Irradiators for bulk, palletized and/or packaged materials

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, means for conveying material to be irradiated through each conveyor unit, a plurality of gamma ray source means spaced from each other for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, a plurality of means for selectively locating said plurality of conveyor units in any one of a plurality of different spatial relationships relative to each other and to said plurality of gamma ray source means, and means for effecting eccentric repositioning of at least one of said conveyor units relative to base support means to vary its position relative to said gamma ray source means.

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, means for conveying material to be irradiated through each conveyor unit, a plurality of gamma ray source means spaced from each other for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, a plurality of means for selectively locating said plurality of conveyor units in any one of a plurality of different spatial relationships relative to each other and to said plurality of gamma ray source means, and means for effecting eccentric repositioning of at least one of said gamma ray source means relative to base support means to vary its position relative to said conveyor units.

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, means for conveying material to be irradiated through each conveyor unit, a plurality of gamma ray source means spaced from each other for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, a plurality of means for selectively locating said plurality of conveyor units in any one of a plurality of different spatial relationships relative to each other and to said plurality of gamma ray source means, and means for effecting eccentric repositioning of at least one of said conveyor units and one of said gamma ray source means relative to base support means to vary the positions thereof relative to each other and remaining gamma ray means and conveyor units.

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, means for conveying material to be irradiated through each conveyor unit, a plurality of gamma ray source means spaced from each other for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, and means for effecting eccentric repositioning of at least one of said conveyor units relative to base support means to vary its position relative to said gamma ray source means.

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, means for conveying material to be irradiated through each conveyor unit, a plurality of gamma ray source means spaced from each other for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, and means for effecting eccentric repositioning of at least one of said gamma ray source means to vary its position relative to said conveyor units.

A conveyor unit particularly adapted for utilization in modular irradiator comprising a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, said first conveyor means being a substantially vertical tube through which the material is adapted to descend, said second conveyor means being a screw for elevating the material, a second cylindrical wall disposed above said first cylindrical wall, means for connecting said cylindrical walls to each other, a drive shaft for said screw, said drive shaft having shaft portions within each of said first and second cylindrical walls, and means for introducing irradiator pool water into said second cylindrical wall to prevent radiation steaming.

A conveyor unit particularly adapted for utilization in modular irradiator comprising a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, said first conveyor means being a substantially vertical tube through which the material is adapted to descend, said second conveyor means being a screw for elevating the material, a second cylindrical wall disposed above said first cylindrical wall, said second cylindrical wall defining a second liquid tight interior chamber, means for connecting said cylindrical walls to each other, a drive shaft for said screw, said drive shaft having shaft portions within each of said first and second cylindrical walls, and gamma ray shielding means between said second cylinder wall and the shaft portion therein to prevent radiation steaming.

A conveyor unit particularly adapted for utilization in modular irradiator comprising a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, said first conveyor means being a substantially vertical tube through which the material is adapted to descend, said second conveyor means being a screw for elevating the material, a second cylindrical wall disposed above said first cylindrical wall, means for connecting said cylindrical walls to each other, a second vertical tube extending along said second cylindrical wall, said tubes being in fluid communication such that material adapted to be delivered to said second tube above irradiator water pool level is delivered to said first tubes for irradiation thereof, a third vertical tube extending along said second cylindrical wall and opening into an upper portion of said interior chamber, pneumatic conveyor means for conveying irradiated material upwardly through said tube, means for fluidizing material in the interior chamber upper portion to facilitate its flow by said pneumatic conveyor means, and means for emitting gamma rays adjacent said first cylindrical wall and below said second cylindrical wall.

A modular irradiator comprising a generally cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber through which material to be irradiated is adapted to pass during irradiation thereof, means for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, first conveyor means for directing material generally downwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, said first conveyor means being a tube having means for discharging material adjacent a lower portion of said interior chamber, said second conveyor means being a screw carried by said tube, and means for rotating said tube in a direction to rotate said screw to elevate the material upwardly from said interior chamber lower portion.

An irradiator for irradiating both bulk and/or packaged material comprising a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing granular or powdered bulk material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing the granular or powdered bulk material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, third conveyor means for conveying packaged material around the exterior of said cylindrical wall, and means between said cylindrical wall and said third conveyor means for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays during the movement thereof by at least one of said first, second and third conveyor means.

