EP3651812A1

EP3651812A1 - Device and method for sterilising a surface of a container treatment system

Info

Publication number: EP3651812A1
Application number: EP18742988.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd SCHAFACZEK; Juergen Soellner
Original assignee: Krones AG
Current assignee: Krones AG
Priority date: 2017-07-13
Filing date: 2018-07-13
Publication date: 2020-05-20
Also published as: WO2019012113A1; CN110869059B; CN110869059A; DE102017115824A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for sterilising a surface of a container treatment system, preferably a dry septic system, comprising a heating device (14) for heating a carrier fluid, a metering device (2) for metering a sterilising agent into the carrier fluid, and an application device (100, 110) for applying the heated mixture of carrier fluid and sterilising agent to the surface to be sterilised.

Description

Device and method for sterilizing a surface

Container treatment plant

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus 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. After that, usually takes place a drying step, in which, for example, dry air or hot air is blown to complete drying of the still with the water

to reach exposed surfaces.

After the surfaces have dried completely, the sterilization of the

Beverage bottling plant vaporized H ₂ 0 ₂ applied to the surfaces to be sterilized, such that the vaporized H ₂ 0 ₂ comes into contact with all 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 within this insulator are cleaned by the aforementioned method, dried and then sterilized by means of the evaporated H ₂ 0 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 is associated with which, for example, an intervention in the insulator, for example, a mechanical

To solve the problem manually, it is necessary that the production is stopped and the above-described cleaning is performed again to restore the system to a sterile state. 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 with the features of claim 1 solved. advantageous

Further developments will become apparent from the dependent claims, the present description and the accompanying figures.

Accordingly, an apparatus for sterilizing a surface of a

Container treatment plant proposed, comprising a heating device for heating a carrier fluid, a metering device for metering a sterilizing agent in the carrier fluid, and an impingement device for pressurizing the surface to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant.

Characterized in that a metering device is provided, by means of which a sterilizing agent is metered into the carrier fluid, and a loading device is provided, by means of which the surface to be sterilized with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the

Sterilization agent is applied, a sterilization and in particular a

Intermediate sterilization of sterilized surfaces of the container treatment plant can be performed more efficiently.

In particular, it is possible in this way to perform three previously separately performed steps of the sterilization process, namely the rinsing with hot water, the complete Abtautnen the respective surfaces and then sterilizing the surfaces by treatment with vaporized H ₂ 0 _2, now 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 sterilizing effect of the sterilizing agent is increased due to the elevated temperature, and sterilization of the sterilizing agent to be sterilized is also performed with the sterilizing agent applied at an elevated temperature

Surfaces of the container treatment plant instead. 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 reproduction remain after sterilization are. In particular, this means that, in particular with respect to the respective filling product filled in the beverage filling plant, product-damaging germs are absent

or are no longer capable of reproduction. In other words, a sterilized surface is understood as meaning a safe absence of pathogenic and toxin-producing microorganisms, as well as a

Absence of other microorganisms and enzymes which render the bottling product bottled in the bottling plant unreliable under the normal conditions of the envelope

would worsen.

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. When

The result can be particularly preferred with a corresponding deduction of the vapors of

Mixture give a dry and sterilized surface.

This can, in contrast to the known intermediate sterilization, in particular the time for complete drying of the respective surfaces to be sterilized after the subsidence of the respective surfaces with water before the use of the vaporized sterilization medium in the form of H ₂ 0 ₂ 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 vaporized H ₂ O ₂ with each area of the surface. The retention of water drops on the sterilized

Surfaces were to be avoided at all costs, because in these areas where drops of water remained there would have been no application of the surface to be sterilized below the drop of water to be sterilized. 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 is supplied to the carrier fluid in a predetermined concentration so that the resulting heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing medium as high as possible

Has sterilization performance.

More preferably, a carrier fluid supply for supplying water as a carrier fluid may be provided upstream of the heater, and a sterile water generating device may be provided to sterilize the water, wherein the

Sterilwassererzeugungsvorrichtung preferably a downstream of the heating device arranged dwelling line for providing a predetermined residence time of the means of the heater heated water comprises. 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 a residence section is provided as a sterile water production device, then it is particularly preferred to provide the metering device in such a way that metering in of the

Sterilization medium is already made at the beginning of the dwell to the

Sterilization of the water also 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 can

For example, in the form of spray nozzles or Abschwalldüsen be provided to carry out a cleaning of the outer surfaces, for example, the Isolartors or aggregates and other devices within the insulator of the container treatment device. But the loading device may 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 sterilant according to lines or

Media guide paths of the container treatment device can be initiated. 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 the sterilizing agent with a

Sterilizing agent tank for receiving peracetic acid connected and the metering dosed peracetic acid in the carrier fluid.

