JP5343196B2 - Shock wave treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a shock wave processing apparatus capable of continuously processing foods, chemicals, raw materials for chemicals, industrial raw materials and the like using shock wave energy generated by a method of passing an electric current between electrodes.

  The shock wave is generated by various causes such as explosive explosion, discharge, convergence of laser light, release of high pressure, high-speed collision, and water vapor explosion. As a method using this shock wave, for example, a discharge crushing method using a discharge crushing device that crushes a processing object such as a rock is known. In this method, an electrolytic solution filling hole is formed in advance in an object to be treated, an electrolytic solution such as water is filled in the electrolytic solution filling hole, and an electrode of a discharge crushing device is inserted into the electrolytic solution. There is one that discharges by applying a current pulse. The electrolytic solution generates a shock wave by the discharge energy, and the object to be processed is crushed by crushing the periphery of the electrolyte solution filling hole with the shock wave.

  As an example of a discharge crushing device, a pulse power source composed of a circuit having a large-capacity capacitor and a switch, and connected to one pole of the capacitor and connected to the other pole of the capacitor via a switch A power supply unit such as a generator; one electrode connected to one electrode of the capacitor; the other electrode connected to the other electrode of the capacitor via a switch; and an insulator that insulates the one electrode from the other electrode And an electrode formed by the method described above.

In the above apparatus, a fine metal wire is connected between the electrodes, and the fine metal wire is instantaneously melted and vaporized by discharge, and expands to a metal vapor volume several tens of thousands of times, thereby generating a shock wave.
JP 2006-205117 A

  On the other hand, it has been proposed that foods, chemicals, raw materials for drugs, industrial materials, and the like be subjected to various treatments using shock waves. In other words, if a shock wave is used, a food or the like can be easily softened or pulverized or subjected to other processing in a short time without impairing nutrients and active ingredients.

  However, for example, when using a discharge device that generates a shock wave by vaporizing a discharge between electrodes or a thin metal wire, and the shock wave is directly collided with food through the electrolyte, by the action of the electric ions generated with the shock wave, A redox reaction by electrolysis occurs in foods. As a result, there is a problem that the taste, color, flavor and the like of the food are impaired. Although shock wave treatment for food is expected to be very useful, it is strongly desired to avoid the above disadvantages.

  Similarly, even if the object to be treated is a medicine other than food, a raw material of medicine, or an industrial material, a situation in which the quality of the object is impaired must be avoided.

  By the way, in the processing as described above, only the shock wave needs to reach the object to be processed from the shock wave generation unit, and the object to be processed such as food is subjected to a secondary unintended process accompanying the processing by the shock wave. It is necessary to eliminate.

In addition, when using a discharge device that vaporizes the metal wires connected between the electrodes to generate shock waves, the metal wires in the electrode portion evaporate or break in one process, so the next process Has to reattach the metal wire to the electrode part or replace the entire electrode part, and can process a large number of foods in a short time by continuously processing the object to be processed such as food There wasn't. Furthermore, even a device that generates a shock wave by discharging between electrodes without using a thin metal wire needs to be replaced due to electrode wear.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shock wave processing apparatus that can suppress a secondary unintended process accompanying a process using a shock wave.

  In addition, when shock waves are generated by electric pulses, and processing such as softening and pulverization of foods, etc. is performed by the shock waves, shock wave processing that prevents degradation of the quality of the workpiece due to electrolysis or the like It is an object to provide a method and apparatus.

  It is another object of the present invention to facilitate continuous shock wave processing by facilitating replenishment of thin metal wires and replacement of worn electrodes in a discharge device that is a shock wave generating unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

  That is, in a shock wave processing apparatus that executes processing on an object to be processed by a shock wave generated from a shock wave generation unit, a shock wave generation unit including one or a plurality of shock wave generation sources for generating a shock wave, and adjacent to the shock wave generation unit, A workpiece storage unit for movably storing the workpiece, a supply unit for supplying the workpiece to the workpiece storage unit, and a discharge for discharging the processed workpiece from the workpiece storage unit And a moving means for sequentially moving the object to be processed from the supply part to the discharge part through the object storage part, and allowing the shock wave to pass between the shock wave generating part and the object storage part In this case, a diaphragm for blocking a substance generated along with the generation of the shock wave is disposed, and the shock wave is made to reach the object to be processed through the diaphragm.

  In this apparatus, when the object to be processed moves and is stored in the object storage part from the supply unit, a shock wave is generated, and the object to be processed moves to the discharge part, whereby continuous processing can be performed. In this case, the shock wave generation source may be a known source that generates a shock wave by an explosive explosion, discharge, convergence of laser light, a piezoelectric element, a giant magnetostrictive element, or the like in addition to electrodes.

