RU2535625C1 - Method of decontamination and device to this end - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: method comprises subjecting the processed product to cold plasma radiation at 3 kV, 10 Hz and gas flow rate of 0.6 l/min at product mixing and varying its orientation relative to radiation source. Proposed device comprises loading assembly, radiation source, conveyor or hollow drum with drive that allow varying of material orientation relative to radiation source and unloading assembly. Radiation source is composed of the systems of plasmatrons arranged in parallel rows at the frames arranged downstream of loading assembly, above conveyor or inside the drum. In compliance with the other version, radiation source comprises at least four plasmatrons and at least six lasers. At least three manipulators arranged between plasma and laser radiation sources above conveyor to orient the product.

EFFECT: efficient decontamination.

4 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a technology for the disinfection and sterilization of bulk and solid products and can be used to disinfect agricultural products (grain, flour, seeds, vegetables, fruits, feed mixtures) during storage, drying, presowing treatment, as well as in the food industry, pharmacology and other

Typically, the infection of bulk and food products occurs through the ingestion of bacteria, spores, viruses, and other pathogenic microflora, which leads to their destruction and makes their storage, drying, presowing processing, and eating unacceptable.

Known radiation methods of disinfection and sterilization using ionizing radiation (x-ray, gamma radiation), which does not solve this problem of disinfection of bulk products, because cannot be applied to food products and medicines due to side effects. A known method of processing agricultural products, which involves loading raw material into the chamber, moving it in the chamber in trays, creating a vacuum and providing a comprehensive heating of the material due to exposure to ultrasonic, infrared and microwave radiation sources, condensation of vapors of volatile components (RU 2242906 C2, IPC A23L 3/40 publ. 12/27/2004). The disadvantages of the method are the lack of effectiveness of the disinfection of the material, the technological complexity of the process, the use of high heating of the processed material with infrared and microwave radiation, as well as the need for disposal of products of volatile components.

A known method of sterilization of dried food products, providing for the heating of the product after drying or after storage of microwave radiation at a temperature of 90-120 ° C for 10-30 minutes. The disadvantages of the method are the lack of effectiveness of disinfection of the material, the complexity of the process, the use of high heating of the processed material with microwave radiation (RU 2294124 C2, IPC A23L 3 \ 01 publ. 02.27.2007).

The closest analogue of the method, adopted as a prototype, is a method of processing bulk products by irradiation, involving exposure to the processed product with ultraviolet radiation during its movement with a change in the orientation of its individual particles relative to the radiation source (RU 2279806 C2, IPC A23B 9/06 publ. 20.07 .2006).

The disadvantage of the prototype method is the lack of effectiveness of the disinfection process.

A device for processing agricultural products, containing a chamber of raw materials, trays for raw materials moved in it, a device for creating a vacuum, sources of ultrasonic, infrared radiation and microwave radiation (RU 2242906 C2, IPC A23L 3 \ 40 publ. 12/27/2004, )

The disadvantage of this device is the impossibility of its universal use for processing solid and bulk products, as well as the use of high-temperature heating.

Closest to the proposed device for implementing the method adopted as a prototype is a device for processing bulk products by irradiation, comprising a loading unit, a source of ultraviolet radiation, means for transporting the processed product, configured to change the orientation of individual particles of the bulk product relative to the source of ultraviolet radiation, and the unit unloading (RU 2279806 C2, IPC A23B 9/06 publ. July 20, 2006).

The disadvantage of the method and device adopted for the prototype is the lack of effectiveness of disinfection of products, the inability to use it for disinfection of solid products. Ultraviolet radiation does not have sufficient power, capable of eliminating microorganisms, pathogenic flora (rod bacteria, bacteria that cause salmonellosis, helminth larvae, etc.).

The task of the proposed group of inventions is to ensure the effectiveness of the disinfection of solid and bulk products, expanding functionality.

The technical result of the application of the method is achieved due to the fact that in the method of disinfecting products, involving exposure to the processed product by radiation in the process of moving the product with a change in its orientation relative to the radiation source, in contrast to the prototype, the bulk product is irradiated with cold plasma radiation of 3 kV, frequency 10 Hz with a gas flow rate of 0.6 l / min.

