JPH0233575B2 - MUKINJUTENSOCHI - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an aseptic filling device that can perform a series of filling operations without any mechanical hindrance and under completely sterile conditions. The present invention relates to an aseptic filling device having a mechanism for cooling and preparing condensed water and a structure for supplying the same sterile condensed water to a liquid-contacting part inside the filling device.

As is well known, sterile liquid foods such as soup, milk, juice, etc. (hereinafter referred to as fillers) that have been sterilized in advance are filled into containers such as paper packs and bottles while maintaining the same sterile state. When operating a so-called aseptic filling device, it is necessary to sterilize the internal liquid parts of the device (parts that come into direct contact with the filling material, such as the filling distribution path and retention points) prior to actual operation. be. Normally, high-temperature steam is used for this sterilization process, and after the temperature of the liquid inside the filling device rises to 100°C or higher, sufficient steam is flowed in to maintain the temperature for several minutes to several tens of minutes, resulting in sterilization. Processing is planned. By the way, so-called filling devices usually have many so-called driving parts, such as a piston-cylinder mechanism for measuring the filling material and a three-way cock for changing or stopping the flow of the filling material. Naturally, these drive parts are also heated to a high temperature by the sterilization process, and as a result, the metals, synthetic rubber, etc. that make up the drive parts undergo thermal expansion, and the friction inside the drive parts increases. There is almost no clearance between the parts (fitting parts), and therefore a large amount of power is required to start the filling operation after sterilization. Furthermore, under such high temperatures, if the metal forming the drive section is soft, there is a risk that the metal surface of the mating portion will be damaged when the operation is started. Furthermore, in terms of the quality of the filling, it is not preferable to supply or flow the filling when the liquid contact part is in a high temperature state, as this may lead to deterioration or scorching of the filling. Therefore, at present, the filling operation is started only after the entire wetted part has cooled down to a level that does not affect the quality of the filling material or particularly the operation of the drive section.

However, as mentioned above, the temperature of the wetted parts, which are heated over time with high-temperature steam to achieve complete sterilization, decreases extremely slowly, so it takes a considerable amount of time to cool them down, which results in time loss. This will significantly reduce production efficiency. In addition, the drive section at this point is almost dry, so the frictional resistance between the sliding parts is extremely large, and not only does it require a large amount of power to start the operation, but also the frictional resistance between the sliding parts is extremely high. There is also a high possibility of damaging existing O-rings and gaskets.

In view of the current situation, the inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive research to solve the problems of conventional filling devices, and as a result, they have prepared sterile condensed water from the steam used for sterilization, and It has been found that by supplying and flowing water into the wetted parts immediately after sterilization, the filling operation can be carried out smoothly and without any hindrance without any time delay after sterilization. This is because the condensed water obtained from the steam rapidly cools the wetted parts, and
This is because the condensed water also enters between the rubbing parts in the drive part and acts as a lubricant.In addition, since this condensed water is sterile water instead of high-temperature steam, the sterile state of the connection parts is completely guaranteed. can be maintained. The present invention has been made based on the above findings, and is characterized by having a mechanism for cooling and preparing sterile condensed water from steam, and a structure for supplying the sterile condensed water to the internal liquid part of a filling device. Related to filling equipment.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In the drawing, 1 is a steam pipe capable of supplying desired high-temperature steam, and is connected to a heat exchanger 3 via an on-off valve 2. As the heat exchanger 3 used in the present invention, any commonly used heat exchanger can be used, including the illustrated plate type, jacket type, and tubular type. Further, the heat exchange function can also be performed by a water cooling jacket provided around the hopper body, as will be described later.
Further, a cold water supply pipe 5 is connected to the heat exchanger 3 via an on-off valve 4, and a drain discharge pipe 8 and a hot water recovery pipe 9 are further connected via respective on-off valves 6 and 7. .

