Beverage Bottle Sterilization with Hydrogen Peroxide Mist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beverage filling apparatuses face issues such as incomplete sterilization, defective bottle production, excessive hydrogen peroxide consumption, and equipment corrosion due to inefficient hydrogen peroxide mist distribution and handling, leading to suboptimal sterilization and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A beverage filling method and apparatus that includes a blow molding process for forming bottles from heated preforms, followed by inspection, hydrogen peroxide mist sterilization, and aseptic water rinsing, with continuous bottle travel and gripper-based conveying to ensure proper sterilization and minimize hydrogen peroxide usage, while preventing equipment corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydrogen peroxide mist is used for sterilization, then sterilization effect is improved, but equipment corrosion increases
Solution Approach 1:
A water spray system is introduced as an intermediary between the hydrogen peroxide mist and the equipment. The water spray captures and removes excess hydrogen peroxide mist before it can contact and corrode the equipment, thereby protecting the equipment while maintaining the sterilization effect on the bottles
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful hydrogen peroxide mist is extracted and removed from the environment using water spray interception. The water spray system actively removes the harmful substance (hydrogen peroxide mist) from the air, preventing its harmful effects on equipment while allowing the sterilization process to continue
2Productivity
If bottles are conveyed through sterilization section, then continuous production is improved, but sterilization completeness deteriorates due to bottle contact
Solution Approach 1:
The bottle conveying system uses rotating turntables that continuously move bottles through the sterilization zone. This dynamic rotation ensures bottles are constantly exposed to hydrogen peroxide mist from multiple angles, preventing contact between bottles while maintaining continuous production and complete sterilization coverage
3Measurement precision
If inspection section is added before sterilization, then defective bottle detection is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection section operates continuously alongside the sterilization process rather than as a separate sequential step. Bottles are inspected for defects while moving through the production line, and the inspection data is processed in real-time, allowing defective bottles to be identified and removed without interrupting the continuous flow or adding significant time to the production cycle
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
The solution ensures effective sterilization of bottles with reduced hydrogen peroxide consumption, prevents defective bottle production, and minimizes equipment corrosion, resulting in improved sterilization efficiency and operational cost reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a sterilization section for sterilizing the bottle molded in the molding section by mist of hydrogen peroxide
Implementation Method 2
forming a bottle (1) from a heated preform (6) through a blow molding process
Data Source
AI summary
Only a bottle properly preliminarily heated is sterilized by hydrogen peroxide. Temperature inspection to the bottle is performed while travelling the bottle. During the inspection, a bottle of which temperature does not reach a predetermined temperature is removed and a bottle of which temperature reaches the predetermined temperature is continuously travelled, hydrogen peroxide condensed mist α is blown toward a mouth portion 1a of the bottle by a spray tube 59 disposed at a predetermined position, and hot air is blown into the bottle from the nozzle while the nozzle 64 following the mouth portion of the bottle. According to such operation, only the bottle properly heated can be sterilized by the hydrogen peroxide, Thereafter, beverage fills the bottle, which is then sealed.