JP2020073402A - Beverage filling device and cleaning and sterilization method of beverage filling device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cleaning and sterilization method of a beverage filling device capable of increasing a rate of operation of the beverage filling device and manufacturing products effectively.SOLUTION: In a beverage filling device having a beverage supply system tubing to deliver a product through a heating sterilization part into a filling machine, in a cleaning and sterilization method of the beverage filling device for performing a CIP process of circulating cleaning liquid to remove a residual foreign matter of a product attached within the beverage supply system tubing and performing a SIP process of sterilizing in the beverage supply system tubing, the CIP process and the SIP process are performed for an upstream side processing passage circulating the heat sterilization machine of the beverage supply tubing and a downstream side processing passage circulating the filling machine of the beverage supply tubing separately, cleaning liquid or water in a low temperature supplied to the downstream side processing passage is performed a heat exchange by a heat exchanger arranged at a feedback path of the downstream side processing passage and the CIP process and the SIP process of a downstream side tubing part by the heat exchanged cleaning liquid or hot water are performed simultaneously or continuously without stopping between them.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device that fills a container such as a PET bottle with a product such as a beverage.

  When filling a container such as a bottle with a product such as a beverage using the beverage filling device, it is of course necessary to sterilize the product itself to make it aseptic, and of course, a surge tank in the beverage filling device. The inside of the beverage supply system pipe equipped with the liquid supply pipe, the filling nozzle and the like must also be washed in advance and sterilized to be aseptic.

  Conventionally, for the beverage itself passing through the beverage supply system piping, the F value, which is the sterilization value of the product, is measured, and based on the history information, it is confirmed whether or not the product quality is sterilized to such an extent that it can be guaranteed. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, the beverage supply system piping of the beverage filling device is subjected to CIP (Cleaning in Place) treatment, and further, SIP (Sterilizing in Place) treatment when switching the type of product to be manufactured regularly. (For example, see Patent Document 2).

  In the CIP treatment, for example, a washing liquid prepared by adding an alkaline chemical such as caustic soda to water was flowed through a flow path from the inside of the beverage supply system piping to the filling nozzle of the filling machine, and then the acidic chemical was added to the water. It is performed by flowing a cleaning liquid. In the CIP process, the heating and sterilization unit holds the cleaning liquid at, for example, 80 ° C. and circulates it through the beverage supply system piping. As a result, the residue or the like of the previous product attached to the inside of the beverage supply system pipe is removed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  The SIP treatment is a treatment for sterilizing the inside of the beverage supply system pipe in advance before starting a product filling operation. For example, heating steam or hot water is caused to flow through the beverage supply system pipe cleaned by the CIP treatment. As a result, sterilization treatment is performed at high temperature. At this time, the heated steam or hot water is maintained at 130 ° C., for example. As a result, the inside of the beverage supply system pipe is sterilized to be in an aseptic state (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  In the product sterilization process, after the CIP process and the SIP process are performed, the product is heated by a heating sterilization unit (UHT: Ultra High-temperature) arranged in the beverage supply system pipe when the product is flowed through the beverage supply system pipe. It is done by being sterilized. Thereby, a sterilized product can be filled in a container such as a bottle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2007-215893 JP, 2007-22600, A

  By cleaning and sterilizing the beverage filling device and sterilizing the product by the method described above, the quality of the product can be accurately and promptly guaranteed.

  However, according to the sterilization method in which the treatment different from the CIP treatment, the SIP treatment and the product sterilization treatment is continuously performed on the beverage supply system piping of the beverage filling device, when the CIP treatment is transferred to the SIP treatment, the sterilization method is used in the CIP treatment. Since the cleaning solution is rinsed with sterile water at room temperature, the temperature of the heat sterilization unit is lowered as shown in FIG. 8, and when the SIP treatment is started, the temperature of the heat sterilization unit is changed to the temperature at which the SIP treatment is performed. There is a problem that it is necessary to raise the temperature up to CIP processing, SIP processing, and it takes a very long time to transfer these processings. In addition, between the CIP process and the SIP process, and between the manufacturing process and the CIP process, switching work of switching the UHT holding tube (swing vent), replacing and inspecting filters at various places, disassembling and cleaning the homogenizer, etc. is performed. However, there is a problem that it takes a very long time to perform the switching work.

  As described above, according to the conventional cleaning / sterilizing method, since the product cannot be manufactured while the CIP process or the SIP process is being performed, the operation rate of the beverage filling device is lowered, and the product is efficiently manufactured. There was a strong demand to improve this.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, by increasing the operating rate of the beverage filling device, a cleaning and sterilizing method and device of the beverage filling device capable of efficiently manufacturing products. The purpose is to provide.

