EP2394751A1 - Method for cleaning containers and cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves making a cleaning medium to impact on containers (B) to be conveyed e.g. bottles, by a cleaning machine (W), where the bottles are made of plastic or glass. The containers are intensively cleaned in a station (5) prior to a final cleaning effect and/or in a process step using only chemical-free cleaning medium, where the process step is selected with respect to the final cleaning effect. An inner surface of the container is cleaned by granular ice. Dry ice is radiated or injected as the granular ice and formed from carbon dioxide or water ice such as slurry ice.

Description

The invention relates to a cleaning machine according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a method according to the preamble of patent claim 10.

For example, in the beverage industry, it is known to use for cleaning containers, especially bottles made of plastic or glass, in conjunction with water chemicals, such as alkalis or acids, to a considerable extent directly on or in the containers and possibly also to work with heat. These known methods require a considerable amount of water and chemicals for each container to be cleaned, as well as considerable expenditure of energy for generating heat. The high water requirement is u.a. due to the fact that the chemicals must not only be brought to the cleaning operation with a certain dilution, but must also be removed without residue. This results in a tremendous cost of cleaning the containers, and may therefore also result in indirect additional costs if, due to chemicals that have not been completely removed without residue, recalls of contaminated by chemical residues in the container bottled drinks are required. In filling and packaging technology, for example, refillable bottles made of glass or plastic, the cleaning machine used is the largest consumer of thermal energy and chemicals, for example in the form of alkalis. For example, about 30 kJ of thermal energy and about 20 ml of a 2.5% alkaline solution are required per bottle to be cleaned.

At one off EP 0 672 615 A known cleaning machine for barrels designed as containers are on or behind treatment stations functions and / or properties of the barrels checked to determine errors of different categories. These categories include environmental, cleaning machine-related or cask-related errors. If a cask-related fault is detected, the cask is completely discarded. Upon detection of a cleaning machine-related or environmental failure, the affected barrel is discarded, if necessary, the error is separately checked and eliminated, and reintroduced into the production flow.

Out EP 1 787 662 A a modular washing and sterilizing machine is known in which contaminated objects are cleaned in several stations and finally disinfected, in particular used medical instruments. In a pre-treatment station, the soiled articles are prewashed in one or more cleaning steps with cold water and / or treated in an ultrasonic bath. In at least one subsequent one Washing station is washed with hot water, optionally with added detergents, and there is a hot disinfection with subsequent rinsing and drying in a drying chamber. The washing operations take place in wash chambers, in which the soiled articles are transported by car. The hot disinfection is carried out with hot water at a temperature of for example 90 ° C to 93 ° C. Since the pre-treatment takes less time than the main wash with hot disinfection and drying, several parallel main wash stations are used.

In WO 2007/051473 A It is proposed to intensively clean reusable glass bottles with a glass powder which has been radiated through a high-pressure medium. For plastic bottles, glass powder is extremely abrasive.

Further state of the art for cleaning machines and cleaning methods can be found in FR 644 426 A . DE 64 129 C . GB 05471 A . DE 197 053 C . GB 22 367 A . DE 197 09 621 A . GB 722 399 A and DE 598 606 C ,

The invention has for its object to provide a cleaning machine of the type mentioned above and a method that allow at least substantially without chemicals and with reduced energy consumption reliable container cleaning. Part of the task is the creation of a cleaning machine for bottles, which cleaning machine can be operated almost without heat and largely or entirely without chemicals and cost and economically.

The stated object is achieved with the features of patent claim 1 and claim 10.

In the cleaning machine, the intensive cleaning is carried out so that at least the same cleaning effect as in conventional cleaning machines is achieved without having to use significant thermal energy and / or chemicals. In the pre-cleaning station, work is done free of chemicals with pre-mixing and high-pressure water jets. In the intensive cleaning station, chemical-free, for example, granular cleaning material is irradiated under pressure, which either develops an intensive cleaning action on direct impact and / or removes and rinses off impurities by subsequent relative movement and friction influences. In this case, at least in the intensive cleaning station, each container is blast cleaned at least on the inside, eg with pressurized water or air as the carrier medium and granular material conveyed by the carrier medium. The granular material can be reusable or residue-free degradable or reprocessable, and developed for impurities first intensive cleaning abrasive action, even without the use of Warmth. There are at least two differently long, parallel intensive cleaning sections provided in the intensive cleaning station. Controlled by a contamination level detecting container inspection device is depending on the detected contamination each only one for intensive cleaning permissible degree of contamination, at least because of the detected as permissible degree of contamination not segregated and funded for intensive cleaning station individually individually cleaned only intensively as just for his individual but permissible degree of contamination, parallel in the different lengths of intensive cleaning. Incidentally, the conveying path in the cleaning machine can run continuously or comprise sections of different movement speeds, for example with buffer sections, and auxiliary conveyor sections for hanging transport of the containers if the main conveyor section should be designed for vertical transport. When injecting or blasting with the granular material, components of the blasting system may optionally move with it, or the containers may be temporarily stopped locally for a short time.

