Method for disinfecting containers using ozone

Description

Method for sterilizing vessels using ozone The present invention relates to a method for sterilizing Vessels, containers, such as bottles or the like, by means of ozone and injected water and a device used to carry out the method. It consists in a mixture of pure water or ozone water on the one hand and ozonated air or ozonated oxygen on the other is injected under strong rinsing action in the vessels or containers to be sterilized, the intensive mixing being achieved in that one part of the mixture to be formed, namely either the ozone air supplied under pressure or the water supplied under pressure, in each case the other part of the mixture to be formed immediately in front of the container or vessel to be cleaned and takes the freshly produced mixture with it high energy is injected into the vessel to be cleaned. The idea has already become known that ozonation of barrels only promises success if they are present of water an intensive injection takes place. The previously known methods have not been able to achieve practical success. ?After this A well-known method was to sterilize vessels by means of a type of ozonated I-mist, i. H. using ozonated air, in which contains finely divided water in the manner of the mist. As a result of the low living force of the atomized water particles and as a result However, due to the immediate back pressure of the blown-in air, it was not possible to get to all the places with certainty Bacterial foci can be found. A rinsing effect that promises reliable success on its own could not be achieved with this method. i\? According to another known method, ozone water is injected into the vessels to be cleaned with an intensive spray effect. This procedure too has not proven itself in practice because the ozone water had already decomposed before it could be brought to the area to be cleaned, since the third oxygen atom splits off again in a very short time and a molecules 0, break down again into 3 molecules 02 in a short time. If it it was also already known that ozonation only promises success if intensive injection takes place in the presence of water, so the solution to the problem was not yet given, in which it must be taken into account that the ozone must not decompose before the mixture reaches the treated areas. The present invention takes this fact into account - that the Mixture of the ozonated air with the water formed just before the point of use and the creation of the -! Mixture to the Treated areas so quickly that a previous decay is no longer possible. This ensures that the ozone without danger of premature decomposition of its molecules reaches the germ-infested vessel walls while at the same time exerting an energetic rinsing effect. The one used for injection Water may already contain ozone before it reaches the mixing nozzles, but this is not essential. Because the solubility of the ozonated Oxygen in the water is limited, it can even be advantageous if the water contains as little atmospheric oxygen as possible before it enters the mixing nozzles contains and is deaerated beforehand so that it can absorb quite a lot of the ozonated oxygen at the moment of mixing. The to Mixing nozzles used for ejecting the vessels are constructed in the manner of injectors or ejectors, and the ozonated air usually enters under pressure the mixing nozzles and mixes it intimately with the sucked-in water, but it is also possible for the water to enter under pressure and the ozone air suck in As a result of the expansion effect of the compressed air, the ozone water is atomized into fine droplets as it exits the nozzles be thrown against the vessel walls with great force. This significantly increases the safety of the effect, because corners and angles of the Vessels and uneven vessel walls can be sterilized with certainty. This sterilization process takes place in a room (cell) that is closed on all sides, into which the vessels are first introduced, then sterilized, filled in the same operation and sealed germ-proof and finally ejected again. The ones in the vessels blown and from -these again escaping ozone air fills the entire air space of the cell, with a gas overpressure compared to the outside air surrounding the cell, so that outside air containing germs cannot enter the cell. Simultaneously with the internal spraying of the vessels also a rinsing of the outer vessel walls in order to sterilize them as well. An embodiment of the invention, for the purpose of sterilization and aseptic filling of bottles is on the drawing shown schematically. The arriving for disinfection bottles are through the lock r in all sides through the walls W and the floor closed cell introduced. 2 is a chain of cups for attaching the bottles and 3 is the nozzle system of a rinsing apparatus with six spray stations. With the shower system .4, the bottles are sprayed from the outside with ozone water. The effluent ozone water is in a trough 5 caught. In the arrangement shown, the bottles are filled with ozone water six times while ozone air is blown in at the same time sprayed. The sterilized bottles are then lifted from the rinsing apparatus onto a conveyor belt 7 by a suitable device 6 . That- Conveyor belt brings the bottles under the filler S. After filling, under the capping machine 9 and finally to the sluice ro, which transports the filled and capped bottles out of the sterile cell.

Claims

[0006] HATTEN'rRANSKLÜCHE: . e.g., methods for sterilizing vessels, such as bottles or containers, using ozone and injected Water, characterized in that ozone-enhanced air or water is supplied to the vessel under pressure and thereby immediately in front of the vessel opening. The second agent is carried along by the injector action, and the mixture thus created is discharged as a powerful jet at the moment of combination into the vessel is injected.

2. System for carrying out the process, consisting of a system formed from injector- or ejector-like nozzles. A closed space containing a disinfection device and filled with ozonated air under positive pressure, for the purpose of introducing and removing the vessels are equipped with locks.