METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING A PLANT COMPONENT IN A BEVERAGE TREATMENT PLANT

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for cleaning at least one component of a beverage treatment plant, wherein a cleaning medium is supplied to the component and which, in the course of this, tempers the component to be cleaned in at least a first period of time, wherein the cleaning medium is subsequently removed from the component and wherein heat energy is exchanged between the removed cleaning medium and the cleaning medium supplied to the component.

[0002] The system components to be cleaned may include, for example, filter systems, in particular membrane filter systems, or filling systems, in particular piston filling systems.

[0003] Within the scope of the invention, "temperature control" refers to all processes that cause a change in the temperature of the corresponding system component. Accordingly, this can involve both heating and cooling processes, with heating resulting in positive temperature control and cooling resulting in negative temperature control.

[0004] In beverage processing plants, it is common practice to clean the individual system components at regular intervals. For this purpose, operation of the relevant system component, or even the entire plant, is first stopped. To enable simple yet hygienically thorough cleaning, cleaning devices are available that circulate one or more different cleaning agents through the system components, thereby cleaning them. The system components can then be rinsed with fresh water to remove any residues of the cleaning agents from both the components themselves and the piping systems.

[0005] A corresponding system is known, for example, from DE 10 2015 119 318 A1, wherein, for the purpose of cleaning in the most resource-efficient way possible, a regenerative heat exchanger is arranged between a media supply and a media return, via which the temperature of the discharged cleaning medium can be used to pre-temper the incoming cleaning medium.

[0006] Furthermore, DE10 2017 106 337 A1 discloses a cleaning device or a cleaning method according to the respective preamble of the independent claims, in which a cleaning medium is supplied to the system component, which thereby tempers the system component to be cleaned in at least a first period of time, wherein the cleaning medium is then discharged from the system component and wherein thermal energy is exchanged between the discharged cleaning medium and the cleaning medium supplied to the system component. This enables particularly energy-efficient cleaning.

[0007] Furthermore, a device for filling a container with CIP cleaning is known from DE 10 2019 132 749 A1.

[0008] Furthermore, it is known from practice that some system components may only be heated or cooled at a certain temperature control rate in order to avoid damage to these system components.

[0009] Accordingly, the regenerative heat exchanger is designed and operated in such a way that this predetermined temperature control rate is not exceeded. Simultaneously, as the temperature of the system components increases, the inlet and outlet temperatures of the cleaning medium equalize. This, in turn, results in reduced heat transfer within the heat exchanger. Consequently, the temperature control of the system components slows down, significantly slowing the entire cleaning process.

[0010] It is important to note that the cleaning process is only complete once a certain temperature has been reached in the system component, for example, to ensure the desired cleaning effect. Accordingly, while the use of a regenerative heat exchanger leads to resource-efficient and effective utilization of the dissipated heat energy, it also significantly slows down the entire cleaning process, as the temperature rate decreases over time. In this context, it should be noted that, within the scope of the invention, a decreasing or increasing temperature rate always refers to a change in magnitude.

[0011] The invention is based on the objective of providing a method for cleaning plant components which, compared to previously known methods, is characterized by better and more effective temperature control, thereby reducing the downtime of the beverage treatment plant and lowering operating costs.

[0012] The subject and solution of this problem is a method according to claim 1. According to the invention, it is provided that the amount of heat energy transferred in the time period is regulated with the proviso that a predefined temperature control rate of the system component to be cleaned is not undercut.

[0013] Accordingly, the present invention differs significantly from known solutions in that not only is a maximum permissible temperature control rate considered in the design and control considerations, but a lower limit is also defined to ensure the most effective heating or cooling possible. To achieve this, the amount of transferred heat energy is precisely controlled, thus accepting a less than optimal utilization of the maximum transferable heat energy in order to enable rapid and effective temperature control of the system components.

