JP2004042945A - Gas replacement method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively eliminate foam existing in a head space without damaging a container, simultaneously defoam and replace with a gas to speed up, and improve the gas replacement ratio of a container having a narrow mouth. <P>SOLUTION: A heated and moistened replacement gas of 100°C or lower is obtained by a method either by passing a replacement gas directly through heating water, or indirectly heating the gas by a heating medium and then passing through the heating water, or indirectly heating the gas by the heating medium and then spraying vapor into the heated replacement gas. The heated and moistened replacement gas is sprayed toward a container mouth by a heated and moistened replacement gas spraying part 3 as a replacement gas spray stream 26 into the container 40 and as a shield gas spray stream 27 for surrounding its circumference. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gas replacement method and a device for sealing air by replacing air in a head space of a container with a replacement gas such as an inert gas, and particularly to a gas replacement method and a device for performing gas replacement while defoaming.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When replacing the residual gas in the head space in the container with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas or a mixed gas thereof (hereinafter simply referred to as a replacement gas), gas replacement is performed while many bubbles are present in the head space. However, since the air remains trapped in the bubbles, the replacement efficiency does not increase. For this reason, when filling is performed under contents in which bubbles easily occur during filling or under filling conditions in which bubbles easily occur, gas replacement is performed after defoaming. As a conventional defoaming means, it has been proposed to defoam by blowing hot air into a container head space after filling (for example, JP-A-9-240787). In the case of hot air, the higher the temperature, the higher the defoaming effect. However, according to experiments by the present inventors, a satisfactory defoaming effect could not be obtained unless the temperature was 200 ° C. or higher. However, when the temperature is set to 200 ° C. or higher, there is a problem that if the container is a plastic bottle such as a PET bottle, the container is damaged and the flavor of the contents is affected. Therefore, in the above conventional example, the temperature of the hot air is set at 100 ° C., but the replacement ratio is improved only up to 80%, which is not satisfactory.
[0003]
Further, as another defoaming means, a method of applying ultrasonic waves to a head space has been proposed. However, according to the experiment by the present inventors, when ultrasonic waves are applied, bubbles are fine, but the defoaming effect is small, and satisfactory results for improving the gas replacement ratio were not obtained. Furthermore, although steam has been proposed as another method, when steam is blown, there is a problem in that it takes time and effort to treat the drain in the piping, and it is difficult to control the temperature and humidity.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In particular, in the case of aseptic filling, since the filling is performed in a non-contact manner so that the filling nozzle does not come into contact with the container and the liquid in the container, bubbles are easily generated at the time of filling. Moreover, since the filling is performed at a normal temperature of 25 to 30 ° C., the head space amount is larger than that in the case of a hot pack in which the inside is depressurized after filling and sealing. Therefore, in the case of the aseptic filling, the amount of air existing in the head space is larger than that in the case of the hot pack, and the head space becomes more susceptible to oxygen. Therefore, it is more important to increase the gas replacement efficiency. However, the conventional defoaming means cannot effectively defoam without affecting containers and contents as described above. Conventionally, gas replacement packaging including a defoaming step is performed through a content filling step, a defoaming step, a gas replacement step, and a container sealing step. ing. Furthermore, in the conventional gas replacement process, since the replacement gas is simply blown into the container from the nozzle, the surrounding air is entrained when the replacement gas is blown, and the inside air is discharged and the air flows in from the outside. Even if the defoaming can be achieved, it is difficult to improve the replacement ratio. Furthermore, in the conventional gas replacement method, in the case of a narrow-mouthed container such as a bottle, it is difficult to blow a sufficient amount of replacement gas for gas replacement of the headspace into a continuously moving container, and it is not sufficient. When the replacement gas is blown from the nozzle to fill the narrow opening surface to secure the replacement gas amount, air from the outside may be entrapped, but the air present in the container may escape to the outside through the narrow opening. However, there is a problem that the replacement ratio is lowered.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems of gas replacement when filling under a filling condition in which bubbles easily occur during filling or filling under which bubbles are likely to occur. A gas replacement method that can effectively defoam without adversely affecting the gas, and can simultaneously perform defoaming and gas replacement to increase the speed and improve gas replacement efficiency even in a narrow-mouthed container, and its gas replacement method. It is intended to provide a device.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present inventor has conducted various studies to solve the above problems. As a result, hot air has a low defoaming effect unless the temperature is higher than 200 ° C. The inventors have found that the effect is high, and as a result of further research, they have found that defoaming and gas replacement are performed at the same time, and have reached the present invention.
That is, the gas replacement method of the present invention is a gas replacement method in which the remaining gas in the head space of the container is replaced with a replacement gas composed of an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas or a mixed gas thereof. By injecting the humidified heating replacement gas, the gas replacement is performed while eliminating bubbles existing in the head space.
[0007]
The humidified heated replacement gas is manufactured by heating and humidifying the replacement gas by passing the replacement gas through heating water, or manufactured by indirectly heating the replacement gas with a heating medium and then passing the replacement gas through the heating water, or Is heated indirectly with a heating medium to obtain a heated replacement gas, and the method is produced by spraying steam into the heated replacement gas. The temperature of the humidification heating replacement gas is preferably 100 ° C. or less, more preferably 80 ° C. to 100 ° C., as a range in which defoaming can be performed without damaging the container.
The humidified heating replacement gas is injected toward the container opening as a jet into the container and a shield jet surrounding the periphery thereof, and the jet into the container is jetted at a higher speed than the shield jet. In addition, it is possible to prevent the entrainment of air into the container and effectively perform gas replacement.
[0008]
The gas replacement apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the gas replacement method includes a heating and humidifying replacement gas manufacturing unit that obtains a heating and humidifying replacement gas by heating and humidifying a replacement gas such as a nitrogen gas. And a heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit for communicating the heating and humidifying replacement gas toward the container opening.
[0009]
Another gas replacement apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above gas replacement method includes a heating unit for heating the replacement gas, and a heating and humidifying method for humidifying the replacement gas heated by the heating unit to obtain a heated and humidified replacement gas. A replacement gas producing section, and a heating / humidifying replacement gas injection section which communicates with the heating / humidifying replacement gas producing section and injects the heating / humidifying replacement gas toward the container opening.
[0010]
The heating and humidifying replacement gas producing unit has a tank tank for storing heating water, and is configured to supply an unheated replacement gas or a heating replacement gas heated by the heating unit to the heating water storage unit of the tank tank. Alternatively, any means can be adopted, in which a communication pipe communicating with the heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit is provided with a steam spray nozzle for spraying steam to the heating replacement gas flowing through the communication pipe.
[0011]
The heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit includes an in-bottle injection nozzle formed of an injection nozzle having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the mouth of the container, and the replacement gas injection flow surrounding the replacement gas injection flow injected from the in-bottle injection nozzle. And a shield gas injection nozzle for injecting a shield gas flow having a lower flow velocity than the flow. More specifically, a tapered portion is formed at the distal end of the communication pipe for supplying the heated and humidified replacement gas so as to have a diameter that is larger than an opening of a container for performing at least gas replacement. A cylindrical or inverted-tapered injection nozzle in a bottle whose tip diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the mouth of the container is disposed at the center of the container, and an annular opening around the injection nozzle in the bottle functions as a shielding gas injection nozzle. To be configured.
[0012]
It is preferable that the shield gas injection nozzle has a perforated plate or a filter, and the heated and humidified replacement gas passes through the perforated plate or the filter so that the shield gas is laminar-flowed. Further, by employing a structure for keeping the temperature of the heating / humidifying replacement gas supply pipe leading to the injection unit including the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit, the heating / humidifying replacement gas injected into the container can be always maintained at a predetermined temperature, The defoaming effect can be stably exhibited. As the heat retaining means, for example, a means in which the outer wall of the tank tank and the communicating pipe or the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit is formed in a double wall structure and steam is supplied between the inner wall and the outer wall can be adopted.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a gas replacement apparatus for performing gas replacement while defoaming according to the present invention.
The gas replacement device of the present embodiment employs nitrogen gas as a replacement gas, and shows a case in which nitrogen gas replacement is performed in a narrow-mouthed container such as a bottle, and particularly shows a nitrogen gas replacement device in an aseptic filling line, under a sterile atmosphere. Are located. The gas replacement device of the present embodiment includes a heating unit 1 for heating nitrogen gas and water, a heating and humidification replacement gas producing unit 2 for passing heated nitrogen gas through heated sterile water to obtain a heating and humidification replacement gas, and heating and humidification. The replacement gas injection unit 3 is a main component.
[0014]
The heating unit 1 supplies and fills the steam or the hot water into the heat exchanger chamber 4, and performs heat exchange by passing through the chamber through the nitrogen gas supply pipe 5 and the sterile water supply pipe 6. Is heated with sterile water and nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas supply pipe 5 is for supplying heated nitrogen gas from a nitrogen gas supply source (not shown) to the heated and humidified replacement gas producing section 2. Nitrogen gas that has been sterilized by filter filtration is supplied to the heating section 1. Is heated to 80 to 100 ° C. by passing through the heating unit 1, and is supplied to the heated humidified replacement gas producing unit 2 as a heated nitrogen gas. Reference numeral 7 denotes a valve, and 8 denotes a flow meter, which can control the amount of nitrogen gas to be supplied. Similarly, the aseptic water supply pipe 6 is for supplying heated aseptic water from the aseptic water supply source to the heating and humidifying replacement gas producing unit 2, and the aseptic water obtained by heating or aseptic filtration through the aseptic water supply source. Water is supplied, and sterile water heated to 80 to 100 ° C. by passing through the heating unit 1 is supplied to the heating / humidifying replacement gas producing unit 2.
[0015]
In the embodiment shown in the drawings, steam is supplied as a heat source to the heat exchanger chamber 4 of the replacement gas heating unit 1 and is heated by the steam. The steam is configured to be supplied from the same supply source as the steam supplied for keeping and heating the tank 20 and the communication pipe 21 having a double wall structure as described later. The steam supply pipe 10 connected to the steam supply source branches into a first steam supply pipe 11 and a second steam supply pipe 12 on the way, and the first steam supply pipe 11 is connected to the heat exchanger chamber 4 to supply the second steam The pipe 12 is provided so as to supply steam to the outer peripheral portion of the tank tank 20 of the heating / humidifying replacement gas producing section 2. In the illustrated steam pipe, 14 is a valve, 15 is a pressure regulating valve, 16 is a check valve, 17 is a flow regulating valve, 18 is a temperature sensor, and 19 is a drain manual valve.
[0016]
In the above-mentioned steam pipes, the steam is supplied into the heat exchanger chamber 4 at a controlled flow rate and pressure by various control valves provided in the pipes, and is supplied into the nitrogen gas supply pipe passing through the heat exchanger chamber 4. The temperature of the heated nitrogen gas passing through the heat exchanger chamber 4 is detected by the temperature sensor 18, and the flow control valve 17 is controlled based on the detected data to control the amount of steam supplied into the heat exchanger chamber. The nitrogen gas in the nitrogen gas supply pipe which has passed through can be always heated to a predetermined temperature. In this embodiment, the aseptic water and the nitrogen gas are overheated in the same heating unit, but they may be heated by separate heating means.
[0017]
The heating / humidifying replacement gas producing section 2 is constituted by a tank tank 20 having an outer wall having a double-walled structure. Inside the tank tank, a nitrogen gas supply pipe 5 passing through the replacement gas heating section 1, a sterile water A supply pipe 6 is connected, and a second steam supply pipe 12 connected to a steam supply source is connected to a gap between the inner wall and the outer wall of the double-walled tank tank, and the steam is supplied so as to maintain a constant temperature in the tank tank. It keeps warm. The upper portion of the tank 20 is continuously connected to the communicating pipe 21 having a double wall structure as it is, and the heated humidified replacement gas produced in the tank 20 passes through the inside of the communicating pipe 21 and the heated humidified replacement gas injection unit 3 Supplied to On the other hand, the heat retaining steam supplied to the gap between the inner wall and the outer wall of the tank tank passes through the space between the inner wall and the outer wall of the communication pipe 21 and reaches the taper section 22 of the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection section 3. The indirect heating of the humidified replacement gas flowing through the inside of the chamber keeps the temperature. The heating / humidifying replacement gas producing unit 2 is arranged as close as possible to the humidifying replacement gas injection unit 3 so that the heated / humidifying replacement gas to be injected maintains a constant temperature / humidifying state with good thermal efficiency. Mixing of gas and hot water is preferably performed immediately before injection.
[0018]
As shown in the figure, the tank 20 is supplied with heated water heated through the heating unit 1 up to a predetermined level, and supplied with heated nitrogen gas through the heating unit 1 and passed into the heated water. By doing so, a heated and humidified replacement gas can be produced. The temperature of the hot water in the tank 20 is detected by the temperature sensor 18, and the amount of steam supplied from the steam supply source between the inner wall and the outer wall of the tank is controlled based on the detected value, and is always kept constant. . The heated and humidified replacement gas generated in the tank tank 20 passes through the communication pipe 21 and reaches the heated and humidified replacement gas injection unit 3, and from the heating and humidification replacement gas injection unit 3 to the opening of the container 40 passing therebelow. Injected toward.
[0019]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit 3 is configured such that the distal end of the communication pipe 21 has a diameter larger than at least the opening 41 of the container 40 that performs nitrogen gas replacement. It has a tapered portion 22 that expands in a tapered shape, and a cylindrical or inverted tapered bottle-injection nozzle 23 having a tip diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the mouth of the container 30 is provided at the center of the taper portion. Are located. The inside diameter of the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 is such that the heated humidified replacement gas flow injected from the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 is in the container opening so that air in the container head space can escape from the container opening to the outside during gas replacement. In order to form a flux that does not cover the whole, it is desirable that it is 80% or less, preferably 60 to 70% of the inner diameter of the container. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the tapered portion 22 located therearound is covered with a perforated plate 25 surrounding the nozzle 23 in the bottle except for the lower end 24 of the nozzle 23 in the bottle. External air into the container surrounding the heated humidified replacement gas injected into the bottle from the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 so that the heated humidified replacement gas injected through the plate forms a shielding gas flow. The shield injection nozzle 25 for preventing entrainment is configured.
[0020]
Accordingly, the heated and humidified replacement gas that has reached the heated and humidified replacement gas injection unit 3 through the communication pipe 21 flows down through the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 disposed at the center of the heating and humidification replacement gas injection unit 3. Those that flow down the shield injection nozzle 25 on the outer periphery and pass through the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 are accelerated by maintaining the flow velocity or by forming the in-bottle injection nozzle 23 into a tapered shape. As a result, a jet having a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the container is jetted into the container, and becomes a replacement gas for replacing the gas in the head space of the container. On the other hand, the heated and humidified replacement gas passing through the shield injection nozzle 25 is decompressed by spreading at the tapered portion, and further passes through the perforated plate, so that the replacement gas injection flow ( A shield gas jet (shown by arrow 26) having a laminar flow slower than the flow velocity of arrow 27) is injected onto the outer surface of the container opening surrounding the outer periphery of the replacement gas jet 27. This effectively prevents the surrounding air from being entrained even if the flow rate of the heated humidified replacement gas supplied into the container is increased, and the diameter of the replacement gas flow is smaller than the inner diameter of the container, so that the head space in the head space is reduced. The air can escape to the outside, and the replacement efficiency can be dramatically increased. Further, since the laminar flow shield gas jet 26 surrounds the replacement gas jet 27, the temperature of the heated humidified replacement gas injected into the container can be prevented from lowering. As a result, even with aseptic filling, the headspace gas temperature at the time of sealing can be made higher than normal temperature, and when cooled to room temperature, the inside of the container becomes negative pressure, and the pressure reduction effect that the headspace amount decreases is brought about. it can.
[0021]
The gas replacement device of the present embodiment is configured as described above, indirectly heats the aseptically treated nitrogen gas and water, and further mixes both in the heated humidification replacement gas production unit immediately before injection, thereby achieving a predetermined A heated and humidified replacement gas having a temperature and a degree of wetness can be manufactured and injected into the container by a heated and humidified replacement gas injection unit. Since the heated and humidified replacement gas is humidified, even if the temperature is 100 ° C. or less, it can be effectively defoamed by hitting the foaming bubbles in the head space in the container. As a result, the gas replacement rate can be further increased. In addition, defoaming and gas replacement can be performed simultaneously at the same location with a single device, so that the replacement rate can be increased and the speed can be increased. Even with aseptic filling, bottled beverages, canned beverages, and the like having a reduced pressure effect can be obtained.
[0022]
FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the gas replacement apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the humidification heating replacement gas employs only steam as the heating and humidification medium, and is heated by indirect heating with steam. A replacement gas is obtained, and steam is sprayed into the heated replacement gas to produce a humidified heated replacement gas. Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described.
[0023]
A nitrogen gas supply pipe 30 communicating with the nitrogen gas supply source is connected to an inlet side of a heat exchange pipe 33 arranged in a heat exchange chamber 32 constituting a nitrogen gas heating unit 31, and an outlet side of the heat exchange pipe is It is connected to a communication pipe 34 that communicates with the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit 3. The heat exchange chamber 32 is connected to a steam supply pipe 35 communicating with a steam supply source, is supplied with steam at a predetermined temperature, and comes into contact with a heat exchange pipe 33 disposed in the chamber, thereby forming the heat exchange pipe 33. By heating, the nitrogen gas passing through the heat exchange pipe 33 is indirectly heated to a predetermined temperature. Note that the nitrogen gas is sterilized by passing through a sterilization filter with a steam supply source as in the above embodiment. A valve 36 and a flow meter 37 are arranged in the nitrogen gas supply pipe 30 so that the amount of nitrogen gas to be supplied can be arbitrarily controlled.
[0024]
A steam spray nozzle 38 for spraying aseptic steam into a heated replacement gas (heated nitrogen gas) passing through the communication pipe is disposed in the middle of the communication pipe 34 as shown in the figure, and humidifies the heated replacement gas to heat the gas. The heating / humidifying replacement gas producing unit for producing the humidifying replacement gas is configured. The temperature sensor 18 is disposed downstream of the steam spray nozzle 38, and based on the detection value of the temperature sensor 18, the supply amount of the heat-retaining / heating steam supplied to the outer peripheral portion of the communication pipe 34 is controlled by the flow control valve 17. Controlling. Reference numeral 39 denotes a sterilization filter disposed immediately before the steam spray nozzle 38, which sterilizes steam sprayed to nitrogen gas for humidification. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIG.
[0025]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various design changes can be made within the technical idea. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the nitrogen gas is heated by the replacement gas heating unit and then supplied to the hot water in the tank. However, if the temperature of the heated water stored in the tank is increased, the nitrogen gas is heated. It is also possible to supply the gas directly into the tank without heating. Further, the in-bottle injection nozzle and the shield gas injection nozzle of the heating and humidification replacement gas injection unit are connected to the heating and humidification replacement gas production unit by separate pipes, and each of them is provided with a flow control valve, so that the in-bottle injection nozzle is provided. It is also possible to make it possible to change the injection flow ratio between the nozzle and the shield gas injection nozzle. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where nitrogen gas is employed as the replacement gas has been described. However, the replacement gas is not limited to nitrogen gas, but other inert gas such as helium, argon, or carbon dioxide gas or a mixture thereof. It is also possible to employ gas.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the contents are easily filled during filling or when filling is performed under filling conditions under which bubbles are likely to be generated, the heating and humidifying replacement gas having a temperature of 100 ° C. or lower is supplied to the head space of the container. By spraying, bubbles existing in the head space can be effectively defoamed without adversely affecting the container and contents, and since defoaming and gas replacement can be performed simultaneously, gas replacement efficiency can be improved, and Speeding up is possible. In addition, by simultaneously injecting the shielding gas jet and the replacement gas jet made of the heated and humidified replacement gas, it is possible to prevent air from being trapped in the container by the replacement gas and to further increase the gas replacement rate. By making the flow diameter of the gas injection flow smaller than the container opening, gas replacement can be performed at a high replacement ratio even in a narrow-mouthed container such as a bottle. In addition, since the heating and humidification replacement gas of 100 ° C. or less is injected into the container, in the case of an aseptic filled container, the headspace gas temperature at the time of sealing can be made higher than room temperature, and if the container is cooled down to room temperature later, the inside of the container becomes negative. And a pressure reducing effect that reduces the head space amount can be brought about. And, by keeping the heating and humidifying replacement gas supply line leading to the heating and humidifying replacement gas injection section, the temperature of the heating and humidifying replacement gas injected into the container is prevented, and the defoaming effect is stably exhibited. can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a gas replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection section AA.
FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of a gas replacement device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 31 replacement gas heating section 2 heating and humidification replacement gas production section 3 heating and humidification replacement gas injection section 4, 32 heat exchange chamber 5, 30 nitrogen gas supply pipe 6 sterile water supply pipe 20 tank tank 21 communication pipe 22 taper section 23 bottle Inner injection nozzle 25 Shield gas injection nozzle 38 Steam injection nozzle

Claims (14)

In the gas replacement method of replacing the residual gas in the head space of the container with a replacement gas such as an inert gas, the gas replacement is performed by injecting a humidified heating replacement gas into the head space of the container to eliminate bubbles existing in the head space. A gas replacement method. The gas replacement method according to claim 1, wherein the humidification heating replacement gas is manufactured by passing the replacement gas through heated water. 3. The gas replacement method according to claim 2, wherein the humidification heating replacement gas is produced by indirectly heating the replacement gas with a heating medium and then passing the gas through heated water. 2. The gas replacement method according to claim 1, wherein the humidified heated replacement gas is produced by indirectly heating the replacement gas with a heating medium to obtain a heated replacement gas, and spraying steam into the heated replacement gas. The gas replacement method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of the humidification heating replacement gas is 100 ° C. or less. The humidification heating replacement gas is injected toward the container opening as a jet flow into the container and a shield jet flow surrounding the jet, and the jet flow into the container is jetted at a higher speed than the shield jet flow. The gas replacement method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A heating and humidifying replacement gas producing unit that obtains a heating and humidifying replacement gas by heating and humidifying the replacement gas; a heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit that communicates with the heating and humidifying replacement gas manufacturing unit and that injects the heating and humidifying replacement gas toward the container opening. A gas replacement device comprising: A replacement gas heating section for heating the replacement gas, a heating and humidifying replacement gas producing section for humidifying the replacement gas heated by the heating section to obtain a heating and humidifying replacement gas, and a heating and humidifying replacement gas communicating with the heating and humidifying replacement gas producing section. And a heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit for injecting the gas toward the container opening. 9. The gas replacement according to claim 7, wherein the heating / humidifying replacement gas producing unit has a tank tank for storing heating water, and supplies the heating replacement gas to the heating water storage unit of the tank tank. 10. apparatus. 9. The gas according to claim 8, wherein the heating / humidifying replacement gas producing unit is provided with a steam spray nozzle for spraying steam to the heating replacement gas flowing in the communication tube, the communication tube communicating with the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit. 10. Replacement device. The heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit includes an in-bottle injection nozzle formed of an injection nozzle having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the mouth of the container, and the replacement gas injection flow surrounding the replacement gas injection flow injected from the in-bottle injection nozzle. The gas replacement device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising a shield gas injection nozzle that injects a shield gas flow having a lower flow velocity than the flow. The heating and humidifying replacement gas injection unit forms a tapered portion that expands so as to have a diameter larger than an opening of a container that performs replacement gas replacement at least at a distal end of the communication pipe that supplies the heating and humidifying replacement gas. At the center of the taper portion, a cylindrical or reverse tapered in-bottle injection nozzle having a tip diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the mouth of the container is disposed, and an annular opening around the in-bottle injection nozzle is shielded. The gas replacement device according to claim 11, which is a gas injection nozzle. The gas according to claim 11, wherein the shield gas injection nozzle has a perforated plate or a filter, and allows the shielding gas to be laminar-flowed by passing the heated and humidified replacement gas through the perforated plate or the filter. Replacement device. The gas replacement device according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the heating / humidifying replacement gas supply pipe including the heating / humidifying replacement gas injection unit is kept warm.

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