Control device for pasteurizer, pasteurizer, control method for pasteurizer, and program

Abstract

To provide a control device for a pasteurizer, a pasteurizer, a control method for a pasteurizer, and a program for surely preventing insufficient sterilization and over-sterilization and efficiently utilizing resources such as thermal energy.SOLUTION: A control device for a pasteurizer according to the present invention is the control device for a pasteurizer that thermally sterilizes an object transported on a tank by spraying treated water thereon, and includes a thermal sterilization degree calculation unit that calculates the degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water, and a treated water temperature adjustment unit that performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device for a pasteriser, a pasteriser, a control method for a pasteriser, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] A pasteurizer is a device that performs thermal sterilization by spraying heated treated water onto containers filled with liquids such as beverages while transporting them on a tank. Since the objects of thermal sterilization are beverages, etc., sufficient thermal sterilization is necessary, and various techniques for performing optimal thermal sterilization using a pasteurizer have been proposed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that calculates the thermal sterilization temperature in real time based on the position of the object to be thermally sterilized, and adjusts the conveying speed in the pasteurizer to adjust the temperature to an appropriate sterilization temperature. Patent Document 1 discloses that when the conveying of the object stops, the conveying speed is increased after the conveying is resumed, so that the object being sprayed with high-temperature treated water is evacuated to prevent over-sterilization.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for appropriate thermal sterilization by lowering the temperature at which the object is thermally sterilized when the transport speed of the object is slow, and by raising the temperature at which the object is thermally sterilized when the transport speed is fast.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a technology in which the conveying line of a pasteurizer is divided into two parts, upstream and downstream, and when conveying through the pasteurizer stops, once the stoppage time reaches half the time required for sterilization, high-temperature treated water is sprayed only on the upstream side of the conveying line, and once the stoppage time reaches the time required for sterilization, the entire conveying line of the pasteurizer is cooled with cooling water, thereby preventing over-sterilization of the target object. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-046389 A [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2015-513969 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-245015 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when the transport of objects through the pasteurizer stops, sterilization continues with treated water at the same temperature as before the stoppage while the pasteurizer is stopped, which may result in over-sterilization of the objects. In addition, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3, the conveying line of the pasteurizer is simply divided into two, and the processing for the divided conveying line is changed based only on whether the stop time has reached the time required for sterilization or half that time, so there is a possibility that insufficient sterilization and over-sterilization cannot be reliably prevented. Furthermore, there is a possibility that resources such as treated water, cooling water, and thermal energy will be lost.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a pasteurizer control device, a pasteurizer, a pasteurizer control method, and a program that can reliably prevent insufficient and over-sterilization while efficiently utilizing resources such as thermal energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The control device for a pasteurizer according to the present disclosure is a control device for a pasteurizer that thermally sterilizes an object transported on a tank by spraying treated water thereon, and includes a thermal sterilization degree calculation unit that calculates a degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water, and a treated water temperature adjustment unit that performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value.

[0010] The control method for a pasteurizer according to the present disclosure is a control method for a pasteurizer that thermally sterilizes an object transported on a tank by spraying treated water onto the object, and includes the steps of: calculating a degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on a temperature of the sprayed treated water; and, when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, performing a temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized.

[0011] The program according to the present disclosure causes a computer of a pasteurizer, which sprays treated water onto an object transported in a tank for thermal sterilization, to execute the steps of: calculating the degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water; and, when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, performing a temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water below a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the pasteurizer control device, pasteurizer, pasteurizer control method, and program of the present disclosure, insufficient sterilization and over-sterilization can be reliably prevented, and resources such as thermal energy can be efficiently utilized. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a pasteurizer according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the temperature of the treatment water and the temperature of the target object in the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control device of a pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining estimation of a temperature of an object by a control device of a pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the temperature of the treatment water, the temperature of the object, and the degree of thermal sterilization in the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing an example of a process of a control method for a pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result in the case where the control method for the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is not implemented. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result when the control method for the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control device of a pasteurizer according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of a process of a control method for a pasteurizer according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer equipped with a path-resolving device according to each embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and common descriptions will be omitted.

[0015] <First embodiment> Hereinafter, a pasteurizer 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0016] (Overall composition) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a pasteurizer according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment is configured to transport a plurality of objects P in the direction of the arrow 2a by a transport conveyor 2 in a housing 3 surrounded by an upper body 61 and a lower body 62. The objects P are continuously transported in the direction of the arrow 2a over tanks 4a to 4h by the transport conveyor 2, and are thermally sterilized by receiving treated water (hereinafter also referred to as shower water), which is a liquid such as heated water, from nozzle groups 5a to 5h installed on the upper body of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the object P to be thermally sterilized by the pasteurizer 1 is a product made of a container containing a liquid such as a beverage (hereinafter, the object is also referred to as the product). In the lower main body 62, tanks 4a to 4h are arranged for receiving and collecting the treatment water sprayed onto the target object P from each of the nozzle groups 5a to 5h. The nozzle groups 5a to 5b spray treated water (hereinafter also referred to as hot water) heated to a lower temperature (for example, about 25°C to 40°C) for gradually heating toward thermal sterilization, the nozzle groups 5c to 5f spray treated water (hereinafter also referred to as hot water) heated to a higher temperature (for example, about 40°C to 70°C) for thermal sterilization, and the nozzle groups 5g to 5h spray treated water for cooling (hereinafter also referred to as cooling water) at a lower temperature (for example, about 25°C to 40°C) below the temperature of the hot water. The temperature of the treated water sprayed by each nozzle group 5a to 5h can be set to a temperature other than the above-mentioned temperatures.

