Airway passage sterilization system and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of sterilization of bottle blowing production system, and particularly relates to a gas path channel sterilization system and method. The gas path channel sterilization system comprises a compressed air supply unit, a clean steam supply unit, a humidification unit, a plasma generation unit, a sterilization unit and a bottle blowing machine gas path unit. The input end of the humidification unit is in communication with the output end of the compressed air supply unit and the output end of the clean steam supply unit. The input end of the plasma generation unit is in communication with the output end of the humidification unit, and the plasma generation unit is used for receiving humidified gas and ionizing and activating the humidified gas into plasma sterilization gas. The input end of the sterilization unit is in communication with the output end of the plasma generation unit. The input end of the bottle blowing machine gas path unit is in communication with the output end of the sterilization unit. The gas path channel sterilization system can effectively sterilize the bottle blowing gas path, and the whole sterilization process does not consume chemical gas, reduces the corrosion of the equipment and prolongs the service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sterilization technology for blow molding production systems, and more particularly to a gas path sterilization system and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the upgrading of consumption and the increasing demands of the market for the quality, safety and shelf life of beverages, food, pharmaceuticals and other products, aseptic cold filling technology has become the mainstream technology and high standard choice in the packaging industry because it can maximize the preservation of product flavor and nutrients and achieve a long shelf life without preservatives.

[0003] As a core piece of equipment in aseptic cold filling technology, the blow molding-filling-capping machine plays a crucial role in dry aseptic production. In dry aseptic production systems, the blow molding process is the first critical line of defense for ensuring product sterility: when the equipment blows containers online, the compressed air used to lift and expand the preforms directly contacts the inner surface of the bottle, which is the cavity that will eventually hold the aseptic product. Therefore, the aseptic state of the blow molding air path directly determines the effectiveness of the entire aseptic filling process.

[0004] In related technologies, saturated steam or chemical gases are commonly used as the sterilization medium. However, due to limitations in the sterilization medium and method, both of these sterilization methods have significant drawbacks. When using saturated steam for sterilization, the internal piping of the blown bottle gas circuit is complex and contains many dead zones. Saturated steam is prone to condensation, leading to a temperature drop and hindering effective sterilization of the gas circuit, resulting in unsatisfactory sterilization. When using chemical gases, such as hydrogen peroxide, for sterilization, the blown bottle gas circuit contains numerous sealed structures. The chemical gases have high oxidizing and corrosive properties, and prolonged use accelerates the aging of the seals, leading to seal failure and gas circuit leakage.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design an air-channel sterilization system and method to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a gas path sterilization system and method that can effectively sterilize the blown bottle gas path, and the entire sterilization process consumes no chemical gases, reducing corrosion to equipment and extending its service life.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: On one hand, the present invention provides a gas passage sterilization system, comprising: Compressed air supply unit and clean steam supply unit; The humidification unit has its input end connected to both the output end of the compressed air supply unit and the output end of the clean steam supply unit. The humidification unit is used to receive compressed air and clean steam and mix and humidify them to form humidified gas. A plasma generating unit, wherein the input end of the plasma generating unit is connected to the output end of the humidification unit, and the plasma generating unit is used to receive the humidifying gas and ionize and activate it into plasma sterilization gas; The sterilization unit has its input end connected to the output end of the plasma generating unit. In the disinfection mode, the sterilization unit is used to allow the plasma sterilization gas to pass through and sterilize the filter and downstream pipeline in the sterilization unit; and in the production mode, the sterilization unit is also used to filter the high-pressure gas flowing through it. The blow molding machine air circuit unit has its input end connected to the output end of the sterilization unit, so that the plasma sterilization gas discharged by the sterilization unit flows into the pipeline of the blow molding machine air circuit unit for sterilization; and the blow molding machine air circuit unit is also used to receive the high-pressure gas filtered by the sterilization unit to provide a gas source for blow molding machine production.

