The overpressure autoclave is mainly used to process canned foods and other types of soft packaging, such as pouches, glass jars, plastic containers and cartons. The overpressure in the autoclave allows maintaining a balanced pressure between the inside and outside of the containers during the sterilization process, which helps to avoid deformation or breakage of the containers.
In addition, overpressure autoclaves offer some additional advantages:
- Improved heat transfer: The saturated atmosphere in the autoclave allows faster and more uniform heat transfer compared to steam-only autoclaves.
- Water savings: These retorts usually incorporate a heat exchanger that reduces water consumption during the cooling phase and prevents water from coming into direct contact with the containers.
- Greater temperature homogeneity: The movement of the atmosphere inside the autoclave, caused by the sprayed water, ensures a more uniform temperature distribution throughout the equipment.
These advantages make overpressure retorts a popular choice in the canning industry and other food sterilization and pasteurization processes.