Pulsed electrical field processing device

Abstract

This pulsed electrical field processing device comprises: a processing liquid tank (55) in which a processing liquid (80) is reserved; an electrode (51) that is installed at the side of a passage for an object being processed, in which an object being processed passes through the interior of the processing liquid tank (55), so as to be electrically insulated from the processing liquid tank (55), which includes an insulator, the electrode (51) implementing a pulsed electrical field process by applying a pulsed electrical field to the object being processed that passes through the passage for the object being processed; a bottom-surface conveyor (61) installed below the passage for the object being processed, the bottom-surface conveyor (61) having a pulsed power supply that outputs a pulsed voltage to the electrode (51), a bottom-surface belt (62) that travels in the direction of transport of the object being processed, and a bottom-surface anti-positional-misalignment unit (63) that suppresses any positional misalignment between the object being processed and the bottom-surface belt (62); and an upper-surface conveyor (64) installed above the passage for the object being processed and at a position corresponding to the bottom-surface conveyor (61), the upper-surface conveyor (64) having an upper-surface belt (65) that travels in the direction of transport of the object being processed, and an upper-surface anti-positional-misalignment unit (66) that suppresses any positional misalignment between the object being processed and the upper-surface belt (65).

Description

Pulse electric field processing equipment

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pulsed electric field processing apparatus for processing an object to be processed with a pulsed electric field.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART When producing foods and beverages, pulsed electric field processing technology is sometimes used to sterilize foods to prevent food poisoning or to make food ingredients easier to chew.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a fryer that performs a heat treatment using oil in an oil vat. In the fryer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the electrode unit and voltage application unit are made of conductive material such as an iron plate or a round bar, which are entirely coated with a coating material such as ceramic or enamel. An electric field generating device equipped with the electrode unit and voltage application unit is supported by a support unit so that the electrode unit does not come into contact with the wall of the oil vat while maintaining a predetermined distance from the wall. The fryer disclosed in Patent Document 1 is installed by connecting the connection terminal of the voltage application unit to the secondary anode of the transformer in the power supply unit, the oil vat is connected to earth, and the oil in the oil vat is heated externally using a heating unit such as a gas stove, thereby performing a heat treatment on the fried food to be treated using the frying oil.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-095695

[0005] The fryer described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the conveying unit that conveys the fried ingredients in the oil tank is located above the passage for the fried ingredients to be processed, making it impossible to form a uniform electric field in the passage for the fried ingredients to be processed. Also, there is a problem in that the electric field causes damage to the conveying unit, shortening the service life of the conveying unit.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a pulse electric field processing device that can form a uniform electric field in a passage for an object to be processed and that suppresses deterioration due to the electric field in a transport section that transports the object to be processed.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a pulsed electric field treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a treatment liquid tank for storing a treatment liquid, an electrode installed to the side of a treatment object passage through which the treatment object passes inside the treatment liquid tank and electrically insulated from the treatment liquid tank via a support including an insulator, and configured to apply a pulsed electric field to the treatment object passing through the treatment object passage to perform pulsed electric field treatment, and a pulsed power supply for outputting a pulsed voltage to the electrode. The pulsed electric field treatment apparatus includes a bottom belt running in the treatment object transport direction, a bottom conveyor having a bottom displacement prevention unit that prevents displacement between the treatment object and the bottom belt and installed below the treatment object passage, an upper belt running in the treatment object transport direction, and an upper conveyor having an top displacement prevention unit that prevents displacement between the treatment object and the top belt and installed above the treatment object passage and facing the bottom conveyor.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect of a pulse electric field treatment device that can form a uniform electric field in a passage for an object to be treated and that suppresses deterioration of a transporting section that transports the object to be treated due to the electric field.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a pulsed power supply for a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an arrangement of electrodes for a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an arrangement of electrodes and insulating materials for a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1 and an example of an arrangement method thereof;

