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EP-4735230-A1 - CONDUIT SYSTEM, DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AND/OR FILLING CONTAINERS AND PLANT FOR PRODUCING AND/OR TREATING CONTAINERS

EP4735230A1EP 4735230 A1EP4735230 A1EP 4735230A1EP-4735230-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a conduit system (10), in particular for a device for producing and/or filling containers from preforms (12) made of thermoplastic material, wherein the conduit system (10) is designed to connect at least one fluid source (14) for providing pressurised fluid, in particular blown air or filling material, to at least one opening (16), in particular a blowing and/or filling opening for connection to a mouth of a container, in particular a preform (12), wherein the conduit system (10) has at least one radiation source (18-24) for ionising radiation, in particular beta and/or gamma radiation, for sterilising the pressurised fluid flowing through the conduit system (10). The invention provides a conduit system (10), the operation and use of which is more cost-effective and requires less maintenance than the prior art.

Inventors

  • POLZIN, CHRISTIAN
  • WOYTAL, CORD

Assignees

  • KHS GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240618

Claims (17)

  1. 1. Line system (10), in particular for a device for producing and/or filling containers from preforms (12) made of thermoplastic material, wherein the line system (10) is designed to connect at least one fluid source (14) for providing pressurized fluid, in particular blowing air or filling material, to at least one opening (16), in particular a blowing and/or filling opening for connecting to a mouth of a container, in particular a preform (12), characterized in that the line system (10) has at least one radiation source (18 - 24) for ionizing radiation, in particular beta and/or gamma radiation, for sterilizing the pressurized fluid flowing through the line system (10).
  2. 2. Line system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiation source (18 - 24) is arranged on a supply line (26, 28) of the line system (10) and emits ionizing radiation into the supply line (26, 28).
  3. 3. Line system (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the line system (10) has at least one return line (34) for already used fluid that is still under pressure and flows through the opening (16) back into the line system (10), wherein the radiation source (18 - 24) is arranged on the return line (34).
  4. 4. Line system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the line system (10) has a first line section (30) and a second line section (32) which are connected in parallel to one another, wherein the first line section (30) has a pressure reducer (52) for the fluid flowing through the first line section (30).
  5. 5. Line system (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the radiation source (18 - 24) is arranged on the second line section (32) and emits ionizing radiation into the second line section (32).
  6. 6. Conduit system (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the radiation source (18 - 24) is arranged upstream of the first and second conduit sections (30, 32).
  7. 7. Pipe system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radiation source (18 - 24) is arranged upstream of a first valve (41) of the pipe system (10), wherein the first valve (41) controls the entire pipe system (10).
  8. 8. Device (40) for producing and/or filling containers made of thermoplastic material, in particular a stretch blow molding machine, a forming filling machine or a filling machine, comprising at least one line system (10) according to one of the preceding claims and a rotor part (48), wherein the line system (10) has a rotary inlet (54) which is fastened to the rotor part (48).
  9. 9. Device (40) according to claim 8, wherein the line system (10) is designed at least according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotary inlet (54) is arranged upstream of the first and second line sections (30, 32).
  10. 10. Device (40) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the device (40) has a plurality of forming stations or filling stations (58), wherein an opening (16) of the line system (10) opens into each forming station or filling station (58).
  11. 11. Device (40) according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the line system (10) is designed at least according to claim 3, characterized in that the return line (34) is arranged downstream of the rotary inlet (54).
  12. 12. Device (40) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the device (40) comprises the fluid source (14), wherein the fluid source (14) is preferably designed as a blowing air source or as a filling material source and in particular has a compressor for providing blowing air or filling material at a pressure of 25 bar to 50 bar, preferably 30 bar to 45 bar, more preferably 35 bar to 40 bar.
  13. 13. Device (60) for sterilizing contents in at least one container (15), wherein the device (60) has at least one receptacle (35) for a container (15) filled with filling material, characterized in that the device (60) further has at least one radiation source (25) for ionizing radiation, in particular beta and/or gamma radiation, for sterilizing filling material in at least one container (15) which is arranged in the at least one receptacle (35).
  14. 14. System (50) for producing and/or treating containers made of thermoplastic material, comprising at least one line system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 and/or at least one device (40) according to one of claims 8 to 12 and/or at least one device (60) according to claim 13, wherein the system (50) further comprises the fluid source (14), wherein the fluid source (14) is preferably designed as a blowing air source or as a filling material source and in particular has a compressor for providing blowing air or filling material at a pressure of 25 bar to 50 bar, preferably 30 to 45 bar, more preferably 35 to 40 bar.
  15. 15. Method (100) for sterilizing blowing air or filling material in a device (40) for producing and/or filling containers made of thermoplastic material, the method (100) comprising at least the following steps: feeding (102) fluid, in particular blowing air or filling material, into a line system (10) of a device (40); and Forming (104) containers by means of the fed-in fluid; characterized in that the method (100) further comprises at least the following step: Sterilizing (106) the fluid by means of a radiation source (18 - 24) emitting ionizing radiation before forming (104).
  16. 16. Method (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that the method (100) further comprises at least the following steps: Returning (108) fluid, in particular blowing air, from a formed container into a return line (34) of the line system (10); Sterilizing (110) the fluid in the return line (34) by means of the radiation source (18 - 24); and Using (112) the sterilized fluid from the return line (34) for forming (104).
  17. 17. Method (200) for sterilizing contents in a container, comprising at least the steps: Arranging (202) at least one container filled with filling material in a receptacle of a device for sterilizing filling material in at least one container; and Sterilizing (204) the contents in at least one container received by the holder by means of the radiation source of the device for sterilizing contents in at least one container.