[0014] Within the scope of the invention, the term "cleaning medium" refers to all media used for cleaning the system components. This can include, for example, fresh water or steam. At the same time, appropriate chemical cleaning agents can be added to both the fresh water and the steam.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one further, second time period follows the first, wherein the predefined temperature control rates differ between the first and second time periods. For example, it may be provided that the system component is first heated to a specific temperature with a hot cleaning medium and then a cooler cleaning medium is introduced into the system component. This could, for example, be fresh water, which cools the previously heated system component as it flows through it. In this respect, the temperature control rates in the first and second time periods differ in sign, since positive temperature control occurs in the first time period and negative temperature control occurs in the second time period.This does not, of course, preclude the possibility that there may be further periods between the first and second time periods, during which, for example, the temperature of the system component is maintained and no temperature control is therefore provided.

[0016] Furthermore, additional time periods can follow the second period. It is also possible for two time periods to follow one another, with differing temperature control rates. For example, it is conceivable that specific temperature levels of the system component allow for different maximum permissible temperature control rates. Thus, the system component could initially be brought to a predetermined temperature level using only a low temperature control rate, after which higher temperature control rates are possible, particularly without the need for a different cleaning medium.

[0017] According to a further development of the invention, the temperature control rate is between 2 K / min and 10 K / min, preferably between 3 K / min and 8 K / min. As explained above, the temperature control rate refers to the magnitude of the temperature control rate, thus encompassing both heating and cooling rates.

[0018] To regulate the heat energy to be transferred, various approaches have proven particularly suitable. Regardless of the specific design, however, the heat energy is transferred via a heat transfer unit comprising at least one heat exchanger. For regulation purposes, it can then be implemented, for example, by diverting a portion of the cleaning medium around the heat transfer unit. Accordingly, not the entire volume flow of the cleaning medium passes through the heat transfer unit, thus reducing the amount of heat energy transferred, depending on the proportion of the volume flow diverted around the heat exchanger.

[0019] Several options are available for this purpose, which can be used alternatively or in combination. For example, the incoming and / or outgoing cleaning medium can be routed at least partially past the heat transfer unit. If the incoming cleaning medium is routed past the heat transfer unit to some extent, the transferred heat energy only affects a smaller portion of the incoming cleaning medium's flow rate. Consequently, a higher temperature control rate can be achieved at the system component being cleaned.Conversely, bypassing the heat transfer unit for at least part of the cleaning medium also affects the transferred heat energy, since only a portion of this heat transfer is utilized. Consequently, the volume flow of cleaning medium being supplied can be heated to a lesser degree. Both bypasses can also be combined to allow for greater process flexibility.

[0020] Another way to regulate heat transfer is to change the efficiency of the heat transfer unit. This design is particularly advantageous when a transfer medium is used to transfer the heat energy, and the efficiency of the heat transfer unit is adjusted by changing the flow rate of this medium. This transfer medium can, for example, be circulated in a closed loop and connected to the incoming and outgoing cleaning mediums via heat exchangers. By changing the flow rate, it is then possible to determine how much heat is transported from one heat exchanger to the other, or how much heat can be transferred between the outgoing and incoming cleaning medium. A pump is typically used to regulate the flow rate, and this pump can then be controlled accordingly.This solution can also be implemented individually, but solutions in combination with the previously described bypassing of the heat transfer unit are also possible, resulting in even greater variability in the control.

[0021] The cleaning method preferably provides that the cleaning medium flows through the system component to be cleaned at a temperature of at most 140 °C, preferably at most 120 °C and most preferably at most 110 °C.

[0022] Furthermore, the cleaning medium supplied to the heat transfer unit has a predetermined temperature before entering the unit. This can be achieved, for example, by supplying the cleaning medium in a separate tank and preheating it to a predetermined temperature within that tank. The discharged cleaning medium can also be returned to this tank in a closed loop, with the quantity in the tank preferably sized to maintain a constant temperature. Of course, connection to external lines is also possible. These could include, for example, a fresh water connection or a steam connection, where the temperatures are also essentially predetermined.