[0017] The treated water stored in each of the tanks 4a to 4h is supplied to the nozzle groups 5h, 5g, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5b, and 5a by pumps 7a to 7h through pipes 8a to 8h (collectively referred to as the piping system 8). That is, the treated water stored in each of the tanks 4a to 4h is circulated and supplied by the piping system 8 as the treated water to be sprayed onto the target object P. The pipes 8a to 8h are provided with temperature sensors 9a to 9h such as thermocouples that measure the temperature of the treatment water in each pipe (the water temperature from the tanks 4a to 4h). Therefore, the temperature of the treatment water sprayed from each of the nozzle groups 5h, 5g, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5b, and 5a is measured by the temperature sensors 9a to 9h, respectively.

[0018] In addition, pipes 22a-22h (collectively referred to as piping system 20) that supply heated treated water from a tank 21 by pumps 23a-23h are connected to each of the tanks 4a-4h. Treated water heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating mechanism (not shown) is stored in the tank 21, and the temperature of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a-4h can be increased by additionally supplying the heated treated water from the tank 21 to each of the tanks 4a-4h. Furthermore, a piping system 30 for supplying treated water for cooling is connected to each of the tanks 4a to 4h. By additionally supplying treated water for cooling to each of the tanks 4a to 4h, the temperature of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a to 4h can be lowered. That is, the pasteurizer 1 is provided with eight tanks 4a to 4h in which the temperature of the treated water can be set independently. In this embodiment, the pasteurizer 1 is provided with eight tanks, but the number of tanks provided in the pasteurizer 1 may be any number other than eight, and the number of tanks in which the temperature of the treated water can be set independently may also be any number other than eight.

[0019] The pasteurizer 1 includes the above-mentioned piping system 20 and piping system 30 as a temperature adjustment mechanism M for increasing or decreasing the temperature of the treatment water stored in each of the tanks 4a to 4h. In addition, the piping system 8 and the piping system 20 and piping system 30 of the temperature adjustment mechanism M are provided with various components (not shown) necessary for supply control of the treated water, such as valves and pressure gauges, in addition to the pumps 7a-7h and 23a-23h. The control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 controls the temperature adjustment mechanism M based on the temperature of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a-4h measured by the temperature sensors 9a-9h, and adjusts the temperature of the treated water stored in each of the tanks 4a-4h. In this way, the control device 10 can control the temperature of the treated water sprayed onto the target P from each of the nozzle groups 5a-5h.

[0020] Next, the relationship between the temperature at which the object P being heat-treated as it is transported on the conveyor 2 from the entrance side to the exit side by being sprayed with treatment water and the temperature of the treatment water sprayed from each nozzle group 5a to 5h will be explained with reference to Figure 2 as an example. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the temperature of the treatment water and the temperature of the target object in the pasteurizer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The horizontal axis in Fig. 2 indicates the transport position of the object P transported by the transport conveyor 2, with the tanks 4a to 4h in that order from left to right. In this embodiment, the length of each of the tanks 4a to 4h along the transport direction is 2400 mm for tanks 4a to 4c, 1800 mm for tanks 4d to 4e, 1200 mm for tank 4f, and 2400 mm for tanks 4g to 4h. The vertical axis indicates the temperature of the object P and the temperature of the treated water. Note that the length of each of the tanks 4a to 4h along the transport direction may be any length other than those mentioned above.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the object P, which has a temperature of about 5°C when it enters the inlet of the nozzle group 5a, is gradually warmed by being showered with hot water at a temperature ta (for example, about 29.7°C) sprayed from the nozzle group 5a, and is further warmed by being showered with hot water at a temperature tb (for example, about 38.8°C) sprayed from the nozzle group 5b in the nozzle group 5b. Next, the object P is heated by being showered with hot water at a temperature tc (for example, about 53.0°C) sprayed from the nozzle group 5c in the nozzle group 5c. Furthermore, the object P is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, about 52°C) required for sterilization by being showered with hot water at a temperature tdf (for example, about 53.5°C) sprayed from the nozzle groups 5d to 5f in the nozzle groups 5d to 5f, and the predetermined temperature is maintained. This allows the object P to be thermally sterilized.

[0022] Next, at the nozzle group 5g, the object P is gradually cooled from the predetermined temperature required for sterilization by receiving a shower of cooling water at a temperature tg (about 35.8°C) sprayed from the nozzle group 5g, and at the nozzle group 5h, the object P is cooled to about 30°C by receiving a shower of cooling water at a temperature th (about 26.7°C) sprayed from the nozzle group 5h. That is, the object P is heated, thermally sterilized, and cooled at the temperature line Tb shown in Figure 2. Here, the thermal sterilization means for the object P is a hot water shower. The temperature line Tb is a temperature line obtained by estimating the temperature Tp of the object P, as described below. Depending on the type and volume of the product, which is the object P to be thermally sterilized, the size of the container, such as the surface area, and the physical properties, such as the material, various values ​​obtained in advance by heat calculations, tests, etc. are stored in the memory unit 17 of the control device 10 to estimate the temperature Tp of the object P, and the estimated temperature Tp is used to calculate the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P.

[0023] The transport conveyor 2 transports an object P by a drive shaft 51 and a driven shaft 52 driven by a drive device (not shown). In addition, the drive shaft 51 is connected to a rotary encoder 53, which is a type of encoder, so that the amount of rotation of the drive shaft 51, i.e., information on the transport position of the object P on the transport conveyor 2, is subdivided, encoded, and can be detected. Here, the position information encoding device that subdivides and encodes the transport position information of the object P is a rotary encoder that subdivides and encodes the rotational angle information of the drive shaft 51, but it is not limited to this and can also be a linear encoder or linear potentiometer that subdivides and encodes linear position information, but detailed explanation will be omitted here. Furthermore, at the inlet of the pasteurizer 1, a product sensor 6 for detecting the presence or absence of the object P is provided.

[0024] The detection signal of the amount of rotation subdivided and encoded by the rotary encoder 53, the detection signal of the presence or absence of the object P by the product sensor 6, the measurement signals of the operation or non-operation of the pumps 7a to 7h, and the temperature of the treated water measured by the temperature sensors 9a to 9h are sent to the control device 10, and the pumps 7a to 7h are driven and controlled by the control device 10.

