Saturated steam generator, steam sterilizer, and steam sterilization method

A steam sterilizer, comprising:

• a sterilizing chamber, in which an article to be sterilized is placed;
• and
• a saturated steam generator, which supplies saturated steam into said sterilizing chamber;
• wherein said saturated steam generator comprises:
• a heat storage tank, including a heat storage section, containing a solid heat storage material and a liquid heat storage material,
• a heater, in said heat storage tank, for heating the solid heat storage material and the liquid heat storage material, and
• a heat transmission tube for blowing off superheated steam generated by superheating water;
• a saturated steam generator tank, in which stored pure water is heated, by directly blowing off a portion of the superheated steam from the heat transmission tube, in which the superheated steam is generated by heating pure water supplied therein, so as to generate saturated steam;
• and
• a steam supply tube, for supplying the saturated steam generated in said saturated steam generator tank into the sterilizing chamber.

A steam sterilizer comprising:

• a vessel, which is a pressure vessel, having a sterilizing chamber for sterilizing an article to be sterilized which is placed therein;
• a water storing section;
• and
• heating means for heating water stored in the water storing section to generate steam in the vessel,
• wherein said heating means comprises:
• a heat storage tank, having a heat storage section, filled with a solid heat storage material and a liquid heat storage material,
• a heater for heating said heat storage section, and
• a heat transmission tube passing through said heat storage section for heating water in said heat storage section and for blowing off superheated steam;
• and
• a superheated steam supply tube, connected to said heat transmission tube so as to pass the superheated steam, which is generated in said heat storage section, through said water storing section.