[0023] In addition, the system may provide for the temperature control of the cleaning medium outside the heat transfer unit. Preferably, this additional temperature control unit is arranged such that the cleaning medium is further heated or cooled after passing through the heat transfer unit. Accordingly, this temperature control device is separate from any heating or cooling system located within the tank. With such an additional temperature control device, it is possible, in certain cleaning scenarios, to provide for a specific period of time an increase or decrease in the temperature at which the cleaning medium enters the relevant system component.

[0024] The invention further relates to a cleaning device for cleaning at least one component of a beverage processing plant, comprising a media supply for adding a cleaning medium and a media return for removing the cleaning medium from the component to be cleaned, wherein at least one heat transfer unit for exchanging heat energy is arranged between the media supply and the media return. According to the invention, the cleaning device includes a control unit configured to regulate the heat energy transferred via the heat transfer unit, ensuring that a predefined temperature setpoint of the component to be cleaned is not undershot during the first phase. The control unit can be configured to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0025] The cleaning medium is introduced into the system component to be cleaned via the media supply line and discharged via the media return line. Both the media supply and return lines are typically designed as a pipe system, thus ensuring easy connection to the heat transfer unit.

[0026] The basic structure of this heat transfer unit has already been explained in connection with the method. In its simplest form, it is a heat exchanger connected to the media supply via a first connection and to the media return via a second connection. Such a heat exchanger typically has a certain efficiency, and within the scope of the invention, heat exchangers with efficiencies between 0.85 and 0.95, preferably between 0.90 and 0.94, have proven particularly effective in order to enable efficient heat transfer while simultaneously avoiding an excessively large heat exchanger design.

[0027] To regulate heat transfer, a bypass line is preferably arranged in the media supply and / or return line, through which at least a portion of the cleaning medium is routed, bypassing the heat transfer unit. The bypass line is integrated into the piping system and is preferably controlled by a flow control valve. This valve divides the volume flow of the cleaning medium either through the heat transfer unit or around it, whereby, according to a particularly preferred embodiment, the ratio between the volume flow of the cleaning medium passing through the heat exchanger and the volume flow bypassing the heat transfer unit can be continuously controlled.In this case, the bypass line can regulate the proportion of the cleaning medium that is routed past the heat transfer unit either in the media supply or in the media return.

[0028] According to an alternative design, the heat transfer unit has a transfer circuit which is operatively connected to the supply and return media via a heat exchanger. The transfer circuit is formed by a closed network of pipes, in which a transfer medium, e.g., water or oil, is circulated. The flow rate through the transfer circuit can be controlled by a pump, with the efficiency of the heat transfer increasing with increasing flow rate and conversely decreasing with decreasing flow rate.

[0029] The media supply is preferably connected to a fresh water connection and / or a steam connection and / or a cleaning agent tank. The cleaning agent tank can also be equipped with a heating and / or cooling unit to maintain the cleaning medium stored in the tank at a predetermined temperature. The heating and / or cooling unit can be located either between the cleaning agent tank and the heat transfer unit or between the heat transfer unit and the system component.

[0030] The invention will now be explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments. The figures shown are: Fig. 1 shows the process diagram of a process with a bypass line in the media feed, Fig. 2 shows the process diagram of a process with a bypass line in the media return, Fig. 3 shows a process diagram of a process with an additional transmission circuit.

[0031] The Fig. 1This document describes a method for cleaning a component 1 of a beverage processing plant, wherein a cleaning medium 2 is supplied to the component 1, which flows through the component 1 to be cleaned and thereby heats it for at least an initial period. The component 1 to be cleaned can be, for example, a filter system, in particular a membrane filter system, or a filling system, in particular a piston filling system.

[0032] The cleaning medium 2 is contained in a cleaning agent tank 3. In addition, the media supply line 4, in which the cleaning medium 2 is conveyed, is connected to a fresh water connection 5, via which the system component 1 can be rinsed with fresh water after cleaning.

