JPH04367427A - Method and device for sterilization and feeding of heat-resistant grease for food industrial use - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to feed a grease for lubrication from a grease pump to a seamer without sterilizing the grease by a batch type process for a germfree can filling system. CONSTITUTION:A steam heating sterilization device 5 is provided on a grease feeding path between a grease pump 1 and a seamer 2, and as a feeding grease, a heat-resistant grease for food industrial use is selected, and the grease is fed to the seamer after being processed by said heating sterilization device.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for supplying lubricating grease from a grease pump to a seamer or filler (hereinafter abbreviated as "seamer") in an aseptic can filling system, and an apparatus used therefor.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Aseptic can filling systems are well known. Briefly, empty cans are sent from one side through a sterilization section to an aseptic filling section, where they are filled with sterilized and cooled contents. On the other hand, the can lid is sent through the sterilization section to the sterile wrapping section, where it is wrapped around the can filled with the contents.
Commercialized.

[0003] In an aseptic filling system, since there is no longer a sterilization process for commercialized canned goods, sterilization must be achieved during the filling and cuffing process.

[0004] Therefore, the main body and accessories of the seamer are sterilized, but the supply pressure to the seamer main body is 1
It has been proven that the number of bacteria in lubricating greases that are used (approximately 0 to 200 kg/cm2) is extremely low, and that there is no danger to be considered when using grease lubrication in food and beverage manufacturing machines. Synthetic grease is generally used, and after the grease is stored in a grease pump, it is supplied directly to the seamer body etc. from the grease pump via a distribution valve (Figure 2). However, when transferring the grease to the tank disposed in the grease pump, it comes into contact with the outside air, so there is a high risk of contamination, and great care is required when transferring the grease to the tank. Also,
Even though this synthetic grease is not completely sterile, it can cause quality problems if it scatters and gets mixed into the can during high-speed filling and sealing operations in aseptic can filling systems, especially in aseptic filling systems that are filled and sealed at room temperature. It becomes a problem. Therefore,
It has been desired that the supply of lubricating grease be made even more sterile.

[0005] The present invention has been made to meet such demands.

[0006]

[Means for solving the problem] The present invention installs a heat sterilizer in the grease supply path from the grease pump to the seamer that does not come into contact with outside air, and completely sterilizes the grease fed from the pump. The above problem can be solved by feeding the seamer after doing so. However, since the grease must not be altered by heating, it is limited to heat-resistant grease.

The heat sterilizer is placed between a grease pump and a seamer, and the grease fed from the pump is heat sterilized with steam in a chamber and then fed to the seamer. (for checking the chamber internal pressure), a drain throttle valve (opens when the internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value to reduce the internal pressure), a chamber internal temperature sensor, a steam solenoid valve, and a grease outlet temperature sensor.

[0008]

[Operation] In the present invention, the grease is sterilized after it comes out of the grease pump and before it enters the seamer, so it only needs to be heat resistant, and it can be used even if it has not been sterilized in advance. .

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1(A) is an explanatory diagram of the method of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a commercially available grease pump, and heat-resistant grease for the food industry (hereinafter referred to as heat-resistant grease) is stored inside. "Berlube" (trade name) manufactured by Carl Becken, Germany was used as a material that does not oxidize or change even when exposed to water.

[0011] Heat-resistant grease has a feeding pressure of 120 to 175k.
g/cm2, and the internal pressure from the supply pipe 4A is approximately 2 to 4 k.
g/cm2 and was introduced into a heat sterilizer 5 maintained at 1
After receiving steam heating at 30 to 150°C for 0.5 to 2.0 minutes, the temperature reaches 140°C or higher, and the distribution pipe 3 is removed from the feed pipe 4B.
After that, it was sent to seamer 2.

Initially, 36 bacteria/10 kg of spore-forming bacilli (B. licheniformis) were observed in the heat-resistant grease, but after passing through the device 5, they completely disappeared and no other bacteria were observed.

The specific structure of the heat sterilizer will be explained with reference to FIG. 1(b). This device has a stainless steel cylindrical chamber 52 that is sealed with a lid 51 and contains a copper grease tube 53. This chamber is heat resistant, but only needs to be able to withstand temperatures of approximately 130 to 150°C. The chamber in this example has a diameter of about 10 cm and a height of about 25 cm.

The grease tube 53 starts at an inlet pipe 54 that receives heat-resistant grease from the supply pipe 4A on the grease pump side, and ends at an outlet pipe 55 that is wound in multiple stages and continues to the supply pipe 4B that sends heat-sterilized heat-resistant grease to the seamer. However, it is designed to withstand the pressure of grease delivery.

In order to lengthen the passage time of the grease and to obtain the required length even in a small space, it is better to increase the number of winding stages as much as possible, but in this example, the outer diameter is 6 mm and the inner diameter is 4 mm (
Therefore, a copper pipe with a wall thickness of 1 mm) and a center diameter of 67 mm are used.
It was wound in 21 layers so that the total length was 4.4 m. In this case, the amount of heat-resistant grease that can be retained is 55 cc.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a steam solenoid valve for sending steam into the chamber, and by opening and closing this valve, supply of steam to the chamber is started and stopped. The heat-resistant grease is sterilized by the steam while passing through the grease tube. In the present invention, steam was selected as the heating medium because using steam allows more freedom in adjusting the sterilization temperature and time depending on the type and number of bacteria in the grease. Another reason is that the device can be made compact.

