System for treating containers and method for providing steam in a system for treating containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for treating containers and a method for providing steam in a system for treating containers. The system (1) for treating containers, preferably a beverage filling system, has a container treatment portion (50) configured to treat containers, preferably to fill containers with a filling product and / or to close containers with a container closure, and condensate (K) accumulates in the container treatment portion (50) during sterilization; the invention relates to a high-speed steam generator (10) having a steam boiler (15) which is designed to heat feed water, preferably by means of at least one electric heating element (15a), and to evaporate the feed water, the high-speed steam generator (10) is configured to receive the condensate (K) accumulated in the container treatment section (50) via the condensate line (11) and to introduce the condensate (K) as feed water to be evaporated into the steam boiler (15) during normal operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for handling containers, preferably a beverage filling system, and to a method for providing steam in such a system. Background Art

[0002] Evaporators of various types of construction are known for evaporating liquid media; they are used, for example, in beverage filling systems to provide gaseous hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing system components that come into contact with the product. The evaporators usually have a heated evaporator surface, onto which the still liquid medium is sprayed and then evaporated. The evaporator surface is heated by means of hot steam or an electric heating element to provide the desired temperature of the evaporator surface.

[0003] For example, WO 2018 / 060422 A2 discloses a device for evaporating a fluid medium in a filling product filling system.

[0004] The required steam pressure is provided by steam boilers, which feed the generated steam into the steam network. The pressure in the steam network is built up for the highest steam pressure required by the connected consumers. For all other consumers, the steam pressure is reduced accordingly.

[0005] If only a small amount of pressure is required that is higher than the pressure existing in the steam network, then a) the pressure in the entire steam network can be increased, provided that the steam boiler is designed for the required pressure, or b) a separate, for example electrically operated, high-speed steam generator can be used for this steam quantity.

[0006] If the steam pressure is increased throughout the steam network according to option a), existing safety devices may need to be redesigned and, if necessary, replaced. Furthermore, from the point of view of energy efficiency, it does not make sense to operate the entire steam network at high pressure, when only a small amount of steam is required at one consumer. The steam pressure must be reduced at other consumers, which results in losses.

[0007] If an additional (electric) high-speed steam generator is used according to option b), the existing steam network can be operated at a lower pressure level, since a small amount of steam with a higher steam pressure is generated via a separate steam generator. For supplying the steam generator, water from a reverse osmosis system is required, for example, to allow economical operating times without a blowdown process. If the supply water is of poor quality and contains salts, the steam generator must be blown down frequently. For this purpose, it is necessary to reduce the steam pressure, especially for small buffer volumes, which leads to short-term stops of the filling system and corresponding system efficiency losses. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to propose an improved system for treating containers and an improved method for providing steam in such a system, in particular to improve and speed up the process of steam generation with regard to energy efficiency.

[0009] This object is achieved by a system having the features of the first aspect and a method having the features of the second aspect.Advantageous further embodiments follow from the further aspects of the invention, the following description of the invention and the description of preferred embodiments.

[0010] The invention relates to a system for treating containers, the system having a container treatment part configured to treat the containers and a high-speed steam generator having a steam boiler configured to heat feed water, preferably by means of at least one electric heating element, and to evaporate the feed water.

[0011] The system is particularly preferably part of a beverage filling system, the container handling part in this case particularly comprising a filling device, for example, for filling water (still or carbonated), beer, juice, soft drinks, smoothies, dairy products, mixed drinks, etc. The container handling part can include a filling device, a closing device, a stretch blow molding device for producing containers, a container cleaning system, a labeling machine, etc. or a combination of different devices, in particular a filling device for filling containers with a filling product and closing the containers with a container closure. The container can be a bottle made of glass, PET, a can, a box or other suitable container of a type that can be filled with a liquid filling product, in particular a beverage.

[0012] In such container handling sections, condensate can accumulate during various processes, for example during a CIP ("cleaning in place") process or a SIP ("sterilization in place") process, wherein the container handling section is cleaned and / or sterilized and / or disinfected without significant disassembly of product contact surfaces. To achieve sterilization, the required medium, such as compressed air, is heated via a heat exchanger supplied with hot steam. As soon as the steam cools below the dew point, water condenses in the container handling section on the surface of the heat exchanger. In this way, condensate accumulates in the handling section during sterilization.

