DE102014018254B4 - STERLLSATOR FOR KEY REDUCTION IN OBJECTS - Google Patents

Abstract

Sterilizer for sterilizing objects with a device for providing heat (16), with a drinking water container (34), with a sterilization chamber (48) in which the objects are sterilized, with a heat accumulator (50) for storing both of the device (16) provided heat, as well as for storing the process heat not consumed in the sterilization, wherein the heat storage (50) is designed in two or more parts and at least a first part of memory (52) and a second part of memory (54), wherein at the Sterilization chamber (48) is provided a return line (59), by means of the unconsumed process heat enters the heat accumulator (50), wherein the sterilization chamber (48) by a heat chamber (58) is at least partially surrounded, which connected to the heat accumulator (50) characterized in that in addition to the sterilization chamber (48) a disinfecting chamber (46) for cleaning n and disinfecting the objects is present, wherein the disinfection chamber (46) by another heat chamber (56) is at least partially surrounded, which is connected to the heat accumulator (50), and wherein in the disinfection chamber (46), a rotor (62) provided is, on the in the disinfection chamber (46) befindlichem water is set in motion to mechanically clean the objects in the disinfection chamber (46) that the heat chambers (56, 58) are used for cooling by cold water from the drinking water tank (34) enters the respective heat chamber (56, 58) and thereby the disinfection chamber (46) or sterilization chamber (48) cools that above the heat accumulator (50) and above the sterilization chamber (48) a water treatment plant (36) for generating germ-free and distilled water from water from the drinking water tank (34) is arranged, wherein the distilled water both as a heat carrier of Wärmespeic her (50), as well as a sterilizing agent in the sterilization chamber (48) serves., That at least one of the partial storage (52, 54) of the heat accumulator (50) below the disinfection chamber (46) is arranged.

Description

The present invention relates to a sterilizer for microbial reduction of articles according to the preamble of claim 1.

In many parts of the world, even today, medical care is inadequate, for example because there is no adequate medical infrastructure for financial reasons, or because medical supplies have collapsed because of war or natural disasters. Now, if auxiliaries come to these parts of the world, there is often no possibility to sterilize or sterilize the items required for the medical treatment, in particular the surgical instruments.

To solve this problem is in the DE 94 04 428 U1 a solar sterilizer has been proposed which obtains the energy required for sterilization via solar collectors. The from the DE 94 04 428 U1 known solar sterilizer can be easily disassembled and then brought in a van in almost all parts of the world.

The solar sterilizer according to DE 94 04 428 U1 is operated with distilled water to avoid contamination of the individual components.

The performance of the solar sterilizer according to DE 94 04 428 U1 depends on the size of the sterilization chamber and the size of the heat storage. The larger the sterilization chamber, the more items can be sterilized and the larger the heat storage, the more sterilization passes can be made.

However, the larger the system gets, the more difficult it becomes to transport the solar sterilizer.

From the DE 34 47 317 A1 For example, a regenerative-energy, especially solar-powered sterilizer for medical sterilization is known. A sterilizing chamber of the sterilizer is connected to a heat exchanger for condensing steam exiting the sterilizing chamber, and a device downstream of the heat exchanger and measuring the amount of condensate produced is provided to monitor the sterilizing process. The heat exchanger used in the steam outlet line between the sterilizer and the condensate measuring device is concretely designed as an evaporator heat exchanger whose evaporator chamber connects via a further heat exchanger to a distillate container. To fill the sterilizer, the distillate container is connected by means of a supply line via a pressure regulator to the evaporator chamber of the sterilizer associated with the heating device. The evaporator heat exchanger has, in addition to the heat exchanger, a further heat exchanger element for transmitting the heat energy of the heating circuit to the distillate generator.

From the DE 43 12 474 C1 a steam sterilizer is known in which steam is sucked out of a sterilizer chamber by a steam jet vacuum pump and the mixture of extracted steam and motive steam is used as a heating medium in a heat exchanger. The discontinuous heat energy is made available by a buffer storage at a uniform temperature level, and the condensate of the total steam used is recovered.

