METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PARTICLE AND POWDER OF CORAL OF WEATHERED CORAL REEF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove various kinds of microorganisms and secure safety by treating coral of weathered coral reef with an alkaline solution under decreased pressure or vacuum and then washing the resultant coral with water until the washing liquid flowing out of the inside of the porous structure of the coral becomes neutral. ;SOLUTION: Coral grains 1 of weathered coral reef is put in a basket 3 of a closed type container 2. Then, an aqueous alkaline solution is poured through an injection pipe 7. After that, the inside of the closed container 2 is evacuated to 70 mmHg or lower, preferably 30 mmHg or lower, by a vacuum pump 12. In parallel with the evacuation, a motor 5 is driven to rotate rotary blades 4 so as to forcibly pass the aqueous alkaline solution through coral particles 1 of the weathered coral reef in the basket 3. Further, hot water is introduced to a heating pipe 11 to heat the closed container at 80-100°C. Such treatment with the alkaline solution is normally carried out for 30-60 minutes. Consequently, organic substances derived from seaweed and microorganism being present in the fine structure in the surface and the porous tissue insides of coral particles 1 of the weathered coral reef is dissolved in the aqueous alkaline solution and removed.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO