Continuous sterilization device

Abstract

The utility model provides a continuous sterilization device and relates to the technical field of biological fermentation. The continuous sterilization device comprises a material storage tank, at least one heat exchanger, a heater, a sterile tank and a maintaining structure, the material storage tank is used for containing materials to be sterilized, the heat exchanger comprises a cold side channel and a hot side channel, the two ends of the cold side channel and the hot side channel are each provided with a feeding port and a discharging port, and the feeding port of the cold side channel is communicated with the material storage tank; one end of the heater is communicated with a discharge port of the cold side channel, and the other end of the heater is communicated with a feed port of the hot side channel through a maintaining structure; the sterile tank is communicated with a discharge hole of the hot side channel and is used for storing sterilized materials; wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of a spiral plate type heat exchanger and a winding pipe type heat exchanger, and the heater is at least one of a spiral plate type heater and a winding pipe type heater. The continuous sterilization device adopts indirect heating, has the characteristics of sustainability and continuous sterilization, and effectively reduces energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model generally relates to the field of bio-fermentation technology, and more specifically, to a continuous sterilization device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, raw materials for bio-fermentation must be sterilized before use. Conventional sterilization equipment mainly uses steam to directly heat and sterilize the materials. This heating process is time-consuming, consumes a large amount of steam, and causes temperature fluctuations with high flow rates. Incomplete sterilization of raw materials or products is possible, and the addition of steam can cause changes in material concentration, which is detrimental to the stable feeding of subsequent materials. Furthermore, the aforementioned equipment has high requirements for steam quality, such as purity, pressure, and temperature; otherwise, the reliability of sterilization will be directly affected. Existing heaters and heat exchangers require large heat exchange areas to achieve effective temperature rise and fall, resulting in large equipment size, weight, and space requirements. In addition, current sterilization methods are performed in batches, resulting in poor continuity and increased operational complexity. Utility Model Content

[0003] This utility model provides a continuous sterilization device. The continuous sterilization device is indirectly heated and has the characteristics of sustainable and continuous sterilization with flow feedback regulation. It has high sterilization efficiency, can not only eliminate the problem of material concentration change, but also reduce the requirements for steam quality. It can operate continuously without interruption, ensuring stable and reliable sterilization effect. Moreover, the heat exchanger and heater used can effectively improve space utilization.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a continuous sterilization apparatus is provided, characterized in that it comprises:

[0005] Storage tanks are used to hold materials to be sterilized;

[0006] At least one heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a cold side channel and a hot side channel, both ends of the cold side channel and the hot side channel are provided with a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, and the feed inlet of the cold side channel is connected to the storage tank;

[0007] A heater and a holding structure are provided. The heater includes a material channel and a steam channel. One end of the material channel is connected to the outlet of the cold side channel, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the hot side channel through the holding structure. The steam channel is used to heat the material channel.

[0008] The aseptic tank is connected to the outlet of the hot-side channel and is used to store sterilized materials.

[0009] The heat exchanger is at least one of a spiral plate heat exchanger and a wound tube heat exchanger, and the heater is at least one of a spiral plate heater and a wound tube heater.

[0010] In some embodiments, when the heat exchanger is a spiral plate heat exchanger, the cold side channel has a spiral structure and the hot side channel has a spiral structure.

[0011] And / or, when the heat exchanger is a wound tube heat exchanger, the heat exchanger includes a cold-side tube and a hot-side tube, the cold-side tube and the hot-side tube are wound together to form a spiral structure, the cold-side channel is disposed inside the cold-side tube, and the hot-side channel is disposed inside the hot-side tube.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cold-side passages of the plurality of heat exchangers are at least partially connected in series;

[0013] And / or, the hot-side channels of the plurality of heat exchangers are at least partially connected in series.

[0014] In some embodiments, the storage tank, the cold-side channels corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers, and the material channel of the heater are sequentially connected, and the support structure, the hot-side channels corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers, and the sterile tank are sequentially connected.

[0015] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger further includes a cold connecting pipe and a hot connecting pipe, wherein the cold side passages of two adjacent heat exchangers are connected through the cold connecting pipe, and the hot side passages of two adjacent heat exchangers are connected through the hot connecting pipe.

[0016] In some embodiments, the storage tank, the cold-side channels corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers, and the material channel of the heater are sequentially connected. The maintaining structure, a portion of the hot-side channels corresponding to the heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially connected, and another portion of the hot-side channels corresponding to the heat exchangers and the steam channel of the heater are connected.

[0017] In some embodiments, a cooling circulating water path is also included, wherein the maintaining structure, the hot-side channels corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially connected, the storage tank, the cold-side channels corresponding to a portion of the heat exchangers and the material channels of the heater are sequentially connected, and the cold-side channels corresponding to another portion of the heat exchangers are connected to the cooling circulating water path.

[0018] In some embodiments, when the heater is a spiral plate heater, the material channel has a spiral structure and the steam channel has a spiral structure;

[0019] And / or, when the heater is a wound tube heater, the heater further includes a material tube and a steam tube, the material tube and the steam tube are wound together to form a spiral structure, the material channel is disposed inside the material tube, and the steam channel is disposed inside the steam tube.