[0008] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, the compressed air supply unit is equipped with a compressed air proportional regulating valve and a compressed air flow meter, and the clean steam supply unit is equipped with a clean steam proportional regulating valve and a clean steam flow meter; the compressed air proportional regulating valve and the clean steam proportional regulating valve are used to independently regulate the input flow rate of compressed air and clean steam, respectively, and the compressed air flow meter and the clean steam flow meter are used to independently monitor the flow status of the corresponding medium in real time.

[0009] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, the output end of the humidification unit is equipped with a hygrometer, which is used to monitor the humidity of the humidified gas in real time.

[0010] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, the humidification unit is equipped with a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the hygrometer, the compressed air flow meter, the clean steam flow meter, the compressed air proportional control valve, and the clean steam proportional control valve, respectively. The controller is used to receive real-time humidity data of the humidified gas fed back by the hygrometer, as well as the corresponding medium flow data fed back by the compressed air flow meter and the clean steam flow meter, and dynamically adjust the opening degree of the compressed air proportional control valve and / or the opening degree of the clean steam proportional control valve according to the preset humidity.

[0011] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, a flow switch is installed on the outlet pipe of the plasma generating unit. The flow switch is used to trigger an alarm when the flow rate of the plasma sterilization gas is abnormal.

[0012] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, the sterilization unit includes a filter, a first switching valve, a second switching valve, and a high-pressure gas pipeline. The first switching valve is disposed between the filter and the output end of the plasma generating unit. The second switching valve is installed on the high-pressure gas pipeline, one end of which is connected to the input end of the filter; the high-pressure gas pipeline is used to introduce the high-pressure gas in the production mode.

[0013] As an optional technical solution for a gas-channel sterilization system, the blow molding machine gas circuit unit includes a high-pressure gas circuit distributor, at least one blow molding valve, and branch pipelines. The input end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor is connected to the output end of the sterilization unit, and the output end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor is connected to each blow molding valve one-to-one through the branch pipelines, so that the plasma sterilization gas covers the branch pipelines after being diverted.

[0014] On the other hand, the present invention provides a method for sterilizing air passages, applicable to any of the above-described air passage sterilization systems, wherein the air passage sterilization method includes the following steps: S1. Start the disinfection mode, turn on the compressed air supply unit and the clean steam supply unit, and simultaneously introduce compressed air and clean steam into the humidification unit. S2. Compressed air and clean steam are mixed and humidified through the humidification unit to form a humidified gas that meets the preset humidity requirements; S3. Humidified gas is introduced into the plasma generation unit and ionized and activated to generate plasma sterilization gas. S4. Introduce plasma sterilization gas into the sterilization unit to sterilize and disinfect the filter and downstream pipeline of the sterilization unit. S5. The plasma sterilization gas flowing out of the sterilization unit continues to be introduced into the blow molding machine gas circuit unit, and flows through the high-pressure gas circuit distributor and the branch where the blow molding valve is located to disinfect and sterilize the blow molding machine gas circuit unit. S6: The plasma sterilization gas after disinfection is discharged from the outlet of the blow valve, and the disinfection mode ends.

[0015] As an optional technical solution for air passage sterilization, in step S1, the input flow rates of compressed air and clean steam are adjusted by the compressed air proportional regulating valve and the clean steam proportional regulating valve, respectively; and the flow data of compressed air and clean steam are monitored in real time by the compressed air flow meter and the clean steam flow meter. In step S2, the humidity data of the humidified gas is fed back in real time by a hygrometer. The controller dynamically adjusts the input ratio of compressed air and clean steam by controlling the opening of the compressed air ratio regulating valve and the clean steam ratio regulating valve to form humidified gas that meets the preset humidity requirements.