[0025] The detection signal of the amount of rotation subdivided and encoded by the rotary encoder 53, the detection signal of the presence or absence of the object P by the product sensor 6, the measurement signals of the operation or non-operation of the pumps 7a to 7h, and the treatment water temperature by the temperature sensors 9a to 9h are sent to the control device 10, and the pumps 7a to 7h are driven and controlled by the control device 10.

[0026] (Configuration of the pasteurizer control device) FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control device of a pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. 3, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit 11, a thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12, a treated water temperature adjustment unit 13, and a memory unit 17. The control device 10 controls the thermal sterilization of the object P in the pasteurizer 1 by controlling the temperature of the treated water sprayed on the object P transported on the tanks 4a to 4h, etc.

[0027] The information acquiring unit 11 is configured to acquire information (measurement signals) on the temperatures of the water to be treated in the respective tanks 4a to 4h measured by the temperature sensors 9a to 9h, and record the information in the memory unit 17. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to information on the temperature of the treated water in each tank 4a-4h, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to acquire information necessary for controlling the supply of treated water to the nozzle groups 5a-5h periodically or at the required timing (e.g., information on the valves and pumps of the piping system 8), information necessary for controlling the supply of treated water to each tank 4a-4h (e.g., information on the valves and pumps of the piping systems 20 and 30), information necessary for driving the transport conveyor 2 (e.g., the amount of rotation of the drive shaft 51 from the rotary encoder 53), etc., and record them in the memory unit 17.

[0028] The thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 is configured to calculate the thermal sterilization degree of the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h based on the temperature of the treatment water sprayed on the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h with reference to the memory unit 17. As described above, the temperature of the treatment water sprayed on the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h is recorded in the memory unit 17 as the temperature of the treatment water in each of the tanks 4a-4h measured by the temperature sensors 9a-9h. In this embodiment, the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 first estimates the temperature Tp of the object P based on the temperature of the treatment water sprayed on the object P in each of the tanks 4a to 4h, and calculates the thermal sterilization degree from the estimated temperature Tp of the object P.

[0029] For example, the temperature Tp of the object P can be estimated from the temperature (shower temperature) of the treatment water sprayed on the object P using the following formula (1).

number

[0030] Furthermore, for example, the F value, which is the degree of thermal sterilization, can be calculated from the estimated temperature Tp of the object P using the following formula (2). F = t × 10 (T-121.1 / Z) (2) Here, T (℃) is the sterilization temperature, t (min) is the sterilization time, and Z (℃) is the temperature difference that increases the sterilization power by 10 times. The F value is used to control the sterilization process of canned and retort foods, and is defined as the heating time required to kill all test microorganisms under certain conditions and at a certain temperature. Generally, the F value is the heating time (minutes) at a heating temperature of 250°F (121.1°C).

[0031] Generally, in sterilization process management of beer, etc., a PU value based on an F value is used as the degree of thermal sterilization. The PU value can be calculated from the following formula (3) by changing 121.6 to 60 and Z to 6.95 in the above formula (2) for the F value. In this embodiment, the PU value is used as the degree of thermal sterilization, so the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 calculates the PU value as the degree of thermal sterilization. PU=t×1.393(T-60) (3) Here, T (°C) is the sterilization temperature and t (min) is the sterilization time. Note that the degree of thermal sterilization may be determined using a value other than the PU value, and may be calculated using a formula and procedure other than the above formula (3).

[0032] In this embodiment, as described above, information on the transport position of the object P transported by the transport conveyor 2 is detected by subdividing each tank 4a to 4h in the transport direction by the rotary encoder 53, and input to the control device 10. For example, if the length of the tank is 1.2 m and is divided into 60 by the rotary encoder 53, one division is 20 mm, and if the conveyor speed of the transfer conveyor 2 is a fixed speed of 1 m / min, one division corresponds to 1 second. The thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 of the control device 10 can calculate in real time the PU value as the thermal sterilization degree of the object P, which depends on the sterilization temperature and sterilization time, by grasping the conveying position of the object P conveyed by the conveyor 2 in units subdivided along the conveying direction. The control device 10 has a clock function (not shown) and can calculate the PU value as the thermal sterilization degree in real time both when the object P is being conveyed and when the conveyance of the object P is stopped. The thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 stores the calculated thermal sterilization degree in the memory unit 17.

[0033] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the temperature of the treatment water, the temperature of the target object, and the degree of thermal sterilization in the pasteurizer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram in which a line graph of the PU value, which is the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P calculated by the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 of the control device 10, is added to FIG. 2, which shows the relationship between the temperature of the object P and the temperature of the treatment water described above. The right side of the vertical axis in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, when the object P is being transported by the transport conveyor 2, the PU value is almost zero when the object P is at the transport position of the tanks 4a to 4d, and reaches an appropriate value (e.g., about 0.66) when the object P is at the transport position of the tanks 4e to 4f, and the thermal sterilization of the object P is performed appropriately.