A pressure gauge 57 measures the pressure inside the chamber.

Reference numeral 58 is a drain throttle valve provided at the bottom of the chamber, which adjusts the amount of drain and at the same time maintains the pressure inside the chamber at a predetermined value (in this example, the gauge pressure is 2.7 kg/cm2).
Adjust the pressure so that the pressure is set to .

Reference numeral 59 is a chamber temperature sensor having a temperature measuring section inside the chamber, and 60 is a grease temperature sensor inserted into the outlet pipe 55 to measure the temperature of heat-treated heat-resistant grease.

When a heat-resistant grease supply command is issued from the controller 6, the steam solenoid valve 56 first opens and starts supplying steam. When the temperature sensor 59 confirms that the temperature inside the chamber has reached a specified temperature (set at 140° C. in this example), a grease pump activation command is issued and heat-resistant grease is sent to the chamber.

The heat-resistant grease is heated and sterilized by steam while passing through the grease tube 53. The grease temperature sensor 60 then monitors whether the heat-resistant grease has reached a predetermined temperature (set to 140° C. in this example). This is to record and monitor whether the value exceeds a predetermined value or not. If it is detected that the temperature has not exceeded the predetermined value, the pump immediately stops, the steam electromagnetic valve 56 closes, and an abnormality alarm is issued.

The sterilized heat-resistant grease passes through the outlet pipe, passes through the feed pipe 4B, and is guided from the distribution valve 3 to the seamer 2. At this time, the grease supply path from the grease pump to the distribution valve 3 (the grease tube 53 is When the pressure inside the grease pump 1 increases and reaches a predetermined pressure (set at 150 kg/cm2 in this example), the pressure switch inside the grease pump 1 is activated and the pump is stopped.

[0023] When the pump stops, the steam solenoid valve 56 is simultaneously closed and the steam supply is stopped. This prevents the heat-resistant grease remaining in the grease tube from being exposed to high temperatures for an unnecessarily long time. This is because even though it is a heat-resistant grease, the quality of the grease is less likely to deteriorate at room temperature.

[0024] The passage time of heat-resistant grease through the grease tube is:
Although it varies depending on the capacity of the grease pump, the length of the grease tube, etc., in this example, it was set to 30 seconds. Since each refueling took about 10 seconds, the heat-resistant grease was heated three times from the inlet to the outlet.

As heat-resistant greases, synthetic greases have the advantage of being less prone to bacterial growth since they do not contain organic substances, and synthetic greases have the advantage of being superior in heat resistance to mineral oil-based greases.

The grease tube 53 is preferably made of copper or aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity, but may also be made of steel, and its diameter, length, and wall thickness depend on the material (viscosity) of the heat-resistant grease used, the processing time, and the chamber internal pressure. , can be determined as appropriate depending on oil supply pressure, etc.

[0027] In addition to the method described in paragraph 0022, the stoppage of the grease pump may be controlled by a method in which it is started only for a certain period of time.

Note that it is desirable that the supply pipe 4B be sterilized in advance.

[0029]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, grease is heated and completely sterilized by steam on the way from the grease pump to the seamer, and is supplied in an aseptic state. There is no need to sterilize the internal grease, and clean grease can be supplied whenever and wherever needed.

By changing the steam pressure, sterilization conditions such as sterilization temperature and time can be easily adjusted depending on the heat resistance (oxidation, viscosity change, composition change, etc.) of the grease.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Fig. 1] (A) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the method of the present invention, and (B) is a sectional view of an example of the device of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Schematic explanatory diagram of the conventional method

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Grease pump 2 Seamer 4A Grease supply pipe 4B from the grease pump to the heat sterilizer 5 Grease supply pipe from the heat sterilizer to the seamer 5 Heat sterilizer 6 Controller 52 Chamber 53 Grease tube 56 Steam solenoid valve 57 Pressure gauge 58 Drain throttle Valve 59 Chamber internal temperature sensor 60 Grease outlet temperature sensor

Claims (3)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an aseptic can filling system, when lubricating grease is supplied from a grease pump to a seamer or filler, the grease is a heat-resistant grease for the food industry, and the grease is supplied from the grease pump to the seamer or filler. A method for sterilizing and supplying heat-resistant grease for the food industry, which comprises heating and sterilizing it in the supply route piping and then supplying it to a seamer or filler. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein steam is used as the heat sterilization means for the grease. [Claim 3] A grease pump containing heat-resistant lubricating grease for the food industry in an aseptic can filling system;
A metal sealed chamber disposed between the seamer or the filler, a grease tube housed in the chamber and connected to the grease supply pipe from the grease pump and the grease supply pipe to the seamer, and a grease tube that controls the pressure inside the chamber. It is characterized by comprising a pressure gauge for detection, a steam electromagnetic valve for supplying steam into the chamber, a drain throttle valve for adjusting the pressure inside the chamber, a temperature sensor inside the chamber, and a grease outlet temperature sensor. Heat resistant grease heating sterilizer for the food industry.