Sampling System

Abstract

A sampling system is provided that can prevent the internal liquid from mixing with a liquid product when sampling is performed using a sensor having the internal liquid. [Solution] The device comprises a preparation tank 2 for storing a chemical solution, and a sampling device 10 for extracting a portion of the chemical solution as a sample. The sampling device 10 comprises a pH sensor 40 for holding an internal liquid for measuring the pH of the chemical solution, a sampling chamber 50 for accommodating the pH sensor 40, and an inlet valve Vin that can switch between a connected state in which the sampling chamber 50 is connected to the preparation tank 2 and a disconnected state in which the sampling chamber 50 is not connected to the preparation tank 2. When the sampling chamber 50 is in the disconnected state, the pH sensor 40 measures the pH of the chemical solution with the internal liquid of the pH sensor 40 in contact with the chemical solution.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sampling system capable of sampling a portion of a liquid product, such as a pharmaceutical product or a food or beverage, in a plant that produces the liquid product, and measuring the properties of the liquid product. [Background technology]

[0002] In plants that manufacture liquid products such as liquid pharmaceuticals, a portion of the liquid product is extracted as a sample (specimen), and the properties of the sample, such as pH, are measured using a sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In Patent Document 1, a circulation line is provided to transport the liquid product, and the liquid product is sampled by a sampling unit attached to the circulation line. A pH sensor is provided midway along the circulation line.

[0004] Some pH sensors measure pH using an internal liquid held inside the sensor. Because the internal liquid comes into contact with the liquid product, a small amount of it flows into the liquid product in the circulation flow path, causing the internal liquid to mix with the liquid product stored in a tank connected to the circulation flow path. Even when sampling using a sensor with an internal liquid, it is desirable to prevent the internal liquid from mixing with the liquid product. Note that this problem is not limited to pH sensors; it also exists in sensors that measure the properties of liquid products by coming into contact with the liquid product. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-77190 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a sampling system that can prevent the internal liquid from mixing with a liquid product when performing sampling using a sensor having an internal liquid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An aspect of the present invention that solves the above problem is a sampling system comprising a tank for storing a liquid product including a medicine or a food or beverage, and a sampling device connected to the tank and extracting a portion of the liquid product as a sample, wherein the sampling device comprises a sensor that holds an internal liquid for measuring the properties of the liquid product, a sampling chamber connected to the tank and accommodating the sensor, and a connection means that can switch between a connected state in which the sampling chamber is connected to the tank and a disconnected state in which the sampling chamber is not connected to the tank, and wherein the sensor measures the properties of the liquid product with the internal liquid of the sensor in contact with the liquid product when the connection means switches the sampling chamber in which the liquid product is stored to a disconnected state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a sampling system that can prevent the internal liquid from mixing with the liquid product when sampling is performed using a sensor having an internal liquid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sampling system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the sampling device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sampling device. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a pH sensor. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the sampling system during sampling. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the sampling device during sampling. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the sampling device during sampling. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the sampling system during cleaning and sterilization. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the sampling device during cleaning and sterilization. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the switching means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Note that the description of the embodiments is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the following description.

[0011] First Embodiment Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a sampling system according to this embodiment. The sampling system 1 is part of a plant made up of various devices that manufacture a liquid pharmaceutical (hereinafter referred to as a liquid drug) as an example of a liquid product. The sampling system 1 includes a preparation tank 2, a sampling device 10, a CIP / SIP device 20, and a control device (not shown) that controls the sampling system 1.

[0012] The preparation tank 2 is a tank for preparing the chemical solution. A raw material supply device 3 is connected to the preparation tank 2. The raw material supply device 3 is made up of a group of devices for supplying raw materials for the chemical solution to the preparation tank 2. For example, the raw material supply device 3 is made up of known devices for supplying powder, which serves as the raw material for the chemical solution, and water, which serves as the solvent, as well as piping, valves, etc. Of course, some of the raw materials may be supplied to the preparation tank 2 manually. The preparation tank 2 is provided with a stirring device (not shown), which mixes the raw materials to prepare the chemical solution. A discharge port for discharging the chemical solution is provided at the bottom of the preparation tank 2, and the discharge port is connected to a processing device 4 via piping. The preparation tank 2 is an example of a tank as claimed.