[0020] In some embodiments, the heater further includes:

[0021] A main steam pipeline, one end of which is used to introduce steam, and the other end of which is connected to the steam passage;

[0022] A steam auxiliary circuit, one end of which is connected to the main steam circuit, and the other end of which is connected to the material channel;

[0023] A sterilization valve is installed in the steam auxiliary circuit and is used to open and close the steam auxiliary circuit.

[0024] In some embodiments, the heater further includes:

[0025] A condenser tube, connected to the steam passage, is used to discharge condensate formed by the condensation of steam in the steam passage.

[0026] A condenser valve is installed on the condenser tube and is used to open and close the condenser tube.

[0027] In some embodiments, the storage tank, the cold-side channels corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers, and the material channel of the heater are sequentially connected. The maintaining structure, a portion of the hot-side channels corresponding to the heat exchangers, and the sterile tank are sequentially connected. Another portion of the hot-side channels corresponding to the heat exchangers are connected to the steam channel through the condenser tube of the heater.

[0028] In some embodiments, the support structure includes a support tube, which is at least one of a spiral structure, an S-shaped structure, or a stacked structure.

[0029] In some implementations, it also includes:

[0030] A check valve is installed in the connecting pipe between the cold side channel and the heater;

[0031] And / or, also includes:

[0032] At least one transfer pump is configured to transfer the material to be sterilized from the storage tank to the cold side passage;

[0033] And / or, also includes:

[0034] A flow sensor is installed in the connecting pipe between the delivery pump and the cold side channel.

[0035] One embodiment of this utility model has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0036] The continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment forms a fluid path with a storage tank, a cold-side channel inlet and outlet in a heat exchanger, a heater, a support structure, a hot-side channel inlet and outlet, and a sterile tank. The sterile tank is used to store the sterilized material. Sterilized material is continuously added to subsequent fermenters for fermentation as needed, while simultaneously, material to be sterilized is continuously added to the storage tank for sterilization. This ensures continuous and efficient sterilization, achieving industrial automation, reducing or eliminating manual intervention, and improving sterilization effectiveness.

[0037] The cold and hot sides of the heat exchanger are completely isolated, eliminating the risk of material cross-contamination and ensuring sterilization quality. The hot side of the heat exchanger is connected to the heater, preheating the cold side and fully utilizing the material's thermal energy to achieve energy conservation and consumption reduction. One or more heat exchangers can be installed to form a multi-layer heat exchange system, fully utilizing the material's temperature and recovering heat energy more completely to achieve energy conservation and consumption reduction.

[0038] The material channel and steam channel of the heater are completely isolated. Since the steam does not come into contact with the material, the requirements for steam quality such as purity, pressure and temperature are lower while ensuring the sterilization effect. This eliminates the problem of material concentration variation and reduces steam consumption.

[0039] Both heat exchangers and heaters can be selected from spiral plate or wound tube types, offering great flexibility and making full use of the internal space of the heat exchangers and heaters to increase the heat exchange area, save sterilization time, improve the heat exchange efficiency of the entire continuous sterilization device, reduce energy consumption, and save production costs.

[0040] The structure can be maintained by a holding tube to ensure first-in, first-out (FIFO) of materials, ensuring that all materials stay in the holding tube for approximately the same amount of time, resulting in better sterilization. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To better understand this invention, reference can be made to the embodiments shown in the following drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and related elements may be omitted to emphasize and clearly illustrate the technical features of this invention. Furthermore, related elements or components may have different arrangements as known in the art. Additionally, in the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components in various figures. The above and other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent by describing exemplary embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0042] in:

[0043] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0044] Figure 2The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment 2 of this utility model;

[0045] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment 3 of this utility model;

[0046] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment 4 of this utility model;

[0047] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment 5 of this utility model;

[0048] Figure 6 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the continuous sterilization device according to Embodiment Six of this utility model.

[0049] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0050] 1. Storage tank; 2. Transfer pump; 3. Flow sensor; 4. Heat exchanger; 401. First heat exchanger; 402. Second heat exchanger; 41. Cold side passage; 42. Hot side passage; 43. Cold connecting pipe; 44. Hot connecting pipe;

[0051] 5. Check valve; 6. Heater; 61. Material passage; 62. Steam passage; 63. Main steam path; 64. Auxiliary steam path; 65. Sterilization valve; 66. Condenser; 67. Condenser valve;

[0052] 7. Cooling circulating water system; 8. Maintenance structure; 9. Aseptic tank. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solutions of the exemplary embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Therefore, it should be understood that various modifications and changes can be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0054] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; the term "multiple" refers to two or more; and the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In particular, references to "the / described" object or "an" object are also intended to indicate one of a possible plurality of such objects.

[0055] Unless otherwise specified or stated, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, an electrical connection, or a signal connection; "connection" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer" described in the exemplary embodiments of this utility model are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the exemplary embodiments of this utility model. It should also be understood that, in the context, when an element or feature is mentioned as being "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" of another element (one or more), it can be directly connected to the other element (one or more) "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer," or it can be indirectly connected to the other element (one or more) "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" through an intermediate element.

