A device and a method for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate

Abstract

A device for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate, the device is characterized in that a supply tool for supplying the substrate to a housing of a sterilization chamber comprises a substrate supply conduit with a substrate supply mechanism arranged therein, and an output of the substrate supply conduit is coupled to an input to the housing of the sterilization chamber, and a substrate discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate discharge conduit with a substrate discharge mechanism arranged therein, and an input of the substrate discharge conduit is coupled to an output from the housing of the sterilization chamber, and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber is from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1. Also, a method for continuous sterilizing a lignocellulosic substrate has been developed.

Description

[0001] A DEVICE AND A METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS STERILIZATION OF A LIGNOCELLULOSIC SUBSTRATE

[0002] The group of inventions relates to a food industry, in particular, to fungiculture, namely, to methods for sterilizing a lignocellulosic substrate and devices for performing thereof.

[0003] Existing knowledge includes solutions which allow to perform sterilization of the lignocellulosic substrate for growing fungi or cultivating other microorganisms.

[0004] For example, patent US4978501 teaches a continuous process for a partial sterilization of a horticultural material which may be a substrate, a fertilizer, a turf or, in a preferable embodiment of the invention, a mushroom casing, and a device for performing thereof. The sterilization may be full or partial, thereby allowing to remove only harmful organisms, while preserving useful organisms undamaged. The horticultural material passes through a tunnel and is subjected to radio frequency electromagnetic waves during a period that is sufficient for the sterilization. According to a preferable embodiment of the process and the device, the horticultural material is heated up to a corresponding temperature by means of the waves, and then it is held within a zone that is not subjected to the waves during a period that is sufficient for the sterilization of the material, afterwards it is allowed to cool down to ambient temperature.

[0005] Drawbacks of said solution may be seen in an insufficient level of the temperature which the horticultural material is heated to; a lack of possibility to process the horticultural material under pressure which in combination does not allow to provide its good sterilization; a need to use specific (radiotransparent) materials and special equipment which increases costs required for manufacturing this device; as well as use of a movable part of the device, namely, a conveyor belt, within a horticultural material thermal processing zone, which results in its quick wear and, thus, to increase of operational costs. The above-listed drawbacks are mainly caused by a structural design of the described device.

[0006] Patent EP0075614 teaches a method and a system for selective production of mycelium and fruits of basidiomycetes. According to the method, sterilization of a substrate raw material may be carried out continuously without use of any packaging. Preferably, to this end, an autoclave is used, wherein the substrate is sterilized by a thin vapor layer with simultaneous circulation under excessive pressure. The autoclave comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve for the vapor, a dosing (pressing) auger at one its end, the auger is used as an input device, a circulation device for the sterilization material and an outlet opening at its another end.

[0007] Drawbacks of this solution may be seen in a structural design of the system that requires to use an external vapor generator in order to supply the vapor to the autoclave in order to ensure the required sterilization conditions, as well as causes the system's operation cyclicity, excessive energy consumption due to thermal inertia, large dimensions, high manufacturing and maintenance costs, increased operation hazard. Another drawback of the described solution is a significant degradation of the substrate during long-term processing by overheated vapor which causes reduction of fungi and other microorganisms, minerals and microelements which are vital for growth of the mycelia.

[0008] A task of the claimed invention is to provide a device for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate having such a structural design that it could allow to achieve a technical effect of maintaining a stable and a high-qualitative sterilization of the substrate without any mandatory use of additional equipment to maintain a pressure within an interior of the device, reduction of the sterilization time, reduction of the device's dimensions, reduction of a price of the device and costs for its maintenance, as well as in increase of safety and durability of its use.

[0009] Another task of the claimed invention is to provide a method for continuous sterilizing a lignocellulosic substrate having such a combination of steps that is could allow to achieve the above-mentioned technical effect.

