JP2018165163A - Aseptic filling machine and method of recycling disinfectant used in aseptic filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aseptic filling machine capable of minimizing the amount of discarded disinfectant containing a hypochlorite used in the aseptic filling machine and a method of recycling the disinfectant used in the aseptic filling machine.SOLUTION: A recovery system for recovering a disinfectant containing a hypochlorite used for a disinfection in a chamber is arranged and the infectant containing the hypochlorite recovered is used for the disinfection of a seal of a rotor and a discharge conveyor and is also used for the disinfection in the chamber again.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an aseptic filling machine that fills and seals a sterilized bottle with a sterilized beverage in an aseptic atmosphere and collects the sterilizing agent that sterilizes the inside of the chamber of the aseptic filling machine, and can be reused. The present invention relates to a method for reusing collected fungicides.

  Conventionally, while the preform is continuously running, the preform is introduced into a heating furnace, heated to a temperature for forming the preform into a container in the heating furnace, and a gas is blown into the heated preform to form a bottle. There has been proposed a container sterilization apparatus which is molded into a bottle, sterilized the bottle, filled with sterilized contents, and sealed with a sterilized cap (Patent Document 1).

  Also, the preform is sterilized, the sterilized preform is heated to a temperature for molding into a bottle, gas is blown into the heated preform, the bottle is molded, and the molded bottle is filled with the sterilized contents. A container sterilization apparatus that seals a bottle filled with contents with a sterilized cap has also been proposed (Patent Document 2).

  In such an apparatus, a bactericidal agent is frequently used to ensure the sterility of the aseptic filling machine. First, before operating the aseptic filling machine, the sterilizing unit for sterilizing the bottle, the filling unit for filling the sterilized bottle with the contents, and the sealing unit for sealing the bottle filled with the contents are shielded. The inside of the chamber is sterilized using a sterilizing agent (Patent Document 3). In addition, a bactericidal agent is used to sterilize the bottle molded as described above and the preform before molding.

  Furthermore, a disinfectant is also used for sealing between a sterile atmosphere and a non-sterile atmosphere below the rotating body of the filling portion (Patent Document 4). Moreover, the non-sterile atmosphere microbe etc. are prevented from being brought into a sterile atmosphere by immersing the conveyor which discharges the sealed bottle from a sterile atmosphere to a non-sterile atmosphere in a sterilization liquid (patent document 5). It has also been proposed to store and circulate the sterilizing liquid used for the sealing of the filling portion and the conveyor soaking in a single storage tank (Patent Document 6).

  Hydrogen peroxide containing a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide is frequently used for sterilization of bottles and preforms, but for other applications, disinfectants containing peracetic acid as the main component and sterilization containing hypochlorous acid The agent is being used. The disinfectant containing peracetic acid as a main component is composed of peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and water, and these are in an equilibrium state. If the disinfectant containing peracetic acid is discarded without being treated, microorganisms in the activated sludge, which is a wastewater treatment facility of a food factory, are killed, and the biological treatment capacity of the activated sludge is reduced. Therefore, it must be treated after decomposing peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. On the other hand, the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be discarded by managing the hydrogen ion concentration when the pH is low. In addition, there is concern about the impact on the ecosystem regarding the chlorine concentration, so it is desirable to suppress it as much as possible, but it is also included in tap water, and there is no restriction on drainage. The chlorine concentration and hydrogen ion concentration of the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid used for sterilization in the chamber of the aseptic filling machine are low, and there is no problem even if the activated sludge is treated and drained as it is.

  Therefore, it has been proposed to use a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid for sterilization of bottles, caps, filling chambers, indoor surfaces, and the like (Patent Document 7), and is widely used.

JP 2010-189023 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-116814 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-208782 JP-A-9-110094 JP-A-11-79385 JP 2014-51304 A JP 2002-332017 A

  The bottle aseptic filling machine supplies a preform, forms the preform into a bottle, sterilizes the bottle, fills the contents in a sterile atmosphere, and seals the form and supplies the preform. There is a form in which a bottle obtained by sterilizing a reform and molding a sterilized preform is filled with the contents in a sterile atmosphere and sealed. All aseptic filling machines are sterilized in a chamber that shields each part constituting the aseptic filling machine, sterilization of bottles and preforms, sealing between a sterile atmosphere and a non-sterile atmosphere below the rotating body such as a filling part and a sealing part, In addition, disinfectants are used to immerse conveyors that discharge bottles from a sterile atmosphere to a non-sterile atmosphere. The disinfectant used in these processes is discarded after use.

  Even if it is a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid that does not require any special treatment for drainage, the inside of the aseptic filling machine is sterilized in the chamber, sealed between a sterile atmosphere and a non-sterile atmosphere, and the sealed bottle is removed from the sterile atmosphere. The amount used to immerse the conveyor in a sterile atmosphere is large, and it is a waste of energy to dispose of a sterilizing agent having a sterilizing ability after a single use. In order to reduce running costs and energy consumption, it is required to minimize the amount of disinfectant to be discarded.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. Hypochlorous acid is obtained by recovering and reusing a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid used in an aseptic filling machine. An object of the present invention is to provide an aseptic filling machine capable of minimizing the amount of disinfectant containing sterilizer and a method for reusing the sterilizing agent used in the aseptic filling machine.

