DE102017115824A1 - Device and method for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment plant - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment plant, preferably a dry aseptic system, comprising a heating device (14) for heating a carrier fluid, a metering device (2) for metering a sterilizing agent into the carrier fluid, and an impingement device (100, 110) for pressurizing the surface to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device and a method for sterilizing surfaces, for example product-contacting surfaces, of a container treatment plant, for example a beverage filling plant.

Technical background

It is known to contact surfaces that are in contact with the product and surfaces which are in contact, for example, with a clean room in a beverage bottling plant, to be cleaned and sterilized at regular intervals, during product changes and after production stoppages. For this purpose, it is known, for example, first to clean the surfaces to be sterilized by means of a cleaning medium, for example, to rinse off product residues, adhering foreign bodies and other undesirable substances.

The surfaces are subsequently rinsed with hot water to completely remove the cleaning medium from the respective system areas to be cleaned. Following this, a drying step usually takes place in which, for example, dry air or hot air is injected in order to achieve complete drying of the surfaces still exposed to the water.

After the surfaces are completely dried off, H ₂ O ₂ evaporated to sterilize the bottling plant is applied to the surfaces to be sterilized, so that the evaporated H ₂ O ₂ comes into contact with all the surfaces to be sterilized. After a sufficiently long exposure time, the respective surfaces are then sterilized.

This method is also known as dry aseptic, and is used to cleanse and sterilize the aseptic areas of a beverage bottling plant. These aseptic areas are usually arranged within a so-called insulator, by means of which a defined delimitation of plant components from the environment can be made and within which a defined atmosphere with a reduced germ load is provided.

All surfaces that are located inside this insulator are cleaned by the aforementioned method, dried and then sterilized by means of the evaporated H ₂ O ₂ .

After the sterilization has taken place, the bottling plant is then again in a sterile condition and is accordingly ready for production.

Is in a beverage bottling plant a production interruption necessary, which, for example, involves an intervention in the insulator, for example, to solve a mechanical problem manually, it is necessary that the production is stopped and the cleaning described above is carried out again to the system again in to give a sterile condition.

Presentation of the invention

Starting from the known prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method which allows a further simplified sterilization of the surfaces to be sterilized in a container treatment plant and in particular a beverage filling plant.

This object is achieved by a device for sterilizing a surface of a beverage treatment plant having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims, the present description and the attached figures.

Accordingly, an apparatus for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment plant is proposed, comprising a heating device for heating a carrier fluid, a dosing device for dosing a sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid, and a loading device for applying the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent to the surface to be sterilized.

By virtue of the fact that a metering device is provided, by means of which a sterilizing agent is metered into the carrier fluid, and an impingement device is provided, by means of which the surface to be sterilized is exposed to the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent, sterilization and, in particular, intermediate sterilization can take place the surfaces of the container treatment plant to be sterilized are carried out more efficiently.

In particular, it is possible in this way to carry out three previously separately performed steps of the sterilization process, namely rinsing with hot water, the complete Abtautnen the respective surfaces and then sterilizing the surfaces by treatment with vaporized H ₂ O ₂ in a single step. This also makes it possible to carry out a particularly rapid intermediate sterilization.

The intermediate sterilization can also be used in combination with a dry aseptic method (rinsing, drying, evaporating H ₂ O ₂ applied), the dry aseptic method is then performed for initial sterilization before production or a product change and the intermediate sterilization for regular treatment of the plant or after a forced production interruption.

By applying the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent in a heated manner to the respective surfaces to be sterilized, a rinsing effect by means of the heated carrier fluid is achieved on the one hand. On the other hand, the sterilization effect of the sterilizing agent is increased on account of the elevated temperature, and sterilization of the surfaces of the container treatment plant to be sterilized also takes place with the sterilizing agent applied at an elevated temperature. In this way, the sterilization process can be accelerated. Furthermore, due to the elevated temperature of the mixture of the carrier fluid and sterilant, the respective surface of the container treatment plant is also heated, so that a subsequent drying of this surface is supported.

Sterilization of the surfaces is understood here to mean that the respective surfaces are treated in such a way that no germs capable of propagation are present after sterilization. In particular, this means that, in particular based on the respective filling product filled in the beverage filling plant, product-damaging germs are absent or no longer capable of replication.