[0016] As an optional technical solution for a gas passage sterilization method, the gas passage sterilization method further includes a production switching step, which is performed after the disinfection mode ends. The production switching step includes: S7. Start production mode: Turn off the compressed air supply unit, clean steam supply unit and plasma generation unit; At the same time, the first switch valve located between the filter and the output end of the plasma generating unit is closed, and the second switch valve located on the high-pressure gas pipeline is opened. The high-pressure gas is filtered by the filter of the sterilization unit and then introduced into the blow molding machine gas circuit unit to provide a sterile gas source for the normal production of the blow molding machine.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least the following: This invention provides a gas-channel sterilization system, comprising a compressed air supply unit, a clean steam supply unit, a humidification unit, a plasma generation unit, a sterilization unit, and a blow molding machine gas circuit unit. The input of the humidification unit is connected to the outputs of both the compressed air supply unit and the clean steam supply unit. The humidification unit receives compressed air and clean steam and mixes and humidifies them to form humidified gas. The input of the plasma generation unit is connected to the output of the humidification unit. The plasma generation unit receives the humidified gas and ionizes and activates it into plasma sterilization gas. The input of the sterilization unit is connected to the output of the plasma generation unit. The sterilization unit supplies plasma sterilization gas in sterilization mode and sterilizes the filters and downstream pipelines within the sterilization unit; it also filters high-pressure gas flowing through the unit in production mode. The input end of the blow molding machine's gas circuit unit is connected to the output end of the sterilization unit, so that the plasma sterilization gas discharged from the sterilization unit flows into the pipeline of the blow molding machine's gas circuit unit for sterilization; and the blow molding machine's gas circuit unit is also used to receive high-pressure gas filtered by the sterilization unit to provide a gas source for blow molding machine production.

[0018] The above describes a gas-channel sterilization system that utilizes a plasma generation unit to ionize humidified gas and generate plasma sterilization gas. The entire sterilization process does not rely on any chemical agents, completely eliminating the risks associated with traditional chemical gas residues and their high oxidation and corrosion problems on pipeline sealing structures. This avoids accelerated aging and failure of seals due to prolonged contact with corrosive media, significantly extending equipment lifespan and ensuring the long-term sealing reliability of the gas channel. Furthermore, this gas-channel sterilization system eliminates the need for high-temperature saturated steam, thus avoiding the problems of temperature drop and ineffective sterilization caused by condensation in complex pipelines. It also avoids the risk of microbial growth due to condensate residue.

[0019] This invention provides a method for sterilizing gas passages, achieving end-to-end sterilization from the sterilization unit to the blow molding machine's gas passage unit. Compared to traditional methods that only sterilize filter cartridges, this method offers a more comprehensive sterilization range, eliminates microbial risks in pipeline dead spots, and improves product safety. Furthermore, the entire sterilization process utilizes only compressed air, clean steam, and plasma gas, without any chemical agents, thus avoiding the risk of chemical residues and reducing chemical consumption and environmental impact, meeting energy conservation and environmental protection requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the air passage sterilization system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the air passage sterilization system provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the disinfection mode; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process of the gas passage sterilization system under production mode provided in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of the gas passage sterilization method provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure Labels 10. Compressed air supply unit; 11. Compressed air proportional control valve; 12. Compressed air flow meter; 13. Compressed air on / off valve; 20. Clean steam supply unit; 21. Clean steam proportional control valve; 22. Clean steam flow meter; 23. Clean steam on / off valve; 30. Humidification unit; 31. Hygrometer; 40. Plasma generation unit; 41. Flow switch; 50. Sterilization unit; 51. Filter; 52. First switching valve; 53. Second switching valve; 54. High-pressure gas pipeline; 60. Blow molding machine air circuit unit; 61. High-pressure air circuit distributor; 62. Blow molding valve. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0024] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0025] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0027] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] This embodiment provides a gas path sterilization system that can effectively sterilize the blown bottle gas path, and the entire sterilization process consumes no chemical gases, reducing equipment corrosion and extending service life.