  The aseptic filling machine according to the present invention is an aseptic filling machine that fills a sterilized bottle with sterilized contents in an aseptic atmosphere and seals it with a sterilized sealing member, wherein the aseptic filling machine is the aseptic filling. A disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid sprayed by a disinfectant spraying device provided in the chamber in order to disinfect the inside of the chamber in the aseptic filling machine having a shielding chamber for each part constituting the machine It is characterized by comprising a bactericidal agent recovery device for recovering sucrose.

  Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the sterilizing agent recovery device recovers the sterilizing agent recovery pump that recovers the sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid from the discharge port provided at the bottom of the chamber, and is recovered. It is preferable that a recovery bactericide tank for storing the bactericide containing hypochlorous acid is provided.

  Further, the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention is a pool for rotating body seal that isolates the recovered sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid from the recovered sterilizing agent tank from an aseptic atmosphere and a non-sterile atmosphere at the bottom of the wheel, It is preferable to provide a recovery sterilizer supply device for supplying the bottle after sealing to a conveyor immersion pool for maintaining the sterility of the conveyor for discharging the bottle from the sterile atmosphere to the non-sterile atmosphere.

  The aseptic filling machine according to the present invention is preferably provided with a recovered sterilizing agent supply device that supplies the recovered sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid from the recovered sterilizing agent tank to the sterilizing agent spraying device. is there.

  Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the recovered sterilizer tank adjusts the hypochlorous acid concentration of the sterilizer containing the recovered hypochlorous acid stored in the recovered sterilizer tank. It is preferable to provide a chlorous acid concentration adjusting device.

  Further, in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device comprises at least an effective chlorine concentration measuring device and a pH measuring device for a bactericide containing the recovered hypochlorous acid. A concentration measuring device is preferably provided.

  A method for reusing a bactericidal agent used in a sterile filling machine according to the present invention is a sterile filling machine in which a sterilized bottle is filled with sterilized contents in a sterile atmosphere and sealed with a sterilized sealing member. In the aseptic filling machine, the aseptic filling machine has a chamber that shields the aseptic filling machine for each part constituting the aseptic filling machine, and contains a hypochlorous acid sprayed into the chamber to sterilize the inside of the chamber. The collected germicide containing hypochlorous acid is sealed with a rotating body that separates the sterile atmosphere and the non-sterile atmosphere at the bottom of the wheel, and the sealed bottle is discharged from the sterile atmosphere to the non-sterile atmosphere. It is used for any one or more of immersion of the conveyor and sterilization in the chamber.

  Further, in the method for reusing a bactericide used in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention, the bactericide containing hypochlorous acid has at least an effective chlorine concentration of 10 mg / kg to 500 mg / kg, and a pH of 2 .7 to 6.8 is preferable.

  Further, the method of reusing a bactericide used in the aseptic filling machine according to the present invention is to measure the effective chlorine concentration and pH of the bactericide containing the recovered hypochlorous acid, and to recover the recovered hypochlorous acid. It is preferable to keep the concentration of the hypochlorous acid in the disinfectant containing acid within a certain range.

  According to the aseptic filling machine of the present invention and the method of reusing a sterilizing agent used in the aseptic filling machine, the sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid used for sterilization in the chamber of the aseptic filling machine is not discarded each time and is recovered. Then, it can be used as a sterilizer for use in other parts of the aseptic filling machine, and further reused for sterilization in the chamber, thereby minimizing the amount of disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid to be discarded. . As a result, running cost and energy consumption can be reduced.

It is a top view which shows the outline of an example of the aseptic filling machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 shows a bottle forming process in an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a preform supply process, (B) shows a preform heating process, and (C) shows a blow of the preform into a bottle. A molding process is shown. FIG. 2 shows a sterilization, filling and sealing process in an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (D) shows a sterilizing gas spraying process on the molded bottle, and (E) shows an air rinsing process of the sterilized bottle. (F) shows the process of filling the contents into the bottle, and (G) shows the process of sealing the bottle filled with the contents. It is a side view which shows an example of the sterilizer of each chamber of the conventional aseptic filling machine. The sterilizing agent collection | recovery apparatus with which the aseptic filling machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention is equipped, and the collection | recovery sterilizer supply apparatus are shown. It is a side view which shows an example of the filling part of the aseptic filling machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows an example of the discharge part of the aseptic filling machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. An example of the hypochlorous acid concentration adjustment apparatus with which the aseptic filling machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention is provided is shown.

  EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the form for implementing this invention is demonstrated with reference to drawings.

