AT504716A1 - MICROWAVES STERILIZER, TRANSPORT DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a conveyor or a transport and power control for a microwave sterilizer for pasteurizing or sterilizing preferably beverages or liquid food in tightly sealed cans or bottles or similar containers predominantly non-metallic consistency, in particular the preferred embodiment of the transport system for the transport of the container a container flow through the microwave sterilizer, as well as the control of the coupling of microwaves in the sterilizer by time, intensity and duration and the monitoring of the container to be sterilized from the time of filling in the container until it cools the same or further controlling the speed of the container flow through the sterilizer as well as the performance-related preferred number of microwave generators of a defined cascade to achieve sterilization and the rejection of incorrectly heated Containers.

The disadvantages of the prior art, in particular related to an industrially applicable microwave sterilizer for beverage containers or similar containers, which draw in a continuous container flow through the sterilizer, are that microwaves in microwave heaters according to the prior art never so accurate and even in the Mass of the sterilization of a passing container stream can be passed, such as to sterilize a sensitive product, such as iced coffee with milk or cream in beverage cans, in exact pasteurization without Temperaturüber- or undershooting

9 9 999 9 · * ···· «·« is indispensable, whereby at least heaters according to the state of the art the technology in a row, the contents of a single container can not heat almost as accurate to a narrow target temperature, the expended for the targeted heating microwave energy depending on the contents, the starting temperature of the contents, its capacity in the can, and their passage speed through the sterilizer is different. The case that the content of beverage cans at the same time has different, deviating from the setpoint temperatures in the same container flow, for example, already occurs when the Transportfortbewegung the container flow has been interrupted by the microwave sterilizer accidentally, so that when restarting the container transport the beverage cans have on the one hand different temperatures and therefore as a result the exact irradiation periods no longer comply with the required and exactly complied with requirements, the practical experiment with transparent beverage cans shows that the visible destruction eg: a milk-containing (protein-containing) iced coffee in the performance-related irradiation limit range when exceeding the Supply of microwave irradiation of just 1-2 seconds abruptly by clumping the proteins into a mass and the rest of the iced coffee into a brownish watery, unappet However, although the time of product destruction in the containers of the same container stream does not necessarily occur after the same irradiation time, which in turn, for each beverage can individual, controlled and controlled irradiation period of the individual containers with a likewise exactly matched irradiation energy result got to.

However, further deviations from the calculated sterilization target temperature, which can be maintained to a very limited degree, already occur when there are voltage fluctuations in the power network of the microwave generators, or if individual generators in a cascade of microwave generators have larger tolerances of the emitted or coupled-in microwave power exhibit.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a microwave sterilizer for pasteurizing or sterilizing preferably drinks or liquid food in tightly sealed cans or bottles or similar containers predominantly non-metallic consistency of the kind, which is characterized in that thus the content of each individual container of the entire container stream, regardless of its starting temperature, from the filling amount or the passage speed of the container stream, can be heated precisely to a target temperature within a predetermined narrow tolerance range with the required for industrial processing or repetition accuracy, and where further deviations, which are outside the temperature tolerances can be detected, and the affected products can be discarded from the container stream.

The object of the invention is achieved in that each container of the container stream is conveyed in a temporally and spatially precisely defined movement in a lying position through the pasteurization tunnel, during which, preferably, from A series of microwave generators, which are connected to the sterilization tunnel at preferably regular intervals along the transport path are arranged , Microwave dosed according to intensity, timing and time are coupled, while at each beverage can during passage through the sterilizer at a series of, arranged in the sterilizer along the pass line measuring points, in particular on the front end crimped on the can metallic lid of the drivers the transport system pushed down beverage cans, running preferably in the middle Temperature measurements are made without thermal contact with the thermal imaging cameras, whereby the values determined result in an actual heating profile via a (computer) detection, which is compared with a corresponding desired heating profile, whereby each measuring point on the container flow can be assigned a programmed temperature, which makes it possible in any case is to follow the temperature rise of the content of each beverage can on the way through the sterilizer and to compare the determined temperature actual values with temperature setpoints, and thus deviations of temperature setpoints for each individual can individually by increasing, decreasing or switching off the In addition, the use of a measured value of each thermal imaging camera, or each heat sensor by reaching a beverage can of different, precisely defined in the conveying direction Me This position detection is preferably non-contact, eg: by optical, capacitive and / or laser sensors, wherein the preferred embodiment provides that a shaft, in particular -5- the control of the transport unit has a timer, which drives a counter, whereby in combination with detection of the entry of a can into the sterilizer with the clock and counter, the respective positions of all the beverage cans in the sterilizer are precisely known at all times during the passage, and further wherein this information is used to preferably only ever the microwave generator to start the power output, at the Einkoppelungsort is a beverage can, wherein the output for each beverage can microwave power beyond only to reach the required temperature for this position, time or power, kontinuierli ch or pulsed, is coupled. By this measure, on the one hand a relative target temperature is reached, or in addition no excess energy is coupled into the sterilizer, or eliminates the need to decouple excess microwave energy through an isolator and a circulator again, and as a further effect is also the life of the microwave generators obtained longer based on the number of sterilized containers. Beverage cans that do not reach or exceed the target temperature can be defined for disposal using this mechanism.

