A gas rapid sterilization device

Abstract

The application provides a kind of gas fast sterilization device, comprising: by gas pipeline connection in turn gas generating device, front gas storage tank, freeze dryer, adsorption dryer, high temperature sterilization tank, cooling cabinet, rear gas storage tank and heating cabinet;Wherein, the side of the gas generating device is provided with gas inlet, and the side of the heating cabinet is provided with pressure reducing valve for outputting gas;Freeze dryer and cooling cabinet are connected with each other by a water chiller, and realize condensate water circulation refrigeration.According to the gas fast sterilization device provided by the application, ordinary compressed gas can be sequentially filtered, sterilized and heated, thereby effectively removing impurities and microorganisms in the compressed gas, and the sterilized gas with high cleanliness can be continuously and integrally prepared by rapid cooling and precise control of temperature and humidity, to meet the requirements of long-term and large-scale use of sterile gas, especially suitable for application fields with high cleanliness requirements such as biological fermentation and medicine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aseptic production and processing, and more specifically to a rapid gas sterilization device. Background Technology

[0002] In the fermentation industry, aerobic microbial fermentation typically uses air and oxygen as oxygen sources. Common microorganisms in the air include various Bacillus species, Proteus species, Aerobacterium, yeasts, and viruses. To avoid contamination, the air required for fermentation must be clean and sterile to ensure the purity of the fermentation process. Appropriate temperatures and pressures are also required to suit the fermentation conditions of different microbial species. Furthermore, the ability to continuously and stably compress and rapidly sterilize gases such as air, oxygen, and nitrogen is crucial for efficient fermentation.

[0003] Taking compressed air as an example, existing methods for producing compressed air for fermentation typically involve heating the air during compression in an air compressor to sterilize it. The air then enters a storage tank where it cools naturally to achieve low-temperature, saturated humidity. Simultaneously, a filter removes microorganisms from the gas. Before entering the fermentation tank, the compressed air is heated to meet the required temperature and humidity. However, this method suffers from unstable temperatures and short sterilization periods, resulting in insufficient sterilization. Furthermore, the slow cooling rate makes precise temperature control impossible. Continuous use requires heating the compressed air in the storage tank. Additionally, the inefficient process of processing air in one stage before the next can begin further compressing the air results in low efficiency. This also compromises the sterility of the gas used during fermentation, increasing the risk of microbial contamination and impacting fermentation efficiency.

[0004] In other production processes requiring high cleanliness, different gas sources are also needed. Sterile nitrogen or other inert gases are used in the process of nitrogen purging for sterile products or protective pressure transport of liquid materials. Generally, the gas purity is required to be high, free of suspended particles, colonies, etc., and to maintain a constant pressure supply of sterile gas. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid gas sterilization device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rapid gas sterilization device, thereby solving the problem in the prior art of lacking a device capable of continuously and stably compressing and rapidly sterilizing gas.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A rapid gas sterilization device is provided, comprising: a gas generator, a pre-storage tank, a refrigerated dryer, an adsorption dryer, a high-temperature sterilization tank, a cooling cabinet, a post-storage tank, and a heating cabinet, all connected sequentially via gas pipelines; wherein, the gas generator has an air inlet on one side, and the heating cabinet has a pressure reducing valve on one side for gas output; the refrigerated dryer and the cooling cabinet are interconnected via a chiller unit to achieve condensate circulation cooling; the rapid gas sterilization device achieves continuous integrated preparation of sterile compressed gas with ideal temperature, humidity, and pressure by sequentially filtering, high-temperature sterilizing, rapidly cooling, rapidly heating, and precisely controlling temperature and humidity of the compressed gas.

[0008] The high-temperature sterilization tank includes inner and outer tanks. One side of the inner tank is connected to the adsorption dryer, and the other side is connected to the cooling cabinet. A heating device is installed at the bottom of the outer tank, and a temperature controller is installed at the top for continuous high-temperature sterilization of the compressed gas inside the inner tank. It should be understood that the temperature controller, on the one hand, can further precisely control the sterilization temperature through temperature detection; on the other hand, it also has functions such as anti-dry-burning and over-temperature alarm. The sterilization temperature range is 80–300℃.

[0009] Preferably, a filter membrane is installed at the outlet of the pre-gas storage tank, a pre-filter is connected between the pre-gas storage tank and the refrigerated dryer, and a post-filter and a precision filter are connected in sequence between the refrigerated dryer and the adsorption dryer.

[0010] Preferably, the refrigerated dryer has a first condensate inlet at the bottom and a first condensate outlet at the top, and the first condensate inlet and the first condensate outlet are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet and chilled water inlet of the chiller unit.