  First, the outline of an aseptic filling machine comprising a preforming unit, a heating unit, a molding unit, a sterilizing unit, a filling unit, a sealing unit, and a discharging unit will be described with reference to FIG. A disinfectant recovery device for recovering an acid-containing disinfectant, a recovered disinfectant supply device for supplying a disinfectant containing recovered hypochlorous acid, and measuring effective chlorine concentration and pH in the recovered disinfectant A hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device for adjusting the concentration of chloric acid will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8. According to this embodiment, the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid that disinfects the inside of the chamber of the aseptic filling machine can be reused without being discarded every time it is used. As a result, the amount of disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be reduced, and running costs and energy consumption can be suppressed.

(Outline of aseptic filling machine and reusing method of disinfectant used in aseptic filling machine)
As shown in FIG. 1, an aseptic filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a preform supply device 5 that supplies a preform 1, a heating unit 12 that heats the preform 1 to a temperature at which the preform 1 is molded into a bottle 3, and heating A molded part 16 for molding the preform 1 into a bottle 3, a sterilizing part 30 for sterilizing the molded bottle 3, an air rinse part 34 for air rinsing the sterilized bottle 3, and the contents sterilized in the air rinsed bottle 3 And a sealing portion 44 for sealing the bottle 3 filled with the contents with a sterilized cap 4. Furthermore, the sealed bottle 3 is mounted on the discharge conveyor 48 and includes a discharge portion 47 that is discharged to the non-sterile zone.

  The heating part 12 and the molding part 16 are shielded by the molding part chamber 17, the sterilization part 30 is shielded by the sterilization part chamber 33, the air rinse part 34 is sealed by the air rinse part chamber 36, the filling part 39, the sealing part 44 and the discharge part 47 by the filling part chamber 41. Has been. An atmosphere blocking chamber 27 is provided between the molding unit 16 and the sterilization unit 30 so that the gas or mist of the sterilizing agent generated in the sterilization unit 30 or a mixture thereof does not flow into the molding unit 16. The bactericidal gas or mist generated in the sterilizing unit 30 or a mixture thereof does not flow into the molding unit 16 when the atmosphere blocking chamber 27 is exhausted.

  Before the start of the operation of the aseptic filling machine, the inside of each of the sterilization part chamber 33, the air rinse part chamber 36 and the filling part chamber 41 is sterilized. Sterilization in the chamber is performed by spraying a germicide containing hypochlorous acid into the chamber. In addition, bactericides containing a large amount of hydrogen peroxide are also used. The aseptic filling machine according to this embodiment includes a sterilizing agent recovery device 49 that recovers a sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid used in each chamber.

  The sterilization part chamber 33, the air rinse part chamber 36, and the filling part chamber 41 are sterilized and then sterilized and then sterilized by passing through a sterilization filter. Retained. Thereby, the sterility in the aseptic filling machine downstream from the sterilization unit 30 is maintained. The pressure at which each chamber is held at a positive pressure is highest in the filling portion chamber 41, and is set lower in the upstream of the air rinsing portion chamber 36 and the sterilizing portion chamber 33. The atmosphere blocking chamber 27 is evacuated so that the inside thereof is maintained at a pressure almost equal to the atmospheric pressure.

(Details of aseptic filling machine and reusing method of disinfectant used in aseptic filling machine)
First, the preform 1 shown in FIG. 2A is continuously conveyed from the preform supply device 5 shown in FIG. 1 to the heating unit 12 by the preform supply conveyor 6 at a desired speed.

  The preform 1 in the present embodiment is a bottomed tubular body having a test tube shape, and a mouth portion 2 similar to the bottle 3 is provided at the beginning of the molding. A male screw is formed at the mouth 2 simultaneously with the molding of the preform 1. In addition, a support ring 2 a for conveyance is formed in the lower part of the mouth 2 in the preform 1. The preform 1 or the bottle 3 is gripped by the gripper 22 through the support ring 2a and travels in the aseptic filling machine. The preform 1 is molded by injection molding, compression molding or the like. The preform 1 is made of a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polypropylene, or polyethylene, and may be a single resin or a mixture of these resins, or may include a recycled thermoplastic resin. Further, in order to impart barrier properties, a thermoplastic resin such as polyamide having an aromatic amine such as an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or metaxylylenediamine as a monomer may be included as a layer or as a mixture.

  The preform 1 supplied to the heating unit 12 is conveyed by wheels 7 and 8 provided with a number of grippers 22 at a constant pitch, and reaches the heating furnace conveyance wheel 9. Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, the gripper 22 is released, the spindle 19 is inserted into the mouth portion 2 of the preform 1, and is conveyed to the heating furnace 10 that heats the preform 1 in the heating unit 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the preform 1 that has entered the heating furnace 10 is heated to a temperature suitable for subsequent blow molding by an infrared heater 14 or other heating means. This temperature is preferably 90 ° C to 130 ° C.

  The temperature of the mouth portion 2 of the preform 1 is suppressed to a temperature of 70 ° C. or lower in order to prevent deformation and the like.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the preform 1 is conveyed through the heating furnace 10 while the spindle 19 is inserted into the mouth portion 2 and rotated. The spindle 19 is provided on the endless chain 13 at regular intervals. The endless chain 13 is rotated by the pulley 11. By inserting a mandrel in the preform 1 instead of the spindle 19, the preform 1 can be conveyed while being rotated in an inverted state.