In an expedient embodiment, the at least two different length, parallel intensive cleaning lines are linked via points that are controlled by the upstream container inspection device.

In the intensive cleaning station downstream container disinfection station sufficient sterility of the intensively cleaned container is achieved.

It is expedient to provide at least one container inspection device between the pre-cleaning station and the intensive cleaning station, which is provided i.a. detects the degree of contamination of each pre-cleaned container and makes a choice in which intensive cleaning section the container is to bring according to its degree of contamination. Further, the container inspection apparatus for detecting too high a degree of soiling that is no longer cleanable in the intensive cleaning station, or for detecting defective or unusable containers used to first separate these containers from the cleaning machine, and so on the Cleanability of the cleaning material to limit the level of contamination agreed for the approved for intensive cleaning container.

Appropriately, therefore, the container inspection device is designed so that on the one hand a high degree of contamination no longer cleanable container, or detect defective and no longer usable container and can separate, on the other hand, a lower degree of contamination than the detected for sorting out the degree of contamination as permitted detected and depending on individually selects each to be loaded intensive cleaning route.

In a further embodiment, a rejection and / or recirculation inspection device is provided between the intensive cleaning station and the disinfecting station, which may be used to discard previously uncleaned containers, or returned to the pre-cleaning station or intensive cleaning station.

Suitably, the container inspection device and the rejection and / or recirculation inspection device are each arranged in an associated container rejection station.

At least one initial area of each intensive cleaning section is assigned a pressure jet system for granular material and a carrier medium.

In another embodiment, at least the pre-cleaning station and the intensive cleaning station have collecting means for the granular material and / or the carrier medium to which cleaning and reprocessing devices are either directly associated or connected, which may be either directly contained in the cleaning machine or placed outside thereof. In this way, at least chemical-free water can be used in the circulation with only negligible losses of wastewater actually being discharged. Dissolved impurities are discarded and eliminated. If the granular material has not decomposed, this can also be recycled and / or cleaned and recycled.

The cleaning machine may be designed as a rotary or linear runner, e.g. depending on the available space.

The granular material used in the different lengths of intensive cleaning lines can be recyclable or residue-free degradable, and developed for impurities by blasting an intensive cleaning effect without the use of heat.

According to the method, at least the contamination levels of the containers are detected upstream of the intensive cleaning station in the container inspection device and a preselection of the detected contamination levels is made in such a way that a contamination level still permissible for the intensive cleaning is limited. Too heavily contaminated containers are discarded. Containers detected with permissible levels of soiling will vary depending on their levels of contamination long intensive cleaning sections so that each container is intensively cleaned only as long as necessary. As a granular material (either one type of material or a combination of several types of material) metal, plastic, sand, salt or similar granular material can be used. Suitably, each container is at least inside, for example, with the compressed air or pressurized water promoted, granular ice intensively cleaned. In combination with the abrasive cleaning effect, a particularly efficient cold shock for contaminants occurs, which makes them brittle and contractible and thus easily removable and removable. For this purpose, expedient either dry ice from carbon dioxide or water ice (slurry ice) is irradiated from chemical-free water. During the intensive cleaning, the dry ice is converted completely without leaving any residue into carbon dioxide, which is optionally filtered off with suction. The water ice that melts during the intensive cleaning rinses off any dissolved impurities. With approximately the same energy requirements, the need for water with granular ice and the amount of waste water is 90% to 95% lower compared to conventional water-based cleaning processes with chemicals. Furthermore, there is no damage even on sensitive surfaces, as the grains of ice act gently, and no dust that would have to be removed separately. Compared to a water jet high-pressure cleaner with a water consumption of up to 500 liters per hour, when cleaning with water ice, eg slurry ice, only 55 liters of water per hour are consumed. The intensive cleaning success with, for example, formed as pellets ice grains is based on the cooling and embrittlement effect and the mechanical abrasive effect. Especially with dry ice, there are no liquid residues after intensive cleaning. In this case, for example, in the intensive cleaning 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm, preferably about 2.0 mm large ice grains, preferably pellets, with a pressure of about 3.0 bar to 15.0 bar, preferably about 5.0 bar and / or a speed of about 150 m / s to 500 m / s, preferably about 300 m / s, irradiated. This leads within a relatively short time to an intensive cleaning effect, preferably, in the interior of the container and in the mouth area. As a granular material, a nut shell granules can be brought by means of a carrier medium to act on the container surface, such that the nut shell granules performs a relative movement on the container surface. Nut shell granulate is not only a cost-effective, "renewable" cleaning medium, but also provides a surprisingly efficient cleaning effect. Nutshell granules are available in large quantities and specifications almost anywhere in the world, and are universally suitable both for cleaning glass-made containers and plastic containers, such as PET bottles, since they have a moderately abrasive effect. Furthermore, nut shell granulate may be reusable and, in any case, readily biodegradable. With nut shell granules not only labels, label residues and glue can be removed from the outer surface but also eg standard soiling from the inner surface of the containers remove quickly and efficiently. Nut shell granules having a particle size of about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm, preferably up to about 0.8 mm, are brought to act on the outer and / or inner container surface, optionally either dry or with water as the carrier medium.