[0057] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore their detailed description will be omitted.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] This embodiment provides a continuous sterilization device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes a storage tank 1, at least one heat exchanger 4, a heater 6, a holding structure 8, and a sterile tank 9. The storage tank 1 is used to contain the material to be sterilized. The heat exchanger 4 includes a cold-side channel 41 and a hot-side channel 42, both ends of which are provided with inlets and outlets. The inlet of the cold-side channel 41 is connected to the storage tank 1. One end of the heater 6 is connected to the outlet of the cold-side channel 41, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the hot-side channel 42 through the holding structure 8. The sterile tank 9 is connected to the outlet of the hot-side channel 42 and is used to store the sterilized material for supplying sterile material to subsequent processes.

[0060] It should be noted that the materials in the cold side passage 41 include, but are not limited to, materials to be sterilized, circulating water, chilled water, primary water, low-temperature air, and other cold materials. The materials in the hot side passage 42 include, but are not limited to, materials that have been sterilized, superheated water, condensed hot water, hot solvents, hot air, and other hot materials.

[0061] The continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment forms a fluid path with the storage tank 1, the inlet and outlet of the cold-side channel 41 in the heat exchanger 4, the heater 6, the maintainer, the inlet and outlet of the hot-side channel 42, and the aseptic tank 9. The aseptic tank 9 is used to store the sterilized material. Sterilized material is continuously added to subsequent fermenters as needed, while material to be sterilized is continuously added to the storage tank 1, enabling continuous and efficient sterilization operation, achieving industrial automation, reducing and eliminating manual intervention, and improving sterilization effectiveness.

[0062] The cold-side channel 41 and hot-side channel 42 of heat exchanger 4 are completely isolated, eliminating the risk of material cross-contamination and ensuring sterilization quality. The hot-side channel 42 of heat exchanger 4 is connected to heater 6, and can preheat the cold-side channel 41, fully utilizing the material's thermal energy to achieve energy saving and consumption reduction. One or more heat exchangers 4 can be installed as needed to form a multi-layer heat exchange system, fully utilizing the material's temperature and more completely recovering thermal energy to achieve energy saving and consumption reduction.

[0063] In addition, the continuous sterilization device adopts a fully enclosed design, which eliminates the need for exhaust during the sterilization process. This not only eliminates odors and saves energy and is environmentally friendly, but also saves disinfection time, making full use of the effective time for continuous long-term operation and improving sterilization efficiency.

[0064] Storage tank 1 is used to store materials to be sterilized, including sugar solutions, organic or inorganic salt solutions, solvents, and organically insoluble water-based liquids such as alkanes. Materials to be sterilized also include fermentation broth, seed culture, wastewater containing bacteria, conversion broth containing bacteria, and bacterial slurry. Examples include fermentation substrate and / or fermentation raw materials and / or fermentation products. The fermentation substrate includes water and aqueous solutions, which include inorganic salt solutions, nutrient salt solutions, organic nitrogen source solutions, inorganic nitrogen source solutions, trace element solutions, and carbon source solutions. These include one or more inorganic salts selected from phosphoric acid, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, diammonium hydrogen phosphate, potassium sulfate, potassium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, zinc sulfate, ferric sulfate, molybdenum sulfate, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, ferric chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium nitrate, and potassium nitrate; and one or more raw materials selected from alkenes, alkanes, alkynes, saturated fatty acids and their salts, unsaturated fatty acids and their salts, precursor substrates, amino acids and their salts, polypeptides, ethers, organic alcohols, organic acids and their salts, which are in liquid form or soluble in water. One or more carbon sources selected from fructose, glucose, lactose, galactose, ribose, deoxyribose, sucrose, maltose, cellobiose, trehalose, high-fructose corn syrup, and dextrin; one or more nitrogen sources selected from yeast powder, peptone, hair hydrolysate, yeast extract, corn steep liquor, urea, and soybean meal hydrolysate; one or more trace elements selected from B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, biotin, and folic acid; one or more fermentation products or byproducts selected from bacterial slurry, fermentation broth, seed liquid, bacterial wastewater, bacterial conversion broth, crude liquid extract and its solution, liquid refined product, and liquid solvent.

[0065] Specifically, the number of storage tanks 1 can be one or more. For example, there are two storage tanks 1. The two storage tanks 1 can simultaneously supply the material to be sterilized to the heat exchanger 4, and the two storage tanks 1 can serve as backups for each other.

[0066] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes a transfer pump 2. A storage tank 1 is connected to the inlet of the transfer pump 2 via a pipe, and the outlet of the transfer pump 2 is connected to the inlet of a cold-side channel 41 via a pipe. The transfer pump 2 is configured to transport the material to be sterilized from the storage tank 1 to the cold-side channel 41, providing the power for conveying the material to be sterilized. The number of transfer pumps 2 can be one or more, with multiple transfer pumps 2 connected in parallel to simultaneously transport the material to be sterilized, improving conveying efficiency. Furthermore, multiple transfer pumps 2 can serve as backups for each other, improving sterilization reliability.