  There are various kinds of substances that are generated along with the generation of shock waves, such as gas and soot that accompany combustion of explosives, metal ions and metal pieces that are generated when a part of an electrode or a thin metal wire evaporates or breaks.

  Further, the shock wave generating unit may be either one that generates a shock wave only once or one that can generate a shock wave a plurality of times.

  Although the material of the said diaphragm is not specifically limited, Since a hard thing is easy to be destroyed with a shock wave, it is preferable to form with a flexible synthetic resin, for example. For example, it can be formed of silicon resin, polypropylene resin, or the like. The thickness is suitably about 0.1 mm to 1 mm in order to ensure flexibility.

  In addition, the space between the shock wave generator and the object to be processed needs to be filled with a pressure transmission medium such as a liquid or a gel-like resin. As the transmission medium, a fluid having low compressibility such as a liquid can be preferably used. In the present invention, the outside of the diaphragm, that is, around the place where the object to be processed is placed, can be filled with a liquid such as water. A highly compressible gas is difficult to transmit pressure and is not suitable.

  Here, water or the like is for transmitting a shock wave (shock wave transmission medium), in other words, for transmitting pressure associated with the shock wave (pressure transmission medium). As the transmission medium, an incompressible fluid such as a liquid can be used, and includes a wide range of liquids and gels in addition to water. For example, in addition to water, liquid nitrogen, liquid carbon dioxide, and other liquids having a low boiling point can be used. Use of such a liquid is effective in an environment where the temperature is 0 ° C. or lower or an object to be processed must be kept at a low temperature of 0 ° C. or lower.

  Further, it is possible to use a liquid such as fruit juice, which is an object to be processed, a solid, or a powder itself as a transmission medium. For example, liquid (eg, fruit juice such as apple juice or coffee extract) or powder (eg, coffee beans, grain powder, etc.) can be moved through a pipe provided in the object storage unit. It is conceivable to use an apparatus in which the outside of the pipe in the processing object storage unit is filled with water. In this case, the water filled outside the pipe in the processing object storage unit and the liquid or powder itself as the processing object moving in the pipe transmit the shock wave as a transmission medium, thereby transmitting the object. A processed product may be processed.

  In such a case, it is not necessary to use a transmission medium such as a liquid in addition to the object to be processed, and it is easy to carry out, and furthermore, efficient processing can be achieved by simplifying the apparatus used for implementation, space saving, etc. Is possible.

  As another aspect, the tube through which the object to be processed passes is disposed in the object to be processed container filled with the transmission medium, and liquid or the like is supplied from the outside into the object to be processed container through the tube. It can also be recovered after processing. Such a processing system can also realize efficient processing.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in addition to the target process by a shock wave, it can suppress that a secondary unintended process is given to a to-be-processed object.

  The moving means is for continuously feeding the object to be processed to a position where the object can be processed by the shock wave in the object storing part, and sequentially discharging the processed object from the end. When feeding the workpiece into the workpiece storage part, the method of moving the workpiece continuously without stopping the moving means, and the moving means is stopped once and moved again after processing with shock waves Any method of operating the means may be employed. If the object to be processed is placed in a liquid such as water, a moving path through which the liquid and the object to be processed move is provided, and the liquid can be moved together with the object to be processed in the moving path by this pump or the like. In addition, a moving means is not restricted to a pump, For example, a screw, a negative pressure apparatus, etc. are also included. On the other hand, if the object to be processed is placed in the air, continuous conveying means such as a conveyor device that sequentially moves one or a plurality of objects to be processed in series can be used.

  Further, it includes a method of moving the object to be processed by its own weight using an inclination, and the moving means is any means as long as it can move the object to be processed. Good. The moving means may be provided only at least in the workpiece storage unit.

  Furthermore, a path for moving the object to be processed may be provided in the object to be processed container, and the processing by the shock wave may be performed in a state where the object to be processed exists in the path. In particular, when the object to be processed has fluidity, the passage is preferably a tubular body. That is, in this case, a passage made of a tubular body or the like that enters the workpiece storage part from the outside, passes through the workpiece storage part, and reaches the outside again may be provided. When the object to be processed is moved into the passage and the object to be processed is in the object storage portion, a shock wave can be generated to perform a predetermined process.

  In the case where the passage is a tubular body or the like in which an object to be processed moves, the material of the tubular body may be formed of, for example, a synthetic resin so as to serve as the diaphragm.