In addition, the technical result of the application of the method is achieved due to the fact that for disinfection of a solid product it is additionally irradiated with laser radiation with a wavelength of 1064 nm, a frequency of 1-30 kHz, and a pulse duration of 10 ns.

If a dry product is decontaminated by cold plasma radiation in the following modes: at voltage <3 kV, frequency <10 Hz, gas flow rate <0.6 l / min, then it is not effective enough: stick bacteria, bacteria that cause salmonella, larvae remain on the products helminths, which leads to diseases when eating foods. If disinfection of products is performed in excess of the above-mentioned regimes of cold plasma irradiation, then the biochemical properties of the processed product change.

When disinfecting a solid product, exposure to one cold plasma radiation is not effective, rod-shaped bacteria, bacteria that cause salmonellosis, and helminth larvae remain on the products. To increase the efficiency of the disinfection process, additional laser radiation is used in the following modes: wavelength - 1064 nm, frequency - (1-30) kHz, pulse duration - 10 ns. These modes are also optimal for removing microorganisms, pathogenic microflora, preserving the biochemical and consumer properties of the product.

The proposed method and device for its implementation ensure the preservation of the nutritional properties of the disinfected products, since when processing products using cold methods: cold plasma radiation, laser radiation. Plasma generators and the cold, low-temperature plasma radiation generated by them are used in medical practice to stop severe bleeding, treat wounds, treat the oral cavity in dentistry, etc.

To generate cold plasma radiation, plasmatrons are used, consisting of a quartz tube, at the end of which a grounded metal electrode is fixed on the outside. A pointed metal electrode connected to a high-frequency AC source is coaxially mounted in the tube. Pre-chilled helium is used as the plasma-forming gas. When voltage is applied to the internal electrode, a discharge of 1-5 mm in diameter 16-20 mm long is ignited at its tip. Typically, the temperature of cold plasma radiation is 37-43 ° C. The biochemical effect on the processed material is due to the exposure to substances contained in cold plasma, in particular NO. However, cold plasma radiation was not used to disinfect bulk, solid, and food products.

Currently, gas-discharge CO ₂ lasers with diffuse or convective cooling of the gas mixture are widely used, as well as lasers with optical pumping on solid crystals, diode and fiber. Typically, lasers consist of an active element to support the radiation generation process, an active element power supply, a cooling system, an optical resonator with a radiation output device, and a radiation transmission and focusing system. A gas-discharge CO ₂ laser is pumped in a collision of CO ₂ molecules with electrons and N ₂ molecules. Currently, the industry produces lasers of the type: Katun (power 0.8-1.0 kW), Carat (power 1.0-2.0 kW), TL-700 (power 700 W). The use of laser in communications, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and medicine is known. In medicine, laser radiation is used in ophthalmology, in surgery. When used in surgery, getting on biological tissue, coherent laser radiation causes an increase in the formation of reactive oxygen species, due to this its antimicrobial and antiviral effects occur. However, laser radiation was not used to disinfect solid, bulk and food products.

The technical result of using the device for implementing the method according to claim 1 is achieved due to the fact that it contains a loading unit, a radiation source, a conveyor or a hollow drum with a drive, configured to change the orientation of the product relative to the radiation source, and an unloading unit, in contrast to the prototype As a radiation source, a system of plasmatrons is used, which are placed in parallel rows on the frame and are installed after the loading unit above the conveyor or inside the drum.

The technical result of the application of the device for implementing the method according to claim 2 is achieved due to the fact that it contains a loading unit, radiation sources, a conveyor and an unloading unit, in contrast to the prototype, the radiation sources are made in the form of sources of cold plasma and laser radiation, located one after another along the conveyor, moreover, at least four plasmatrons are used as a source of cold plasma radiation, three of which are mounted on the upper and two sides of the rectangular frame, the second one is located perpendicular to the conveyor, the fourth plasmatron is mounted on the upper side of the second rectangular frame above the conveyor, at least six lasers are used as a laser source, two of which are installed in series with two optical-mechanical systems, located above the conveyor, parallel to the last, two pairs of the remaining lasers are installed opposite each other perpendicular to the conveyor, at least three manipulators are fixed to change the orientation of the product above the conveyor s disposed between the plasma sources and laser radiation.