[0032] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the gas path sterilization system mainly includes a compressed air supply unit 10, a clean steam supply unit 20, a humidification unit 30, a plasma generation unit 40, a sterilization unit 50, and a blow molding machine gas path unit 60. The input of the humidification unit 30 is connected to the outputs of both the compressed air supply unit 10 and the clean steam supply unit 20. The humidification unit 30 receives compressed air and clean steam and mixes and humidifies them to form humidified gas. The input of the plasma generation unit 40 is connected to the output of the humidification unit 30. The plasma generation unit 40 receives the humidified gas and ionizes and activates it into plasma sterilization gas. The input of the sterilization unit 50 is connected to the output of the plasma generation unit 40. The sterilization unit 50 supplies plasma sterilization gas in sterilization mode and sterilizes the filter 51 and downstream pipelines in the sterilization unit 50; the sterilization unit 50 also filters the high-pressure gas flowing through it in production mode. The input end of the blow molding machine air circuit unit 60 is connected to the output end of the sterilization unit 50 so that the plasma sterilization gas discharged from the sterilization unit 50 flows into the pipeline of the blow molding machine air circuit unit 60 for sterilization; and the blow molding machine air circuit unit 60 is also used to receive the high-pressure gas filtered by the sterilization unit 50 to provide a gas source for blow molding machine production.

[0033] Based on the above design, in this embodiment, the gas passage sterilization system uses a plasma generating unit 40 to ionize humidified gas to generate plasma sterilization gas. The entire sterilization process does not rely on any chemical agents, completely eliminating the risk of residual traditional chemical gases (such as hydrogen peroxide) and their high oxidation corrosion of pipeline sealing structures. This avoids accelerated aging and failure of seals due to long-term contact with corrosive media, significantly extending the service life of the equipment and ensuring the sealing reliability of the gas passage during long-term operation. Simultaneously, this gas passage sterilization system does not require the use of high-temperature saturated steam, thus avoiding the problem of temperature drop and unsatisfactory sterilization effect caused by condensation of high-temperature saturated steam in complex pipelines. It also avoids the risk of microbial growth caused by residual condensate.

[0034] The humidification unit 30 mixes compressed air with clean steam to form a humidified gas, providing a moisture carrier for the plasma generation unit 40 and significantly increasing the concentration of active particles in the plasma and the sterilization efficiency. The plasma sterilization gas formed by the ionization of this humidified gas enters the sterilization unit 50 in the form of a continuous airflow, passes through the filter element of the filter 51, and continues to flow downstream to each pipeline in the blow molding machine air path unit 60, and finally exits from the outlet of the blow molding valve 62, thereby achieving full-path coverage sterilization of the air path inside the blow molding machine.

[0035] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the compressed air supply unit 10 is equipped with a compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 and a compressed air flow meter 12, and the clean steam supply unit 20 is equipped with a clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 and a clean steam flow meter 22. The compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 and the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 are used to independently regulate the input flow of compressed air and clean steam, respectively, and the compressed air flow meter 12 and the clean steam flow meter 22 are used to independently monitor the flow status of the corresponding medium in real time.

[0036] This embodiment achieves independent regulation of compressed air and clean steam flow rates by setting independent compressed air ratio regulating valve 11 and clean steam ratio regulating valve 21. It can flexibly adjust the input ratio of the two media according to actual needs, ensuring that the mixed humidified gas meets the activation requirements of plasma generation unit 40, laying the foundation for stable generation of plasma sterilization gas.

[0037] The real-time monitoring functions of the compressed air flow meter 12 and the clean steam flow meter 22 in this embodiment can promptly detect abnormalities in the medium supply (such as excessively high, low, or interrupted flow rates), preventing imbalances in the humidification gas ratio caused by fluctuations in medium flow rates, which in turn affect the generation efficiency and sterilization effect of the plasma sterilization gas. This improves the stability and reliability of the gas path sterilization system and reduces the risk of disinfection failure due to abnormal flow rates.

[0038] In addition, such as Figures 1-3As shown, the compressed air supply unit 10 is also equipped with a compressed air switch valve 13 for switching on and off compressed air; the clean steam supply unit 20 is also equipped with a clean steam switch valve 23 for controlling the switching on and off of clean steam.

[0039] The output terminal of the humidification unit 30 is equipped with a hygrometer 31, which is used to monitor the humidity of the humidified gas in real time.

[0040] The humidification unit 30 is equipped with a controller (not shown in the figure). The controller is electrically connected to the hygrometer 31, the compressed air flow meter 12, the clean steam flow meter 22, the compressed air proportional regulating valve 11, and the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21. The controller is used to receive the real-time humidity data of the humidified gas fed back by the hygrometer 31, as well as the corresponding medium flow data fed back by the compressed air flow meter 12 and the clean steam flow meter 22, and dynamically adjust the opening degree of the compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 and / or the opening degree of the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 according to the preset humidity.