  Beverage filling device according to the present invention, for the beverage filling device provided with a beverage supply system pipe to send the product into the filling machine through the heat sterilization unit, to remove the residual foreign matter of the product adhered in the beverage supply system pipe. In a beverage filling device that performs a CIP process in which a cleaning liquid is circulated to perform and a SIP process in which the inside of the beverage supply system pipe is sterilized, an upstream processing path that circulates through a thermal sterilizer of the beverage supply pipe and the beverage supply pipe It is configured to separately perform the CIP processing and the SIP processing on a downstream processing path that circulates through the filling machine, and perform these processing without stopping the CIP processing and the SIP processing on the downstream processing path. It is characterized in that a heat exchanger is provided in the return path of the downstream side processing path, simultaneously or continuously.

  The method of cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to the present invention is a beverage filling device provided with a beverage supply system pipe for sending a product into a filling machine through a heat sterilization unit, of the product attached in the beverage supply system pipe. In a method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device, which performs a CIP process in which a cleaning liquid is circulated to remove residual foreign matter and a SIP process in which the inside of the beverage supply system pipe is sterilized, a heat sterilizer of the beverage supply pipe is circulated. The upstream processing path and the downstream processing path circulating the filling machine of the beverage supply pipe are separately subjected to the CIP processing and the SIP processing, and the cleaning liquid or water having a low temperature supplied to the downstream processing path is supplied to the downstream side. Without exchanging heat with the heat exchanger provided in the return path of the side processing path, and between the CIP processing and the SIP processing of the downstream side piping section by the heat exchanged cleaning liquid or hot water. And performing these processes simultaneously or sequentially.

  A method of cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention is a beverage filling device provided with a beverage feeding system pipe for sending a product into a filling machine through a heat sterilization unit, wherein the beverage feeding system pipe In the method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device, which performs a CIP process in which a cleaning liquid is circulated in order to remove residual foreign matter of a product attached inside and a SIP process for sterilizing the inside of the beverage supply system pipe, These treatments are performed simultaneously or continuously without stopping the SIP treatment, and the SIP treatment uses the cleaning liquid circulated in the beverage supply system pipe to sterilize the beverage supply system pipe. When the temperature of each location in the SIP treatment that has been raised by heating by the cleaning liquid circulating in the beverage supply system pipe reaches an arbitrary sterilization temperature, each location from that point F value is calculated by the controller, of the computed each F value, where the minimum F value has reached the target value, characterized in that to complete the SIP processing. A method of cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention is a beverage filling device provided with a beverage feeding system pipe for sending a product into a filling machine through a heat sterilization unit, wherein the beverage feeding system pipe In the method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device, which performs a CIP process in which a cleaning liquid is circulated in order to remove residual foreign matter of a product attached to the inside and a SIP process for sterilizing the inside of the beverage supply system pipe, These treatments are performed simultaneously or continuously without stopping the SIP treatment, and the SIP treatment uses the cleaning liquid circulated in the beverage supply system pipe to sterilize the beverage supply system pipe. After the SIP treatment, the temperature condition of the predetermined position of the beverage supply system pipe is adjusted to a predetermined temperature while the cleaning liquid is circulated, and the temperature of the predetermined position of the beverage supply system pipe is adjusted. Ken and removing the cleaning liquid of the beverage supply system in the pipe after being adjusted to the predetermined temperature.

  In addition, in the method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the SIP processing is executed in a predetermined procedure for each of the upstream processing path and the downstream processing path. In the method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the cleaning liquid in the beverage supply system pipe is removed by circulating sterile water in the beverage supply system pipe. Is.

In addition, in the method of cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the F value is calculated by the following formula.

  According to the present invention, with respect to sterilization of a beverage filling device, after performing a CIP process using a cleaning liquid, the process proceeds to the SIP process without stopping the liquid feed pump, and the SIP used the cleaning liquid used in the CIP process. After the treatment, after adjusting the temperature condition of the predetermined position of the beverage supply system piping to the temperature setting during the manufacturing process while circulating the cleaning solution after the SIP treatment, rinse the cleaning solution by rinsing the beverage supply system piping with sterile water. Since the CIP process is removed, the transition time from the CIP process to the SIP process can be shortened. Further, when rinsing the cleaning liquid, since the temperature condition of the beverage supply system piping is adjusted to the temperature condition during the manufacturing process, it is possible to sterilize the beverage filling device without making a large-scale modification to the beverage filling device. It will be possible.

1 is a block diagram of a beverage filling device that performs a cleaning / sterilizing method according to the present invention. In the cleaning / sterilization method according to the present invention, it is a block diagram showing a state in which the upstream pipe portion from the heat sterilization portion to the front of the aseptic surge tank is subjected to CIP treatment or SIP treatment in the beverage supply system pipe. In the cleaning / sterilization method according to the present invention, it is a block diagram showing a state where the downstream pipe portion from the aseptic surge tank to the filling nozzle is subjected to CIP treatment or SIP treatment in the beverage supply system pipe. It is a block diagram which shows the state at the time of performing CIP processing to the whole piping of a beverage supply system in the washing / sterilization method which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the state which is producing the product bottled product. It is a graph for demonstrating the temperature change in the CIP process, SIP process, and manufacturing process with respect to the upstream pipe in the cleaning / sterilizing method according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the modification of the beverage filling apparatus which performs the washing | cleaning / sterilization method which concerns on this invention. It is a graph for demonstrating the temperature change in the CIP process by a conventional washing and sterilization method, SIP process, and a manufacturing process.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, the structure of the beverage filling device will be described, and then the cleaning / sterilizing method of the device and the product filling method will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage filling device includes a blending device 1 for a beverage that is a product, and a filling machine 2 that fills the bottle 4 with the beverage. A beverage supply system pipe 7 connects between the blending device 1 and the filling nozzle 2 a in the filling machine 2. The filling machine 2 is surrounded by the aseptic chamber 3.

  The brewing device 1 is for brewing beverages such as tea beverages and fruit beverages at desired blending ratios, respectively, and since it is a known device, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The filling machine 2 is configured by arranging a large number of filling nozzles 2a around a wheel (not shown) that rotates at a high speed in a horizontal plane. While the wheel rotates, the filling nozzle 2a is swung while the filling nozzle 2a is rotated. This is a machine for quantitatively filling each bottle 4 running below in synchronization with the peripheral speed of the wheel with a beverage from the filling nozzle 2a. Since the filling machine 2 is also a known device, its detailed description is omitted.

  The beverage supply system pipe 7 of the beverage filling device has a balance tank 5 and a heat sterilization unit (in the pipeline from the blending device 1 to the filling machine 2 in order from the upstream side to the downstream side as seen from the flow of the beverage). A UHT (Ultra High-temperature) 18, a manifold valve 8, an aseptic surge tank 19, and a head tank 11 are provided.

  The UHT 18 includes a first-stage heating unit 12, a second-stage heating unit 13, a holding tube 14, a first-stage cooling unit 15, a second-stage cooling unit 16 and the like therein, and drinks supplied from the balance tank 5 or The water is gradually heated while being sent from the first-stage heating unit 12 to the second-stage heating unit 13, the target temperature is reached at the outlet of the second-stage heating unit 13, and the sterilization temperature is maintained in the holding tube 14 for a certain period of time. After that, it is sent to the first-stage cooling unit 15 and the second-stage cooling unit 16 and gradually cooled. The number of stages of the heating section and the cooling section is increased or decreased as necessary. Note that the UHT 18 may have a configuration in which a homogenizer capable of automatic cleaning is installed. The installation location is preferably installed between the first-stage heating unit and the second-stage heating unit where the temperature of the product contents is about 50 to 70 ° C. or between the first-stage cooling unit and the second-stage cooling unit. .. In the case of the former, a general homogenizer does not pose any problem, but in the case of the latter, it is necessary to install a homogenizer of aseptic specifications.

  In addition, the balance tank 5, the manifold valve 8, the aseptic surge tank 19, and the head tank 11 are all known devices, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, a processing route for performing the CIP process and the SIP process will be described. As shown by the thick line in FIG. 2, in the beverage supply system pipe 7, a return path 6 is provided for the upstream side pipe portion 7a that reaches the manifold valve 8 via the balance tank 5 and the UHT 18, so that the CIP process or the SIP is performed. An upstream processing path, which is a circulation path for processing, is formed, and circulates to the manifold valve 8 via the manifold valve 8, the aseptic surge tank 19, the head tank 11 and the filling machine 2 as shown by the thick line in FIG. By providing the return path 6a with respect to the downstream piping portion 7b, a downstream processing path that is a circulation path for performing the CIP processing or the SIP processing is formed.

  Further, the upstream side pipe portion 7a is provided with the temperature sensor 10 at each location including a location where the temperature hardly rises when hot water or the like is supplied therein. As the location where the temperature sensor 10 is arranged, for example, in the conduit extending from the first-stage heating unit 12 in the UHT 18 to the manifold valve 8, between the respective units in the UHT 18 and the second-stage cooling unit 16 are exited. The location and the location in front of the manifold valve 8 can be mentioned, and the temperature sensors 10 are arranged at these locations. Information on the temperature measured by each of the temperature sensors 10 is transmitted to the controller 17.

  As the balance tank 5, any tank may be used, such as an open tank having a filling temperature of less than 100 ° C. or a tank corresponding to a type 1 pressure vessel capable of sending a fluid of 100 ° C. or more, When using an open tank, it is preferable to provide a cooling device between the manifold valve 8 and the balance tank 5.

