A lack of understanding and infrastructure has been an impediment to the development and commercialization of non-radioactive technologies for use in food, health and environmental applications across the globe.
Overcoming the information barrier that exists on the use of the safer non-radioactive alternative technologies like electron beam, eBeam, and X-ray technologies is a mission of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and its collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Suresh Pillai, Ph.D., left, demonstrates eBeam technology to a group attending one of his workshops at the National Center for Electron Beam Research on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)
This collaboration has been expanding its education efforts worldwide, said Suresh Pillai, Ph.D., AgriLife Research professor and associate head of the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Food Science and Technology. Pillai is also director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research, NCEBR, at Texas A&M University in College Station.
“While technologies using radioactive materials have fed and saved millions if not billions of lives by their use in medicine and agriculture, they can pose a serious nuclear security risk,” Pillai said. “We want to help reduce the global reliance on high-activity radioactive sources by promoting adoption and development of alternative technologies like eBeam and X-ray technologies.”
About the center of excellence for electron beam use
The NCEBR, or eBeam Center as it is known informally, is the leading academic and research facility in the world for the development and commercialization of eBeam, technologies.
In 2014, the NCEBR was named an International Atomic Energy Agency collaborating center for eBeam use in food, health and environmental applications. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Radiological Security, or ORS, uses it as a center of excellence for domestic and international partners interested in transitioning to electron beam technology for their applications. The ORS also sends its partners to Texas A&M to gain hands-on experience with eBeam technology.
The collaboration between the ORS and the NCEBR is in direct support of the ORS mission to enhance U.S. and global security by preventing high-activity radioactive materials from being used in acts of terrorism. A primary objective of their efforts is to reduce the commercial use of high-activity radioactive sources used for sterilization, including cobalt-60 and cesium-137.
Several departments within the College collaborate with the center on ORS projects, including the Department of Entomology, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Department of Food Science and Technology, and Department of Horticultural Sciences, as well as departments within Texas A&M Engineering.
Overcoming obstacles through research, education
Despite recent advancements of eBeam and other technologies that do not use radioactive materials, Pillai said many end-users and stakeholders throughout the world simply do not have enough information about converting to an alternative technology.
The NCEBR and PNNL are addressing a major concern or impediment to adopting eBeam technology — electrical grid reliability. Together they are providing countries throughout the world with much-needed information on electrical grid issues.
To help address issues related to possible electrical power surges or fluctuations, the National Center for Electron Beam Research and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are involved in electrical reliability studies in multiple countries. (Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M AgriLife)
“Power resiliency is essential for irradiation facilities, such as those that use around-the-clock eBeam facilities for food and medical device sterilization,” said Jennifer Elster, Ph.D., senior research scientist and program manager at PNNL. “Power surges or fluctuations can potentially damage crucial electronic equipment or cause components to operate outside normal values, leading to component failure.”
To help address and alleviate the power resiliency issue, the NCEBR and PNNL are conducting concurrent electrical reliability studies in about a dozen countries. Additionally, they have set up advanced electrical sensors in eBeam facilities in the U.S. and Mexico.
“This will help the team understand the electrical power requirements throughout the entire operating cycle,” Elster said.
Data from these studies will help identify alternative technology facility power issues and provide useful information toward developing control practices, facility protection circuits and sustainable electrical generation circuits to help address unstable electrical grid environments.
Pillai said the NCEBR is also a key partner in other ORS educational outreach activities that include bilateral discussions with international partners and presenting workshops on the use of eBeam technology to involve international stakeholders.
“The ORS has funded collaborative projects with AgriLife Research to share eBeam technology related data and information globally,” he said. “Information provided by our eBeam Center, the collaboration with PNNL and through the National Nuclear Security Administration’s global outreach will help ensure alternative eBeam technologies will increasingly replace cobalt and cesium devices.”