Next, FIG. 10 shows a hopper for temporarily retaining the filling material, and the hopper 10 and the heat exchanger 3 are connected via a supply pipe 11.
An on-off valve 12 is provided in the middle of the valve 1.
In the figure, 13 is a filling supply pipe, and an on-off valve 14
It is connected to the hopper 10 via. The supply pipe 11 may have a structure in which it is directly connected to the hopper 10, but as shown in the figure, the filler supply pipe 1
If the structure is such that the filling material supply pipe is connected and merged in the middle of 3, it is possible to simultaneously perform sterilization or cooling treatment inside the filling supply pipe after the same merging point. Furthermore, in the present invention,
It is also possible to connect a separate steam supply pipe to the middle of the filling material supply pipe 13 or to its starting point, and the inflow of the steam can sterilize the filling material supply pipe and also prevent the supply of steam to the internal liquid parts of the filling device. It is also possible to reinforce the amount and shorten the sterilization time. Furthermore, it is also possible to connect a separate steam supply pipe directly to the hopper.

Next, 15 in the figure is the hopper 10 and the three-way kettle 1.
Piston connected via 6. It is a cylinder part, and 17 in the figure is a piston via a three-way socket 16. This is a nozzle section located on the opposite side of the cylinder section 15. Piston/cylinder part 15
By interlocking the lifting and lowering operations of the piston 18 and the rotational operation of the three-way pot 16, a fixed amount of filling material is supplied via the hopper 10 from the filling opening 19 to the bottom of the opening. (not shown)
is filled with. The area around the filling opening 19 of the nozzle part 17 is in a sterile atmosphere, such as in a so-called sterile room, and the system is such that filling operations can be performed aseptically.The filling container is also sterilized in the previous process by an appropriate method. The system is such that the product is processed and then subjected to the same filling process while maintaining the same sterile conditions.

Next, 20 and 21 in the figure are steam drains during sterilization processing or sterile water discharge pipes during cooling processing, with the discharge pipe 20 starting from the nozzle section 17, and the discharge pipe 21 starting from the piston cylinder section 15. , all of which are in communication with a steam trap set 22. Further, the end of the discharge pipe 20 on the steam trap set side is connected to a branch pipe 24 equipped with an on-off valve 23. The steam trap set 22 connected to the discharge pipe is connected to an on-off valve 25 installed on the same pipe.
and 26, and a bypass pipe 29 in which a steam trap 27 and an on-off valve 28 are interposed. Furthermore, the discharge pipe 20 has a removable structure, and during sterilization or cooling processing, it can be left attached to drain steam or discharge sterile water, while during filling operation, the discharge pipe can be removed. After that, filling containers are sequentially placed at the same location to perform the filling process.

Next, reference numeral 30 in the figure is an outside air introduction pipe that communicates with outside air via an on-off valve 31 and a sterile filter 32, and the introduction pipe is branched in the middle to reach the hopper 10.
Alternatively, it is connected to the piston/cylinder section 15. This occurs during cooling treatment after sterilization, etc.
This device is installed in the hopper 10 to prevent outside air containing bacteria from being sucked into the filling device from the piping joint valve or opening/closing valve when the internal pressure of the filling device drops below atmospheric pressure. When the pressure gauge 33 indicates a pressure below atmospheric pressure, the opening/closing valve 31 is opened to introduce sterile air, thereby maintaining the inside of the filling device at a pressure above the atmospheric pressure and maintaining a completely sterile state. Further, the outside air introduction pipe 30 may have a structure connected to a clean pressurized air supply source, and when this structure is used, the pressure inside the filling device can be adjusted in a shorter time.

Next, sterilization, cooling, and filling processing operations using the aseptic filling apparatus of the present invention will be explained.

First, in carrying out the sterilization process, the piston 18 is lowered to the position shown in FIG.
Further, the three-way socket 16 is rotatably fixed in a state in which the three sides of the hopper 10, the piston/cylinder section 15, and the nozzle section 17 are in communication with each other. Then, the discharge pipe 20 is installed as shown in FIG.