[0033] The cleaning medium 2 is extracted from the cleaning agent tank 3 or the fresh water connection 5 by means of a cleaning pump 6 and introduced into the process with a volume flow rate V and a temperature T 1.

[0034] The cleaning medium 2 then passes through a heat transfer unit 7, which in the example shown is formed by a first heat exchanger 8. The cleaning medium 2 entering at temperature T1 is heated or cooled by the cleaning medium 2 present at temperature T4, which was discharged from the system component 1. The discharged cleaning medium 2 is conveyed in a media return line 9, with the heat exchanger 8 of the heat transfer unit 7 functionally connecting the media supply line 4 and the media return line 9.

[0035] The cleaning medium 2, thus tempered, is present at a temperature T2 after passing through the heat transfer unit 7. This temperature T2 is lower than T1 if the system component 1 is being heated and higher than T1 if the system component 1 is being cooled. An additional temperature control unit 10 can be provided, which further heats or cools the cleaning medium 2 in the media supply line 4 after it has passed through the heat transfer unit 7. Before entering the system component, the cleaning medium 2 is then present at a temperature T3.

[0036] As the temperature of the system component increases, the temperatures T1 and T4 become more and more similar, resulting in the system component 1 being heated or cooled to a lesser extent over time, with this value being significantly below the maximum permissible temperature rate that has been predetermined for the corresponding system component 1.

[0037] Against this background, the procedure according to the Fig. 1 It is stipulated that the heat transfer in heat transfer unit 7 is specifically controlled. For this purpose, according to the Fig. 1A bypass line 11 is provided, which diverts a portion of the volume flow VB at a temperature T1 past the heat transfer unit 7. Accordingly, only a certain proportion of the volume flow (V-Ve) of the cleaning medium 2 is heated in the heat transfer unit 7. This reduces the total heat transferred via the heat transfer unit 7. Furthermore, an adjustable valve 12, connected to a control unit 13, is provided to vary the volume flow VB.

[0038] Alternatively, the Fig. 2An embodiment in which a corresponding bypass line 11 is arranged in the media return line 9, whereby the same effect – namely a reduction of the transferred heat energy – occurs here as well by increasing the volume flow rate VB in the bypass line. The adjustable valve 12, which is connected to a control unit 13, is also provided here for varying the volume flow rate VB. Although in the Fig. 1 and 2 Not shown in detail, the control unit 13 may also have connections to temperature sensors, which are configured to determine the temperatures T1, T2, T3 and T4. For the sake of clarity, these connections have not been labelled in the figures. This also applies to the Fig. 3 , whereby according to the Fig. 3The regulation of the transferred heat energy is not achieved by including a bypass line 11, but rather by changing the efficiency of the heat transfer unit 7.

[0039] The heat transfer unit 7 is formed from the first heat exchanger 8 and the second heat exchanger 14, as well as a transfer circuit 15 arranged between the two heat exchangers 8 and 14. The first heat exchanger 8 is connected to the media return 9, and the second heat exchanger 14 is connected to the media supply 4. Heat transfer between the media supply 4 and the media return 9 thus takes place via a transfer circuit 15, in which a transfer medium 16 is conveyed at a volume flow rate Vu. The volume flow rate Vu can be adjusted by a transfer pump 17, which is connected to the control unit 13.Therefore, the heat transfer between the discharged cleaning medium 2 and the supplied cleaning medium 2 is regulated by a change in the volume flow rate Vu of the transfer medium 16, whereby the amount of heat energy increases with increasing volume flow rate Vu and vice versa. The other components are essentially the same as those from the [references]. Fig. 1 and 2 agree. Reference symbol list

