Rotary Sterilization Equipment with Segmented Working Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional large-scale sterilization equipment suffers from slow heat and moisture penetration, leading to low sterilization efficiency due to its large volume, resulting in prolonged cycle times, such as 10-14 hours for ethylene oxide gas sterilization.
Innovation Solution
A rotary sterilization equipment with a small volume working station module that moves through sequential stations for feeding, pretreatment, pre-sterilization, reagent addition, sterilization, cleaning, and discharge, utilizing a shared heating system and detachable pipes to enhance penetration efficiency and reduce occupied area and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sterilization equipment is designed with large volume to increase output, then the sterilization capacity is improved, but the heat and moisture penetration speed decreases, resulting in low sterilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The sterilization equipment is divided into multiple independent working station modules (feeding station, pretreatment station, pre-sterilization station, reagent adding station, sterilization station, cleaning station, discharging station) arranged on a rotatable table. Each module is a small-volume unit that can be independently optimized, avoiding the penetration problems of large-volume single-chamber designs while maintaining high overall productivity through continuous flow-line operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a traditional single large-volume chamber design to a multi-dimensional arrangement of small modules on a rotatable table. This spatial reconfiguration allows multiple small-volume sterilization chambers to operate simultaneously at different angular positions, achieving high capacity without compromising penetration efficiency in any individual module.
2Productivity
If the sterilization equipment volume is increased to handle large-scale sterilization, then the sterilization output is improved, but the cycle time increases significantly, resulting in low sterilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable table with multiple working station modules enables continuous flow-line sterilization where materials move sequentially through different processing stages. While one module is undergoing sterilization, other modules are simultaneously performing feeding, pretreatment, or discharging operations, eliminating idle time and reducing overall cycle time compared to batch processing in a single large chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Materials undergo pretreatment (such as heating and moisture conditioning) in dedicated pretreatment stations before entering the sterilization chamber. This preliminary preparation reduces the time required for heat and moisture penetration during the actual sterilization phase, thereby shortening the overall cycle time while maintaining high output capacity.
3Productivity
If the sterilization equipment is designed with small volume working station modules, then the penetration efficiency is improved, but the occupied area increases due to the rotary structure with multiple stations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes vertical space and rotational motion to accommodate multiple working station modules. Instead of arranging all stations linearly in a plane, they are positioned radially around a rotatable table, effectively using the third dimension (rotation) to pack multiple small-volume modules into a compact footprint, minimizing the occupied area while maintaining high penetration efficiency in each module.
4Productivity
If conventional large-volume sterilization equipment is used, then the sterilization capacity is sufficient, but the sterilant usage increases due to low penetration efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the sterilization system into multiple small-volume working station modules, each chamber requires less sterilant to achieve effective penetration. The total sterilant usage is reduced compared to a single large chamber, while the segmented architecture maintains high sterilization capacity through parallel or sequential operation of multiple modules.
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
The rotary structure enables continuous flow-line sterilization, improving efficiency, reducing equipment size and costs, and maintaining a stable heating system, thereby enhancing sterilization penetration rates and reducing sterilant usage.
Implementation Method 1
a heating pipe is provided inside the working station module and configured for communicating with the heat transmission pipe
Implementation Method 2
the suction pipe communicates with an interior of the working station module through the suction port
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a field of sterilization and disinfection, and in particular, relates to a sterilization equipment and a sterilization process. A sterilization equipment includes a rotatable table, a heat transmission pipe, a suction pipe, a pretreatment gas pipe and a protective gas pipe; a plurality of working station modules are provided on the rotatable table; a heating pipe is provided inside the working station module and configured for communicating with the heat transmission pipe; a material port, a suction port, a first gas inlet, a second gas inlet and a reagent port are defined in the working station module; when the rotatable table is rotated, the working station module is moved to a feeding station, a pretreatment station, a pre-sterilization station, a reagent adding station, a sterilization station, a cleaning station and a discharging station in turn.