Bacillus purification pipeline system and method applied to food safety production

Abstract

The invention relates to a bacillus purification pipeline system and method applied to food safety production, the system comprises a plurality of electric pulse reaction modules which are sequentially arranged at intervals along a pipeline, and each module comprises a rotary pulse electrode array, a pulse generator and a plasma excitation unit. The rotary pulse electrode array is rotatably mounted in the pipeline and is used for generating a rotary electric pulse field; the pulse generator is connected with the electrode array to generate irreversible electric pulses; and the plasma excitation unit generates plasma under the action of an electric pulse field. Through the synergistic effect of the electric pulse field, the irreversible electric pulse and the plasma, multi-stage physical impact and chemical oxidation inactivation of bacillus in the pipeline are realized. The invention also correspondingly provides a purification method. The system can effectively solve the problems that in the prior art, bacillus inactivation is not thorough, and treatment is not uniform, and has the advantages of being high in purification efficiency, free of chemical residues, suitable for continuous food production pipelines and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food production safety, and specifically relates to a Bacillus purification pipeline system and method for food safety production. Background Technology

[0003] Bacillus is a group of Gram-positive, aerobic or facultative anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria belonging to the Bacillusaceae family. It is widely distributed in soil, water, air, animal and plant intestines, and food. The most prominent characteristic of Bacillus is its ability to form endospores (spores). This structure endows it with extremely strong resistance, allowing it to withstand high temperatures (e.g., surviving treatment at 120°C for 20 minutes), drying, radiation, acids and alkalis, and conventional disinfectants. At the same time, it easily forms biofilms to protect its bacterial flora, increasing the difficulty of eradication. This leads to the following hazardous characteristics in food production: (I) Pathogenicity threat. When humans ingest food containing pathogenic Bacillus, they will exhibit various clinical symptoms. Pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus cereus can produce heat-resistant enterotoxins, leading to food poisoning in the form of vomiting (short incubation period, severe vomiting) or diarrhea (abdominal pain, watery stools). In severe cases, it can cause sepsis, meningitis, or even death. Only 100 CFU / g in infant food can cause illness. Similarly, Bacillus anthracis can cause anthrax, which has a high mortality rate. (II) Wide range of contamination. Bacillus can contaminate food through raw materials (such as raw milk and meat products), processing equipment (such as pipeline biofilms), storage, and transportation, affecting multiple food production safety areas such as dairy products, meat products, and beverages.

[0004] Therefore, under the premise of ensuring that nutrients are not deactivated or denatured during food processing, there is an urgent need for a system that can purify Bacillus bacteria that may be involved in food production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, this invention provides a Bacillus purification pipeline system and method for food safety production. The technical problem to be solved by this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: This invention provides a Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production, comprising: multiple electrical pulse reaction modules arranged sequentially and at intervals within a pipeline; each electrical pulse reaction module including a rotating pulse electrode array, a pulse generator, and a plasma excitation unit; wherein the rotating pulse electrode array is rotatably mounted within the pipeline and is used to generate a rotating electrical pulse field based on the electrode array during rotation; the pulse generator is electrically connected to the rotating pulse electrode array and is used to generate irreversible electrical pulses; the plasma excitation unit is used to generate plasma under the action of the electrical pulse field; and the Bacillus in the pipeline is inactivated by the electrical pulse field, the irreversible electrical pulses, and the plasma.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotating pulse electrode array includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a ring, and the surface of each electrode is coated with a nanodiamond coating.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotating pulse electrode array is disposed on a rotating base, and each electrode surface is provided with a spiral groove for guiding fluid to form vortex motion.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the voltage parameter range of the pulse generator is 5~30kV, the pulse width parameter range is 1~10μs, and the frequency parameter range is 10~200Hz.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, an inert gas is injected into the electric pulse reaction module through the plasma excitation unit, and the plasma is obtained by breaking down the injected inert gas through the electric pulse field.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inert gas is argon, and the injection flow rate of the argon is 0.1 L / min.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes a pretreatment module, which is disposed upstream of the electro-pulse reaction module along the pipeline and includes a stainless steel filter screen, an activated carbon adsorption layer, and a reverse osmosis membrane arranged sequentially. The stainless steel filter screen is used to filter out particulate matter in the pipeline fluid; the activated carbon adsorption layer is used to filter out organic matter and chlorine in the pipeline fluid; and the reverse osmosis membrane is used to reduce the conductivity of the pipeline fluid to improve the ablation efficiency of the irreversible electro-pulse.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes a post-treatment module disposed downstream of the electro-pulse reaction module along the pipeline. The post-treatment module includes a free radical neutralization unit and a cooling unit. The free radical neutralization unit includes an ultraviolet LED unit and a catalytic filter layer. The ultraviolet LED unit is used to decompose H2O2 in the pipeline fluid. The catalytic filter layer is used to adsorb residual active substances in the pipeline fluid. The cooling unit is a plate heat exchanger used to control the outlet water temperature of the pipeline fluid.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes an intelligent control module. The intelligent control module includes a sensor network composed of multiple sensors and a control unit. The sensor network is used to acquire sensor data of the pipeline contents. The multiple sensors are disposed inside the pipeline and include one or more of a total dissolved solids sensor, a pH sensor, a redox potential sensor, and a flow sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the pulse generator, the plasma excitation unit, the sensor network, and the post-processing module, respectively, and is used to control the purification process of the pipeline system based on the sensor data acquired by the sensor network.

