JPH0325787Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a spray retort sterilizer for high-pressure sterilization of aerated foods, pharmaceutical infusion soft packs, and various other products.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, many retort sterilizers have been implemented that use steam-type and hot water-type retort pots to perform pressurized heat sterilization. These devices are shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-57146 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-57147.

Problems to be solved by the invention In most steam-type retort sterilizers, the steam is ejected upward from the lower part of the retort tank, and the steam is ejected upward from the lower part of the retort tank. Even though the objects to be treated were heated to the optimum temperature, uneven sterilization was observed in the upper layer of the objects due to the temperature drop.

In addition, in the case of hot water type retort equipment, there is a drawback that the processed material stored in the tray becomes unstable due to the influence of the buoyancy of the hot water, and it is complicated to install a presser lid on the tray. A new configuration was required. This effect is particularly severe in the case of air-containing containers, and in the case of pharmaceutical infusion soft packs, etc., there are disadvantages such as the fact that they are not suitable for immersion in hot water.

The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and although it is a steam type, the header pipe is arranged horizontally so that it is close to each stage of the tray, and the header pipe is rotated and oscillated around an axis to spray. It is an object of the present invention to provide a retort sterilizer in which objects to be sterilized in a tray can be uniformly sterilized by fine water droplet mist sprayed from a nozzle.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides trays stacked in multiple stages for placing objects to be processed in a tank of a retort sterilizer, and hot water or cooling water injected into the tank. and a circulation path through which the water accumulated at the lower end of the tank passes through a pump and a heat exchanger under pressure and is again jetted out in the form of a spray from the spray part. The section includes a plurality of horizontally supported header pipes each having a large number of spray nozzles, a connecting section for rotating and swinging these header pipes around an axis, a driving source for driving the connecting section, and an end of the header pipe. and an inlet of hot water or cooling water outside the tank, which is connected through the communication part, and the header pipe is rotated and oscillated about the shaft from the drive source through the connection part. This is a spray type retort sterilizer that moves and sprays the spray from both sides of each stacked tray to cover the entire surface of each tray.

Function: In the present invention, a spray section for spouting hot water or cooling water is provided on both sides of each tray stacked in multiple stages, and this spray section consists of a horizontal header pipe that rotates and oscillates around its axis. The spray was made to be uniform in the swinging direction according to the gaps between each stage of the tray. Therefore, the objects to be treated stored in the trays are sprayed with hot water or cooling water in close proximity to each other at each stage, and as the header pipe rotates and oscillates, the objects are sprayed evenly onto each stage of the tray. It can be sprayed easily and can be processed quickly and at a uniform temperature. No matter how many trays there are, horizontal header pipes are placed exactly in the gaps between the trays, and since these header pipes repeatedly rotate and oscillate around their shafts, temperature differences occur in each part. Uniform processing is possible, and unlike processing in hot water, there is no floating of the objects to be processed, a stable state is maintained, and the hot water or cooling water is sprayed out in the form of fine droplet-shaped mist. Therefore, the temperature around the area where it is sprayed is uniform, allowing for efficient treatment.

Embodiment The drawing shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a tank of a retort sterilizer, and 2 is a tray, which are stacked in multiple stages within the tank 1. 3 is the object to be processed, 4
1 is a spray section which sprays hot water or cooling water into the tank 1 in the form of a spray.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a circulation path through which the water accumulated at the lower end of the tank 1 passes through a pump 6 and a heat exchanger 7 under pressure and is sprayed out from the spray section 4 again in the form of a spray.

The spray parts 4 are disposed on both sides of each stage of the stacked trays 2, and are configured to spray horizontally in a fan shape so as to cover the entire surface of the trays 2 in each stage.

The trays 2 are stacked in a plurality of stages, and a spray section 4 is provided toward the surface of each tray. Therefore, the hot water or cooling water passes through the circulation path 5 and is sprayed from the spray section 4 into fine water droplet-like mist. Scattered horizontally in a fan shape. Furthermore, since the header pipe is evenly sprayed by the rotating and oscillating motion, the objects 3 to be treated can be uniformly treated regardless of how the trays are stacked.

When the heating process is completed, cooling water 9 is supplied in place of the hot water 8 as a heat source for the heat exchanger 7 provided outside the retort, and the hot water inside the retort used for spraying is gradually cooled.

Eventually, the circulating hot water is indirectly cooled by a heat exchanger, and water that is about 3 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than the cooling water is sprayed into the retort. Also, if necessary, the temperature of the circulating water is lowered to a certain extent, and the temperature reaches a temperature range where there is no need to worry about deformation of the air-containing container (this temperature varies depending on the product being processed, but for example, the temperature difference is around 20℃). to supply cooling water directly to the spray section.

When cooling water is directly supplied to the spray section from the circulation path, the water in the retort is discharged from a bypass 10 on the discharge side of the pump 6 to prevent the liquid level in the retort from rising.

In the spray section 4, a large number of spray nozzles 11
A header pipe 12 having a header pipe 12 is provided horizontally,
The spacing between the header pipes 12 was set to be the same as the stacking spacing of the trays 2.

13 is a drive source installed outside the tank, which uses an air cylinder. 14 is a connecting part, a connecting rod 14a
and a connecting piece 14b that is pivotally supported by the connecting rod 14a and joined to the header pipe 12,
The header pipe 12 is rotated and swung by driving the drive source 13.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an introduction pipe for hot water or cooling water, which is introduced into the tank 1 through an inlet 16 and communicated with the header pipe 12 through a connecting portion 17 . A rotary joint is used as the connecting portion 17.

In this embodiment, the horizontal header pipe 12 is rotated and swung from the drive source 13 via the connection part 14, and the spray direction is changed from diagonally upward to horizontal and diagonally downward, and by repeating this, hot water or cooling is applied. It has become possible to spray water evenly around the tray.

Effects of the invention In this invention, hot water or cooling water is ejected in the form of a spray from a horizontally arranged header pipe, and the header pipe rotates and oscillates around its axis, so that it can be sprayed in various ways according to each stage of the tray. Since it is evenly distributed in a fan shape, uniform heating treatment is performed at each stage. Hot water has no latent heat of vaporization compared to steam, and is sprayed from the spray section in the form of a fan-shaped mist of fine water droplets, allowing for gentle heat treatment of the object to be treated.

Furthermore, because the hot water or cooling water introduction pipe introduced into the tank from the hot water or cooling water circulation path and the header pipe are connected, there is no problem even if the header pipe is repeatedly rotated and oscillated by the drive device. It is communicated.

In this invention, even if there are multiple trays as described above, the rotating and oscillating motion of the header pipe allows the treatment to be carried out without any unevenness in the treatment temperature on the tray according to each tray, resulting in high efficiency and water capacity. I now need less. In addition, since heating is performed using a heat exchanger outside the retort, a hot water tank can be omitted compared to conventional two-tank retort equipment, and furthermore, the retort is not heated in hot water. This method has the advantage that the processing can be carried out in a stable state without causing the objects to be processed to float.

In addition, when cooling water is sprayed out from the spray part, a heat exchanger outside the retort is used to indirectly spray hot water to avoid rapid cooling and to prevent bags of air-containing foods from breaking. It is also possible to cool down gradually or in stages.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the spray-type retort sterilizer of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the same tray, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main part of the tank with a portion cut away. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...tank, 2...tray, 3...processing object, 4...spray part, 5...circulation path, 6...pump, 7...heat exchanger, 11...spray nozzle, 12... Header pipe, 13... Drive source,
14... Connection portion, 15... Hot water or cooling water introduction pipe.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) In a tank of a retort sterilizer, trays are stacked in multiple stages to hold objects to be processed, and hot water or cooling water is sprayed into the tank. It consists of a spray section, and a circulation path through which water accumulated at the lower end of the tank passes through a pump and a heat exchanger under pressure and is sprayed out from the spray section again in the form of a spray, and the spray section includes a number of spray nozzles. a plurality of header pipes that are horizontally supported, a connecting part that rotates and swings these header pipes around an axis, a drive source that drives this connecting part, and a communication part that is connected to the ends of the header pipes. and an inlet of hot water or cooling water outside the tank connected through this communication part, and the header pipe is rotated and oscillated about the axis from the drive source through the connection part, and the stacked trays are moved. A spray type retort sterilizer characterized in that the spray is distributed from both sides of each stage to the entire tray surface of each stage. (2) The spray retort sterilizer according to claim 1, which uses a rotary joint as a communication part.