Another advantage of the individual heating of each individual beverage can is that if the target temperature of several containers is not reached in a row, it is immediately recognized that a technical disturbance in the area of the microwave generators or their energy supply can be present, and the sterilization system can therefore be stopped immediately.

I • · • · -6-

However, experience has shown that these measures for individual heating of each beverage can alone are not enough to bring the entire volume of the contents of the can within the specified tolerance to the same temperature; in particular, temperature differences in the sterilizing goods would lead to the measuring point of a beverage can, for example the metal lid the dose, which is not true for the entire dose content, which would result in a wrong overall irradiation performance, with the result of either overheating the contents of the can, or that sterilization could not be achieved at all.

According to the invention, as a further measure of the predominantly homogeneous temperature distribution of the sterilizing material within a beverage can, continuous, mechanical mixing of the can contents is proposed, preferably in such a way that this mixing effect is achieved by different speeds of the transport conveyor, ie an oscillating movement of the transport conveyor controlled in the pulling direction, in particular these are at least two different speeds, wherein the beverage cans are preferably moved longitudinally parallel in the transport direction, the cans are moved in the microwave coupling at a lower speed at the coupling or come to a halt, or are the beverage cans in the passage between two Coupling openings, moved at a greater or higher speed, this transport having at least two different * ++ · · · · · · * · · · · · · · · · T * * ····· · · · · · ······ · "-7-

Speeds equal to a shaking of the cans in the longitudinal direction, which experience has shown to result in an extremely homogeneous temperature distribution in Sterilisierungsgut, so the can contents.

A particularly good mixing is achieved when the transport of the beverage cans by the microwave sterilizer takes place in such a way that along the sterilization tunnel a kind of push or pull rod is provided by the preferably movable carrier protrude and protrude into the sterilization space, said device by means of a Drive unit (eg: linear motor, solenoid, pneumatic cylinder, etc.) periodically performs an oscillating movement in the axial direction wherein the stroke length of such a movement is preferably so large that a beverage can is always transported from one microwave injection opening to the next, and thus in a pulsating Movement is transported through the sterilizer.

In the following drawings, the subject invention is exemplified. Show it:

1 exemplary pasteurization tunnel in side elevation with oscillating transport device, sectional view (cross section, section AB FIG. 2), FIG.

Fig. 2 pasteurization tunnel in plan, view from above,

3 oscillating transport device in elevation,

4 oscillating transport device in plan view,

5 shows a side elevation of a sterilization tunnel with a transport conveyor belt running through by way of example in the middle,

5a section of a conveyor belt,

6 is a plan view of a sterilization tunnel with a transport conveyor belt running through by way of example in the middle,

Fig. 7 Rohrpasteurisierungstunnel, floor plan

Fig. 8 Rohrpasteurisierungstunnel, side elevation

Fig. 9 Modular structure of a sterilizer of the same

assemblies

According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the pasteurization chamber of a microwave sterilizer according to the invention consists of a pasteurization tunnel 1 made of metal, which is preferably formed in cross section by two longitudinal halves, the upper half shell 1 and the lower half shell 2, which are arranged in the region of the axis 28. 28 'lie on both sides of each other microwave-tight, in a preferred embodiment, the upper half-shell 1 in the longitudinal direction extending the transport unit for the container transport for passage through the sterilizer and the lower half-shell 2 has the Einkoppelungsöffnungen the microwave generators. This arrangement is exemplary for a more uniform temperature distribution in the sterilization and is based on the fact that when coupling the microwaves at the bottom of the pasteurization tunnel and thus also of the container to be sterilized, the lowermost layers of the liquid are heated and then rise in consequence by convection in the container , which leads to an optimal mixing of cold and hot beverage portions.

In addition, the lower half-shell 2 is preferably provided over its entire length with a microwave-stable and liquid-tight cladding, preferably a plastic cladding such. Teflon, to protect the underlying microwave generators, provided that the coupling takes place just from the bottom. In any case, the panel is always provided only for the spatial, liquid-tight / gas-tight separation of sterilization and Einkoppelungsöffnungen, that is, when the coupling of the microwaves from the top or side, then the panel / seal just there to provide. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • * * • • • · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

The half-shell 1 likes in the exemplary embodiment. In contrast, FIG. 1 preferably only has a metal surface which reflects the microwaves and in which a simple treatment against metal-attacking substances is sufficient for the reflective inner surface.

A microwave sterilizer like. 1 and FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment, provides a transport device for the containers passing through the sterilizer in such a way that over the entire length of the pasteurization tunnel there is a longitudinal guide 31 provided laterally for receiving a rod-shaped axially oscillating component 3 embedded therein was created, which lift rod 3 is oscillated within a required and therefore precisely defined stroke length via a drive, so constantly back and forth, wherein movable carrier 4, 5, 6, 7, etc., through the slots 20, 21, 22, 23rd , etc., the exemplary half-shell 1 protrude into the sterilization space 27, and in the forward movement in the direction 32 Fig. 3, each driver pushes a beverage can in front of him, upon retraction of the lifting rod 3 in the direction 33 Fig. 3, slide the driver , 5, 6, 7, etc., on the beverage cans without this move until the push rod 3 in the final position Fig. 2, wherein the drivers 4, 5, 6, 7, etc., in the exemplary bearing bush 17 Fig. 3, have a sufficient clearance and thus are extremely smooth, so they preferably alone by the Gravity to the lower stop 13 Fig. 3 fall down as soon as the push rod 3 has reached its end position or initial position 34 Fig. 2, and wherein further the push rod 3, the starting position 34 -11 -

Fig. 2, slightly overrun in the direction 35, so that all drivers 4, 5, 6, 7, etc., can fall freely in its lowest position 13, and thus would not get stuck on a possibly still a little too far back can , where now the oscillating process described above that the push rod 3 in the direction 32 and then back in accordance with the direction 33 to position 34 and 35 repeated as often, so as to move through the pasteurization tunnels in the cans or containers through this so that the Cans or containers are moved with a preferably rapid push movement from one microwave Einkoppelungsort to the next next, and there stopped for a predetermined interval to achieve the exact position-related microwave heating, the horizontal mixing of the sterilization of possibly different tempered sections withineach container is done by the strength of the thrust movement of the transport device described.

Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an upper half-shell 1, which has for example a recessed longitudinal guide 31 which is closed by the two side walls 18 and 19 on both sides, and wherein the longitudinal guide 31 upwardly through the cover 29 (Fig. 1) is microwave-tightly sealed, this longitudinal guide 31 having exemplary longitudinal slots 20, 21, 22, 23, etc., which are preferably located outside the central axis 35, thereby creating a web 36 between the longitudinal slots, which is the prerequisite represents for the one-piece design of the half-shell 1, wherein slot start and end of the slot in each case in the longitudinal direction by the dimension 37 and 38 overlap. •··········

The advancing movement of the push rod 3 in the axial direction is characterized in that the increase in the acceleration movement and the deceleration in the course of the deceleration thereof is not a random quantity, but this trajectory is a specifically selectable quantity, so preferably a stronger acceleration a slower deceleration follows, so that the containers do not overshoot the required irradiation positions as far as possible.

Figure 3 shows an exemplary push rod 3 in elevation, wherein in a preferred embodiment drivers 4, 6, etc., on the one hand and drivers 5, 7, etc., are mounted on the other side, preferably by gravity up to an exemplary lower stop surface 13 fall down and abut against this as long as the push rod performs a movement from the starting position 34 (35) in the direction 32, or these drivers are moved according to the illustrated line of movement 39 when sliding over the underlying cans or containers upwards the push rod 3 moves back in the course of the return movement 33 in the starting position 34.