[0014] This invention also provides a Bacillus purification method for food safety production, employing the aforementioned Bacillus purification pipeline system, the method comprising: The rotating pulse electrode array, pulse generator, and plasma excitation unit in multiple electrical pulse reaction modules are activated, causing the pipeline fluid to pass through the multiple electrical pulse reaction modules in sequence. The rotating pulse electrode array generates a rotating electric pulse field, which exerts a physical impact on the Bacillus in the fluid. The pulse generator generates irreversible electrical pulses, inducing an irreversible electroporation effect. Plasma is generated through the plasma excitation unit, releasing reactive oxygen species for chemical oxidation. The Bacillus spores in the pipeline are inactivated step by step through multiple electrical pulse reaction modules.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention relates to a Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production. Through the cascaded design of multiple electrical pulse reaction modules and the synergistic effect of rotating pulse electrode arrays, pulse generators, and plasma excitation units within each module, it effectively solves the problems of incomplete Bacillus inactivation and uneven treatment in existing technologies. The dynamic electrical pulse field generated by the rotating electrodes ensures full coverage of the treatment area, avoiding the formation of flow dead zones; the progressive treatment mechanism of the multi-level modules achieves layer-by-layer destruction of the spore structure; and the synergistic effect of irreversible electrical pulses and plasma forms a dual inactivation pathway of physical impact and chemical oxidation. This system significantly improves the purification efficiency for thermoresistant Bacillus while avoiding chemical disinfectant residues, meeting the hygiene requirements of food safety production.

[0016] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of a Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the preprocessing module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram (first view) of the structure of the electrical pulse response module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram (second view) of the structure of the electrical pulse response module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the post-processing module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a Bacillus purification method for food safety production provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Reference numerals: 10-Pretreatment module; 11-Stainless steel filter screen; 12-Activated carbon adsorption layer; 13-Reverse osmosis membrane; 20-Electro-pulse reaction module; 21-Rotating pulse electrode array; 22-Rotating base; 23-Pulse generator; 24-Plasma excitation unit; 30-Post-treatment module; 31-Free radical neutralization unit; 311-Ultraviolet LED unit; 312-Catalytic filter layer; 32-Cooling unit; 40-Intelligent control module; 41-Sensor network; 42-Control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the intended purpose, the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, describes a Bacillus purification pipeline system and method for food safety production based on the present invention.

[0020] The foregoing and other technical contents, features, and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Through the description of the specific embodiments, a more in-depth and concrete understanding can be gained of the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve its intended purpose. However, the accompanying drawings are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of a Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the preprocessing module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram (first view) of the structure of the electrical pulse response module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram (second view) of the structure of the electrical pulse response module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the post-processing module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] In this embodiment, the Bacillus purification pipeline system applied to food safety production includes: multiple electrical pulse reaction modules 20 arranged sequentially and at intervals within the pipeline. These modules can be cascaded in multiple stages according to the actual contamination level of the liquid being treated, ensuring a more efficient purification effect. Specifically, each electrical pulse reaction module 20 includes a rotating pulse electrode array 21, a pulse generator 23, and a plasma excitation unit 24. The rotating pulse electrode array 21 is rotatably mounted within the pipeline and generates a rotating electrical pulse field based on the electrode array during rotation. The pulse generator 23 is electrically connected to the rotating pulse electrode array 21 and generates irreversible electrical pulses. The plasma excitation unit 24 generates plasma under the action of the electrical pulse field. Specifically, inert gas is injected into the electrical pulse reaction module 20 through the plasma excitation unit 24, and plasma is obtained by the electrical pulse field breaking down the injected inert gas. Thus, through the synergistic effect of the electrical pulse field, irreversible electrical pulses, and plasma, the Bacillus in the pipeline is inactivated.