  The heated preform 1 is released from the spindle 19, is gripped by the gripper 22, passes through the wheel 15, and is conveyed to the molding wheel 18 of the blow molding machine. As shown in FIG. 2C, the bottle 3 is blow-molded by the mold 20 provided on the molding wheel 18. A plurality of molds 20 and blow nozzles 21 are arranged around the molding wheel 18 and turn around the molding wheel 18 at a constant speed as the molding wheel 18 rotates. When the heated preform 1 arrives, the mold 20 sandwiches the preform 1. Subsequently, the blow nozzle 21 is joined to the preform 1, and an unillustrated stretching rod is guided to a hole provided in the blow nozzle 21, inserted into the preform 1, and air or the like from the blow nozzle 21 into the preform 1. The bottle 3 is formed in the mold 20 by blowing high-pressure gas. The molded bottle 3 is taken out from the mold 20, the support ring 2 a is gripped by the gripper 22 provided on the inspection wheel 23, and delivered to the inspection wheel 23.

  The formed bottle 3 was inspected by the inspection equipment 24 provided around the inspection wheel 23, and the bottle temperature, the bottle body, the support ring 2a, the top surface of the bottle mouth, the bottom of the bottle, etc. were determined to be abnormal. In such a case, it is discharged outside the aseptic filling machine by a discharge device (not shown).

  In the bottle temperature inspection, the surface temperature of the bottle 3 is inspected to determine whether the bottle 3 is good or bad. The temperature sensor is, for example, an infrared radiation thermometer, but other thermometers can also be used. It is necessary for the bottle 3 to properly sterilize the residual heat remaining when the bottle is molded, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is preferably 50 ° C. or higher.

  The bottle body, the support ring 2a, the top of the bottle mouth, and the bottom of the bottle are imaged by a camera, and the state of each part is inspected. The captured image is processed by the image processing apparatus, and it is determined whether there is an abnormality such as a scratch, a foreign object, deformation, or discoloration. The bottle 3 exceeding the allowable range is determined to be abnormal. The bottle 3 determined to be abnormal is discharged to the outside of the aseptic filling machine by a discharge device (not shown).

  The bottle 3 that has not been determined to be abnormal by the inspection by the inspection equipment 24 is provided in the molding unit 16 and the sterilization unit 30 so that the bactericide gas or mist generated in the sterilization unit 30 or a mixture thereof does not flow into the molding unit 16. It is conveyed to the sterilization unit 30 through wheels 25 and 26 in an atmosphere blocking chamber 27 provided therebetween.

  The bottle 3 conveyed to the sterilization unit 30 is sterilized by the sterilization wheel 28. In order to sterilize the bottle 3, a germicide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is sprayed onto the bottle 3. FIG. 3D shows the gas spraying process of the bactericide to the bottle 3. A sterilizing gas spray nozzle 31 is provided to spray a sterilizing gas or the like onto the bottle 3. The disinfectant gas spray nozzle 31 is fixed so that the nozzle hole at the tip thereof can directly face the opening of the mouth portion 2 of the bottle 3 that travels directly below. Further, if necessary, a disinfectant gas blowing tunnel 32 is provided below the disinfectant gas blowing nozzle 31 along the traveling path of the bottle 3 as shown in FIG. The number of the sterilizing gas spray nozzles 31 may be one or plural. The disinfectant gas or mist sprayed on the bottle 3 or a mixture thereof flows into the bottle 3 and sterilizes the inner surface of the bottle 3. At this time, the bottle 3 travels through the sterilizing agent gas blowing tunnel 32, so that the sterilizing agent gas or mist or a mixture thereof flows also on the outer surface of the bottle 3, and the outer surface of the bottle 3 is sterilized.

  The disinfectant gas or mist or the mixture thereof is a disinfectant gasified by the disinfectant gas generator, or a mist in which the disinfectant gasified is condensed or a mixture of gas and mist. The disinfectant gas generator is a two-fluid spray nozzle that supplies disinfectant in the form of drops, and a disinfectant supply unit that vaporizes the disinfectant supplied from the disinfectant supply unit below the decomposition temperature. A part. The sterilizing agent supply unit introduces a sterilizing agent and compressed air from the sterilizing agent supply path and the compressed air supply path, respectively, and sprays the sterilizing agent into the vaporizing unit. The vaporizing section is a pipe having a heater sandwiched between inner and outer walls, and heats and vaporizes the bactericide blown into the pipe. The vaporized germicide gas is ejected from the germicide gas spray nozzle 31 to the outside of the vaporization section.

  The disinfectant preferably contains at least hydrogen peroxide. The content is suitably in the range of 0.5% to 65% by mass. If it is less than 0.5% by mass, the sterilizing power may be insufficient, and if it exceeds 65% by mass, it is difficult to handle for safety. Further, it is more preferably 0.5% by mass to 40% by mass. When the content is 40% by mass or less, the handling is easier, and since the concentration becomes low, the residual amount of the sterilizing agent after sterilization can be reduced.