[0010] Hereinafter, a pulse electric field processing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1. The pulsed electric field processing apparatus 100 according to embodiment 1 is composed of a pulsed power supply 10, a processing section 50, and a conveyor 60. The pulsed power supply 10 has a function of outputting a pulsed voltage having a voltage of 1 kV or more and a pulse width of 100 microseconds or less. The conveyor 60 is a transport section that transports solid objects to be processed A, such as potatoes and tomatoes, passing through the processing section 50. The open arrows in Figure 1 indicate the transport direction of the objects to be processed A. The processing section 50 is electrically connected to the pulsed power supply 10 and has a function of repeatedly applying a pulsed electric field to the objects to be processed A passing through the processing section 50 by using the pulsed voltage output by the pulsed power supply 10.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a processing section of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an electrode arrangement of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1. The processing section 50 is composed of an electrode 51, an insulating material 54, and a processing liquid tank 55. The electrode 51 is composed of a high-voltage electrode 52 to which a pulsed voltage is applied and a low-voltage electrode 53 at ground potential. By using a material such as titanium, platinum, or stainless steel for the electrode 51, wear of the electrode 51 due to the pulsed voltage is suppressed. The electrode 51 is installed while being electrically insulated from the processing liquid tank 55 via a support including an insulator. A processing liquid 80 is stored in the processing liquid tank 55. Water or an aqueous solution is used as the processing liquid 80.

[0013] The high-voltage electrode 52 and the low-voltage electrode 53 are flat-plate shaped and are arranged opposite each other so that the object to be treated A passes between them. In other words, the high-voltage electrode 52 and the low-voltage electrode 53 are arranged so that an electric field is generated in a direction roughly perpendicular to the transport direction of the object to be treated A. By arranging the high-voltage electrode 52 and the low-voltage electrode 53 opposite each other, the electric field generated in the treatment liquid tank 55 can be made spatially uniform, which has the effect of reducing unevenness in treatment.

[0014] The conveyor 60 includes a bottom conveyor 61 arranged along the bottom surface of the treatment liquid tank 55, an top conveyor 64 arranged along the top surface of the treatment liquid tank 55, an inlet conveyor 67 for carrying the object A into the treatment liquid tank 55, and an outlet conveyor 68 for carrying the object A out of the treatment liquid tank 55. The bottom conveyor 61 includes a bottom belt 62 running in the transport direction of the object A and a bottom misalignment prevention unit 63 for preventing misalignment between the object A and the bottom belt 62. The top conveyor 64 includes an upper belt 65 running in the transport direction of the object A and an upper misalignment prevention unit 66 for preventing misalignment between the object A and the upper belt 65. By arranging the conveyor 60 opposite the top and bottom surfaces of the treatment liquid tank 55, the object A can be treated without stagnating inside the treatment liquid tank 55, regardless of whether the object A floats or sinks in the treatment liquid 80. Hereinafter, the space surrounded by the high voltage electrode 52, the low voltage electrode 53, the bottom surface conveyor 61, and the top surface conveyor 64 will be referred to as the passage for the object to be treated.

[0015] The treatment liquid tank 55 is a space where an electric field is generated by the electrode 51 and through which the treatment object A passes. Therefore, when the high-voltage electrode 52 and the low-voltage electrode 53 are flat and arranged opposite each other, the cross-sectional shape of the treatment object passage in the transport direction of the treatment object A is rectangular. The high-voltage electrode 52 is arranged with an insulating material 54 interposed between it and the treatment liquid tank 55 for electrical insulation. The low-voltage electrode 53 may be arranged in the treatment liquid tank 55 with the insulating material 54 interposed between them, or may be arranged integrally with the treatment liquid tank 55 without the insulating material 54 interposed between them. The former has the effect of reducing electrical noise generated by the pulse voltage, while the latter has the advantage of allowing the treatment unit 50 to be miniaturized. Using a fluorine-containing resin material or ceramic as the material for the insulating material 54 provides the insulating material 54 with high heat resistance and voltage resistance. The insulating material 54 has a columnar or flat plate shape.

[0016] 4 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a pulse power supply of the pulse electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 1. In the pulse power supply 10, a first switch 13, a first capacitor 11, a second switch 14, and a second capacitor 12 are connected in series from the ground side, and the second capacitor 12 and the high-voltage electrode 52 are connected by a cable or the like. In the first capacitor 11, the terminal on the first switch 13 side is the charging side terminal, and the terminal on the second switch 14 side is the ground side terminal. In the second capacitor 12, the terminal on the second switch 14 side is the charging side terminal, and the terminal on the high-voltage electrode 52 side is the ground side terminal.