[0041] For example, the controller within the humidification unit 30 is a programmable logic controller (PLC). This controller has a built-in humidity control algorithm and establishes a data connection with the hygrometer 31, compressed air flow meter 12, and clean steam flow meter 22. It receives real-time feedback data on humidified gas humidity, compressed air flow rate, and clean steam flow rate from the compressed air flow meter 12 and the clean steam flow meter 22. The controller is connected to the compressed air proportional control valve 11 and the clean steam proportional control valve 21 via analog signals. Based on the preset humidity target value and combined with the real-time received monitoring data, it can automatically calculate the optimal input ratio of compressed air and clean steam, and dynamically adjust the opening degree of the compressed air proportional control valve 11 and the clean steam proportional control valve 21 to achieve closed-loop control of the humidified gas humidity.

[0042] For example, when the real-time humidity fed back by the hygrometer 31 is lower than the preset humidity, the controller will increase the opening of the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 or decrease the opening of the compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 to increase the steam content in the humidified gas; when the real-time humidity is higher than the preset humidity, it will adjust in the opposite direction to ensure that the humidity of the humidified gas is stable within the preset humidity range.

[0043] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a flow switch 41 is installed on the outlet pipe of the plasma generating unit 40. The flow switch 41 is used to trigger an alarm when the flow rate of the plasma sterilization gas is abnormal.

[0044] In some optional embodiments, the flow switch 41 is a piston-type flow switch, which is installed on the outlet pipe of the plasma generating unit 40 and connected to the pipe by a flange to ensure reliable sealing. The flow switch 41 has a piston-type sensing component inside. When the plasma sterilization gas flows through, the airflow pushes the piston to move, triggering the internal contact to act. When the flow rate is lower than the preset operating condition threshold or there is no flow, the contact resets and triggers an alarm signal.

[0045] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the sterilization unit 50 includes a filter 51, a first switching valve 52, a second switching valve 53, and a high-pressure gas pipeline 54. The first switching valve 52 is located between the filter 51 and the output end of the plasma generating unit 40. The second switching valve 53 is located on the high-pressure gas pipeline 54, one end of which is connected to the input end of the filter 51. The high-pressure gas pipeline 54 is used to introduce high-pressure gas in production mode.

[0046] For example, in this embodiment, the filter 51 of the sterilization unit 50 adopts a polytetrafluoroethylene pleated sterilization filter element, which achieves the filtration accuracy required for aseptic production and can effectively filter microorganisms and impurities in high-pressure gas; the first switching valve 52 and the second switching valve 53 are both pneumatic ball valves, and the valve sealing material is fluororubber, which has good sealing performance and corrosion resistance, and is suitable for the media requirements of both disinfection mode and production mode.

[0047] The high-pressure gas pipeline 54 is made of food-grade stainless steel, and the inner wall is polished to reduce microbial growth and impurity residue. One end of the pipeline is connected to the input end of the filter 51 by a clamp to ensure a tight and leak-free connection.

[0048] In sterilization mode, the first switch valve 52 is open and the second switch valve 53 is closed. Plasma sterilization gas enters the filter 51 through the first switch valve 52 to sterilize the filter element and downstream pipeline. In production mode, the first switch valve 52 is closed and the second switch valve 53 is open. High-pressure gas enters the filter 51 through the high-pressure gas pipeline 54. After being filtered by the filter element, it forms sterile high-pressure gas, which provides the gas source for blow molding machine production.

[0049] It is understandable that, such as Figure 2 As shown, in disinfection mode, the high-pressure gas pipeline 54 is closed. Figure 2 The dashed line indicates that no high-pressure gas flows through the high-pressure gas pipeline 54; in production mode, the first switching valve 52 is closed, and all pipelines upstream of the first switching valve 52 are shut off. Figure 3 The dashed line indicates that no plasma sterilization gas flows through the upstream pipeline of the first switch valve 52.