An irradiator for irradiating palletized material comprising a generally centralized cylindrical array source of gamma ray radiation, means for supporting palletized material at a plurality of positions spaced arcuately about said centralized cylindrical array gamma ray source, means for mounting said supporting means for reciprocal motion and rotational motion relative to said centralized cylindrical array gamma ray source such that opposite sides of palletized material upon said supporting means can be appropriately manipulated with respect to said centralized cylindrical array gamma ray source to effect desired dosage, and a bulk material conveyor positioned within said centralized cylindrical array gamma source.

A modular irradiator comprising a plurality of individual substantially self-contained conveyor units, base support means for supporting said conveyor units in a generally upright substantially vertical position, each conveyor unit being defined by a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means associated with each cylindrical wall for directing material generally downwardly thereof, second conveyor means internally of each interior chamber for directing material generally upwardly and interiorly thereof, each first conveyor means being at least one substantially vertical tube associated with each cylindrical wall through which the material is adapted to descend, each second conveyor means being a screw in each interior chamber for elevating the material, at least one of said conveyor units being externally encircled by the remainder of said conveyor units, means for locating said conveyor units in said last-mentioned spatial relationship to each other, said locating means being a plurality of complementary male and female locating elements carried one by each of said conveyor units and the remainder by said base supporting means, and a plurality of individual gamma ray sources disposed in generally exterior encircling relationship to said one conveyor unit and generally exteriorly and inboard of the remainder of said conveyor units.

The modular irradiator as defined in claim 76 wherein at least one of said gamma ray sources is in sandwiched relationship between two of said vertical tubes of one of said remainder conveyor unit cylindrical wall.

A modular irradiator comprising a substantially self-contained conveyor unit, means for conveying material to be irradiated through said conveyor unit, gamma ray source means for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays, said gamma ray source means being disposed in an irradiation zone in exterior surrounding relationship to said conveyor unit, means for elevating said conveyor unit upwardly and outwardly from within said surrounding gamma ray source means and said irradiation zone, said conveyor unit includes a chamber defined by a generally cylindrical wall, said conveyor means includes first conveyor means for directing material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall and second conveyor means for directing material generally upwardly of said cylindrical wall, and said first conveyor means includes a pair of relatively telescopic tubes mounted for relative sliding to effect upward elevation of said conveyor unit beyond said irradiation zone.

An irradiator for irradiating material comprising a generally upright cylindrical wall defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing granular bulk material generally downwardly of said cylindrical wall, second conveyor means for directing the granular bulk material generally upwardly and interiorly of said cylindrical wall, third conveyor means for conveying palletized material around the exterior of said cylindrical wall, means for subjecting the conveyed material to gamma rays during the movement thereof by at least one of said first, second and third conveying means, said third conveyor means being a spiral conveyor, and means for elevating and lowering said cylindrical wall relative to an irradiation zone defined by said gamma ray source means when the latter is in an irradiation position thereof.

An irradiator for irradiating bulk material comprising a plurality of generally upright cylindrical walls each defining an interior chamber, first conveyor means for directing granular bulk material to be irradiated generally downwardly of each of said cylindrical walls, second conveyor means for directing the granular bulk material generally upwardly and interiorly of each of said cylindrical walls, a first of said cylindrical walls being circumferentially exteriorly surrounded by a plurality of circumferentially disposed gamma ray source means for subjecting the material conveyed through the interior chamber of said first cylindrical wall to gamma rays, and the remainder of said cylindrical walls being in external circumferential surrounding relationship to said plurality of circumferentially disposed gamma ray source means such that the material conveyed through the interior chambers of said remainder of cylindrical walls is subject to gamma rays of said gamma ray source means.

A method of irradiating bulk granular material comprising the steps of transporting bulk granular material in a first direction along a first path of travel, thereafter transporting the bulk granular material in a second direction opposite to said first direction along a second path of travel, irradiating the bulk granular material by gamma rays from a source disposed lengthwise along and generally parallel to said first and second paths of travel, and eccentrically repositioning at least one of the first and second paths of travel relative to the gamma ray source to vary the relative positions thereof.

A method of irradiating bulk granular material comprising the steps of transporting bulk granular material in a first direction along a first path of travel, thereafter transporting the bulk granular material in a second direction opposite to said first direction along a second path of travel, irradiating the bulk granular material by gamma rays from a source disposed lengthwise along and generally parallel to said first and second paths of travel, and eccentrically rotating the gamma ray source relative to at least one of the first and second paths of travel to vary the relative positions thereof.