[0017] The DC power supply 15 has a function of charging the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12 at a predetermined voltage, and is connected to the charging terminals of the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12 via at least one current limiter 16. At least one current limiter 16 is also provided between the charging terminals of the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12. Similarly, the grounding terminals of the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12 are each grounded via at least one current limiter 16, and at least one current limiter 16 is provided between the grounding terminals of both capacitors.

[0018] The pulse power supply 10 outputs a pulse voltage in two steps: a charging step and a discharging step. In the charging step, the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12 are charged by the DC power supply 15. In the discharging step, the first switch 13 and the second switch 14 are turned on almost simultaneously to output a superimposed voltage of the charging voltages of the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12, and then the discharging step is ended by turning them off. In other words, the period during which the first switch 13 and the second switch 14 are on is the period of the discharging step, which is the pulse width of the pulse power supply 10.

[0019] The first switch 13 and the second switch 14 are semiconductor switches such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) or insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). A resistor or a reactor is used for the current limiter 16. Using a resistor has the advantage of being able to charge the first capacitor 11 and the second capacitor 12 with a stable voltage, while using a reactor can reduce power consumption.

[0020] In the example of the pulsed power supply 10 shown in Figure 4, two capacitors and two switches are used, but three or more of each may be used with a similar configuration. The greater the number of capacitors and switches, the higher the pulse voltage that can be obtained. The voltage that the pulsed power supply 10 outputs to the high-voltage electrode 52 during the discharge step is the pulse voltage, and the current that flows through the treatment liquid tank 55 in response to the pulse voltage is the pulse current.

[0021] 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of electrodes in the pulse electric field processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. The electrode 51 is arranged parallel to the bottom belt 62 with an insulating gap G provided, with its lower edge 511 facing the surface along which the bottom conveyor 61 conveys the objects A to be processed. The electrode 51 is also arranged parallel to the top belt 65 with an insulating gap G provided, with its upper edge 512 facing the surface along which the top conveyor 64 conveys the objects A to be processed. The insulating gap G is the gap between the bottom conveyor 61 or the top conveyor 64 and the electrode 51. Here, "parallel" refers to a state in which the objects A to be processed are transported from the inlet conveyor 67 to the outlet conveyor 68 without being left behind between the processing sections 50. The electrode 51 does not need to be completely parallel to the bottom belt 62 or the top belt 65 as long as the objects A to be processed are not left behind between the processing sections 50. Furthermore, the electrodes 51 are positioned so that the insulating gap G between the bottom conveyor 61 and the lower edge 511 and the insulating gap G between the top conveyor 64 and the upper edge 512 are smaller than the height H of the bottom misalignment prevention unit 63 and the top misalignment prevention unit 66, respectively. If the conveyor 60 is sandwiched between the electrodes 51, an electric field is also applied to the conveyor 60 and its moving parts, resulting in malfunction and a shortened service life of the conveyor 60. Furthermore, because energy applied to anything other than the object A does not contribute to the pulsed electric field treatment, it is desirable to not allow anything other than the object A and the treatment solution 80 to pass between the electrodes 51. By positioning the electrodes 51 as shown in FIG. 5 , an electric field is formed only in the passageway for the object A, preventing the input of more energy than necessary to treat the object A. Furthermore, because an electric field is not applied to the moving parts of the conveyor 60, damage to the conveyor 60 is prevented.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of electrodes and insulating materials in the pulse electrolytic processing apparatus according to the first embodiment and an example of the arrangement method. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the portion of the electrodes and insulating materials fixed to the processing liquid tank in the pulse electrolytic processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of the portion P in FIG. 6 . The insulating material 54 is shaped to cover at least one of the end, corner, and protrusion of the electrode 51 and is fixed to the processing liquid tank 55 using screws 56. When a flat electrode 51 is used to generate an electric field, the electric field strength increases at the edge of the electrode 51, the corners of the electrode 51, and the protrusions if the surface of the electrode 51 is uneven, resulting in unevenness in the effect of the pulse electric field processing. Therefore, it is desirable that the end, corners, and protrusions of the electrode 51 are not exposed to the processing liquid 80. The arrangement of the columnar or flat insulating material 54 has the effect of preventing the electric field generated around the electrode 51 from concentrating on the end, corners, and protrusions of the electrode 51.

[0023] The pulsed power supply 10 may supply a bipolar pulsed voltage to the electrode 51 instead of supplying a unipolar pulsed voltage. When a bipolar pulsed voltage is applied to the electrode 51, a bipolar pulsed electric field is generated in the passage for the object to be treated. In pulsed electric field treatment employing a parallel plate electrode structure, it is desirable to use a bipolar pulsed electric field to prevent deterioration of only one of the electrodes 51. Supplying a bipolar pulsed voltage from the pulsed power supply 10 to the electrode 51 has the effect of preventing uneven deterioration of the electrode 51.

[0024] In the pulsed electric field treatment device 100 according to the first embodiment, no part of the conveyor 60 other than the bottom surface positional deviation prevention part 63 and the top surface positional deviation prevention part 66 is disposed in the passage for the object to be treated, and therefore a uniform electric field can be formed in the passage for the object to be treated A, and deterioration due to the electric field of the conveyor 60 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by forming a uniform electric field in the passage for the object to be treated, the pulsed electric field treatment device 100 according to the first embodiment can reliably and uniformly treat the object to be treated A in the liquid, and improve the quality of the object to be treated A.

[0025] 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a treatment liquid tank of a pulsed electric field treatment apparatus according to embodiment 2. In a pulsed electric field treatment apparatus 100 according to embodiment 2, a treatment liquid tank 55 is provided with a treatment liquid injection port 81 through which a treatment liquid 80 flows in and a treatment liquid drain port 82 through which the treatment liquid 80 flows out.

[0026] In pulse electric field treatment, if the treatment temperature is too high, the flavor and nutritional content of the object A to be treated will deteriorate, while if the treatment temperature is too low, the treatment effect will be reduced. Therefore, an appropriate temperature range for pulse electric field treatment exists for each object A to be treated. For this reason, it is desirable to maintain the temperature of the treatment liquid 80 and the conductivity of the treatment liquid 80 due to the temperature increase constant. In the pulse electric field treatment device 100 according to embodiment 2, the treatment liquid tank 55 is provided with a treatment liquid injection port 81 and a treatment liquid drainage port 82, so that the treatment liquid 80 flows inside the treatment liquid tank 55 in the transport direction of the object A to be treated. By providing the treatment liquid injection port 81 and the treatment liquid drainage port 82 in the treatment liquid tank 55, the treatment liquid 80 flows within the treatment liquid tank 55 and is constantly replaced, thereby maintaining the temperature and conductivity of the treatment liquid 80 constant.

[0027] The pulse electric field treatment apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment can maintain the temperature and conductivity of the treatment liquid 80 constant, thereby preventing unevenness in the pulse electrolysis treatment of the treatment object A.

[0028] 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams showing an example of a bottom surface misalignment prevention unit and a top surface misalignment prevention unit of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 3. The white arrows in FIGS. 9 and 10 indicate the transport direction of the object A. FIG. 9 shows the processing unit 50 and the conveyor 60 as viewed from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the object A, and FIG. 10 shows the processing unit 50 and the conveyor 60 as viewed from above. In the pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 3, the bottom surface misalignment prevention unit 63 and the top surface misalignment prevention unit 66 are formed on the bottom belt 62 and the top belt 65 by partition plates 69 that rise vertically from the bottom belt 62 or the top belt 65 and whose ends 691, 692 in the width direction of the bottom belt 62 or the top belt 65 are positioned differently in the transport direction of the object A. The partition plates 69 are formed of an insulating material. Since the positions of the widthwise ends 691, 692 of the bottom belt 62 or the top belt 65 of the partition plate 69 are different in the transport direction of the object to be treated A, when the conveyor 60 transports the object to be treated A, a flow 20 in the widthwise direction of the conveyor 60 is generated in the processing liquid 80.

[0029] In pulsed electric field treatment, treatment is performed by generating an electric field in the treatment liquid 80, but if gas or bubbles are mixed in the treatment object passage to which the electric field is applied, there is a possibility of discharge occurring due to dielectric breakdown of the gas. Since the energy from the discharge phenomenon does not contribute to the pulsed electric field treatment and can cause undesirable effects such as a rise in the temperature of the treatment liquid 80 and damage to the treatment object A, it is desirable that gas not be mixed in the treatment object passage.

[0030] In the pulse electrolytic processing apparatus according to the third embodiment, a partition plate 69 inclined relative to the transport direction of the object A to be processed is arranged on the conveyor 60. This makes it easier for gas that has entered the passage for the object to be processed to escape along the partition plate 69 into the bottom surface misalignment prevention unit 63 or the top surface misalignment prevention unit 66, thereby preventing discharge.

[0031] The partition plate 69 may also be formed in a perforated or mesh structure.

[0032] 11 and 12 are schematic diagrams showing an example of a bottom surface misalignment prevention unit and a top surface misalignment prevention unit of a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to embodiment 4. The white arrows in FIGS. 11 and 12 indicate the transport direction of the object A to be processed. FIG. 11 shows the processing unit 50 and conveyor 60 as viewed from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the object A to be processed, and FIG. 12 shows the processing unit 50 and conveyor 60 as viewed from above. In the pulsed electrolytic processing apparatus according to embodiment 4, the bottom surface misalignment prevention unit 63 and the top surface misalignment prevention unit 66 are formed by insulating columnar protrusions 70 arranged at equal intervals on the bottom belt 62 and the top belt 65. The length of the columnar protrusions 70 is at least half the height of the object A to be processed.

[0033] By arranging the columnar protrusions 70 at equal intervals on the conveyor 60, gas that has entered the passage for the material to be treated can be more easily discharged from the passage for the material to be treated by passing between the columnar protrusions 70, which has the effect of preventing discharge.

[0034] 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of conveyors in a pulsed electric field processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment. The upper conveyor 64 is arranged at an incline toward the direction in which the object A rises due to buoyancy in the processing liquid 80. The surface of the upper conveyor 64 that comes into contact with the object A is arranged in the processing liquid 80, while the surface of the upper conveyor 64 that does not come into contact with the object A is arranged with a portion exposed to the atmosphere of the apparatus. That is, the upper conveyor 64 is arranged at an incline such that the portion that transports the object A is in the processing liquid 80 and the downstream side in the transport direction of the object A is higher. A partition plate 69 or a columnar protrusion 70 may also be combined. By adopting the above-described arrangement in which the portion of the conveyor 60 that transports the object to be treated A is inclined in the treatment liquid 80 so that the downstream side in the transport direction of the object to be treated A is higher, and by providing a partition plate 69 or a columnar protrusion 70, gas that has entered the bottom surface positional deviation prevention portion 63 or the top surface positional deviation prevention portion 66 can be more easily released, which has the effect of preventing discharge.

[0035] Sixth Embodiment Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the electrode arrangement of a pulsed electric field treatment apparatus according to a sixth embodiment. Two or more electrodes 51, each consisting of a high-voltage electrode 52 and a low-voltage electrode 53, may be arranged inside a treatment liquid tank 55. When two or more electrodes 51 are arranged, the same pulsed power supply 10 may supply a pulsed voltage to each electrode 51, or different pulsed power supplies 10 may supply a pulsed voltage to each electrode 51. In the latter case, by changing the pulsed electric field applied to each electrode 51, it is possible to adjust the electric field strength to a level appropriate for the state of the treatment object A and the temperature of the treatment liquid 80.

[0036] The pulsed electric field treatment apparatus 100 according to the sixth embodiment can perform pulsed electric field treatment suited to the object A to be treated by changing the treatment contents between the first half and the second half of the passage for the object to be treated.

[0037] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of the content, and may be combined with other known technologies, or parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0038] 10 Pulse power supply, 11 First capacitor, 12 Second capacitor, 13 First switch, 14 Second switch, 15 DC power supply, 16 Current limiter, 20 Flow, 50 Processing section, 51 Electrode, 52 High voltage electrode, 53 Low voltage electrode, 54 Insulating material, 55 Processing liquid tank, 56 Screw, 60 Conveyor, 61 Bottom conveyor, 62 Bottom belt, 63 Bottom position shift prevention section, 64 Top conveyor, 65 Top belt, 66 Top position shift prevention section, 67 Intake conveyor, 68 Outtake conveyor, 69 Partition plate, 70 Column-shaped protrusion, 80 Processing liquid, 81 Processing liquid injection port, 82 Processing liquid drain port, 100 Pulse electric field processing apparatus, 511 Lower edge, 512 Upper edge, 691, 692 Ends.

