GB1500872A - Highpressure sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

1500872 Sterilization apparatus Q P CORP 8 Jan 1976 [7 Oct 1975] 22092/77 Divided out of 1500871 Heading A2D A high-pressure sterilizer comprises a highpressure tank having an inlet and an outlet for objects to be treated and having formed therein a heating chamber containing a heated liquid and a cooling chamber containing a cooling liquid, and transfer means for transferring the objects from inlet to outlet via the heating and cooling chambers to sterilise the objects, wherein the inlet and outlet are each formed as a rectilinear transfer passage arranged below the liquid levels in the chambers, and the transfer means are arranged to pass linearly through these passages and are provided with attachments adapted to divide the transfer passages into a plurality of sections whilst maintaining a small space between each attachment and the wall surface of the associated transfer passage, the sterilizer being further provided with means for circulating to the chambers liquid lost by flowing out from the transfer passage. The inlet and outlet transfer passages may be provided at different vertical levels in one end face of the tank; alternatively the inlet and outlet transfer passages may be provided in opposite end faces of the tank. The heating chamber and the cooling chamber may be separated by a pair of partition walls to form a space chamber. The attachments secured to the transfer means are each suitably provided with a retainer for containing the objects to be treated therein, each retainer being openable and closable and having a plurality of pores therein. A sterilizer of the above type is shown in Fig. 1 and comprises high pressure tank 2, heating chamber 6 and cooling chamber 5. The front of the tank is provided with projecting rectlinear transfer passages 11 and 12 which are rectangular in cross section. At the same level as these passages are provided holes 13, 14 and 15, 16 in partition walls 3 and 4. Means are provided to circulate liquid from the tanks 17, 18 and 19 to chambers 5 and 6. Transfer means 24 comprises a pair of endless chains 27, 27 having transfer attachments 28 mounted therebetween, openable porous retainers 29 for containing the objects to be treated and guide means 30. The retainer 29 is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 2 (not shown). The sterilizer is suitable for the treatment of food-packed cans and bags.