[0013] The high-speed steam generator according to the invention is now configured to receive condensate accumulated in the container treatment section during sterilization via a condensate line and to introduce the condensate into the steam boiler as feed water to be evaporated.

[0014] The high-speed steam generator is therefore operated at least partially, preferably only with condensate. This means that no separate water treatment is required or any water treatment can be performed with less effort, because the condensate already has a very low mineral content. In addition, the condensate already has a high temperature, for example about 90° C., which saves energy compared to cold supply water and speeds up steam generation.

[0015] The high-speed steam generator preferably has a supply container configured to receive condensate via a condensate line, collect the condensate and deliver the condensate to the steam boiler. The condensate in the supply container can be supplied to the steam boiler as needed or continuously. For this purpose, a booster pump is preferably provided, which is configured to pump the condensate from the supply container to the steam boiler.

[0016] Condensate collected in the supply container can, if necessary, be discharged, preferably via a discharge pipe.

[0017] The steam generated in the high-speed steam generator can be used in various processes, in particular for operating an evaporator which is configured, for example, to generate gaseous hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing containers to be filled or container closures.

[0018] The system preferably comprises an evaporator configured to receive steam from the steam boiler of the high-speed steam generator and to evaporate the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide. In this way, the high-speed steam generator can be incorporated into an existing system with less mechanical engineering effort.

[0019] The system includes an operating steam generator that is different from the high-speed steam generator and is configured to generate operating steam. In particular, the container handling part can be supplied with operating steam from the operating steam generator, for example for sterilization during CIP processing and / or SIP processing, wherein the container handling part is cleaned and / or sterilized and / or disinfected without significant disassembly on product contact surfaces. The operating steam can perform alternative or additional functions in the container handling part, for example to heat certain parts of the system.

[0020] The temperature, e.g., about 160° C., and / or the pressure, e.g., about 6 bar, of the steam generated by the operating steam generator is preferably lower than the temperature, e.g., about 180° C., and / or the pressure, e.g., about 9 bar, of the steam generated by the high-speed steam generator. In this case, the high-speed steam generator can act as a “booster” for the operating steam generator, which means that certain processes, such as the sterilization of container closures, can be performed in a particularly energy-efficient and resource-efficient manner, since the entire steam network does not have to be supplied with steam at a higher pressure and temperature.

[0021] The high speed steam generator preferably has a lower capacity than the operating steam generator.For example, the high speed steam generator is configured to generate only a portion of the steam of the operating steam generator, such as one percent of the amount of the operating steam generator.

[0022] Preferably, the operating steam generator is part of a cleaning circuit that is configured to clean and / or sterilize and / or disinfect the container handling section as part of a CIP process. Condensate used in the high-speed steam generator during normal operation is preferably produced during sterilization during a CIP process and / or a SIP process.

[0023] Preferably, the high-speed steam generator is connected to the cleaning circuit of the system via a CIP supply line. The connection to an existing cleaning cycle, preferably an acid cleaning cycle, leads to a longer service life without the need for a corresponding blowdown process. Any mineral residues that may accumulate on the heating element can be automatically removed during the next cleaning cycle of the container treatment part.

[0024] Preferably, the connection to the cleaning circuit is made via a blockage and discharge valve combination in order to prevent the media from mixing in the event of a valve leak.

[0025] The above objects are also achieved by a method for providing steam in a system for treating containers, preferably in a beverage filling system. The method comprises: generating condensate in a container treatment section during sterilization, wherein the container treatment section is configured to treat containers, preferably fill containers with filling products and / or close containers with container closures; during normal operation, introducing the condensate via a condensate line into a steam boiler of a high-speed steam generator; heating and evaporating the condensate as feed water in the steam boiler, preferably by means of at least one electric heating element.

[0026] The features, technical effects, advantages and embodiments already described with respect to the system apply analogously to the method.

