JPS6342365Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention relates to a waste gas treatment device in a single-tank embedding device. The idea is to prevent waste gas from being released into the room.

Before explaining this invention, an overview of the one-tank embedding device will first be explained as follows. That is, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the bottom of the processing tank 1 is connected to the rotary valve 3 via a gate valve 3a by a pipe 2, and the rotary valve 3 has a plurality of chemical tanks 4a,
4b, tube 6 inserted into paraffin baths 5a, 5b
a, 6b, 7a, 7b are connected, and by driving the rotor of the rotary valve 3 with a deceleration motor 8, the pipes 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b are connected to the gate valve 3.
selectively communicates with tube 2 via a. Paraffin tanks 5a and 5b for storing melted paraffin and a tank 5 for a chemical solution (for example, formalin) used by heating.
c and 5d are placed in an oven 9, and the processing tank 1 is also equipped with a heater 10 to heat paraffin and other heating chemicals when they are supplied, and a rotary valve 3, pipes 2 and 7a, etc. are also required. Depending on the situation, heat retention or heating measures may be taken. The upper part of the treatment tank 1 is connected to the air pump 1 through a pipe 11 and a switching valve 12.
3, or to the atmosphere by switching the switching valve 12.

The one-tank embedding apparatus constructed in this way is operated as follows.

First, a liquid-permeable sample basket 14 containing a biological tissue piece to be prepared as a microscopic specimen is placed in the processing tank 1, and after sealing the airtight lid 1a, the embedding process is started by the operations illustrated below. do. That is, the rotary valve 3 is driven to align the pipe 6a leading to the tank 4a of the chemical solution to be first supplied to the processing tank 1 with the pipe 2 leading to the processing tank across the closed gate valve 3a, and the gate valve 3a is opened, the air pump 13 is started, and the air inside the processing tank 1 is sucked to lower the pressure inside the tank. As a result, the chemical solution in the tank 4a is sucked into the processing tank 1 and immerses the basket 14 therein. Next, the gate valve 3a is closed and the pump 13 is stopped. Predetermined time (1 to 2
After completing the immersion (time), switch the switching valve 12 to allow the inside of the treatment tank 1 to be exposed to the atmosphere (chemical solution tank 4a
etc. are located below treatment tank 1. If the chemical solution tank or the like is not lower than the processing tank, the discharge side of the pump 13 is communicated with the processing tank 1. ), the chemical solution in the processing tank flows back into the original chemical solution tank 4a, and the processing tank 1 becomes empty. Therefore, the rotary valve 3 is driven to connect the second chemical tank 4b to the pipe 2, and the pump 13
start. As a result, the chemical solution in the second chemical solution tank 4b enters the processing tank 1 and immerses the sample basket 14, so the gate valve 3a is closed, the pump 13 is stopped, and the biological tissue piece is processed for a predetermined period of time. This operation is performed sequentially for each chemical bath, and finally, the tissue piece is treated in the same manner with molten paraffin to penetrate the paraffin into the tissue piece, thereby completing the embedding process.

These operations are automatically performed in sequence under mechanical or electrical control using an interlocking cam, a timer, a computer, or the like.

In this embedding process, a fixative such as formalin, a dehydrating and degreasing agent such as alcohol, an intermediate solvent such as xylene, and molten paraffin are used, and these are divided into, for example, 14 chemical baths and used sequentially. . After the embedding process, each part of the apparatus is cleaned by passing xylene through it to dissolve the paraffin and passing alcohol through it to remove the xylene.

The volumes of the chemical solution tanks 4a, 4b, paraffin tanks 5a, 5b, etc. are such that when all of their contents are transferred to the processing tank 1, the liquid level in the processing tank reaches a predetermined height and the sample basket 14 is immersed. It is decided to do so.

In the one-tank embedding apparatus constructed and operated in this manner, gases such as chloroform, xylene, and alcohol are released from the chemical solution used, and if these gases remain indoors, they are harmful to the human body.

