Cold aseptic bottling plants require new plant concepts for the disinfection and/or sterilization of bottles and caps, in the areas of cleaning- and disinfection technology, equipment- and machine hygiene as well as the handling of personnel. Bottle rinsers as well as cappers are positioned in clean rooms.

 

An external disinfection has to take place in regular intervals by means of a permanently installed nozzle system; this nozzle system is also used for the automatic foam cleaning. These so-called CIP (Clean in Place) and SIP (Sterilize in Place) processes make sure that the biological risk is kept at a minimum. From a nozzle manufacturer’s point of view, there are numerous solutions - especially for this field – which can influence the overall result positively with regard to optimal hygiene. For this application, Lechler offers nozzles and rotating cleaning heads, which have proven themselves in practice and can be used on a large scale. This also includes a specific selection of nozzles in the „hygienic design“. In addition, Lechler is a member of EHEDG.

 

 

 

Cold Aseptic Filling (CAF)

Cold aseptic filling into plastic bottles means a separated disinfection of product, container and seals as well as a consolidation of these three components under sterile conditions.

Goal of aseptic filling is to avoid a fast bacterial contamination of the fresh bottles. The success of the procedure is determined by the selection of the disinfectant, the usage conditions such as concentration, residence time, temperature and pH-value.

 

The aseptic plant consists of the following modules: sterilizer (1), rinser (2), filler (3), inertization and capper (4). For the most part, these modules are linked via Neck-Handling-Stars (clamps) in a block assembly. The modules are located in the clean room. A disinfection / sterilization of all outer surfaces within the clean room has to be conducted in regular intervals. Lechler nozzles in hygienic design are applied successfully for disinfection / sterilization by the bevereage industry.

 

 

 

Lechler nozzles in a cold aseptic filler

Lechler nozzles are used thereby in the following areas: 

1. Injection of PES (peracetic acid + steam)	Pneumatic nozzles
2. External cleaning of bottle with PES	Flat jet nozzles
3. CIP-cleaning	Rotating heads/rotating lances
4. CIP-cleaning	Flat jet and tongue type nozzles

Pneumatic nozzles for bottle disinfection

Task of the nozzles:

• Interior disinfection of the bottle by a peracetic acid-/hot steam mixture.

•As even distribution and atomization of the peracetic acid-/hot steam mixture in the bottle over the entire interior surface as possible.

As soon as the bottle was brought in position, theprecision nozzle sprays peracetic acid in a superheated steam mixture. The regulation of the liquid quantity is made by an upstream dosing pump. In order to guarantee a simultaneous supply of steam and acid, opening and reasoning are made by single solenoid valves. 

 

Lechler nozzles for external bottle cleaning

• Flat jet nozzles are used to spray peracetic acid to the outer surface of the bottle

Injector circle procedures

 

 

Lechler Nozzles within the cold aseptic filler

As already shown in the previous example, the nozzles have to be angled within the room in a way that preferably all areas of the plant are covered by the nozzles jets. For areas which are either not covered well by the rotary cleaners or for areas where the biological risk is too high, single nozzles are used in addition to the rotary cleaners. The jet of these nozzles is angled to cover these areas.