  The present invention also provides one or a plurality of the above-mentioned shock waves generated in a shock wave processing apparatus using a shock wave that applies discharge energy between electrodes to a transmission medium to generate a shock wave, and that treats an object to be processed by the shock wave. A shock wave generation unit provided with an electrode, a workpiece storage unit adjacent to the shock wave generation unit for movably storing the workpiece, and a supply unit for supplying the workpiece to the workpiece storage unit A discharge unit that discharges the processed object from the processing object storage unit, and a moving unit that sequentially moves the processing object from the supply unit to the discharge unit through the processing object storage unit, and the shock wave A diaphragm that allows a shock wave to pass while blocking a substance generated by the generation of the shock wave, for example, metal ions, is disposed between the generation unit and the workpiece storage unit, and the workpiece is disposed on the workpiece through the diaphragm. Make the shock wave reach And wherein the door.

  The discharge energy is generated, for example, by instantaneously discharging the accumulated charge energy charged in the capacitor between the electrodes. The electrode can be formed of a commonly used material such as aluminum, nickel, copper, or tungsten.

  In addition, by using an electrode part in which a fine metal wire is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the fine metal wire instantly evaporates or breaks due to discharge, so that the metal vapor volume expands to tens of thousands of times to generate a shock wave. it can. As this thin metal wire, for example, a wire made of aluminum, copper or the like with a diameter of about 0.2 mm to 1 mm can be used.

  Further, the shock wave transmission part filled with the shock wave transmission medium is brought into close contact with the shock wave generating part and the object to be processed, for example, as a bag-like separate body, and interposed between the shock wave generating part and the object to be processed. May be. In consideration of taking out the object to be processed, the shock wave transmission unit may be movable away from the object to be processed when no shock wave is transmitted.

  According to the configuration as described above, the structure of the entire apparatus can be simplified. In addition, if the shock wave transmitting part also serves as the diaphragm, it is not necessary to separately cover the shock wave generating part with the diaphragm. For example, when the outer membrane forming the bag-like body is made of a resin that produces the same action as the diaphragm, it is not necessary to provide the diaphragm separately.

  About the said shock wave generation | occurrence | production part, it can be set as the cartridge type for replacement provided with the electrode part provided with a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and the electrode support part which supports this electrode part. The electrode portion may be a thin metal wire connected between the positive and negative electrodes.

  The replacement cartridge used in the shock wave generating unit includes various forms, and is mounted so that the electrode unit faces the workpiece storage unit of the shock wave generating unit. A structure that can be easily replaced with a new one is desirable. As another example of the replacement cartridge, in addition to an electrode part for generating an electric pulse and an electrode support part for supporting the electrode part, the diaphragm may be provided. In such a case, it is not necessary to provide a diaphragm on the shock wave generator side.

  As described above, even when the electrode is consumed due to energization and needs to be replaced, after the shock wave is generated, the entire cartridge can be removed and easily replaced with a new cartridge to perform a new process. it can. In addition, when using a type of electrode part in which a thin metal wire is connected between the electrodes, after the shock wave is generated by the discharge and the fine metal wire is vaporized, the entire cartridge is quickly replaced with a new one and a new process is performed. Can do. When a plurality of shock wave generation sources are provided, shock waves can be generated simultaneously or sequentially from them.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the shock wave generation unit may include a control circuit that selects an unused electrode from a plurality of electrodes (including a replacement cartridge type) and generates a shock wave. For example, in the case where the electrode of the impact is provided with a thin metal wire, if there is a metal wire that has not evaporated by discharge, such a usable electrode may be selected and energized by the control circuit.

  In this way, continuous processing can be performed on the workpieces that are sequentially sent.

  The object to be processed in the apparatus of the present invention is, for example, softened, pulverized or made porous (space, fine holes, cracks, etc. so as to be easily crushed, and can be applied in a wide range. In the treatment method, it may be softened while preserving a predetermined shape of food, medicine, etc. Examples of food, medicine, etc. suitable for such treatment include apples, pineapples, winter potatoes, radishes, ginger, Examples include potato, Chinese yam, sweet potato, garlic, tomato, yuzu, passion fruit, dragon fruit, burdock, bamboo shoot, prunes, sugar cane or sugar beet, etc. Also, liquids such as fruit juice, coffee extract, ground coffee and other Powders can also be targeted for treatment, which may change the taste and flavor of the food, Bactericidal effect on the treated product can be expected.

  In addition, foods, medicines, etc. that are subject to processing for the purpose of pulverization, porosification, etc. include tea leaves, red beans, raw coffee beans or roasted beans, walnuts, rice wheat and other grains, shiitake, etc. It can be illustrated. When storing an object to be processed such as food or medicine in the storage section, it is also possible to place it in the storage section in a state where it is put in another container as required. For example, when coffee beans are put into a polycarbonate container for processing. In this way, there is an advantage that the work for putting in / out the object to / from the storage unit is simplified.

