HU197834B - Hydrostatic sterilizing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Temp. control of the heating baths, the steam space and the 'U'-bath is carried out separately, using two or more temp. sensors. Steam is admitted into the steam space at five or more places. Two separate compressed air inlets are provided into the steriliser. A solid separator plate is provided for the 'U'-bath. The 'U'-bath is connected to one or more of the heating baths. The side plate of the 'U'-bath facing the steam space is the higher one.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hydrostatic sterilization apparatus, particularly for the continuous sterilization of canned food.

Hungarian Patent No. 149,964 discloses a continuously operating hydrostatic sterilization device having a series of adjacent and interconnected transport vessels, wherein a steam space is formed between two adjacent transport vessels, the pressure of which is sterilized from the atmospheric pressure. temperature saturated steam up to pressure increases incrementally. In this machine, an endless conveyor system transports canned food along a pick-up line.

The pressure in each of the different compartments of the hydrostatic system of the device must be controlled with great precision. The control of this known device is carried out through the apertures formed at the bottom of the partitions between the two legs of each container. This solution is unstable, since the air entering and bubbling into the adjacent water column reduces the specific gravity of the water while the other water column in contact with it is virtually bubble free.

The solution of the Hungarian Patent No. 151,610 attempts to eliminate the instability of the system by placing a pressure regulating hydrostatic liquid column between the two legs of the vessels, the upper part of which is connected to the smaller and the lower part to the higher pressure steam chamber. In this embodiment, the lower liquid level to be maintained has a narrow side slot which is connected via a perforated tube to the lower end of the pressure control column (bubbling tower).

A disadvantage of this solution is that in the event of a sudden change in pressure, the vapor-air mixture cannot escape through the narrow gap and the perforated tube, so that its pressure can displace the entire amount of water in the unit. On the one hand, there is the risk of an accident due to the fact that large quantities of hot water fall out of the machine, and, on the other hand, serious losses: the amount of canned food being sterilized, wasted water and its heat content

Another disadvantage is that the holes in the perforated tube are easily clogged, which »increases the sensitivity of the system. For cleaning, the perforated pipes must be removed and the unit must be taken out of service. Another major disadvantage is that the bubble towers require a large space, complicate the construction of the equipment and increase heat loss.

In the hydrostatic sterilization apparatus of Hungarian Patent No. 158,292, each vessel is provided with separate water level regulating means 2. These are easily damaged and need to be taken out of service for repair. Faults resulting from sudden pressure changes cannot be eliminated by this solution.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrostatic sterilization device that, with simple construction, provides precise control, prevents water from being ejected in the event of sudden pressure changes, and has no bubble elements requiring cleaning.

The present invention is based on the recognition that the pressure regulating hydrostatic fluid column can be realized without the formation of a separate bubble tower, only by double the walls separating the two legs of each container so that the space defined by the double wall forms the bubble column above it is open to the space and connected at the bottom (via the lower branch of the transport vessel) to the space of higher pressure. In this way, on the one hand, it is possible to open a level control opening over the entire width of the device and, on the other hand, it is unnecessary to use a perforated lead-through and other connecting fittings.

By providing a vent or apertures at the lower edge of the double-walled wall member at a higher pressure space, level control of any nature and accuracy can be provided by opening or closing the apertures to a sufficient degree as the water level changes.

On the basis of these findings, the object of the present invention is to provide a hydrostatic sterilization device having a series of adjacent, connected series of containers for sterilization of the products to be sterilized, with a pressure space between two adjacent containers having an air pressure. a pressure regulating hydrostatic fluid column intermittently increasing up to the pressure of the saturated vapor at the sterilization temperature and two vapor compartments at different pressures, the upper part of which is connected to the smaller, the lower part to the higher pressure steam chamber and formed by upwardly extending partitions and partitions extending between them extending downwardly from the top of the apparatus, and wherein, in accordance with the present invention, on the side of the bulkheads facing the lower pressure vapor chamber, parallel to each of them, there are openings which, together with the bulkheads, form openings at the top towards the lower pressure steam chamber and below to the higher pressure steam chamber and the lower edge of the panels; as the lower edge of partitions.

-2197834

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, there is at least one through opening at the bottom edge of the partitions which connects the higher pressure steam space with the space between the partitions and the front panels.

In another preferred embodiment, the through opening (s) is (are) of constant width.

In a further preferred embodiment, the through opening (s) is / are widened to the bottom of the device.