In a variant of the method, each container is wetted in at least one pre-cleaning step with chemical-free water and impurities are pre-soaked for a predetermined period of time. Mainly external contaminants are then removed by high pressure water jets from chemical free water. This is especially true on the outside of the container, e.g. carried out on the label or a label sleeve. Subsequently, the remaining degree of contamination is detected and then the container for a pollution-dependent predetermined period of time intensively cleaned by pressure blasting with the granular material, and then rinsed with chemical-free water. The container is then already clean, but for reasons of hygiene finally a chemical-free disinfection of the container, at least inside and in the mouth area made. Then the container, preferably a returnable bottle, is ready for filling.

The chemical-free disinfection can be carried out by applying and burning gas or a residue-free combustible substance, i. by a flame disinfection which uses a small amount of energy to ignite. Alternatively, it is possible to efficiently disinfect with ozone, which can be subjected to energy pulses, also to be eaten reliably into innocuous components. It is advisable to disinfect with ozone, which acts without heat, and decomposes without residue. For this purpose, an ozone-fed applicator may be provided, and, preferably, e.g. piezoelectric energy pulse generator for the ozone.

Before disinfection, incompletely cleaned containers can be automatically detected for a residual level of soiling to either be completely discarded or returned to the pre-cleaning station or intensive cleaning station.

The method expediently proceeds in such a way that the containers in the intensive cleaning station are irradiated in parallel over at least one time period of different, depending on the detected degree of contamination with at least one granular material at least inside, which is selected from the following group: metal, plastic, sand, Salt, dry ice, water ice or nutshell granules. By the separation of no longer to be cleaned and / or faulty containers before the intensive cleaning becomes on the cleaning ability of the granular material agreed permissible maximum degree of contamination defined, according to the method by the then individually depending on the detected degree of contamination predetermined period of intensive cleaning each container only as long as intensively cleaned as just needed. This results in an efficient cleaning result, ie, consistently high purity and minimal cleaning time, since containers with differently detected levels of contamination are intensively cleaned in parallel over an individual period of time and no longer than necessary.

In essence, the invention consists in using essentially no or no chemicals at all in the cleaning machine and in the process carried out therein, but also in the intensive cleaning with chemically-free cleaning media which does not have its cleaning effect on chemical, but on, e.g. physical and / or mechanical, evolve away. This is useful granular material with abrasive action when blasted under pressure. The granular material dissolves impurities, promotes them and can be removed without residue. If the granular material is ice, then a cold shock effect is added to the abrasive cleaning effect, which intensifies the cleaning. In this case, intensively cleaned in parallel in at least two different lengths of intensive cleaning lines or each individually predetermined period of time, but each container only as it is necessary just for the detected degree of contamination. All process steps can be carried out substantially without or with little heat supplied, finally to achieve at least as good cleaning result, as was previously possible only with the use of much water, much chemicals, and much thermal energy. When working with the granular material inside the container, the granular material is injected with pressure, for example until a certain degree of filling is achieved. When injecting the inner walls are radiated. Subsequently, upon further conveying of the container, the filling with the granular material may produce an additional frictional cleaning effect by creating a relative and possibly strong rotational movement or shaking motion between the container and the filling resulting in a turbulent and cleaning relative flow along the inner wall of the container in which by centrifugal force and the granular material is again brought into intimate cleaning contact with the inner walls and loosened impurities held until removal in motion.

