JP3898290B2 - Method and apparatus for producing sterilizing air containing hydrogen peroxide - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing sterilized air by bringing heated air and sprayed hydrogen peroxide water into contact with each other in the presence of metal wool, and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to maintain the quality of various products such as sterilizing liquid for a long period of time, when packaging them in containers, an aseptic packaging machine (also called “filling and packaging machine” or “packaging machine”) is used. used. In such a packaging machine, an operation of processing a web or a material for manufacturing a container, which is a raw material of the container, into a filling container, putting the product into the container, and sealing the product. Since this operation must be performed under aseptic conditions, the packaging machine must be sterilized inside before the start of the operation. This disinfection is preferably performed according to the following method. That is, liquid sterilizer is mixed with hot sterilized air, thereby producing a sanitizer saturated gas having an appropriate temperature and dew point. When this gas is injected into the packaging machine, the disinfectant condenses (liquefies) there when it comes into contact with the relatively cool dispersion of the machine. The result is a homogeneous film of the disinfectant that can disinfect the surface of the machine (i.e., the surface that later contacts the product or packaging material). The disinfectant is removed prior to the start of the packaging operation by the packaging machine, this removal being effected by injecting hot air into the machine, i.e. the hot air causes the disinfectant to volatilize again. It is discharged out of the machine along with air. This sterilization method disinfects the inside of the machine, after which the aseptic packaging operation can be started.
[0003]
When the above-mentioned disinfection method is carried out under the condition that a gas mixture having a dew point considerably higher than the temperature of the “part to be disinfected” of this machine should be used, good results may actually be obtained. It was found. However, if the “part to be sterilized” in the machine is at an extremely high temperature at the beginning of this presterilization, the condensation (liquefaction) does not take place on the surface of the part and thus disinfection is not It will be incomplete. Such a situation is likely to occur, for example, in a machine provided in a very hot place or a tropical climate area. Traditionally, a mixture of disinfectant and air has been made by injecting a liquid disinfectant into a tube through which hot sterile air passes. The dew point of the mixture obtained by this injection method is only 30-40 ° C., and such a high dew point was still insufficient in some cases. However, in the prior art, it has been impossible to make a high dew point fluid as a large amount of fluid necessary to generate a sufficient amount of the gas.
[0004]
Further, conventionally, it has been difficult to produce sterilized air having a stable dew point. In order to obtain such sterilizing air, conventionally, a complicated flow control device that adjusts the flow rate ratio of air / hydrogen peroxide solution is used, or no adjustment is given to give up sterilizing air having a stable dew point. The device was used.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to rapidly generate a sterilizing air mixture containing hydrogen peroxide having a high and stable dew point without using a complicated flow control device. Another object is to produce an air mixture of air, water and hydrogen peroxide having a predetermined temperature and concentration.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is characterized in that heated air and sprayed hydrogen peroxide water are brought into contact with each other while the metal wool is kept moist in the presence of the metal wool (preferably stainless wool). It is a manufacturing method of the sterilization air containing hydrogen peroxide. In the present invention, it is preferable to carry out the contact in a countercurrent, and it is preferable to spray a hydrogen peroxide solution on the metal wool. In addition, by providing a temperature sensor near the outlet of the reactor that performs the catalytic reaction, detecting the temperature change of the sterilizing air generated by the catalytic reaction, and adjusting the spray amount of the hydrogen peroxide solution according to the temperature change, It is preferred to keep the metal wool wet.
[0007]
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method for producing the sterilizing air, and is provided at the lower part of the air inlet, at the upper part of the sterilizing air outlet, and above the outlet (preferably at the upper part of the apparatus). Metal wool for improving contact between heated air and sprayed hydrogen peroxide solution provided under the hydrogen peroxide supply nozzle, air heater near the air inlet, and sterilization air outlet An apparatus for producing sterilizing air containing hydrogen peroxide, preferably with a layer of (preferably stainless wool). In the present invention, a temperature sensor is preferably provided at the outlet of the reactor, and the apparatus is preferably cylindrical.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a sterilizing air manufacturing apparatus (sterilizing air generating apparatus) according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a sterilizing system for a food packaging machine using the apparatus.
