FR3089960A1 - Beverage bottling unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to devices for filling and closing bottles in a sterilized environment. The technical result of the proposed solution is to increase the reliability, simplify and reduce the cost of the bottling process thanks to a hydrogen peroxide sterilizer of reasonable structure, offering the high biological purity required for bottled beverages and performed in a sterilized environment. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Description

Title of the invention: Beverage bottling unit

The invention relates to a device for filling and closing bottles in a sterilized medium.

In the first installations, the containers were filled and closed with non-aseptic devices, then the containers were transferred to a "clean room", at least at the racking and capping installation.

In addition, a “conventional” aseptic bottling line provides:

- The modeling of a container starting from a blank of thermoplastic material or preform;

- chemical sterilization of the modeled container or the preform;

- racking and capping of a filled container, which must be carried out in a clean room.

The “clean room” is a controlled room for contaminants which contains all the withdrawal devices, including the treatment zones in which the containers are actually filled / closed, and the auxiliary zones where the means of movement of the racking / capping machine works.

[0006] Consequently, the main drawback of the "clean room" is its considerable volume, which requires long and costly sterilization procedures. There is also a significant loss of working fluids, for example sanitary fluids and sterile air, as well as wear phenomena, such as the filters necessary for air purification, designed to create an overpressure in a clean room to prevent the entry of pollutants from the outside environment. Another drawback of using the “clean room” is linked to the difficulties of carrying out format change, maintenance or configuration operations on the machine components due to the risk of contamination that these operations involve. Therefore, access to the "clean room" by the operator is also particularly important.

The evolution of aseptic technology is directed towards a reduction in volumes which must be sterile.

[0008] Consequently, the modern concept of the aseptic filling line provides:

- sterilization of the workpiece for the container using chemical agents or by radiation sterilization;

- the “aseptic” modeling of the container, starting with a sterilized workpiece; racking and capping of a filled container must be carried out in a sterile environment.

The active sterilization zone for racking containers is known (see US Patent No. 9,296,600 B2 MPK B67C 3/00, 3/22, publication of 03/29/2016), containing a first module, which rinses and sterilizes empty containers and dispenses sterilized containers to a second module which fills and closes the containers in the active sterilization area using an electronic sterilization unit.

This system makes it possible to separate the bottling unit into blocks, that is to say. that sterilization of the container takes place in one block, sterilization of the lid in another, racking and capping in a third. Decontamination is carried out by irradiation, but does not exclude treatment with a sterilizing mixture. This in itself leads to the complexity of the design, maintenance and sealing of the installation.

We know a bottling unit for the aseptic liquid filling of bottles (see US Patent No. 7404276 B2 MPK F16J 15/40, 15/42, publication of 07.29.2008) containing a sterile "clean room" with a given concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ), which is separated from the room or non-sterile space by a siphon seal.

The nature of this device is to separate and seal two different rooms. A complex liquid barrier and corrugated pipes are used, which results in manufacturing complexity and high cost, as well as difficult maintenance.

We know the device for sterile filling of liquids in bottles (see application US 20090071104 Al MPK A61L 2/22, B65B 55/10, B67C 7/00, publication of 19.03.2009) containing a sterilizer to sterilize a bottle with hydrogen peroxide H ₂ O ₂ and remove it from the container with sterile air, in addition, devices for filling and closing the bottles are provided, and they use a temperature above the dew point to provide very rapid sterilization due to the thermally increased reaction rate.

The installation assumes gas tightness of the entire system, including the sterilization tunnel. This is achieved through a complex seal. In addition, the chambers where the container is processed and filled are also hermetically separated. All this leads to complexity in the manufacture and use of the installation.

We know the filling machine and aseptic sealing (see application JP 198047944A MPK A61L 2/18, 2/20, B65B 55/04, 55/10, B67C 7/00, publication of 29/03/2018 ), comprising a hermetically closed container, a heating device for heating the sterile air and the injection by an air outlet nozzle, as well as a sterilization gas generator for introduction by spray nozzles into a tightly closed container.

