JP2549270B2 - Batch continuous retort sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a batch continuous retort sterilizer for foods, pharmaceuticals and other objects to be treated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a batch type retort sterilizer, one of the retort kettles is independent, or a plurality of retort kettles are vertically installed in a continuous processing line and one of them is selected. Then, the object to be processed is loaded (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-52,085).
-15866) and the like.

[0003]

However, in the batch type retort kettle, which is independent one by one, it is necessary to load and unload the objects to be treated in each batch, and continuous retort sterilization cannot be performed. Since it is a formula, there is a lot of time loss that occurs when the sterilization process is started and stopped, a long time is required to perform a large amount of the process, and there is a loss of heat energy.

When a plurality of retort kettles are installed in a continuous line and one of them is selected as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-15866, each retort kettle is independently set in a vertical direction. Since it is installed upright, a complicated mechanism is required for sorting at the time of introduction and for taking out after processing. further,
In some continuous retort devices, the shape of the processed product is limited, and for different processed products or different shapes, the operation is stopped and the transfer device is replaced, and the adjustment is performed again. In need of manipulation.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to carry into a retort kettle through a tray for containing foods, pharmaceuticals and other objects to be processed, and stacking, preheating, heating, cooling and step releasing. It is possible to realize a consistent process of unloading continuously while being conveyed by the conveyor according to the sterilization conditions, and it is possible to easily change the type and shape of the object to be processed as long as it can be stored in the tray. Stand up while there,
An object of the present invention is to provide a batch continuous retort sterilizer that can eliminate time loss at the time of stoppage and can also eliminate heat energy loss.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the invention, the trays containing the objects to be treated and having adjustable pressures, which are provided on the inlet side of the retort sterilization kettle held at a high pressure, are conveyed one by one. An introduction part, a delivery part provided on the outlet side for conveying each of the trays with adjustable pressure, a stacking zone for stacking the trays in a plurality of stages at an inlet part in the retort sterilization kettle, and then a stacking zone. Conveyor device installed so as to sequentially feed the trays to the preheating zone, heating zone, and cooling zone, an unstacking zone provided at the outlet of the retort sterilization kettle, and a partition between the zones, and the tray passes. A partition shut-off device provided with an opening / closing part and a spray adapted to spray a heating medium from the side gaps of the trays in the preheating zone, heating zone and cooling zone respectively. A slur, a heat medium storage weir provided corresponding to the bottom of each of the preheating, heating, and cooling zones, and a heat medium circulation system passage for circulating the heat medium via the heat medium storage weir, pump, and heat exchanger. And a batch continuous retort sterilizer consisting of

In the second aspect of the invention, a valve capable of pressure adjustment is provided in each of the introduction portion provided on the inlet side and the delivery portion provided on the outlet side of the retort sterilization kettle, and a conveyor device for each tray is provided. A batch continuous retort sterilizer was used. In the third invention, the batch continuous retort sterilizer has a heat medium circulation system passage having a circulation system passage in which the supplied water is heated by the preheater through the cooling zone and then enters the cooling zone again through the preheating zone. .

In the fourth aspect of the invention, a batch continuous type retort sterilizer is provided in which water storage weirs are provided at the bottom of the retort sterilization kettle in correspondence with the preheating zone, heating zone and cooling zone. In the fifth invention, a fixed wall at an inner peripheral edge for partitioning a stacking zone, a preheating zone, a heating zone, a cooling zone and an unstacking zone in a retort sterilization kettle, and an air curtain type, a shutter type or a shutter type through which stacked trays can pass. The batch continuous retort sterilizer was composed of a split slide door type opening / closing unit.

In the sixth aspect of the invention, introducing means for feeding each tray to the retort sterilization kettle held under high pressure, means for stacking the trays in a plurality of stages in the stacking zone, and sending the stacked trays to the preheating zone. Means for pre-heat treatment, then heating means in the heating zone, cooling means in the cooling zone after heating, means for releasing the cooled trays one by one in the unstacking zone, and one for each stepped one. Control means for adjusting the number of trays stacked in each zone and the processing time according to the sterilization condition, and a conveying means for continuously or intermittently moving the tray between the zones. A batch continuous retort sterilizer provided with an automatic operation controller having

[0010]

In the first aspect of the invention, since the inlet and outlet of the retort sterilization kettle are provided with the introduction section and the delivery section, one tray each is provided at the time of introduction from the normal pressure to the high pressure retort kettle and from the retort kettle. Since the pressure can be adjusted when it is sent to pressure,
The inside of the retort sterilization kettle can be constantly maintained at a high pressure, which is suitable for sterilization treatment.

