JP2968399B2 - High pressure processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-pressure processing apparatus,
It is used to process food under high pressure, especially at low temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the use of high pressure in the field of food has been actively researched and developed, and the results have been shifting to practical use in individual fields such as sterilization, processing, and reaction control. That is, this includes sterilization of fruit juice, production of jam, and the like. As a device for pressurizing such foods, a piston pressurizing high-pressure device that directly pressurizes a pressurized medium in a high-pressure container with a piston for experimental research is used, and a pressure booster (piston-type high-pressure device) is used for production. Pump) is provided separately from the high-pressure vessel, and an external pressure-increasing high-pressure device that supplies and pressurizes the pressure medium is used.
The treatment is generally performed at room temperature.

[0003] On the other hand, regarding the above-mentioned application techniques, it has been found that, for example, in sterilization, treatment at a high temperature or a low temperature can reduce the treatment pressure to obtain the same effect as that at a normal temperature. (Refer to Refrigeration Vol. 66, No. 767, pp. 921-929 for the effect of low temperature.) This makes it possible to reduce the processing cost by reducing the cost of the apparatus, and this has a great practical advantage.

[0004] Of these, treatment in the minus temperature range is one of the issues to be studied, and a simple method has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei.
No. 3-54883 to No. 54885 have been proposed, but as the most common processing form based on the conventional device technology,
FIGS. 5A and 5B show examples. That is, FIG.
(A) and (B), reference numeral 1 denotes a high-pressure vessel, and reference numerals 2 and 3 denote an upper lid and a lower lid (a sealing member is omitted) for closing the upper and lower openings of the high-pressure vessel 1, respectively. A processing chamber 6 for pressurizing a product (food) 5 is formed.

[0005] A high-pressure container system is provided with a revolving and bogie type press frame 4 for supporting an axial force acting on the lid during the pressurizing process. On the other hand, a pressure medium tank 7 for a pressure medium is provided separately from the high pressure vessel 1.
From the pump through a check valve 8 and into a pressure intensifier 9 (driving is performed by hydraulic pressure).
And a pressure medium system for pressurizing the medium by feeding the pressure medium to the processing chamber 6.

A return pipe 11A branches off from the pipe 11, and the pressure medium returns to the pressure medium tank 7 via the closing valve 13 and the throttle valve 14, whereby the pressure after the pressure treatment is reduced. Will be In the high-pressure processing apparatus described above, a jacket for passing a refrigerant around the outer periphery of the high-pressure vessel 1 for low-temperature processing.
31 is provided, and the periphery thereof is further covered with a heat insulating material 32. The temperature of the processing chamber 6 is controlled by flowing the refrigerant from the lower inlet 33 toward the upper outlet 34.

At this time, a heat exchanger 35 for cooling is provided in the pressurized medium tank 7 to pre-cool the pressurized medium and supply a cold pressurized medium, thereby maintaining the processing chamber 6 at a low temperature.

[0008]

In the high-pressure processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, there are the following problems inherent in maintaining the apparatus at a low temperature under high pressure. : Cooling the high-pressure vessel 1 with a refrigerant from the outer periphery is the simplest method, but generates heat dissipation based on heat conduction from the processing chamber 6 to the lid 2 or 3 and further to the press frame 4. The heat loss from the press frame 4
However, in reality, it is difficult to completely eliminate the heat conduction part and, hence, the part that is open to the outside air due to the presence of the mechanism for opening and closing the lid (for example,
When the upper lid 2 is opened and closed by the vertical movement of the hydraulic cylinder connected to the upper lid 2, it is practically impossible to insulate the hydraulic cylinder rod portion).

In this case, condensed dew drops peculiar to a low temperature are generated in the part open to the outside air, and the amount of heat dissipated thereby is extremely large. Therefore, the amount of heat dissipated due to the occurrence of condensation cannot be compensated, and there is a risk that the temperature of the processing chamber 6 will increase. : Pre-cooling of the pressurized medium takes into account the temperature rise in the pressurized path,
It is desirable to keep the temperature lower than the target maintenance temperature in the processing chamber 6, and the pre-cooling itself is performed at a pressure medium tank 7 under normal pressure.
This is most easily and desirably carried out within a high-pressure pipe, but on the other hand, the low-temperature pressurized medium generally becomes more viscous as the temperature becomes lower. In addition, there is a danger that the suction side of the pressure intensifier 9 becomes difficult, and the pressurization itself cannot be performed.

Further, when moisture enters the pressure medium tank 7, clogging due to freezing in the small-diameter pipe or the throttle valve 14 or the like, or freezing of the intensifier piston during stoppage occurs, resulting in this case. In addition, there is a risk that it is difficult to perform pressure increase and decrease. The present invention avoids the above problems of the prior art,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-pressure processing apparatus that enables stable pressurization and decompression and stable and strict temperature control in a processing chamber.

[0011]

The present invention comprises a high-pressure vessel,
A high-pressure vessel system including a lid fitted to the high-pressure vessel, and a press frame for supporting an axial force acting on the lid; and supplying a pressurized medium to the high-pressure vessel and pressurizing an object to be processed in the vessel. In a high-pressure processing apparatus including a pressure medium tank having a pressure medium tank for processing and a pressure medium system provided with a pressure intensifier, the following technical measures are taken in order to achieve the above object.