Conventional embedding equipment has not been designed to specifically capture these waste gases, but when embedding operations are performed continuously for long periods with the chamber closed, the amount of waste gas increases. It is dangerous to leave this as it is, as it will increase in number.

The present invention provides a waste gas treatment device for an embedding device that collects these waste gases and makes the working environment healthier.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIG. Components equivalent to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals and their explanations will be omitted. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a one-tank embedding device, in which an embodiment of the waste gas treatment device of the present invention is incorporated.

In FIG. 2, each chemical liquid tank 4a, 4b is provided with a hermetically sealed lid, and the tubes 16a, 16 are hermetically penetrated through the lid.
b allows the upper part of each tank to communicate with part A of the receiving tube 17. A pipe 11 leading to the upper part of the treatment tank 1 enters an overflow tank 15, and the upper part of the tank 15 communicates with the switching valve 12 by a pipe 11a. Also, a plurality of chemical liquid tanks 4a, 4
The upper part of b communicates with the receiving cylinder 17 through pipes 16a and 16b.

An ultrasonic sensor 18 is attached to the processing tank 1 to detect the liquid level when the chemical solution is supplied, an ultrasonic sensor 19 is attached to the side surface of the overflow tank 15 to detect the chemical solution flowing into this tank, and the receiving tube 17 An ultrasonic sensor 20 is attached to the cylinder to detect the inflow of chemical liquid into the cylinder. The inside of the receiving cylinder 17 is divided into a part A and a part B by a partition wall 21. The part A is connected to the bottom of the water 24 put into the cleaning cylinder 23 through a pipe 22, and the upper space of the cleaning cylinder 23 is received by a pipe 25. Pass it through part B of the tube. Portion B is communicated through a pipe 26 to the bottom of activated carbon 28 placed in an adsorption cylinder 27. The upper space of the adsorption cylinder 27 is the pipe 2
9 communicates with the atmosphere. One of the remaining ports of the three-way switching valve 12 connected to the pipe 11a is connected to the pipe 30.
The other port of the switching valve 12 is connected to the air pump 13 through a pipe 31.
However, three-way switching valves 32 and 33 are connected to the front and rear of the pump 13, and the remaining ports of the switching valve 32 communicate with the oven 9 through a pipe 34, and one side of the switching valve 33 The mouth of the tube 31 is connected to the tube 31 by a tube 35, and the other mouth is connected to the tube 37 by a tube 36. One end of the pipe 37 communicates with the water in the washing cylinder 23, and the other end communicates with the pipe 11a via a pressure regulating valve 38. A pressure switch 39 that operates at 0.1 atm, a pressure switch 40 that operates at 0.35 atm, and a pressure gauge 41 are connected to the pipe 11a. In addition,
Oven 9 has slight leakage, but
When this is sealed, the inside of the oven is communicated with the tube 30 through the tube 42.

With this configuration, the pump 13 is driven to pump the air in the processing tank 1 to the pipe 11, the overflow tank 15,
The pump 13 suctions through the pipe 11a, the switching valve 12, the pipe 31, and the switching valve 32, and the exhaust from the pump 13 is
Switching valve 33, pipes 36, 37, cleaning cylinder 23, pipe 2
5. It can be released into the atmosphere through part B of the receiving cylinder, pipe 26, adsorption cylinder 27, and pipe 29. As a result, similarly to the conventional example shown in FIG.
Chemical solutions such as a and 4b and molten paraffin are inhaled.