[0050] like Figures 1-3As shown, the blow molding machine gas circuit unit 60 includes a high-pressure gas circuit distributor 61, at least one blow molding valve 62, and branch pipelines. The input end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor 61 is connected to the output end of the sterilization unit 50. The output end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor 61 is connected to each blow molding valve 62 in a one-to-one correspondence through the branch pipelines, so that the plasma sterilization gas covers the branch pipelines after being diverted.

[0051] For example, in this embodiment, the high-pressure gas distributor 61 adopts a multi-port structure and is made of food-grade stainless steel. The internal flow channel is optimized to ensure that the gas is evenly distributed to each branch pipeline. The number of branch pipelines is set according to the number of mold cavities of the blow molding machine. Each branch pipeline corresponds to a blow molding valve 62. The branch pipelines are set with flexible hoses, which facilitates installation and adaptation to the structural layout of the blow molding machine.

[0052] The blow bottle valve 62 adopts a sterile sealing structure with a sealing gasket inside the valve to ensure no leakage when closed and smooth gas flow when opened. The blow bottle valve 62 is also made of food-grade stainless steel, which meets the requirements of sterile production.

[0053] After the plasma sterilization gas enters the high-pressure gas distributor 61, it is evenly distributed to each branch pipeline through the distributor's flow channel, flows through the internal channel of each blow bottle valve 62, and finally exits from the outlet of the blow bottle valve 62, thus achieving full coverage disinfection of the blow bottle machine gas circuit unit 60.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment also provides a method for sterilizing the air passage, which is applied to the above-mentioned air passage sterilization system. The air passage sterilization method includes the following steps: S1. Start the disinfection mode, turn on the compressed air supply unit 10 and the clean steam supply unit 20, and simultaneously introduce the compressed air and clean steam into the humidification unit 30.

[0055] Specifically, in step S1, the operator sets the target flow range for compressed air and clean steam through the controller. The compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 adjusts its opening according to the control signal to regulate the input flow of compressed air. At the same time, the compressed air flow meter 12 monitors the instantaneous flow data of compressed air in real time and feeds the data back to the controller. Similarly, the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 adjusts its opening to regulate the input flow of clean steam. The clean steam flow meter 22 monitors the steam flow data in real time and feeds it back.

[0056] S2. The humidification unit 30 mixes and humidifies the compressed air and clean steam to form a humidified gas that meets the preset humidity requirements. The preset humidity is set in advance according to the optimal working range of the plasma generating unit 40.

[0057] Specifically, in step S2, the hygrometer 31 detects the humidity data of the humidified gas in real time and transmits the data to the controller. The controller compares the real-time humidity data with the preset humidity target value. If the real-time humidity is lower than the preset value, the controller outputs a signal to increase the opening of the clean steam proportional regulating valve 21 or decrease the opening of the compressed air proportional regulating valve 11 to increase the steam content in the humidified gas. If the real-time humidity is higher than the preset value, the controller adjusts in the opposite direction, dynamically adjusting the input ratio of the two media until the humidity of the humidified gas reaches the preset humidity.

[0058] S3. Humidified gas is introduced into the plasma generating unit 40 and ionized to generate plasma sterilization gas. For example, under the action of a high-frequency electric field, the gas molecules are ionized and activated, and the bonds of the gas molecules break and recombine to generate plasma sterilization gas containing active oxygen and hydroxyl radicals.

[0059] S4. Introduce plasma sterilization gas into the sterilization unit 50 to sterilize and disinfect the filter 51 and downstream pipeline of the sterilization unit 50. S5. The plasma sterilization gas flowing out of the sterilization unit 50 continues to be introduced into the blow molding machine gas circuit unit 60, and flows through the branch where the high-pressure gas circuit distributor 61 and blow molding valve 62 are located, to disinfect and sterilize the blow molding machine gas circuit unit 60. S6: The plasma sterilization gas after disinfection is discharged from the outlet of the blow valve 62, and the disinfection mode ends.

