Microwave Sterilizer with Pressure Control and Water Jacket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sterilization methods for liquids, especially in laboratory settings, are time-consuming and inefficient, requiring prolonged heating and pressure maintenance to ensure effective sterilization of biological materials without compromising their properties.
Innovation Solution
A portable microwave sterilizer with a process chamber equipped with a magnetron, a pressure pneumatic system, and a water jacket, allowing for controlled pressure and temperature adjustments using a high-frequency switching valve, ensuring rapid sterilization while preventing sudden boiling and maintaining uniform heating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional autoclave sterilization is used, then sterilization effectiveness is ensured, but total sterilization time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies microwave radiation to heat the biological material directly, changing the heating mechanism from conventional thermal conduction to electromagnetic radiation heating. This allows rapid temperature increase to sterilization levels (121°C or higher) without the prolonged heating phase required by autoclaves, reducing total sterilization time while maintaining effectiveness through controlled pressure and temperature parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic microwave irradiation cycles with controlled duration and intensity, alternating between heating phases and pressure maintenance phases. This periodic action enables rapid sterilization by delivering concentrated energy pulses that quickly raise temperature to sterilization levels, then maintaining parameters for the required hold time, significantly reducing the overall process time compared to continuous conventional heating
2Loss of time
If rapid microwave heating is applied, then sterilization time is reduced, but uniform temperature distribution becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple magnetrons positioned at different locations within the sterilization chamber, each targeting specific zones of the biological material. This localized heating approach ensures uniform temperature distribution throughout the sample by addressing hot and cold spots individually, maintaining temperature homogeneity while achieving rapid sterilization through coordinated multi-zone heating
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a rotating mechanism that mechanically agitates the biological material during microwave heating. This rotation continuously redistributes the material, preventing localized overheating and ensuring uniform exposure to microwave energy throughout the sample volume, thereby achieving both rapid heating and temperature uniformity simultaneously
3Temperature
If pressure is increased to raise boiling point, then sterilization temperature can be increased, but pressure control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the microwave heating process itself to generate the required pressure increase as a byproduct of rapid water heating and steam generation. The sealed chamber automatically builds pressure as temperature rises, eliminating the need for external pressure pumping systems. The pressure control is achieved through simple venting mechanisms rather than complex active pressure regulation, reducing system complexity while enabling high-temperature sterilization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution significantly reduces the total sterilization time by enabling precise control over pressure and temperature, ensuring efficient sterilization of biological materials without loss of properties, and allowing for consistent process parameters regardless of sample size or volume.
Implementation Method 1
at least one magnetron which is the source of microwaves... The walls and bottom of the process chamber are made at least partially of material permeable to microwave radiation
Implementation Method 2
applying microwave radiation to such a medium contained in a microwave transmissive pressure container... the temperature and pressure in the container are raised
Implementation Method 3
The increase in the pressure inside the autoclave enables the increase in the temperature of the boiling point of water... a pressure pneumatic system containing a system of pipes supplied with gas under pressure
Implementation Method 4
a water jacket inside the process chamber during a sterilization process for a vessel containing the medium being sterilized
Implementation Method 5
controlled pressure reduction with the use of a high-frequency switching valve... enables the change of dynamics of the rate of pressure reduction for each stage of the sterilization process
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A microwave sterilizer for the sterilization of liquids contains a resonance chamber (1) and a process chamber (3) partially arranged inside this resonance chamber (1). The resonance chamber (1) is a body (2) and the process chamber (3) with a lid (4). The resonance chamber (1) contains the body (2), the process chamber (3) and the process chamber (3) lid (4). Magnetrons (5,6) are attached to the resonance chamber (1) body (2). Antennae (7) of the magnetrons (5,6) are put into the interior of the resonance chamber (1). A vessel (8) contains liquid material for sterilization. The resonance chamber (1) body (2) upper flange (11) surrounds the cylindrical process chamber (3) and the contact of this flange (11) with the wall of the process chamber (3) is sealed by means of peripheral seal (12).