Fig. 1

eine Schemadarstellung einer Reinigungsmaschine für Behälter, hier Flaschen aus Kunststoff oder Glas,

Fig. 2

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt der Reinigungsmaschine von Fig. 1, und

Fig. 3 bis 5

Schemadarstellungen zur Verdeutlichung eines Verfahrensschrittes bei der Intensivreinigung der Behälter.

The subject invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a cleaning machine for containers, here bottles of plastic or glass,

Fig. 2

an enlarged section of the cleaning machine of Fig. 1 , and

Fig. 3 to 5

Schematic diagrams to illustrate a process step in the intensive cleaning of the container.

One in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown cleaning machine W is used, for example, for cleaning containers B, which are returned at least mainly by the reusable principle of consumers and filled again. Specifically, these can be plastic or glass bottles for the beverage industry, for which a very high standard of cleaning and hygiene standards must be observed for refilling.

The in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown cleaning machine W is designed as a linear rotor, but could alternatively be designed as a rotary.

In the cleaning machine W several stations 1 to 10 are connected in series in the conveying direction of the container B. Through all stations, a conveyor line 11 extends to the vertical transport, the auxiliary conveyor sections 29 are associated in parallel, for example, for hanging transport or overhead transport.

Station 1 is an unpacking and pre-softening station. The containers B are lifted by means of a gripper 13, 16, for example, from transport containers 12 and onto the conveyor line 11, e.g. a conveyor belt, provided, such that the container mouths point upwards. From a pre-softening device 15 with water spray nozzles 22 ', the containers are wetted both on the outside surface and inside with water, which may have room temperature and is free of chemicals to pre-emerge inside and / or outside existing dirt and any labels or label sleeves.

In the inlet of the station 2, which is a pre-cleaning station, a pre-softening section 3 is provided, which is associated with a turning device 18, which places the containers standing on the auxiliary conveyor section 29 upside down, so that the water introduced for pre-soaking can optionally proceed with dissolved dirt , In the station 2, high-pressure jet nozzles 22, possibly movable, are arranged at least on the upper side and on the lower side, which remove dirt, glue and labels with high-pressure water jets ("carpers"). The effluent water is collected with the detached impurities from collecting devices 17, fed to a pre-cleaning device 23 and then cleaned in a main cleaning device 20 and recycled via a line 14 in the circuit. In the precleaner 23, solids and solid contaminants may be secreted at 19. In the main cleaning device 20, "real" wastewater can be removed at 21.

In the outlet of the pre-cleaning station 2, a further turning device 18 is provided, which turns the container B by 180 ° and divides on the conveyor line 11 before the prepurified container B run into the next station 4, which by means of an inspection device 24 u.a. for differentiation of contamination or detection of the degree of soiling of each container B is used.

The next station is an intensive cleaning station 5, in which the containers B are thoroughly cleaned with at least one at least largely chemical-free cleaning medium in parallel intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b of different lengths. In the course of the conveying section 11 in the intensive cleaning station 5, three points 25, 26 and 27 can be provided which link the different lengths of intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b. The switch 25 is controlled, for example, by the container inspection device 24 to weed out a predetermined detected high degree of contamination, no longer to be cleaned or faulty or no longer usable container and, for example, in a collector 33 to promote. The container inspection device 24 also detects a lower degree of soiling of the pre-cleaned non-segregated containers B and decides, depending on the detected degree of soiling, on a respective one of the different lengths of intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b. The switch 26 located further downstream is, like the switch 27 located farther downstream, associated with the second intensive cleaning section 11b, which is parallel but longer in the intensive cleaning station 11 and parallel to the here shorter intensive cleaning section 11a. At least the switch 26 may be controlled by the container inspection device 24, depending on the detected degree of contamination, which is lower than the pollution degree detected for purging, to convey the container B individually via the longer intensive cleaning section 11b or the shorter intensive cleaning section 11a. Between the switches 26, 27, the successive conveyed container B can be spaced, so that from the second intensive cleaning section 11b again returning containers are easily einschleusbar in the first intensive cleaning section 11a. The differently long intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b could alternatively be brought together again only at the end of the intensive cleaning station.

In the station 5, a blasting machine A is arranged, which processes, for example, granular material R, for example, directly or by a carrier medium such as air or water at high pressure and high speed at least abrasive to the container B is brought into action, preferably in the interior and Mouth area of the container. The high-pressure blasting system A is closer to the Fig. 2 explained. Downstream of the blasting machine A, means 28 may be provided to cause the containers to rotate while being conveyed become. The relative movement thus generated between the filling of the cleaning medium and the container serves for further purification.

