Counter-current double-flow pasteurizer with conditioning control

A pasteurizer (1) for containers which are filled with a pourable product and closed, comprising:

• a tunnel (2) comprising, along its longitudinal extension, at least a first section (21) and a second section (22), which are at different heights along said extension, the pasteurizer being configured for generating a lower flow (F1) of containers (C1, C2, C3, C4) and an upper flow (F2) of containers (C5, C6, C7, C8), through the tunnel (2) and along said longitudinal extension, so that the lower flow (F1) is positioned under the upper flow (F2) and the lower flow (F1) is longitudinally contrary with respect to the upper flow (F2);
• wherein the pasteurizer (1) is configured so that the first section (21) corresponds to a preheating of the lower flow (F1) and to a cooling of the upper flow (F2), and so that the second section (22) corresponds to a cooling of the lower flow (F1) and to a preheating of the upper flow (F2);
• wherein, for each of said first section (21) and second section (22):
• the pasteurizer (1) comprises a respective conditioning dispenser (211;
• 221), positioned in the respective section (21;
• 22) for dispensing a respective conditioning liquid towards said upper flow (F2);
• the section (21;
• 22) comprises a respective lower sub-chamber (21a;
• 22a) and a respective upper sub-chamber (21b, 22b), so that the lower flow (F1) passes through the lower sub-chamber (21a;
• 22a) and the upper flow (F2) passes through the upper sub-chamber (21b;
• 22b);
• the upper sub-chamber (21b;
• 22b) is in fluid communication with the lower sub-chamber (21a;
• 22a), so that the respective conditioning liquid strikes sequentially the upper flow (F2) and the lower flow (F1);
• the pasteurizer (1) comprises a respective conditioning collector (212;
• 222), positioned in the respective section (21;
• 22) for collecting the conditioning liquid which has struck the upper flow (F2) and the lower flow (F1);
• the pasteurizer (1) comprises a recirculating device (213, 223) for bringing back the respective conditioning liquid from the collector (212;
• 222) to the dispenser (211;
• 221);
• wherein, for each of said first section (21) and second section (22), the respective recirculating device (213;
• 223) is positioned in the respective section (21;
• 22);
• wherein, for each of said first section (21) and second section (22), the recirculating device (213;
• 223) comprises a respective hydraulic circuit (213a;
• 223a) which hydraulically connects the collector (212;
• 222) with the dispenser (211;
• 221), and a respective pump (213b;
• 223b) which is operative along the circuit (213a;
• 223a);
• wherein the tunnel (2) comprises, along its longitudinal extension, at least a third section (23) and a fourth section (24), said third section (23) and fourth section (24) being longitudinally positioned between said first section (21) and second section (22);
• wherein the pasteurizer (1) is configured so that the third section (23) corresponds to a heating of the lower flow (F1) and to a pasteurization of the upper flow (F2), and so that the fourth section (24) corresponds to a pasteurization of the lower flow (F1) and to a heating of the upper flow (F2);
• wherein the pasteurizer comprises:
• a first heating dispenser (231a), positioned in the third section (23) for dispensing a first heating liquid towards said lower flow (F1);
• a first pasteurization dispenser (241a), positioned in the fourth section (24) for dispensing a first pasteurization liquid towards said lower flow (F1);
• a second heating dispenser (241b), positioned in the fourth section (24) for dispensing a second heating liquid towards said upper flow (F2);
• a second pasteurization dispenser (231b), positioned in the third section (23) for dispensing a second pasteurization liquid towards said upper flow (F2);
• a first further collector (232), positioned in the third section (23), for collecting at least the first heating liquid that has struck the lower flow (F1) and the second pasteurization liquid that has struck the upper flow (F2);
• a second further collector (242), positioned in the fourth section (24), for collecting at least the first pasteurization liquid that has struck the lower flow (F1) and the second heating liquid that has struck the upper flow (F2);
• a first further recirculating device (233) for bringing back the liquid collected by the first further collector (232), at least in part from the first further collector (232) to the first heating dispenser (231a), and at least in part from the first further collector (232) to the second pasteurization dispenser (231b);
• a second further recirculation device (243), for returning the liquid collected by the second further collector (242), at least partly from the second further collector (242) to the first pasteurization dispenser (241a), and at least partly from the second further collector (242) to the second heating dispenser (241b);
• wherein the first further recirculating device (233) comprises:
• a first further hydraulic circuit (233a), which hydraulically connects the first further collector (232) to the first heating dispenser (231a) and to the second pasteurization dispenser (231b), to cause the liquid collected by the first further collector (232) to flow;
• a first pumping system (233b), which operates along said first further circuit (233a), so as to perform a pumping action on the liquid collected by the first further collector (232);
• wherein the second further recirculating device (243) comprises:
• a second further hydraulic circuit (243a), which hydraulically connects the first further collector (242) to the first pasteurization dispenser (241a) and to the second heating dispenser (241b), to cause the liquid collected by the second further collector (242) to flow;
• a second pumping system (243b), which operates along said second further circuit (243a), so as to perform a pumping action on the liquid collected by the second further collector (242);
• wherein the first further recirculating device (233) comprises a first thermal conditioning system (233d), which operates along the first further hydraulic circuit (233a) so as to thermally condition the liquid flowing along the first further hydraulic circuit (233a);
• wherein the second further recirculating device (243) comprises a second thermal conditioning system (243d), which operates along the second further hydraulic circuit (243a) so as to thermally condition the liquid flowing along the second further hydraulic circuit (243a);
• wherein the pasteurizer is configured so that at least one heating action from between the first thermal conditioning system (233d) and/or the second thermal conditioning system (243d) automatically depends on at least one value from between the velocity value of the lower flow (F1) and/or the velocity value of the upper flow (F2).