[0067] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes a flow sensor 3, which is disposed in the connecting pipe between the delivery pump 2 and the cold-side channel 41, for detecting the flow rate of the connecting pipe. The flow sensor 3 can be a flow meter, and different types of flow meters are selected depending on the type of material to be sterilized. Specifically, if the material to be sterilized is a non-salt solution, a mass flow meter can be selected; if the material to be sterilized is a salt solution, an electromagnetic flow meter can be selected; of course, other forms such as a rotor flow meter can also be selected according to actual needs.

[0068] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes a flow regulating valve (not shown in the figure), which is disposed in the connecting pipe between the delivery pump 2 and the cold side channel 41 for regulating the flow rate of the connecting pipe.

[0069] For example, the continuous sterilization apparatus also includes a controller (not shown in the figure). The controller is electrically connected to the flow sensor 3 and the delivery pump 2. The flow sensor 3 can transmit the detected flow signal to the controller, which controls the frequency conversion of the delivery pump 2 to provide a stable feeding pressure, thereby improving the flow stability of the material to be sterilized and saving energy to a certain extent. Of course, when the pressure in the entire fluid path is too high, the controller can control the delivery pump 2 to stop to avoid overpressure, thus providing overload protection.

[0070] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes a level sensor (not shown in the figure), which is installed inside the sterile tank 9 to detect the liquid level within the tank. The level sensor is electrically connected to a controller, transmitting the detected level signal to the controller. The controller then controls the opening of the flow control valve and the delivery pump 2 to ensure the continuous delivery of the material to be sterilized, without affecting the material concentration or introducing other components, thus improving the stability of the material concentration supply. This feedback control method reduces manual operation, increases the level of automation, and enhances the operational stability of the equipment.

[0071] Among them, heat exchanger 4 is at least one of spiral plate heat exchanger and wound tube heat exchanger, and heater 6 is at least one of spiral plate heater and wound tube heater. The types of heat exchanger 4 and heater 6 can be freely selected and combined.

[0072] For example, in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 4 is a spiral plate heat exchanger, and the heater 6 is a spiral plate heater. This approach fully utilizes the internal space of the heat exchanger 4 and the heater 6, increases the heat exchange area, saves sterilization time, improves the heat exchange efficiency of the entire continuous sterilization device, reduces energy consumption, and saves production costs.

[0073] When heat exchanger 4 is a spiral plate heat exchanger, both the cold-side channel 41 and the hot-side channel 42 have a spiral structure. The spiral structure of the cold-side channel 41 and the hot-side channel 42 improves the smoothness of material transport to be sterilized, fully utilizes the internal space, increases the heat exchange area, saves sterilization time, and improves heat exchange efficiency.

[0074] Conventional sterilization equipment mainly uses steam for heating, which takes a long time, consumes a large amount of steam, and causes temperature fluctuations when the flow rate is high. This can result in incomplete sterilization of raw materials or products, and the addition of steam can cause changes in the concentration of materials, which is not conducive to the subsequent feeding of materials.

[0075] Therefore, such as Figure 1 As shown, the heater 6 includes a material channel 61 and a steam channel 62. The outlet of the cold side channel 41 is connected to the support structure 8 through the material channel 61. The steam channel 62 is used to transport steam and can heat the material channel 61. Specifically, the steam includes superheated steam, saturated steam, supersaturated steam, boiler waste steam, waste steam containing impurities, and recovered waste steam.

[0076] If the steam contains certain impurities, since the material channel 61 and the steam channel 62 are independent of each other, the steam and the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61 do not come into contact. This indirect heating method ensures the sterilization quality of the material, and the steam can be recycled pressurized waste steam, which has lower requirements for the quality of the supplied steam and saves production costs. At the same time, the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61 is preheated, which makes the temperature difference between the material channel 61 and the steam channel 62 relatively small. When heating with the steam channel 62, the material to be sterilized can be heated rapidly, which also helps to reduce the overall size of the device.

[0077] In this embodiment, the heater 6 is a spiral plate heater, the material channel 61 has a spiral structure, and the steam channel 62 has a spiral structure. The spiral structures of the material channel 61 and steam channel 62 fully utilize the internal space, increase the heat exchange area, save sterilization time, and improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0078] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus further includes a main steam line 63, an auxiliary steam line 64, and a sterilization valve 65. One end of the main steam line 63 is used to introduce steam, and the other end is connected to a steam passage 62. One end of the auxiliary steam line 64 is connected to the main steam line 63, and the other end is connected to a material passage 61. The sterilization valve 65 is disposed on the auxiliary steam line 64 and is used to open and close the auxiliary steam line 64.

[0079] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus includes an air intake regulating valve (not shown in the figure), which is disposed on the steam main line 63 and is used to regulate the steam intake flow rate.