[0034] The treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 refers to the memory unit 17 and compares the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P in each of the tanks 4a to 4h with a predetermined upper limit value set for each tank. When the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than the predetermined upper limit value, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized. In this embodiment, the predetermined upper limit of the degree of thermal sterilization is set for each tank as a degree of thermal sterilization that reliably performs thermal sterilization of the object P, does not cause insufficient sterilization, and does not deteriorate the flavor or aroma of the beverage that is the content of the object P. The predetermined upper limit of the degree of thermal sterilization may be a common upper limit value rather than being set for each tank. The predetermined upper limit of the degree of thermal sterilization may be set as necessary to a degree of thermal sterilization other than the degree of thermal sterilization that does not deteriorate the flavor or aroma of the beverage that is the content of the object P. For example, the predetermined upper limit of the degree of thermal sterilization may be set empirically based on experiments or the like. In this embodiment, the non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized is a predetermined temperature empirically determined by experiments or the like. The non-thermal sterilization temperature may be specified as a value equal to or less than a predetermined value when calculating the degree of thermal sterilization dependent on time using, for example, the formula (2) or (3) described later. For example, if the PU value, which is the degree of thermal sterilization when thermal sterilization is performed at a temperature of 60 ° C for 1 minute, is calculated as 1.0, and the PU value, which is the degree of thermal sterilization when thermal sterilization is performed at a temperature of 50 ° C for 1 minute, is calculated as 0.04, the PU value at a temperature of 50 ° C or less is obviously lower than the PU value at a temperature of 60 ° C by an order of magnitude of 2 or more. In this embodiment, the non-thermal sterilization temperature is specified as 48 ° C as a temperature of 50 ° C or less, but any temperature may be specified as the non-thermal sterilization temperature based on the above-mentioned provisions.

[0035] The treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 controls the piping system 30 provided in the temperature adjustment mechanism M to supply additional treated water for cooling to each of the tanks 4a-4h, thereby lowering the temperature of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a-4h. For example, when the thermal sterilization degree of the object P in the tank 4d is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value specified for the tank 4d, the piping system 30 supplies treated water for cooling to the tank 4d, and controls the temperature of the treated water in the tank 4d to be lowered. On the other hand, if the comparison result indicates that the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is less than the predetermined upper limit, the treatment water temperature adjuster 13 does not perform the above-mentioned temperature lowering adjustment. In this embodiment, among the multiple tanks 4a to 4h included in the pasteurizer 1, the temperature lowering adjustment is performed only on the tanks 4c to 4f in which the temperature of the water to be treated exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature.

[0036] The memory unit 17 stores various information, such as information on the temperature of the treated water in each tank 4a to 4h acquired by the information acquisition unit 11, and various information required for the process of estimating the temperature Tp of the target object P and the process of calculating the thermal sterilization degree by the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12.

[0037] (Processing flow of the pasteurizer control method) Hereinafter, the flow of processing of the control method by the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing an example of a process of a control method by the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] 6 is started when, for example, some abnormality occurs and the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 stops. The timing when the transport of the object P stops may be, for example, the timing when a detection signal indicating the detection of a long-term stop of the transport conveyor 2 is input from the rotary encoder 53 to the control device 10. Alternatively, it may be the timing when another signal indicating the stop of the transport of the object P is input to the control device 10 from other than the rotary encoder 53. The process shown in FIG. 6 may be started at a timing other than the timing when the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 stops, or may be executed steadily.

[0039] The information acquiring unit 11 of the control device 10 acquires information (measurement signals) on the temperatures of the water to be treated in the tanks 4a to 4h measured by the temperature sensors 9a to 9h (step S101), and records the information in the memory unit 17. The thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 of the control device 10 refers to the memory unit 17 and calculates the thermal sterilization degree of the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h based on the temperature of the treatment water sprayed on the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h (step S102). In this embodiment, as described above, the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 estimates the temperature Tp of the object P based on the temperature of the treatment water sprayed on the object P in each of the tanks 4a-4h, calculates the PU value as the thermal sterilization degree from the estimated temperature Tp of the object P, and records it in the memory unit 17.

[0040] The treated water temperature adjusting unit 13 of the control device 10 refers to the memory unit 17 and compares the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P in each of the tanks 4a to 4h with a predetermined upper limit value set for each tank (step S103). Here, a case will be described in which the predetermined upper limit value of the thermal sterilization degree (PU value) is set to 2.0 for all of the tanks 4a to 4h, but the predetermined upper limit value of the thermal sterilization degree (PU value) may be set individually for each of the tanks 4a to 4h. In this embodiment, the temperature is lowered only in the tanks in which the temperature of the treated water exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature (e.g., 48°C), so that, for example, when the temperatures of the treated water in tanks 4a to 4h are 29.7°C, 38.8°C, 53.0°C, 53.5°C, 53.5°C, 53.5°C, 35.8°C, and 26.7°C, respectively, the following treatment is performed only in tanks 4c to 4f, which spray hot water exceeding 48°C. The following description will be given using tank 4d as an example.

[0041] If the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P in the tank 4d is calculated to be 1.5 by the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 and recorded in the memory unit 17, the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is less than the predetermined upper limit value, so the processing returns to the above step S101 (NO in step S103), and the above-mentioned steps S102 and onwards are repeated. On the other hand, if the thermal sterilization degree of the object P in the tank 4d is calculated to be 2.0 by the thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 and recorded in the memory unit 17, the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is equal to or greater than the predetermined upper limit value, so the process proceeds to the next step S104 (YES in step S103).

[0042] The treated water temperature adjusting unit 13 of the control device 10 performs temperature lowering adjustment for the tank 4d to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized or lower (step S104). Specifically, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 controls valves, etc. of the piping system 30 provided in the temperature adjustment mechanism M, and supplies additional treated water for cooling to the tank 4d, thereby lowering the temperature of the treated water in the tank 4d from 53.0°C to 48°C, which is below the non-thermal sterilization temperature. As a result, the temperature of the treatment water sprayed onto the object P on the tank 4d is lowered to 48°C. With this, the process shown in FIG. 6 ends.

[0043] (Simulation results of the pasteurizer control method) The difference between when the control method according to this embodiment is implemented and when it is not implemented will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result in the case where the control method for the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is not implemented. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a simulation result when the control method for the pasteurizer according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented. The horizontal axis in Fig. 7 to 8, like the horizontal axis in Fig. 5, indicates the transport position of the object P transported by the transport conveyor 2, in the order of the tanks 4a to 4h from the left. The vertical axis in Fig. 7 to 8, like the vertical axis in Fig. 5, indicates the temperature of the object P and the temperature of the treated water on the left side, and indicates the PU value, which is the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P, on the right side.