Since the objects to be treated are contained in each tray as a unit, they can be handled in the same manner as long as they are accommodated in the trays regardless of the type, shape and size of the objects to be treated. In the sterilization kettle held under high pressure, trays are stacked one by one in the stacking zone. There is an opening and closing unit between the stacking zone, the preheating zone, the heating zone, the cooling zone and the unstacking zone, which allows the trays that are partitioned by the partition blocking device to pass and stacked, so that the conveyor device can be used sequentially according to the sterilization conditions. Sent in. In each of the preheating, heating, and cooling zones, a heating medium is sprayed from a gap on the side of the stacked trays to perform preheating, heat sterilization, and cooling at appropriate temperatures.

A heating medium storage weir is provided at the bottom of each of the preheating, heating, and cooling zones so that the heating medium can be circulated and used through a pump and a heat exchanger. As described above, the introduction of each tray, the stacking of multiple stages, the preheating, the heating, the cooling, the step release, and the delivery of each tray are performed consistently, and each zone is partitioned. Therefore, each processing is performed independently. Introduce trays one by one,
These were sequentially processed in a stacked state, and after the processing, they were separated and sent to each tray one by one, resulting in a batch continuous retort sterilizer.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the valves for adjusting the pressure and the conveyor device for each tray are provided in the introduction section and the delivery section of the retort sterilizer which is held at a high pressure, the conveyor device for one tray is provided. The transition to high pressure and vice versa was carried out smoothly, and the high pressure of the retort sterilizer was maintained. In the third invention, the water used in the cooling zone is used in the preheating zone as the heat medium circulation system passage, and labor saving of heat energy is performed.

In the fourth aspect of the present invention, a water storage weir is provided at the bottom of each zone of preheating, heating, and cooling, and the water held here is circulated through a pump and a heat exchanger, so that heat energy is effectively used. It is now possible to perform treatments according to the sterilization conditions independently in each zone. In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the fixed wall and the opening / closing section are provided so as to partition the zones of stacking, preheating, heating, cooling, and stepwise release, and to have a heat insulating effect, thereby making each zone independent and the object It became possible to transfer reliably.

In the sixth aspect of the invention, the number of trays and the processing time for each of the tray introducing means, stacking means, preheating means, heating means, cooling means, and step-discharging means are determined according to the sterilization conditions. By providing an automatic operation control unit that controls whether adjustment and transfer to each zone are performed continuously or intermittently, batch type processing can be performed continuously and can be stored in a stack of trays. In that case, sterilization can be performed automatically at the same time regardless of the type and shape of the object to be treated.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings shown as embodiments will be described below.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a retort sterilization kettle, which is maintained under high pressure.
There is. 2 is pressure adjusting air or N₂ Gas introduction valve, 3 is exhaust
Reference numeral 4 indicates a valve, and the pressure is adjustable by using an introduction duct.
Noh. Valve V₁ And V ₂ Close the valve (a) (b)
Was used to send in steam and exhaust the air in the duct
Then, increase the steam pressure so that the pressure in the sterilization pot is equal. So
And then V₂ Open and feed the tray 5 to the sterilization kettle. Training
A soft bag and pouch-shaped objects are lined up on a.
All housed.

In the retort sterilization kettle 1, 6 is a stacking zone, 7 is a preheating zone, 8 is a heating zone, 9 is a cooling zone, and 10 is an unstacking zone. The zones are separated by a partition blocking device 11, and fixed zones 11
a and a curtain type, a shutter type, a split slide door type and other opening / closing parts 11b. At the time of blocking, the gas in the adjacent zone (usually a mixed gas of steam and air) is controlled so as not to mix with each other (see FIG. 2). The opening / closing part 11b is provided so as to be slidable upward and sideward.