To drain the chemicals and the like from the treatment tank 1, the switching valve 1
When the switch 2 is switched to open the pipes 11a and 30, the atmosphere flows through the pipe 29, the adsorption tube 27, the pipe 30, the switching valve 12,
Through the pipe 11a, the overflow tank 15, and the pipe 11,
When the chemical tank is located higher than the treatment tank 1, the switching valves 32 and 33 are switched to the pump 13.
The intake side of the pipe is connected to the oven 9, and the exhaust side is connected to the pipe 3.
5, 31 to the switching valve 12, the compressed air discharged from the pump 13 is
1, switching valve 12, pipe 11a, overflow tank 15, pipe 11
to the processing tank 1, and the chemicals etc. in the processing tank can be pushed back into the original chemical tank etc. In this embodiment, the air pressure is set to 0.35 atm to push the chemicals etc. out of the processing tank 1 in order to maintain an appropriate outflow state. When the air pressure is higher than this value, the regulating valve 38 releases excess air into the pipe 37 to maintain this air pressure. When the discharge of the chemicals etc. is completed and the chemicals etc. have returned to the chemical tank 4a etc., the pressure inside the processing tank rapidly drops to 0.1
Since the pressure reaches atmospheric pressure, the pressure switch 39 operates to stop the pump 13 and drive the rotary valve 3 to proceed to the next processing step. The above values of 0.35 atmospheres, 0.1 atmospheres, etc. vary depending on the design of the equipment, so the optimum value for the equipment should be selected. In this embodiment, the pressure switch 39 operates at 0.1 atmospheres,
Two pressure switches were used, one for pressure switch 40 operating at 0.35 atmospheres, and the other for pressure switch 41 operating at 0.35 atmospheres.
A single double acting pressure switch reset at 0.1 atmospheres may be used.

In the apparatus of the present invention, as shown in the above embodiment, a processing tank 1, chemical liquid tanks 4a, 4b, 5c, 5d,
All the air entering and exiting the paraffin tanks 5a, 5b, etc. is discharged into the atmosphere through the activated carbon 28 in the adsorption tank 27, and each tank is connected to a closed lid or an oven (even if there is a slight leakage, there is no practical difference). ), and is isolated from the outside air, the harmful gases contained in the various chemical solutions and paraffin are not discharged to the outside of the device, allowing safe embedding.

In addition, the ability of activated carbon to adsorb harmful gases decreases when the gas temperature is high, but when using materials such as paraffin and formalin at high temperatures, the temperature of the harmful gases that are released also increases.
It is disadvantageous to pass it directly through the activated carbon in the adsorption tank 27. In the present invention, the cleaning tank 23 is placed before the adsorption tank 27.
The adsorption capacity of activated carbon can be increased by removing harmful gases (such as alcohol) that are soluble in water and lowering the gas temperature at the same time.

As mentioned above, this waste gas treatment equipment collects waste gases such as chloroform, xylene, and alcohol emitted from the chemicals and paraffin used in the embedding equipment and does not release them into the room, so workers can breathe in harmful gases. It has a great effect on eliminating worries and making the work environment healthier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a conventional one-tank embedding device, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a one-tank embedding device incorporating an embodiment of the waste gas treatment device of the present invention. 1: Processing tank, 1a: Lid, 2: Pipe, 3: Rotary valve, 3a: Gate valve, 4a, 4b: Chemical tank, 5
a, 5b: paraffin bath, 6, 7: tube, 8: deceleration motor, 9: oven, 10: heater, 11, 1
1a: pipe, 12: switching valve, 13: air pump, 1
4: Sample basket, 15: Overflow tank, 16a, 16b:
Pipe, 17: Receiver, 18, 19, 20: Ultrasonic sensor, 21: Partition, 22: Pipe, 23: Cleaning tank, 2
4: Water, 25, 26: Pipe, 27: Adsorption tank, 28:
Activated carbon, 29, 30, 31: pipe, 32, 33: switching valve, 34, 35, 36, 37: pipe, 38: pressure regulating valve, 39, 40: pressure switch, 41: pressure gauge.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In the one-tank embedding device, each chemical solution tank 4a, 4
b. The paraffin tanks 5a and 5b are isolated from the outside air with airtight lids or ovens, and the upper parts of each chemical solution tank and oven are filled with water and sealed with a cleaning cylinder 23.
waste in a one-tank embedding device, in which the upper space of the washing cylinder 23 is connected to the bottom of activated carbon of an adsorption cylinder 28 filled with activated carbon and whose upper part is open to the atmosphere. Gas treatment equipment.