  Furthermore, the object to be processed that has been crushed by the shock wave is provided with a structure for returning it to the object storage unit again when it needs to be processed again, such as when it is not crushed to a predetermined size. Also good. For example, processing by shock waves is applied to the workpiece sent into the workpiece storage section, and a sorting device (sieve) using a mesh or the like is placed in the passage after being sent out from the workpiece storage section for sorting. The processing of the next step may be performed on the assumption that no reprocessing is required by the apparatus, and those that cannot pass through the mesh may be returned to the workpiece storage section via the branched path.

According to the present invention, it is possible to continuously process the workpiece by generating the shock wave by the shock wave generating unit in response to the movement of the workpiece by the moving means.
In addition, the provision of the diaphragm suppresses adverse effects such as the entry of foreign matter into the object to be processed and the electrolysis of the object to be processed. Therefore, the shock wave process is suitably applied to foods, drugs, raw materials for drugs, and the like. In addition, since the electrode can be kept from the outside, the electrode can be protected from external intruders such as impurities, and deterioration and the like can be suppressed.

  Further, if the shock wave generating part in the processing apparatus using shock waves using electric pulses is of a cartridge type, the electrode part and the thin metal wire can be easily exchanged, so that efficient processing becomes possible.

  Furthermore, by generating shock waves from a plurality of electrodes or the like, the load on each electrode or the like can be reduced, the consumption thereof can be reduced, and processing can be performed with a shock wave having a preferable degree corresponding to the movement of the object to be processed. .

Hereinafter, a processing apparatus capable of continuous processing using shock waves according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the continuous processing apparatus 1 includes a shock wave generating unit 2 that generates a shock wave, a processing object storage unit 3 that processes a processing object such as food F by the shock wave, and a target object such as food F. And a supply unit 4 for supplying the processed material to the processing object storage unit 3.

  Further, when the processed object to be processed is discharged from the object storage part 3 to the outside, the object storage part 3 and the supply part 4 can be freely opened and closed when the shock wave processing is performed. A supply-side gate 5 and a discharge-side gate 6 that freely opens and closes between the workpiece storage unit 3 and the discharge unit 7.

  The shock wave generator 2 includes a generator body 2a, one or more (four in FIG. 1) electrical pulse generators 15 mounted on the generator body 2a, and supplies high voltage energy to the electrical pulse generator 15. And a charge circuit 14 for performing the operation. One or a plurality of electric pulse generators 15 are provided to enable continuous processing of the workpiece, but the number is not limited.

  The generating unit main body 2a has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one surface opened, and has a flange portion 2b on the opening surface side. The flange portion 2b causes the workpiece storage portion 3 and the bolt B to pass through the silicon resin diaphragm 8. It is fixed. The generator body 2a may be made of a material that can withstand shock waves, and is formed of, for example, metal.

The electric pulse generator 15 in this example is of a cartridge type as shown in FIG. The generation main body 2a is provided with mounting holes 17 (FIG. 1) for mounting the electric pulse generators 15 corresponding to the number of the electric pulse generators 15. In this example, the mounting means is screwing of the threaded portion 16a of the electric pulse generating unit 15, but other means may be used. For example, without providing the threaded portion 16a, the periphery of the electrode support portion 16 that supports the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b constituting the electrode is formed of an elastic material, and the inside of the tapered mounting hole 17 that decreases in diameter toward the inside. Alternatively, the structure may be such that the electric pulse generator 15 is inserted into the electrode hole 16 and the electrode support 16 is fitted into the mounting hole 17. That is, it is not essential to provide a screw portion or the like for fixing the electric pulse generator 15 to the mounting hole 17 on the cartridge side, and various structures are employed for detachably fixing the electric pulse generator 15 to the mounting hole. it can.

  In this example, the electric pulse generation unit 15 includes a positive electrode 20a and a negative electrode 20b that generate electric pulses, and an electrode support unit 16 that supports the electrode unit 20, and is fixed to the generation unit body 2a on the electrode support unit 16. And a structure that can be easily exchanged.

  The electric pulse generation unit 15 includes an electrode unit 20 and a columnar electrode support unit 16, and the electrode support unit 16 has a stepped shape including a large-diameter columnar upper portion and a small-diameter columnar lower portion. The lower part of the cylindrical shape with a small diameter has a structure of the screw part 16a, and is fixed to the mounting hole 17 of the generator main body 2a by screwing with the screw part 16a.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the charge circuit 14 is connected to a capacitor 13 having a large capacity (for example, about 500 kJ) and one pole of the capacitor 13, and to the other pole of the capacitor 13. And the power supply device 10 connected via the. Further, a switching device 12 that has a switch for applying a current to the electrical pulse generator 15 for each electrical pulse generator 15 and selects and switches these switches, and a control circuit 11 that controls electrical components including the switching device 12. And further comprising. These electric pulse generator 15, switching device 12, capacitor 13, and power supply device 10 are electrically connected to each other.