[0080] Generally, the steam pressure entering the steam channel 62 is relatively high. Since the material channel 61 and the steam channel 62 are independent of each other, the steam and the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61 do not come into contact. The opening of the air intake regulating valve is adjusted by the feedback of the thermometer set at the outlet of the material channel 61 to ensure the constant sterilization temperature and the sterilization quality of the material. The pressure requirement of the supplied steam is also relatively low, which saves production costs.

[0081] When the continuous sterilization unit needs to be sterilized before its first use, the sterilization valve 65 is opened, and steam enters the material channel 61 through the main steam path 63 and the auxiliary steam path 64. Then, it enters the inlet of the hot-side channel 42 in the heat exchanger 4 through the holding structure 8, and is transported from the outlet of the hot-side channel 42 to the aseptic tank 9, forming a sterilization pathway to improve the thoroughness of sterilization of the material to be sterilized. Additionally, if there is residual material in the heat exchanger 4, heater 6, or holding structure 8, the steam will force the material out of these locations, achieving a material discharge effect.

[0082] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus further includes a check valve 5, which is disposed in the connecting pipeline between the cold side channel 41 and the heater 6. When sterilization is required, the check valve 5 prevents steam flowing out of the main steam line 63 from entering the cold side channel 41, thereby reducing the use of automatic control valves and reducing steam consumption.

[0083] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the continuous sterilization device also includes a condenser 66 and a condenser valve 67. The condenser 66 is connected to the outlet of the steam channel 62. Since the steam in the steam channel 62 has a high temperature, when it encounters the material channel 61 with a lower temperature, the steam condenses in the steam channel 62 to form condensate. The condenser 66 is used to discharge the condensate.

[0084] In one embodiment, the continuous sterilization apparatus further includes a condenser valve 67, which is disposed on the condenser tube 66 and used to open and close the condenser tube 66. The condenser valve 67 can be of either a float type or a lever float type, offering energy-saving advantages. By opening the condenser valve 67, condensate in the condenser tube 66 is discharged, improving the adequacy of steam heat exchange.

[0085] In one embodiment, the holding structure 8 includes a holding tube, one end of which is connected to the outlet of the material channel 61 in the heater 6, and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the hot-side channel 42 in the heat exchanger 4. Compared with existing holding tanks, the use of a holding tube can ensure the first-in, first-out flow of the material to be sterilized, thereby ensuring the holding time and sterilization effect of the material to be sterilized.

[0086] The holding tube is at least one of a spiral structure, an S-shaped structure, or a stacked structure. For example, the holding tube is formed by stacking multiple S-shaped structures, or the holding tube is a spiral rising structure, which can increase the flow time of the material to be sterilized, prolong the holding time, and improve the sterilization effect.

[0087] It is understood that the shape of the holding tube depends on the installation space. This embodiment does not limit the shape of the holding tube, as long as it can maintain the continuous upward flow of the material to be sterilized. In situations where space is limited, the diameter of the holding tube can be increased to ensure the holding time and reduce the installation space required. It is also understood that the length of the holding tube can be adjusted according to parameters such as the flow rate, diameter, and required holding time.

[0088] The working process of the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0089] Before continuous sterilization, sterilization treatment is required. Close the check valve 5 and open the sterilization valve 65. Steam enters the material channel 61 through the main steam line 63 and the auxiliary steam line 64. Then, it enters the feed port of the hot side channel 42 in the heat exchanger 4 through the holding structure 8 and is transported from the discharge port of the hot side channel 42 to the sterile tank 9 to form a disinfection passage.

[0090] During sterilization, the material to be sterilized is conveyed by the transfer pump 2 and pressurized to 0.7 MPa. The material to be sterilized enters the cold side channel 41 of the heat exchanger 4 and is preheated to above 110°C. The preheated material to be sterilized enters the material channel 61 of the heater 6. The steam in the steam channel 62 can heat the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61. When the material to be sterilized is heated to the sterilization temperature of 135°C to 145°C, the heated material to be sterilized flows into the holding tube and reaches the minimum sterilization time in the holding tube. Then, the sterilized material enters the hot side channel 42 of the heat exchanger 4 and exchanges heat with the material to be sterilized in the cold side channel 41 of the heat exchanger 4 to cool down to 25°C to 40°C. This not only increases the sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before indirect heating by steam, but also greatly reduces the temperature of the material after sterilization, realizing full utilization of heat and effectively reducing energy consumption. Finally, the material is stored in the aseptic tank 9.

[0091] Example 2

[0092] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that the number and connection method of the heat exchangers 4 are different.

[0093] The continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment can be equipped with multiple heat exchangers 4, all or part of them connected in series, to ensure full utilization of heat.

[0094] Specifically, the cold-side channels 41 of the multiple heat exchangers 4 are at least partially connected in series; and / or, the hot-side channels 42 of the multiple heat exchangers 4 are at least partially connected in series. This arrangement allows for heat recovery, increases the initial sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before being heated by the heater 6, reduces the temperature of the material entering the aseptic tank 9 after sterilization, and ensures that the concentration of the material to be sterilized is not diluted, effectively reducing energy consumption.

