JPH03236849A - Structure of inner wall surface of steam sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To promptly heat a subject to be sterilized and shorten the time required for pre-heating and drying processes by forming on the inner wall surface of a sterilization chamber a covering material for accelerating heat transfer by radiation. CONSTITUTION:A coating layer of a covering material or a flat heat transfer plate 4 for accelerating heat transfer by radiation is provided on the inner wall surface of a sterilization chamber 7. During pre-heating process, a subject 8 to be sterilized put in the sterilization chamber 7 is promptly heated by means of heat transfer by radiation via the coating layer 4 or the flat heat transfer plate on the inner wall surface and also by convective heat transfer inside the sterilization chamber 7, with high-pressure steam in a jacket 6 as a heat source, to temperature at which dewing does not occur even when steam is in contact with the subject 8 to be sterilized or to a temperature at which the subject 8 to be sterilized can be dried at subsequent drying process even when dewing occurs. During the drying process, pressure within the sterilization chamber 7 is reduced to a predetermined value by a vacuum pump and humidity caused by steam is removed from the subject to be sterilized and sterilized air is allowed to flow into the chamber through a sterile filter 13 and the subject to be sterilized is dried. Then the subject to be sterilized is promptly dried by heat radiated from the coating layer or flat heat transfer plate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to an improvement in the inner wall structure of a steam sterilizer for medical equipment.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Generally, sterilization work in a high-pressure steam sterilizer is performed according to the steps shown in FIG. At that time, during the vacuum process and steam supply process, water vapor may come into contact with the low-temperature objects to be sterilized and condense, but if this happens, the objects to be sterilized will become wet, and condensed water will remain even after sterilization is completed. This will result in poor drying.

For this reason, there have been methods to provide a preheating process in which the objects to be sterilized are heated using an electric heater installed inside the autoclave before the vacuum process, and methods such as installing a heat exchanger for preheating and drying outside the autoclave. Steam sterilizers with ancillary equipment have been proposed.

However, when these known methods and devices are used, extra time is required for the preheating process, making sterilization time-consuming and requiring additional equipment such as a heat exchanger to be installed in the steam sterilizer. This will lead to a rise in production costs.

[Means to solve the problem]

This invention focuses on the above-mentioned problems, and makes it possible to quickly heat objects to be sterilized without installing ancillary devices such as electric heaters and heat exchangers inside and outside the high-pressure steam sterilizer. The steam sterilizer is characterized in that a coating material that promotes radiant heat transfer is formed on the inner wall surface of the sterilization chamber in a steam sterilizer.

[Effect]

That is, according to the present invention, by using the coating material on the inner wall surface of the sterilization chamber, radiant heat can be effectively applied from the entire circumference of the object to be sterilized, thereby shortening the preheating time and drying time of the object to be sterilized. becomes possible.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. In Figure 1, (1) is the outer can, (2) is the inner can, (3) is the pressure door, and (4) is the inner wall of the sterilization chamber (7) with a coating material that promotes radiant heat transfer. It is a plate-shaped heat exchanger plate for promoting radiant heat transfer that is attached to the formed coating material layer or the inner wall surface. In forming such a coating material, AlzOs, CrzO is usually used as a coating material.
= Ceramink-based inorganic materials such as Zr0g, heat-resistant paints that do not contain toxic substances, etc. can be applied. In this case, it is effective to provide a metallic coating layer such as a Ni-based alloy under the inorganic coating layer. Further, as the plate-shaped heat transfer plate, a plate formed from the above-mentioned ceramic inorganic material is used.

In the above-mentioned tank bottom steam sterilizer, the steam sent from the steam generator passes through the pressure regulating valve (5) to a predetermined steam sterilization pressure, and the pressure between the outer can (1) and the inner can (2) is increased. It is fed into the jacket (6). There, the steam heats the inside of the sterilization chamber (7), and a part of it becomes drain and is discharged from the outer can steam trap 00). Each step is performed in the order shown in FIG. 2 after the inside of the jacket reaches a predetermined steam sterilization pressure.

Items to be sterilized (8) placed in the sterilization room (7) for sterilization
In the preheating process, high-pressure steam in the jacket (6) is used as a heat source, and radiant heat transfer via the coating layer (4) on the inner wall surface or the plate-shaped heat transfer plate and convective heat transfer in the sterilization chamber (7) are performed. As a result, the object to be sterilized (8) is quickly heated to a temperature at which no dew condensation occurs even when the steam comes into contact with the object (8), or a temperature at which it can be dried in a subsequent drying process even if dew condensation occurs. This promotes radiant heat transfer and shortens the preheating time for the object to be sterilized (8). Note that if the steam is heated to a temperature at which it does not condense in the preheating step, the subsequent drying step can be omitted and the sterilization time can be further shortened.

In the vacuum process, a vacuum pump (
9), the pressure is reduced to a predetermined pressure, and then the electric valve (2)
The process of supplying steam to a predetermined pressure is repeated for a predetermined time, but the temperature of the object to be sterilized (8) is close to the previous preheating temperature, and during the vacuum process, the coating layer (4)
) or there is almost no change due to radiant heat from the plate-shaped heat exchanger plate.

Next, in the steam supply step and sterilization step, steam is supplied until the inside of the sterilization chamber (7) reaches a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature, and the object to be sterilized (8) is sterilized for a predetermined period of time. Drain generated in the sterilization chamber (7) is discharged from the internal steam trap 00. After the sterilization process is completed, the steam in the sterilization chamber is discharged through the electric valve a, and sterile air flows into the can through the sterile filter Q3), bringing the sterilization chamber to atmospheric pressure.

After that, in the drying process, the inside of the sterilization chamber (7) is depressurized to a predetermined pressure using a vacuum pump, and the moisture caused by steam is removed from the object to be sterilized, and the sterile air is introduced through the sterile filter 031. Dry the items to be sterilized repeatedly for several hours. At this time, due to the radiant heat from the coating layer or plate-shaped heat exchanger plate that promoted radiant heat transfer,
Items to be sterilized can be quickly dried.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the steam sterilizer of the present invention, the inner wall surface of the sterilization chamber is coated with a coating material that promotes radiant heat transfer, or the inner wall surface of the sterilization chamber is coated with a plate-shaped heat transfer plate that promotes radiant heat transfer. By forming the steam sterilizer into a steam sterilizer, it is possible to quickly heat the objects to be sterilized without installing ancillary equipment such as a heater or heat exchanger inside or outside the steam sterilizer, thereby shortening the time for preheating and drying processes. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of each step of sterilization work. (1)...Outside can (2)...Inside rental (3)
...Pressure door (4) ...Coating layer (
5)...Reducing valve (6)...Jacket (
7)... Sterilization room (8)... Items to be sterilized (9
)...Vacuum pump 0ω...Outer can steam trap OD...Internal steam trap ■...Electric valve 031...Sterile filter diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] An inner wall structure of a steam sterilizer, characterized in that a coating material for promoting radiant heat transfer is formed on the inner wall surface of a sterilization chamber.