Abstract: A gamma irradiation plant for the irradiation of objects or materials comprises irradiation equipment, buildings and storage facilities. The objects or materials are irradiated on tiered columnar racks, besides being stored on racks before and after the irradiation treatment, transported to and from the racks as well as transferred from tier to tier by one or more goods handling appliances. The tiered columnar racks are arranged to rotate about their own vertical axes while being carried by a rotating carrier in a circular path around a radiation source in the middle. One or more shielding elements are attached to the rotating carrier in a position offset from the path of the rays emitted by the radiation source and from the axis of rotation of the tiered columnar racks, said shielding elements being so contrived that attenuation by them of the rays becomes greater with increasing distance from the path of the rays.

Abstract: An irradiation device for the uniform irradiation of goods by means of electro-magnetic radiation having a quantum energy larger than 5 KeV comprises at least one radiation source, means for the reception of goods to be irradiated, and at least one shielding element arranged laterally of the radiation path from the radiation source and the center axis of the goods in such a manner that the shielding effect of the shielding element increases with increasing lateral space from this radiation path. The radiation source, the shielding element and the means for the reception of the goods to be irradiated are arranged to allow for the radiation to enter the goods through the entire superficies thereof in such a way that the region immediately around the center axis of the goods is irradiated without radiation being affected by the shielding element.