[0095] like Figure 2 As shown, the storage tank 1, the cold side channel 41 corresponding to the multiple heat exchangers 4 and the heater 6 are connected in sequence, and the maintenance structure 8, the hot side channel 42 corresponding to the multiple heat exchangers 4 and the sterile tank 9 are connected in sequence.

[0096] For example, heat exchanger 4 includes a first heat exchanger 401 and a second heat exchanger 402. The cold-side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 and the cold-side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 are connected in series, and the hot-side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 and the hot-side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 are connected in series. Specifically, the material to be sterilized in the storage tank 1 is conveyed to the cold-side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401, and then conveyed to the material channel 61 of the heater 6 through the cold-side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402. After being heated by steam in the steam channel 62, the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61 is conveyed to the hot-side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 through the holding structure 8, and finally conveyed to the sterile tank 9 through the hot-side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401.

[0097] Example 3

[0098] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that the number and connection method of the heat exchangers 4 are different.

[0099] like Figure 3 As shown, when the heat exchanger 4 is a spiral plate heat exchanger, the storage tank 1, the cold side channels 41 corresponding to multiple heat exchangers 4 and the heater 6 are connected in sequence, the maintenance structure 8, the hot side channels 42 corresponding to a part of the heat exchangers 4 and the sterile tank 9 are connected in sequence, and the hot side channels 42 corresponding to another part of the heat exchangers 4 and the steam channel 62 of the heater 6 are connected.

[0100] In this manner, the cold-side channels 41 of multiple heat exchangers 4 are all connected in series, and a portion of the hot-side channels 42 of the multiple heat exchangers 4 are connected in series to absorb and recover heat, thereby increasing the sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before heating by the heater 6. Since the heater 6 can provide a certain temperature for the material to be sterilized, by connecting the corresponding hot-side channels 42 of the heat exchangers 4 with the steam channels 62 of the heater 6, the condensate generated by the steam channels 62 of the heater 6 can be supplemented and supplied to this portion of the hot-side channels 42, achieving full utilization of heat. This not only increases the sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before heating by the heater 6, but also reduces the temperature of the material after sterilization when it enters the aseptic tank 9, effectively reducing energy consumption.

[0101] Since the condensate discharged from the condenser tube 66 of the heater 6 has a certain temperature, connecting the hot side channel 42 of another part of the heat exchanger 4 with the condenser tube 66 of the heater 6 can maximize the utilization of the heat energy of steam and condensate, and achieve efficient utilization of steam.

[0102] For example, heat exchanger 4 includes a first heat exchanger 401 and a second heat exchanger 402, with the cold-side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 and the cold-side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 connected in series. One end of the hot-side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 is connected to the condenser 66, and the other end is used to discharge condensate. One end of the hot-side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 is connected to the holding structure 8, and the other end is connected to the sterile tank 9. Specifically, the material to be sterilized in the storage tank 1 is conveyed to the cold-side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401, and then conveyed to the material channel 61 of the heater 6 through the cold-side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402. After being heated by steam in the steam channel 62, it is conveyed to the hot-side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 through the holding structure 8, and finally conveyed to the sterile tank 9. The condenser 66 of the heater 6 is connected to the hot-side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 to preheat the cold-side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401.

[0103] The working process of the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0104] Before continuous sterilization, sterilization is required. Close the check valve 5 and open the sterilization valve 65. Steam enters the material channel 61 through the main steam line 63 and the auxiliary steam line 64. Then, it enters the feed port of the hot side channel 42 in the second heat exchanger 402 through the holding structure 8 and is transported from the discharge port of the hot side channel 42 to the sterile tank 9 to form a disinfection passage.

[0105] The material to be sterilized is conveyed and pressurized to 0.7 MPa by the transfer pump 2. The material to be sterilized enters the cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 for preheating, and then continues to be heated to above 110°C through the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402. The preheated material to be sterilized enters the material channel 61 of the heater 6. The steam in the steam channel 62 can heat the material to be sterilized in the material channel 61. When heated to the sterilization temperature of 135°C to 145°C, the heated material to be sterilized flows in the holding tube and flows out after at least the minimum sterilization time. Then, the sterilized material enters the hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 to exchange heat with the material to be sterilized entering the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 and preheat to 60°C to 80°C to ensure that materials with high freezing point or low solubility will not solidify or precipitate. The condenser tube 66 of the heater 6 delivers condensate to the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401. The hot side channel 42 and the cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 exchange heat, which can increase the sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before heating by the heater 6, and maximize the use of the heat energy of steam and condensate water to achieve efficient utilization of steam.

[0106] The number of heat exchangers 4 provided in this embodiment can be selected as multiple. During cooling, the material only passes through one or part of the heat exchangers 4, which not only increases the sterilization temperature of the material to be sterilized before heating by the heater 6, but also ensures the temperature of the material entering the tank after sterilization, making full use of the heat energy of steam and condensed hot water and improving the steam recovery and utilization rate.

[0107] Example 4

[0108] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that the number and connection method of the heat exchangers 4 are different.

[0109] If the material to be sterilized is a concentrated material, such as concentrated sugar, the temperature after evaporation and concentration will still be high, making it impossible to lower the temperature of the sterilized material to the operating temperature.