  The power supply device 10 that supplies a high voltage to the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b provided in the electric pulse generator 15 includes a charge circuit 14 and a capacitor 13 in order to be able to supply high voltage energy. The capacitor 13 is connected in parallel to the output stage of the charge circuit 14.

  In the capacitor 13, a predetermined amount of charge is accumulated at a high voltage (for example, 15 KV) by the charge circuit 14, and both terminals of the capacitor 13 are output terminals of the power supply device 10. The negative output terminal is connected to the negative electrode 20b of the electrode, and the positive output terminal is connected to the positive electrode 20a of the electrode.

  The switching means 12 is provided between the positive output terminal and the positive electrode. This switching means 12 switches a high voltage current to one electric pulse generator 15 selected by the control circuit 11, and is constituted by a semiconductor switching element such as a thyristor.

  The workpiece storage unit 3 is a material that can withstand shock waves, for example, a synthetic resin or a metal hollow cylinder, and the longitudinal dimension thereof is substantially the same as that of the generation unit main body 2a. And the flange part for connecting the supply path 4 connected to the supply part and the discharge path 7 connected to the discharge port is provided at both ends of the workpiece storage part 3. Moreover, the to-be-processed object storage part 3 has the opening part 1a on the upper side shown in FIG.

  The workpiece storage unit 3 communicates with the shock wave generating unit 2 through the opening 1 a, but a diaphragm 8 is provided at the boundary between the workpiece storage unit 3 and the shock wave generating unit 2. The diaphragm 8 is made of a silicon resin and has a thickness of 1 mm.

  The supply unit 4 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape having substantially the same diameter as the processing object storage unit 3, and is connected to the processing object storage unit side flange portion 33 at the end of the processing object storage unit 3 side. A flange portion 32 is provided. A supply-side gate 5 that can freely open and close between the storage unit 3 and the supply unit 4 is provided. The supply unit 4 has a function of transferring the food F together with water to the object storage unit 3 side by a pump, a screw, a negative pressure device, or the like. Further, a plurality or a single object to be processed is supplied to the object storage unit 3. For example, the object to be supplied stored in a bucket or the like by opening the supply side gate 5 is directly put into the object storage unit 3. You may make it do. In short, the means for supplying the object to be processed to the storage part 3 of the object to be processed can be any manual or automatic means as long as it can supply the object to be processed into the storage part 3 as a result. May be.

  The supply-side gate 5 includes a gate main body 5a capable of closing the space between the processing object storage unit 3 and the supply unit 4, a driving device (motor) 5c for opening and closing the gate main body 5a, and a driving device (motor). And a rack and pinion mechanism 5b for converting the rotational movement of 5c into the vertical movement of the gate body 5a.

  The discharge unit 7 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape having substantially the same diameter as the storage unit 3 for the object to be processed, and is disposed on the end of the storage unit 3 side of the object to be processed on the storage unit 3 side. A flange portion 32 for coupling with the flange portion 33 is provided. A discharge-side gate 6 is provided that can freely open and close between the storage unit 3 and the discharge unit 7 for the object to be processed.

  The discharge-side gate 6 includes a gate main body 6a capable of closing the space between the storage unit 3 and the discharge unit 7 for the object to be processed, a drive device (motor) 6c for opening and closing the gate main body 6a, and the drive device ( And a rack and pinion mechanism 6b for converting the rotational movement of the motor 6c into the vertical movement of the gate body 6a.

The supply side gate 5 is opened when transferring the food F together with water to the storage unit 3 side of the object to be processed,
When the transfer is finished, it is closed, and after the shock wave processing is finished, it is opened again when the food F is transferred together with water. On the other hand, the discharge side gate 6 is in a closed state when the food F together with the water is transferred to the processing object storage unit 3 side, and is opened when the food F is discharged after the shock wave processing is completed. The control circuit 11 performs opening / closing control of the supply side gate 5 and the discharge side gate 6. As shown in FIG. 1, the supply unit 4 is arranged in parallel to the floor, but the storage unit 3 and the discharge unit 7 for the object to be processed are inclined to the discharge side with respect to the horizontal supply unit 4. Are arranged. Therefore, when the discharge side gate 6 is opened, the food F is discharged together with water by its own weight.

  Next, the operation of the invention according to this embodiment will be described.

  When the discharge-side gate 6 is in the closed state and the supply-side gate 5 is in the open state, for example, the food F together with water is transferred to the processing object storage unit 3 side. When the transfer is completed, the supply side gate 5 is closed. The object to be processed supplied from the supply side gate 5 into the object storage unit 3 may be a plurality of units or a single unit, and the operation of the supply side gate 5 and the discharge side gate 6 may be manual.

