ChiRad320 X-ray Irradiator by Aolong
| Brand | Aolong |
|---|---|
| Origin | Liaoning, China |
| Manufacturer Type | Direct Manufacturer |
| Regional Category | Domestic (China) |
| Model Series | ChiRad |
| Price Range | USD 140,000 – 280,000 (FOB) |
| Focal Spot Size | 5.5 mm |
| Radiation Beam Angle | 40° |
| Maximum Penetration | 30 mm Fe (Iron Equivalent) |
Overview
The ChiRad320 X-ray Irradiator is a benchtop-to-floor-standing irradiation system engineered for precise, reproducible, and biologically relevant ionizing radiation delivery in life science and preclinical research laboratories. Unlike radioisotope-based sources, the ChiRad320 utilizes a high-stability, air-cooled X-ray tube operating at up to 320 kV to generate a broadband bremsstrahlung spectrum—enabling controlled, dose-rate-adjustable irradiation without radioactive licensing or long-term decay management. Its design adheres to IEC 61010-1 (Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use) and incorporates inherent shielding integrity verified per ISO 4037-3 for diagnostic/low-energy X-ray systems. The system is purpose-built for applications requiring quantitative, traceable, and repeatable radiation exposure—including radiobiology, immunology, stem cell ablation, mutagenesis, food safety validation, and radiopharmaceutical development.
Key Features
- High-reliability X-ray source: Swiss COMET® MXR-320/22 X-ray tube with integrated high-voltage generator and forced-air cooling—engineered for >5,000 hours of stable operation under cyclic duty.
- Real-time dosimetry: German PTW UNIDOS E electrometer paired with a calibrated PTW TN30013 ionization chamber—providing traceable dose rate measurement (±2% uncertainty, k=2) and cumulative dose logging with 0.01 Gy resolution.
- Automated dose control (ADC): Closed-loop feedback system dynamically adjusts exposure time based on real-time chamber readings to achieve user-defined target doses within ±3% tolerance across sample batches.
- Large irradiation chamber: 300 mm × 300 mm × 300 mm (W×D×H) internal volume; X-ray tube mounted overhead to maximize usable space and minimize geometric attenuation effects.
- Dual interlock safety architecture: Mechanical door switch + optical beam interruption sensor ensure immediate beam termination upon chamber access; all interlocks logged with timestamp and event type per GLP-compliant audit trail requirements.
- Intuitive HMI: Industrial-grade PLC-driven 10.1″ capacitive touchscreen interface with flat UI navigation, multilingual support (EN/DE/FR/ES), and password-protected operator/admin modes compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 data integrity principles.
- Integrated ventilation port with SMA905 fiber optic coupling: Enables concurrent in situ spectroscopic monitoring (e.g., UV-Vis, Raman) during irradiation for correlative material response analysis.
Sample Compatibility & Compliance
The ChiRad320 accommodates diverse biological and material samples—from Petri dishes (up to 150 mm Ø), multi-well plates (6–96-well), small animal carriers (mice/rats ≤ 30 g), insect trays, and sealed vials—to industrial-grade polymer films and pharmaceutical blister packs. Dose uniformity across standard Petri dish geometry exceeds 95% (measured per ASTM F1709-20 Annex A1 using Gafchromic™ MD-V2 film). System compliance includes CE marking (EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, LVD Directive 2014/35/EU), RoHS 2011/65/EU, and alignment with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for calibration traceability of dosimetry subsystems. Optional IQ/OQ documentation packages support GMP-regulated environments per ICH Q5C and USP .
Software & Data Management
The embedded control firmware logs all irradiation sessions—including date/time, operator ID, tube voltage/current, exposure duration, measured dose rate, total delivered dose, chamber temperature, and interlock status—in encrypted CSV and SQLite formats. Exported datasets include ISO/IEC 17025-compliant metadata headers and are compatible with LIMS integration via RESTful API (JSON payload). Audit trails retain full edit history with immutable timestamps and user attribution. Software updates are performed via secure USB authentication; no internet connectivity required during operation to maintain network isolation per ITAR and institutional cybersecurity policies.
Applications
- Radiobiology: Clonogenic survival assays, DNA double-strand break quantification (γH2AX foci), radiation-induced senescence, and bystander effect studies.
- Immunology & Hematology: T-cell/B-cell suppression kinetics, dendritic cell maturation modulation, bone marrow ablation prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
- Entomology: Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) dose optimization for Ceratitis capitata, Aedes aegypti, and Tribolium castaneum.
- Food Safety & Agriculture: Pathogen inactivation (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7), shelf-life extension, and mutation breeding of cereals and legumes.
- Pharmaceutical Development: Radioprotectant screening, radiosensitizer efficacy testing, and sterile filtration validation via radiation sterilization equivalence studies.
- Materials Science: Crosslinking of hydrogels, degradation profiling of biomedical polymers, and radiation stability assessment of packaging materials.
FAQ
Is regulatory approval required to operate the ChiRad320 in the EU or USA?
Yes—users must register the device with national radiation protection authorities (e.g., UK HSE, US NRC Agreement State programs, or German BfS) as a Class II radiation-generating device; however, no radioactive source license is needed.
Can the system be integrated into an existing laboratory automation workflow?
Yes—RS-232, Ethernet (TCP/IP), and digital I/O ports support integration with robotic arms, environmental chambers, and central LIMS via Modbus TCP or custom SCPI commands.
What is the recommended calibration frequency for the PTW dosimetry system?
Annual recalibration against a primary standards laboratory (e.g., NIST, PTB, or NPL) is recommended; in-house daily constancy checks using reference dosimeters are advised per AAPM TG-61 guidelines.
Does the ChiRad320 support pulsed irradiation protocols?
No—it delivers continuous-wave X-ray output only; for time-resolved studies, external shutter synchronization is supported via TTL trigger input.
Is remote monitoring available?
Local network-based remote viewing of real-time dose metrics and system status is supported; full remote control requires on-premise VPN configuration and administrative authorization.