The device relates to conventional asepsis, with separation of the sterilization zones and the racking. Maintenance of the seal is necessary with all the difficulties of use and maintenance which result from it.

We know the system for aseptic filling of containers with liquid products (see application US 200440222224 Al MPK B67C 7/00, publication of 11/11/2004), excluding specialized machines and the requirements relating to sterile air spaces existing aseptic racking systems which provides for the use of membranes above the racking opening of the package which makes it possible to capture and maintain the sterile content even when transported in non-sterile air spaces.

The system is built on special flexible membranes which are inserted into the bottle and maintain the sterilizing and sterile environment inside the container. The undeniable advantage of this unit is that it is possible to use basic, non-aseptic equipment, but there are additional consumables which will increase the unit price and, moreover, will bring disadvantages to the consumer during the opening of the drink and, as practice shows, products with inserts are not in demand.

The bottle sterilization system is known with a gas sterilizer (see US Patent No. 9,802,726 B2 MPK A61L 2/208, B65 B55 / 02, 55/10, 55/18, publication of October 31, 2017), containing a source of gaseous sterilizer hydraulically connected to injectors moving together with the bottles, for the decontamination of which evaporated hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) is used.

The unit described is a complex rotary device, since the racking with a sterilizing mixture and the blowing are carried out simultaneously with the passage of the bottles through the carousels. This undoubtedly leads to the high cost and complexity of manufacturing. During sterilization, the injection device goes deep inside the bottle, which requires precise positioning of the bottle under the injection device. Sterilization, blowing mixes are located in different chambers and the closed channels between the chambers, as well as the solid body require high quality sealing of the unit. Expensive filters are used for the preparation of sterile air.

The sterilization device is known (see US Patent No. 4,797,255A MPK A61L 2/20, B65B 55/10, publication of January 10, 1989), comprising the creation of hydrogen peroxide transported by heated air at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature of the evaporation surface of the object to be sterilized.

This technical solution focuses precisely on the preparation of a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and air, and the objective is to reduce its consumption. Despite this, a variant of this device which puts more emphasis on the decontamination of the container is proposed. The injection zone is distributed in a separate chamber and the blowing zone is not separated from the product withdrawal zone. In addition, no attention is paid to how a sterile or sterilizing atmosphere is maintained during racking. The ultraviolet is also used to disinfect containers. Judging by the sketch and despite the absence of information in the description of the patent, we can conclude that such an installation will require a high quality seal with ventilation.

The sterilization and racking device for packaging containers (see American patent n ° 6351924 B1 MPK A61L 2/186, B65B 55/10, B67C 7/00, publication of 05.03.2002) by its technical nature and the result obtained. The container is subjected to the exposure of a sterilizing agent during transport with controlled synchronization in the treatment chain via different treatment stations, which is then eliminated with sterile hot air without costly "clean room" and a technically simple way.

However, this device has a number of significant technical drawbacks:

1. The chain belt on which the bottles are moved to an intermittent mechanism, the positioning of the bottle under the decontamination station, for the implementation of this installation must be very precise.

2. The absence of sterilization of the cover. However, the patent owner specifies:

by supplying the sterile sealant (apply a sterile seal to the packaging container), a seal plate is used in this installation. It is also an additional consumable that is not popular with the consumer.

3. The absence of treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) of the transport sprockets. In addition, the bottle is not held by the throat, but a specific design with special non-standard clamps equipped with plates and rods for individual placement and support of each container is used, which complicates the design of the installation and increases the cost of the racking process, in addition, the decontamination of these is not carried out.

4. The process of leaving the "exhausted peroxide" is carried out by partial aspiration of the bottle. For this, each decontamination station has a special annular space through which the treated mixture is withdrawn from the bottle in a special outlet channel. This greatly complicates the design of each disinfection station.

5. The description indicates that the sterilization / racking chamber is a "tube" with open ends at the front and at the rear. The pressure inside the pipe is therefore increased, therefore, ventilation must be carried out from a pressure ranging from higher to lower, and the chamber itself must be full and tight to prevent the sterilizing mixture from escaping outwards. Such a solution requires certain costs to create the seal.

