Testing Results of the Prototype Beam Absorber for the PXIE MEBT

TL;DR

This paper reports on the testing of a molybdenum alloy prototype beam absorber designed for the PXIE MEBT, demonstrating its ability to withstand high power densities and providing data for its thermal performance.

Contribution

It presents the design, manufacturing, and testing of a novel absorber prototype for high-power beam management in the PXIE MEBT.

Findings

Absorber withstood up to 17 W/mm² power density.

Temperature and flow measurements matched analysis predictions.

Prototype demonstrates viability for beam absorption in PXIE.

Abstract

One of the goals of the PXIE program at Fermilab is to demonstrate the capability to form an arbitrary bunch pattern from an initially CW 162.5 MHz H^{-} bunch train coming out of an RFQ. The bunch-by-bunch selection will take place in the 2.1 MeV Medium Energy Beam Transport (MEBT) by directing the undesired bunches onto an absorber that needs to withstand a beam power of up to 21 kW, focused onto a spot with a ~2 mm rms radius. A prototype of the absorber was manufactured from molybdenum alloy TZM, and tested with an electron beam up to the peak surface power density required for PXIE, 17W/mm2. Temperatures and flow parameters were measured and compared to analysis. This paper describes the absorber prototype and key testing results.