[0044] In the simulation results shown in Figure 7, a temperature line Tb1 of the temperature of the treated water, temperatures ta1 to th1 of the object P, and a line graph Pu1 of the degree of thermal sterilization (PU value) of the object P are shown after the control method of this embodiment is not implemented and the temperature of the treated water in each tank 4a to 4h is maintained for 30 minutes at the same temperature as before the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 is stopped. The temperatures ta1 to th1 of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a to 4h are 29.7°C, 38.8°C, 53.0°C, 53.5°C, 53.5°C, 53.5°C, 35.8°C, and 26.7°C, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, even after the transport of the object P was stopped, the temperature of the treated water in each of the tanks 4a to 4h remained the same as before the transport was stopped, and the object P was sprayed with water for 30 minutes. As a result, the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P continued to increase along the transport position of the tanks 4c to 4f, and the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reached a maximum value of approximately 3.79, resulting in over-sterilization.

[0045] On the other hand, the simulation results shown in Figure 8 show the state 30 minutes after the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 is stopped, when the control method of this embodiment described using Figure 6 is implemented. Specifically, for only tanks 4c-4f where the temperature of the treated water exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature (48°C), a determination is made as to whether the PU value of the object P is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit (e.g., 2.0), and temperature reduction adjustment is performed for the tanks when the PU value of the object P is equal to or greater than the predetermined upper limit, as explained in step S103 of Fig. 6. In this case, temperature reduction adjustment is performed for tanks 4d-4f to reduce the temperatures of the treated water from td1-tf1 (all 53.5°C) to td2-tf2 (all 48°C), respectively. As a result, even 30 minutes after the conveyance of the objects P is stopped, the maximum value of the thermal sterilization degree of the objects P in the tanks 4d to 4f is suppressed to 2.0 or less, preventing over-sterilization.

[0046] (Action and effect) As described above, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment is a control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 that thermally sterilizes the object P transported over the tanks 4a to 4h by spraying treated water on the object P, and includes a thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 and a treated water temperature adjustment unit 13. The thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 calculates the thermal sterilization degree of the object P based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water. When the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature or lower at which the object P is not thermally sterilized.

[0047] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment performs temperature lowering adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, thereby reliably preventing over-sterilization of the object P. In addition, by preventing over-sterilization, the object P can be thermally sterilized without impairing its product quality. In addition, a predetermined upper limit value of the degree of thermal sterilization is set, and thermal sterilization is continued without temperature lowering adjustment until the predetermined upper limit value, thereby performing thermal sterilization of the object P, thereby reliably preventing insufficient sterilization. Furthermore, unlike conventional pasteurizers, temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches or exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, minimizing losses of heated treated water and treated water for cooling, as well as losses of thermal energy in the entire system, allowing efficient use of resources such as thermal energy and achieving energy savings.

[0048] Furthermore, according to one example of this embodiment, the treatment water temperature adjustment unit 13 may perform temperature lowering adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value after the transport of the object P has stopped.

[0049] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment can reliably prevent over-sterilization of the object P when the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 stops for some reason, such as when an abnormality occurs in the transport mechanism of the pasteurizer 1. Furthermore, unlike the pasteurizer of the prior art, the temperature of the treated water is not lowered immediately after the transport stops, but is adjusted to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches a predetermined upper limit or higher, thereby minimizing the loss of the heated treated water and the treated water for cooling, and the loss of thermal energy in the entire system, thereby more effectively achieving energy conservation.

[0050] Furthermore, according to one example of this embodiment, the pasteurizer 1 is provided with a plurality of tanks 4a to 4h in which the temperature of the treated water can be set independently, and the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 may perform temperature lowering adjustment only on the tanks 4c to 4f among the plurality of tanks 4a to 4h in which the temperature of the treated water exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature.

[0051] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 of this embodiment can take measures to prevent the above-mentioned over-sterilization only for the tanks 4a-4h that perform the thermal sterilization process of the object P, or only for the tanks 4a-4h where over-sterilization of the object P may occur, thereby reducing unnecessary processing and efficiently preventing over-sterilization of the object P.

[0052] Furthermore, according to one example of this embodiment, the predetermined upper limit value may be defined as a degree of thermal sterilization at which the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the target object P, is not deteriorated.

[0053] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment can reliably maintain the product quality of the object P, such as the flavor or aroma, by using the degree of thermal sterilization at which the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the object P, is not deteriorated, as a predetermined upper limit value, which is determined, for example, based on experiments, simulations, tests, etc.

[0054] Furthermore, according to one example of this embodiment, the pasteurizer 1 may include the above-mentioned control device 10, a first piping system 8 that circulates and supplies the treated water stored in the tanks 4a to 4h as treated water to be sprayed onto the target object P, temperature sensors 9a to 9h that measure the temperature of the treated water supplied by the first piping system 8, and a temperature adjustment mechanism M that raises or lowers the temperature of the treated water stored in the tanks 4a to 4h.

[0055] In this way, the pasteurizer 1 of this embodiment can raise or lower the temperature of the treatment water using the same tanks 4a to 4h, eliminating the need for bypass lines, etc., and thus greatly simplifying the configuration of the device.

[0056] Moreover, according to one example of this embodiment, the pasteurizer 1 may be provided with a temperature control mechanism M including a second piping system 20 that supplies heated treated water from the tank 21 to the tanks 4a-4h, and a third piping system 30 that supplies cooling treated water to the tanks 4a-4h.

[0057] In this way, the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment can further simplify the configuration of the device by making the piping system 20 used for heating and the piping system 30 used for cooling separate and independent.

[0058] (Variation 1) In one example of this embodiment, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs temperature reduction adjustment when the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value after the transportation of the object P is stopped, but as a variant example, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 may perform temperature reduction adjustment when the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value, regardless of whether the transportation of the object P is stopped or not.