6. The chain belt being linear, an increase in the productivity of the unit obtained by increasing the number of processing stations arranged in a row (the technical solution contains eight, that is to say eight containers can be processed at the same time), so the cost of installation increases.

7. The graphic image shows that the bottle enters the throat at the top, and during treatment,

i.e. at the support, she goes down her throat. Therefore, an additional turning device is required, but nothing is said about it in patent documents.

8. In addition, the creators of the patent clarified that the general ventilation system is produced according to conventional methods previously known, the blocks of which are located above the bottling unit. In addition, the bottles must be able to enter and exit safely from the decontamination / filling chamber, excluding the discharge of the sterilizing mixture outside the filling installation, as the installation does not have two circuits.

9. In addition, the creators of the technical solution stipulate that, to carry out this method of decontamination, namely the supply of the sterilizing mixture under increased pressure and its simultaneous extraction through the ventilation duct (the same with air purge), the container should preferably be in the form of a bottle, since the distribution of the inlet / outlet flows of the mixture is only effective in this case due to geometric characteristics.

The technical result of the solution proposed here is the increase in reliability, simplification and reduction of the cost of the bottling process thanks to a hydrogen peroxide sterilizer of reasonable structure, offering the high biological purity required for beverages bottled and made in a sterilized environment.

Another advantage of the solution described is the creation of a bottling unit in which the volumes to be sterilized and the time required to carry out the sterilization operations are considerably reduced compared to known solutions.

The technical result is obtained by the fact that the unit for bottling a drink contains an insulator, the internal space of which consists of a sterilizing mixture, comprising hot air and hydrogen peroxide. finely sprayed, characterized by the fact that the unit comprises non-pressurized double contour enclosures under various internal space pressures, respectively, the non-pressurized internal insulation is at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and the enclosure non-pressurized external pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure, the exhaust fan of the non-pressurized external enclosure transfers the used gaseous peroxide from the non-pressurized enclosure to the outside while the technological openings are reduced; in addition, the non-pressurized external enclosure has circular nozzles allowing hot sterile air to heat the bottles and sterilizing mixture sprayers for treating the bottles from the inside and outside and for disinfecting the pinions transport, while the internal non-pressurized insulation contains sprays of the sterilizing mixture for decontaminating the space and bottle caps, as well as circular nozzles (for example, slotted) for purging bottles and hot sterile air caps.

Essentially, the beverage bottling unit is implemented on non-pressurized enclosures with double outline: an external non-pressurized enclosure and an internal non-pressurized insulator, incorporating two cooling systems with two zones- internal spaces subjected to different internal pressures of the filling medium.

In addition, the space of the non-pressurized internal insulator is created by the positive pressure caused by the constant presence of a sterilizing mixture, comprising hot air and finely pulverized hydrogen peroxide, peroxide - H ₂ O ₂ , which is injected through an annular nozzle (eg slotted) and injectors.

To remove the sterilizing mixture from the bottles as well as from the surface of the lids, an intense and directed flow of hot air is used, a flow the sterility of which is obtained by heating it to a temperature of 300 ° C., then by cooling to 70-80 ° C, then directing it through annular nozzles (e.g. slotted).

In addition, sterility is obtained by maintaining a concentration of H ₂ O ₂ peroxide in the non-pressurized insulation to ensure sterility in the outline of the enclosure of the non-pressurized insulation,

The sterilization mixture is circulated through the technological windows of the inlet opening of the bottles and stoppers, of the outlet of the finished product, of the inlet / outlet of the open space in the pinion insulation. transport.

In the non-pressurized external enclosure, the low pressure is maintained by regulating the operating speed of the exhaust hood by a signal from a pressure sensor installed inside the housing.

At the same time, the throttling or reduction operation is carried out during commissioning, an area to maintain the constant pressure required in the contour of the non-pressurized insulation is selected, the conditions for the required sterilizing mixture flows are created and the device is formed on a conventional bottling line with relatively small and inexpensive equipment modifications.

