Apparatus for spray sterilization and method therefor

A spray sterilization apparatus comprising:

• a sterilization vessel of a cylindrical configuration;
• a rotary housing supported within the sterilization vessel for rotatable movement about a horizontal axis of rotation, the rotary housing accommodating therein a plurality of stacked trays, each of the trays being adapted to mount thereon at least one product;
• a rotary drive unit for reversibly rotating the rotary housing;
• a plurality of spray nozzles within the rotary housing, each of the spray nozzles being arranged to be directed to a space between the stacked trays;
• an inlet port in the rotary housing, the inlet port being in communication with each of the spray nozzles;
• a medium supply port and a hot gas supply port in the sterilization vessel, the medium supply port and the hot gas supply port being arranged in a plane containing the locus of revolution of the inlet port and spaced apart from one another, to be sealingly engageable with the inlet port;
• means for supplying a flow of hot gas to the hot gas supply port;
• and
• means for discharging the hot gas flow having been introduced into the rotary housing from the sterilization vessel;
• said inlet port sealingly engaged with the medium supply port while the trays are maintained at a horizontal orientation, so that the heating medium and the cooling medium, may be supplied to the medium supply port in that order;
• means for rotating the rotary housing to cause the trays to be maintained at a vertical orientation;
• whereby the inlet port is sealingly engaged with the hot gas supply port, so that hot gas may be supplied from the hot gas supplying means into the rotary housing;
• and
• the hot gas is discharged from the sterilization vessel via said hot gas discharging means.