Claims

1. a processing liquid tank in which a processing liquid is stored; an electrode that is installed on a side of a passage through which the object to be treated passes inside the treatment liquid tank, while being electrically insulated from the treatment liquid tank via a support including an insulator, and that applies a pulse electric field to the object to be treated passing through the passage to perform a pulse electric field treatment; A pulse power source that outputs a pulse voltage to the electrode; A bottom conveyor having a bottom belt running in a conveying direction of the object to be processed and a bottom position shift prevention unit that suppresses position shift between the object to be processed and the bottom belt, the bottom conveyor being installed below the object to be processed passage; The apparatus includes an upper surface conveyor having an upper surface belt running in a transport direction of the object to be treated and an upper surface position shift prevention unit that suppresses position shift between the object to be treated and the upper surface belt, the upper surface conveyor being installed above the object to be treated passage and facing the bottom surface conveyor, the bottom surface misalignment prevention unit and the top surface misalignment prevention unit are partition plates provided on the respective conveying surfaces of the bottom surface conveyor and the top surface conveyor, and a gap between the top surface conveyor and an end of the electrode and a gap between the bottom surface conveyor and the electrode are both smaller than a height of the partition plate; The partition plate is made of an insulating material, A pulse electric field processing apparatus characterized in that the partition plate rises vertically from the bottom belt or the top belt, and the position of the end of the bottom belt or the top belt in the width direction differs in the transport direction of the object to be processed.

2. A processing liquid tank in which a processing liquid is stored; an electrode that is installed on a side of a passage through which the object to be treated passes inside the treatment liquid tank, while being electrically insulated from the treatment liquid tank via a support including an insulator, and that applies a pulse electric field to the object to be treated passing through the passage to perform a pulse electric field treatment; A pulse power source that outputs a pulse voltage to the electrode; A bottom conveyor having a bottom belt running in a conveying direction of the object to be processed and a bottom position shift prevention unit that suppresses position shift between the object to be processed and the bottom belt, the bottom conveyor being installed below the object to be processed passage; The apparatus includes an upper surface conveyor having an upper surface belt running in a transport direction of the object to be treated and an upper surface position shift prevention unit that suppresses position shift between the object to be treated and the upper surface belt, the upper surface conveyor being installed above the object to be treated passage and facing the bottom surface conveyor, the bottom surface misalignment prevention portion and the top surface misalignment prevention portion are columnar insulating protrusions provided at equal intervals on the conveying surfaces of the bottom surface conveyor and the top surface conveyor, A pulse electric field processing apparatus, wherein the length of the protrusion is at least half the height of an object to be processed.

3. 2. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrode is flat, its lower edge is spaced apart from the surface along which the bottom conveyor transports the object to be processed and is arranged parallel to the bottom belt, and its upper edge is spaced apart from the surface along which the top conveyor transports the object to be processed and is arranged parallel to the top belt.

4. The pulse electric field processing device described in Claim 2, characterized in that the electrode is flat, its lower edge is spaced apart from the surface along which the bottom conveyor transports the object to be processed and arranged parallel to the bottom belt, and its upper edge is spaced apart from the surface along which the top conveyor transports the object to be processed and arranged parallel to the top belt.

5. 2. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support covers at least one of a corner portion of the electrode and a protrusion portion of the electrode.

6. A pulse electric field processing apparatus as described in Claim 2, characterized in that the support covers at least one of the corners of the electrode and the convex portions of the electrode.

7. 2. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partition plate is in the form of a plate having holes or a mesh.

8. 2. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface conveyor is disposed at an incline such that a portion thereof that transports the object is in the processing liquid and is higher on a downstream side in a transport direction of the object.

9. A pulse electric field processing device as described in claim 2, characterized in that the upper conveyor is arranged at an angle so that the portion transporting the object to be treated is in the processing liquid and the downstream side in the transport direction of the object to be treated is higher.

10. 2. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing liquid tank includes a processing liquid injection port through which the processing liquid flows in along a transport direction of the object to be processed, and a processing liquid drainage port through which the processing liquid flows out along the transport direction of the object to be processed.

11. A pulse electric field processing device as described in Claim 2, characterized in that the processing liquid tank is provided with a processing liquid injection port through which the processing liquid flows in along the transport direction of the object to be processed, and a processing liquid drain outlet through which the processing liquid flows out along the transport direction of the object to be processed.

12. The electrode is divided into a plurality of parts along a transport direction of the object to be processed, 12. The pulse electric field processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the pulse power sources are provided corresponding to the plurality of the electrodes, respectively.