[0011] Preferably, the cooling cabinet includes inner and outer cabinets. The bottom of the outer cabinet is provided with a second condensate inlet, and the top is provided with a second condensate outlet and a temperature controller. Condensate flows between the inner and outer cabinets. The second condensate inlet and the second condensate outlet are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet and chilled water inlet of the chiller unit.

[0012] Preferably, the heating cabinet includes an inner cabinet and an outer cabinet. One side of the inner cabinet is connected to a rear-mounted gas storage tank, and the other side outputs gas through a pressure reducing valve. The bottom of the outer cabinet is equipped with a heating device, and the top is equipped with a temperature controller.

[0013] Preferably, the pre-storage tank, high-temperature sterilization tank, cooling cabinet, rear-storage tank, and heating cabinet are all made of stainless steel.

[0014] Preferably, the heating cabinet can heat gas temperatures ranging from 25 to 300°C, and the cooling cabinet can cool gas temperatures ranging from 0 to 50°C.

[0015] The gas rapid sterilization device is suitable for compressed air, nitrogen, argon, etc.

[0016] Preferably, the gas generating device may also be equipped with an oxygen generator so that the gas rapid sterilization device can be used for the rapid sterilization of pure oxygen.

[0017] According to the present invention, a rapid gas sterilization device operates as follows: First, compressed gas from a gas generator is initially filtered by a filter. Then, it undergoes continuous and stable high-temperature sterilization in a high-temperature sterilization tank to achieve thorough removal of bacteria. Next, a cooling cabinet rapidly cools the compressed air using cooling water, while a temperature controller enables precise temperature control. The sterilized compressed gas is stored in a rear-mounted gas storage tank. When needed, the gas is continuously output from the rear-mounted gas storage tank to the heating cabinet, where it is continuously heated by a bottom metal wire. Once the cabinet temperature stabilizes at the set value, sterile compressed gas with ideal temperature, humidity, and pressure is output through a pressure reducing valve.

[0018] It should be understood that most existing compressed gas sterilization devices only use filters for sterilization. Therefore, in high-requirement environments such as laboratories, the possibility of contamination still exists. For example, in fermentation experiments, the cost per experiment is high, and a single contamination requires repeated sterilization, resulting in significant expenses. Furthermore, existing compressed gas sterilization devices can only sterilize gas through filters during long-term continuous production, while temperature-based sterilization takes a considerable amount of time. Therefore, in urgent situations, there may be a shortage of usable sterilization gas.

[0019] However, the improvements of the gas rapid sterilization device provided by the present invention compared with the prior art mainly include the following aspects:

[0020] 1) This invention adds a high-temperature sterilization tank to sterilize compressed gas at high temperature, which is safer and meets the requirements of gas for fermentation experiments.

[0021] 2) This invention adds a refrigerated dryer and a cooling cabinet, which are connected to each other through a chiller unit to achieve condensate circulation cooling, thus saving energy to the greatest extent while playing multiple roles.

[0022] 3) The present invention also designs a large-volume post-gas storage tank for unforeseen needs, without affecting other processes, so as to further prepare sterilized compressed gas to meet the needs of continuous long-term use.

[0023] 4) This invention also incorporates a heating cabinet to broaden the application range of sterile gases. For example, in commonly used fermentation experiments, many strains require a fermentation temperature of 37°C. Currently, most experiments involve directly introducing room temperature sterile gas into the fermenter, gradually raising the temperature to 37°C. This invention utilizes a heating cabinet to control a constant input temperature of 37°C, saving time and improving experimental results, demonstrating significant advantages.

[0024] 5) Some microbial strains ferment at relatively low temperatures, such as 16°C. At this temperature, it is difficult to accurately control the temperature using only a cooling cabinet. The device of this invention achieves more precise temperature control by using a cooling cabinet and a heating cabinet in combination.

[0025] 6) The gas generating device of the present invention can not only generate compressed air and compressed nitrogen, but also, when facing aerobic bacterial fermentation, can be equipped with an oxygen generator to compress and sterilize pure oxygen, further expanding the types of gases that can be sterilized.