[0060] This gas path sterilization method achieves end-to-end sterilization from the sterilization unit 50 to the blow molding machine gas path unit 60. Compared to traditional methods that only sterilize the filter element, it provides a more comprehensive sterilization range, eliminates microbial risks in pipeline dead spots, and improves product safety. Furthermore, the entire sterilization process uses only compressed air, clean steam, and plasma gas, without any chemical agents, avoiding the risk of chemical residues and reducing chemical consumption and environmental impact, thus meeting energy conservation and environmental protection requirements.

[0061] The gas passage sterilization method also includes a production switchover step, which is performed after the sterilization mode ends. The production switchover step includes: S7. Start production mode: Turn off compressed air supply unit 10, clean steam supply unit 20 and plasma generation unit 40, and stop the supply of compressed air and clean steam and the generation of plasma gas.

[0062] Simultaneously, the controller outputs a signal to close the first switching valve 52 located between the filter 51 and the output terminal of the plasma generating unit 40, cutting off the plasma sterilization gas path and preventing residual plasma gas from entering the production gas path. Then, the second switching valve 53 located on the high-pressure gas pipeline 54 is opened, allowing the high-pressure gas output from the high-pressure gas source to enter the filter 51 of the sterilization unit 50 through the high-pressure gas pipeline 54. After filtration by the filter element, microorganisms and impurities in the gas are removed, forming sterile high-pressure gas. The sterile high-pressure gas is then distributed to various branch pipelines through the high-pressure gas distributor 61 and introduced into the blow molding valve 62 of the blow molding machine gas path unit 60, providing a sterile gas source for the normal production of the blow molding machine. At this point, the switch from sterilization mode to production mode is completed.

[0063] During the production changeover step, the first switching valve 52 is closed and the second switching valve 53 is opened, achieving complete isolation between the disinfection and production pathways. This prevents residual disinfectant from entering the production gas path, ensuring the sterility of the production gas and improving product safety. High-pressure gas is filtered through filter 51 in the sterilization unit 50 before being supplied to production, further guaranteeing the sterility of the blowing gas and ensuring that the air in contact with the inner surface of the bottle during the blowing process is free from microbial contamination, providing crucial assurance for product sterility.

[0064] Obviously, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

[0065] Note that in the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "some embodiments," "other embodiments," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. An air-channel sterilization system, characterized in that, include: Compressed air supply unit (10) and clean steam supply unit (20); Humidification unit (30), the input end of the humidification unit (30) is connected to the output end of the compressed air supply unit (10) and the output end of the clean steam supply unit (20), the humidification unit (30) is used to receive compressed air and clean steam and mix them to humidify and form humidified gas; Plasma generating unit (40), the input end of the plasma generating unit (40) is connected to the output end of the humidification unit (30), the plasma generating unit (40) is used to receive the humidified gas and ionize and activate it into plasma sterilization gas; The sterilization unit (50) has its input end connected to the output end of the plasma generating unit (40). The sterilization unit (50) is used to supply the plasma sterilization gas to pass through in the disinfection mode and to sterilize the filter (51) in the sterilization unit (50) and the downstream pipeline. The sterilization unit (50) is also used to filter the high-pressure gas flowing through in the production mode. The blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60) has its input end connected to the output end of the sterilization unit (50) so that the plasma sterilization gas discharged by the sterilization unit (50) flows into the pipeline of the blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60) for sterilization; and the blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60) is also used to receive the high-pressure gas filtered by the sterilization unit (50) to provide a gas source for blow molding machine production; The compressed air supply unit (10) is equipped with a compressed air proportional regulating valve (11) and a compressed air flow meter (12), and the clean steam supply unit (20) is equipped with a clean steam proportional regulating valve (21) and a clean steam flow meter (22). The compressed air proportional regulating valve (11) and the clean steam proportional regulating valve (21) are used to independently regulate the input flow of compressed air and clean steam, respectively. The compressed air flow meter (12) and the clean steam flow meter (22) are used to independently monitor the flow status of the corresponding medium in real time.

2. The air passage sterilization system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output end of the humidification unit (30) is equipped with a hygrometer (31), which is used to monitor the humidity of the humidified gas in real time.

