ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATION APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING SHEET MATERIAL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electron beam irradiation apparatus for sterilizing a sheet material which is wholly made small in size and economically manufactured, and which effectively sterilizes the sheet material continuously transferred with low energy electron beam in an irradiation processing chamber filled with helium gas. SOLUTION: An irradiation processing chamber 10 with an electron beam irradiation means 12 is installed on a transfer path for transferring the sheet material 1. A pressure detector for detecting the pressure in the chamber and a helium gas supply system 20 for supplying helium gas are provided in the chamber 10. Gas pressure maintaining means 19A and 19B are provided on the inlet 11A side and the outlet 11B side of the sheet material 1 in the chamber 10. The helium gas supply system 20 includes a gas supply amount adjusting means 24 which is operated in association with the set pressure value of the pressure detector 18. The inside of the chamber 10 is filled with helium gas whose pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure by the means, and the sheet material 1 is sterilized by an electron beam EB from the means 12 during transfer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT