JP2014042767A - Steam sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steam sterilizer including a vapor-liquid separator for executing vapor-liquid separation based exclusively on the force of a steam.SOLUTION: The steam sterilizer 1 includes a vapor-liquid separator 30 possessing a flow inlet 32 for streaming, into a steam feeding tube 20, a steam from a boiler 16 and a flow outlet 33 for streaming the steam into a chamber 11 and constituted by fitting, to a rotation axle 34, multiple blades 35 rotated by a steam, and when a steam streams into the same, the liquid component thereof becomes adhered to the rotated blades 35, and the steam alone moves toward the chamber.

Description

  The present invention relates to a steam sterilizer that sterilizes an object to be sterilized such as a surgical instrument with high-pressure steam.

  A steam sterilizer described in Patent Document 1 is known as a steam sterilizer that performs sterilization using high-pressure steam on an object to be sterilized such as a medical instrument. When liquid sterilization is performed when steam sterilization is performed, a drying failure may occur in the drying process after sterilization. For this reason, this steam sterilizer gas-liquid separates the steam supplied to the sterilization tank so that the liquid is not sent into the sterilization tank when supplying steam to the inside of the sterilization tank containing the sterilization object. Heating is performed.

  There are various types of gas-liquid separators used for gas-liquid separation, and one of them is a cyclone type gas-liquid separator described in Patent Document 2. This gas-liquid separator has a cyclone chamber formed in a substantially cylindrical container, and the liquid component in the gas introduced in the circumferential direction along the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall from a gas inlet provided in the peripheral wall. Are separated by centrifugal action of swirling flow and stored and recovered under the cyclone chamber, while the gas separated from the liquid is led out from the gas outlet provided at the upper end of the cyclone chamber. It is.

JP 2001-120645 A JP-A-11-264312

  The gas-liquid separator as described in Patent Document 2 has a very high efficiency of gas-liquid separation, but a power source for operating a centrifugal separation function used for gas-liquid separation. is necessary. When this gas-liquid separator is attached to a steam sterilizer, the cost for sterilization increases. Moreover, it is necessary to attach not only an intake pipe and an exhaust pipe to the gas-liquid separator, but also a drain pipe, and a large space for attaching a steam sterilizer is required.

  Therefore, the gas-liquid separator attached to the steam sterilizer does not require power such as electric power, and is preferably smaller. Then, an object of this invention is to provide the steam sterilizer provided with the gas-liquid separator which performs gas-liquid separation only by the force of the steam which passes the steam supply pipe which connects a boiler and a heater.

  To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steam sterilizer for sterilizing an object to be sterilized with high-pressure steam, a chamber having an opening for taking in and out the object to be sterilized, and the chamber A steam supply pipe that supplies steam generated in the boiler into the chamber, and a water storage tank that supplies water to the boiler, and the steam supply pipe is provided with the steam from the boiler. A plurality of blades that rotate by steam are provided with an inflow port through which steam flows and an outflow port through which steam flows out to the chamber, and a rotation shaft that connects the centers of the inflow port and the outflow port is provided. A gas-liquid separator attached to the shaft is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the blades of the gas-liquid separator are rotated by the steam, and water hits the rotating blades, so that water does not enter the chamber. Further, since the blades are rotated by the flow of steam, it is not necessary to use wasted power for the gas-liquid separator.

  The second aspect of the present invention is a steam sterilizer according to the first aspect, wherein the axis of the gas-liquid separator is parallel to the vertical direction, and the inlet is more vertical than the outlet. It is characterized by being located downward in the direction.

  According to the 2nd aspect of this invention, rotation of a blade | wing becomes difficult to be influenced by gravity, and rotation becomes smooth. Moreover, since the water which fell on the blade | wing and fell down from the suction inlet is again heated in a boiler and becomes steam, there is little waste.

  Further, a third aspect of the present invention is the steam sterilizer according to the first aspect, wherein the inlet is larger than the outlet, and the exterior body of the gas-liquid separator includes the inlet and the An intermediate wall is provided between the outlet and the outlet in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

  According to the 3rd aspect of this invention, since the vapor | steam inflowed from the inflow port hits an intermediate | middle wall, the efficiency of gas-liquid separation increases.

It is a front perspective view of the steam sterilizer concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is an internal back perspective view of the steam sterilizer concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view of the steam sterilizer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 4A is an overall perspective view of the gas-liquid separator in the steam sterilizer according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a side view of the gas-liquid separator in the steam sterilizer according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4 (b).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below exemplifies a steam sterilizer for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and is not intended to specify the present invention as this steam sterilizer. The present invention is equally applicable to other embodiments within the scope of the claims.

  First, with reference to FIGS. 1-3, the steam sterilizer 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a steam sterilizer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an internal rear schematic perspective view of the steam sterilizer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and steam sterilization according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic side view of a vessel. In FIG. 2, some devices are omitted, and only the main parts are shown.

  The steam sterilizer 1 includes a chamber 11 inside a main body case 10. The chamber 11 has a hollow cylindrical shape having an opening 12. The chamber 11 is made of a material having high corrosion resistance, and is specifically made of stainless steel of SUS304. The opening 12 is positioned on the side surface of the main body case 10, and the user inserts and removes an object to be sterilized (for example, a medical instrument) to be sterilized through the opening 12. Further, the opening 12 is closed by an openable / closable lid 13 with a handle during the sterilization operation. In addition, when the article to be sterilized is accommodated, a mounting shelf (not shown) on which the article to be sterilized is placed is detachably installed inside the chamber 11.

Further, the steam sterilizer 1 includes a water storage tank 14 inside the main body case 10. The water storage tank 14 is for storing water 15 used for generating steam used in the sterilization process. The water 15 is supplied to the water storage tank 14 by opening the lid 10 a on the top surface side of the main body case 10 by the operator prior to the sterilization work of the article to be sterilized.

  Further, the steam sterilizer 1 includes a block boiler 16 inside the main body case 10. The block boiler 16 is for generating steam for heating the water 15 to sterilize an object to be sterilized. The block boiler 16 has a cylindrical shape and is made of a material having high magnetic permeability, and specifically, is made of stainless steel of SUS430.

  An induction coil 17 is arranged on the outer periphery of the block boiler 16 via a heat-resistant insulating plate (not shown). When a high frequency current is supplied to the induction coil 17, a magnetic flux is generated in the induction coil 17, the induction current flows through the block boiler 16, and the block boiler 16 generates heat.

  A water supply pipe 19 is connected between the water storage tank 14 and the block boiler 16 via an electromagnetic pump 18. The water supply pipe 19 is used to supply the water 15 of the water storage tank 14 to the block boiler 16. By operating the electromagnetic pump 18, the water 15 of the water storage tank 14 passes through the water supply pipe 19 and is blocked. It is supplied to the boiler 16.

  Further, a steam supply pipe 20 is connected between the chamber 11 and the block boiler 16. The steam supply pipe 20 is used to supply steam generated in the block boiler 16 to the chamber 11. Further, a gas-liquid separator 30 is attached to the steam supply tube 20. Details of the internal structure of the gas-liquid separator 30 will be described later.

  The connection point A between the steam supply pipe 20 and the chamber 11 may be anywhere in the chamber 11, but in the present embodiment, the steam supply pipe 20 is connected above the chamber 11, and the air By supplying steam having a higher specific gravity than the upper part, the air in the chamber 11 is efficiently pushed out of the chamber 11.

  Further, an exhaust pipe 22 is connected between the chamber 11 and the water storage tank 14 via an exhaust valve 21 constituted by an electromagnetic valve. The exhaust pipe 22 has one end connected to a position higher than the water level of the water storage tank 14 and the other end connected to the back wall of the chamber 11. Then, the exhaust of the air and steam in the chamber 11 is performed in a timely manner by opening and closing the exhaust valve 21.

  An air supply pipe 23 is connected to the upper portion of the chamber 11. A compressor 24, a filter 25, and an air valve 26 composed of an electromagnetic valve are sequentially connected to the air supply pipe 23. After completion of the sterilization process described later, the compressor 24 is operated to take in the outside air, and the air valve 26 is opened to purify the taken in outside air with the filter 25 and supply it into the chamber 11 through the air supply pipe 23. By doing so, the objects to be sterilized and the inside of the chamber are dried.

  A temperature sensor 27 composed of a thermistor is attached to the back wall of the chamber 11. Then, the internal temperature of the chamber 11 is measured by the temperature sensor 27.

The steam sterilizer 1 includes a control unit 28 inside the main body case 10. The control unit 28 is configured by a microcomputer or the like, and the control unit 28 and the induction coil 17 are connected by a wiring 29 (shown by a broken line). Then, based on a preset program, an output from the temperature sensor 27, and a user operation via the operation unit OP provided in the main body case 10, the current to the induction coil 17 is controlled by the control unit 28. Control, operation control of the electromagnetic pump 18 and the compressor 24, opening / closing control of the air valve 26 and the exhaust valve 21, and the like are performed.

  Next, the gas-liquid separator used in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is an overall perspective view of the gas-liquid separator in the steam sterilizer according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a diagram of the gas-liquid separator in the steam sterilizer according to the embodiment of the present invention. A side view and FIG.4 (c) are AA sectional drawings in FIG.4 (b).

  The gas-liquid separator 30 has a center of the inflow port 32 and the outflow port 33 inside a two-stage cylindrical exterior body 31 having a circular inflow port 32 and a circular outflow port 33 smaller than the inflow port 32. A connecting rotary shaft 34 is provided, and a plurality of blades 35 are attached to the rotary shaft 34 at a predetermined angle in the same direction. In the present embodiment, the number of blades 35 is twelve. Moreover, although the exterior body 31 was made into the cylindrical shape, it does not need to be restricted to a cylindrical shape, A square column, a polygonal column, etc. may be sufficient. The efficiency of gas-liquid separation is higher when the cylindrical shape is closer.

  The exterior body 31 is formed of the same material as that of the steam supply pipe 20 and is a part of the steam supply pipe 20 as it is. The rotating shaft 34 and the blades 35 are formed of a member having a low specific gravity and excellent heat resistance. Specifically, the rotating shaft 34 and the blades 35 are formed of stainless steel of SUS304.

  The gas-liquid separator 30 is attached so that the inflow port 32 is positioned below the outflow port 33. By attaching the inflow port 32 so as to be positioned below the outflow port 33, the attached liquid does not flow into the chamber.

  The blades 35 are attached to be inclined at a predetermined angle in the same direction with respect to the rotation axis, and have a rectangular shape in a plan view having a width w and a height substantially the same as the rotation axis. The shape of the blade is not limited to this, and may be curved like a propeller.

  The width w of the blade 35 is substantially the same as the radius r of the outlet 33. If the width w of the blades 35 is small, the rotational efficiency is increased, but the liquid may pass without adhering to the blades 35. Therefore, the width w of the blades 35 is 0.9 times the radius r of the outlet 33 or more. Should be the size of

  Further, since the inlet 32 and the outlet 33 are different in size, the outer wall 31 of the gas-liquid separator 30 is provided with an intermediate wall 36. Without providing the intermediate wall 36, the exterior body 31 can be formed in a conical shape connecting the inflow port 32 and the outflow port 33. However, by providing the intermediate wall 36, when the vapor flows into the gas-liquid separator 30, the liquid adheres not only to the blades 35 but also to the intermediate wall 36, so that the efficiency of gas-liquid separation is increased.

  Next, a gas-liquid separation process when steam passes through the gas-liquid separator 30 will be described. The steam generated in the boiler 16 passes through the steam supply pipe 20, reaches the inlet 32 provided below the gas-liquid separator 30, and the outlet 33 provided above the gas-liquid separator 30. When passing through, the blades 35 are rotated by the flow of steam. The liquid collides with the rotating blade 35 and the vapor travels from the outlet 33 to the chamber 11, but the liquid adheres to the surface of the blade 35 on the inlet 32 side. The liquid adhering to the blades 35 falls from the inlet 32 to the steam supply pipe 20 on the boiler 16 side by gravity, and is heated again by the boiler 16 to become steam.

  An example of a series of steps for performing a sterilization process using the steam sterilizer 1 configured as described above will be described. First, the operator places an object to be sterilized on a placement shelf in the chamber 11 and closes the lid 13.

Next, the operator operates the operation unit OP provided on the front surface of the main body case 10, and the steam sterilizer 1
When the operation is started, the control unit 28 starts to supply a high-frequency current to the induction coil 17, and the block boiler 16 generates heat by induction heating. Then, the electromagnetic pump 18 is also operated by the control unit 28, and the water 15 is supplied from the water storage tank 14 to the block boiler 16 through the water supply pipe 19.

  Then, when the water 15 is supplied to the block boiler 16 that has generated heat, the water 15 is heated in the flow path of the block boiler 16 to generate steam (heating process). The steam passes through the steam supply pipe 20 and travels into the chamber 11. At this time, when the exhaust valve 21 is opened by the control unit 28, the air in the chamber 11 is discharged to the outside through the exhaust pipe 22 by the incoming steam.

  Further, when the steam passes through the steam supply pipe 20, it passes through the gas-liquid separator 30, the steam goes to the chamber 11, the liquid adheres to the blades 35 or the intermediate wall 36, and the gas-liquid is separated. The water separated by the gas-liquid separator 30 returns to the boiler 16 again, is heated and becomes steam, and goes to the chamber 11 through the steam supply pipe 20.

  When the temperature in the chamber 11 reaches a certain temperature while monitoring the output of the temperature sensor 27 by the controller 28, the exhaust valve 21 is closed. Then, sterilization is performed for a predetermined time (usually 20 minutes) in a state where the inside of the chamber 11 has reached the sterilization temperature (usually 121 ° C.) (sterilization process).

  When the sterilization process is completed, the control unit 28 opens the air valve 26 and the exhaust valve 21, and the compressor 24 operates to take air from the air supply pipe 23 into the chamber 11 through the filter 25. The object to be sterilized and the drying process in the chamber 11 are performed (drying process).

  As described above, in the steam sterilizer 1 of this embodiment, the gas / liquid separator 30 using the impeller that rotates by the flow of steam is attached to the steam supply pipe 20, so that liquid enters the chamber 11. There is no going. Therefore, water does not hit the object to be sterilized, and there is no occurrence of poor drying during sterilization. Moreover, since the impeller is used as the gas-liquid separator 30, the cost can be reduced without using wasteful power for gas-liquid separation.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Steam sterilizer 10 ... Main body case 11 ... Chamber 12 ... Opening 14 ... Water storage tank 16 ... Block boiler 17 ... Induction coil 19 ... Water supply pipe 20 ... Steam supply pipe 30 ... Gas-liquid separator

Claims (3)

A steam sterilizer for sterilizing an object to be sterilized with high-pressure steam,
A chamber having an opening for taking in and out the article to be sterilized;
A boiler outside the chamber;
A steam supply pipe for supplying steam generated in the boiler into the chamber;
A water storage tank for supplying water to the boiler,
The steam supply pipe has an inflow port through which steam from the boiler flows in, an outflow port through which steam flows out to the chamber, and a rotating shaft that connects the centers of the inflow port and the outflow port is provided, A steam sterilizer comprising a gas-liquid separator in which a plurality of blades rotated by steam are attached to the rotating shaft.   The steam sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein an axis of the gas-liquid separator is parallel to a vertical direction, and the inflow port is located below the outflow port in the vertical direction. The inlet is larger than the outlet;
The steam sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the outer casing of the gas-liquid separator has an intermediate wall in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis between the inlet and the outlet.

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