  When the sterilizing agent is hydrogen peroxide, the amount of hydrogen peroxide water sprayed is as follows. The amount of hydrogen peroxide adhering to the inner surface of the bottle 3 by the gas of hydrogen peroxide water sprayed from the disinfectant gas spray nozzle 31 to the inner surface of the bottle 3 is as follows. The amount is preferably 30 μL / bottle to 150 μL / bottle, more preferably 50 μL / bottle to 100 μL / bottle. Moreover, the hydrogen peroxide concentration of the hydrogen peroxide water gas sprayed on the bottle 3 is preferably 2 mg / L to 20 mg / L, more preferably 5 mg / L to 10 mg / L.

  The bactericide contains water, but alcohol such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, normal propyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, acetylacetone, glycol ethers, etc. You may include 2 or more types.

  Furthermore, bactericides include organic acids such as peracetic acid and acetic acid, chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorite, compounds having a bactericidal effect such as ozone, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and phosphoric acid compounds. In addition, an additive such as a pH adjuster such as an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid or an organic acid such as succinic acid may be included.

  The bottle 3 sterilized by the sterilization unit 30 is conveyed to the air rinse unit 34 through the wheel 29 as shown in FIG. The bottle 3 is sprayed with aseptic air by an air rinse nozzle 38 in the air rinse wheel 35 shown in FIG. 1 as shown in FIG. Aseptic air may be at normal temperature, but is preferably heated. The aseptic air discharges the sterilizing agent remaining inside the bottle 3, decomposes the remaining sterilizing agent to further enhance the sterilizing effect, and has an effect of eliminating foreign matter in the bottle 3.

  The air rinse nozzle 38 can be moved up and down, and aseptic air may be blown into the bottle 3. At this time, if the bottle 3 is turned upside down, the foreign matter can be easily removed. Moreover, the inside of the bottle 3 may be rinsed by introducing into the bottle 3 in which aseptic water is inverted instead of aseptic air. Further, the bottle 3 may be rinsed using a combination of sterile air and sterile water.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the bottle 3 air-rinsed by the air rinse part 34 is conveyed to the filling part 39 via the wheel 37. In the filling unit 39, the bottle 3 is filled with the contents by the filling nozzle 42 by the filling wheel 40 shown in FIG. 1 as in the filling step shown in FIG. The contents are sterilized in advance, and the bottle 3 is filled with a certain amount of contents such as a beverage by the filling nozzle 42 that runs synchronously with the bottle 3.

  The bottle 3 filled with the contents is conveyed to the sealing part 44 through the wheel 43 shown in FIG. In the sealing wheel 45 provided in the sealing part 44, the cap 4 sterilized in advance is closed by a capper (not shown) provided in the sealing wheel 45, as in the sealing process shown in FIG. 2 and the bottle 3 is sealed.

  The sealed bottle 3 is transferred from the gripper 22 of the sealing wheel 45 to the gripper 22 of the discharge wheel 46 of the discharge unit 47. The bottle 3 delivered to the discharge wheel 46 is placed on the discharge conveyor 48. The bottles 3 placed on the discharge conveyor 48 are discharged from the filling section chamber 41 to the outside of the aseptic filling machine.

  The sterilization part chamber 33 for shielding the sterilization part 30, the air rinse part chamber 36 and the filling part 39 for shielding the air rinse part 34, and the filling part chamber 41 for shielding the sealing part 44 and the discharge part 47 are sterilized before the operation of the aseptic filling machine. Is done. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, each chamber is provided with a sterilizing agent spraying device 50, the sterilizing agent spraying device 50 is provided with a sterilizing agent spray nozzle 51, and the sterilizing agent is sprayed into the chamber from the sterilizing agent spraying nozzle 51. The The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid to be sprayed can increase the disinfecting power by heating, and is preferably heated to 50 ° C to 95 ° C. Below 50 ° C, the effect of heating is small.

  As the disinfectant spray nozzle 51, a one-fluid spray or a two-fluid spray that sprays a disinfectant mixed with compressed air and a spray nozzle using a spin ball are used. As long as the sterilizing agent can be sprayed so as to adhere to the entire region in the chamber, the sterilizing agent spray nozzle 51 may be in any form, or a plurality of spray nozzles may be used in combination. The sterilizing agent spray nozzle 51 may be provided on the wall surface of the chamber and sprayed from the wall surface, or may be provided inside the chamber and sprayed into the chamber. The disinfectant spray nozzle 51 may be provided at any location in the chamber as long as the disinfectant is disposed on the entire area in the chamber.

  As the disinfectant, a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid is used. The fungicide preferably has an effective chlorine concentration of 10 mg / kg to 500 mg / kg and a pH of 2.7 to 6.8. If the effective chlorine concentration is less than 10 mg / kg, the bactericidal power is insufficient, but if it is 10 mg / kg or more, the bactericidal power is sufficient at 500 mg / kg or less. The concentration does not need to exceed 500 mg / kg, and when the concentration is high, members such as packing of an aseptic filling machine may be deteriorated. Moreover, if pH is less than 2.7, generation | occurrence | production of chlorine will increase and bactericidal power will also fall. Furthermore, when pH exceeds 6.8, the production | generation of hypochlorite ion will increase and bactericidal power will fall. The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can maintain disinfecting power by having a certain range of pH and effective chlorine at a certain concentration or more.