A stacker 12 is arranged in the stacking zone 6 and stacks the trays 5 fed from the introduction section 4. Normally, stacks of 10 to 30 layers (for one car). The trays 5 a stacked in a plurality of stages pass through the partition shielding device 11 and are sent to the preheating zone 7. A spray nozzle 13 sprays water as a heat medium from the side of the stacked trays 5a. There is a gap (usually about 10 mm) on the side surface of the stacked trays 5a, and hot water is sprayed and blown through the gaps in each of the trays 5 and hits the objects stored on the trays 5 to exchange heat. . This structure is the same in the heating and cooling methods in the heating zone 8 and the cooling zone 9. When preheating is completed, the tray 5a is sent to the heating zone 8. Reference numeral 14 denotes a conveyor device, which is adapted to feed the tray 5a to each zone.

In the illustrated example, the number of conveyor devices 14 is one, but they may be separated according to the transfer state of each zone and transferred continuously or intermittently. In the heating zone 8, high temperature (usually about 120 ° C) hot water is sprayed onto the tray under high pressure (usually about 2 kg / cm ² ),
The object to be treated is sterilized. A heat medium storage weir 15 is provided at the bottom of each zone to store the heat exchanged heat medium. The stored heat medium is partitioned by the left and right weirs,
It is made close to the upper partition blocking device 11 so that mixing of the gas phase is less likely to occur.

In the heating zone 8, the water held in the heat medium retaining weir 15 at the bottom of the zone is circulated and used with its flow rate and temperature controlled by the pump P ₀ 16 and the heat exchanger 17. Normally, hot water of 120 ° C. is circulated. In the illustrated example, the stacked trays 5a are in a state in which three vehicles are retained, but the number of retained vehicles and time are determined depending on the temperature and time as sterilization conditions.

The tray 5a for one car which has been sterilized is sent to the cooling zone 9. In the cooling zone 9, trays 5a for two cars are retained. In this cooling zone 9, the side of the tray 5a near the inlet is circulated hold water of the bottom by the pump P ₂ 18, spray from the spray nozzles 13,
Cool the object to be processed. Side of the tray 5a near the outlet pumping hold water pump P ₁ 19, cooled in heat exchanger 20 to cool the object to be processed from a spray nozzle.

The cooling water as the heat medium is (a) in the cooling zone 9.
(B) is sent in sequence and becomes hot water. This warm water is preheat zone 7
To raise the temperature of the object to be treated. Reference numeral 21 denotes a pump P ₃ , water from the cooling zone 9 is heated by the heat exchanger 22, enters the preheating zone 7, is cooled by the heat exchanger 20 by the pump P ₃ 21 and returns to the cooling zone 9 It takes the route 23. In addition, a bypass may be provided in the system path to shorten the circulation system path.

The tray 5a for one vehicle which has been cooled is sent to the unstacking zone 10, and the trays are unloaded to the trays 5 one by one by the unstacker 24. One car is stacked in the stacking zone 7 and one car is unstacked in the unstacking zone 10 to be completed, so that the conveyor device 14 is controlled to send the car one by one to the exit side.

In the unstacker 24, if the payout duct 25 is provided on the upper side as shown by the dotted line and the trays 5 are released one by one from the upper side, first-in and first-out can be performed. 25 is a delivery part using a payout duct and a valve V ₄
With tray 5 closed and V ₃ open, insert tray 5 and close V _3
When opened, it is taken out of the pot by the conveyor 26.

There is a temperature difference between the hot water, the hot water and the cooling water as the heat medium supplied to each of the preheating zone 7, heating zone 8 and cooling zone 9 in the retort sterilization kettle 1, and each is circulated to spray nozzles. It is sprayed from 13 in each zone, held by the heat medium storage weir at the bottom of the kettle in each zone, and independently circulated in the partitioned state. The number of stacked trays 5a and the residence time in each zone are determined in advance in accordance with the sterilization conditions for each means of stacking, preheating, heating, cooling, step-by-step delivery from the introduction of each tray 5. If this is done, it will be possible to perform automatic operation using the fully automatic control unit even though it is a batch system.