In some cases, it is preferred that the through opening (s) is (are) formed at the bottom edge of the bulkheads.

It is advantageous to have pumps for transporting liquid from a lower pressure section to a higher pressure section between the individual vessels.

It is also preferred that the suction and discharge sides of the pumps are connected at the same height to the two sections.

The connections are preferably formed in the upper end region of the lower pressure branch of the transport vessels.

It is preferable to have a baffle extending above the water level between the two connections within a single vessel.

In a further preferred embodiment, a reservoir is arranged adjacent the higher liquid level branch of the lowest pressure vessel, which is connected at the top to the lowest pressure vessel and at the bottom to the heart of one of the pumps for transporting the liquid.

It is advantageous if the storage tank is provided with a level control consisting of a level sensor and a supply line with a valve.

Preferably, the power line is connected to a higher pressure vessel.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the embodiments outlined in the accompanying drawings. The

Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus according to the invention, a

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a detail II of the apparatus of Figure 1, zoomed in and a

Figure 3 is another preferred embodiment of detail II of the apparatus of Figure 1, also in side view, enlarged.

The apparatus of Fig. 1 has a bottom plate 1 and a top plate 12 and side walls 13. Boundary walls 2 are arranged parallel to each other and extending upwardly from the bottom plate 1, the upper end of which is spaced apart from the topsheet 12. Between two adjacent boundary walls 2, parallel to each other there is provided a partition 3 which extends from the topsheet 12 and its lower end is spaced apart from the bottomsheet 1.

In this way, a transport vessel is formed between the two boundary walls 2, which contain a liquid (usually water) labeled by shading.

In the center of the apparatus, a vapor space 20 is formed into which a vapor-air mixture is introduced via a line (not shown). To the left of the steam room 20 is the heating portion and to the right the cooling portion. Both of them have six transport vessels (as above), designated by reference numerals M1 ... M6 and H1 ... H6. The container (M1) which is furthest from the steam space (least pressure) is provided with a container (7) which is connected to the container (M1) at the top and which is bounded by the bottom plate (1) at the bottom.

In front of the refrigerator-side transport vessel H6 closest to the steam compartment 20, a pre-cooled transport vessel U is provided, with no pressure difference between the two sides, since 3 partitions are provided with a through opening (not shown).

Container M1 and the lower pressure side of container H1 are open, i.e., under atmospheric pressure.

On the lower pressure space side of the partitions 3, one front panel 4 is arranged parallel thereto (with the exception of the transport vessel U). The upper end of the front panels 4 extends over the boundary walls 2 but does not reach the top panel 12 and their lower ends are deeper than the partitions 3 but does not reach

I bottom plate.

In practice, the distance between the partitions 3 and the front panels 4 is preferably at least 2 to 3 cm in order to prevent the bubbling.

The transport vessels M1 ... M6 and H1 ... H6 are provided with circulation pumps 6, 11. In the case of the transport container M1, the pump 6 draws from the bottom of the storage tank 7 and presses it onto the lower pressure branch of the transport container M2 (from where water drips into the higher pressure branch of the transport container M1). The pumps 6 also carry the lower pressure section to the higher pressure in the case of the vessels M2 ... M6, but with both suction and discharge sides at the same level, two adjacent vessels (M2-M3, M3-M4, M4-M5) and M5-M6) are connected in the upper end region of the lower pressure shaft. In the transport vessel M6, the pressure side of the pump 6 is connected (in the absence of a further higher pressure vessel) with its own higher pressure branch.

In the case of vessels H1 ... H6 a

Pumps II also convey from the lower pressure sections to the higher pressure sections, but here only the discharge sides are connected to the upper ends of the higher level branches, while the suction sides are connected in the region of the lower ends of the same branches. In the case of transport container H6, the pump 11 sucks from the bottom of the lower pressure branch, while its discharge side is led to the top of the transport container U through a valve 19 connected to a level sensor 18. Transport container H1 is of lower pressure (at atmospheric pressure

-3197834 standing branch is connected to a fluid source (eg mains water) via a valve 29 connected to a level sensor 28 (not shown).

The reservoir 7 is also provided with a valve 9 connected to a level sensor 8 which is connected via a supply line 10 to the higher pressure branch of the transport vessel H6.

The operation of the presented equipment differs from what is known in the following:

In the event of a sudden increase in pressure in the vapor compartment 20, the vapor is bubbled through the liquid columns between the partitions 3 and the front panels 4 and passes unhindered to the vessels M1 and HI and passes through its open branch.

