| abstract |
A method of processing materials in which a material to be processed is subjected to irradiation with a beam of X-rays having an energy less than 1 MeV. A suitable form of continuously operating X-ray source is described together with a mobile plant for decontaminating contaminated soil, water or sludge. The figure shows a dual source enclosed in an evacuated chamber 1. Each source comprises an RC-excited multipole source 2, an accelerator 4, a de-focusing magnet 5, a target 7 to produce X-rays and a vacuum window 8 combined together in the form of gold or tungsten laminated on aluminium, and a beam deflection magnet 6 which prevents X-rays impinging on the electron accelerator. <IMAGE> |