A steam treatment plant with the features of the preamble of independent claim 1 is known from DE 10 2007 046 854 B3 known. Several energy storage are provided with different temperature levels, which are alternately connected to different treatment chambers for steam treatment. By a vacuum generated with a vacuum pump and the energy storage at the lowest temperature level can always be returned to this temperature level, after he has buffered accumulating in peaks condensation energy. The energy is dissipated into a feedwater reservoir. The preheated feed water is supplied to the energy storage via a pump.

Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizer which manages with a low energy input and at the same time has a high capacity.

As a technical solution to this problem, a sterilizer for reducing germs on objects, in particular on medical cutlery and other objects used in medicine, proposed according to the invention with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of this sterilizer can be found in the dependent claims.

A trained according to this technical teaching sterilizer has the advantage that the remaining after disinfection and / or sterilization process heat can also be stored and thus for other applications, in particular for further sterilization cycles, can be used. Thus, the existing energy is used efficiently, so that the heat storage can be made smaller with the same sterilization performance, which saves costs and improves the transportability of the sterilizer or that at the same Frame size more sterilization cycles can be performed.

The storage of both the heat provided, as well as the remaining process heat in the same heat storage has the further advantage that an additional memory can be omitted, resulting in a small size and weight savings of the sterilizer and also saves costs.

As a result, the entire sterilizer can be made very small and lightweight and thus can be carried by one person. Such a portable sterilizer may be transported by a person to remote locations to provide sterilized surgical instruments or the like to on-site physicians. This leads to improved medical care, especially in low-infrastructure regions.

The heat accumulator is made in two parts and comprises a first partial accumulator and a second partial accumulator. The physical effect that is used during the implementation of a sterilization when using two small storage less entropy is generated than when using a correspondingly large single memory. This lower entropy results in more efficient use of available energy during sterilization, with the result that more sterilization cycles can be performed with the available energy, or that the two small reservoirs can be made correspondingly smaller, resulting in a small size of the sterilizer and leads to a weight reduction.

At least one partial storage is arranged below the disinfection chamber or below the disinfection and the sterilization chamber, so that the heat transfer medium (distilled water) can flow from there under the influence of gravity from the disinfection or sterilization chamber in the lower part storage. This has the advantage that no pumps and no energy input is required, making the sterilizer not only lighter and smaller, but also the energy requirements of the sterilizer is reduced.

The disinfection chamber and the sterilization chamber are each at least partially surrounded by a heat chamber, in which the heat storage medium can get into it. About this heat chamber then the actual disinfection chamber or the actual sterilization chamber is warmed up accordingly. This has the advantage that as a result the heat storage medium does not come into contact with the objects to be processed and thus is not contaminated. This then leads to the fact that the heat storage medium can be reused within the device with the result that the remaining process heat can be used well, which in turn leads to an improved energy efficiency of the sterilizer.

Another advantage is that the heating chamber can also be used for cooling. For this purpose, cold water from the drinking water tank enters at least one of the heating chambers and thereby cools the disinfection and / or sterilization chamber, with the water heating up. It is particularly advantageous then to bring the heated water into the water treatment plant and / or the heat storage so as to use the heat present in the sterilizer for the further process.

A water treatment plant is designed to produce low-germ and distilled water. This distilled water is used within the device as a heat transfer medium, which has the advantage that the entire sterilizer is also germ-free and thus significantly reduces the risk of transmission of pathogens. Another advantage is that the operation of the sterilizer no additional liquids or solids are necessary as heat transfer.

This advantage is further enhanced by the water treatment plant is followed by a distillate storage tank, so that there is always a sufficient amount of distilled water available.

Yet another advantage is that almost any water, including soiled water, can be used, because by the use of Wasseraufbereitungslanlage the water is purified and made germ-free, in particular distilled, and can then be used for sterilization.

