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US 9,844,896 B2Granted
Method of recycling air containing a sterilizing agent, and container manufacturing plant comprising an air recycling circuit
AssigneeSidel Participations
InventorEric Adriansens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container manufacturing plant (10) includes an air circuit (78) employing a recycling method that includes at least the successive steps of: extracting filtered air from an oven (26), after the air has been used in the latter, for the purpose of cooling at least one part of the preforms; treating the sterilizing agent present in the extracted air resulting from the sterilization of the preforms; and recycling the extracted and treated air to the industrial area (16) where the plant (10) is installed. An air recycling method is also described.
Claims16
An installation (10) for manufacturing containers (12) from preforms (14) made of thermoplastic material, comprising:
- at least one protection chamber (18) configured to isolate an internal volume (20) of the installation (10) from ambient air contained in industrial premises (16) where the installation (10) is located, said at least one protection chamber (18) comprising, arranged in said internal volume (20), at least:
- an inlet (E) for receiving preforms (14) from the industrial premises (16);
- a transforming unit (38) being configured for receiving the preforms (14) and for transforming the preforms (14) into containers (12);
- a decontamination device (22) and a thermal condition unit being located between the inlet (E) and the transforming unit (38),
- the decontamination device (22) being configured for receiving the preforms and for decontaminating the preforms (14) by application of at least one sterilizing agent in a vapor form, and
- the thermal conditioning unit for being configured for receiving preforms (14), said thermal conditional unit consisting of an oven (26) comprising means for heating (30) associated with an air cooling device (34) which comprises means for filtering the ambient air (36) and means for ventilating (32) for ensuring a cooling of at least a part of the preforms (14);
- an extraction system (54) configured for extracting, from the internal volume (20) of the at least one protecting chamber, air charged with sterilizing agent vapor to evacuate the air charged with sterilizing agent vapor into an atmosphere outside the industrial premises (16), said extraction system (54) comprising:
- at least one means for extraction linked to at least one location in the internal volume (20), said at least one means for extraction being configured to remove air charged with sterilizing agent vapor from said at least one location in the internal volume (20), and
- at least one exhaust duct (56) linked to said at least one means for extraction, said at least one exhaust duct (56) being configured to evacuate said air charged with sterilizing agent vapor removed from said at least one location in the internal volume (20);
- and
- an air recycling circuit (78) being linked to the extraction system (54) to receive at least a part of said air charged with sterilizing agent vapor and comprising:
- means for treating air (80) configured for eliminating all or part of the sterilizing agent vapor from at least a part of said air charged with sterilizing agent vapor extracted using the extraction system (54) so as to obtain treated air having a concentration of sterilizing agent less than or equal to a determined threshold value,
- an outlet being linked to ambient air of the industrial premises (16) forming an external environment of said installation (10), wherein said outlet being configured to recycle the treated air by reintroducing said treated air into the ambient air.
10 more elements
An installation (10) for manufacturing containers (12) from preforms (14) made of thermoplastic material, comprising:
- at least one protection chamber (18) configured to isolate an internal volume (20) of the installation (10) from ambient air contained in industrial premises (16) where the installation (10) is located, said at least one protection chamber (18) comprising, arranged in said internal volume (20), at least:
- an inlet (E) for receiving preforms (14) from the industrial premises (16);
- a decontamination device (22) being linked to said inlet (E) of the at least one protection chamber (18), said decontamination device (22) being configured for receiving the preforms from said inlet (E) and for decontaminating the preforms (14) by application of at least one sterilizing agent in a vapor form,
- a thermal conditioning unit being linked to said decontamination device (22) and being configured for receiving preforms (14) from said decontamination device (22), said thermal conditional unit consisting of an oven (26) comprising means for heating (30) associated with an air cooling device (34) which comprises means for filtering the ambient air (36) and means for ventilating (32) for ensuring a cooling of at least a part of the preforms (14),
- a transforming unit (38) being linked to said thermal conditioning unit, said transforming unit (38) being configured for receiving the preforms (14) from said thermal conditioning unit and for transforming the preforms (14) into the containers (12);
- an extraction system (54) configured for extracting, from the internal volume (20) of the at least one protection chamber, air charged with sterilizing agent vapor to evacuate the air charged with sterilizing agent vapor into an atmosphere outside the industrial premises (16), said extraction system (54) comprising:
- a first means for extraction (74) having an input linked to said decontamination device (22) and an output, said first means for extraction (74) configured for removing the air charged with sterilizing agent vapor from said decontamination device (22),
- a second means for extraction (70) having an input linked to said oven (26) and an output, said second means for extraction (70) configured for removing the air charged with sterilizing agent vapor from said oven (26), and
- an output (56) linked to at least said output of said first means for extraction (74) and said output of said second means for extraction (70);
- and
- an air recycling circuit (78) being linked to said output (56) of said extraction system (54), the air recycling circuit (78) being configured to receive said air charged with sterilizing agent vapor and comprising:
- means for treating air (80) configured for eliminating all or part of the sterilizing agent vapor from at least a part of said air charged with sterilizing agent vapor extracted using the extraction system (54), said means for treating air (80) comprising at least one oxidizing element configured for provoking a catalytic reaction to break down the sterilizing agent into neutral products,
- wherein the air recycling circuit checks a concentration of the the air treated by said means for treating air (80),
- to with the ambient air of the industrial premises (16) forming an external environment of said installation (10), said outlet being configured to recycle the treated air having a concentration of sterilizing agent less than or equal to a determined threshold value by reintroducing said treated air into the ambient air.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.