[0023] In one optional embodiment, the rotating pulse electrode array 21 includes multiple electrodes arranged in a ring. The electrodes can be made of titanium alloy, and the spacing between them can be set within the range of 5-20 mm, adjustable according to actual usage requirements. The rotating pulse electrode array 21 is mounted on a rotating base 22, which is driven by a rotating motor with a rotation speed of 30 rpm, forming a rotating electric pulse field. Specifically, when the electrode array is connected to a pulse power supply, a high-intensity pulsed electric field is formed in its surrounding space. This electric field effectively acts on Bacillus subtilis, causing irreversible physical damage and chemical degradation to the cell structure, ultimately leading to cell death. Through rotational motion, the electrode array maintains the basic pulsed electric field effect while further optimizing the uniformity of the electric field distribution.

[0024] Furthermore, the fluid shear force generated by rotation effectively prevents substances in the surrounding medium from adhering to the electrode surface, thus providing a continuous self-cleaning effect. Further, each electrode surface is provided with spiral grooves to guide the fluid into vortex motion, enhancing the self-cleaning effect. Still further, each electrode surface is coated with a nano-diamond coating to enhance the electrode's wear resistance and improve its service life.

[0025] For example, the pulse generator 23 is disposed outside the pipe and connected by circuit lines to generate pulse output with electrical characteristic parameters. Specifically, its voltage parameter ranges from 5 to 30 kV, its pulse width parameter ranges from 1 to 10 μs, and its frequency parameter ranges from 10 to 200 Hz. This ensures the generation of effective irreversible electrical pulses through precise control of electrical parameters, thereby achieving effective, safe, and controllable precise ablation of the target tissue.

[0026] It is worth noting that this invention generates irreversible electrical pulses based on the pulse generator 23. By applying a short-duration, high-intensity electric field, irreversible nanoscale pores are formed on the cell membrane, leading to cell membrane structure damage and osmotic pressure imbalance, ultimately inducing apoptosis or necrosis, which can effectively improve the inactivation rate of Bacillus. At the same time, irreversible electrical pulse perforation has the advantages of non-thermal ablation, selective destruction, and rapid and efficient operation, which not only improves the purification efficiency of Bacillus but also fully ensures that nutrients in food processing are not inactivated or denatured.

[0027] For example, the inert gas injected by the plasma excitation unit 24 into the electrical pulse reaction module 20 can be argon. Preferably, the inert gas injection point is located near the electrode array and is evenly distributed through nozzles, and the argon injection flow rate can be set to 0.1 L / min.

[0028] Argon gas, under irreversible electric pulses, generates low-temperature plasma in the liquid within a pipe through pulsed breakdown, which is used for synergistic sterilization. The generation of plasma from argon gas under a pulsed electric field is a process of converting electrical energy into the internal energy of the gas, causing it to ionize and form charged particles. The principle is that when a pulsed electric field is applied to argon gas, the trace amounts of free electrons present in nature are accelerated under the strong electric field, gaining high kinetic energy. These electrons collide with argon atoms; when their kinetic energy exceeds the ionization energy of the argon atom, they knock away the outer electrons of the argon atom, producing a new free electron and a positively charged argon ion. The newly generated free electron is immediately accelerated by the electric field to collide with other neutral argon atoms, triggering more ionization events. This process grows exponentially, generating a large number of electrons and ions in an extremely short time (on the nanosecond scale), rapidly forming a conductive gas—plasma—comprising electrons, argon ions, and neutral particles, which is electrically neutral overall. A key advantage of pulsed electric fields is their ability to generate non-thermal equilibrium plasma, also known as cold plasma. This is because electrons, with their extremely light mass, can rapidly absorb energy from a high-frequency changing electric field, moving at extremely high speeds (the equivalent electron temperature can reach tens of thousands of degrees Celsius); while ions, with a mass much greater than electrons, have greater inertia and respond slowly to rapidly changing electric fields, their temperature remaining essentially constant. Therefore, the macroscopic temperature of the entire plasma can approach room temperature, but the electrons within it possess extremely high energy, sufficient to trigger various chemical reactions. After the pulse ends, the electric field disappears, and charged particles gradually dissipate through diffusion to the container walls or recombination, causing the plasma to dissipate. If the pulses are continuous or repetitive, this process will repeat cyclically, maintaining the existence of the plasma.