[0013] The treatment device 4 is a device that treats the chemical solution supplied from the preparation tank 2. For example, it is a storage tank that stores the chemical solution, or a filling device that fills a container with the chemical solution.

[0014] The sampling device 10, which will be described in detail later, is a device that receives a portion of the chemical solution as a sample from the preparation tank 2 and measures the pH as a property of the sample. The sampling device 10 is connected to a first pipe 31, and is supplied with the chemical solution from the preparation tank 2 via the first pipe 31, or with the cleaning fluid from the CIP / SIP device 20 via the first pipe 31 and the second pipe 32. The sampling device 10 is also connected to a third pipe 33 and a fourth pipe 34. The third pipe 33 is a pipe for discharging the chemical solution and cleaning fluid supplied to the sampling device 10 out of the sampling device 10. The fourth pipe 34 is a pipe for discharging the cleaning fluid supplied to the sampling device 10 out of the sampling device 10.

[0015] The CIP / SIP equipment 20 is a group of devices that supply cleaning fluid to the sampling equipment 10, and is composed of a cleaning equipment that performs cleaning-in-place (CIP) on the sampling equipment 10 and a sterilization equipment that performs sterilization-in-place (SIP). The cleaning fluids are fluids used for CIP and SIP. Fluids used for CIP include water to which an alkaline agent such as caustic soda has been added, water to which an acidic agent has been added, water containing a surfactant, water without such agents, and hot water obtained by heating purified water. Of course, these may be used in combination. The fluid used for SIP is steam. The CIP / SIP equipment 20 is connected to a second pipe 32, and supplies cleaning fluid to the sampling equipment 10 via the second pipe 32 and the first pipe 31.

[0016] A three-way valve 5 is attached to the preparation tank 2. The three-way valve 5 is a valve for switching the connection between the inside of the preparation tank 2, the first pipe 31, and the second pipe 32. The three-way valve 5 is capable of switching the preparation tank 2, the first pipe 31, and the second pipe 32 to either a sampling mode or a cleaning mode. The three-way valve 5 is controlled to switch modes by a control device, but the three-way valve 5 may also be configured so that modes can be switched manually. Sampling mode: The preparation tank 2 and the first pipe 31 are connected, and the first pipe 31 and the second pipe 32 are disconnected. Cleaning mode: The preparation tank 2 and the first pipe 31 are disconnected, and the first pipe 31 and the second pipe 32 are connected.

[0017] In the sampling mode, the chemical liquid in the preparation tank 2 is supplied from the preparation tank 2 to the sampling device 10, and no cleaning fluid is supplied from the CIP / SIP device 20 to the sampling device 10.

[0018] In the cleaning mode, a cleaning fluid is supplied from the CIP / SIP device 20 to the sampling device 10, and the chemical liquid in the preparation tank 2 is not supplied from the preparation tank 2 to the sampling device 10.

[0019] The sampling device 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a side view of the sampling device 10. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sampling device 10. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a pH sensor.

[0020] The sampling device 10 includes a pH sensor 40, a sampling chamber 50, an inlet valve Vin, an outlet valve Vout, and a drain valve Vdrain.

[0021] The pH sensor 40 is a sensor that measures the pH of a liquid product by the glass electrode method. Generally, the pH sensor 40 includes a glass electrode 41 and a reference electrode 42 housed inside a cylindrical cover 46. The reference electrode 42 has an internal electrode 43 housed inside a tubular container 44, and the container 44 is filled with an internal liquid. For example, a potassium chloride solution is used as the internal liquid.

[0022] A liquid junction 45 is provided at the bottom of the container 44. The liquid junction 45 is configured to allow the internal liquid to flow out of the container 44 in small amounts, and may be, for example, a porous body or fine openings. As the internal liquid flows out of the liquid junction 45, electrical contact is maintained between the internal electrode 43 and the internal liquid and the liquid product via the liquid junction 45. The pH sensor 40 is a well-known device, and the pH measurement principle will not be explained here, but the pH can be measured based on the electromotive force generated between the glass electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42.

[0023] The pH sensor 40 has a main body 47 that houses a circuit for measuring pH based on electromotive force, a display device that displays the measured pH, and an interface that outputs the pH to an external device.

[0024] The sampling chamber 50 is a space connected to the preparation tank 2 and accommodating a part of the pH sensor 40. In this embodiment, the internal space of a cylindrical sampling member 51 extending in the vertical direction serves as the sampling chamber 50.

[0025] The sampling member 51 is provided with an inlet portion 52 and an outlet portion 53 extending laterally. The inlet portion 52 and the outlet portion 53 are parts that constitute an inlet flow path 52a and an outlet flow path 53a that communicate with the sampling chamber 50.

[0026] The inlet part 52 is connected to the first pipe 31. A chemical liquid or a cleaning fluid is supplied to the sampling chamber 50 via the first pipe 31 and the inlet flow path 52a. The outlet part 53 is connected to the third pipe 33. The chemical liquid or the cleaning fluid in the sampling chamber 50 is discharged to the outside of the sampling chamber 50 via the outlet flow path 53a and the third pipe 33.

[0027] A holder 54 is detachably attached to the upper opening of the sampling member 51. The holder 54 is a cylindrical member with one open end and the other closed, and is capable of holding the pH sensor 40 inside. The cover 46 side of the pH sensor 40 is housed in the sampling chamber 50, and the main body 47 is held by the holder 54.

[0028] The sampling device 10 has a seal member 60. The seal member 60 is provided between the inner surface of the sampling chamber 50 and the outer surface of the pH sensor 40, and is a member that maintains a liquid-tight seal therebetween. In this embodiment, the seal member 60 is an O-ring provided between the inner surface of the sampling chamber 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the cover 46.

[0029] The sampling chamber 50 is divided into two sections by a sealing member 60. One section is a storage section 61 in which the liquid product is stored. The storage section 61 is a section that communicates with the inlet flow path 52a and the outlet flow path 53a. The other section is a space section 62 in which the liquid product is not stored. The sampling member 51 is provided with a liquid leak detection hole 55 that connects the space section 62 to the outside.

[0030] The sampling member 51 has a lower opening connected to the fourth pipe 34. The cleaning fluid introduced into the sampling chamber 50 is discharged to the outside of the sampling chamber 50 via the fourth pipe 34.

[0031] The inlet valve Vin is a valve that opens and closes the first pipe 31. The outlet valve Vout is a valve that opens and closes the third pipe 33. The drain valve Vdrain is a valve that opens and closes the fourth pipe 34. The fourth pipe 34 is connected to a drain (not shown). The opening and closing of these valves is controlled by a control device, but they may also be opened and closed manually.

[0032] When the inlet valve Vin is open, the chemical solution can be supplied from the sampling chamber 50 to the preparation tank 2. This state is called the connected state. On the other hand, when the inlet valve Vin is closed, the chemical solution cannot be supplied from the sampling chamber 50 to the preparation tank 2. This state is called the disconnected state.

[0033] The operation during sampling will be described using Figures 5 and 6. As shown in these figures, when sampling a portion of the chemical solution stored in the preparation tank 2, the three-way valve 5 is set to sampling mode and the inlet valve Vin is set to a connected state. In addition, the outlet valve Vout is opened and the drain valve Vdrain is closed. This causes the chemical solution to be supplied from the preparation tank 2 to the sampling device 10 via the three-way valve 5 and the first piping 31. The chemical solution is transported from the preparation tank 2 to the sampling device 10 under its own weight.

[0034] 5 and 6, the chemical liquid flows from the preparation tank 2 toward the sampling chamber 50, so the liquid contained in the pH sensor 40 does not flow back into the preparation tank 2 and become mixed therein.

[0035] 7, when the chemical solution has been sufficiently stored in the sampling chamber 50, the inlet valve Vin is disconnected and then the outlet valve Vout is closed. With this operation, the sampling chamber 50 is isolated from the outside while the chemical solution is stored therein.