A withdrawal device is furthermore particularly preferably provided by means of which the vapors occurring when the respective surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized are applied to the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilization agent are withdrawn from the correspondingly sterilized region of the container treatment device can. 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 proposed in which the surface to be sterilized with a heated mixture of water and peracetic acid is applied.

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 apparatus having the features of claim 10

Further developments will become apparent from the present description, the dependent claims and the figures.

Accordingly, a method of operating a container treatment device becomes

proposed, comprising treating containers in the container treatment device, interrupting the treatment of the container in the container treatment device, applying at least one surface to be sterilized

Tank treatment device in the interruption of production with a heated mixture from a carrier fluid and a sterilant 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, subsequently, after the surfaces to be sterilized have been treated with the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent or the sterilized surfaces are subjected to the sterilization

Container treatment device with the water, especially the hot sterile water, withdrawn by means of a fan all vapors from the container treatment device

or the container treatment device are dried with dry air.

Brief description of the figure

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

Figure 1 is 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. FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device 1 for sterilizing surfaces of a container treatment apparatus, for example a beverage filling installation for filling bottles or other containers with a beverage.

The surfaces to be sterilized, for example in the form of the surfaces of a

Treatment organ of the container treatment device are present - for example

Surfaces of a filling element or a closure element 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 can also be a media-carrying channel of the

Be container treatment device limiting surfaces. 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 aspetrische

Sterilization method (including rinsing, drying, treatment with vaporized H ₂ 0 ₂ ) is preferably used before 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 1 comprises a ClP flow 10, by means of which a mixture of a carrier fluid and a sterilizing agent prepared and heated in the manner described below is applied to the surfaces to be sterilized

Container treatment device can be applied.

For this purpose, for example, a spray nozzle 100 or a valve 1 10 is then provided to the ClP flow 10, by means of which the heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent then on the corresponding surfaces to be sterilized

Container treatment device can be applied. The carrier fluid can be supplied, for example in the form of process water via a process water supply 12 and then fed via a circulation pump 120 of a heater 14, in which the carrier fluid is heated, and then passed through the ClP flow 10 to the areas of the container treatment device, in which the surfaces to be sterilized are provided.

By means of the heating device 14, which is designed here as a heat exchanger, the supplied via the process water supply 12 process water can be heated. Preferred is a

Temperature sensor 16 is provided which monitors the temperature of the carrier fluid and

according to the heater regulates. In the exemplary embodiment shown, process steam is used to provide the heat energy in the heat exchanger. However, the heater 14 may also be formed in any other known manner, for example, in the form of an electric heater.

Subsequent to the heating device 14, that is to say downstream of the heating device 14, a dwell line 16 is provided which is such that the process water heated in the heating device 14 remains at the high temperature which it has received in the heating device 14 for a predetermined time , is held. In this way, the heated process water received in the residence section 16, which here functions as a carrier fluid, can be sterilized. Preferably, the residence section 16 is thermally insulated in order to use the necessary supply of thermal energy efficiently.

The temperature of the heated process water is monitored by means of a temperature sensor 160, which is also used to control the superheated steam supply 162 to the heater 14 designed as a heat exchanger.

As the temperature, the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant at

Loading the surfaces to be sterilized may have, is preferably a

Temperature of 50 ° C to 80 ° C, preferably provided 60 ° C to 70 ° C, especially when using water as a carrier fluid and peracetic acid as a sterilant.

The fluid once used in the container treatment device to sterilize the respective surfaces is either withdrawn as vapor or discarded. In one alternative, at least a portion of the fluid used for sterilization may be pumped back into the circuit via a CIP return 18 and may then be re-circulated to the circulating pump 120 of the heater 14 and the residence line 16, for example, again via the ClP 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 can then be correspondingly moved in the sterilization cycle by means of the circulation pump 120 in the circuit. For sterilizing the surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized, a metering device 2 is furthermore provided, wherein the metering device 2 can meter a sterilizing agent into the carrier fluid via a metering valve 20.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a metering valve 20 of the metering device 2 discharges accordingly into the delay line 16 in such a way that metering in of the metering device 2 takes place

Sterilisationsmittels in the dwell in the residence line 16 lingering carrier fluid to the end of

Entweilstrecke 16 out takes place. The carrier fluid has accordingly already spent a predetermined time in the dwell section 16, so that at the time of dosing the

Sterilization the carrier fluid is already largely sterilized, so that the sterilant is not immediately consumed already by the carrier fluid.