  The effective chlorine concentration in the disinfectant can be measured by the iodine titration method described in 28.3 of JIS K-0101: 1998 Industrial Water Test Method. However, this method is complicated because of titration. An apparatus for calculating an effective chlorine concentration by adding potassium iodide to a specimen and measuring the absorbance of free iodine at a wavelength of 511 ± 2 nm is known. According to such an effective chlorine concentration measuring apparatus, the effective chlorine concentration in the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be measured in a short time. Moreover, the pH of the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be measured with a commercially available pH measuring device.

  A disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be prepared by dissolving sodium hypochlorite in water. However, when sodium hypochlorite is dissolved in water, the pH is increased to 8.6 to 9.5, hypochlorite ions are present, hypochlorous acid is slight, and the bactericidal power is insufficient. Therefore, an inorganic acid or an organic acid is added to adjust the pH to an appropriate range. The inorganic acid is hydrochloric acid or the like, and the organic acid is malonic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid or the like.

  Moreover, the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid can be produced by electrolyzing water. For example, it is obtained by electrolyzing an aqueous solution containing 3% by mass or less of hydrochloric acid and 5% by mass or less of sodium chloride in a diaphragm membrane electrolytic cell. In this case, slightly acidic hypochlorous acid water containing 50 to 80 mg / kg of effective chlorine and having a pH of 5.0 to 6.5 is generated. Further, water containing 0.2% by mass or less of sodium chloride is electrolyzed in the diaphragm membrane electrolytic cell, and is generated from the anode side. In this case, it becomes weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water containing 10 mg / kg to 60 mg / kg of effective chlorine and having a pH of 2.7 to 5.7.

  After a sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid is sprayed into each chamber, aseptic water is sprayed over the entire area of each chamber by the sterilizing agent spray nozzle 51. The disinfectant remaining in each chamber is washed with the sterile water. Sterile water is water that has been sterilized by heating at 121 ° C. or higher for 4 minutes or longer or passing through a sterilizing filter. The sterile water to be sprayed is preferably heated to 40 ° C to 70 ° C. The cleaning power is increased by heating, and vaporization is promoted by the subsequent spraying of sterile air.

  Each chamber is provided with a sterile air supply device 52 as shown in FIG. A sterile air supply device 52 is connected to the upper part of each chamber. The aseptic air supply device 52 includes a blower 53, a heating device 54, and a sterilization filter 55. After the air by the blower 53 is heated by the heating device 54 and sterilized by the sterilization filter 55, the air is supplied into each chamber as sterile air.

  Water remaining in each chamber is vaporized and removed by aseptic air supplied from the aseptic air supply device 52. At this time, aseptic air is heated, removal by vaporization of water is rapidly performed. Further, the sterilized air supply device 52 supplies sterilized air into each chamber in order to maintain sterility in each chamber when the aseptic filling machine is operated. In this case, the sterile air need not be heated.

  Before spraying a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid into each chamber, an aqueous solution of an alkaline compound such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide is sprayed to fill the filling portion 39, the sealing portion 44 and the discharge in the filling portion chamber 41. The part 47 may be washed. Alternatively, the inside of the chamber may be sterilized with a sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid and washed with sterile water, and then the inside of each chamber may be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas, mist, or a mixture thereof. Hydrogen peroxide gas or mist or a mixture thereof is produced by the aforementioned disinfectant gas generator.

  The inside of each chamber is maintained at a positive pressure by supplying sterile air, and the sterile air flowing out from each chamber is exhausted from the opening. Each chamber may be evacuated by providing an exhaust device.

  In the sterilization before the aseptic filling machine is operated, the surface of the sterilization filter 55 can be sterilized by spraying the sterilizing agent with the sterilizing agent spray nozzle 51.

  In order to sterilize the inside of the sterilization part chamber 33, the air rinse part chamber 36 and the filling part chamber 41 before the operation of the aseptic filling machine, the sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid sprayed into each chamber is as shown in FIG. They were collected at a drain outlet provided at the bottom of each chamber and discarded. According to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the disinfectant collected at the drain outlet provided at the bottom of each chamber is recovered by the disinfectant recovery device 49. The disinfectant recovery device 49 includes a disinfectant recovery pump 56 and a recovery disinfectant tank 57. The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid is stored in the recovered disinfectant tank 57 by the disinfectant recovery pump 56 from the drain port provided at the bottom of each chamber.

  The recovered bactericidal agent is a bactericidal agent containing hypochlorous acid, and even if used in combination, a bactericidal agent containing hydrogen peroxide solution or peracetic acid not containing hypochlorous acid is discarded.