  In addition, as shown by the thick line in FIG. 3, the beverage supply system pipe 7 is filled from the manifold valve 8 on the downstream side of the upstream pipe portion 7 a via the aseptic surge tank 19 and the head tank 11. Also for the downstream side pipe part 7b reaching the inside of the machine 2, the temperature sensor 10 is arranged at each position including the part where the temperature hardly rises when the heating steam or the like is supplied therein. The temperature sensor 10 is arranged, for example, in the pipe line from the aseptic surge tank 19 to the filling nozzle 2a, near the outlet of the aseptic surge tank 19, a bent portion in the middle, and near the inlet and the outlet of the head tank 11. , Between the manifold 2b and the filling nozzle 2a in the filling machine 2, and the temperature sensors 10 are arranged in these pipe lines. Information on the temperature measured by each of the temperature sensors 10 is transmitted to the controller 17.

  Further, for the downstream side pipe portion 7b, a cup 9 that can be brought into contact with and separated from the opening of each filling nozzle 2a of the filling machine 2 is arranged for the CIP processing or the SIP processing. When performing the CIP processing or the SIP processing, each cup 9 is covered by the actuator (not shown) on the opening at the tip of the filling nozzle 2a of the filling machine 2, so that the starting end of the drain pipe 20 is connected to the opening of the filling nozzle 2a. ..

  The beverage supply system pipe 7 is provided with the manifold valve 8, an actuator (not shown), various switching valves, a liquid feed pump, etc., which are also controlled by the output from the controller 17.

  The CIP process or the SIP process is not divided into the upstream side pipe portion 7a and the downstream side pipe portion 7b, and the balance tank 5 and the UHT 18, which form the beverage supply system pipe 7, as shown by the thick line in FIG. The treatment path may be formed by the manifold valve 8, the aseptic surge tank 19, the head tank 11, the filling machine 2, and the circulation path from the filling machine 2 to the balance tank 5.

  Next, a method of cleaning / sterilizing the beverage filling device and a method of shifting from the CIP process to the SIP process will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6.

(CIP processing)
When an operation button on a panel (not shown) of the controller 17 is operated, the CIP process is executed in a predetermined procedure for each of the upstream pipe portion 7a and the downstream pipe portion 7b of the beverage supply system pipe 7. In the CIP process, caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, sodium phosphate, sodium hypochlorite, a surfactant and sodium gluconate are added to water supplied from a cleaning liquid supply source (not shown). After flowing an alkaline cleaning solution containing an alkaline chemical mixed with a chelating agent (sequestering agent) such as ethylenediamine atraacetic acid (EDTA), the water supplied from a cleaning solution supply source (not shown) is supplied with nitric acid or phosphoric acid. It is carried out by flowing an acidic cleaning liquid containing an acidic chemical.

  Alkaline cleaning solutions include, but are not limited to, lithium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, propylene carbonate and mixtures thereof. Further, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, lithium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, which are bicarbonates, calcium bicarbonate and sesquicarbonate sodium sesquicarbonate, potassium sesquicarbonate, lithium sesquicarbonate and those It may contain a mixture.

  The acidic cleaning solution includes, in addition to the above-mentioned nitric acid and phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, formic acid, glycolic acid, methanesulfonic acid, sulfamic acid and a mixture thereof, but is not limited thereto. Absent.

  In addition, the cleaning agent contains hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, peroctanoic acid, persulfate, perborate, hydrosulfite, various bleaching agents such as thiourea dioxide, and percarbonate. But it doesn't matter. Further, the cleaning agent may contain a water softening agent such as an aluminosilicate or a polycarboxylic acid salt, or may include a redeposition preventing agent such as sodium phosphate, sodium polyacrylate or sodium carboxylate. Furthermore, an enzyme, a solvent, a fatty acid, a foam regulator, an active oxygen source, etc. may be added to the cleaning liquid.

  In addition, in the CIP treatment, the cleaning liquid is not limited to flow in the above-described order. For example, the alkaline cleaning liquid may be flowed after the acidic cleaning liquid is flown, or only the acidic cleaning liquid or the alkaline cleaning liquid is flowed to perform cleaning. It doesn't matter.

  The cleaning liquid supplied from a cleaning liquid supply source (not shown) has a predetermined flow rate (for example, 1.U) provided by the UHT 18 provided in the upstream pipe portion 7a and the heating device 21 provided in the downstream pipe portion 7b for activating the cleaning liquid. The temperature is raised to a predetermined temperature (for example, 80 ° C.) for 5 m / sec or more). Further, a constant amount of cleaning liquid is constantly or intermittently supplied from a cleaning liquid supply source (not shown), and the residue such as the previous beverage adhering to the inside of the beverage supply system pipe 7 is circulated and removed. Further, it may be appropriately discharged to the outside of the apparatus. Then, after flowing the cleaning liquid for a predetermined time, the CIP process ends. The completion of the CIP process is managed by the controller 17 and then the process shifts to the SIP process.