The comparison of the proposed solution with the known technical solutions shows that it has a new set of essential functionalities which, combined with the already known functionalities, make it possible to achieve the set goal. Brief description of the figures

[Fig.l] The invention is illustrated in a figure, where a device for drawing off drinks is shown in FIG. 1.

Composition of the proposed device:

1. Supply of bottles;

2. Injection of the sterilizing mixture into the bottle;

3. Injection of the sterilizing mixture into a leaky insulator;

4. Injection of the sterilizing mixture for the treatment of the transport pinions;

5. Injection of the sterilizing mixture for the treatment of the sealing cover;

6. Bottle blowing section with sterile hot air between 70 and 80 ° C from residual peroxide;

7. Blowing section of the sealing covers with sterile hot air between 70 and 80 ° C from residual peroxide;

8. Racking of the bottle with hot sterile air;

10. Non-pressurized internal insulation;

11. Technological openings (windows), peroxide outlet;

12. Non pressurized external enclosure;

13. Beverage bottling section;

14. Bottle sealing section;

15. Entry of sealing covers (plugs);

17. Release of finished products;

18. Evacuation hood;

19. Supply hose for sterilized product;

20. Transport gears or pinions;

detailed description

The operation of the double contour bottling device is as follows. The double contour bottling device, unlike "conventional" equipment, has no restriction as to the protection of the contours of the non-pressurized internal insulation 10 and the non-pressurized external enclosure 12 from penetration of air from the outside, and the operating principle is based on the free circulation of air through the technological orifices (windows) 11 of these contours due to the pressure difference created inside those -this. The edges of the non-sealed internal insulation 10 and of the non-pressurized external enclosure 12 do not constitute a barrier against the penetration of the medium from the outside, but indeed a barrier against the release of the sterilizing agent 3 into the space around the installation. The most important technical characteristic of the proposed technical solution compared to the conventional method is the use of a double contour bottling system: the periphery of the non-pressurized external enclosure 12 is under a pressure lower than the pressure atmospheric, which blocks the exit of the aggressive sterilizing agent 3 into the space around the installation.

The particularity of the device is that the aseptic withdrawal of beverages occurs in the sterile non-pressurized insulation 10, while the sterility is obtained by maintaining a concentration of a mixture of hot air and hydrogen peroxide - peroxide H ₂ O ₂ 3 in the non-pressurized insulator 10 to ensure sterility.

The bottling installation is a closed space at most with openings for the entry of empty bottles 1, sealing lids 15, and the outlet of the finished product 17. The interior of the device bottling comprises a sterile non-pressurized insulator 10 in which the bottles are filled with a prepasteurized beverage, which is supplied by the supply pipe for the sterilized product 19. To ensure normal operation, the installation maintains a vacuum with respect to the environment (-50-100 Pa) due to forced blowing ventilation 18. The non-pressurized insulation 10 is located inside the bottling plant and constitutes a closed area with openings for the entry of the bottle, the cover 11 and the outlet of the finished product 17. In the insulator 10, the excessive pressure relative to the environment (+100 Pa) is maintained by blowing sterile air through the injectors 6, 7 and the sterilizing mixture - by injectors 3, 5, making it possible to maintain the concentration of peroxide in the insulator 10 which is necessary to maintain the sterility of the space inside the insulator 10. Inside the bottling installation there are injectors for the treatment of incoming bottles 1, sealing covers 15, pinions supplying the non-waterproof insulation 10 of a bottle and pinions driving the bottles out of the non-pressurized insulation 10. All the injectors provide a sterilization mixture heated to 70-80 ° C under a pressure of 3 bars. With the sterilized mixture, the bottles and lids are treated on all sides from the outside and inside, which kills all microorganisms on their surface. The bottles, the seals, entering the non-pressurized insulation 10 and the drive mechanisms are pretreated with a sterilizing mixture and are therefore completely sterile. Inside the unpressurized insulation 10, the incoming bottles and the sealing lids (pretreated with a sterilizing mixture) are blown with sterile hot air (70-80 °) under a pressure of 3 bars at through the cascades of sterile air injectors 6, 7 and 8. The bottles are blown with sterile air through a cascade of injectors 6, from the moment the bottle enters the non-waterproof insulator 10 until the bottle is placed under a filling valve (not shown). The blowing of the covers with sterile air is carried out by a cascade of injectors 7 from the moment of entry into the non-pressurized insulation 10 until the sealing cover is captured by a sealing head (not shown). Following the blowing of sterile air 6,7, 8, most of the peroxide found on the interior walls of the bottle and sealing lids is expelled by the flow of this air, the peroxide residues decompose under the influence of high temperature. This achieves a minimum concentration of peroxide in the finished product 17 in accordance with the requirements of product safety.