[0026] In summary, the gas rapid sterilization device provided by the present invention can efficiently filter and heat ordinary compressed gas sequentially, thereby effectively removing impurities and microorganisms from the compressed gas. It can also rapidly cool, precisely control temperature and humidity, and continuously and integrally prepare sterile gas that meets high cleanliness requirements. It also meets the requirements for long-term and large-scale use of sterile gas, and is particularly suitable for applications with high cleanliness requirements such as bio-fermentation and pharmaceuticals. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rapid gas sterilization device provided by the present invention;

[0029] The meanings of the reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows:

[0030] 1-Air inlet, 2-Gas generator, 3-Gas pipeline, 4-Valve, 5-Pre-air storage tank, 6-Filter membrane, 7-Pre-filter, 8-Refrigerated dryer, 9-Condensate inlet, 10-Condensate outlet, 11-Chiller unit, 12-Chilled water outlet, 13-Chilled water inlet, 14-Post-filter, 15-Precision filter, 16-Adsorption dryer, 17-Sterilization filter, 18-High-temperature sterilization tank, 19-Heating device, 20-Temperature controller, 21-Cooling cabinet, 22-Post-air storage tank, 23-Heating cabinet, 24-Pressure reducing valve. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, the techniques used in the embodiments are conventional practices in the art, or experimental methods recommended by the reagent kit and instrument manufacturers. Unless otherwise specified, the reagents and materials used in the embodiments are commercially available.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rapid gas sterilization device is provided, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 1 As shown. It includes an air inlet 1, a gas generator 2, a gas pipeline 3, a valve 4, a pre-air storage tank 5, a filter membrane 6, a pre-filter 7, a refrigerated dryer 8, a condensate inlet 9, a condensate outlet 10, a chiller unit 11, a chilled water outlet 12, a chilled water inlet 13, a post-filter 14, a precision filter 15, an adsorption dryer 16, a sterilizing filter 17, a high-temperature sterilization tank 18, a heating device 19, a temperature controller 20, a cooling cabinet 21, a post-air storage tank 22, a heating cabinet 23, and a pressure reducing valve 24. The inner and outer tanks / cabinets of the air storage tank 5, the high-temperature sterilization tank 18, the cooling cabinet 21, the post-air storage tank 22, and the heating cabinet 23 can all be made of stainless steel.

[0033] One side of the gas generator 2 is the air inlet 1, and the other side is connected to the pre-storage tank 5 through the gas pipeline 3. Each gas pipeline is controlled by a valve 4 when connected to the tank.

[0034] One side of the pre-storage tank 5 is connected to the gas generator 2, and the other side is connected to the refrigerated dryer 8. Further, the tank connected to the refrigerated dryer 8 is equipped with a filter membrane 6 and a pre-filter 7.

[0035] The refrigerated dryer 8 is connected to the pre-filter 7 on one side, and has a condensate inlet 9 at the bottom and a condensate outlet 10 at the top, which are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet 12 and chilled water inlet 13 of the chiller unit 11. The other side is connected to the adsorption dryer 16. Furthermore, a post-filter 14 and a precision filter 15 are connected in the middle on the side connected to the adsorption dryer 16.

[0036] One side of the adsorption dryer 16 is connected to the precision filter 15, and the other side is connected to the high-temperature sterilization tank 18. Furthermore, a sterilization filter 17 is connected in the middle of the side connected to the high-temperature sterilization tank 18.

[0037] The high-temperature sterilization tank 18 comprises two tanks, an inner tank and an outer tank. The bottom of the outer tank is equipped with a heating device 19 and the top is equipped with a temperature controller 20. The sterilization temperature is further precisely controlled by temperature detection. One side of the inner tank is connected to a sterilization filter 17 and the other side is connected to a compressed gas cooling cabinet 21.

[0038] The compressed gas cooling cabinet 21 includes two cabinets, an inner and an outer one. The bottom of the outer cabinet is provided with a condensate inlet 9, and the top is provided with a condensate outlet 10 and a temperature controller 20. The condensate inlet 9 and the condensate outlet 10 are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet 12 and the chilled water inlet 13 of the chiller unit 11. One side of the inner cabinet is connected to a high-temperature sterilization tank 18, and the other side is connected to a rear gas storage tank 22.

[0039] The heating cabinet 23 comprises two cabinets, an inner and an outer one. The bottom of the outer cabinet is equipped with a heating device 19 and the top is equipped with a temperature controller 20. One side of the inner cabinet is connected to a gas storage tank 22, and the other side outputs gas through a pressure reducing valve 24.

[0040] The working method of the gas rapid sterilization device provided in the above preferred embodiment is described below:

[0041] Gas enters the gas generating device 2 (e.g., a completely oil-free water-lubricated screw compressor) through the air inlet 1. After compression, the gas can be stored in a stainless steel pre-storage tank 5 through the gas delivery pipe 3. A removable filter membrane 6 is installed at the connection between the pre-storage tank 5 and the pre-filter 7. It should be understood that by replacing multi-layer filter membranes with different mesh densities, impurities and larger-diameter bacteria in the compressed gas can be filtered out.