[0059] In this way, even if an abnormality occurs in the thermal sterilization treatment by the pasteurizer 1 while the transport of the object P is not stopped, and there is a possibility that the thermal sterilization degree of the object P will abnormally increase, it is possible to reliably prevent over-sterilization of the object P. In addition, thermal sterilization can be achieved without impairing the product quality of the object P. Furthermore, unlike the pasteurizer of the prior art, the temperature reduction adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water after the thermal sterilization degree of the object P reaches a predetermined upper limit value or higher, so that the loss of the heated treated water and the treated water for cooling and the loss of thermal energy in the entire system can be minimized, thereby achieving energy saving. (Variation 2) In one example of this embodiment, when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs a temperature decrease adjustment to decrease the temperature of the treated water to below the non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized. However, as a modified example, in addition to the temperature decrease adjustment, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 may perform a temperature increase adjustment to increase the temperature of the treated water to above the non-thermal sterilization temperature when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit. The predetermined lower limit of the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P may be defined as a value at which non-sterilization occurs or at which there is a high possibility of non-sterilization occurring of the object P. This predetermined lower limit may be determined by performing an experiment, a theoretical calculation, a test, or the like. For example, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 may control valves, etc. of the piping system 20 provided in the temperature adjustment mechanism M, and adjust the temperature of the treated water by supplying heated treated water from the tank 21 to one of the tanks 4a to 4h that is to be subject to temperature adjustment.

[0060] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to this embodiment can reliably prevent the object P from being left unsterilized. Furthermore, by adjusting the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P set in the control device 10, it becomes possible to adjust the timing from when the conveyance of the object P is stopped until the control of the temperature of the treated water is started, for example. For example, when the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is set narrow, the control of the temperature of the treated water can be started in a short time after the conveyance of the object P is stopped. Conversely, when the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is set wide, the timing from when the conveyance of the object P is stopped until the control of the temperature of the treated water is started can be delayed.

[0061] <Second embodiment> Hereinafter, a pasteurizer 1 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. The configuration of the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure is similar to that of the first embodiment, except for the points described below. As shown in FIG. 9, the control device 10 may further include a notification unit 14 that notifies that the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 has performed a temperature lowering adjustment.

[0062] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing an example of a process of a control method for a pastelist according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. The configuration of the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure is similar to that of the first embodiment, except for the points described below. As shown in FIG. 10, in the processing of the control method of the pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs temperature reduction adjustment to reduce the temperature of the treated water to a temperature below the non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized (step S104), and then the notification unit 14 notifies that the temperature reduction adjustment has been performed (step S105). For example, the notification unit 14 may notify an operator or a display device that displays the notification content that the temperature adjustment has been performed on the tank that is the target of the temperature adjustment. At this time, information on the tank that has been subjected to the temperature adjustment may be notified together.

[0063] (Action and effect) The pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure has the same functions and effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the pasteurizer 1 according to the second embodiment, the notification unit 14 notifies that the temperature reduction adjustment has been performed, making it easier to grasp the cause and the response situation when an abnormality such as the stop of the transport of the object P occurs. This facilitates the recovery work for resuming the stop of the transport of the object P. In addition, over-sterilization of the object P, which is the product, is prevented, making it easier to confirm that the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the product, has not deteriorated.

[0064] <Other Modifications> In one example of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, in tanks 4a to 4b, treatment water heated to a lower temperature (e.g., about 25°C to 40°C) is sprayed onto the object P, in tanks 4c to 4f, treatment water heated to a higher temperature for thermal sterilization treatment (e.g., about 40°C to 70°C) is sprayed onto the object P, and in tanks 4g to 4h, treatment water for cooling at a lower temperature (e.g., about 25°C to 40°C) below the temperature of the hot water is sprayed onto the object P, but the combination of each tank and the temperature of the treatment water sprayed onto the object P may be other than the combinations mentioned above, as long as the thermal sterilization treatment is performed in any of the tanks.

[0065] In one example of each of the above-described embodiments, the piping system 20 and the piping system 30 are provided as the temperature adjustment mechanism M for raising or lowering the temperature of the treatment water stored in each of the tanks 4a to 4h, but the temperature adjustment mechanism M may include a component other than the piping system 20 and the piping system 30. For example, the temperature adjustment mechanism M may be a heating device or a cooling device that directly raises or lowers the temperature of the treatment water stored in each of the tanks 4a to 4h.

[0066] In one example of each of the above-described embodiments, the treated water stored in each of the tanks 4a-4h is supplied to the nozzle groups 5h, 5g, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5b, and 5a by the pumps 7a-7h through the pipes 8a-8h, respectively, but other configurations may be used as long as the treated water stored in each of the tanks 4a-4h is circulated and supplied as the treated water to be sprayed on the target object P. For example, the treated water stored in the tank 4a may be supplied to the nozzle group 5a, and the treated water stored in the tank 4b may be supplied to the nozzle group 5b.

[0067] In one example of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the pipes 8a to 8h are provided with temperature sensors 9a to 9h that measure the temperature of the treatment water in each pipe, but each temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the treatment water may be provided in the tanks 4a to 4h or in the nozzle groups 5a to 5h.

[0068] <Hardware configuration> FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the control device 10 of the pastelist 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11, a computer 900 includes a processor 901, a main memory 902, a storage 903, and an interface 904.

[0069] The control device 10 according to each of the above-mentioned embodiments is implemented in a computer 900. The operations of each of the above-mentioned processing units are stored in the storage 903 in the form of a program. The processor 901 reads the program from the storage 903, loads it in the main memory 902, and executes the above-mentioned processing in accordance with the program. The processor 901 also secures storage areas in the main memory 902 corresponding to each of the above-mentioned storage units in accordance with the program.