[0027] For the reasons mentioned above, the high speed steam generator preferably has a feed container which receives condensate via a condensate line, collects the condensate and delivers the condensate to the steam boiler. The condensate is preferably pumped from the feed container into the steam boiler by means of a booster pump.

[0028] For the reasons stated above, the steam generated in the steam boiler preferably drives an evaporator which evaporates a treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, wherein the evaporator preferably provides evaporated treatment agent for sterilizing containers to be filled and container closures during normal operation.

[0029] Preferably, for the reasons stated above, an operating steam generator different from the high-speed steam generator generates operating steam, the temperature and / or pressure of which is preferably lower than that of the steam generated by the high-speed steam generator.

[0030] Preferably, the operating steam generator is part of a cleaning circuit which cleans and / or sterilizes and / or disinfects the container treatment section as part of a CIP process.

[0031] Preferably, condensate accumulates in the container handling section during the CIP process, wherein the condensate is collected in the feed container of the high-speed steam generator until later use. The condensate is thus collected during system cleaning and used at a later time. For example, several hours may pass between the collection of the condensate and the use of the condensate.

[0032] Here, a distinction is made between normal operation, ie the actual production in which beverages are filled into containers in the system, and preparatory cleaning operation, in which the system, in particular the container handling part, is subjected to a CIP treatment and / or SIP treatment for sterilization.

[0033] Condensate accumulates during the cleaning operation of the container treatment section and is then collected in the supply tank. On this basis, the condensate collected in the supply tank is preferably used during the normal operation of the container treatment section. More specifically, the condensate collected in the supply tank is preferably supplied to a high-speed steam generator during the normal operation of the container treatment section, wherein the steam generated in the high-speed steam generator is then used to evaporate the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, and the evaporated treatment agent is supplied to the container treatment section during the normal operation.

[0034] Condensate which accumulates during normal operation when the treatment agent evaporates and which is produced by cooling the steam produced by the high-speed steam generator at the evaporator for the treatment agent is also fed to the feed container of the high-speed steam generator, so that a circuit is formed for heating the evaporator during normal operation.

[0035] Preferably, the treatment agent produced thereby is used for sterilizing the containers and / or container closures in the container treatment section.

[0036] Other advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments. The features described herein may be implemented on an independent basis or in combination with one or more of the features described above, provided that the features do not contradict each other. The following description of preferred embodiments is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Other preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail through the following description of the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 A system for treating a container is schematically shown, the system having a container treating section and a high velocity steam generator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In the following, reference is made to Figure 1 Describe the preferred embodiment, Figure 1 A system 1 for treating a container is schematically shown. The system 1 comprises a high velocity steam generator 10 and a container treating section 50.

[0040] The system 1 is particularly preferably a beverage filling system, the container handling part 50 in this case particularly comprising a filling device for filling water (still or carbonated), beer, juice, soft drinks, smoothies, dairy products, mixed drinks, etc. The container handling part 50 may comprise a filling device, a closing device, a stretch blow molding device for producing containers, a container cleaning system, a labeling machine, etc. or a combination of different devices, in particular a filling device for filling containers with a filling product and closing the containers with a container closure. The container may be a bottle made of glass, PET, a can, a box or other type of suitable container that can be filled with a liquid filling product, in particular a beverage.

[0041] The container treatment section 50 may be supplied with operating steam from an operating steam generator 60, for example for CIP ("clean in place") treatment or SIP ("sterilize in place") treatment, wherein the container treatment section 50 is cleaned and / or sterilized and / or disinfected without significant disassembly of the product contact surfaces. The operating steam may perform alternative or additional functions in the container treatment section 50, for example to heat certain parts of the system.

[0042] Typically, process steam is used at a relatively low temperature, for example about 160° C., and a relatively low pressure, for example about 6 bar.

[0043] The high-speed steam generator 10 can be designed externally relative to the container handling part 50 or can be partially or completely integrated into the container handling part 50, whereby the high-speed steam generator 10 can be supplied with an already existing medium. Preferably, the high-speed steam generator 10 is integrated into the container handling part 50, in particular the filling system, in terms of control technology.