  Then, when charge is accumulated at a high voltage in the capacitor 13 of the power supply device 10, if the switching means 12 turns on one of the switches (conductive state) according to a command from the control circuit 11, the accumulation of the capacitor 13 Current flows through the switch to the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b. In addition, since an interelectrode voltage V is generated between the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b and discharge occurs, a shock wave is generated around the electrode 20. The shock wave energy at this time is transmitted to the surface of the part to be processed (food F), and a predetermined process is performed on the object to be processed.

  Instead of the electric pulse generator 15, as shown in FIG. 4, an electric pulse generator 25 in which a thin metal wire 21 is connected between the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b can be used. In the case of such an electric pulse generator 25, the current supplied from the power supply device 10 flows through the positive electrode 20 a, the negative electrode 20 b, and the thin metal wire 21. At this time, an inter-electrode voltage V is generated between the positive electrode 20a and the negative electrode 20b, and the metal thin wire 21 is instantly evaporated, so that a shock wave is generated around the electrode 20. The metal thin wire 21 has a diameter of, for example, 0.8 mm, and can be formed of a metal such as copper or aluminum. Alternatively, a pair of positive electrodes 20a and negative electrodes 20b may be provided to generate a shock wave simultaneously or sequentially. In that case, the fine metal wires 21 are connected to the respective electrodes. Note that the electric pulse generator 25 once used cannot be reused as it is because the fine metal wires 21 are eliminated. Therefore, for example, if a plurality of electrical pulse generators 25 are mounted in advance on the generator body 2a and the used electrical pulse generators 25 can be sequentially replaced with unused ones, a shock wave is continuously generated. Can be made.

  In addition, the diaphragm 8 made of silicon resin provided between the shock wave generating unit 2 and the processing object storage unit 3 includes an electrolytic solution 31a contained on the shock wave generating unit 2 side and a shock wave processing unit side on the food side. It has a function of separating the water 31b moving with F. The shock wave generated on the shock wave generating unit 2 side can pass through the diaphragm 8, but the electrolytic solution 31 a does not pass through the diaphragm 8.

  Furthermore, the water 31b that moves together with the food F in the storage unit 3 of the object to be processed is for conveying the food F and for transmitting a shock wave (shock wave transmission medium).

  A shock wave is a strong pressure change wave that propagates in a transmission medium at a high speed (a speed exceeding the speed of sound), and has a property of instantaneously and rapidly changing physical factors such as pressure, temperature, and density. The pressure accompanying the shock wave, that is, the pressure applied to the food F using the shock wave can be freely set, but is usually used in the range of, for example, about 5 MPa to 500 MPa.

In this case, since the metal thin wire 21 evaporates and metal vapor is generated, the metal ions move toward the object to be processed through the water, which is an electrolytic solution, together with the shock wave. Metal ions dissolved in water become hydroxides by hydrolysis with water or reaction with hydroxide ions (OH-), and if the metal ions reach the workpiece, so-called electrolysis occurs, and the workpiece Oxidation-reduction reaction occurs. If the object to be processed is a food, this will impair the taste, color and flavor. Therefore, only the shock wave reaches the object to be processed by the silicon diaphragm 8 that separates the object to be processed and the electrode portion.

  Here, it is assumed that the food F is preferably softened for processing like an apple, but when the shock wave reaches the food F to be processed, the food F is softened by the shock wave. The reason for the softening of the food F is that, for example, the cell membrane or cell wall in the food F is destroyed because the pores are expanded after being compressed in the cells or tissues in the food F in response to a sudden pressure change accompanying the shock wave. It is assumed. Then, after processing the food F, the processed food F may be further processed as necessary. Here, for example, the processed food is squeezed. Thereby, liquid components, such as fruit juice, are extracted.

  It should be noted that various foods, chemicals, and the like can be appropriately subjected to various treatments such as crushing or forming cracks and numerous holes.

  After completion of the shock wave processing, the discharge side gate 6 is opened to discharge the food F. When the discharge side gate 6 is opened, the food F is discharged together with water by its own weight.

  Further, when continuous processing is performed, the discharge side gate 6 is closed, the supply side gate 5 is opened, and the food F together with water is transferred to the workpiece storage unit 3 side. Close.

  Then, when the control circuit 11 selects an unused electrical pulse generator 15 by the switching device 12 and turns on the corresponding switch (conductive state), the current accumulated in the capacitor 13 is discharged via the switch. The positive electrode 20a, the negative electrode 20b and the fine metal wire 21 can flow, and a shock wave can be generated around the fine metal wire 21. As described above, according to the present embodiment, when an object to be processed such as food is processed by a shock wave, the quality of the object to be processed is prevented from being deteriorated, and a continuous processing by the shock wave can be performed. Then, by replacing the used electric pulse generator 15 with an unused electric pulse generator 15, a plurality of continuous processes can be performed.

