Method for Cleaning Beverage Filling Lines

• US 20100139709A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: aquagroup AG
• Original Assignee: aquagroup AG
• Inventors: Saefkow, Michael, Czech, Manuel, Philipps, André
• Application Number:
  US12/448,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100139709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 55/10 by liquids or gases
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 45/22 comprising fluid applying means
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/001 Cleaning of filling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/005 Cleaning outside parts of filling devices

Abstract

In a process for cleaning beverage filling plants, one or more beverage filling devices (30) including a filling head (32) inside a beverage filling chamber (20) of the beverage filling line (20) are rinsed during the operation of the beverage filling line continuously or intermittently with an aqueous, hygienically non-hazardous cleaning agent (110), present at ambient temperature. Preferably, in addition, vessels (48) which, in the beverage filling chamber (40a) are filled with a beverage (35) and/or a conveyer device (6) for conveying the vessels to the beverage filling chamber (20), are rinsed continuously or intermittently with the cleaning agent (110). The cleaning agent preferably has disinfectant activity.

Claims

1. Process for cleaning beverage filling lines, in which one or more beverage filling devices (30) including a filling head (32) inside a beverage filling chamber (20) of the beverage filling line, during the operation of the beverage filling line are continuously or intermittently rinsed with an aqueous, hygienically non-hazardous cleaning agent (110), present at an ambient temperature and differing from natural water.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that also vessels (40a), which in the beverage filling chamber (2) are filled with a beverage (35) are rinsed continuously or intermittently during the operation of the beverage filling line, inside the vessel filling chamber (2) with the cleaning agent (110).

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that also a conveyer device (60) for the conveyance of the vessels (40a) during its movement through the beverage filling chamber (20) is rinsed continuously or intermittently with cleaning agent (110).

4. Process according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the vessels (40a) are represented by bottles, cans or small barrels.

5. Process according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the conveyer device (60) and the conveyed, filled, non-closed vessels (40b), after leaving the filling chamber (20), are rinsed continuously or intermittently with the cleaning agent (110) during the operation of the beverage filling line, the rinsing being optionally a further rinsing.

6. Process according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the conveyer device (60) is circulated and prior to its re-entry into the filling chamber (20), is again rinsed continuously or intermittently during the operation of the beverage filling line.

7. Process according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cleaning agent (110) is sprayed from nozzles (82, 84, 8586, 88, 90, 92, 100, 101, 102, 103) onto the objects (30, 32, 40a, 40b, 60) to be cleaned, mentioned in one of claims 1 to 4.

8. Process according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cleaning agent (110) is apportioned into the nozzles (82, 84, 85, 86, 88, 90, 92, 100, 101, 102, 103) as needed.

9. Process according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cleaning agent (110) contains a mixture of tap water and a cleaning concentrate.

10. Process according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cleaning agent is represented by a disinfecting agent.

11. Process according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the cleaning agent contains one or more molecules/ions/radicals selected from ClO^.;

ClO^-;

HClO;

OH^.;

HO₂^-;

H₂O₂;

O₃;

S₂O₈^{2 -};

Cl₂;

Cl;

HO₂^.;

O₂;

O₂^.;

30₂;

10₂;

O^.;

H₃O;

H^.;

Cl₂O ;

ClO₂;

HCl;

Cl₂O₇;

H₂SO₄; and

HSO₃ and the pH amounts to 2 to 8, preferably 7, and the redox potential amounts to +300 mV up to +1200 mV.

12. Process according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the cleaning agent used is NADES (concentrate).

13. Process according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the beverage (35) is beer. Process according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the beverage (35) is mineral water, juice, wine, spirits, other alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic mixed beverages or milk.