3. The air passage sterilization system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The humidification unit (30) is equipped with a controller, which is electrically connected to the hygrometer (31), the compressed air flow meter (12), the clean steam flow meter (22), the compressed air proportional regulating valve (11), and the clean steam proportional regulating valve (21). The controller is used to receive the real-time humidity data of the humidified gas fed back by the hygrometer (31), as well as the corresponding medium flow data fed back by the compressed air flow meter (12) and the clean steam flow meter (22), and dynamically adjust the opening degree of the compressed air proportional regulating valve (11) and / or the opening degree of the clean steam proportional regulating valve (21) according to the preset humidity.

4. The air passage sterilization system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A flow switch (41) is provided on the outlet pipe of the plasma generating unit (40), and the flow switch (41) is used to trigger an alarm when the flow rate of the plasma sterilization gas is abnormal.

5. The air passage sterilization system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sterilization unit (50) includes a filter (51), a first switching valve (52), a second switching valve (53), and a high-pressure gas pipeline (54). The first switching valve (52) is disposed between the filter (51) and the output end of the plasma generating unit (40). The second switching valve (53) is installed on the high-pressure gas pipeline (54), one end of which is connected to the input end of the filter (51); the high-pressure gas pipeline (54) is used to introduce the high-pressure gas in the production mode.

6. The air passage sterilization system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60) includes a high-pressure gas circuit distributor (61), at least one blow molding valve (62), and branch pipelines. The input end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor (61) is connected to the output end of the sterilization unit (50). The output end of the high-pressure gas circuit distributor (61) is connected to each blow molding valve (62) in a one-to-one correspondence through the branch pipelines, so that the plasma sterilization gas covers the branch pipelines after being diverted.

7. A method for sterilizing air passageways, characterized in that, The air passage sterilization method, applied to the air passage sterilization system according to any one of claims 1-6, comprises the following steps: S1. Start the disinfection mode, turn on the compressed air supply unit (10) and the clean steam supply unit (20), and simultaneously introduce the compressed air and clean steam into the humidification unit (30). S2. Compressed air and clean steam are mixed and humidified by the humidification unit (30) to form a humidified gas that meets the preset humidity requirements; S3. Humidified gas is introduced into the plasma generating unit (40) and ionized and activated to generate plasma sterilization gas. S4. Introduce plasma sterilization gas into the sterilization unit (50) to sterilize and disinfect the filter (51) and downstream pipeline of the sterilization unit (50). S5. The plasma sterilization gas flowing out of the sterilization unit (50) continues to flow into the blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60), and flows through the high-pressure gas circuit distributor (61) and the branch where the blow molding valve (62) is located, to disinfect and sterilize the blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60). S6: The plasma sterilization gas after disinfection is discharged from the outlet of the blow valve (62), and the disinfection mode ends.

8. The air passage sterilization method according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step S1, the input flow rates of compressed air and clean steam are adjusted by the compressed air proportional regulating valve (11) and the clean steam proportional regulating valve (21), respectively; the flow data of compressed air and clean steam are monitored in real time by the compressed air flow meter (12) and the clean steam flow meter (22). In step S2, the humidity data of the humidified gas is fed back in real time by the hygrometer (31), and the controller dynamically adjusts the input ratio of compressed air and clean steam by controlling the opening of the compressed air ratio regulating valve (11) and the clean steam ratio regulating valve (21) to form a humidified gas that meets the preset humidity requirements.

9. The air passage sterilization method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The gas passage sterilization method further includes a production switching step, which is performed after the sterilization mode ends. The production switching step includes: S7. Start production mode: shut down compressed air supply unit (10), clean steam supply unit (20) and plasma generation unit (40). At the same time, the first switch valve (52) set between the filter (51) and the output end of the plasma generating unit (40) is closed, and the second switch valve (53) set on the high-pressure gas pipeline (54) is opened. The high-pressure gas is filtered by the filter (51) of the sterilization unit (50) and then passed into the blow molding machine gas circuit unit (60) to provide a sterile gas source for the normal production of the blow molding machine.

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