  Moreover, the continuous processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is assembled so that the shock wave generating unit 2, the workpiece storage unit 3, the supply unit 4, the discharge unit 7, the supply side gate 5, and the discharge side gate 6 can be divided. Therefore, when each part is consumed, it can be replaced with a new part.

  In this example, a supply-side gate 5 and a discharge-side gate 6 are provided between the workpiece storage unit 3, the supply unit 4, and the discharge unit 7, respectively, but the workpiece storage unit 3 is sealed when a shock wave occurs. If the effect of the shock wave on other parts does not matter even if it is not, it is not essential to provide a gate. In this case, without stopping the object to be processed, the object is moved in the storage unit 3 of the object to be processed, the shock wave is concentrated on the object to be processed that has reached a predetermined place, and the processing by the shock wave is performed one after another. You can also

  Further, in this example, there is shown a structure in which the storage unit 3 for the object to be processed is installed on the lower side and the shock wave generating unit 2 is provided on the upper part, but the storage unit 3 for the object to be processed and the shock wave generating unit 2 are shown. In order to avoid that air enters between the two and the transmission efficiency of the shock wave is lowered, it is also conceivable to arrange the shock wave generating part below the workpiece storage part.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the transfer path is a tubular body when the object to be processed is liquid, powder, solid, or the like. In this case, a transfer pipe 30 through which the object to be processed moves is installed in the object storage part 3 where one or a plurality of electric pulse generators 15 face. The transfer pipe 30 itself is made of a material (for example, synthetic resin) that allows a shock wave to pass through without being blocked. The liquid or the like that is the object to be processed moves from the supply unit 4 through the transfer pipe 30 to enter the object to be processed storage unit 3, and again passes through the object to be processed storage unit 3 to discharge the external processed liquid or the like To 7. If the liquid to be processed is, for example, fruit juice or coffee extract, etc., when the liquid or the like is in the processed object storage unit 3 via the transfer pipe 30, the processing by the shock wave is performed. Since the workpiece itself can transmit the shock wave without adding any other transmission medium, efficient continuous processing is possible. The shock wave is generated by the discharge of the electric pulse generator 15, is transmitted by the water W that is a transmission medium, passes through the transfer tube 30, and reaches the liquid that is the object to be processed. Note that the treatment by the shock wave may be performed in any of the state where the object to be processed is moving in the transfer pipe 30 or the state where it is staying.
(Embodiment 2)
The example shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described. In this example, a shock wave transmission unit 40 that can reciprocate in the direction of the arrow X along the guide rail 45 is provided in the workpiece storage unit 3 provided with a plurality of electric pulse generation units 15 in the upper part. The shock wave transmission unit 40 is a bag made of a synthetic resin body that can be reciprocated in the direction of the arrow X by a drive mechanism (not shown) and is filled with water W that is a shock wave transmission medium. Has been. Further, the synthetic resin that forms the outer shell 40a of the shock wave transmission unit 40 is a silicon resin, and constitutes the diaphragm shown in the first embodiment. Thus, the shock wave transmission unit 40 filled with water is interposed between the electric pulse generation unit 15 and the workpiece F without any gap.

  Further, the belt conveyor 41 moves with the workpiece F placed thereon, and the workpiece F is moved into the workpiece storage unit 3 via the conveyor passage openings 43 provided on both sides of the workpiece storage unit 3. It is brought in.

  When the shock wave shown in FIG. 7 is generated, the belt conveyor 41 on which the workpiece F is placed stops. And the shock wave transmission part 40 is hold | maintained in the position which an upper end contacts with an electrode and the lower end contacts with the to-be-processed object F without a clearance gap. Since a shock wave is generated in this state, the shock wave efficiently reaches the workpiece F from the electric pulse generator 15 without being substantially attenuated. When the predetermined processing for the workpiece F is completed, the shock wave transmission unit 40 is returned to the position shown in FIG. 6, the belt conveyor 41 is started, and the workpiece F is discharged to the outside.

  Here, an example in which the diaphragm 8 is a synthetic resin for forming the shock wave transmission unit 40 is shown. However, the electrode 20 can be formed as the diaphragm by covering the electrode 20 with the synthetic resin. In addition to this, the synthetic resin film forming the outer shell 40a of the shock wave transmission unit 40 may also be formed to have a function of a diaphragm.

  According to the apparatus shown in the second embodiment, the object to be processed F is directly or packaged, or placed in a container and placed on a conveying device such as a belt conveyor, and sent into the object to be processed container 3. .

  Further, according to this apparatus, it is not always necessary to fill the workpiece storage unit 3 with a shock wave transmission medium such as water. In addition, it is not necessary to cover the electrodes with the diaphragm as described above. Of course, the above-described cartridge type electrode can be used.