[0044] The condensate K from the process in the vessel treatment section 50 is used as feed water for the high-speed steam generator 10 and is preferably supplied from the steam network operating the steam generator 60, i.e., in particular from a steam network with a lower pressure. For this purpose, the condensate K from the vessel treatment section 50 is supplied to the high-speed steam generator 10 via a condensate line 11.

[0045] The condensate K received via the condensate line 11 is supplied to the supply container 13, where the condensate K is captured and collected. This supply of condensate to the supply container 13 generally occurs when the condensate K accumulates in the container processing section 50 during sterilization.

[0046] Then, in order to remove the condensate from the supply container 13 during normal operation of the container treatment device, the condensate is pumped from the supply container 13 via the booster pump 14 into the steam boiler 15. The steam boiler 15 has a heating element 15a, preferably an electric heating element, to heat the condensate K in the steam boiler 15. The heating element 15a is adjusted to the required steam pressure. In addition, the steam boiler 15 preferably has a safety device to protect the steam boiler 15 according to regulations.

[0047] The steam thus produced, which preferably has a higher temperature and a higher pressure, for example 180° C. and 9 bar, than the steam produced by operating the steam generator 60, can be used in various processes. In particular, the steam can be used to operate, in particular to control the temperature of the evaporator 20, which is used, for example, to produce gaseous hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing the caps or containers before they are actually filled with the filling product.

[0048] The high-speed steam generator 10 can be connected to a cleaning circuit or a vessel treatment section 50 of the system 1 via a CIP supply line 18, whereby the high-speed steam generator 10 can be integrated into an existing cleaning cycle in order to allow, for example, acid cleaning of the high-speed steam generator 10. The connection to the cleaning circuit is preferably made via a block and bleed valve combination 16 to prevent mixing of the media in the event of a valve leak.

[0049] If emptying the supply container is necessary, the condensate K collected in the supply container 13 can be discharged via the drain line 17 if necessary.

[0050] During the above-mentioned CIP treatment of the container treatment section 50, in particular using the operating steam generator 60, condensate K accumulates in the container treatment section 50. The condensate K is then collected in the supply container 13 of the high-speed steam generator 10 until later use.

[0051] The condensate K is thus collected during system cleaning and used at a later time. For example, several hours may pass between the collection of the condensate K and its use.

[0052] On this basis, the condensate K collected in the supply container 13 is used during normal operation of the container treatment section 50. In this case, the condensate K collected in the supply container 13 is supplied to the steam boiler 15 during normal operation of the container treatment section 50, wherein the steam generated in the steam boiler 15 is then used to heat the evaporator for evaporating the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, and the evaporated treatment agent is supplied to the container treatment section 50 during normal operation.

[0053] The condensate K which accumulates during normal operation due to the cooling of the steam at the evaporator is fed back into the feed container 13. In other words, a circulation of the condensate can be achieved during normal operation.

[0054] Preferably, the treatment agent produced thereby is used to sterilize the containers and / or container closures in the container treatment section 50 .

[0055] The high-speed steam generator 10 is operated at least partially, preferably exclusively, with the condensate K. This means that no separate water treatment is required or any water treatment can be performed with less effort, since the condensate K already has a very low mineral content.

[0056] The condensate K already has a high temperature, for example approximately 90° C., which saves energy compared to cold feed water and accelerates steam generation.

[0057] The possible connection to an existing cleaning cycle, preferably an acid cleaning cycle, leads to a longer service life without the need for a corresponding blowdown process. Any mineral residues that may have accumulated on the heating element 15a can be automatically removed during the next cleaning cycle of the container treatment section 50.

[0058] To the extent applicable, any of the various features set forth in the embodiments may be combined and / or interchanged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0059] Reference numerals list