(SIP processing)
Next, when the CIP processing ends, the SIP processing is executed in a predetermined procedure for each of the upstream processing path and the downstream processing path. When starting the SIP process, the manifold valve 8 shuts off the connection between the upstream pipe portion 7a and the downstream pipe portion 7b as necessary.

  The SIP processing of the upstream processing path and the SIP processing of the downstream processing path can be performed sequentially or in parallel with each other.

  First, the case where SIP processing is performed on the upstream processing path will be described. In the circulation path while the cleaning liquid used in the CIP process is circulated in the upstream pipe portion 7a without being stopped by the liquid feed pump that was operating when performing the CIP process, and the cleaning liquid is heated and sterilized by the UHT 18. Circulate. As a result, the inside of the upstream processing path is sterilized. At this time, since the liquid feed pump is not stopped, the temperature is raised to the temperature at which the SIP process is performed without lowering the set temperature of the UHT 18 that has been raised at the time of the CIP process. It is possible to minimize the decrease in the temperature (see FIG. 6).

  When the cleaning liquid flows in the upstream processing path, temperature information is sent from the temperature sensors 10 arranged at various places in the upstream piping portion 7a to the controller 17 at regular time intervals. In this embodiment, the pH of the beverage that is the product liquid to be filled in the bottle 4 is set to 4.6 or higher, the reference temperature Tr is set to 121.1 ° C, and the Z value is set to 10 ° C.

  When the temperature of each location raised by heating by the cleaning liquid reaches 121.1 ° C., the F value of each location is calculated by the controller 17 from that point. The calculation formula is as follows.

  When the minimum F value among the respective F values calculated based on the above calculation formula reaches the target value, the upstream piping portion 7a is sterilized. The sterilization method is not limited to the method of sterilizing by calculating the F value as described above, and for example, a sterilization method using temperature and time as conventionally known may be adopted.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the temperature condition of the UHT 18 is set to the temperature condition at the time of manufacture while the cleaning liquid is circulated in the upstream pipe portion 7a (see a to c in FIG. 6). Even in this temperature stabilization process, the F value is always calculated by the above F value calculation formula, and the F value is controlled so that the sterilization value does not decrease. Then, aseptic water is supplied to the upstream pipe portion 7a to remove the cleaning liquid in the upstream pipe portion 7a. At this time, water (preferably pure water) is supplied to the upstream side pipe portion 7a so that the sterilization value does not decrease by using the temperature and flow rate of the water measured by the temperature sensor 10 immediately after the holding tube 14 of the UHT 18. By controlling the F value, the water is heated in the UHT 18 without separately providing a sterile water supply device, so that the supplied water is sterilized and the sterility in the beverage supply system piping is maintained. It may be configured to. After that, when all of the cleaning liquid in the upstream pipe portion 7a is replaced with sterile water or sterilized water, sterile water or the sterile water is circulated while the supply of water is stopped, and continuously circulated until the start of sterilization of the beverage. It will be on standby. In addition, in the temperature stabilization step, in addition to setting the UHT 18 to the same temperature condition as the temperature condition at the time of manufacturing, for example, the temperature of the first stage cooling unit 15 and the second stage cooling unit 16 is set to a temperature higher than the manufacturing condition. The temperature may be set to (for example, less than 100 ° C.) and each set temperature may be adjusted to the manufacturing conditions during continuous circulation standby.

  In the temperature stabilization step, the sterilization temperature of each part of the UHT 18 and the time of passage through the holding tube 14 are recorded for one second. The temperature data and the flow rate data are sent to and stored in the controller 17. If these temperature data and flow rate data can record a time that is 3 to 4 times the transit time of the holding tube 14 (for example, 60 seconds), calculate how the sterilization value of the contents actually passed through the holding tube 14 was calculated. It is possible because it is possible (for example, for 200 seconds).

  At this time, if the pressure of the beverage passing through the UHT 18 is smaller than the pressure of the heat source or the refrigerant that heats or cools the UHT 18, there is a possibility of sterilization failure. Therefore, such safety back pressure is taken into consideration when passing through the UHT 18. The pressure of the beverage to be adjusted is adjusted and set to be higher than the pressure of the heat source or the refrigerant that heats or cools the UHT 18.

  In the above formula for calculating the F value, the reference temperatures Tr and Z values can be changed according to the type of beverage that is the product liquid.

  For example, when the pH of the product liquid is 4 to less than 4.6, the reference temperature Tr = 85 ° C. and the Z value can be set to 7.8 ° C. When the pH of the product liquid is less than 4, the reference temperature Tr = It can be set to 65 ° C. and Z value = 5 ° C.

  Further, it is also possible to appropriately change the value to be substituted in the above-mentioned arithmetic expression in accordance with the microbial growth characteristics of product liquids such as green tea beverages, mineral water, chilled beverages and the like, distribution temperature and the like.

