Aseptic Filling System Pressure Equalization via Sterile Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aseptic filling systems face challenges in maintaining constant pressure to prevent foam formation and ensure accurate filling volume due to pressure fluctuations in the gas space of the boiler, which are difficult to manage without compromising sterility and incurring high costs with existing filter solutions.
Innovation Solution
The system establishes a pressure balance between the gas space in the boiler and the gas environment around the discharge opening by using a connecting piece that opens into a sterile room, with a closure and flushing line for cleaning and sterilization, ensuring constant equal pressure during filling and eliminating pressure fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filters are used for pressure equalization in aseptic filling, then sterility is maintained, but pressure loss occurs and pressure fluctuations cannot be completely avoided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure equalization function from the sterile environment by providing a pressure equalization connection that opens into the sterile room rather than using filters within the sterile pathway. This allows pressure equalization to occur outside the sterile zone, eliminating the need for filters and associated pressure losses while maintaining sterility through the isolator design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile room acts as an intermediary medium for pressure equalization. Instead of using filters as intermediaries in the fluid pathway, the sterile room provides a large-volume gas space that mediates pressure equalization between the filling vessel and the external environment, avoiding pressure losses while maintaining the sterile barrier.
2Reliability
If filters are used for pressure equalization, then sterility is maintained, but investment costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes filters from the pressure equalization pathway entirely by opening the pressure equalization connection into the sterile room. This extraction eliminates the need for expensive filter components and their associated infrastructure, significantly reducing investment costs while maintaining sterility through the isolator design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the gas space is connected to atmosphere with large cross-section, then pressure fluctuations are avoided, but sterility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile room serves as an intermediary space that provides atmospheric connection for pressure stability while maintaining sterility. The large-volume gas space in the sterile room acts as a buffer that absorbs pressure fluctuations, and the isolator walls maintain the sterile barrier, combining the benefits of both approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the pressure equalization connection from the fluid filling dimension to the gaseous atmosphere dimension by opening into the sterile room. This dimensional shift allows pressure equalization to occur through a large cross-section gas space without compromising the liquid filling sterility, as the connection is made in the gaseous phase within the isolator.
4Reliability
If filters are used for pressure equalization, then sterility is maintained, but filter condition monitoring becomes extremely difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure equalization function from the filtered pathway and relocates it to the sterile room atmosphere. This eliminates filters from the system entirely, removing the monitoring problem and allowing direct observation and maintenance of the pressure equalization opening without complex monitoring infrastructure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design maintains consistent filling speed, prevents foam formation, and allows for effective cleaning and sterilization without contamination, reducing investment costs and improving the accuracy of filling operations under clean room conditions.
Implementation Method 1
establishes a pressure balance between the gas space in the boiler and the gas environment around the discharge opening
Implementation Method 2
The at least one pressure equalization opening can be closed by a closure element, so that the pressure equalization opening is free of a cleaning and/or sterilization medium during cleaning and/or sterilization
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a filling system for the sterile filling of bottles or similar containers (2) with a filling material, having at least one filling element (1) for discharging the liquid filling material into the respective container via a discharge opening (1.1), a sterile chamber (5) in which the discharge opening of the at least one filling element is disposed and in which the containers are accommodated at a container section comprising the respective container opening (2. 2), a tank (9) that forms a partial chamber (9.1) for receiving the liquid filling material and a gas chamber (9.2) positioned above said partial chamber, to said gas chamber a sterile gaseous and/or vaporous media can be applied, and comprising a device for the pressure equalization in the gas chamber of the tank, wherein the device for pressure equalization is formed by at least one pressure equalization connection (12, 17, 19; 14, 23, 24) between the gas chamber (9. 2) and the sterile chamber (5).