Apparatus and method for treating and in particular sterilising containers

A container treatment apparatus with a transport apparatus configured for transporting containers along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport apparatus comprises at least one transport device for transporting the containers and at least one container treatment device for treating the containers in a predetermined manner,

• wherein this transport device comprises a carrier, on which a plurality of holding devices for holding at least one container are arranged, wherein these holding devices being movable relative to the carrier in such a way that a distance between two containers immediately following one another on the transport path can be varied,
• wherein
• the container treatment device is arranged in such a way that it can treat the containers transported by the transport device,
• wherein the transport device is a pitch distribution starwheel,
• wherein a surface radiator for sterilizing outer surfaces is arranged on the pitch distribution starwheel, so that the outer sterilization of the plastic preforms is carried out at the pitch distribution starwheel,
• wherein the transport device comprises at least one drive by which the containers held by the holding devices are rotatable with respect to their longitudinal axis, and
• wherein the container treatment apparatus has a monitoring device configured for monitoring a rotational movement of the containers, which monitoring device is configured to detect a stand still of the rotational movement of the plastic preforms and/or a deviation of the rotational speeds of the plastic preforms.