[0060] 1System for handling containers

[0061] 10 High-speed steam generator

[0062] 11 Condensate line

[0063] 13 Supply container

[0064] 14 Booster pump

[0065] 15Steam Boiler

[0066] 15a Heating element

[0067] 16 Block and bleed valve combination

[0068] 17 discharge pipe

[0069] 18CIP supply pipeline

[0070] 20 Evaporator

[0071] 50 Container Handling Section

[0072] 60 Operating steam generator

[0073] K condensate

Claims

1. A system (1) for processing containers, the system (1) preferably being a beverage filling system, the system (1) comprising: a container handling section (50) which is configured to handle the containers, preferably to fill the containers with a filling product and / or to close the containers with a container closure, and in which condensate (K) accumulates during sterilization; A high-speed steam generator (10) having a steam boiler (15) which is designed to heat feed water, preferably by means of at least one electric heating element (15a), and to evaporate the feed water, wherein: The high-speed steam generator (10) is configured to receive the condensate (K) accumulated in the vessel processing section (50) via a condensate line (11) and introduce the condensate (K) into the steam boiler (15) as feed water to be evaporated during normal operation.

2. The system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The high-speed steam generator (10) has a supply container (13), which is configured to receive the condensate (K) via the condensate line (11), collect the condensate (K) and convey the condensate (K) to the steam boiler (15), wherein the condensate (K) can preferably be conveyed from the supply container (13) to the steam boiler (15) by means of a booster pump (14).

3. The system (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that The system (1) has an evaporator (20) configured to receive steam from the steam boiler (15) of the high-speed steam generator (10) and evaporate a treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, wherein the evaporator (20) is preferably configured to introduce the evaporated treatment agent into the container treatment section (50).

4. System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The system (1) has an operating steam generator (60), which is different from the high-speed steam generator (10) and is configured to generate operating steam, the temperature and / or pressure of which is preferably lower than the temperature and / or pressure of the steam generated by the high-speed steam generator (10).

5. The system (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The operating steam generator (60) is part of a cleaning circuit configured to clean and / or sterilize and / or disinfect the container handling section (50) as part of a cleaning-in-place process and / or a sterilization-in-place process, wherein condensate (K) accumulates during the cleaning-in-place process and / or the sterilization-in-place process.

6. The system (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that The high-speed steam generator (10) is connected to the cleaning circuit of the system (1) via a clean-in-place supply line (18), wherein the connection to the cleaning circuit is preferably made via a block and bleed valve combination (16).

7. A method for providing steam in a system (1) for treating containers, preferably in a beverage filling system, the method comprising: generating condensate (K) in the container treatment section (50) during sterilization of the container treatment section (50), the container treatment section (50) being configured to treat the containers, preferably to fill the containers with a filling product and / or to close the containers with a container closure; During normal operation, the condensate (K) is introduced into the steam boiler (15) of the high-speed steam generator (10) via the condensate line (11); The condensate (K) as feed water is heated and evaporated in the steam boiler (15), preferably by means of at least one electric heating element (15a).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The high-speed steam generator (10) has a supply container (13), which receives the condensate (K) via the condensate line (11), collects the condensate (K) and conveys the condensate (K) to the steam boiler (15), wherein the condensate (K) is preferably conveyed from the supply container (13) to the steam boiler (15) by means of a booster pump (14).

9. The method according to claim 7 or claim 8, characterized in that: The steam generated in the steam boiler (15) drives an evaporator (20) which evaporates a treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, wherein the evaporator (20) provides evaporated treatment agent for treating the containers to be filled and / or the container closures.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that An operating steam generator (60) different from the high-speed steam generator (10) generates operating steam, the temperature and / or pressure of which is preferably lower than the temperature and / or pressure of the steam generated by the high-speed steam generator (10).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The operating steam generator (60) is part of a cleaning circuit that cleans and / or sterilizes and / or disinfects the container handling section (50) as part of a clean-in-place process and / or a sterilize-in-place process.

12. The method according to claim 8 and claim 11, characterized in that The condensate (K) accumulates during the in-situ cleaning process and / or the in-situ sterilization process of the container handling section (50), wherein the condensate (K) is collected in the supply container (13) of the high-speed steam generator (10) until later use.

13. The method according to claim 8 and claim 12, characterized in that The condensate (K) collected in the supply container (13) is supplied to the steam boiler (15) during normal operation of the container treatment section (50), wherein the steam thus produced in the steam boiler (15) is used in the evaporator (20) to evaporate the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, and the evaporated treatment agent is supplied to the container treatment section (50) during normal operation, preferably for sterilizing the containers and / or the container closures.

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