The means 28 provided downstream of the blasting machine A, for example, may be additively combined with means 28 'which set the containers in a shaking motion, or alternatively may be replaced by the means 28' which provide either only dry granular material R or at least a partial filling in a mixture with a carrier medium such as water for internal cleaning in a shaking move. The shaking of the containers for internal cleaning is particularly useful when using Nutschalengranulat as the granular material R.

The station 6 includes a further turning device 18, in which the container B conveyed upright are brought into an overhead position in order to empty it. The following station 7 is a rinsing station, in which the overhead containers are flushed with water or high pressure water inside and outside. The stations 6, 7 as the station 2, a pre-cleaning device 23 and a main cleaning device 20 for trapped water and optionally granular material R or molten ice downstream, the purified water, here the blasting machine A, feeds and separates water collected in collecting devices 17 from impurities.

The station 8 includes another disposal and recirculation inspection device 24 'for automatically detecting any residual contamination, and a reject station and / or recycle device, not shown, is controllable by the rejection and recirculation inspection device 24' so as not to discard sufficiently cleaned containers B. or to the pre-cleaning station 2 or to the intensive cleaning station 5.

The disinfection station 9, for example for flame disinfection of e.g. Container B conveyed overhead contains nozzles 30 which are discharged from a reservoir 31 with a gas, e.g. Ozone or a residue-free combustible substance are fed to fill the containers before an ignition device 32 initiates combustion in order to carry out the disinfection of the container with the resulting flames, especially inside and in the mouth area also outside.

It is expedient to work in the disinfection station 9 with ozone which, preferably, can be acted upon by at least one energy impulse, eg piezoelectrically, in order to disinfect sustainably, thereby consuming residues (eg decomposing into oxygen and free radicals).

At the disinfection station 9 is followed in the station 10, a further turning device 18, which transfers the container B from the overhead position again to the vertical transport on the conveyor section 11.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the stations 4 and 5 of the cleaning machine W of Fig. 1 , In this embodiment of the cleaning machine W, the station 5 is designed with the here two (or more) different length intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b for intensive cleaning using a granular material R. This granular material R should have a certain grain size, can be added residue-free, or even in the intensive cleaning use up residue, eg as slurry ice completely melt to water, do not generate dust, and the surface, especially in the mouth area or inside the container do not injure, but pre-soaked, for example, completely remove impurities, at least with impact energy and / or abrasive action.

The granular material R may be made of metal, plastic, sand, salt or the like, with salt providing the advantage of dissolving gradually, at least in contact with some water. Alternatively, the granular material R is in Fig. 2 Ice, either dry ice from carbon dioxide or water ice (slurry ice) from chemical-free water, for example in pellet form with a certain grain size.

The ice grains are conveniently conveyed and applied under pressure directly or with a carrier medium. The carrier medium M is either compressed air or pressurized water. The ice blasting technique combines several advantages. The about 2.0 mm sized ice grains or particles, e.g. With compressed air, applied at a pressure of about 5 bar to the surface to be cleaned or injected into the container. The ice grains clean by their impact energy and abrasion by mechanical means. They gradually melt and rinse off contaminants from the surface. Dry ice from carbon dioxide evaporates without residue. The ice blasting technique can be used with water ice (slurry ice) even in confined spaces. For dry ice, the extraction of the resulting carbon dioxide is recommended. Even sensitive surfaces are not damaged by the relatively soft ice grains during intensive cleaning. Therefore, there is no dust that would have to be removed separately.

As already mentioned, rotating devices 28 are provided in the intensive cleaning station 5 in order to rotate the containers, which are at least partially filled with the cleaning medium (granular material R and carrier medium M, such as air or water), either in one direction of rotation or in alternating directions of rotation, while they are being conveyed on, so that between the cleaning medium filling in each container and the container inner wall a relative rotational movement arises, in the loosened or largely dissolved contaminants are finally rinsed and kept in motion, and in particular the granular material R, the inner wall continues to be abraded and rinsed together with the support material, wherein the granular material by centrifugal force to the outside and in the contact is brought to the inner wall. Thus, the granular material comes into effect twice, first when pressure blasting from the blasting gun 40, and then during the rotational movement.