FIG. 1 includes a sterilizing air generator 1 having an air inlet 2 at the bottom and a sterilizing air outlet (discharge port) 3 at the top. A spray nozzle 4 of hydrogen peroxide solution is fixed at the top, a heater (superheater) 5 is fixed at the bottom, and metal wool (steel wool) 6 is fixed under the outlet 3. Reference numeral 7 denotes a temperature sensor. The reason for using steel wool is to make the contact area between air and liquid, that is, hydrogen peroxide water very large. The function of the sterilizing air generator is based on the three physical properties of the raw material medium (air, water, hydrogen peroxide). The ability of air to carry energy is relatively small and the energy required to evaporate water and hydrogen peroxide is relatively large. The ability of air to carry liquid as moisture increases rapidly with temperature (doubles every 11 ° C.).
[0009]
As heated (overheated) air passes between wet steel wool, energy is taken from the air and the liquid evaporates. As long as the steel wool is wet, the relative humidity of the outlet sterilization air will be 100%, and the temperature recorded there will be the dew point. As the steel wool begins to dry, the outlet temperature begins to rise. This adjusts and increases the amount of hydrogen peroxide added to the steel wool. By the interaction of the above three properties, the sterilization air generator of the present invention can provide sterilization air having a very stable dew point regardless of the change in the flow rate of the raw material medium used.
[0010]
The sterilizing air generator of the present invention is intended for use in the sterilization system of an injectable food product package manufacturing, filling and sealing machine. The function of the sterilizing air generator of the present invention is as follows.
Air enters the container (spray pipe or chamber) which is the body of the generator 1 through the inlet 2. The air is heated by a heater (superheater) 5, passes through a layer of heated steel wool 6 and is discharged from the outlet 3 of the container. Hydrogen peroxide solution (for example, 35% hydrogen peroxide solution) is sprayed from the spray nozzle 4 onto the heated steel wool 6 arranged in the air flow in the container. In this way, the hydrogen peroxide solution is atomized, evaporated and carried into the air through the container and discharged through the outlet. Preferably, a temperature sensor 7 is provided at the outlet and is coupled to the means for operating the hydrogen peroxide spray nozzle 4. An increase in the temperature of the air mixture at the outlet 3 means that the energy absorbed to evaporate the hydrogen peroxide solution from the steel wool 6 is small and the steel wool 6 is dry. Therefore, means for detecting such a temperature rise at the outlet 3 and operating the hydrogen peroxide spray nozzle 4 are possible, and the hydrogen peroxide solution is sprayed again onto the steel wool 6 for replenishment. Is done. According to the sterilization air generator of the present invention, sterilization air having a stable dew point can be produced regardless of changes in the flow rate of the medium.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a sterilization system for a food packaging machine using the sterilization air production apparatus of the present invention, wherein 1 is a sterilization air generator of the present invention, 2 is an air inlet, 3 is an sterilization air outlet, 4 Is a hydrogen peroxide spray nozzle 4. 11 is a fan, 12 is a filter, 13 is a strip applicator, 14 is a cooling separator, 15 is a filter for sterilizing air, 16 is a pipeline, and 17 is a packaging tube. In the system of FIG. 2, the sterilization air from the sterilization air generator 1 sterilizes both 15 filters and the air supplied to 17 packaging tubes. According to the present invention, sterilizing air having a high and stable dew point can be supplied in the package.
[0012]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a stable sterilizing air mixture having a high dew point can be rapidly generated regardless of changes in the air / hydrogen peroxide flow rate. A complex flow control device is not required since it is not related to the change in air / hydrogen peroxide flow. It is also possible to produce an air mixture of air, water and hydrogen peroxide having a predetermined temperature and concentration.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a sterilizing air production apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a sterilization system for a food packaging machine using the sterilizing air manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manufacturing apparatus of the sterilization air of this invention 2 Air inlet 3 Sterilization air outlet 4 Hydrogen peroxide spray nozzle 5 Heater 6 Steel wool 7 Temperature sensor 11 Fan 12 Filter 13 Strip applicator 14 Cooling separator 15 Sterilization air filter 16 Pipeline 17 Packaging tube

Claims (5)

The heated air and sprayed aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, causing come in contact in the presence of a metal wool, a process for the preparation of sterile air containing hydrogen peroxide,
Sterilization characterized in that the metal wool is maintained in a moist state by detecting a temperature change of the sterilizing air generated by the contact and adjusting a spray amount of the hydrogen peroxide solution according to the temperature change. Air production method. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting is effected in countercurrent. Spraying the hydrogen peroxide solution to the metal wool, The method of claim 1. And air inlet, a heater for heating the introduced air, and spray nozzle of hydrogen peroxide, a layer of metal wool to better contact with the air that has been heated with the hydrogen peroxide solution is sprayed A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature change of the sterilizing air generated by the contact , and an apparatus for producing sterilizing air containing hydrogen peroxide, including a discharge port for the generated sterilizing air,
A sterilizing air characterized in that the metal wool is maintained in a moist state by adjusting a spray amount of the hydrogen peroxide solution sprayed from the spray nozzle according to a temperature change detected by the temperature sensor. Manufacturing equipment.   The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is cylindrical.

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