OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE AIRIX ACCELERATOR SINCE ITS COMMISSIONING

AIRIX is a high current (20 MeV, 2 kA) electron linear induction accelerator used as a 60 ns single shot X-ray source in order to perform hydrodynamic tests using nonfissile substitution materials within the frame of the so-called CEA Simulation Program. This accelerator has been running for hydroshot experiments since 1999 and thousands of electron and Xray beams have been produced so far. The functioning time of the AIRIX machine in the CEA/Moronvilliers test site is now coming to its end. From mid-2012, it will be then refurbished, dismounted and moved to another CEA test site. This paper draws up the report of AIRIX operations over this long eleven-year period : operation key numbers, maintenance policy, X-ray reliability are dealt with.