Design and Construction of a Door Model with a Rotary Locking System for a Retort Machine with a Capacity of 500 Liters

Abstract

Retorts are vital equipment in the thermal sterilization process in the food and pharmaceutical industries. One critical component of a retort is the door, which must be able to withstand high pressures and temperatures, while ensuring tightness and security. This research aims to design and model a 500-liter retort door with a rotary lock system that can improve operational efficiency and safety. The design process was carried out using CAD software, followed by the selection of corrosion- and pressure-resistant materials (304 stainless steel), prototype construction, and tightness testing. Test results show that the rotary lock system can distribute pressure evenly, withstand 1.5 bar of pressure at 115°C without leakage, and can be easily operated by one person. The safety factor against the material's yield strength is >100 times, indicating the design is highly safe for medium-scale industrial applications.