  Simultaneously with or before the start of the SIP process on the upstream side pipe portion 7a, the SIP process on the downstream side process path including the aseptic surge tank 19 is started.

  Next, the SIP processing for the downstream processing path will be described. First, when the cup 9 is applied to the opening of the filling nozzle 2a and the drain pipe 20 is connected to the filling nozzle 2a, and the upstream pipe portion 7a and the downstream pipe portion 7b are not blocked, The cleaning solution used in the CIP process is circulated. When the cleaning liquid flows through the downstream pipe portion 7b, temperature information is transmitted from the temperature sensors 10 arranged at various places to the controller 17 at regular time intervals. Based on this information, the controller 17 determines whether or not the minimum F value among the F values calculated by calculating the F value described above has reached the target value.

  Further, flow rate information is transmitted from the flow rate sensor 10 attached to each filling nozzle 2a to the controller 17 at regular time intervals. The relationship between the flow rate of the cleaning liquid passing through each filling nozzle 2a and the sterilizing effect of each filling nozzle 2a is experimentally obtained in advance. Based on the result of this experiment, the controller 17 determines whether or not the minimum flow rate of the flow rates of all the filling nozzles 2a has reached the target value.

  The controller 17 monitors the flow rate of the cleaning liquid in each filling nozzle 2a based on the flow rate information from each flow rate sensor 10, and monitors the representative temperature of at least one filling nozzle 2a based on the temperature information from the temperature sensor 10 to determine the flow rate. When both the representative temperatures reach the target value, the sterilization process is ended. Then, after the temperature condition of the UHT 18 is set to the temperature condition at the time of manufacturing in the temperature stabilization process in the upstream pipe portion 7a, the downstream pipe portion 7b is supplied by using the supplied sterile water or the water sterilized in the UHT 18. The cleaning liquid inside is removed, and when the cleaning liquid inside the downstream side pipe portion 7b is completely replaced with sterile water or sterilized water, the supply of sterile water or water is stopped. At the same time, aseptic air is supplied to the tank and the inside of the pipe so that the positive pressure inside the pipe does not decrease, and the inside of the sterilized pipe is maintained at the positive pressure.

  When the upstream pipe portion 7a and the downstream pipe portion 7b are cut off and the downstream pipe portion 7b is separately subjected to SIP treatment, heating steam or hot water is introduced into the aseptic surge tank 19 and the head tank 11. Are supplied from a supply source (not shown).

  The heated steam or hot water flows from the aseptic surge tank 19 to the filling nozzle 2a side in the downstream side pipe portion 7b, heats each portion, and is then discharged from the drain pipe 20 to the outside of the filling machine 2. Further, a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with water flowing out from the drain pipe 20 may be provided between the drain pipe 20 and the heating device 21 as needed. As a result, the inside of the downstream pipe portion 7b is sterilized with hot water or hot water.

  When heated steam or hot water flows in the downstream side pipe portion 7b, temperature information is sent to the controller 17 from the temperature sensors 10 arranged at various places in the downstream side pipe portion 7b at regular time intervals.

  When the temperature of each location raised by heating with heated steam or hot water reaches 121.1 ° C., the F value of each location is calculated by the controller 17 from the above point by the above arithmetic expression.

  When the minimum F value among the calculated F values reaches the target value, the heating steam or hot water is stopped from being supplied to the aseptic surge tank 19 or the downstream side pipe portion 7b. The SIP time in the downstream piping portion 7b is also significantly shortened as compared with the conventional SIP time.

  After that, aseptic air, aseptic water, or a product is sent into the downstream side pipe portion 7b, and the inside of the downstream side pipe portion 7b is cooled to, for example, room temperature. Then, the drain pipe 20 is shut off. Further, the cup 9 is removed from the opening of each filling nozzle 2a by an actuator (not shown). Aseptic water may be sent from the product sterilizer on standby in the water operation after completion of SIP treatment of the downstream treatment route, but aseptic water (not shown) may be received from the manifold valve 8 and used for cooling. I do not care. As for the timing of starting the cooling with aseptic water, it is preferable to use aseptic air until the tank temperature after the SIP treatment falls below 110 ° C. (preferably to 100 ° C. or less), and thereafter. The operation of supplying aseptic water uses an intermittent timer and is performed under pressure while supplying aseptic air into the tank so that the tank is not depressurized by rapid cooling. After the temperature of the tank is cooled to about 30 to 90 ° C. and the cooling is completed, the sterile water accumulated in the tank and the piping is blown with sterile air while maintaining the positive pressure to receive the product. Further, the product may be directly received without receiving sterile water. In this way, cooling with sterile water or a product can be performed in a shorter time than with air. Further, the tank may be rapidly cooled by supplying water or chiller water to the jacket of the tank simultaneously with the cooling process. Further, in the step of cooling with aseptic air in the SIP process, the blow valve may be closed in order from the point at which the cooling completion temperature has been reached, and the aseptic air for cooling may be efficiently turned to the area where cooling is difficult.

