PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steam sterilizer capable of quickly and surely drying after steam sterilization by supplying dry air into a sterilization tank.SOLUTION: A steam sterilizer comprises: a sterilization tank 2 for storing an object to be treated pressure reducing means 3 for sucking and discharging gas in the sterilization tank 2 to the outside to reduce the pressure inside the sterilization tank 2 pressure restoration means 4 for introducing outside air into the pressure-reduced sterilization tank 2 to restore the pressure in the sterilization tank 2 drying means 5 for lowering the absolute humidity of the air supplied into the sterilization tank 2 steam supply means 6 for supplying steam into the sterilization tank 2 drain discharge means 7 for discharging condensed water of the steam from the inside of the sterilization tank 2 and exhaust means 8 for discharging the gas in the sterilization tank 2 to the outside by a pressure difference from the atmospheric pressure. In the drying step after the steam sterilization, the absolute humidity of the air supplied into the sterilization tank 2 is lowered by the drying means 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2018,JPO&INPIT【課題】滅菌槽内へ乾燥空気を供給して、蒸気滅菌後の乾燥を、迅速かつ確実に図ることのできる蒸気滅菌装置を提供する。【解決手段】被滅菌物が収容される滅菌槽2と、この滅菌槽2内の気体を外部へ吸引排出して滅菌槽2内を減圧する減圧手段3と、減圧された滅菌槽2内へ外気を導入して滅菌槽2内を復圧する復圧手段4と、滅菌槽2内への供給空気の絶対湿度を下げる乾燥手段5と、滅菌槽2内へ蒸気を供給する給蒸手段6と、滅菌槽2内から蒸気の凝縮水を排出するドレン排出手段7と、大気圧との差圧により滅菌槽2内の気体を外部へ排出する排気手段8とを備える。蒸気滅菌後の乾燥工程において、乾燥手段5により滅菌槽2内への供給空気の絶対湿度を下げる。【選択図】図1