However, in an alternative embodiment, the metering valve 20 of the metering device 2 may also be provided at the beginning of the delay line 16, ie immediately after the heater 14, or upstream of the heater 14, so that the mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant correspondingly at different positions can be made within the flow of the carrier fluid.

All variants have in common that at the ClP-lead 10, ie the position at which the

Prepared mixture prepared for sterilization of the surface, this

Is heated mixture 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 at the CIP leader 10 may both be at a particular temperature and at a particular concentration

Have sterilizing agent 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, a sensor 24 for determining the

Concentration of the sterilant in the carrier fluid, for example, provided in the region of the ClP flow 10. On the basis of the signal from the sensor 24, the metering valve 20 of the metering device 2 can then be controlled or regulated by means of a control or regulating device 26 in such a way that the desired sterilant concentration is achieved in the carrier fluid.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the metering device 2 has two tanks 22, in which the sterilization agent is provided accordingly. The sterilant is preferably peracetic acid, which may be provided in the two tanks, respectively, to allow continuous operation of the apparatus 1 and to switch from one tank 22 to the other tank 22 if the first tank 22 is running low overall, a larger volume of peracetic acid must be provided to provide the desired concentration of ClP feed 10. The device 1 shown can be used in the container treatment device in a production break, during a product change or during a production interruption, the surfaces of the container treatment device to be sterilized by means of

An admission device, for example in the form of the spray nozzle 100 or the supply valve 1 10 to sterilize with the provided at the ClP flow 10 heated mixture of the carrier fluid and the sterilant.

Due to the elevated temperature of the mixture is thereby a particularly efficient

Sterilization of each surface to be sterilized 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.

Due to the elevated temperature, for example, in the case of the use of

Peracetic acid as a sterilizing agent a rapid evaporation of peracetic acid together with the carrier fluid can be achieved within the container treatment device, so that the mixture and in particular the peracetic acid does not remain on the treated surfaces and accordingly, for example, a contamination of the filled after re-uptake of production filling product can not take place. 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 process can also hot sterile water, preferably sterile water at a temperature greater than 90 ° C, which is sterilized after a correspondingly long residence time in the residence section 16 on the loading device, 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 acted upon with sterile water surfaces is made 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 REFERENCES

1 Device for sterilizing surfaces of a container treatment device 10 ClP feed

12 process water supply

14 heat exchangers

16 dwelling distance

18 CIP return

100 spray nozzle

110 feed valve

120 circulation pump

160 temperature sensor

162 hot steam supply

2 metering device

20 metering valve

22 Sterilizer tank

24 Sensor for determining the concentration of the sterilizing agent

26 control or regulating device

Claims

claims

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 a loading 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 sterilizing agent is metered into the carrier fluid upstream of the heating device (14) and the mixture of the carrier fluid and the

Sterilization in the heater (14) is heated.

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 carrier fluid is provided upstream of the heating device (14) and a sterile water generating device is provided to sterilize the water, wherein the

Sterile water generating device preferably comprises a downstream of the heating device (14) arranged dwell section (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, 1 10) for a nozzle (100) for applying the heated surface to the surface to be sterilized and / or a supply to a feed valve (1 10) Supplying the heated mixture into 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 with a Sterilizer tank is connected to the intake of peracetic acid and the

Dosing 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.

A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the mixture is a

Temperature of 50 ° C to 80 ° C, preferably 60 ° C to 70 ° C, having.

Method for operating a container treatment device, preferably one

Dry aseptic system comprising treating containers in the

Container treatment device, interrupting the treatment of the container in the container treatment device, applying at least one surface to be sterilized, the container treatment device in the interruption of production with a heated mixture of a carrier fluid and a sterilizing agent and resuming the treatment of the container.

A 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 the surface to be sterilized is treated with the mixture of the heated carrier fluid and the sterilizing agent, the container treatment device

Removing the resulting vapors and preferably dried by the introduction of dry air. A method according to any one of claims 10 and 11, characterized in that prior to the treatment of the containers, sterilization is carried out by a dry aseptic method.