The drive of the push rod 3 is carried out either by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, a linear motor or by the stroke of an electromagnet, or by a connection with a Excenterrad, the drive not necessarily once on the front or in the rear end position (eg: Position 39 , Fig. 3) is provided, but wherein in a further preferred embodiment, a plurality of smaller sized drives along the push rod 3 are mounted, which then preferably synchronized work simultaneously, whereby the push rod 3 is exposed to a more uniform introduction of force over the entire length. • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Figure 4 shows a plan view of an exemplary push rod 3, wherein in particular the recesses 8, 9, 10, 12, etc., can be seen, which therein the movable carriers 4, 5, 6, 7, etc., record, wherein, for example Driver 4 is housed in the release position 8, wherein the driver 4 preferably has a small shaft or axis, which is accommodated in the bore 17 with sufficient clearance and wherein on the opposite side an enlarged opening 40 is provided for securing the axis.

FIG. 5 shows a further preferred embodiment of a preferably two-part sterilization tunnel which consists of the upper half shell 91 and the lower half shell 92, wherein a functionally sufficiently large free space 96 is provided between the two half shells, for example, such that a longitudinally running conveyor belt 113 can be moved through it , wherein this conveyor belt is characterized in that it has according to Fig. 5a at periodic intervals over exemptions 121, these exemptions are arranged so that they coincide with the positions of Einkoppelungsorte 119,119 ', 119 ", etc., so that according to FIG 6, a beverage can is located in the passage of the container stream above each coupling-in location, wherein these beverage cans are pushed in front of them by the carriers 120 mounted on the conveyor belt 113. FIG. 7 shows a further preferred embodiment of a pasteurization tunnel, which consists in one piece of a tubular body 42, wherein a series of openings is further provided, via which the exemplary flange connections 48, 50, 52, 54, etc., the hollow waveguides 49, 51, 53, 55, etc., for coupling microwaves are attached, and wherein further on • • ························································································ · · ······· ··· -14-

Slits 44, 45, 46, 47, etc., are provided in the longitudinal direction, through which in turn drivers project into the sterilization space 41 to convey beverage containers through the sterilization room in the direction of arrow 50 in front of him pushing the sterilization space 41 in a preferred embodiment also on an inner lining 43 preferably made of microwave resistant plastic such as: Teflon for sealing the Mikrowelleneinkoppelungsöffnungen, wherein further the sterilization tunnel is preferably installed in the type in the machine frame, that this assumes a tilt angle relative to the machine base plane, so that in the case of destroyed containers with content leakage Cleaning the tunnel is carried out by one-sided introduction of a cleaning liquid, wherein the liquid exits on the inclined side and can be discharged from there. FIG. 9 shows a further preferred embodiment of a microwave sterilizer which, by way of example, consists of any number of structurally identical modules 61, 62, 63, 64, etc., which are mechanically connected to one another in the axis regions 76, 77, 78, etc., microwave-tightly, each module preferably has its own movable sliding / traction unit for transporting the container, here symbolically represented by the vectors 66, 67, 68, 69, etc., wherein further the transport units of a module group by a common sliding / traction unit 74 in the points 70, 71, 72, 73, etc., resulting in a uniform transport system for an arbitrarily long Steriisatortunnel, each module has its own Mikrowelleneinkoppelungen 65.

Claims (3)

f ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1) Microwave sterilizer for pasteurizing or sterilizing preferably beverages or liquid food in tightly sealed cans or bottles or similar containers predominantly non-metallic consistency, with at least one pasteurization space for preheating and heating and at least one associated microwave generator, and a device for transporting the sterilization by the pasteurization space, characterized in that the transport device is arranged in such a way that it consists of a thrust unit (3) Fig. 3 or in another preferred embodiment of a traversed with exemptions tractor unit (113) Fig. 6, wherein with the Thrust unit (3) connected drivers (4) Fig.3, or with the tractor unit (113) connected driver (120) Fig. 6 in the Lag e are to pull or push the packages, cans or bottles (exemplarily 115, 116, 117) to be transported at variable speed through the sterilization tunnel (27) Fig. 1 and (114) Fig. 6, respectively. 2) microwave sterilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the sterilizer has a sterilization tunnel, on which any number of preferably arranged at regular longitudinal intervals coupling openings exemplified in Fig. 8 (56, 57, 58, 59) are provided, through which Microwaves are coupled for heating the sterilization. 3) microwave sterilizer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transport of the containers to be sterilized, in particular cans or bottles, takes place in the longitudinal direction through the sterilization tunnel. 4) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transport of the vessels to be sterilized through the sterilization tunnel, exemplified in Fig. 6 (115,116,117, etc.,) takes place between two coupling openings with at least two different speeds, whereby an effect arises, which amounts to a shaking of the contents of the container in the longitudinal direction, which has a mixing of different tempered portions of liquid within the container result. 5) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that along the pasteurization tunnel, an exemplary longitudinal guide (31) is provided which is adapted to receive, at least one, axially movable push-pull rod unit. 6) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the example shown guide (31) an axially movable push / pull rod (3) is embedded, which over any number of carriers Fig. 3 (4, 5, 6, 7, etc.). 7) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the push / pull rod (3) for each driver has a stop surface (13), said surface also limits the maximum travel angle of the driver downwards. 8) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sterilization chamber consists of 2 Halbschaien, as shown in FIG. 1 from the upper half-shell (1) and from the lower half-shell (2), whereby the sterilization tunnel opened for cleaning or maintenance purposes can be. 9) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a further preferred embodiment according to FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 provides a sterilization tunnel, which is integrally formed of a tube unit, is formed. 10) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a further preferred embodiment of a microwave sterilizer according to FIG. 9 is composed of preferably identical modules, which are mechanically connected microwave-tight. 11) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that according to FIG. 9, each module preferably has its own push / pull rod (66, 67, 68, 69, etc.,). 12) microwave sterilizer according to one of claim 11, characterized in that according to FIG. 9, preferably all push / pull rods are mechanically connected. 13) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in a further preferred embodiment, each module (61, 62, 63, 64, etc.,) has its own drive its push / pull rod for its modular transport promotion, said the synchronization of the transport movement of all individual modules is carried out by electrical means. 14) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the sterilization tunnel according to FIG. 7 has slots (44, 45, 46, 47, etc.), which extend in the longitudinal direction and extend outside the tunnel center, so that between the slots a ridge 80 remains, or according to FIG. 2, the longitudinal slots (20, 21, 22, 23, etc.) are provided, in which case the web (36) remains. 15) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the push / pull rod has an axial drive, for example via pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, or via a linear motor or Elektrohubmagnet, or via an eccentric drive has. 16) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the exemplary driver (4, 5, etc.) Fig. 1 protrude into the sterilization chamber 27, and thereby in the forward movement of the push / pull rod 3, the container to each push a stroke length in the pulling direction forward, and slide over these containers in the backward movement and this process is repeated endlessly in the following stroke movement. 17) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the push / pull rod (3) according to FIG. 2, the rear end position (34) over a defined length to the position (35) passes over to thereby ensure that the catch of the pull rod (3) free and thus' hindered by no container in the vertical movement, preferably by gravity in the end position at the stop (13) can fall down. 18) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that according to Fig. 5 for conveying the sterilizing a conveyor belt (113) is provided. 19) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the conveyor belt (113) has projecting therefrom driver (120). 20) Microwave sterilizer after one of the Claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the conveyor belt (113) like. Figure 5a has any number of successive clearance openings (121) within which the packages (e.g., 115) are located during transport through the sterilization tunnel. 21) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the exemptions (121) of the conveyor belt (113) are preferably arranged at the same intervals as the coupling openings of Mikrowelleneinkoppelungen, so during the transport movement as shown in FIG. 6 each 1 container (115, 116, 117, etc.) comes to rest above a coupling opening (119, 119 ', 119 ", etc.). 22) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that according to Fig. 5 between the two half-shells (1 and 2) an exemption (96) remains, through which the tape guide for the container transport. 23) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the distance of the release (96) is at least so large that there is no electrical discharge of the high frequency between the upper and lower boundary surface of each half-shell (91, 92) comes. 24) Mikroweliensterilisator according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the monitoring of the temperature of the container contents preferably via the aluminum capping of the container by means of a thermal camera or a heat sensor at any number of positions along the sterilization tunnel. 25) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that adjusted in response to the determined by means of the heat sensors actual temperature, the power of the subsequent microwave generators to achieve the target temperature in the event of overheating by a partial load operation / pulse operation or shutdown of generators or, if the temperature is too low, the corresponding container is rejected because of a lack of pasteurization. 26) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that the microwave generators preferably only deliver power, that is to couple microwaves in the sterilization chamber when a container is in the region of a coupling opening. 27) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that both the acceleration of the container between the coupling openings and their delay is not arbitrary, but rather represent controlled movement variables. 28) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that a tubular pasteurization tunnel in a further preferred embodiment within the set-up machine with respect to the earth's surface has an inclination angle. 29) microwave sterilizer according to one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the pasteurization tunnel has a cooling device for the applied to a plastic can aluminum lid, thereby sparing the sensitive connection area between the plastic can and the rolled aluminum lid in the high temperature range. Vienna, January 15, 2007 Hubert Petutschnig