(19)
(11) EP 4 506 965 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
05.03.2025 Bulletin 2025/10

(43) Date of publication A2:
12.02.2025 Bulletin 2025/07

(21) Application number: 24188825.4

(22) Date of filing: 16.07.2024
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G21K 5/00(2006.01)
H01J 41/04(2006.01)
(52) Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC):
G21K 5/00; H01J 41/04
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC ME MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA
Designated Validation States:
GE KH MA MD TN

(30) Priority: 07.08.2023 EP 23189920

(71) Applicant: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
1009 Pully (CH)

(72) Inventors:
  • CLOETTA, Dominique
    3175 Flamatt (CH)
  • WANDFLUH, Wilhelm
    3175 Flamatt (CH)

(74) Representative: Tetra Pak - Patent Attorneys SE 
AB Tetra Pak Patent Department Ruben Rausings gata
221 86 Lund
221 86 Lund (SE)

   


(54) CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF AN IRRADIATION BEAM EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF SAID IRRADIATION BEAM EMITTING DEVICE


(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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