Example. The disinfection of grain fodder is carried out by plasmatrons on a device with a hollow drum. The drum has dimensions: diameter - 1 m, length - 3 m, angular rotation speed - 2 r / s. The irradiation of grain forage is carried out in the following modes: voltage - 3 kV, plasma radiation frequency - 10 Hz, gas flow rate - 0.6 l / min. When irradiating a grain of a large fraction, the efficiency of disinfection from staphylococcus is 98.9%.

Figure 1 shows a diagram of a device for implementing the method according to claim 1 disinfection of bulk product with a vibrating conveyor as a means for transporting bulk material.

Figure 2 - diagram of a device for implementing the method according to claim 1, the disinfection of bulk product with a rotating drum as a means for transporting bulk material.

Figure 3 - diagram of a device for implementing the method according to claim 2, disinfection of a solid product with a conveyor belt as a means for transporting solid products.

The device (Fig. 1) contains a loading unit 1 in the form of a dispenser hopper, an unloading unit 2, a conveyor 3 with a vibrator 4, a tray 5 and shock absorbers 6, as a radiation source, plasma torches 7 mounted on the frame 8 are located in parallel rows of four plasma torches in seven parallel rows. A frame with plasmatrons is installed after the loading unit above the conveyor.

The device (figure 1) works as follows.

The initial bulk product from the loading unit 1 in the form of a hopper enters the tray 5 of the vibratory conveyor 3. The drive (not shown) of the vibrator 4 is turned on and the tray 5 begins to experience reciprocating movements in the vertical plane due to shock absorbers 6 fixed under it. Since the tray is inclined at an angle of 30 ° to the horizontal plane, the bulk product moves along the surface of the tray towards the discharge unit 2. When moving along the tray, the particles of the bulk product change their orientation relative to the radiation source - plasmatrons 7 placed in parallel rows on the frame 8 installed after the loading unit above the conveyor.

During their movement, the particles of the granular product are irradiated with sources of cold plasma radiation. The process of disinfecting and transporting bulk product occurs continuously by coordinating the operation of the loading unit and the vibrator. The disinfected product enters the unloading unit 2.

The device (figure 2) contains a loading unit in the form of a hopper 1, an unloading unit 2, a hollow drum 15 with a drive that rotates at an angular speed of 2 r / s. Radiation sources — plasmatrons 7 — are installed inside the drum. They are fixed in parallel rows of four plasmatrons in seven rows on the frame 8. The frame 8 is fixed, for example, on a traverse (not shown) outside the drum.

The device (figure 2) for implementing the method according to claim 1 works as follows.

The initial bulk product from the loading unit 1 in the form of a hopper enters the drum 15. The drum drive is turned on and the hollow drum with the bulk product begins to rotate slowly around its longitudinal axis. During its rotation, the reciprocating movement of particles in the inner cavity of the drum is performed, that is, during the rotation, the orientation of the particles of the product relative to the plasma torches changes, as a result of which they are irradiated from different sides. Since the drum is inclined at an angle of 30 ° to the horizontal plane, the bulk product simultaneously moves down the surface of the drum toward the unloading unit. The system of plasmatrons 7, placed in parallel rows on the frame 8, is turned on, and the process of disinfection of the bulk product takes place. The disinfected product enters the unloading unit 2.

The device (Fig. 3) contains a loading unit 1, an unloading unit 2, a conveyor 3, three plasma torches 7 mounted on the upper and two sides of a rectangular frame 8, which is perpendicular to the conveyor 3, are used as a source of cold plasma radiation. The fourth plasma torch 7 is fixed on the upper side of the second frame 8. Between both frames is located manipulator 10.