  Moreover, if the shock wave transmission unit 40 is replaced as necessary, the function of the diaphragm can be maintained.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the continuous processing apparatus 1 concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the continuous processing apparatus 1 concerning this invention, and is a top view of FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the shock wave generation part of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the shock wave generation part using a metal fine wire. It is a figure which shows the example which made the movement means another aspect. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the state which made the shock wave transmission part contact the to-be-processed object in the apparatus of another embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Continuous processing apparatus 1a ... Opening part 2 ... Shock wave generation | occurrence | production part 2a ... Generation | occurrence | production part main body 2b ... Gutter part 3 ... To-be-processed object storage part 4 ... Supply part 5 ... Supply side gate 5a ... Gate main body 5b ... Rack and pinion mechanism 5c ... Driver (motor)
6 ... discharge side gate 6a ... gate body 6b ... rack and pinion mechanism 6c ... drive device (motor)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 7 ... Discharge part 8 ... Diaphragm 10 ... Power supply device 11 ... Control circuit 12 ... Switching device 13 ... Capacitor 14 ... Charge circuit 15, 25 ... Electric pulse generation part 16 ... Electrode support part 16a ... Screw part 17 ... Mounting hole 20 ... Electrode Part 20a ... Positive electrode 20b ... Negative electrode 21 ... Metal thin wire 31a ... Electrolytic solution 31b ... Water 40 ... Shock wave transmission part 40a ... Outer 41 ... Belt conveyor 43 ... Conveyor passage 45 ... Guide rail B ... Bolt F ... Food W ... Water

Claims (16)

In the shock wave processing apparatus that executes processing on the workpiece by the shock wave generated from the shock wave generating unit,
A shock wave generating unit that generates a shock wave, a workpiece storage unit that movably stores the workpiece to be moved, and a supply unit that supplies the workpiece to the workpiece storage unit. A discharge unit that discharges the processed object from the processing object storage unit, and a moving unit that sequentially moves the processing object from the supply unit to the discharge unit through the processing object storage unit, and the shock wave A diaphragm that allows a shock wave to pass while blocking a substance that is generated when the shock wave is generated is disposed between the generation unit and the workpiece storage unit, and the shock wave reaches the workpiece through the diaphragm. A shock wave processing device characterized by the above. In a shock wave processing apparatus using a shock wave that applies a discharge energy between electrodes to a transmission medium to generate a shock wave and processes a workpiece by this shock wave,
A shock wave generating unit provided with the electrode for generating a shock wave, a workpiece storage unit adjacent to the shock wave generating unit for movably storing the workpiece, and the workpiece in the workpiece storage unit A supply unit that supplies the processing object, a discharge unit that discharges the processed object from the processing object storage unit, a moving unit that sequentially moves the processing object from the supply unit to the discharge unit through the processing object storage unit, A diaphragm for passing at least a shock wave while blocking a metal ion among substances generated along with the generation of the shock wave is disposed between the shock wave generating unit and the workpiece storage unit, A shock wave processing apparatus for causing the shock wave to reach a workpiece.   The shock wave processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit moves the transmission medium together with the object to be processed.   The shock wave processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, comprising an exchange cartridge including an electrode portion including a positive electrode and a negative electrode and an electrode support portion that supports the electrode portion. The shock wave processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the electrode unit is a metal wire connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. 6. The shock wave processing apparatus using a shock wave according to claim 5, further comprising a control circuit that generates a shock wave by selecting the unused electrode.   7. The process according to claim 1, wherein a path through which the object to be processed moves is provided in the object to be processed, and the processing by the shock wave is performed in a state where the object to be processed exists in the path. Shock wave treatment equipment.   The shock wave processing device according to claim 7, wherein the passage is a tubular body.   The shock wave processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the object to be processed is a food, a drug, a raw material of the drug, or an industrial material.   The shock wave according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the shock wave generating unit is protected from an external intruder by providing the diaphragm and keeping the shock wave generating unit blocked from the outside. Processing equipment.   The shock wave processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is a flexible synthetic resin film.   The shock wave generated in the shock wave generating unit is transmitted to the entire object to be processed using the object to be processed stored in the object to be processed storing part as a transmission medium. Shock wave processing equipment.   13. The shock wave transmission part filled with a shock wave transmission medium is brought into close contact with the object to be processed, and the shock wave transmission part is interposed between the shock wave generating part and the object to be processed. The shock wave processing apparatus as described.   14. A shock wave processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: an electrode portion including at least a pair of positive and negative electrodes; and an electrode support portion supporting the electrode portion, wherein the electrode portion generates shock waves. A replacement cartridge, which is mounted on a shock wave processing apparatus so as to face a workpiece storage portion of the apparatus.   The replacement cartridge according to claim 14, wherein the electrode portion is covered with a diaphragm.   16. The replacement cartridge according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the electrode portion has a thin metal wire connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

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