In the case of ice as granular material R (dry ice or water ice), the granular material also has at least two cleaning effects. In addition to the abrasive effect, i. due to the impact energy when blasting the inner wall of the container B or when injecting into the container, struck impurities, if they have not been immediately broken up and peeled, by the strong supercooling (in the case of dry ice from carbon dioxide, for example -79 ° C) together and become brittle. By resulting thermal stresses and under the influence of the impact or kinetic energy of the ice grains then solve this contamination easily from the surface. At least the subsequently encountered ice grains completely remove these already partially dissolved impurities. In the case of dry ice, this dissolves completely in gas after impact, which goes back to the atmosphere from which it was originally recovered. In the case of dry ice, there are practically no liquid residues, so that the abrasive cleaning effect during blasting, possibly with several cycles of movement of the blasting nozzles 41 or blasting gun 40 up to the bottom of the container, is very efficient. If necessary, additional water could also be used. In the case of grains of water ice, irradiated directly or with compressed air or pressurized water, this gradually melts, whereby washed away impurities are efficiently washed away and kept in a circulating movement in the container, and do not settle again.

The station 5 in Fig. 2 that the intensive cleaning station of the cleaning machine W, for example, from Fig. 1 represents, has a reservoir 34 for granular material R, in particular ice pellets such as slurry ice cream, or is connected to such. The reservoir 34 may be insulated and / or cooled. From the reservoir 34, a supply via a metering device 35 to a mixing device 37, to which also a supply 38 for the carrier medium M, here water, for example, from the station 6, 7 or chemical-free pure water is connected. In this feeder 38, a pressure and / or flow control device 39 or the like. Be included. In the case of dry ice from carbon dioxide or slurry ice, the mixing device 37 can be supplied with compressed air, for example from a compressor, via a pressure regulating and quantity setting device.

In order to ensure that no additional germs are introduced during the intensive cleaning, a disinfection device 36 may be provided at least for the granular material R.

The mixing device 37 feeds at least one blasting gun 40, which, preferably, has special high-performance nozzles 41 and, if appropriate, in the direction of the arrows in FIG Fig. 2 relative to the conveyor line 11, 11a linear and / or rotationally adjustable.

Since at least two different lengths of intensive cleaning sections 11a, 11b and the switches 27 are provided, a separating device 42 is provided downstream of the blasting gun 40 (suitably a group blasting guns) to space the successively transported along the conveyor section 11 container B.

For example, fall in Fig. 2 the ice grains from the reservoir 34 via the metering device 35 in a Ausgangskrümmer the blasting gun 40, which is fed with compressed air and generates a relatively gentle suction pressure for the ice grains. The compressed air accelerates the ice grains to about 300 m / s. The precisely calculated high-performance jet nozzles 41 now blast the cleaning medium from the ice grains (pellets) and the compressed air onto the surface to be cleaned, for example the inner surface and the mouth region, of the container. It can be worked with a pressure of about 5 bar. Of course, the aforementioned grain sizes, the pressure range and the speed can be varied in a wide range.

If the granular material is metal, plastic, sand, salt or the like, either compressed air or pressurized water can also be used as the carrier medium. The use of ice, especially slurry ice, as the granular material is preferred because it is less aggressive for the containers and either evaporates or melts into water. For other granular materials, the granular material used in each case which is excessive or is obtained by use, e.g. collected through the collection devices 17 (troughs or the like.) And previously separated in the reprocessing of water and recycled separately. Salt, on the other hand, can be dissolved in dissolved form during the treatment of the water by desalting and either disposed of or reused.

As the granular material R, it is expedient to use a nut shell granulate, for example having a particle size of about 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, preferably up to about 0.8 mm, for cleaning the containers inside and / or outside in the intensive cleaning station. Nut shell granulate is a cost-effective cleaning material that is biodegradable and, if necessary, easily recyclable and virtually renewable in virtually unlimited quantities worldwide Raw material is available, for example, is a waste product of production processes in which nut kernels are processed. The nutshell granules can be sprayed dry and / or filled in the intensive cleaning dry or, for example, with water as a carrier medium. For interior cleaning with nut shell granulate, the container can be shaken and / or rotated, as a result of which, for example, standard contaminants are quickly detached and easily removed. When cleaning the exterior, nut shell granulate has proven to be particularly efficient for removing labels, label residues and glue or glue residue.

In the station 5, several substations each with blasting guns 40 and jet nozzles 41 could be used, where, appropriately, the containers could be turned between these substations, to be discharged in each case its content of cleaning medium and dirt. Appropriately, there is a certain residence time in the station 5, within which the cleaning medium acts agitated at least in the interior of the container. After the containers leave station 5, they ( Fig. 1 ) is turned by the turning device 18 in the station 6, so that its contents flow away (which is collected and optionally recycled with separation of no longer usable sub-substances) before the containers are rinsed in the station 7 with chemical-free water.