[0042] Next, the moisture in the compressed gas is removed by the refrigerated dryer 8, and then it passes through the post filter 14, the precision filter 15, and the adsorption dryer 16 in sequence. Under their action, the impurities and oil in the compressed gas are fully removed. Then, the compressed gas enters the inner tank of the high-temperature sterilization tank 18. The bottom of the outer tank of the high-temperature sterilization tank 18 is heated by metal wire to continuously sterilize the compressed gas in the inner tank. The temperature inside the high-temperature sterilization tank 18 can be precisely controlled by the temperature controller 20 to maintain the temperature inside the tank at the set value.

[0043] Subsequently, the compressed gas is further transported into the cooling cabinet 21. The cooling cabinet 21 has a condensate inlet 9 at the bottom and a condensate outlet 10 at the top. Low-temperature condensate is injected from the condensate inlet 9, and after filling the outer cabinet of the cooling cabinet 21, it is output from the condensate outlet 10 at the top. The temperature of the cooling cabinet 21 is monitored by the temperature controller 20. After the temperature stabilizes at the set value for a period of time, the compressed gas is further output into the rear gas storage tank 22.

[0044] When compressed gas is not needed, the sterilized compressed gas is stored in the post-storage tank 22. When needed, it is continuously output from the post-storage tank 22 to the heating cabinet 23. The metal wire at the bottom of the outer cabinet is continuously heated, and a temperature controller 20 is installed on the top. When the cabinet temperature stabilizes and reaches the set value, sterile compressed gas with ideal temperature, humidity and pressure can be output by opening the pressure reducing valve 24.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various variations can be made to the above embodiments of the present invention. All simple and equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of this application fall within the protection scope of the claims of this patent. All aspects not described in detail in this invention are conventional technical content.

Claims

1. A rapid gas sterilization device, characterized in that, include: The gas generator, pre-storage tank, refrigerated dryer, adsorption dryer, high-temperature sterilization tank, cooling cabinet, post-storage tank, and heating cabinet are connected in sequence through a gas pipeline. The gas generator has an air inlet on one side, and the heating cabinet has a pressure reducing valve on one side for outputting gas; the refrigerated dryer and the cooling cabinet are connected to each other by a chiller unit to achieve condensate circulation and refrigeration. The refrigerated dryer is provided with a first condensate inlet at the bottom and a first condensate outlet at the top. The first condensate inlet and the first condensate outlet are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet and chilled water inlet of the chiller unit. The cooling cabinet includes an inner and an outer cabinet. The bottom of the outer cabinet is provided with a second condensate inlet, and the top is provided with a second condensate outlet and a temperature controller. Condensate flows between the inner and outer cabinets. The second condensate inlet and the second condensate outlet are respectively connected to the chilled water outlet and chilled water inlet of the chiller unit. The gas rapid sterilization device achieves continuous and integrated preparation of sterile compressed gas with ideal temperature, humidity and pressure by sequentially filtering, high-temperature sterilization, rapid cooling, rapid heating and precise temperature and humidity control of compressed gas. The gas rapid sterilization device is suitable for compressed air, nitrogen, argon and pure oxygen.

2. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-temperature sterilization tank includes an inner tank and an outer tank. One side of the inner tank is connected to the adsorption dryer, and the other side is connected to the cooling cabinet. The bottom of the outer tank is equipped with a heating device, and the top is equipped with a temperature controller for continuously sterilizing the compressed gas in the inner tank at high temperature.

3. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A filter membrane is installed at the outlet of the pre-gas storage tank. A pre-filter is connected between the pre-gas storage tank and the refrigerated dryer. A post-filter and a precision filter are connected in sequence between the refrigerated dryer and the adsorption dryer.

4. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating cabinet includes an inner cabinet and an outer cabinet. One side of the inner cabinet is connected to a rear-mounted gas storage tank, and the other side outputs gas through a pressure reducing valve. The bottom of the outer cabinet is equipped with a heating device, and the top is equipped with a temperature controller.

5. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-storage tank, high-temperature sterilization tank, cooling cabinet, rear-storage tank, and heating cabinet are all made of stainless steel.

6. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating cabinet can heat gas temperatures ranging from 25 to 300°C, and the cooling cabinet can cool gas temperatures ranging from 0 to 50°C.

7. The rapid gas sterilization device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas generating device can be equipped with an oxygen generator to achieve rapid sterilization of pure oxygen.

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