Next, the on-off valve 6 attached to the drain discharge pipe 8 is opened to discharge the remaining cooling water that was cooled and condensed during the pre-cooling process from the heat exchanger 3, and the on-off valves 23, 25 and 26 are opened. It is in the open state, and the on-off valve 28 is closed. Then, the on-off valves 2 and 12 are opened, respectively, and high-temperature steam at a predetermined temperature is introduced from the steam pipe 1 through the heat exchanger 3 into the liquid-contacted part of the filling apparatus. By introducing this high-temperature steam, after the wetted part reaches a predetermined temperature, the same state is further maintained for a period of time corresponding to the desired degree of sterilization, and the sterilization process is completed.

The steam train generated during the sterilization process is discharged to the outside through the steam trap set 22. At the end of the sterilization process, the driving parts such as the piston 18 or the three-way cock 16 have thermally expanded due to high-temperature heating. The clearance is almost non-existent, and if this continues, it will be extremely difficult to smoothly raise, lower, or rotate the container during the subsequent filling process. Furthermore, other parts in contact with the liquid, such as the hopper, are naturally under high temperature, and from the quality of the filling material, it is not possible to immediately start the filling process.

Therefore, in the apparatus of the present invention, immediately after the above-mentioned sterilization process is completed, a cooling process is performed to lower the temperature of the parts in contact with the liquid that are under high temperature. Mikata Kotuku 16
The discharge pipe 20 was maintained in the same state as during the sterilization process, and while the steam supply from the steam pipe 1 continued, the on-off valves 25 and 26 were closed, and the on-off valves 4 and 7 were opened. In this state, by flowing cold water into the heat exchanger 3 from the cold water supply pipe 5, sterile condensed water is prepared from steam in the heat exchanger and is supplied to each part in contact with the liquid through the supply pipe 11. At this time, the hot water generated in the heat exchanger is initially discharged from the drain discharge pipe 8 when it is in a boiling state, and then the on-off valve 6 is closed and the hot water recovery pipe 9 is released.
The waste will be discharged, recovered, and used for various purposes.

The condensed water supplied into the filling device quickly cools the parts that come in contact with the liquid, shrinks the drive parts that are in a state of thermal expansion, and also enters between the mating parts in the drive part, causing each contact Forms a film of water on the surface, which acts as a lubricant and facilitates subsequent drive processing operations. Furthermore, since the condensed water is converted from high-temperature steam, it is naturally sterile water, and therefore, the sterility of the parts inside the filling device that come into contact with the liquid through pre-sterilization treatment is completely ensured. can.

The above cooling process is performed with the on-off valve 28 in the steam trap set closed, and the sterile water is temporarily retained in the wetted area, and the on-off valve 28 is opened at any time to discharge it, so that the wetted area is as desired. It is preferable to repeat the same operation until the temperature is lowered to , whereby a uniform cooling effect can be expected over all parts in contact with the liquid.

There are various ways to prepare sterile water, such as ultraviolet irradiation and chemical treatment, in addition to cooling and coagulating steam, but the most common method of preparing sterile water is to use high-temperature steam for sterilization, as in the present invention. The filling device mechanism can be made the simplest in structure, and it is extremely advantageous economically. The amount of sterile water supplied during the cooling process is determined by the structure of the filling device or the capacity of the liquid-contacting part inside the filling device, and the cooling process with sterile water is continued until the temperature of the liquid-contacted part falls below a predetermined temperature. At this time, there is a risk that the internal pressure of the filling device will drop below atmospheric pressure, so the hopper 1
When the pressure gauge 33 attached to the 0 shows a pressure below atmospheric pressure, immediately open the on-off valve 31 to introduce sterile air, maintain the internal pressure of the filling device above atmospheric pressure, and prevent bacteria from entering the pipe joints, etc. prevent inhalation of outside air containing When the cooling process is completed, the on-off valve 12 is first closed, then the on-off valve 2 is closed to stop the supply of steam, the on-off valves 4 and 7 are closed to stop the supply of cold water, and then the on-off valve 23 is closed. , 28 respectively.