It has proven to be advantageous to arrange this distillate reservoir above the heat storage so that the distilled water can be moved due to gravity within the sterilizer, without the need for pumps or energy needs.

The measures listed here lead to a very high energy efficiency of the sterilizer according to the invention, with the result that the sterilizer can be built relatively small and thus remains portable and still several sterilization cycles can be performed per day.

Further advantages of the sterilizer according to the invention and the method according to the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and those described below Embodiments. Likewise, according to the invention, the above-mentioned features and those which are still further developed can be used individually or in any desired combinations with one another. The mentioned embodiments are not to be understood as an exhaustive list, but rather have exemplary character. Show it:

1 a side perspective view of the sterilizer according to the invention in the transport mode;

2 a perspective side view of the sterilizer according to 1 , with unfolded solar module in operating mode;

3 a rear view of the sterilizer according to 2 in the operating mode;

4 a schematic diagram of the sterilizer according to the invention according to 1 ,

In the 1 to 3 an inventive sterilizer is shown, which in 1 in transport mode, while the sterilizer the 2 and 3 is shown in the operating mode. This sterilizer has a cuboid housing 10 with a four feet 12 having support frame 14 and a three-part solar collector system 16 which folds up and over the support frame 14 can be used so that the entire sterilizer is compact and portable by a person. For this purpose, handles are on the device 18 intended.

In another embodiment, not shown here, shoulder straps are mounted on the device so that the sterilizer, like a backpack, can be carried on the back of a human.

At a front are in the housing 10 a disinfecting opening 20 a not shown here disinfection chamber and a sterilization opening 22 arranged a sterilization chamber, not shown here.

On a front is a winch 24 intended for a pump with a hose 26 Raw water can be pumped into a drinking water reservoir inside the sterilizer.

In 4 is a schematic diagram of the sterilizer according to the invention shown. This sterilizer includes a hand pump 24 , with the raw water through a sieve filter 30 and a microfilter 31 in a drinking water tank 34 can be pumped. About the drinking water tank 34 the water enters a thermal water treatment plant 36 in which it is above an evaporator 38 is evaporated and in a downstream condenser 40 is liquefied, so that distilled water in this way in a distillate storage tank 42 arrives.

This distillate is used both as a heat carrier and as a sterilizing agent for the process of sterilization.

The evaporator 38 is about the solar collector system 16 , in particular via tube collectors, supplied with energy. To the evaporator 38 is a residual water tank 44 connected, can be passed over the excess water to the outside.

Furthermore, there is a disinfection chamber in the sterilizer 46 and a sterilization chamber 48 and a heat storage 50 , where the heat storage 50 from a first partial store 52 and a second part store 54 composed.

There is a partial storage 52 . 54 , in particular the second partial storage 54 , below the disinfection 46 and / or the sterilization chamber 48 arranged.

Around the side walls of the disinfection chamber 46 and around the side walls of the sterilization chamber 48 around is each a heat chamber 56 . 58 provided, the heat chamber 56 . 58 such with the heat storage 50 , in particular the first partial storage 52 and the second part store 54 , that is connected to the heat storage 50 incoming water in the desired heat chamber 56 . 58 can get to the disinfection chamber 46 and / or the sterilization chamber 48 to heat accordingly. In this case, preferably from the partial stores 52 . 54 coming water in the appropriate heat chamber 56 . 58 to heat them and then the water with the remaining heat passes through a return line 59 in the same part store 52 . 54 back. The whole process takes place without pumps, solely due to the corresponding pressure conditions and / or due to gravity, so that no pumps are required for this entire process and no energy is consumed.

Here is the second partial memory 54 so below the disinfection chamber 46 and / or below the sterilization chamber 48 arranged that the distilled water by means of gravity into the appropriate partial store 54 can get.

The heat storage 50 is via appropriate piping 61 also with the disinfection chamber 46 and the sterilization chamber 48 directly connected, so that in the disinfection 46 or sterilization chamber 48 located, used as a heat transfer water, with the existing residual heat in the heat storage 50 can get back.

