BFS Tube Head Guide Device for Microbiological Contamination Encapsulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing BFS processes fail to adequately reduce microbiological contaminants, such as spores and endotoxins, in plastic container production due to limitations in sterilization methods, especially in systems with short cycle times, leading to potential contamination of container contents and surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A tube head with an oval cross-section and a static mixer device that guides microbiologically contaminated areas into the interior of the polymer tube, ensuring inhomogeneous distribution and encapsulation of contaminants, thereby preventing them from affecting the container contents or outer surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sterilization methods (heat treatment at 80-140°C or chemical agents) are used in BFS processes, then microbiological contaminants can be reduced, but the cycle time increases significantly (10-18 seconds or longer) making the process impractical for modern high-speed production
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a preliminary sterilization step where the extruder barrel and screw are sterilized before the BFS process using steam or chemical agents. This pre-sterilization prevents contamination at the source, allowing the subsequent high-speed BFS process (2-4 seconds) to maintain sterility without requiring additional sterilization time during production.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention separates the sterilization function from the main BFS process by extracting it to a preliminary step. The sterilization of processing equipment is performed independently before production, allowing the BFS process itself to proceed at full speed without interruption for sterilization.
2Reliability
If high temperatures (above 200°C) are applied for sterilization, then reliable sterilization is achieved, but the choice of plastic materials is limited to high-temperature polymers, excluding common pharmaceutical packaging materials like polyethylene and polypropylene
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs sterilization preliminarily on the processing equipment (extruder barrel, screw, hose head) before the plastic material is introduced. This allows sterilization at temperatures suitable for the equipment materials without exposing the temperature-sensitive plastic polymers to high temperatures that would degrade them.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the processing equipment as an intermediary sterilization barrier. The equipment is sterilized first, then cooled and used to process the plastic material at lower temperatures, effectively transferring the sterilization benefit without exposing the plastic to high temperatures.
3Reliability
If the polymer melt is contaminated with bacterial spores, then thermal deactivation occurs during prolonged heat exposure, but the reduction in bacterial count is only slight (10² to 10⁴ CFU/g) and insufficient for sterile pharmaceutical packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention preliminarily sterilizes the processing equipment before polymer processing, preventing spore contamination in the first place. This eliminates the need for prolonged thermal deactivation during production, as the contamination source is removed beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies preliminary anti-contamination measures by sterilizing the extruder and processing equipment before production. This preventive approach counteracts potential contamination before it occurs, rather than relying on slow thermal deactivation during the production process.
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
Significantly inactivates bacterial spores and endotoxins by encapsulating them within uncontaminated plastic material, reducing the microbiological load by factors of up to 230 compared to conventional methods, ensuring the sterility of container contents and surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a guide device for the plastic material flow which guides flow of the molten plastic material in such a way that microbiologically contaminated areas are guided into the interior of the polymer tube
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for reducing the microbiological contaminants of container products which consist predominantly of plastics materials. In said device a plastics granulate is fed to an extruder assembly (19) which melts the granulate, said granulate being subsequently supplied to a form fill seal machine for producing the relevant container product. The device also comprises a guide assembly (35) for the targeted guidance of the plasticated plastics material from the extruder assembly (19) to said machine. The device is characterised in that at least one guide assembly (35) has at least one flow or channel guide (41) for the melted plastics material, so that microbiological contaminants are guided predominantly into the interior of the wall of the polymeric tube, said interior being enclosed by regions of the plastics material that are less contaminated.