[0029] It is noteworthy that Bacillus spores possess an extremely dense and rigid cortex, as well as a modified internal cell membrane, making them highly resistant to traditional sterilization methods such as heat, chemical disinfectants, and radiation. The physical energy of high-frequency electrical pulses can directly penetrate or disturb this protective structure. Under the influence of the electric field, this causes irreversible, large-area perforation of the inner membrane, leading to leakage of cell contents and complete structural disintegration. In this process, electroporation is the physical basis, while the reactive particles generated by ionization chemically attack intracellular life-sustaining substances (such as enzymes and DNA). The shock wave further physically breaks down the damaged structure, significantly reducing the likelihood of spore reactivation through a multi-target, synergistic mechanism.

[0030] In an optional embodiment, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes a pretreatment module 10, which is disposed upstream of the electro-pulse reaction module 20 along the pipeline. The pretreatment module 10 includes a stainless steel filter screen 11, an activated carbon adsorption layer 12, and a reverse osmosis membrane 13 arranged sequentially. The stainless steel filter screen 11 is used to filter out particulate matter in the pipeline fluid; the activated carbon adsorption layer 12 is used to filter out organic matter and chlorine in the pipeline fluid; and the reverse osmosis membrane 13 is used to reduce the conductivity of the pipeline fluid.

[0031] For example, the stainless steel filter screen 11 can be set to a filtration diameter of 20 μm and arranged in multiple layers in a staggered pattern; the reverse osmosis membrane 13 can reduce the conductivity of the fluid in the pipeline to below 50 μS / cm to improve the ablation efficiency of the irreversible electrical pulse. Specifically, the core of the irreversible electrical pulse is to use a high-intensity, short-duration electric field pulse to form irreversible nanoscale micropores on the cell membrane, disrupting the homeostasis of the intracellular and extracellular environment, and ultimately inducing targeted cell apoptosis and necrosis. Its effect is highly dependent on the actual electric field strength acting on the cell. The conductivity of water is an indicator of its ability to conduct electricity, mainly determined by the number of dissolved ions in the water; reverse osmosis technology can effectively remove these ions, significantly reducing the conductivity of water. This creates a low-conductivity environment, allowing the applied electrical energy to be used more efficiently and concentratedly to change the transmembrane potential of the cell membrane, thereby ensuring the determinism of ablation.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes a post-treatment module 30, which is disposed downstream of the electro-pulse reaction module 20 along the pipeline. The post-treatment module 30 includes a free radical neutralization unit 31 and a cooling unit 32. The free radical neutralization unit 31 includes an ultraviolet LED unit 311 and a catalytic filter layer 312. The ultraviolet LED unit 311 is used to decompose H2O2 in the pipeline fluid. The catalytic filter layer 312 is used to adsorb residual active substances in the pipeline fluid. The cooling unit 32 is a plate heat exchanger used to control the outlet water temperature of the pipeline fluid. By controlling the outlet water temperature below 25 degrees Celsius, it is adapted to the needs of most food processing.

[0033] For example, the ultraviolet LED unit 311 may use 275nm wavelength ultraviolet LED beads arranged at intervals to decompose H2O2 introduced from the outside into the pipeline fluid, so as to avoid affecting the flavor of food; the main material of the catalytic filter layer 312 is silver-loaded activated carbon, which is used to adsorb the remaining active substances in the pipeline fluid, mainly including free radicals that are not completely degraded during the plasma generation process, such as hydroxyl radicals, sulfate radicals, and carbonate radicals.