In the present invention, it is also possible to prepare sterile water from steam using a water cooling jacket 35 which is disposed around the hopper body and connected to a cold water supply pipe 34, as shown in FIG. When using the same preparation method, after sterilizing with steam in the same manner as described above, open/close valve 2 in the steam trap set.
5 and 26 are opened, and while continuing to supply steam to the connections, cold water is supplied to the water cooling jacket 35 to condense the steam by cooling it from the side of the hopper, and to fill the wetted parts with sterile condensed water. This is done by residence. At this time, the sterile water is discharged by draining the on-off valve 28 in the steam trap set at any time, and this retention and discharge operation is repeated depending on the desired degree of cooling. However, when preparing sterile water using a hopper, the heat exchange rate is significantly inferior to that using a heat exchanger due to the large hopper capacity, and as a result, the cooling process takes time, reducing production efficiency. causing a decline.

In the present invention, it is possible to carry out the next filling process immediately after the completion of the cooling process, and when performing the same filling process, first, after removing the discharge pipe 20 from the nozzle part 17. , filling opening 19
A pre-sterilized filling container such as a paper pack is supplied and placed below. Thereafter, the three-way pot 16 is rotated, and the piston 18 is raised to the respective positions as shown in FIG.
The water is fed and retained in the hopper 10 through the water. Next, the three-way pot 16 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 4, thereby filling the piston/cylinder portion 15 with the filling material. Next, rotate the three-sided lock 16 and fix it in the position shown in FIG. 5, and at the same time,
By raising the piston 18 to the position shown in FIG. 5, a predetermined amount of filling is filled into the filling container through the filling opening 19, and the filling operation is completed. The filling operation is repeated.

Since the aseptic filling device of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, it has an extremely simple structure in terms of mechanical equipment.
Moreover, the steam used to sterilize the liquid-contacting parts inside the filling device can also be used to produce sterile water, and the sterile water can be used to cool the liquid-contacted parts or as a lubricant for the drive parts, and after sterilization. Subsequent filling operations can be carried out smoothly in an extremely short period of time without any problems. In addition, according to the filling device of the present invention, a series of processing operations can be performed under completely sterile conditions, and furthermore, no problems arise in terms of the quality of the filling material subjected to the filling processing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the aseptic filling device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the hopper section of another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a flowchart from the filling supply pipe to the hopper. An explanatory diagram showing the state of the drive part when the filling is flowing in, Figure 4 shows the piston and
Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the drive part when the filling is flowing into the cylinder part. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the driving part when the filling is flowing from the piston/cylinder part to the filling nozzle part. be. 1... Steam pipe, 2... Opening/closing valve, 3... Heat exchanger, 4... Opening/closing valve, 5... Cold water supply pipe,
6, 7...Opening/closing valve, 8...Drain discharge pipe,
9... Hot water recovery pipe, 10... Hopper, 11...
Supply pipe, 12... Opening/closing valve, 13... Filling supply pipe, 14... Opening/closing valve, 15... Piston.
Cylinder part, 16... Three-way cock, 17... Nozzle part, 18... Piston, 19... Filling opening, 20, 21... Discharge pipe, 22... Steam trap set, 23... Opening/closing valve, 24 ...Branch pipe, 25, 26... Opening/closing valve, 27... Steam trap, 28... Opening/closing valve, 29... Bypass piping, 30... Outside air introduction pipe, 31... Opening/closing valve, 32... Sterile filter , 33...Pressure gauge, 34...Cold water supply pipe, 35...Water cooling jacket.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an aseptic filling device that sterilizes the internal liquid parts of the device with steam prior to the filling operation, the hopper and the heat exchanger are connected by a supply pipe, and the heat exchanger has a steam pipe, a cold water supply pipe, and a hot water recovery pipe. The pipes are connected to each other via on-off valves, and the hopper is provided with a filling supply pipe and an outside air introduction pipe through a sterile filter at its upper part, and a nozzle part and a piston part connected to each other through a three-way socket below the hopper. A sterile filling device in which a cylinder part is connected and a sterile water discharge pipe is removably installed in the filling opening of the nozzle part.