  The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid stored in the recovered disinfectant tank 57 is supplied to the rotating body sealing pool 58 and the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59 by the recovered disinfectant supply device 61, and the rotating body seal and the discharge conveyor 48. Used for sterilization. Further, it may be supplied to the sterilizing agent spraying device 50 at the time of sterilization in each chamber before the start of the operation of the aseptic filling machine, and may be used again for sterilization in each chamber. In this case, the used disinfectant is further collected and used. The recovered sterilizer supply device 61 including the pump 60 supplies the recovered sterilizer from the recovered sterilizer tank 57 to the rotating body sealing pool 58, the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59, and the sterilizer spray device 50.

  FIG. 6 shows the filling wheel 40. The sterilized bottle 3 provided on the outer periphery of the filling wheel 40 at regular intervals and gripped by the gripper 22 turning around the filling wheel 40 is filled with the contents from the filling nozzle 42. The filling portion chamber 41 includes a movable portion 41b and a fixed portion 41a of the filling wheel 40. The interior shielded by the fixed portion 41a and the movable portion 41b is maintained in an aseptic atmosphere during operation of the aseptic filling machine. A driving device (not shown) is provided at the lower part of the movable portion 41b which is outside the movable portion 41b. The movable portion 41b rotates with the rotation of the filling wheel 40, and the end face of the skirt portion of the movable portion 41b is inserted into a rotating body sealing pool 58 in which a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid is stored. Thus, the inside of the filling portion chamber 41 is shielded from the outside during rotation of the filling wheel 40, and sterility can be maintained. The rotator seal pool 58 stores a sterilizer containing hypochlorous acid that has been used to sterilize each chamber and has been recovered. The recovered sterilizer containing hypochlorous acid is supplied from the recovered sterilizer tank 57 to the rotary body seal pool 58 by the pump 60. Further, when the operation of the aseptic filling machine is stopped and the sterilizing agent becomes unnecessary in the rotating body sealing pool 58, the sterilizing agent is discharged to the recovered sterilizing agent tank 57 by the pump 62. In addition, during operation of the aseptic filling machine, the pumps 60 and 62 are operated, and the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid in the rotating body sealing pool 58 and the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid in the recovered disinfectant tank 57 are collected. You may circulate.

  The sterilizing wheel 28 of the sterilizing unit 30 and the sealing wheel 45 of the sealing unit 44 also have a rotating body sealing pool 58, similarly to the filling wheel 40, and similarly from the recovered sterilizing agent tank 57 by the recovered sterilizing agent supply device 61. A disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid is supplied.

  FIG. 7 shows a discharge conveyor 48 for discharging the bottle 3 filled with the contents and sealed from a sterile atmosphere to a non-sterile atmosphere. The inside shielded by the filling chamber 41 is a sterile atmosphere, but the outside of the sterile filling machine from which the sealed bottle 3 is discharged is a non-sterile atmosphere. The discharge conveyor 48 that circulates the sterile atmosphere and the non-sterile atmosphere is immersed in a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid by the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59 and circulates. The discharge conveyor 48 that has come into contact with the non-sterile atmosphere can be sterilized by being immersed in a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid even if bacteria or the like adhere to the surface in the non-sterile atmosphere, and return to the sterile atmosphere. The aseptic atmosphere is not contaminated with bacteria. In the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59, a disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid collected and used for sterilization of each chamber is stored. The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid recovered from the recovered disinfectant tank 57 by the pump 60 is supplied to the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59. Further, when the disinfectant becomes unnecessary in the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59, the disinfectant tank 57 is discharged by the pump 63. During operation of the aseptic filling machine, the pumps 60 and 63 are operated to circulate the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid in the discharge conveyor immersion pool 59 and the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid in the recovered disinfectant tank 57. It does n’t matter.

  As shown in FIG. 8, it is preferable that the recovered disinfectant tank 57 is provided with a hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device 64. The hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device 64 is equipped with a hypochlorous acid concentration measuring device 67 and a disinfectant storage tank 69, a pH adjusting agent storage tank 71 and an accompanying pump for maintaining the hypochlorous acid concentration appropriately. .

  The hypochlorous acid concentration measuring device 67 includes an effective chlorine concentration measuring device 65 and a pH measuring device 66. The effective chlorine concentration measuring device 65 is a device that calculates the effective chlorine concentration by adding potassium iodide to a specimen and measuring the absorbance of free iodine at a wavelength of 511 ± 2 nm. A commercially available pH measuring device can be used.

  When the effective chlorine concentration measured by the effective chlorine concentration measuring device 65 decreases and the effective chlorine concentration of the recovered bactericidal agent is around 10 mg / kg, a part of the recovered bactericidal agent is discharged by the disposal pump 68 and discarded. Then, until the concentration of hypochlorous acid in the disinfectant stored in the recovered disinfectant tank 57 reaches an appropriate value, the disinfectant containing high concentration of hypochlorous acid is transferred from the disinfectant storage tank 69 to the hypoxia. A chloric acid concentration adjusting pump 70 is added to the recovered disinfectant tank 57. To the disinfectant storage tank 69, a sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution or slightly acidic hypochlorite water or weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water generated by electrolyzing water is added.

