PURPOSE: To make a simplified device usable without causing expansion or conglomeration of powder or granules of food, feed, or drug, by letting the powder or granules float or flow in a pipe with low-pressure superheated steam, and sterilizing them uniformly in a short time by heating.
CONSTITUTION: Powder or granules such as a food, feed, drug, etc. are fed from the hopper 1, through the feed valve 2, to the pipe 3. Low-pressure superheated steam is introduced from the steam pipe 9 into the pipe 3 at a speed of 10W30m/sec. under a pressure of not higher than 3kg/cm2 at 120W250°C depending upon the purpose of sterilization, and the powder or granules are sterilized for about 2W15 sec. The powder or granules are separated from the steam by the cyclone 4, and fed from the valve 5 to the hopper 6. The separated steam is sent through the pipe 7 to the superheater 8 and reused. Since the low-pressure superheated steam is used, the valves 2 and 3 are manufactured readily, and gas leakage will be only slight. When the sterilized powder or granules are discharged to the atmospheric pressure, no expansion nor conglomeration caused by water will not occur, and the process has high sterilization effect.
HIRAYAMA TATSUO
AKAO TAKESHI
OKAMOTO YOSHIHARU
