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US 9,120,660 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for the cleaning of containers such as plastic bottles in a bottle filling plant or containers in a container filling plant
AssigneeKHS GmbH
InventorsDaryoush Sangi, Thomas Herold
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for sterilizing containers with a sterilization medium. The method involves first introducing a sterilization medium into a container, and then introducing a heated gaseous and/or vaporous activation medium into the container. The activation medium is used to heat and activate the sterilization medium to destroy microorganisms. The temperature of the heated gaseous and/or vaporous activation medium is controlled based on the detected temperature of the container or the wall of the container.
Claims18
A sterilization arrangement comprising:
- a first delivery arrangement to introduce hydrogen peroxide into a container;
- a second delivery arrangement to:
- introduce a heated gaseous and/or vaporous activation medium into a container at a first temperature in a first step;
- and
- subsequently introduce activation medium into the container at a second temperature, lower than a first temperature of the activation medium in the first step, in a second step;
- a monitoring arrangement to monitor, without contact, the temperature of the container or the wall of the container;
- a computer control arrangement to regulate said second temperature based on a monitored container or wall temperature;
- and
- one of (C) and (D):
- (C) at least one throttle or valve disposed in a coolant medium supply conduit and configured to regulate the temperature of activation medium by controlling admixture of coolant into said activation medium;
- and
- (D) a cooling unit disposed in a coolant medium supply conduit and configured to indirectly cool the temperature of activation medium.
9 more elements
A method of sterilizing containers comprising:
- conducting heated or vaporous hydrogen peroxide into a container;
- and
- activating said hydrogen peroxide in said container in an activation phase comprising a first step and a second step subsequent to said first step;
- said first step comprising conducting heated gaseous and/or vaporous activation medium into said container;
- said second step comprising:
- conducting additional activation medium into said container at a second temperature, lower than a first temperature of said activation medium in said first step, while simultaneously monitoring a temperature of at least a portion of said container;
- and
- adjusting said second temperature, as needed based on the monitored temperature of said at least a portion of said container, and thereby both maintaining the temperature of said container below a temperature at which said container would be damaged, and maintaining the temperature of said hydrogen peroxide at or above an activation temperature, throughout said second step.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.