  When the next beverage to be produced is a carbonated beverage, the aseptic water is sent from before and after the aseptic surge tank 19 to the head tank 11 and the filling nozzle 2a via a carbonate line (not shown). In the carbonic acid line, the aseptic water is further cooled with chiller water (1 to 5 ° C.), whereby preheating after SIP treatment can be completely removed and forming due to carbon dioxide gas at the time of filling can be suppressed.

  As in the case of the upstream pipe, the temperature may be raised from the temperature at which the CIP processing is performed to the temperature at which the SIP processing is performed when the CIP processing is switched to the SIP processing.

  Further, one of the upstream processing path and the downstream processing path is performing CIP processing while the other is performing SIP processing. In order to perform the other SIP processing, a valve in which steam flows between the intersections of both paths in the manifold valve 8. It is preferable to provide a unit (vapor barrier). This reduces the risk of contaminating the opposite path if one of the two valves were to be damaged. Alternatively, instead of using steam, aseptic water may be used, and the risk of valve breakage can be reduced by providing a plurality of valves at intersections.

(Manufacturing process)
After the aseptic surge tank 19 and after the SIP treatment of the downstream processing path is completed, the beverage is stored in the aseptic surge tank 19 from the UHT 18 through the upstream pipe portion 7a, and then the beverage passes through the downstream pipe portion 7b. The manufacturing process for filling the bottle 4 with the beverage is started.

  In the manufacturing process, as indicated by the thick line in FIG. 5, the beverage prepared in the brewing apparatus 1 passes through the upstream pipe portion 7a and the downstream pipe portion 7b of the beverage supply system pipe 7 in which the inside of the filling machine 2 passes. The filling nozzle 2a of the filling machine 2 fills the bottle 4, which is a container. The bottle 4 filled with the beverage is capped by a capper (not shown) and then sent out of the filling machine 2.

  It should be noted that after the manufacturing process is completed, the second manufacturing process for manufacturing a product of a different type from the product manufactured last time may be continuously performed. In this case, it is necessary to wash and sterilize the beverage supply system pipe 7 again as in the CIP process and the SIP process described above. However, when the CIP process of the second manufacturing process is started, the inside of the beverage supply system pipe 7 is It is preferable to shift to the CIP process by shifting from the set temperature of the UHT 18 in the first manufacturing process to the set temperature of the CIP process while performing a rinsing process in which water, sterile water, or the like is flown into.

  Further, it is preferable that the beverage supply system pipe 7 is provided with a filtering means for filtering foreign substances mixed in the product. As the filtering means, the first filtering means and the second filtering means provided with a filtering member made of a metal filter such as stainless steel are arranged in parallel, and the first filtering means 22a and the second filtering means 22b. Switching means 23, 23 for automatically or manually switching between and are provided.

  A metal filter such as stainless steel is preferably used for the first filtering means 22a and the second filtering means 22b, and the first filtering means 22a and the second filtering means 22b have a mesh roughness (size). Are preferably different. In this case, for example, a metal filter of 100 to 400 mesh is used for the first filtering means 22a so that finer foreign matter can be removed, and a pulp or pulp contained in the product is used for the second filtering means 22b. It is preferable to use a coarse metal filter having a mesh size of 10 to 100 so that the particles can pass through properly. As described above, by using the filtering means having different counts for the first filtering means 22a and the second filtering means 22b, it is possible to perform appropriate foreign matter removal according to the product to be manufactured.

  Further, the first filtering means 22a and the second filtering means 22b are configured so that which of the filtering means is used can be switched by the switching means 23, 23. By providing the switching means 23, 23 in this way, as shown in FIG. 5, while the product is being filled using the first filtering means 22a, for example, the foreign matter attached to the second filtering means 22b is removed. By performing the cleaning in the cleaning process described above, it becomes possible to effectively clean and inspect the filtering means during the manufacturing of the product. Further, after cleaning / inspecting the filter, the CIP processing or the SIP processing may be performed independently. In addition, the switching means 23 can also be switched so that the liquid is sent to both the first filtration means 22a and the second filtration means 22b. In this case, the first filtration means 22a and the second filtration means 22a. It is also possible to simultaneously perform the CIP processing and the SIP processing on both of the means 22b. The switching means 23 may be provided with the above-mentioned vapor barrier in order to reduce the risk of contamination of drugs and fungi on the product side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the filtering means is provided between the aseptic surge tank 19 and the head tank 11, and also between the second-stage cooling section (final cooling section) 16 and the manifold valve 8, for example. I don't care. Further, a plurality of filtering means may be installed in parallel. Further, the place for installing the filtering means may be provided, for example, on the upstream side of the balance tank 5 or at the tip of the filling nozzle, in addition to the place described above.

