at normal incidence of the electron beam on a semi-infinite medium. Special procedures are developed to process measurement results using the PFSEM method (two-parameter fitting of a semi-empirical model of depth-dose curves). A procedure for excluding bremsstrahlung contributions from depth-dose curves is proposed and implemented. The value of this contribution is estimated as the average dose in the bremsstrahlung tail region. The change of the bremsstrahlung influence on the doses with depth is neglected. The method for selecting the values of model-fitting parameters is proposed based on the assumption that the fitting parameters depend weakly on electron energy. Based on the proposed method, the fitting parameters of semi-empirical models are determined from Monte Carlo simulations of depth-dose curves during irradiation of a layer with a monoenergetic electron beam. The measurement results are compared with depth-dose curves calculated using semi-empirical models for electron-beam irradiation at different angles of incidence on an aluminum dosimetric wedge. Based on the comparison results, the errors in model predictions and the feasibility of implementing methods to optimize irradiation processes by selecting the angle of electron incidence on the surface of the irradiated object are discussed.
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