[0040] 1 System component 2 Cleaning medium 3 Cleaning agent tank 4 Media supply 5 Fresh water connection 6 Cleaning pump 7 Heat transfer unit 8 (First) Heat exchanger 9 Media return 10 Temperature control unit 11 Bypass line 12 Valve 13 Control unit 14 (Second) Heat exchanger 15 Transfer circuit 16 Transfer medium 17 Transfer pump Vvolume flow VBvolume flow Bypass line Vvolume flow Transmission circuit Ttemperatures

Claims

1. Method for cleaning at least one system component (1) in a beverage treatment system, wherein a cleaning medium (2) is delivered to the system component (1), and in the course of this the system component (1) to be cleaned is tempered in at least a first time period, wherein the cleaning medium (2) is then drained from the system component (1) and wherein thermal energy is exchanged between the drained cleaning medium (2) and the cleaning medium (2) to be delivered to the system component (1), characterised in that the quantity of thermal energy transferred in the time period is adjusted so that the tempering rate of the system component (1) to be cleaned does not fall below a predefined level.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the first time period is immediately followed by another second time period, wherein the predefined tempering rates in the first and second time periods differ from each other.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that, for tempering purposes, the system component (1) to be cleaned is heated in the first time period and cooled in the second time period.

4. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that, for tempering purposes, the system component (1) to be cleaned is heated or cooled in both the first time period and the second time period.

5. Method according to one of the previous claims characterised in that the amount of the tempering rate is between 2 K / min and 10 K / min.

6. Method according to one of the previous claims characterised in that the thermal energy is transferred by means of a heat transfer unit (7) having at least one heat exchanger (8, 14).

7. Method according to claim 6, characterised in that to adjust the thermal energy transferred by means of the heat transfer unit (7), the efficiency of the heat transfer unit (7) is changed.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that a transfer medium (16) is provided to transfer the thermal energy, wherein the volume flow of the transfer medium (16) is altered to change the efficiency of the heat transfer unit (7).

9. Method according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterised in that a part of the cleaning medium is caused to bypass the heat transfer unit (7) to adjust the thermal energy transferred.

10. Method according to one of the claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the cleaning medium (2) to be delivered is at a predetermined temperature before entering the heat transfer unit (7).

11. Method according to one of the claims 6 to 10, characterised in that the cleaning medium (2) to be delivered is in addition tempered outside the heat transfer unit (7).

12. Method according to one of the previous claims characterised in that the cleaning medium (2) is delivered to the system component (1) to be cleaned at a temperature of 140°C maximum.

13. Cleaning device for cleaning at least one system component (1) in a beverage treatment system, comprising a medium feed line (4) to deliver a cleaning medium (2) and a medium return line (9) to drain the cleaning medium (2) from the system component (1) to be cleaned, wherein at least one heat transfer unit (7) is arranged between the medium feed line (4) and the medium return line (9) for the exchange of thermal energy, characterised by a control device (13), which is installed to adjust the thermal energy transferred by the heat transfer unit (7) subject to, in a first time period, the tempering rate of the system component (1) to be cleaned not falling below a predefined level.

14. Cleaning device according to claim 13, characterised in that the heat transfer unit (7) has at least one heat exchanger (8, 14).

15. Cleaning device according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that a bypass pipe (11) is arranged in the medium feed line (4) and / or in the medium return line (9), by means of which at least a part of the cleaning medium (2) can be delivered without passing through the heat transfer unit (7).

16. Cleaning device according to claim 15, characterised in that a valve (12) to adjust the flow-through is allocated to the bypass pipe (11).

17. Cleaning device according to one of the claims 13 to 16, characterised in that the heat transfer unit (7) has a transfer circuit (15), which is in functional connection with the medium feed line (4) and the medium return line (9) in each case by means of a heat exchanger (8, 14).

18. Cleaning device according to claim 17, characterised in that a pump (17) is arranged in the transfer circuit (15).

19. Cleaning device according to one of the claims 13 to 18, characterised in that the medium feed line (4) is connected to a fresh water connection (5) and / or a steam connection and / or a cleaning medium tank (3).