Abstract: A conveying system (22) transports loose particulate material past a radiation source (200). A feed system (20) discharges particulate material onto the conveying system (22). A pneumatic system with an inlet manifold (14) and tubes (16) provides air through which the particulate material is fluidly transported to the feed system (20). A receiving hopper (24) receives the particulate matter from the conveying system (22). A dump hopper (10) dumps the particulate material into the pneumatic system. A discharge manifold (18) separates the particulate material from air. A metering gate (70) is located at a base of a hopper (69), which controls the layer of particulate material deposited onto said conveyor. A second inlet manifold (26) and tubes (28) adjacent the receiving hopper entrains the particulate material in air. A receiving station (32) receives the particulate material from a second discharge manifold (30).

Abstract: A particle accelerator (10) is disposed between a first shielded processing chamber (12)and a second shielded processing chamber (14). The accelerator selectively feeds a higher energy (e.g., 10 MeV) electron beam to the first processing chamber and selectively feeds a lower energy (e.g., 5 MeV) electron beam to the second processing chamber. A conveying system (16) transports article carriers to and through the first processing chamber. At a processing table (18), the articles are conveyed at a closely controlled speed through the electron beam for uniform dosing of an article to be irradiated. A loading station (20) and an unloading station (22) supply and remove articles from the first processing chamber. Beam bending magnets (44) change the direction of an electron beam between the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber.