Method and apparatus for steam sterilization.

摘要

In methods and apparatus for steam sterilization, goods are conditioned in a sterilizing chamber (16) by removing air and heating to a desired temperature. Pressure change in the chamber is monitored and employed to control conditioning. The goods are subjected to a plurality of controlled cyclic pressure pulses below a predetermined super-atmospheric pressure level by alternate evacuation and steam pressurization of the chamber. The cyclic pressure pulsing is made responsive to load characteristics which are determined by monitoring pressure change in the chamber (16) by means of a pressure sensing assembly (66). In a specific embodiment, air is flushed from the chamber (16) initially by the injection of steam via a valve (45) from a jacket (22) simultaneously with evacuation of the chamber (16) by means of a water ejection (48). The evacuation phase of each pulse continues until both a predetermined time has lapsed and a predetermined vacuum level has been attained; and the steam pressurization phase of each pulse is continued until a fixed pressure related to sterilization temperature is reached. Thereafter steam is admitted to the chamber (16) and steam pressure is maintained therein until the sterilization has been completed.