[0034] In an optional embodiment, the Bacillus purification pipeline system further includes an intelligent control module 40. The intelligent control module 40 includes a sensor network 41 composed of multiple sensors and a control unit 42. The sensor network 41 is used to acquire sensing data of the pipeline contents. The multiple sensors are disposed inside the pipeline and include one or more of a total dissolved solids sensor, a pH sensor, a redox potential sensor, and a flow sensor. The control unit 42 is electrically connected to a pulse generator 23, a plasma excitation unit 24, the sensor network 41, and a post-processing module 30, respectively, and is used to control the purification process of the pipeline system based on the sensing data acquired by the sensor network 41.

[0035] It is worth noting that the coordinated use of the pretreatment module 10 and the posttreatment module 30 ensures the stable operation of the system under various working conditions, enabling the system to flexibly adapt to different food production processes and levels of contamination. Simultaneously, the intelligent control module 40 achieves real-time monitoring of the liquid state in the pipeline through the sensor network 41, and can make real-time adjustments through the control unit 42, such as dynamically adjusting pulse energy, thus realizing precise adjustment of processing parameters and fully automated management of the entire process.

[0036] Example 2 like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a Bacillus purification method for food safety production provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] In this embodiment, the Bacillus purification method applied to food safety production adopts the Bacillus purification pipeline system of Example 1, and the method includes: Step 1: Activate the rotating pulse electrode array, pulse generator, and plasma excitation unit in multiple electric pulse reaction modules to allow the fluid in the pipeline to pass through multiple electric pulse reaction modules in sequence; Step 2: A rotating electric pulse field is generated by a rotating pulse electrode array to exert a physical impact on the Bacillus in the fluid; Step 3: Generate irreversible electrical pulses using a pulse generator to induce an irreversible electroporation effect; Step 4: Generate plasma through the plasma excitation unit to release reactive oxygen species for chemical oxidation; Step 5: The Bacillus spores in the pipeline are inactivated step by step through multiple electrical pulse reaction modules.

[0038] Example 3 To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and implement this invention, the specific implementation principles of this invention are further explained below in conjunction with specific application scenarios.

[0039] The Bacillus purification pipeline system and method of this invention, applied to food safety production, can be used in the production of beverages or canned goods. Since the main component of such products is liquid, microbiological indicators directly determine the product's shelf life and safety. Bacillus in water, especially heat-resistant species, is a major factor leading to product spoilage and potential safety risks. Traditional ultra-high temperature or chemical disinfection methods may affect water quality or incur high operating costs.

[0040] This invention provides efficient and chemical-residue-free online sterilization of process water that is about to be injected into products or used as an ingredient, ensuring the microbial safety of the water source.

[0041] Specifically, the system inlet is connected to the factory's water supply pipeline, and the outlet is connected to the filling or batching system. Depending on the water quality, multi-stage electro-pulse reaction modules can be cascaded. The water to be treated first enters the pretreatment module, where it flows through a 20μm stainless steel filter screen, effectively intercepting any small particles that may be present in the water, preventing them from causing wear or blockage to subsequent precision components. It then passes through an activated carbon adsorption layer, adsorbing residual trace organic matter, residual chlorine, and odor-causing substances in the water, preventing these substances from affecting the product flavor or generating unnecessary byproducts during the electro-pulse reaction. Finally, the water flows through a reverse osmosis membrane, stabilizing the water's conductivity to below 50μS / cm (e.g., reaching 10-30μS / cm). This low conductivity medium significantly improves the electric field strength and efficiency of the irreversible electro-pulse, ensuring that the pulse energy is more concentrated on microorganisms rather than being dissipated by ions in the water.

[0042] The pretreated low-conductivity water enters the electro-pulse reaction module. Based on the conventional level of microbial load in the raw water of the plant (such as the number of Bacillus is expected to be 10²~10³ CFU / mL), this embodiment adopts a two-stage cascaded electro-pulse reaction module mode to provide redundancy and ensure sterilization effect.

