Determination of efficiency of electron accelerators applying calorimetric methods

The total power transported by an electron beam accelerated in a linear electron accelerator (linac) has been determined applying the calorimetric method. The dependence of electron beam average power on the input characteristics of the accelerator has been investigated in order to provide means for improving the main parameters of the accelerator itself. The advantages claimed for the calorimetric method applied for total beam power determination include rapidity of the measurement and simplicity of the procedure. This technique provides a better investigation of linac's behaviour especially in the case when the beam loading characteristics must be treated and the linearity assumptions are not valid. (author)