[0010] The posed task is resolved by a developed device for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate, the device comprises a sterilization chamber having a sealed housing of circular cross-section, the housing is equipped with an input to an interior of the sterilization chamber and an output from the interior of the sterilization chamber, a heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber, a temperature sensor for sensing a heating temperature of the interior of the sterilization chamber, as well as a supply tool for supplying the substrate to the sterilization chamber having a substrate supply mechanism, and a discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber having a substrate discharge mechanism, and the supply tool for supplying the substrate to the housing of the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate supply conduit with the substrate supply mechanism arranged therein, wherein an output of the substrate supply conduit is coupled to the input to the housing of the sterilization chamber, and the discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate discharge conduit with the substrate discharge mechanism arranged therein, wherein an input of the substrate discharge conduit is coupled to the output from the housing of the sterilization chamber, and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber is from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1.

[0011] Another posed task is resolved by a developed method for continuous sterilizing a lignocellulosic substrate, the method comprises supplying the substrate to a sterilization chamber having a sealed housing of circular cross-section, heating an interior of the sterilization chamber with the substrate located inside for its further sterilization within the interior of the sterilization chamber and discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber, and the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber with a substrate moisture content of from 20% to 80%, terminating the substrate supply to the sterilization chamber after the sterilization chamber is filled with the substrate, initiating discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber after the interior of the sterilization chamber to a temperature of not lower than 99°C and terminating the substrate discharge from the sterilization chamber after a substrate seal is formed at an output from the interior of the sterilization chamber, holding the substrate within the sterilization chamber followed by discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber and supplying a new portion of the substrate to the sterilization chamber, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber via a substrate supply conduit, and the substrate is discharged from the sterilization chamber via a substrate discharge conduit, while using a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1. According to the claimed group of inventions, the sterilization of the lignocellulosic substrate takes place in a sealed medium created within the interior of the sterilization chamber, thereby rendering impossible its re-contamination from outside and providing high sterilization quality. The sterilization chamber is sealed due to the seal of the lignocellulosic substrate at the input to the interior of the sterilization chamber and at the output from its interior, since the supply of the substrate to the sterilization chamber and the discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber are performed continuously and simultaneously with the sterilization of the substrate within its interior such that a barrier avoiding a gas leakage from the sterilization chamber during sterilization is created. This allows to achieve continuity and stability of the sterilization process without any mandatory use of special and expensive equipment for maintaining the pressure within the interior of the sterilization chamber, when a certain amount of the substrate that is supplied to the sterilization chamber is the same as an amount of the substrate that is discharged therefrom. The substrate being processed is continuously supplied to the sterilization chamber in small portions according to a sequence of processes which take place within the interior of the sterilization chamber, while the prior art solutions imply performing the entire cycle of the substrate sterilization, its discharge from the corresponding device, and then preparation and performing a new cycle, which does not facilitate in providing stability of the sterilization process, while maintaining a constantly high level of its quality. Besides, the described sequence of steps of sterilization and the structural design of the sterilization device which enable supply of the substrate to the sterilization chamber in small portions provide much greater rate of its heating up to the required temperature as compared to the existing analogues, thereby allowing to reduce the sterilization time significantly. In turn, this allows to significantly reduce the dimensions of the sterilization chamber, while preserving the high capacity, which positively affects both the price of the device and its maintenance, as well as safety and durability of use thereof, since, as it is known, the greater the dimension of the sterilization chamber, the greater the force created by the pressure acting on its internal walls, thereby causing a loss of a metal rigidity (fatigue).

[0012] The above-mentioned optimal ratio between the cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and the ratio between the cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross- sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber that is from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1 has been determined experimentally and depends on the device size and its usage field, e.g., whether it is used in laboratory conditions or in industry with high volumes of the processed substrate. This ratio affects the operation efficiency of the device that enables to maintain stable and high quality of sterilization of the substrate, since the smaller the cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and of the substrate discharge conduit, the smaller the resistance created by the pressure acting on driving mechanisms of these assemblies and the easier prevention of a pressure leakage from the sterilization chamber is provided.

[0013] Embodiments of the invention are possible, where the cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit is the same as the cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit, is greater than the cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit or is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit.

[0014] In a preferable embodiment of the invention, the discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate cooling apparatus that is arranged along the substrate discharge conduit.

[0015] Also, in a preferable embodiment of the invention, the housing of the sterilization chamber is cylindrical, and the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises a thermally insulating case around a cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber and electrical heating elements which are arranged along the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber between this surface and the thermally insulating case. In this embodiment, the substrate supply conduit and the substrate discharge conduit are arranged perpendicularly to an axis of the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber. The housing of the sterilization chamber may be arranged vertically or horizontally, and in this case, it further comprises an auger mechanism that is arranged along the axis of the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber.

[0016] In one of preferable embodiments of the invention, the housing of the sterilization chamber is made of a radiotransparent material, and the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises a SHF (super-high-frequency) radiation generator that is sealingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber via a wave guide. In another preferable embodiment of the invention, the housing of the sterilization chamber is cylindrical and made of the radiotransparent material, and the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises electrical heating elements which are arranged along the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber between this surface and the thermally insulating case, and the SHF radiation generatorthat is sea lingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber.

[0017] According to possible embodiments of the invention, the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a rotational motion of a working element, with a translational motion of the working element or with a combination of both the rotational and the translational motions of the working element.

[0018] In one of preferable embodiments of the invention, the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber followed by filling, by the substrate, of the interior of the sterilization chamber in layers and movement of the formed layers of the substrate from the output of the substrate supply conduit to the input of the substrate discharge conduit, thereby allowing to achieve a high sterilization quality.

[0019] In another preferable embodiment of the invention, the sterilization chamber is supplied with a ground lignocellulosic substrate having a particle size of from 35 pm to 10 cm.

[0020] In another preferable embodiment of the invention, during discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber via the substrate discharge conduit it is forcedly cooled down to a temperature not higher than 30°C.

[0021] It should be noted that a preferable field of use of the claimed inventions is growing fungi, however, the present invention may be equally used to other microorganisms such as yogurt cultures, yeast, micromycetes, bacteria etc. The substrate is selected according to a type of microorganism that is desired for cultivation. In case of growing fungi, the substrate may be a carrier material that should be subsequently inoculated with a fungal mycelium in any form thereof (liquid, grain, inoculation from a Petri dish etc.) for further growth.

[0022] Typical examples of the substrate material for growing fungi include, but without limitation: stems, leaves and fibers of industrial hemps and flax; straw, husk and leaves of maize, wheat, rye, sunflower and other cereals and legumen crops; bark, brushwood, sawdust of hardwood and softwood trees; lignin and other waste of plant origin having a cellulose content.

[0023] When the substrate material depleted in nutrients which are necessary for the mycelium growth, it may be supplemented with a phosphorus, nitrogen or protein source, if necessary. For example, they may be bran cereals or legumes, yeast, soybean oil or peptone, as well as further minerals and microelements.

[0024] Also, in one of embodiments, the present invention provides a method for sterilizing a liquid nutrition medium that is usually used for cultivation of microorganisms.

[0025] The claimed invention will be described hereinafter in detail by Figure 1 which depicts a cross-sectional view of the device for continuous sterilization of the lignocellulosic substrate according to one of preferable embodiments.

[0026] A device for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate comprises a sterilization chamber 1 having a sealed housing of circular cross-section, the housing is equipped with an input to an interior of the sterilization chamber 1 and an output from the interior of the sterilization chamber 1, a heating tool 2 for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber 1, a temperature sensor (not shown) for sensing a heating temperature of the interior of the sterilization chamber 1, as well as a supply tool 3 for supplying the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1 having a substrate supply mechanism 4, and a discharge tool 5 for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber 1 having a substrate discharge mechanism 6. The substrate supply tool 3 for supplying the substrate to the housing of the sterilization chamber 1 comprises a substrate supply conduit 7 with the substrate supply mechanism 4 arranged therein, wherein an output of the substrate supply conduit 7 is coupled to the input to the housing of the sterilization chamber 1, and the discharge tool 5 for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber 1 comprises a substrate discharge conduit 8 with the substrate discharge mechanism 6 arranged therein, wherein an input of the substrate discharge conduit 8 is coupled to the output from the housing of the sterilization chamber 1. The device is also characterized by having a charging hopper 9, nozzles 10, a thermally insulating case 11, a sealing zone 12 and a cooling zone 13. Operation of the device for continuous sterilization of the lignocellulosic substrate which is used for carrying out the claimed sterilization method is described below.