In other words, a sterilized surface is understood to be one which exhibits a safe absence of pathogenic and toxin-producing microorganisms, as well as an absence of other microorganisms and enzymes which would unreliably degrade the filling product bottled in the bottling plant under the normal conditions of the envelope.

As the carrier fluid, for example, water can be used, and it is particularly preferable to use sterile water.

As the sterilizing agent, it is preferable to use peracetic acid (C ₂ H ₄ O ₃ ), which is also known as peroxyacetic acid. On the one hand, the high temperature applied via the heating device, either only to the carrier fluid or already to the mixture of carrier fluid and peracetic acid, makes it possible to improve the sterilization performance of peracetic acid. Furthermore, the peracetic acid at the elevated temperature tends to evaporate, so that sterilant residues or peracetic acid residues do not remain on the finally sterilized surface, but evaporate together with the carrier fluid. As a result, a dry and sterilized surface may particularly preferably result with a corresponding withdrawal of the vapors of the mixture.

Thus, in comparison with the known intermediate sterilization, in particular the time for complete drying of the respective surfaces to be sterilized after the respective surfaces have faded with water before the use of the vaporized sterilization medium in the form of H ₂ O _{2 can be} saved. In the conventional methods of the prior art, it was necessary to completely dry off the surface to be sterilized with the evaporated H ₂ O ₂ in order to allow contact of the evaporated H ₂ O ₂ with each area of the surface. The retention of water droplets on the surfaces to be sterilized was to be avoided at all costs, because in those areas where water droplets remained, an application of the surface to be sterilized below the water droplet would not have occurred.

By the device proposed herein, by means of which it is possible to act on the surfaces to be sterilized by means of a heated mixture of a carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent, the aforementioned lengthy process steps can be correspondingly saved.

Preferably, the metering device is arranged so that the sterilant is metered into the carrier fluid upstream of the heater and the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant in the heater is heated. In this way, a defined temperature of the mixture can be provided safely and independently of the volume of the sterilant metered into the carrier fluid.

Preferably, the metering device can also be arranged so that the sterilizing agent is metered downstream of the heater in the already heated in the heater carrier fluid. In this way, a more efficient use of the sterilizing agent, since the carrier fluid is at least partially sterilized by the heating, so that the sterilizing agent is not already partially consumed by a sterilization of the carrier fluid.

By means of the metering device can be further achieved that the peracetic acid in a predetermined concentration of the carrier fluid is supplied so that the resulting heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilization medium has the highest possible sterilization performance.

More preferably, a carrier fluid supply for supplying water as the carrier fluid may be provided upstream of the heater, and a sterile water generating device may be provided to sterilize the water, the sterile water generating device preferably having a dwell line located downstream of the heater for providing a predetermined dwell time of the water heated by the heater includes. Thus, in a simple manner, the water heated in the heating device to a corresponding sterilization temperature can remain at the elevated temperature over the residence time predetermined by means of the residence zone and can be correspondingly sterilized in this way. The dwell section is dimensioned so that the carrier fluid, depending on the flow rate, undergoes a predetermined dwell time as it flows through the dwell section, and accordingly sterilization can be achieved.

If an indwelling line is provided as a sterile water generating device, then it is particularly preferred to provide the metering device in such a way that a metered dose of the sterilization medium is already taken at the beginning of the indwelling line in order to also support the sterilization of the water by means of the sterilization medium.

In an alternative or additional embodiment, however, the dosing device can also be provided at the end of the dwell section, so that dosing of the sterilization agent into the already slightly cooled carrier fluid takes place, which is already sterile at this time. In this way, sterilization medium can be saved and immediate evaporation of the sterilization medium can be reduced or avoided.

For loading the sterilizing surface of the container treatment device, an application device may be provided. The loading device may be provided, for example, in the form of spray nozzles or downpipes, in order to carry out a cleaning of the outer surfaces, for example of the Isolartors or of aggregates and other devices within the insulator of the container treatment device. However, the loading device can also be a supply device, for example in the form of a branch or a valve, by means of which the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent can be introduced into conduits or media guide paths of the container treatment device. Accordingly, the surfaces are then sterilized within the container treatment plant here. The loading device may thus either be intended to apply to the outer surfaces with the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent or to pressurize the respective fluid-carrying lines, in particular filling product-carrying lines, with the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent.