[0110] Therefore, such as Figure 4 As shown, the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment also includes a cooling circulating water path 7, a spiral plate heat exchanger 4, a maintenance structure 8, a hot side channel 42 corresponding to multiple heat exchangers 4 and a sterile tank 9 connected in sequence, a storage tank 1, a cold side channel 41 corresponding to a portion of the heat exchangers 4 and a material channel 61 of the heater 6 connected in sequence, and a cold side channel 41 corresponding to another portion of the heat exchangers 4 connected to the cooling circulating water path 7.

[0111] Among them, the cooling circulating water path 7 is an additional cold source, providing an external circulating heat exchange medium to the cold side channel 41 of another part of the heat exchanger 4, so that the cold side channel 41 and the hot side channel 42 of the other part of the heat exchanger 4 can exchange heat, realize the heat exchange and cooling process, and enable the sterilized material to reach the temperature used in normal processes.

[0112] For example, the heat exchanger 4 includes a first heat exchanger 401 and a second heat exchanger 402. The cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 is connected to the cooling circulating water channel 7. One end of the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 is connected to the storage tank 1, and the other end is connected to the material channel 61 of the heater 6. The hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 and the hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 are connected.

[0113] Specifically, the material to be sterilized in the storage tank 1 is transported to the material channel 61 of the heater 6 through the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402. After being heated by steam in the steam channel 62, it passes through the hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 and the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 in sequence through the holding structure 8, and is finally transported to the sterile tank 9. The cooling circulating water path 7 is connected to the cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401. The heat exchange medium in the cooling circulating water path 7 exchanges heat with the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 to further cool the sterilized material.

[0114] The working process of the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0115] Before continuous sterilization, sterilization treatment is required. Close the check valve 5 and open the sterilization valve 65. Steam enters the material channel 61 through the main steam line 63 and the auxiliary steam line 64. Then, it enters the feed inlet of the hot side channel 42 in the second heat exchanger 402 through the holding structure 8. After passing through the hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 and the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401, it is transported to the sterile tank 9 to form a disinfection passage.

[0116] The material to be sterilized is conveyed by the transfer pump 2 and pressurized to 0.7 MPa. It then enters the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402, where it is preheated to above 110°C. The preheated material then enters the material channel 61 of the heater 6. Steam in the steam channel 62 heats the material in the material channel 61. When the material reaches the sterilization temperature of 135°C–145°C, it flows through the holding tube and exits after at least the minimum sterilization time. Then, the sterilized material enters the hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 and exchanges heat with the material to be sterilized in the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 to pre-cool it to 90℃~100℃. Then, it passes through the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401, and the cooling circulating water path 7 is connected to the cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401, so that the hot side channel 42 and the cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 exchange heat to ensure that the temperature of the material after sterilization is not too high.

[0117] The heat exchanger 4 provided in this embodiment can be multiple, and the material only needs to pass through one or part of the heat exchanger 4 during heating. This not only ensures the temperature requirements of the material entering the tank after sterilization, but also enables the efficient use of the entire device.

[0118] Example 5

[0119] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that the number and structure of the heat exchangers 4 are different.

[0120] like Figure 5 As shown, in the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment, the heater 6 is a spiral plate heater, and the heat exchanger 4 is a wound tube heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 4 includes a cold side tube and a hot side tube, which are wound together to form a spiral structure. The cold side channel 41 is disposed inside the cold side tube, and the hot side channel 42 is disposed inside the hot side tube.

[0121] In this method, the cold-side tubes and hot-side tubes are heat exchange tubes with an intertwined spiral structure, which increases the heat exchange area, improves heat exchange efficiency, and speeds up the sterilization process. This not only saves sterilization time but also has the advantage of energy saving and consumption reduction, thereby reducing the waste of energy resources.

[0122] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger 4 further includes a cold connecting pipe 43 and a hot connecting pipe 44. The cold side channels 41 of two adjacent heat exchangers 4 are connected through the cold connecting pipe 43, and the hot side channels 42 of two adjacent heat exchangers 4 are connected through the hot connecting pipe 44.

[0123] For example, the heat exchanger 4 includes a first heat exchanger 401 and a second heat exchanger 402. The cold side channel 41 of the first heat exchanger 401 is connected to the cold side channel 41 of the second heat exchanger 402 through a cold connecting pipe 43. The hot side channel 42 of the second heat exchanger 402 is connected to the hot side channel 42 of the first heat exchanger 401 through a hot connecting pipe 44. The first heat exchanger 401 and the second heat exchanger 402 are connected in series, which can ensure a large flow rate, has relatively low requirements for material viscosity, and is not easily blocked during the heating process.

[0124] Example 6

[0125] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 5, except that the structure of the heater 6 is different.

[0126] like Figure 6 As shown, in the continuous sterilization device provided in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 4 is a wound tube heat exchanger, and the heater 6 is a wound tube heater. Specifically, the heater 6 also includes a material pipe and a steam pipe, which are wound together to form a spiral structure. The material channel 61 is disposed inside the material pipe, and the steam channel 62 is disposed inside the steam pipe.