The implementation of the device can be represented by the sequence of the following operations:

1. The sterilization mixture 3, 4, 5 fills the non-pressurized insulation 10 and creates an overpressure inside of it (above the air pressure around the installation).

2. From the non-pressurized insulation 10, the sterilizing mixture passes into the space located in the external contour 12. The contour 10 has technological openings 11 through which the pressure attempts to equalize the external pressure , thus creating a flow from the middle of the unpressurized insulation 10 towards the outside - in the contour of the unpressurized outer enclosure 12. The technological openings 11 are adjusted so that the overpressure is always maintained at the constant level required.

3. Using the exhaust hood 18 mounted in the installation 12, the air mixture from the outer contour space 12 is drawn in and introduced into the ventilation system, which is at his turn evacuated outside the premises. The fan speed is regulated, thus making it possible to choose the right amount of exhaust flow and to create a depressurization inside the non-pressurized external enclosure 12 with external contour.

4. Because the pressure in the external contour of the non-pressurized enclosure 12 is maintained below the pressure of the air surrounding the device, the air from the outside 12 enters the external contour, which in turn escapes through the exhaust hood 18 from the external contour of the non-pressurized contour 12.

5. Thanks to the exhaust hood 18, the structure of the flows of the sterilizing mixture coming from the non-pressurized insulation 10 and the air entering the device from the outside of the outer shell of the non-pressurized enclosure 12, so as to exclude the entry of the aggressive sterilizing mixture into the space around the bottling device, thereby protecting operators working with the installation, from the harmful effects of the sterilizing mixture.

Since the negative pressure inside the external contour of the non-pressurized enclosure 12 completely excludes the exit of its atmosphere beyond its limits, this completely guarantees protection against the penetration of an aggressive component. , of a sterilizing mixture, namely H ₂ O ₂ peroxide in the outside space of the non-pressurized enclosure 12 and in the operator's working area.

In addition to this, the results of the decontamination and bottle filling tests reflect the organoleptic quality indicators of the process, guaranteeing a competitive finished product including the concentration unit (residual peroxide level) ppm (part by million) - one millionth of a fraction, is equal to 0.3 ppm, which is lower than the generally accepted international standards.

The technical and economic advantage of the proposed technical solution is to increase reliability, simplify and reduce the cost of the racking process with the required biological purity of the bottled drink, and on top of that, to fill continuous and substantially economical aseptic conditions for the implementation and reduction of operating costs while improving the environmental burden.

Claims (1)

[Claim 1] Claims Bottling unit for a drink containing an insulator (10), the internal space of which consists of a sterilizing mixture, comprising hot air and finely atomized hydrogen peroxide, characterized in that the unit includes non-pressurized double contour enclosures under various internal space pressures, respectively, the non-pressurized internal insulation (10) is at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, and the non-pressurized external enclosure (12) is at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, the exhaust fan (18) of the non-pressurized external enclosure (12) transfers the used gaseous peroxide from the non-pressurized enclosure to the outside while the technological openings are reduced; in addition, the non-pressurized external enclosure (12) has circular nozzles allowing hot sterile air to heat the bottles and sterilizing mixture sprayers for treating the bottles from the inside and outside and for disinfection of the transport gears, while the internal non-pressurized insulation (10) contains sprays of the sterilizing mixture for decontaminating the space and the bottle caps, as well as circular nozzles for purging the bottles and caps with hot sterile air.