The techno-economic aspects of gamma-radiation processing

The growth of commercial radiation processing over the past few years is examined and the prominent role which gamma irradiators play in this respect is discussed. The development and present status of gamma radiation processing on an industrial scale in South Africa is also briefly discussed. The many variables affecting the design and running of a commercial gamma irradiator are briefly discussed. Special attention is paid to the influence of product density, irradiation dose requirements, dose uniformity ratio and product throughput on the techno-economic structure of such a process. To illustrate the influence of these process variables on the economics of gamma radiation processing, the cost structure of an open-pool facility and a commercially available irradiator are contrasted. Although an open-pool irradiation facility requires a modest initial capital investment, the problems associated with product handling, quality assurance because of the batch nature of the process, poor energy utilisation and excessive labour requirements, as opposed to the commercial irradiator, make it an unattractive proposition except in certain specific circumstances. A number of guidelines are presented to assist people in evaluating the possibility of introducing gamma radiation processing as a technique