Apparatus for applying accelerated electrons to bulk material

An apparatus for exposing bulk material to accelerated electrons, the apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrical housing which encloses an evacuable space;
• a cylindrical electron exit window as a component of the cylindrical housing;
• at least one wire-shaped, strand-shaped, rod-shaped, annular or cylindrical cathode, which is arranged within the evacuable space and enclosed by the cylindrical electron exit window, wherein a first power supply device is connected in an electrically conductive manner between the wire-shaped, strand-shaped, rod-shaped, annular or cylindrical cathode and the cylindrical electron exit window, such that electrons can be emitted from the wire-shaped, strand-shaped, rod-shaped, annular or cylindrical cathode and accelerated radially away from the cylinder axis of the cylindrical electron exit window towards the cylindrical electron exit window;
• a cylindrical protective grid which encloses the cylindrical electron exit window and defines a first annular free space between the cylindrical electron exit window and the cylindrical protective grid;
• an electron reflector which encloses the cylindrical protective grid and defines a second annular free space between the cylindrical protective grid and the electron reflector;
• and
• a plurality of gas pipes which extend within the first annular free space parallel to the cylinder axis of the cylindrical electron exit window, wherein the gas pipes are spaced apart by an identical first dimension from the cylinder axis of the cylindrical electron exit window and by an identical second dimension from an adjacent gas pipe, and wherein each gas pipe has bores or at least one slot along the longitudinal extent of the gas pipe on opposing wall regions, through which a first gas can be introduced into the first annular free space.