Method and apparatus for sterilizing filling nozzle

An apparatus for sterilizing a filling nozzle, wherein a flow rate sensor is provided on each of a plurality of filling nozzles, hot water or a liquid chemical agent is fed to drink supply piping that feeds a drink to the plurality of filling nozzles at the same time, a flow rate of the hot water or liquid chemical agent is detected at all the filling nozzles by the respective flow rate sensors while the hot water or liquid chemical agent is being discharged from all the filling nozzles, a representative temperature of the hot water or liquid chemical agent upstream or downstream of at least one filling nozzle is measured by a temperature sensor, an F value is calculated based on the representative temperature, and the sterilization process is ended when both the flow rate at each filling nozzle and the F value calculated based on the representative temperature reach respective target values,

• wherein
• a SIP (Sterilizing in Place) cup is connected to a nozzle mouth of each filling nozzle, and a drain pipe formed by a flexible pipe is connected to each SIP cup, the drain pipe is provided with the temperature sensor, a return pipe extends from the drain pipe to a manifold valve, the return pipe is provided with a heater,
• information about the representative temperature measured by the temperature sensor is transmitted to a controller, the controller compares the representative temperature measured with a reference temperature and provides a predetermined output, and the hot water or liquid chemical agent is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater and is circulated in an annular flow path formed by the drink supply piping, the drain pipe and the return pipe and
• the representative temperature of the hot water or liquid chemical agent on the downstream side of the at least one filling nozzle is measured by the temperature sensor provided in a drain pipe at a part outside an aseptic chamber.