Preferably, the metering device for metering in the sterilizing agent is connected to a sterilizing agent tank for receiving peracetic acid, and the metering device meters peracetic acid into the carrier fluid.

Furthermore, a withdrawal device is particularly preferably provided, by means of which the vapors occurring when the respective surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilization agent can be withdrawn from the correspondingly sterilized region of the container treatment device. In particular, it is possible by means of the fan to evaporate evaporated sterilant together with the vaporized carrier fluid, which evaporates from the areas of the container treatment device to be sterilized due to the high temperature with which it is applied to the surfaces to be sterilized together with the carrier fluid.

In a further preferred development, the dosing device comprises a sensor for determining the concentration of the sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid and a control or regulating device is provided, which controls or regulates the dosing of the sterilizing agent on the basis of the signal of the sensor. In an alternative or in addition thereto, the sterilization agent can also be introduced into the carrier fluid in a predetermined volume flow by means of a volume flow sensor.

The above object is further achieved by a method having the features of claim 8. Advantageous developments emerge from the present description, the subclaims and the figures.

Accordingly, a method for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment device is proposed in which the surface to be sterilized is exposed to a heated mixture of water and peracetic acid.

Most preferably, the mixture has a temperature of 50 ° C to 80 ° C, preferably 60 ° C to 70 ° C.

The object is further achieved by a method for treating containers in a container treatment device having the features of claim 10. Advantageous further developments emerge from the present description, the subclaims and the figures.

Accordingly, a method of operating a container treatment apparatus comprising treating containers in the container treatment apparatus, interrupting the treatment of the containers in the container treatment apparatus, subjecting at least one surface of the container treatment apparatus to be sterilized to interrupting production with a heated mixture of a carrier fluid is proposed and a sterilizing agent and resuming the treatment of the containers.

By first carrying out the container treatment, which is then discontinued, a heated mixture of a carrier fluid and a sterilant is applied to surfaces of the container treatment apparatus to be sterilized after interrupting the container treatment, and thereafter the treatment of the containers is resumed, by a single Treatment step sterilizing the surfaces to be sterilized, in particular in the form of an intermediate sterilization performed.

In a further development of the method, after the surfaces to be sterilized are treated with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent, rinsing of the sterilized surfaces of the container treatment device with water, particularly preferably with hot sterile water, can be carried out. The water or sterile water particularly preferably has a temperature of at least 90 ° C.

In a further step, following the exposure of the surfaces to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent or the pressurization of the sterilized surfaces of the container treatment device with the water, in particular the hot sterile water by means of a fan, all vapors from the container treatment device deducted or the container treatment device are dried with dry air.

list of figures

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zum Sterilisieren von Oberflächen einer Behälterbehandlungsvorrichtung.

Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figure. Showing:

• 1 a schematic representation of an apparatus for sterilizing surfaces of a container treatment device.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figure.

1 shows a schematic representation of a device 1 for sterilizing surfaces of a container treatment device, for example a beverage filling plant for filling bottles or other containers with a beverage.

The surfaces to be sterilized can be present, for example, in the form of the surfaces of a treatment member of the container treatment device - for example, the surfaces of a filling member or a closure member of a beverage filling plant. The surfaces to be sterilized may also be the surfaces of an enclosure or an insulator of the container treatment apparatus.

The surfaces to be sterilized may also be the surfaces defining a media-carrying channel of the container treatment device. In other words, by means of the device, the channels and lines can be sterilized.

The container treatment apparatus may be, for example, an aseptic beverage bottling plant, preferably a dry aseptic beverage bottling plant. The dry aseptric sterilization process (including rinsing, drying, treatment with vaporized H ₂ O ₂ ) is preferably used prior to production or during a product change. The application of the hot mixture of carrier fluid and sterilant described herein is then used for intermediate sterilization after production stoppages.

To sterilize the surfaces, the device comprises 1 a CIP-advance 10 in which a mixture of a carrier fluid and a sterilizing agent prepared and heated in the manner described below can be applied to the surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized.

This is followed by the CIP-advance 10 for example, a spray nozzle 100 or a Valve 110 provided by means of which the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent can then be applied to the corresponding surfaces to be sterilized, the container treatment device.