[0036] In this state, the pH of the chemical solution is measured by the pH sensor 40. The liquid content of the pH sensor 40 comes into contact with the chemical solution in the sampling chamber 50, but because the inlet valve Vin is in a disconnected state, the liquid content does not flow back into the preparation tank 2. In other words, the pH of the chemical solution can be measured without the liquid content of the pH sensor 40 getting mixed into the preparation tank 2.

[0037] In this way, the pH of the chemical solution can be measured, but if sampling is performed multiple times to measure the pH, the sampling device 10 is cleaned and sterilized in between using the CIP / SIP device 20. This is to prevent the chemical solution from the previous sampling remaining in the sampling chamber 50 from mixing with the newly introduced chemical solution.

[0038] Specifically, cleaning and sterilization are performed as shown in Figures 8 and 9. As shown in these figures, when cleaning and sterilizing the sampling device 10, the three-way valve 5 is set to cleaning mode and the inlet valve Vin is closed. The outlet valve Vout and drain valve Vdrain are also opened. In this state, cleaning and sterilization are performed using the CIP / SIP device 20. As shown in Figure 8, in CIP, the chemical solution remaining in the first piping 31 and the sampling chamber 50 is washed away with cleaning fluid, and both the chemical solution and the cleaning fluid are discharged through the outlet valve Vout and the drain valve Vdrain. Although not specifically shown, in SIP, the inside of the first piping 31 and the sampling chamber 50 is sterilized with steam. The steam is discharged through the outlet valve Vout and the drain valve Vdrain.

[0039] In this way, the CIP / SIP equipment 20 performs cleaning and sterilization in the cleaning mode, leaving the sampling chamber 50 clean. Sampling is then performed in the state shown in Figures 5 and 6. By performing cleaning and sterilization each time sampling is performed, the influence of the chemical solution from the previous sampling is eliminated, and the pH of a portion of the chemical solution in the preparation tank 2 can be accurately measured.

[0040] The sampling system 1 described above can extract a portion of the chemical solution into the sampling device 10 and measure its pH, even while the chemical solution is being stored or adjusted in the preparation tank 2. Due to the nature of pH measurement, the content liquid may become mixed with the chemical solution. However, because the sampling system 1 keeps the inlet valve Vin in a disconnected state, the content liquid does not flow back and become mixed with the chemical solution in the preparation tank 2. In this way, the sampling system 1 can prevent the internal liquid from mixing with the chemical solution when performing sampling using a pH sensor 40 having an internal liquid. While a pH sensor has been exemplified in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and a sensor having an internal liquid that can come into contact with the chemical solution may also be used.

[0041] The sampling chamber 50 has a space 62, which is in communication with the outside through a liquid leak detection hole 55. If the chemical solution leaks from the storage section 61 into the space 62 due to deterioration of the sealing member 60 or the like, the chemical solution will be discharged into the liquid leak detection hole 55. Therefore, if the chemical solution is visible through the liquid leak detection hole 55, it can be determined that the sealing member 60 has deteriorated. This makes it possible to replace the sealing member 60 early, and prevents the electronic circuitry of the pH sensor from being damaged by the chemical solution.

[0042] Furthermore, after sampling the chemical solution in sampling mode and measuring the pH, the sampling system 1 switches to cleaning mode to clean and sterilize the sampling device 10. Then, the next sampling is performed. By performing cleaning and sterilization each time sampling is performed in this manner, the influence of the chemical solution from the previous sampling can be eliminated and the pH of a portion of the chemical solution in the preparation tank 2 can be accurately measured. The cleaning mode is targeted at the sampling device 10, and the preparation tank 2 can store or adjust the chemical solution. Therefore, even in cleaning mode, there is no need to discharge the chemical solution stored in the preparation tank 2 for cleaning, nor is there any need to interrupt the adjustment of the chemical solution. In this way, the sampling device 10 can be cleaned and sterilized in preparation for the next sampling while the chemical solution is being stored or adjusted in the preparation tank 2.