[0026]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, in the first invention, the pressure is adjusted at the introduction portion, and each tray is stacked in a plurality of stages in the stacking zone, and the stacked trays are preheated and heated. Since the cooling means are sequentially received, and they are released one by one again in the unstacking zone and taken out of the pot, it is possible to provide a batch continuous retort sterilizer. became. Each zone is partitioned by a partition shut-off device, and the heat medium is blown onto the tray from the side, so that heat treatment and cooling are efficiently performed in each zone. Since the heat medium is held and circulated at the bottom of each zone by the heat medium storage weir, there is little loss of heat energy and efficient processing can be performed. Since stacked trays are used, different types of objects to be processed can be processed at the same time as long as they can be loaded in the trays regardless of the types and shapes of objects to be processed contained in the trays.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the pressure adjustment is surely performed without waste during introduction and delivery to the retort sterilization kettle. Third
In the invention, the circulation of hot water to the preheating zone can save the heat energy by using the water in the cooling zone. In the fourth invention, the heat medium held at the bottom of each zone is used to reduce the heat energy. It makes effective use and realizes its own processing.

In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the partitioning between the zones and the mixing of the heat medium are prevented and efficient processing is performed. In the sixth aspect of the invention, the automatic operation is enabled by controlling the number of trays and the residence time of the means of each zone according to the sterilization condition and the transfer of the trays between the zones, which is an excellent effect. Therefore, it has become possible to smoothly and surely carry out the processing of foods, pharmaceuticals and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a partition shielding device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Retort sterilization kettle 4 Introductory part 5 and 5a Tray 6 Stacking zone 7 Preheating zone 8 Heating zone 9 Cooling zone 10 Unstacking zone 11 Partition blocking device 13 Spray nozzle 14 Conveyor device 15 Heat medium storage weir 16, 18, 19, 21 Pumps 17, 20, 22 Heat exchanger 23 Heat medium circulation system path 25 Delivery section

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inlet for adjusting the pressure, which is provided on the inlet side of a retort sterilization kettle that is held at a high pressure, and which conveys the trays containing the objects to be processed one by one, and an adjustable pressure, which is provided on the outlet side, for the tray. A feeding section that conveys the trays one by one, a stacking zone that stacks the trays in multiple stages at the inlet of the retort sterilization kettle, and then sequentially feeds the stacked trays to the preheating zone, heating zone, and cooling zone. A conveyor device provided so as to insert, an unstacking zone provided at an outlet in the retort sterilization kettle, a partition shielding device provided with an opening / closing part that partitions the zones and allows the tray to pass, and the preheating zone. Corresponds to the spray nozzle that sprays the heat medium from the side gap of the tray in the heating zone and cooling zone, and the bottom of each of the preheating, heating, and cooling zones. A batch continuous retort sterilization apparatus comprising a heat medium storage weir provided as described above, and a heat medium circulation system passage for circulating the heat medium via the heat medium storage weir, a pump, and a heat exchanger. 2. A valve capable of adjusting pressure and a conveyor device for each tray provided in each of an introduction portion provided on an inlet side and a delivery portion provided on an outlet side of the retort sterilization kettle. The batch continuous retort sterilizer described. 3. The batch continuous system according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium circulation system passage has a circulation passage which is supplied with water through a cooling zone, is heated by a preheater, and enters the cooling zone again through the preheating zone. Retort sterilizer. 4. The batch continuous retort sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein a water storage weir is provided in the bottom of the retort sterilization kettle in correspondence with each of the preheating zone, the heating zone and the cooling zone. 5. An inner peripheral fixed wall for partitioning a stacking zone, a preheating zone, a heating zone, a cooling zone and an unstacking zone in a retort sterilization kettle, and an air curtain type, a shutter type or a type provided so that stacked trays can pass therethrough. 2. A split slide door type opening / closing section.
The batch continuous retort sterilizer described. 6. Introducing means for feeding each tray to a retort sterilization kettle held under high pressure, means for stacking the trays in a plurality of stages in a stacking zone, and feeding the stacked trays to a preheating zone for preheat treatment. Means, then heating means in the heating zone, cooling means in the post-heating cooling zone, means for ejecting the cooled trays one step at a time in the unstacking zone, and one stepwise ejected tray. And a sending means for
An automatic operation control unit having control means for adjusting the number of stacked trays and processing time in each zone according to sterilization conditions, and conveyance means for continuously or intermittently moving the trays between the zones is provided. A batch continuous retort sterilizer.