Apparatus for producing and providing sterile water and method of operating the apparatus

An apparatus for producing and providing sterile water, comprising:

• an inlet to introduce process water, wherein the inlet is fluidly connected to a recuperator;
• the recuperator located downstream of the inlet, wherein the recuperator is to preheat the process water by sterile water flowing in countercurrent and to provide preheated process water to a heating circuit, and wherein the recuperator is to cool down the sterile water by the process water flowing in countercurrent;
• and
• the heating circuit located downstream of the recuperator comprising a pump, downstream of the pump a heater to heat the preheated process water and to provide heated process water to a heat retention section, and downstream of the heater the heat retention section to keep the heated process water hot at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time, so as to produce sterile water, wherein the heating circuit comprises:
• a temperature sensor located downstream of the heat retention section, wherein the temperature sensor is to measure a current temperature of the sterile water leaving the heat retention section;
• a flow control valve located downstream of the temperature sensor;
• and
• a bypass provided between the flow control valve and the heater, wherein the bypass is a conduit;
• and
• wherein the flow control valve is configured to keep a volume flow in the heating circuit constant, wherein the recuperator is configured to cool down the sterile water of a first partial volume flow when the first partial volume flow of sterile water is taken from the heating circuit, and wherein the bypass is configured to return into the heating circuit a second partial volume flow of sterile water, wherein the second partial volume flow corresponds to a difference between the volume flow and the first partial volume flow.