Both in the first part store 52 , as well as in the second part store 54 is a thermosyphon 60 which is transferred to the solar collector system 16 connected. With the help of this thermosyphon 60 will be in the solar collector system 16 generated heat in the partial storage 52 . 54 transported to heat them to the desired temperature.

In the disinfection chamber 46 is a rotor 62 provided over that in the disinfection chamber 46 moving water is set in motion to mechanically clean the objects therein. This rotor 62 is via an electric motor 64 driven. This electric motor 64 is via a battery 66 energized.

In addition, there is an electronic control unit in the sterilizer 68 , which controls the individual processes.

In addition, the sterilizer is still a small photovoltaic system 70 provided to the battery 66 To supply with electrical energy, so on the battery on the one hand, the electric motor 64 and on the other hand, the control unit 68 , as well as various valves can be operated.

In another, not shown embodiment, the solar system is replaced by a small gas burner. This makes the sterilizer even smaller and lighter can be transported by a wearer in rough terrain, for example in the mountains. In other embodiments, it is also possible to use burners with other fuels, for example oil or solid fuels.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

casing

12

foot

14

supporting frame

16

Solar collector system

18

Handle

20

Desinfizieröffnung

22

sterilization opening

24

Hand crank / hand pump

26

tube

30

strainer

32

microfilter

34

water Cooler

36

thermal water treatment plant

38

Evaporator

40

capacitor

42

Distillate reservoir

44

Residual water container

46

disinfection chamber

48

sterilization chamber

50

heat storage

52

parts store

54

parts store

56

heat chamber

58

heat chamber

59

Return line

60

thermosiphon

Claims (6)

Sterilizer for sterilizing objects with a device for providing heat ( 16 ), with a drinking water container ( 34 ), with a sterilization chamber ( 48 ), in which the objects are sterilized, with a heat storage ( 50 ) for storing both of the device ( 16 ), as well as for storing the not consumed during sterilization process heat, wherein the heat storage ( 50 ) is designed in two or more parts and at least one first partial memory ( 52 ) and a second partial memory ( 54 ), wherein at the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) a return line ( 59 ) is provided by means of the unused process heat in the heat storage ( 50 ), whereby the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) from a heating chamber ( 58 ) is at least partially surrounded, with the heat storage ( 50 ), characterized in that in addition to the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) a disinfection chamber ( 46 ) is present for cleaning and disinfecting the objects, wherein the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) from another heat chamber ( 56 ) is at least partially surrounded, with the heat storage ( 50 ) and wherein in the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) a rotor ( 62 ), via which in the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) in motion in order to move the water in the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) mechanically cleaned, that the heat chambers ( 56 . 58 ) are used for cooling by cold water from the drinking water tank ( 34 ) in the respective heat chamber ( 56 . 58 ) and thereby the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) or sterilization chamber ( 48 ) cools that above the heat storage ( 50 ) and above the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) a water treatment plant ( 36 ) for producing low-germ and distilled water from water from the drinking water container ( 34 ), wherein the distilled water is used both as a heat carrier of the heat store ( 50 ), as well as a sterilizing agent in the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) that at least one of the partial memory ( 52 . 54 ) of the heat accumulator ( 50 ) below the disinfection chamber ( 46 ) is arranged. Sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one partial storage ( 52 . 54 ) of the heat accumulator ( 50 ) below the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) is arranged. Sterilizer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water treatment plant ( 36 ) between the device for providing heat ( 16 ) and the sterilization chamber ( 48 ) is arranged. Sterilizer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the disinfection chamber ( 46 ), the sterilization chamber ( 48 ), the heating chamber ( 58 ) and / or the further heat chamber ( 56 ) via a line with the water treatment plant ( 36 ), so that residual heat in the water treatment plant ( 36 ) can get. Sterilizer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water treatment plant is a distillate storage tank ( 42 ) is connected downstream of the distilled water. Sterilizer according to claim 5, characterized in that the distillate storage tank ( 42 ) above the heat storage ( 50 ) is arranged.

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