[0027] The substrate having a moisture content of from 20% to 80% is charged via the charging hopper 9 to the supply tool 3 for supplying the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1, the supply tool comprises the substrate supply conduit 7 with the substrate supply mechanism 4 arranged therein, wherein the output of the substrate supply conduit 7 is coupled to the input to the housing of the sterilization chamber 1 and it provides continuous pumping of the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1, while filling its entire interior. The substrate supply conduit 7 for supplying the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1 is arranged perpendicularly to an axis of a cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber 1 in its top portion and is designed such that a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit 7 is significantly less that a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber 1.

[0028] The substrate supply mechanism 4 that is equipped with an electrical or a hydraulic drive (not shown) may pump the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1 by means of a rotational motion of a working element, e.g., an auger, by means of a translational motion of the working element, e.g., a rod, or by means of a combination of the rotational motion and the translational motion of the working element, while due to a friction between the substrate and internal walls of the substrate supply conduit 7, the substrate is sealed in the sealing zone 12 directly before entering the sterilization chamber 1, thereby creating a barrier against leakage of excessive pressure.

[0029] After the sterilization chamber 1 is filled with the substrate, the substrate supply to the sterilization chamber 1 is terminated. Walls of the sterilization chamber 1 are heated by means of the heating tool 2 for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber 1 which results in heating of its contents. The moisture contained in the substrate starts to evaporate, thereby creating the excessive pressure within the housing of the sterilization chamber 1 which allows to bring the substrate temperature to a level that is sufficient for death of foreign microorganisms and their spores. An additional advantage is that the overheated vapor in the form of the excessive pressure, when counteracting the substrate that is sealed in the supply conduit 7, heats it up to a temperature that is necessary for the sterilization process to occur. Therefore, the substrate enters the sterilization chamber 1 in the already heated condition which significantly reduces the total sterilization time due to overcoming the thermal inertia effect.

[0030] After the interior of the sterilization chamber 1 is heated up to a temperature of not less than 99°C, the substrate starts being discharged from the sterilization chamber 1, while after a substrate seal is formed at the output from the interior of the sterilization chamber 1, the discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber 1 is terminated. Depending on a type of the substrate, a range of heating temperatures may be from 99°C to 150°C, but without limitation thereto.

[0031] Then, the substrate is held in the sterilization chamber 1 to carry out the sterilization process. A sterilization time of the substrate depends on the substrate type and it may be, e.g., from 10 to 120 minutes, but without limitation thereto. After this time period, the sterile substrate is discharged from the sterilization chamber 1 by means of the discharge mechanism 6 to the discharge conduit 8 and then to the cooling zone 13, whereafter the sterile substrate is supplied to the next stage for inoculation, while supplying a new portion of the substrate to the sterilization chamber 1.

[0032] Temperature and pressure within the sterilization chamber 1 are maintained automatically by means of a microcontroller and a branched system of sensors and actuation mechanisms (not shown) which are connected to the nozzles 10 of the sterilization chamber 1.

[0033] Therefore, the device for continuous sterilization of the lignocellulosic substrate is created, and the device has such a structural design that it allows to achieve the technical effect of maintaining a stable and a high-qualitative sterilization of the substrate without any mandatory use of additional equipment to maintain the pressure within the interior of the device, reduction of the sterilization time, reduction of the device's dimensions, reduction of a price of the device and costs for its maintenance, as well as in increase of safety and durability of its use. Besides, the method for continuous sterilizing the lignocellulosic substrate, the method has such a combination of steps that it allows to achieve the above- mentioned technical effect.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A device for continuous sterilization of a lignocellulosic substrate, the device comprises a sterilization chamber having a sealed housing of circular cross-section, the housing is equipped with an input to an interior of the sterilization chamber and an output from the interior of the sterilization chamber, a heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber, a temperature sensor for sensing a heating temperature of the interior of the sterilization chamber, as well as a supply tool for supplying the substrate to the sterilization chamber having a substrate supply mechanism, and a discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber having a substrate discharge mechanism, wherein the supply tool for supplying the substrate to the housing of the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate supply conduit with the substrate supply mechanism arranged therein, wherein an output of the substrate supply conduit is coupled to the input to the housing of the sterilization chamber, and the discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate discharge conduit with the substrate discharge mechanism arranged therein, wherein an input of the substrate discharge conduit is coupled to the output from the housing of the sterilization chamber, and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber is from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge tool for discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber comprises a substrate cooling apparatus that is arranged along the substrate discharge conduit.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the sterilization chamber is cylindrical.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises a thermally insulating case around a cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber and electrical heating elements which are arranged along the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber between this surface and the thermally insulating case.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the substrate supply conduit and the substrate discharge conduit are arranged perpendicularly to an axis of the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the housing of the sterilization chamber is arranged vertically.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the housing of the sterilization chamber is arranged horizontally and further comprises an auger mechanism that is arranged along an axis of the cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the sterilization chamber is made of a radiotransparent material, and the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises a SHF radiation generator that is sealingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber via a wave guide.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the sterilization chamber is cylindrical and made of a radiotransparent material, and the heating tool for heating the interior of the sterilization chamber comprises electrical heating elements which are arranged along a cylindrical surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber between this surface and a thermally insulating case, and a SHF radiation generator that is sealingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber via a wave guide.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a rotational motion of a working element are used.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a translational motion of a working element are used.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a combination of a rotational motion and a translational motion of a working element are used.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit is the same as a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit is greater than a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit.

16. A method for continuous sterilizing a lignocellulosic substrate, the method comprises supplying the substrate to a sterilization chamber having a sealed housing of circular cross-section, heating an interior of the sterilization chamber with the substrate located inside for its further sterilization within the interior of the sterilization chamber and discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber, wherein the method comprises moistening the substrate and supplying it to the sterilization chamber, terminating the substrate supply to the sterilization chamber after the sterilization chamber is filled with the substrate, initiating discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber after the interior of the sterilization chamber to a temperature of not lower than 99°C and terminating the substrate discharge from the sterilization chamber after a substrate seal is formed at an output from the interior of the sterilization chamber, holding the substrate within the sterilization chamberfollowed by discharging the substrate from the sterilization chamber and supplying a new portion of the substrate to the sterilization chamber, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber via a substrate supply conduit, and the substrate is discharged from the sterilization chamber via a substrate discharge conduit, while using a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate supply conduit and a cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber and a ratio between a cross-sectional area of the substrate discharge conduit and the cross-sectional area of the housing of the sterilization chamber from 0.0006:1 to 0.5:1.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber and the substrate is discharged from the sterilization chamber continuously and simultaneously with the sterilization of the substrate within the interior of the sterilization chamber.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber followed by filling, by the substrate, of the interior of the sterilization chamber in layers and movement of the formed layers of the substrate from the output of thesubstrate supply conduit to the input of the substrate discharge conduit.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sterilization chamber is supplied with a ground lignocellulosic substrate having a particle size of from 35 pm to 10 cm.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is further moistened to provide a moisture content of from 20% to 80% before the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein during discharge of the substrate from the sterilization chamber via the substrate discharge conduit it is forcedly cooled down to a temperature not higher than 30°C.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the interior of the sterilization chamber is heated via the housing of the sterilization chamber by means of electrical heating elements which are arranged along a surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the interior of the sterilization chamber is heated by a SHF radiation by means of a SHF radiation generator that is sea lingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber via a wave guide.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the interior of the sterilization chamber is heated by a combination of a SHF radiation by means of a SHF radiation generator that is sealingly connected to the housing of the sterilization chamber via a wave guide and by electrical heating elements through the housing of the sterilization chamber which are arranged along a surface of the housing of the sterilization chamber.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber and discharged from the sterilization chamber by means of the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a rotational motion of a working element.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber and discharged from the sterilization chamber by means of the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a translational motion.

27. The method according to claim 16, wherein the substrate is supplied to the sterilization chamber and discharged from the sterilization chamber by means of the substrate supply mechanism and the substrate discharge mechanism with a combination of a rotational motion and a translational motion of a working element.

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