The carrier fluid may be in the form of process water via a process water supply, for example 12 be fed and then via a circulation pump 120 a heating device 14 are fed, in which the carrier fluid is heated, and then via the CIP flow 10 is passed in accordance with the areas of the container treatment device, in which the surfaces to be sterilized are provided.

By means of the heater 14 , which is designed here as a heat exchanger, that via the process water supply 12 supplied process water to be heated. Preferred is a temperature sensor 16 provided, which monitors the temperature of the carrier fluid and controls the heater accordingly. In the exemplary embodiment shown, process steam is used to provide the heat energy in the heat exchanger. The heater 14 but may also be formed in any other known manner, for example, in the form of an electric heater.

Following the heater 14 , ie downstream of the heater 14 , is a stay 16 provided, which is such that in the heating device 14 heated process water for a predetermined time at the high temperature, which is in the heater 14 has received. In this way, that can be done in the dwell 16 received heated process water, which acts here as a carrier fluid to be sterilized. Preference is given to the residence section 16 thermally insulated in order to use the necessary supply of heat energy efficiently.

The temperature of the heated process water is determined by means of a temperature sensor 160 monitors, which also for regulating the superheated steam supply 162 for trained as a heat exchanger heater 14 is used.

As temperature, which may have the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent when pressurizing the surfaces to be sterilized, a temperature of 50 ° C to 80 ° C, preferably 60 ° C to 70 ° C is preferably provided, especially when using water as Carrier fluid and peracetic acid as sterilant.

The fluid once used in the container treatment device to sterilize the respective surfaces is either withdrawn as vapor or discarded.

In an alternative, at least a portion of the fluid used for sterilization may be via a CIP return 18 be pumped back into the circulation and can then, for example, again with the circulation pump 120 the heater 14 and the dwell 16 be fed before it again via the CIP flow 10 is applied to each surface to be sterilized.

The supply of process water 12 is stopped as soon as there is a predetermined amount of carrier fluid in the system, which then correspondingly into the sterilization circuit by means of the circulation pump 120 can be moved in the circulation.

For sterilizing the surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized, there is furthermore a metering device 2 provided, wherein the metering device 2 via a metering valve 20 can meter a sterilant into the carrier fluid.

In the in 1 shown Ausführungsbespiel opens according to a metering valve 20 the dosing device 2 so in the dwell 16 a, that a dosing of the sterilizing agent in the dwell in the 16 lingering carrier fluid to the end of the dwell 16 takes place. The carrier fluid accordingly already has a predetermined time in the residence zone 16 spent, so that at the time of dosing the sterilizing agent, the carrier fluid is already largely sterilized, so that the sterilant is not already consumed directly by the carrier fluid.

In an alternative embodiment, the metering valve 20 the dosing device 2 but also at the beginning of the dwelling 16 , ie immediately after the heater 14 , or also upstream of the heater 14 be provided so that the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant can be prepared according to different positions within the flow of the carrier fluid.

All variants have in common that at the CIP-advance 10 Thus, the position at which the appropriately prepared mixture is prepared for sterilization of the surface, this mixture is heated, so that the heated mixture can be applied to the surfaces to be sterilized.

In other words, the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant may be at the CIP feed 10 have both a certain temperature and a certain concentration of sterilant within the carrier fluid.

In order to achieve not only the desired temperature of the mixture but also the desired concentration of sterilant in the carrier fluid, is a sensor 24 for determining the concentration of the sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid, for example in the region of the CIP flow 10 intended. Due to the signal of the sensor 24 can then by means of a control or regulating device 26 the metering valve 20 the dosing device 2 be controlled or regulated so that in the carrier fluid, the desired sterilant concentration is achieved.

The dosing device 2 has two tanks in the embodiment shown 22 in which the sterilizing agent is provided accordingly. The sterilant is preferably peracetic acid, which may be provided in the two tanks, to ensure continuous operation of the device 1 allow and switch from a tank 22 on the other tank 22 to reach if the first tank 22 or a greater volume of peracetic acid must be provided overall to the desired concentration at the CIP flow 10 provide.

The device shown 1 can be used in the container treatment device in a production break, a product change or a production interruption, the surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized by means of the impingement device, for example in the form of the spray nozzle 100 or the feed valve 110 with the CIP-lead 10 provided heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant to sterilize.

