(57) It is disclosed a control device (1) for controlling the operational efficiency of
an irradiation beam emitting device (2), wherein the irradiation beam emitting device
(2) comprises a vacuum chamber (13), a filament (4) configured to emit electrons by
thermionic effect, when heated, a first electrical conductor (6) and a second electrical
conductor (5), said filament (4), first conductor (6) and second conductor (5) being
placed inside the vacuum chamber (13),
the control device (1) comprising:
- a power supply (9) connectable to the filament (4), to the first conductor (6) and
to the second conductor (5) to supply power to the filament (4), to the first conductor
(6), and to the second conductor (5);
- a sensing unit (11) comprising at least a first sensor (7) configured to detect
at least an electric parameter associated to a current flowing through the first conductor
(6), defined as ionization current (IC), and a second sensor (8) configured to detect
at least an electric parameter associated to a current flowing through the second
conductor (5), defined as an emission current (EC);
- a control unit (10) coupled to the sensing unit (11) to receive the detected electric
parameters and to the power supply (9) and further configured for actuating a main
control mode (F1) of the status of the irradiation beam emitting device (2) comprising:
- adjusting the power supply (9) to apply on the filament (4) a predetermined current
to emit electrons;
- adjusting the power supply (9) to apply a predetermined voltage on the first conductor
(6);
- adjusting the power supply (9) to apply a predetermined voltage on the second conductor
(5);
- deriving at least a status parameter representing an operational efficiency of the
irradiation beam emitting device (2) as a function of the detected electric parameter
associated to the ionization current (IC) and of the detected electric parameter associated
to the emission current (EC).
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