When a relatively large amount of hot water is forced out of the system during start-up of the unit (eg during the start of the shift), it is not discharged into the sewer but into the storage tank 7, whereupon pump 6 feeds it to the lower pressure vessel M2. to and from the upper end of its branch to the higher pressure branch of the transport vessel M1. The passages between the partitions 3 and the front panels 4 having the same width as the distance 13 between the lower edges of the device safely discharge any overpressure under normal operating conditions.

Of course, a similar storage tank can be used alongside the Hl container, but only cold water can escape, which does not cause heat loss and is therefore less harmful.

The 8.28 level sensors and vents 9, 29 used in the storage tank 7 and in the transport vessel HI serve essentially only a safety function, since under normal operating conditions there is no significant fluid loss. Replenishment of the storage tank 7 can be provided from the hottest and highest pressurized container H6 in the refrigerator compartment in the event of a serious malfunction without the need for separate heating and a separate pump.

The function of the baffles 5 at the top of the lower pressure section of the transport vessels M2 ... M6 is to isolate the cooler water discharged by the pumps 6 and, in the case of excess liquid, to force it back to the lower level of the adjacent transport vessel.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, through-holes 14 are provided at the lower edge of the partition wall 3 for refining the level control. In this case, before the gap between the partition 3 and the front 4 opens (before the water level 15 drops below the lower edge 16 of the partition 3), the steam may first escape through the openings 14 at a pressure higher than necessary. As the pressure increases, the water level 15 drops and the openings 14 become free. In the event of extreme high pressure (serious malfunction), the water level 15 drops below the lower edge 16 of the bulkhead. The vapor is then discharged through the entire cross-section between the partition 3 and the front panel 4 until normal pressure conditions are restored.

In the case of Fig. 2, the apertures 14 are vertical slots formed at equal distances with a constant width. In this way, the so-called. proportionate regulation can be achieved. If slots having a width that extends towards the bottom plate 1 are used, then the control response will be greater than proportional.

In the case of Fig. 3, for example, there are triangular openings 14 with their apex pointing upwards at the bottom edge of the partition 3, which are formed as saw-tooth cuts.

The main advantages of the apparatus according to the invention are as follows:

It significantly reduces water consumption and energy consumption.

Leveling is achieved without moving parts or elements that are prone to clogging.

It is virtually impossible for the hot water contained in the unit to escape if there is a sudden increase in pressure.

The construction of the equipment is significantly simplified, space requirements are reduced, and it is less likely to have to be emptied for maintenance or repairs.

Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A hydrostatic sterilization device having adjacent, serially connected, transportable containers having a vertical serpentine path for the products to be sterilized; a pressure regulating hydrostatic fluid column is inserted between the intermittently growing steam chamber and two different pressure steam compartments, the upper part of which is connected to the smaller, lower part to the higher pressure steam compartment, and the transport vessels from parallel walls extending upwards from the bottom of the apparatus; formed by projecting partitions extending downwardly from the top of the unit, characterized in that, on the side of the partitions (3) having a lower pressure on the steam compartment, a front panel (4) being formed which, together with the partitions (3), form open slits at the top towards the lower pressure steam chamber and at the bottom towards the higher pressure steam chamber and the lower edge of the front panels (4) 1) as the lower edge of the partitions (3). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one steam chamber at the lower edge of the partitions (3), the partitions (3) and the front panels (4) There is a through-hole (14) connecting with a space of -4197834. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the passage opening (s) (14) are of constant width (s). Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the through-opening (s) (14) have a cross-section which extends towards the bottom (1) of the apparatus. 5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the passage opening (s) (14) are formed in the lower edge of the partitions (3). 6. In steps 2-5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that pumps (6) for transferring liquid from a lower pressure section to a higher pressure section are connected between the individual transport vessels (M1 ... M6). Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the suction and discharge sides of the pumps (6) are connected at the same height to the two sections. Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the connections are formed in the upper end region of the lower pressure branch of the transport vessels (M2 ... M6). Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that there is a baffle (5) extending above the water level between the two connections within the transport vessel (M2 ... M6). 10. Figures 1-9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a A storage tank (7) is provided adjacent to the upper fluid level branch of the 10 lowest pressure vessels (M1), the pumps carrying the liquid at the top and the liquid at the bottom (M1). 15 (θ). Device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the storage tank (7) has a level control consisting of a level sensor (8) and a supply line (10) provided with a valve (9). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the supply line (10) is provided with a higher pressure transport vessel. 25 (H6) is connected.