[0043] In addition, a drain is connected below the sampling chamber 50 via a drain valve Vdrain. Even if the steam used in the SIP condenses in the sampling chamber 50 to produce condensed water, this is discharged to the drain below, preventing the condensed water from remaining in the sampling chamber 50 and preventing the condensed water from mixing with the chemical liquid being sampled.

[0044] Other Embodiments The above describes one embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configuration are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0045] Although pharmaceuticals have been described as an example of liquid products, this is not a limitation. The sampling system of the present invention can be applied not only to pharmaceuticals but also to general food and beverage products. Furthermore, while the purpose of sampling was to measure the pH of a pharmaceutical liquid, it is not limited to such a purpose. The present invention can be widely applied to measuring the properties of liquid products being manufactured.

[0046] The inlet valve Vin is an example of a connecting means in the claims, and the three-way valve 5 is an example of a switching means in the claims, but the switching means is not limited to the three-way valve 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , a second pipe 32 is connected midway through a first pipe 31. A first valve device 6 is provided on the first pipe 31, and a second valve device 7 is provided on the second pipe 32. The first valve device 6 and the second valve device 7 are not three-way valves, but are general valves that can open and close pipes. In the sampling mode, the first valve device 6 is opened and the second valve device 7 is closed. In the cleaning mode, the first valve device 6 is closed and the second valve device 7 is opened. In this way, by using these two valve devices as a switching means, it is possible to switch between the sampling mode and the cleaning mode.

[0047] Furthermore, during cleaning, the cleaning fluid is circulated with both the drain valve Vdrain and the outlet valve Vout open, but cleaning is not limited to this. For example, the cleaning fluid may be circulated with the drain valve Vdrain open and the outlet valve Vout closed (cleaning method A). Conversely, the cleaning fluid may be circulated with the drain valve Vdrain closed and the outlet valve Vout open (cleaning method B). Furthermore, the opening and closing of these valves does not need to be fixed, and they may be opened and closed in stages. For example, cleaning method B may be performed initially, and after a predetermined time has passed or a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid has been circulated, the drain valve Vdrain may be opened to circulate the cleaning fluid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...Sampling system, 2...Preparation tank, 5...Three-way valve (switching means), 10...Sampling device, 20...CIP / SIP device, 40...pH sensor, 50...Sampling chamber, 52...Inlet section, 53...Outlet section, 61...Storage section, 62...Space section

Claims

1. A tank for storing a liquid product including medicine or food and beverage; a sampling device connected to the tank for extracting a portion of the liquid product as a sample; The sampling device is a sensor for holding an internal liquid for measuring a property of the liquid product; a sampling chamber connected to the tank and housing the sensor; a connection means capable of switching between a connection state in which the sampling chamber is connected to the tank and a disconnection state in which the sampling chamber is not connected to the tank, The sensor When the sampling chamber in which the liquid product is stored is disconnected by the connecting means, The internal liquid of the sensor is in contact with the liquid product, and the properties of the liquid product are measured. A sampling system characterized by:

2. 10. The sampling system of claim 1, The sensor is a pH sensor A sampling system characterized by:

3. 10. The sampling system of claim 1, a seal member provided between the inner surface of the sampling chamber and the outer surface of the sensor; The sampling chamber is partitioned by the sealing member into a storage section in which the liquid product is stored and a space section in which the liquid product is not stored, The space is in communication with the outside. A sampling system characterized by:

4. 10. The sampling system of claim 1, a CIP / SIP device that supplies a cleaning fluid for cleaning and sterilizing the sampling device; a switching means for switching between a sampling mode in which a liquid product is supplied from the tank to the sampling device and a cleaning mode in which a cleaning fluid is supplied from the CIP / SIP device to the sampling device; After measuring the properties of the liquid product with the sampling device in the sampling mode, the sampling device is switched to a cleaning mode in which a cleaning fluid is supplied to the sampling device to clean and sterilize the sampling device, and then the sampling mode is switched back to. A sampling system characterized by:

5. 5. The sampling system of claim 4, The sampling chamber has a drain connected to the bottom. A sampling system characterized by:

Images