The Fig. 3 to 5 illustrate schematically the process in the intensive cleaning of a container B, for example, in the station 5 in the Fig. 2 and 1 ,

The empty, with the mouth area facing up on the intensive cleaning section 11a standing container B is in Fig. 3 from the jet nozzles 41 with pressure jets 43 applied, which are generated from the granular material R and optionally the carrier medium M, for example, from compressed air fed with dry ice or water ice pellets. The blasting gun 40 is inserted with the underlying blasting nozzles 41, for example, in the container B to gradually radiate upward from the container inner bottom, the inner wall. In this case, the jet nozzles 41 can be moved up and down in the direction of the arrows shown, and / or rotated. Optionally, jet nozzles 41 are also provided on the blasting gun 40 for cleaning the outer mouth region. Furthermore, a plurality of jet nozzles 41 can be provided over the length of the blasting gun 40.

In an alternative embodiment, the blasting gun 40 / blasting nozzle 41 is substantially stationary so that it injects the cleaning medium only in the container B, for example, the container can either be stopped briefly, or the blasting gun can move with the container for a short time, or the injection takes place only over the period during which the container B passes the jet nozzle 41.

In both cases is according to Fig. 4 then a filling or partial filling of the granular material R and the carrier medium M contained in the container when the container B moves from the area of the blasting gun 40. Now, the container B is rotated by the rotors 28 in a rotation, for example, about its vertical axis, so that for further cleaning between the filling with liquid friction to the container and the inner wall, a relative movement is formed in the loosened or dissolved impurities finally removed and taken and in motion held, and for example, by centrifugal forces or the flow dynamics, the granular material R is still pressed against the inner surface, and also with mechanical friction detaches any contaminant residues, which are then held in the filling of the granular material R and the carrier medium M in motion, and do not settle anymore. In this case, a predetermined residence time is maintained for this intensive cleaning in the intensive cleaning section 11a, which can be directed, for example, individually according to the detected by the container inspection device 24 degree of contamination. With a higher degree of contamination, the affected containers are treated longer in the longer intensive cleaning section 11b. Subsequently, the in Fig. 5 Turned container shown by the turning device 18 so that the filling of the granular material R, the carrier medium M and the detached contaminants can flow, with a certain amount of time is allowed, so that the containers drip well before they are in the station 7 with water be rinsed intensively.

In Fig. 4 As an alternative or in addition to the means 28 for rotating the containers, at least one means 28 'for shaking the containers may be provided to expose them to the inner surface during the internal cleaning of the abrasive action of the granular material R. Shaking, with or without simultaneous rotation, is particularly useful when using nut shell granules as the granular material R.

In the disinfecting station 9, gas or other residue-free combustible substance is injected into the container B, e.g. ignited, and the resulting flame after the ignition is also aimed specifically at the outside of the mouth region of the container in order to disinfect this area. Preferably, working with ozone, and optionally piezoelectrically generated energy pulses of a generator.

The largely chemical-free and without significant use of thermal energy carried out process with slurry ice, the rejection of heavily polluted or unusable container B even before the intensive cleaning, at least one penalty of heavily contaminated containers, and disinfection with ozone are for several reasons as special considered appropriate and inexpensive. Through the automatic inspection and Separation before the intensive cleaning a predetermined permissible degree of contamination is limited, which can be deliberately adjusted to the cleanability of the granular material R, eg, slurry ice. Hardly or few soiled containers B are then cleaned quickly. Heavily soiled containers B, possibly up to the predetermined degree of soiling, are lengthened or cleaned in parallel, optionally with renewed application of the granular material, it being possible to apply multiply granular material along the intensive cleaning section. In the case of slurry ice or water ice, this melts into water, which is removed by turning the container with the contaminants only by gravity and / or rinsed residue free with pure water. Due to the elapsed time until disinfection, the intensively cleaned surfaces are only slightly wetted, if at all, so that the ozone can play its disinfecting effect very efficiently, if necessary supported by energy impulses, which simply act on the piezoelectric way (or in another way) in the ozone. which is consumed without residues in oxygen and free radicals. Overall, an immense cost savings is achieved, compared to conventional methods, especially since no chemicals, hardly any external or introduced in cleaning media thermal energy, much less water used and the container B in parallel but only as strong or as long as straight necessary to be intensively cleaned.

The containers, which are rejected as being excessively soiled and no longer cleanable, especially in the case of the first container inspection device 24, do not necessarily have to be discarded, but can be collected for further cost savings and transferred to other, e.g. be cleaned more aggressively separately or specially pre-cleaned and then reintroduced into the process for a new attempt. For this may well be a significant proportion of all containers to be cleaned, which is deliberately discarded initially to limit the predetermined and on the process and / or the cleanability of the granular material R, in particular slurry ice, coordinated degree of contamination.