[0070] The program may be for realizing a part of the functions to be performed by the computer 900. For example, the program may be for realizing the functions by combining with other programs already stored in the storage 903 or by combining with other programs implemented in other devices. In another embodiment, the computer 900 may include a custom LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) in addition to or instead of the above configuration. Examples of PLDs include PAL (Programmable Array Logic), GAL (Generic Array Logic), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). In this case, some or all of the functions to be realized by the processor 901 may be realized by the integrated circuit.

[0071] Examples of storage 903 include a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, and a semiconductor memory. Storage 903 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of computer 900, or may be an external medium 910 connected to computer 900 via interface 904 or a communication line. In addition, when this program is distributed to computer 900 via a communication line, computer 900 that receives the program may load the program in main memory 902 and execute the above-mentioned process. In at least one embodiment, storage 903 is a non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0072] Furthermore, the program may be for realizing a part of the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that realizes the above-mentioned functions in combination with another program already stored in the storage 903.

[0073] <Other embodiments> Although several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the disclosure.

[0074] <Additional Notes> The control device for a pasteurizer, the pasteurizer, the control method for a pasteurizer, and the program described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0075] (1) According to the first aspect, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 is a control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 that sprays treated water onto the object P transported over the tanks 4a to 4h for thermal sterilization, and includes a thermal sterilization degree calculation unit 12 that calculates a degree of thermal sterilization of the object P based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water, and a treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 that performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value.

[0076] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 performs temperature lowering adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, thereby reliably preventing over-sterilization of the object P. In addition, by preventing over-sterilization, the object P can be thermally sterilized without impairing its product quality. In addition, a predetermined upper limit value of the degree of thermal sterilization is set, and thermal sterilization is continued without temperature lowering adjustment until the predetermined upper limit value, thereby performing thermal sterilization of the object P, thereby reliably preventing insufficient sterilization. Furthermore, unlike conventional pasteurizers, temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches or exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, minimizing losses of heated treated water and treated water for cooling, as well as losses of thermal energy in the entire system, allowing efficient use of resources such as thermal energy and achieving energy savings.

[0077] (2) According to the second aspect, in the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 relating to the first aspect, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs the temperature reduction adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value after the conveyance of the object P is stopped.

[0078] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 can reliably prevent over-sterilization of the object P when the transport of the object P by the transport conveyor 2 stops for some reason, such as when an abnormality occurs in the transport mechanism of the pasteurizer 1. Furthermore, unlike the pasteurizer of the prior art, the temperature of the treated water is not lowered immediately after the transport stops, but is adjusted to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches a predetermined upper limit or higher, thereby minimizing the loss of heated treated water and treated water for cooling, and the loss of thermal energy in the entire system, thereby more effectively achieving energy conservation.

[0079] (3) According to a third aspect, in the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to the first or second aspect, the pasteurizer 1 includes a plurality of tanks 4a to 4h in which the temperature of the treated water can be set independently, and the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs the temperature reduction adjustment only on the tanks 4c to 4f among the plurality of tanks 4a to 4h in which the temperature of the treated water exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature.

[0080] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 can take measures to prevent the above-mentioned over-sterilization only for the tanks 4a-4h that perform the thermal sterilization process of the object P, or only for the tanks 4a-4h where over-sterilization of the object P may occur, thereby reducing unnecessary processing and efficiently preventing over-sterilization of the object P.

[0081] (4) According to the fourth aspect, in the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 relating to any one of the first to third aspects, the predetermined upper limit value is defined as the degree of thermal sterilization at which the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the target object P, is not deteriorated.

[0082] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 can reliably maintain the product quality of the object P, such as its flavor or aroma, by using a predetermined upper limit value for the degree of thermal sterilization at which the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the object P, is not deteriorated, which has been determined, for example, based on experiments, simulations, tests, etc.

[0083] (5) According to a fifth aspect, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects further includes a notification unit 14 that notifies that the temperature lowering adjustment is being performed.

[0084] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 notifies the user by the notification unit 14 that the temperature lowering adjustment has been performed, making it easier to grasp the cause and the response situation when an abnormality such as a stop in the conveyance of the object P occurs. This facilitates the recovery work for resuming the stop of the conveyance of the object P. In addition, over-sterilization of the object P, which is the product, is prevented, making it easier to confirm that the flavor or aroma of the beverage, which is the content of the product, has not deteriorated.

[0085] (6) According to the sixth aspect, in the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 relating to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the treated water temperature adjustment unit 13 performs temperature adjustment to raise the temperature of the treated water to above the non-thermal sterilization temperature when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit value.

[0086] In this way, the control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 can reliably prevent the object P from being left unsterilized. Furthermore, by adjusting the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P set in the control device 10, it becomes possible to adjust the timing from when the conveyance of the object P is stopped until the control of the temperature of the treated water is started, for example. For example, when the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is set narrow, the control of the temperature of the treated water can be started in a short time after the conveyance of the object P is stopped. Conversely, when the width between the predetermined upper limit value and the predetermined lower limit value of the thermal sterilization degree of the object P is set wide, the timing from when the conveyance of the object P is stopped until the control of the temperature of the treated water is started can be delayed.

[0087] (7) According to the seventh aspect, the pasteurizer 1 includes a control device 10 of the pasteurizer 1 according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, a first piping system 8 that circulates and supplies the treated water stored in the tanks 4a to 4h as the treated water to be sprayed on the target P, temperature sensors 9a to 9h that measure the temperature of the treated water supplied by the first piping system 8, and a temperature adjustment mechanism M that raises or lowers the temperature of the treated water stored in the tanks 4a to 4h.

[0088] In this way, the pasteurizer 1 can raise or lower the temperature of the treatment water using the same tanks 4a to 4h, and a bypass line or the like is not required, so that the configuration of the device can be significantly simplified.