Description

Pipe system, device for producing and/or filling containers and plant for producing and/or treating containers The invention relates to a line system, a device for producing and/or filling containers and a plant for producing and/or treating containers. Containers can be manufactured from preforms by forming, particularly stretch blow molding or a forming filling process. The preforms are made of thermoplastic material that is thermally conditioned before forming. The containers produced can be used for food or medical applications, among other things. For the production of sterile containers, it is advantageous to carry out stretch blow molding with sterile blowing air. For this purpose, it is known from EP 3 789 181 A1, for example, to sterilize the blowing air using a sterile filter. The blowing air is passed through the sterile filter, whereby the sterile filter is installed in a line through which the blowing air flows before stretch blow molding. The sterile containers are regularly serviced, in particular autoclaved, and installed under sterile conditions. Furthermore, it is known from DE 10 2010 041 165 A1 to pasteurize products by heating them after they have been filled into containers. The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method whose operation or use is easier to handle, more cost-effective and requires less maintenance than the prior art. The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description. In a line system, in particular for a device for producing and/or filling containers from preforms made of thermoplastic material, wherein the line system is designed to connect at least one fluid source for providing pressurized fluid, in particular blowing air or filling material, to at least one opening, in particular a blowing and/or filling opening for connecting to a mouth of a container, in particular a preform, it is provided according to the invention that the line system has at least one radiation source for ionizing radiation, in particular beta and/or gamma radiation, for sterilizing the pressurized fluid flowing through the line system. The invention thus provides a line system in which pressurized fluid flowing through the line system is sterilized by a radiation source with ionizing radiation. The ionizing radiation can preferably be beta radiation or gamma radiation. However, the use of X-rays or ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of at most 280 nm (UV-C) is also conceivable. The radiation source can be arranged on a section of the line system and can expose the fluid flowing through this section of the line system to radiation. Sterilization thus takes place while the fluid flows through the line system. The line system connects a fluid source that provides pressurized fluid to at least one opening. The fluid source can be designed, for example, as a compressor for blowing air or filling material. The opening can in particular be a blowing and/or filling opening that can be connected to a mouth of a container, in particular a preform. Furthermore, the blowing and/or filling opening can be arranged on a mold for a container into which a preform can be inserted. The pressurized fluid can be introduced into a preform through the blowing and/or filling opening, for example, and can transform the preform into the container. The flow of fluid occurs from the fluid source to the opening, with upstream being directed toward the fluid source and downstream being directed toward the opening. The line system can be used, in particular in a device for stretch blow molding, forming filling and/or filling containers from preforms made of thermoplastic material, for example a stretch blow molding machine, a forming filling machine or a filling machine, to provide sterilized blowing air or sterilized filling material without using sterile filters or without pasteurizing heating. This eliminates the need to replace the sterile filters, sterilize the sterile filters and sterilely install the sterilization filters or heat the filling material. The radiation source, which emits ionizing radiation, can thus provide a solution that requires less maintenance and is therefore more cost-effective than the prior art in the long term. For example, several radiation sources can be provided at different locations in the piping system. According to one example, the radiation source can be arranged on a supply line of the line system and emit ionizing radiation into the supply line. The radiation source is thus arranged on the pipe system between the fluid source and the opening. This means that the radiation source can be positioned directly on the pipe and emit ionizing radiation into the pipe in a precisely defined section of the pipe. This reduces the radiation exposure for the environment. According to a further example, the line system can have at least one return line for a