摘要 |
An arrangement for aseptically discharging flowable media, especially sterilized feed solutions for use in microbiology, includes a discharge valve which has a ball-shaped valve member having a through passage in which there is accommodated an insert that carries a coupling member to which there is connected a sterilized hose in the open position of the valve member. The valve member is rotatably accommodated in a chamber of a valve housing and the flowable medium flows through the insert and the coupling member into the hose in the open position, while the coupling member is accommodated in a compartment of the housing in the closed position of the valve member. A stream of sterilizing medium, preferably steam, is admitted into the compartment in the closed position to sterilize the coupling member. The admission of the sterilizing medium is throttled as the valve member is rotated toward its open position, but maintained until the hose is connected to the coupling part. Another stream of the sterilizing medium is supplied into the output duct which leads toward the discharge valve, communicating with the duct immediately downstream of a main shutoff valve for the flowable medium which is closed during the sterilizing operation, to sterilize the duct and the region of the inlet port of the discharge valve.
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