  When the pH measured by the pH measuring device 66 exceeds 6.8, the pH adjusting agent is recovered from the pH adjusting agent storage tank 71 by the pH adjusting pump 72 until the pH reaches an appropriate pH. Add to disinfectant containing chloric acid. The pH adjuster to be added is an aqueous solution of the aforementioned inorganic acid or organic acid. When the pH measured by the pH measuring device 66 is less than 2.7, the pH adjusting agent is recovered from the pH adjusting agent storage tank 71 by the pH adjusting pump 72 until the pH reaches an appropriate pH. Add to germicide containing hypochlorous acid. The pH adjuster to be added is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, an inorganic acid salt or an organic acid salt. Examples of the alkali metal hydroxide and the alkaline earth metal hydroxide include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide. Examples of inorganic acid salts include sodium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, and the like. Organic acid salts are salts of malonic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and the like.

  By the hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device 64, the hypochlorous acid concentration of the sterilizing agent used for sterilization in each chamber, sealing of the rotating body, and immersion of the discharge conveyor 48 is always maintained appropriately.

  The recovered disinfectant tank 57 may be provided with a heating device to heat the recovered disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid. The bactericidal effect of the bactericide containing hypochlorous acid increases by heating. The heating temperature is preferably 50 ° C to 90 ° C.

  Although the present invention is configured as described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Preform 3 ... Bottle 30 ... Sterilization part 33 ... Sterilization part chamber 34 ... Air rinse part 36 ... Air rinse part chamber 39 ... Filling part 41 ... Filling part chamber 44 ... Sealing part 47 ... Discharge part 48 ... Discharge conveyor 49 ... Disinfectant Recovery device 57 ... Recovery disinfectant tank 58 ... Pool for rotating body seal 59 ... Discharge conveyor immersion pool 61 ... Recovery disinfectant supply device 64 ... Hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device 67 ... Hypochlorous acid concentration measuring device

Claims (9)

An aseptic filling machine that fills sterilized contents in a sterilized bottle and seals with a sterilized sealing member in a sterile atmosphere, wherein the aseptic filling machine shields each part constituting the aseptic filling machine In the aseptic filling machine having a chamber,
An aseptic filling machine comprising a sterilizing agent collecting device for collecting a sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid sprayed by a sterilizing agent spraying device provided in the chamber in order to sterilize the inside of the chamber. In the aseptic filling machine according to claim 1,
The disinfectant recovery device stores a disinfectant recovery pump that recovers the disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid from an outlet provided at the bottom of the chamber, and stores the disinfectant including the recovered hypochlorous acid An aseptic filling machine comprising a recovered disinfectant tank. In the aseptic filling machine according to claim 1 or 2,
The sterilizing agent containing the recovered hypochlorous acid from the recovered sterilizing tank is removed from the sterilizing atmosphere, and the rotator sealing pool for isolating the sterilizing atmosphere and the non-sterile atmosphere at the bottom of the wheel from the aseptic atmosphere. An aseptic filling machine comprising a recovery sterilizer supply device for supplying a conveyor immersion pool for maintaining the sterility of a conveyor discharged into an aseptic atmosphere. In the aseptic filling machine according to claim 1 or 2,
An aseptic filling machine comprising a recovered sterilizing agent supply device that supplies the recovered sterilizing agent containing hypochlorous acid from the recovered sterilizing agent tank to the sterilizing agent spraying device. In the aseptic filling machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The recovered disinfectant tank includes a hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device that adjusts the hypochlorous acid concentration of the disinfectant containing the recovered hypochlorous acid stored in the recovered disinfectant tank. Aseptic filling machine. The aseptic filling machine according to claim 5,
The hypochlorous acid concentration adjusting device is provided with a hypochlorous acid concentration measuring device including at least an effective chlorine concentration measuring device and a PH measuring device for a bactericide containing the recovered hypochlorous acid. Aseptic filling machine. An aseptic filling machine that fills sterilized contents in a sterilized bottle and seals with a sterilized sealing member in a sterile atmosphere, wherein the aseptic filling machine shields each part constituting the aseptic filling machine In the aseptic filling machine having a chamber,
The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid sprayed in the chamber for disinfecting the inside of the chamber is recovered, and the recovered disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid is recovered as an aseptic atmosphere and a non-sterile atmosphere under the wheel. Aseptic filling machine characterized in that it is used for any one or more of sealing of a rotating body that isolates the container, immersion of a conveyor for discharging the bottle after sealing from a sterile atmosphere to a non-sterile atmosphere, and sterilization in the chamber How to reuse fungicides used in In the recycling method of the disinfectant used in the aseptic filling machine according to claim 7,
The disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid has at least an effective chlorine concentration of 10 mg / kg to 500 mg / kg, and a pH of 2.7 to 6.8. How to reuse the agent. In the recycling method of the disinfectant used in the aseptic filling machine according to claim 8,
Measuring the effective chlorine concentration and PH of the recovered disinfectant containing hypochlorous acid, and maintaining the concentration of the hypochlorous acid in the recovered disinfectant including hypochlorous acid within a certain range; Recycling method of disinfectant used in aseptic filling machine characterized by the above.

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