  In this way, since the first filtering means and the second filtering means are arranged in parallel in the filtering means, for example, when the product is manufactured in the first manufacturing process, the first filtering means is used. The product is filtered by the above, and when the product is manufactured in the second manufacturing step, the product can be filtered by the second filtering means. At this time, the other filtering means that does not filter the product confirms that the cleaning process to remove the residual foreign substances adhered in the manufacturing process in parallel with the manufacturing of the product and the inclusion of rubber or metallic foreign substances such as packing. It is preferable that the inspection work is performed. In this way, by performing the cleaning work and the inspection work during manufacturing, it is possible to use the continuously cleaned filtering means when switching from the first manufacturing process to the second manufacturing process, and the product filling device. Contribute to the improvement of operating rate.

  Although the present invention is configured as described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Alternatively, the manifold valve 8 may not be provided, and the sterilizer to the filler may be subjected to the CIP process and the SIP process at the same time to control the above-described temperature stabilization process. Further, the downstream side pipe portion 7b has been described as to the case where the aseptic surge tank and the head tank are simultaneously subjected to the CIP process and the SIP process, but the CIP process and the SIP process may be separately performed. As a result, the amount of liquid retained in the pipe is reduced, and the CIP process and SIP process are completed in a short time. Further, in the present specification, the present invention has described the example of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger as the form of UHT (heat sterilization unit), but the form of UHT is not limited to this, and, for example, a plate heat exchanger. May be used. Moreover, not only these indirect heating methods but a direct heating method may be applied. Furthermore, the present invention has described a beverage filling device that fills a beverage as a product, but the product is not limited to a beverage, for example, it is possible to fill a beverage containing a pharmaceutical product, food, liquid food and solid matter. is there. Further, regarding the shift from the CIP process to the SIP process, the case where the temperature of the SIP process is the same as the set temperature of the CIP process has been described. For example, the temperature of the CIP process is lower than that of the SIP process. Alternatively, the CIP process may be performed at a higher temperature than the SIP process. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, a heat exchanger 30 is provided between the UHT 18 and the balance tank 5 (or in front of the balance tank 5) as needed to clean, sterilize or rinse the beverage supply system piping. The heat of the cleaning liquid that has been washed or sterilized in the beverage supply system pipe by raising it with the UHT 18 or the heat of the water used for rinsing and the heat or water of the low temperature (for example, about 80 ° C.) cleaning liquid supplied from the balance tank 5 are heated. By exchanging the temperature of the cleaning liquid supplied from the balance tank 5 to the UHT 18, the thermal efficiency may be improved by reducing the load of the UHT 18 when the temperature of the cleaning liquid or water is increased by the UHT 18.

  Further, the time interval for measuring and integrating the F value may be 1 to 5 seconds apart from 1 minute, and the interval can be variously changed according to the capability of the measuring instrument and the like.

2 ... Filling machine 6 ... Upstream return path 7 ... Beverage supply system piping 7a ... Upstream piping section 7b ... Downstream piping section 18 ... Heat sterilization section

Claims (2)

CIP treatment in which a cleaning liquid is circulated in order to remove residual foreign matter of the product adhering to the inside of the beverage supply system pipe in the beverage filling device equipped with the beverage supply system pipe that sends the product into the filling machine through the heat sterilization unit And a beverage filling device that performs SIP processing for sterilizing the inside of the beverage supply system pipe,
The upstream processing path circulating the heat sterilizer of the beverage supply pipe and the downstream processing path circulating the filling machine of the beverage supply pipe are configured to separately perform the CIP processing and the SIP processing, and the downstream side Beverage filling characterized in that these treatments are performed simultaneously or continuously without stopping between the CIP treatment and the SIP treatment of the treatment route, and a heat exchanger is provided in the return passage of the downstream treatment route. apparatus. CIP treatment in which a cleaning liquid is circulated in order to remove residual foreign matter of the product adhering to the inside of the beverage supply system pipe in the beverage filling device equipped with the beverage supply system pipe that sends the product into the filling machine through the heat sterilization unit And a method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device that performs SIP processing for sterilizing the inside of the beverage supply system pipe,
The CIP processing and the SIP processing are separately performed on the upstream processing path circulating through the heat sterilizer of the beverage supply piping and the downstream processing path circulating through the filling machine of the beverage supply piping, and supplied to the downstream processing path. The cleaning liquid or water having a low temperature is heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger provided in the return path of the downstream processing path, and the cleaning liquid or hot water that has been heat-exchanged is used for the CIP treatment and the SIP treatment of the downstream piping portion. A method for cleaning and sterilizing a beverage filling device, characterized in that these treatments are carried out simultaneously or continuously without stopping the period.

Images