公开(公告)号：US20020060294A1

公开(公告)日：2002-05-23

申请号：US10014386

申请日：2001-12-11

Applicant: STERIS INC., a Delaware Corporation

Inventor： Sergey Alexandrovich Korenev ,  John Masefield ,  Jerry Kriebel

IPC: H01J027/00 ,  A61N005/00 ,  G21G005/00

CPC classification number: B29B13/08 ,  B29C2035/0877 ,  B29K2027/12 ,  Y10S522/911

Abstract: A source of radiation (10,12), particularly a pulsed accelerated electron beam, directs a beam of radiation through an irradiation chamber (14, 50). The irradiation chamber is depleted of oxygen and oxygen containing gases, such as being drawn to a vacuum of 10null1 or greater Torr by a vacuum pump (20, 52). Particulate fluoropolymer material is entrained (36) in substantially oxygen free gas and conveyed through the irradiation chamber. The accelerated electrons break chemical bonds in the fluoropolymer particles and electrostatically charge the particles. Magnetic fields (42, 60) of different polarity rotate the charged particles such that they are irradiated from different sides. The irradiated fluoropolymer particles are cooled (24) and separated (26) from the entraining gas. The entraining gas is recirculated through pneumatic line (34) for a continuous cycle. In an alternate batch processing embodiment, the fluoropolymer material is placed in the shallow container (50) which is sealed and evacuated. The container is conveyed through the pulsed electron beam.

Abstract translation: 辐射源（10,12），特别是脉冲加速电子束，将辐射束引导通过照射室（14,50）。 辐射室耗尽氧气和含氧气体，例如通过真空泵（20,52）吸入10-1或更大的乇的真空。 颗粒状含氟聚合物材料被夹带（36）在基本上不含氧气体中并被输送通过照射室。 加速的电子破坏含氟聚合物颗粒中的化学键并对颗粒进行静电充电。 不同极性的磁场（42,60）使带电粒子旋转，使得它们从不同的侧面照射。 照射的含氟聚合物颗粒被冷却（24）并与夹带气体分离（26）。 夹带气体通过气动管线（34）再循环连续循环。 在替代批处理实施例中，氟聚合物材料被放置在密封和抽真空的浅容器（50）中。 容器通过脉冲电子束传送。