[0127] In this method, the material pipe and steam pipe are heating pipes with an intertwined spiral structure, which increases the heat exchange area, saves sterilization time, improves heat exchange efficiency, saves energy and reduces consumption, thereby reducing the waste of energy resources and achieving the goal of reducing costs.

[0128] It should be noted that the embodiments of this utility model are merely one example of the principles employed by the present utility model, as shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that the principles of this utility model are not limited to any details or components of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings or described in the specification.

[0129] It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the detailed structure and arrangement of the components described herein. This invention can have other embodiments and can be implemented and performed in various ways. The foregoing variations and modifications fall within the scope of this invention. It should be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more individual features mentioned or apparent in the text and / or drawings. All these different combinations constitute multiple alternative aspects of this invention. The embodiments described in this specification illustrate the best known mode for implementing this invention and will enable those skilled in the art to utilize this invention.

[0130] Other embodiments of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The present invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and exemplary embodiments are to be considered as exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are indicated by the appended claims.

[0131] It should be understood that this utility model is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of protection of this utility model is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A continuous sterilization apparatus characterized by comprising: The application relates to a sterilization device. The device comprises: a storage tank for containing materials to be sterilized; at least one heat exchanger, which comprises a cold-side channel and a hot-side channel, both ends of the cold-side channel and the hot-side channel are provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the cold-side channel is communicated with the storage tank; a heater, which comprises a material channel and a steam channel, one end of the material channel is communicated with the outlet of the cold-side channel, the other end of the material channel is communicated with the inlet of the hot-side channel through a maintaining structure, and the steam channel is used for heating the material channel; a sterile tank, which is communicated with the outlet of the hot-side channel and is used for storing sterilized materials; 2. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of a spiral plate heat exchanger and a coiled tube heat exchanger, and the heater is at least one of a spiral plate heater and a coiled tube heater. When the heat exchanger is a spiral plate heat exchanger, the cold-side channel is a spiral structure, and the hot-side channel is a spiral structure; 3. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, and / or, when the heat exchanger is a coiled tube heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprises a cold-side tube and a hot-side tube, the cold-side tube and the hot-side tube are wound to form a spiral structure, the cold-side channel is arranged in the cold-side tube, and the hot-side channel is arranged in the hot-side tube. The cold-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers are at least partially connected in series; 4. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, and / or, the hot-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers are at least partially connected in series.

5. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The storage tank, the cold-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers and the material channel of the heater are sequentially communicated, and the maintaining structure, the hot-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially communicated.

6. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The heat exchanger further comprises a cold communication pipe and a hot communication pipe, the cold-side channels of two adjacent heat exchangers are communicated through the cold communication pipe, and the hot-side channels of the two adjacent heat exchangers are communicated through the hot communication pipe.

7. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 3, wherein The storage tank, the cold-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers and the material channel of the heater are sequentially communicated, the maintaining structure, the hot-side channels of a part of the heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially communicated, and the hot-side channels of the other part of the heat exchangers and the steam channel of the heater are communicated.

8. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises a cooling circulating water path, the maintaining structure, the hot-side channels of a plurality of the heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially communicated, the storage tank, the cold-side channels of a part of the heat exchangers and the material channel of the heater are sequentially communicated, and the cold-side channels of the other part of the heat exchangers and the cooling circulating water path are communicated. The heater further comprises: a steam main path, one end of the steam main path is used for inputting steam, and the other end of the steam main path is communicated with the steam channel; a steam auxiliary path, one end of the steam auxiliary path is communicated with the steam main path, and the other end of the steam auxiliary path is communicated with the material channel; 9. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sterilization valve, which is arranged in the steam auxiliary path and is used for opening and closing the steam auxiliary path. The heater further comprises: a condensing pipe, which is communicated with the steam channel and is used for discharging condensed water formed by condensation of steam in the steam channel; a condensing valve, which is arranged in the condensing pipe and is used for opening and closing the condensing pipe.

10. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The material tank, the cold side channel corresponding to the plurality of heat exchangers and the material channel of the heater are sequentially communicated, the maintaining structure, the hot side channel corresponding to one part of the heat exchangers and the sterile tank are sequentially communicated, and the hot side channel corresponding to the other part of the heat exchangers is communicated with the steam channel through the condensing pipe of the heater.

11. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, When the heater is a spiral plate heater, the material channel is a spiral structure, and the steam channel is a spiral structure. When the heater is a spiral plate heater, the material channel is a spiral structure, and the steam channel is a spiral structure.

12. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The maintaining structure comprises a maintaining pipe, and the maintaining pipe is at least one of a spiral structure, an S-shaped structure and a stacked structure.

13. The continuous sterilization apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Further comprising: a check valve arranged in a connecting pipeline between the cold side channel and the heater; and / or further comprising: at least one conveying pump configured to convey the material to be sterilized in the material tank to the cold side channel; and / or further comprising: a flow sensor arranged in a connecting pipeline between the conveying pump and the cold side channel.

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