[0043] Driven by a rotating base, the rotating pulsed electrode array rotates at a uniform speed of 30 rpm. The nanodiamond coating on the electrode surface provides extremely high chemical inertness and mechanical hardness, effectively resisting electrochemical corrosion and contaminant adhesion. The spiral groove design on the electrode surface generates localized turbulence in the water flow, allowing for more thorough contact between microorganisms and the electrode surface, and achieving continuous self-cleaning. The pulse generator operates at a voltage of 15 kV, a pulse width of 5 μs, and a frequency of 100 Hz. Simultaneously, argon gas is injected into the electrode gap through a plasma excitation unit. Under the action of high-intensity electrical pulses, the argon gas is broken down, generating a low-temperature plasma rich in active particles in the water.

[0044] Microbial cells are attacked simultaneously by two physical effects: irreversible electroporation and oxidation by plasma-active substances. Irreversible electroporation works by creating irreversible nanoscale pores in the cell membrane through short-duration high-voltage pulses, leading to leakage of contents. Plasma-active substance oxidation works by generating active substances that penetrate and destroy the dense cortex of the spore, oxidizing its internal DNA and key enzyme systems. The synergistic effect of these two effects enables highly efficient and rapid inactivation of highly resistant Bacillus subtilis.

[0045] After sterilization, the water enters the post-treatment module. First, it flows through the UV LED unit, where trace amounts of oxidizing substances such as H2O2 that may have been generated during the sterilization process are photolyzed, eliminating their potential impact on the product's flavor. Subsequently, the water flows through a catalytic filter layer, which efficiently adsorbs any residual active free radicals or other unstable substances that may not have been completely decomposed by UV light, ensuring the stability of the effluent's chemical properties.

[0046] Finally, the cooling unit, composed of plate heat exchangers, precisely controls the outlet water temperature, which is slightly heated by the electric pulse and plasma, to below 25°C, in order to meet the process requirements of most beverage and canned products.

[0047] A sensor network, located at the water outlet, includes a total dissolved solids sensor, a pH sensor, a redox potential sensor, and a flow sensor to monitor the effluent water quality in real time and transmit the sensor data to the control unit. The control unit can dynamically fine-tune the parameters of the pulse generator based on the sensor data. For example, when the flow rate increases, the pulse frequency can be increased from 100Hz to 150Hz to ensure that the pulse energy density received per unit volume of water remains constant, maintaining a stable sterilization effect. Simultaneously, fault diagnosis is performed by analyzing the current waveform of the electrodes to assess the wear and tear of their surface coating and issuing warnings to operators before maintenance is required.

[0048] Example 4 The Bacillus purification pipeline system and method of this invention, applied to food safety production, can also be used for the cold sterilization pretreatment of raw milk in dairy production. Raw milk is a high-risk raw material for Bacillus contamination, especially Bacillus cereus originating from soil. Traditional pasteurization cannot kill spores, while ultra-high temperature sterilization affects the flavor and nutrition of milk.

[0049] This invention can be used as a cold sterilization pretreatment step after raw milk enters the factory, which can significantly reduce the Bacillus load in the raw milk, thereby allowing for gentler subsequent heat treatment, extending the product shelf life and better preserving the natural quality of the milk.

[0050] Specifically, since the conductivity and viscosity of milk are different from those of pure water, the system parameters need to be adjusted accordingly. In the pretreatment module, the reverse osmosis membrane is bypassed to maintain the original components of the milk.

[0051] Freshly chilled milk, after being filtered through a stainless steel screen to remove visible impurities and degassed, is pumped into the electro-pulse reaction module. To address the high conductivity of milk and the protective effect of its nutrient matrix, a three-stage cascaded electro-pulse reaction module is employed, with increased pulse energy. The pulse parameters are adjusted to: 25kV voltage, 8μs pulse width, and 150Hz frequency. The electrode spacing is further reduced to 8mm to maintain sufficient electric field strength. The argon flow rate in the plasma excitation unit can be increased to 0.15L / min to generate sufficient amounts of active substances in a protein- and fat-rich medium.

[0052] In the post-processing module, the outlet milk temperature is rapidly reduced to 4°C by a cooling unit to prevent microbial growth. The ultraviolet LED unit and catalytic filter layer effectively decompose and adsorb reactive oxides generated during processing that may affect flavor.