[0089] (8) According to the eighth aspect, in the pasteurizer 1 of the seventh aspect, the temperature control mechanism M includes a second piping system 20 that supplies the heated treated water from the tank 21 to the tanks 4a to 4h, and a third piping system 30 that supplies the treated water for cooling to the tanks 4a to 4h.

[0090] In this way, the pasteurizer 1 has the piping system 20 used for heating and the piping system 30 used for cooling separated and independent from each other, so that the configuration of the device can be further simplified.

[0091] (9) According to the ninth aspect, the control method of the pasteurizer 1 is a control method of the pasteurizer 1 which sprays treated water onto the object P transported over the tanks 4a to 4h for thermal sterilization, and includes the steps of: calculating a degree of thermal sterilization of the object P based on a temperature of the sprayed treated water; and, when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, performing a temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized.

[0092] In this way, the control method of the pasteurizer 1 performs temperature lowering adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, so that it is possible to reliably prevent over-sterilization of the object P. In addition, by preventing over-sterilization, the object P can be thermally sterilized without impairing the product quality. In addition, a predetermined upper limit value of the degree of thermal sterilization is set, and thermal sterilization is continued without temperature lowering adjustment until the predetermined upper limit value, thereby performing thermal sterilization of the object P, thereby reliably preventing insufficient sterilization. Furthermore, unlike conventional pasteurizers, temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches or exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, minimizing losses of heated treated water and treated water for cooling, as well as losses of thermal energy in the entire system, allowing efficient use of resources such as thermal energy and achieving energy savings.

[0093] (10) According to the tenth aspect, the program causes the computer 900 of the pasteurizer 1, which sprays treated water onto the object P transported over the tanks 4a to 4h for thermal sterilization, to execute the steps of: calculating the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P based on the temperature of the sprayed treated water; and, when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, performing a temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-thermal sterilization temperature at which the object P is not thermally sterilized.

[0094] In this way, the program performs temperature lowering adjustment when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit, thereby reliably preventing over-sterilization of the object P. In addition, by preventing over-sterilization, the object P can be thermally sterilized without impairing its product quality. In addition, a predetermined upper limit value of the degree of thermal sterilization is set, and thermal sterilization is continued without temperature lowering adjustment until the predetermined upper limit value, thereby performing thermal sterilization of the object P, thereby reliably preventing insufficient sterilization. Furthermore, unlike conventional pasteurizers, temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water after the degree of thermal sterilization of the object P reaches or exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, minimizing losses of heated treated water and treated water for cooling, as well as losses of thermal energy in the entire system, allowing efficient use of resources such as thermal energy and achieving energy savings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1 Pasteurizer 2. Transport Conveyor 2a Arrow 3. Chassis 4a~4h tank 5a~5h Nozzle group 6 Product Sensors 7a~7h, 23a~23h Pump 8, 20, 30 Piping system 8a~8h, 22a~22h Piping 9a~9h Temperature sensor 10 Control device 11 Information acquisition department 12 Heat sterilization degree calculation section 13 Treated water temperature adjustment section 14 Notification Department 17 Memory section 21 Tank 51 Drive shaft 52 Driven axis 53 Rotary Encoder 61 Upper body 62 Lower body 900 Computers 901 Processor 902 Main storage 903 Auxiliary storage device 904 Interface 910 External storage device M Temperature adjustment mechanism P Object (product)

Claims

1. A control device for a pasteurizer that sprays treated water on an object transported on a tank to thermally sterilize the object, A thermal sterilization degree calculation unit that calculates the thermal sterilization degree of the object based on the temperature of the treatment water to be sprayed; A treated water temperature adjustment unit that performs temperature reduction adjustment to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized when the thermal sterilization degree of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value; A control device for a pasteurizer comprising:

2. The control device for a pasteurizer according to claim 1 , wherein the treated water temperature adjusting unit performs the temperature decreasing adjustment when a degree of thermal sterilization of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value after conveyance of the object is stopped.

3. The pasteurizer includes a plurality of tanks each capable of independently setting a temperature of the treated water, The control device for a pasteurizer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the treated water temperature adjusting unit performs the temperature lowering adjustment only on a tank among the plurality of tanks in which the temperature of the treated water exceeds the non-thermal sterilization temperature.

4. 3. The pasteurizer control device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined upper limit is defined as a degree of thermal sterilization at which the flavor or aroma of a beverage, which is the content of the object, is not deteriorated.

5. Further comprising a notification unit that notifies that the temperature decreasing adjustment is being performed. A control device for a pasteurizer according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The control device for a pasteurizer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the treated water temperature adjustment unit performs temperature adjustment to raise the temperature of the treated water to exceed the non-thermal sterilization temperature when the degree of thermal sterilization of the object becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit.

7. The control device according to claim 1 or 2; a first piping system that circulates and supplies the treated water stored in the tank as the treated water to be sprayed onto the object; a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the treatment water supplied through the first piping system; A temperature adjustment mechanism that raises or lowers the temperature of the treatment water stored in the tank; A pasteurizer comprising:

8. The pasteurizer according to claim 7, wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism comprises a second piping system that supplies the heated treated water from a tank to the tank, and a third piping system that supplies the treated water for cooling to the tank.

9. A control method for a pasteurizer that sprays treated water on an object transported on a tank to thermally sterilize the object, Calculating the degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on the temperature of the treatment water to be sprayed; When the thermal sterilization degree of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value, a temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized; A control method for a pasteurizer having the above structure.

10. The computer of the pasteurizer, which sprays treated water on the objects transported in the tank to sterilize them by heat, Calculating the degree of thermal sterilization of the object based on the temperature of the treatment water to be sprayed; When the thermal sterilization degree of the object is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit value, a temperature lowering adjustment is performed to lower the temperature of the treated water to a non-sterilization temperature at which the object is not thermally sterilized; A program that executes the following.

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