An important aspect is that in the intensive cleaning a e.g. to consciously limit the degree of contamination to the process efficiency or the cleaning action of the granular material by discarding containers detected as improperly detected. This is conveniently done after the pre-cleaning to achieve higher detection accuracy.

It may also be expedient to arrange a rinsing station between the intensive cleaning station and the disinfection station, in which the containers are rinsed or rinsed with chemicals-free water, if appropriate for reasons of safety.

Claims (15)

Cleaning machine (W) for containers (B), in particular bottles made of glass or plastic, with a plurality of stations (1 to 9) arranged along at least one container-handling and conveying section (11, 29), in which the cleaning machine (W) conveyed containers (B) in at least one intensive cleaning station (5) are intensively cleaned with at least one cleaning medium, characterized in that in the intensive cleaning station (5) at least two different length intensive cleaning sections (11a, 11b) are provided, and that upstream of the intensive cleaning station (5 ) a container inspection device (24) for detecting and differentiating between levels of contamination of the container (B) and for selectively loading the different lengths of intensive cleaning sections (11a, 11 b) with containers (B) depending on the intensive cleaning station (5) as permitted detected pollution levels is provided. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least two differently long intensive cleaning sections (11a, 11b) are linked in parallel and with each other, preferably via the inspection device (24) controlled points (25, 26, 27). Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the intensive cleaning station (5) at least one container disinfection station (9) is connected downstream. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the inspection device (24) between a pre-cleaning station (2), preferably downstream of an unpacking and pre-softening station (1) with a high-pressure water jet and pre-cleaning pre-cleaning section (V), and the intensive cleaning station (5 ) is arranged. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the inspection device (24) is additionally designed to detect and discard against the permissible for cleaning in the different long intensive cleaning sections (11a, 11b) levels of contamination to heavily polluted and / or unusable container (B) before the intensive cleaning station (5). Cleaning machine according to claim 3, characterized in that between the intensive cleaning station (5) and the container disinfection station (9) a rejection and / or recirculation inspection device (24 ') is provided. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that in the intensive cleaning station (5) at least one at least one initial area of the respective intensive cleaning section (11a, 11b) associated pressure blasting machine (A) for chemical-free granular material (R) and a pressurized carrier medium ( M) is provided for the granular material (R). Cleaning machine according to claim 7, characterized in that at least the pre-cleaning station (2) and the intensive cleaning station (5) collecting means (17) for the granular material (R) and optionally the carrier medium (M), which cleaning and reprocessing facilities (23, 23 ) are connected. Cleaning machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning machine (W) is designed as a rotary or linear rotor. Method for cleaning containers (B), in particular bottles made of glass or plastic, in a cleaning machine (W) according to claim 1, in which in several stations (1-9) and method steps at least one cleaning medium is conveyed to the cleaning machine (W) Container (B) is brought into action, characterized in that upstream of at least one for the final cleaning effect priority intensive cleaning station (5) and / or before at least one intensive cleaning process step at least pollution levels of the container (B) are detected and differentiated between the degrees of contamination, and the containers (B) are intensively cleaned depending on levels of contamination permissibly detected for the intensive cleaning station (5) and / or the intensive cleaning process step and selected for the final cleaning effect either over a first shorter or at least a second and longer period of time become. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the container (B) in at least one pre-cleaning step substantially wetted on all sides with chemical-free water and internal impurities are pre-soaked for a predetermined period of time that the containers are then pre-cleaned by high-pressure jets with chemical-free pressurized water on the outside, that subsequently Pollution levels of the container (B) detected and too heavily polluted or unusable container to limit a permissible for intensive cleaning degree of contamination are selected, that subsequently each non-segregated container (B) over a shorter or at least a longer, depending on its detected degree of contamination predetermined period of time at least by pressure blasting with granular material (R) and a carrier medium (M) is mainly intensively cleaned inside. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the intensively cleaned containers are finally rinsed with chemical-free water and disinfected free of chemicals. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the container (B) by applying ozone, preferably with at least one introduced energy pulse depleting ozone, preferably with a piezoelectrically generated in the ozone energy pulse, or by applying and burning gas or a residue combustible Substance, preferably at least on the inside and in an orifice area to be disinfected. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that prior to disinfection incompletely cleaned container (B) detected by an automatic inspection and either discarded or recycled for pre-cleaning or intensive cleaning. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the containers (B) are thoroughly cleaned with at least one granular material (R) from the following group: metal, plastic, sand, salt, dry ice from carbon dioxide or water ice as slurry ice or a nut shell granules.

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