Due to the elevated temperature of the mixture, a particularly efficient sterilization of the respective surfaces to be sterilized is achieved because the sterilizing agent has a higher effect due to the temperature. In order to achieve the same sterilization effect, a reduced amount of sterilizing agent can be used, due to the elevated temperature.

By the increased temperature, for example, even in the case of using peracetic acid as the sterilant rapid evaporation of the peracetic acid can be achieved together with the carrier fluid within the container treatment device, so that the mixture and in particular the peracetic acid does not remain on the treated surfaces and, for example, a contamination of the can not take place after resuming the production filled filling product. A step of the separate rinsing of the peracetic acid can be dispensed with.

The vaporized peracetic acid can also be easily removed from the container treatment device together with the carrier fluid via a fan. A drying results in particular in support of blowing with dry air.

In a continuation of the method, hot sterile water, preferably sterile water having a temperature greater than 90 ° C., which after a correspondingly long residence time in the residence zone, can also be applied via the loading device 16 is sterilized, rinse the appropriately sterilized surfaces and at the same time heat the surfaces so far that a particularly rapid evaporation or drying of the then only treated with sterile water surfaces is possible.

Where applicable, all individual features illustrated in the embodiments may be combined and / or interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Device for sterilizing surfaces of a container treatment device

10

CIP feed

12

Process water supply

14

heat exchangers

16

dwell

18

CIP return

100

spray nozzle

110

supply valve

120

circulating pump

160

temperature sensor

162

Hot steam supply

2

metering

20

metering valve

22

Sterilant tank

24

Sensor for determining the concentration of the sterilizing agent

26

Control or regulating device

Claims (13)

Device (1) for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment plant, preferably a dry aseptic system, comprising a heating device (14) for heating a carrier fluid, a dosing device (2) for dosing a sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid, and an application device (100, 110) for applying the surface to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant. Device (1) according to Claim 1 characterized in that the metering device (2) is arranged so that the sterilant is metered into the carrier fluid upstream of the heater (14) and the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant is heated in the heater (14). Device (1) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the metering device (2) is arranged so that the sterilizing agent is metered downstream of the heating device (14) in the already heated in the heating device (14) carrier fluid. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a carrier fluid supply (12) for supplying water as the carrier fluid upstream of the heating device (14) is provided and a sterile water generating device is provided to sterilize the water, wherein the sterile water generating device preferably downstream of the heating device (14) arranged dwell line (16) for providing a predetermined dwell time of the means of the heating device (14) heated water. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loading device (100, 110) has a nozzle (100) for applying the heated mixture to the surface to be sterilized and / or a supply with a supply valve (110) for feeding the heated mixture in a channel having the surface to be sterilized. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metering device (2) for metering the sterilizing agent is connected to a sterilant tank for receiving peracetic acid and the metering device (2) metered peracetic acid into the carrier fluid. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dosing device (2) comprises a sensor (24) for determining the concentration of the sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid and a control device (26) is provided, which is based on the Signal of the sensor (24) controls the metering of the sterilizing agent or regulates. A method for sterilizing a surface of a container treatment device, characterized in that the surface to be sterilized is treated with a heated mixture of water and peracetic acid. Method according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the mixture has a temperature of 50 ° C to 80 ° C, preferably 60 ° C to 70 ° C, having. A method of operating a container treatment apparatus, preferably a dry aseptic system comprising treating containers in the container treatment apparatus, interrupting treatment of the containers in the container treatment apparatus, subjecting at least one surface of the container treatment apparatus to be sterilized to interrupting production with a heated mixture of a carrier fluid and a sterilizing agent and resuming the treatment of the containers. Method according to Claim 10 , characterized in that after the at least one surface to be sterilized of the container treatment device, the sterilized surface with hot water, preferably hot sterile water, is applied, more preferably at a temperature greater than 90 ° C. Method according to one of Claims 10 and 11 , characterized in that after subjecting the surface to be sterilized with the mixture of the heated carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent, the container treatment device is dried by removing the resulting vapors and preferably by introducing dry air. Method according to one of Claims 10 and 11 , characterized in that before the treatment of the container, a sterilization by a dry aseptic method is performed.

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