Six lasers 11 were used as a source of laser radiation, two of which were installed in series with two optical-mechanical systems 9 installed above the conveyor. Optical-mechanical systems 9 rotate the laser beam and direct it to the processed product. Between the optical-mechanical systems, a manipulator 12 is installed for turning the product in a vertical plane and further processing the lower side. The next four lasers 11 are located one after another and consist of two pairs of lasers mounted perpendicular to the conveyor opposite each other. Between these pairs of lasers there is a manipulator 13, which rotates the processed product 90 ° in a horizontal plane in order to process the side and end surfaces of the product.

The device (figure 3) for disinfection of a solid product works as follows.

The initial solid product 14 from the loading unit 1 enters the conveyor belt 3. The drive is turned on (not shown) and the product moves along the conveyor belt and falls under the plasma torches 7 located in the first rectangular frame 8. The system of plasma torches 7 mounted on the upper and two side the sides of the rectangular frame 8, while the upper and two side surfaces of the product are disinfected. Next, the product moves along the conveyor belt to the area of the manipulator 10, with the help of which it tilts 360 °. Then the product is moved along the conveyor belt to the second rectangular frame 8. A plasma torch is mounted, mounted on the upper side of the rectangular frame, and the lower (upper) surface of the product is disinfected. Next, the product moves along the conveyor belt to the area of the first laser unit 11. The laser pump (not shown) is turned on and the laser beam passing through the optomechanical system 9, due to the refraction of the laser beam in a mirror installed at an angle of 45 °, disinfects the upper surface of the product . Then the product moves along the conveyor belt to the area of the second manipulator 12, with the help of which it tilts 360 °. Further, the product is conveyed along the conveyor belt to the irradiation zone of the second laser. The laser pump (not shown) is turned on and the laser beam passing through the second optical-mechanical system, due to the refraction of the laser beam in a mirror mounted at an angle of 45 °, disinfects the lower (upper) surface of the product. Then the product is conveyed by the conveyor to the irradiation zone of two pairs of lasers 11 mounted perpendicular to the conveyor in a horizontal plane. Laser pumping (not shown) is turned on and laser beams on both sides disinfect the side surfaces of the product. Next, the product moves along the conveyor to the area of the manipulator 13, with the help of which it rotates in a horizontal plane by 90 °. The product is then transferred to the irradiation zone of the next pair of lasers mounted perpendicular to the conveyor. The laser pump (not shown) is turned on and the remaining two end surfaces of the product are disinfected. The completely disinfected product, moving further along the conveyor, leaves the laser irradiation zone and enters the discharge device 2.

Thus, the proposed group of inventions provides for the disinfection of a wide range of bulk and solid products while maintaining their consumer properties.

Claims (4)

1. A method of disinfecting products, involving exposure to the processed product by radiation during the movement of the product with a change in its orientation relative to the radiation source, characterized in that for disinfecting the product it is irradiated with cold plasma radiation at a voltage of 3 kV and a frequency of 10 Hz with a gas flow rate of 0.6 l / min 2. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that for disinfecting the product it is additionally irradiated with laser radiation with a wavelength of 1064 nm, at a frequency of 1-30 kHz, a pulse duration of 10 ns. 3. A device for implementing the method according to claim 1, comprising a loading unit, a radiation source, a conveyor or a hollow drum with a drive, configured to change the orientation of the product relative to the radiation source, and an unloading unit, characterized in that a plasma torch system is used as the radiation source placed in parallel rows on the frame, installed after the loading unit above the conveyor or inside the drum. 4. The device for implementing the method according to claim 2, comprising a loading unit, radiation sources, a conveyor and an unloading unit, characterized in that the radiation sources are made in the form of sources of cold plasma and laser radiation, are located one after the other along the conveyor, and as a source at least four plasma torches were used for cold plasma radiation, three of which are mounted on the upper and two sides of a rectangular frame, which is perpendicular to the conveyor, the fourth plate the motron is mounted on the upper side of the second frame above the conveyor, at least six lasers are used as a laser source, two of which are installed in series with two optical-mechanical systems, are located above the conveyor parallel to the last, two pairs of the remaining lasers are installed opposite each other perpendicular to the conveyor, To change the orientation of the product above the conveyor, at least three manipulators located between the sources of plasma and laser radiation are fixed.

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