[0053] This invention relates to a Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production. Through the cascaded design of multiple electrical pulse reaction modules and the synergistic effect of rotating pulse electrode arrays, pulse generators, and plasma excitation units within each module, it effectively solves the problems of incomplete Bacillus inactivation and uneven treatment in existing technologies. The dynamic electrical pulse field generated by the rotating electrodes ensures full coverage of the treatment area, avoiding the formation of flow dead zones; the progressive treatment mechanism of the multi-level modules achieves layer-by-layer destruction of the spore structure; and the synergistic effect of irreversible electrical pulses and plasma forms a dual inactivation pathway of physical impact and chemical oxidation. This system significantly improves the purification efficiency for thermoresistant Bacillus while avoiding chemical disinfectant residues, meeting the hygiene requirements of food safety production.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that an article or device comprising a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the article or device comprising said element. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0055] The above description, in conjunction with specific preferred embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention. It should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production, characterized in that, include: Multiple electrical pulse reaction modules are sequentially and spaced apart within the pipeline. Each electrical pulse reaction module includes a rotating pulse electrode array, a pulse generator, and a plasma excitation unit. The rotating pulse electrode array is rotatably mounted inside the pipe and is used to generate a rotating electric pulse field based on the electrode array during rotation; the pulse generator is electrically connected to the rotating pulse electrode array and is used to generate irreversible electric pulses; the plasma excitation unit is used to generate plasma under the action of the electric pulse field. The Bacillus spores in the pipeline are inactivated by the electric pulse field, the irreversible electric pulse, and the plasma.

2. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating pulse electrode array includes multiple electrodes arranged in a ring, and the surface of each electrode is coated with a nanodiamond coating.

3. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating pulse electrode array is mounted on a rotating base, and each electrode surface is provided with a spiral groove to guide the fluid to form a vortex motion.

4. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage parameter range of the pulse generator is 5~30kV, the pulse width parameter range is 1~10μs, and the frequency parameter range is 10~200Hz.

5. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 1, characterized in that, Inert gas is injected into the electric pulse reaction module through the plasma excitation unit, and plasma is obtained by breaking down the injected inert gas through the electric pulse field.

6. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inert gas is argon, and the argon injection flow rate is 0.1 L / min.

7. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pretreatment module, which is disposed upstream of the electrical pulse reaction module along the pipeline. The pretreatment module includes a stainless steel filter screen, an activated carbon adsorption layer, and a reverse osmosis membrane arranged in sequence. The stainless steel filter screen is used to filter out particulate matter in the pipeline fluid; the activated carbon adsorption layer is used to filter out organic matter and chlorine in the pipeline fluid; and the reverse osmosis membrane is used to reduce the conductivity of the pipeline fluid to improve the ablation efficiency of the irreversible electrical pulse.

8. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a post-treatment module, which is disposed downstream of the electro-pulse reaction module along the pipeline. The post-treatment module includes a free radical neutralization unit and a cooling unit. The free radical neutralization unit includes an ultraviolet LED unit and a catalytic filter layer. The ultraviolet LED unit is used to decompose H2O2 in the pipeline fluid. The catalytic filter layer is used to adsorb residual active substances in the pipeline fluid. The cooling unit is a plate heat exchanger used to control the outlet water temperature of the pipeline fluid.

9. The Bacillus purification pipeline system for food safety production according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes an intelligent control module, which includes a sensor network composed of multiple sensors and a control unit. The sensor network is used to acquire sensing data of the contents of the pipeline. The multiple sensors are disposed inside the pipeline, including one or more of a total dissolved solids sensor, a pH sensor, a redox potential sensor, and a flow sensor. The control unit is electrically connected to the pulse generator, the plasma excitation unit, the sensor network, and the post-processing module, respectively, and is used to control the purification process of the pipeline system based on the sensor data acquired by the sensor network.

10. A method for purifying Bacillus bacteria used in food safety production, characterized in that, The method of using the Bacillus purification pipeline system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 includes: The rotating pulse electrode array, pulse generator, and plasma excitation unit in multiple electrical pulse reaction modules are activated, causing the pipeline fluid to pass through the multiple electrical pulse reaction modules in sequence. The rotating pulse electrode array generates a rotating electric pulse field, which exerts a physical impact on the Bacillus in the fluid. The pulse generator generates irreversible electrical pulses, inducing an irreversible electroporation effect. Plasma is generated through the plasma excitation unit, releasing reactive oxygen species for chemical oxidation. The Bacillus spores in the pipeline are inactivated step by step through multiple electrical pulse reaction modules.

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