DE19650845A1 - Safety system for continuously- or intermittently-operated gamma ray sterilisation plant - Google Patents

Abstract

This novel safety system is for product gamma irradiation plants. The products are transported by carriages in a conveying system, past radiation sources in an irradiation chamber. A new feature is positioning of the sources in a frame (2), enclosed by a source cage (3) with a closed shaft (4) around it. The transport carriages (1) have fully enclosed sides (1a-d).

Description

The invention relates to a security system for Pro duct irradiation systems and is applicable in particular to increase safety during irradiation ver A wide variety of products with high-energy gamma rays lung, for example medical articles, Packaging materials and plastics.

It is known in stationary radiation systems Products of high energy radiation for the purpose of Suspend sterilization. The feeding and removal the products can be both discontinuous and also take place continuously in a continuous process.

The products are partly in boxes, on special Racks or transported on pallets.

A disadvantage of the known solutions is that they are not with absolute certainty that the products to be irradiated with the radiation sources in Can come into contact or even sources of radiation the material to be irradiated can fall.

The invention is therefore based on the object Security system for product irradiation systems too create an effective and safe one continuous or discontinuous run enables, simple and economical to manufacture and reliable direct contact between Radiation sources and radiation material prevented.

This object is achieved by the Features in the characterizing part of claim 1 in Connection with the features in the generic term.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the Subclaims included.

A particular advantage of the invention is that the material to be irradiated without direct contact with the Radiation sources controlled effectively and reliably is transported through the radiation room by the radiation sources are positioned in source frames, which are enclosed by a source basket to which a closed shaft is built around and the trolleys closed sides on all sides exhibit.

Another advantage of the invention is that the trolleys have security doors, which can only be opened outside the radiation room can, with the security door pulled up becomes.

The invention is based on at least Execution partially shown in the figure play will explain in more detail. Show it:  

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the arrangement of the radiation sources and the irradiation tes.

As shown in Fig. 1, the source basket 3 is a sectional steel structure made of stainless steel. In the source basket 3 , source frames 2 are arranged for receiving the radiation sources. The radiation sources can be inserted directly or in cassettes in the source frame.

The cassettes or sources are mechanically secured in the source frame 2 . The locking / unlocking of the security, the handling of the cassettes / sources and the loading / unloading of the source frame 2 takes place in the safe end position of the source basket 3 in the water basin by suitable manipulators from above.

In the safe lower end position, the source basket 3 is monitored by separate signals on each side.

The source basket 3 is raised or lowered by a hydraulic cylinder with a stainless steel lifting rope on rope guides.

The arrangement of the radiation sources in the source frame 2 is carried out according to a previously calculated, optimized scheme.

Around the source frame 2 in the source basket 3 , a shaft 4 is constructed as a sheet metal structure, which reliably prevents contact between the radiation sources and the radiation material.

At the front, the shaft 4 is closed with one suction channel 5 each.

The material to be irradiated is accommodated in closed trolleys 1 . The transport vehicle door can only be opened for loading and unloading outside of the radiation room by pulling upwards.

A contact of the radiation material with the source frame 2 is therefore not possible.

The trolleys 1 are transported on a conveyor track 6 with a power and free conveyor. On the floor, the carriages 1 run in a floor guide.

This security system prevents multiple Security a direct contact between Irradiation material and radiation sources.

The upper layer of the source basket 3 is signaled outside the water basin by pneumatic barriers, that is to say air sensors. A constant air flow is interrupted by a flag on the source basket 3 . Outside the irradiation room, this interruption in the air flow is converted into an electrically evaluable signal and processed.

In addition to these direct-acting limit switches indirect monitoring of the position of the Source basket on the hydraulic lifting system.

The radiation can be shut down or interrupted at any time by hand. In the event of a malfunction in the technological system, the source basket 3 is lowered and the overhead conveyor stops.

The invention is not limited to that described here Embodiments limited. Rather it is possible by combining the means mentioned and Features to realize further design variants without leaving the scope of the invention.

Claims (6)

1. Safety system for product irradiation systems in which the products to be irradiated are transported past in transport trolleys via a conveyor system to radiation sources arranged in an irradiation room, characterized in that the radiation sources are positioned in source frames ( 2 ) which are enclosed by a source basket ( 3 ). around which a closed shaft ( 4 ) is made and the trolleys ( 1 ) have sides closed on all sides ( 1 a, 1 b, 1 c and 1 d). 2. Security system according to claim 1, characterized in that the trolleys ( 1 ) have security doors which can only be opened outside the radiation room. 3. Security system according to claim 2, characterized in that the security door is opened upwards. 4. Security system according to claim 1, characterized in that the source frame ( 2 ), source basket ( 3 ), shaft ( 4 ) and trolley sides ( 1 a, 1 b, 1 c and 1 d) are steel structures. 5. Security system according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiation sources in the source frame are mechanical are secured. 6. Security system according to claim 1, characterized in that the shaft ( 4 ) is each closed with a suction channel ( 5 ).