That is, the present invention is characterized in that a heat insulating member surrounding the high pressure vessel system and the pressure medium tank of the pressure medium system is provided, and cooling means for cooling the surrounding space is provided.

[0013]

[Function] A high-pressure vessel system composed of a high-pressure vessel 1, upper and lower lids 2, 3 and a press frame 4, and a pressure medium tank 7 of a pressure medium system,
Both are integrally cooled by the cooling air in the surrounding space 16 surrounded by the heat insulating member 15.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Note that parts common to the parts described above with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the first embodiment, a high-pressure vessel 1,
The high-pressure container system composed of the upper and lower lids 2, 3 and the press frame 4, and the pressure medium tank 7 of the pressure medium system are both surrounded by a heat insulating member 15 and provided with cooling means 17 for cooling the air in the surrounding space 16. ing.

When the space of the surrounding space 16 is cooled by the cooling means 17, the high-pressure vessel system and the pressure medium tank 7 are integrally cooled by cooling air. Stabilization, uniformity, stabilization of temperature control of the pressure medium sent to the processing chamber 6 of the high-pressure vessel 1, prevention of moisture entry into the pressure medium, prevention of clogging in the piping, To prevent sticking.

Since the pressure intensifier 9 has a driving unit by hydraulic pressure, that is, a heating unit, it is placed outside the surrounding space 16. However, only the high pressure unit for pressurizing the pressure medium may be installed in the surrounding space 16. Alternatively, when the whole is placed in the surrounding space 16, it is preferable that the portion 18 related to the hydraulic drive be insulated and thermally insulated from the surrounding space. However, in any case, heat input from the hydraulic drive unit and heat generation due to friction of the piston packing are inevitable.
Preferably 19 are provided.

The upper lid 2 is provided with a pipe line 20, and a pipe
The pressure medium 21 is configured so that the processed pressure medium returns to the pressure medium tank 7 through the closing valve 22. With this configuration, the operation of the pressure intensifier 9 enables the flow of the pressure medium in the high-pressure vessel 1 and the recirculation to the pressure medium tank 7, but particularly when starting the apparatus, the pressure in the cooler 19 is increased. While cooling the medium,
By returning the treated pressure medium from the pressure medium tank 7 to the tank 7 again through the high pressure vessel 1, the high pressure vessel 1 can also be cooled from the inside to allow rapid cooling. This is very effective considering that the heat transfer coefficient of the cooling air is significantly smaller than that of a liquid refrigerant or the like.

Even if the circulation is simply performed without operating the cooler 19, the pressure medium in the pressure medium tank 7 is cooled earlier because the heat capacity of the tank is smaller, so that the high pressure It is very preferable because the cooling of the container and the entire system is accelerated. In addition, as the cooling capacity of the cooler 19, it is preferable to remove heat other than the temperature rise / fall caused by the compression and expansion of the pressure medium due to the pressurization and decompression of the pressure medium in order to maintain the thermal equilibrium in the entire high-pressure device. Further, the cooler itself may be placed in the pressurized medium tank 7.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment.
In the apparatus configuration described above, a floor surface 23 is provided for loading and unloading the workpiece 6 from above the high-pressure vessel 1, a door 24 is provided on the heat-insulating member 15 having the floor surface height, and a floor extending to the outside is further provided. An operation panel 25 is installed on the surface 23A, and access to the high-pressure vessel 1 from the operation panel is quickly and easily performed by opening and closing the door 24.
The heat loss at the time of going in and out of the object to be processed can be minimized.

The operation panel 25 is provided with stairs 26, which are collectively installed on a base 27 so as to be structurally integrated, thereby providing one preferable configuration in a small device. . Reference numeral 28 denotes a window provided on the door, and the operation panel 25
It is possible to monitor the opening / closing status of the lid.

[0021]

The present invention is as described above. According to the present invention, when the high-pressure processing apparatus is operated at a low temperature, the problems inherent in the high-pressure processing apparatus can be avoided. Therefore, it is possible to make a great contribution to the use of the technology in the industrial field.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the second embodiment.

5A and 5B show a conventional example, wherein FIG. 5A is a front view and FIG. 5B is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High-pressure container 2 Top lid 3 Lower lid 4 Press frame 5 Workpiece 6 Processing chamber 7 Pressure medium tank 9 Pressure booster 15 Heat insulation member 16 Enclosed space 17 Cooling means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Go Kanda 1-5-5 Takatsukadai, Nishi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Kobe Steel, Ltd. Seishin General Research Area (72) Inventor Kazuo Kitagawa Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture 1-5-5 Takatsukadai, Nishi-ku Kobe Steel, Ltd. Seishin General Research Area In-ku (56) References JP-A-2-182157 (JP, A) JP-A-2-245146 (JP, A) (58 A) Surveyed field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A23P 1/00 A23L 1/01 A23L 3/015 F25D 13 / 00,19 / 00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A high-pressure vessel system comprising a high-pressure vessel, a lid fitted to the high-pressure vessel, and a press frame for supporting an axial force acting on the lid. A high-pressure processing apparatus including a pressure medium tank for pressurizing an object to be processed in a vessel and a pressure medium system including a pressure intensifier, wherein the high pressure vessel system and the pressure medium tank of the pressure medium system are surrounded. A high-pressure processing apparatus, comprising: a heat insulating member to be provided; and cooling means for cooling an enclosed space.