Method and installation for the sterile filling of containers

Abstract

A method and an installation for the sterile filling of containers with a product, wherein the method includes, after the container has been filled with the product and before it is sealed, introducing liquid nitrogen is introduced into the container. The container is then sealed. The installation of the dosing system for the liquid nitrogen is sterilized at least once with hydrogen peroxide. The containers are conveyed along at least one linear conveyance path from a filling station to the area of the dosing system.

1 . A method for sterile filling of a container with a product, for method comprising, after the container has been filled with the product and before it is sealed, introducing liquid nitrogen into the container, and then sealing the container, further comprising sterilizing a dosing system for the liquid nitrogen at least once with hydrogen peroxide, and conveying the containers along at least one linear conveyance path from a filling station to an area of the dosing system. 
   
   
       2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising positioning the linear conveyance path is positioned in the vicinity of a linear filler. 
   
   
       3 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising carrying out a pressure-tight sealing of the container at no less than five seconds after the dosing of the liquid nitrogen. 
   
   
       4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising carried out a pressure-tight sealing of the container at no less than ten seconds after the dosing of the liquid nitrogen. 
   
   
       5 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising sealing the container pressure-tight after a predetermined liquid nitrogen vaporization time has elapsed. 
   
   
       6 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising carrying out the sterilization with hydrogen peroxide as part of a maintenance program. 
   
   
       7 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising carrying out the sterilization with hydrogen peroxide at predetermined intervals of time. 
   
   
       8 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising carrying out the sterilization with hydrogen peroxide before a production run. 
   
   
       9 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising flushing the headspace of the filled container with the liquid nitrogen during its vaporization. 
   
   
       10 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a closure is first placed loosely on the container after the liquid nitrogen has been dosed and is not joined pressure-tight with the container until after a predetermined vaporization time has elapsed. 
   
   
       11 . An installation for sterile filling of containers with a product, the installation comprising at least one conveyance system for the containers, at least one filling station, at least one dosing system for liquid nitrogen, and at least one sealing station for sealing the containers, wherein the dosing system is coupled with a sterilization unit, which the sterilization unit being connected with a supply system for supplying hydrogen peroxide, and the conveyance system is a linear conveyor for at least part of its length. 
   
   
       12 . The installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the conveyance system has at least two conveyance paths that are parallel to each other. 
   
   
       13 . The installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the dosing system comprises at least one dosing valve operated with compressed gas. 
   
   
       14 . The installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the sterilization unit has a sterilization valve for the controlled dosing of hydrogen peroxide. 
   
   
       15 . An installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the dosing valve is connected with the hydrogen peroxide supply via a connecting line and a shutoff valve. 
   
   
       16 . An installation in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein a supply line for the hydrogen peroxide is provided downstream of the shutoff valve in the direction of flow of the nitrogen. 
   
   
       17 . An installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a supply line for hydrogen peroxide is provided in the direction of flow of the nitrogen in an initial section of a distributor line. 
   
   
       18 . An installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a nitrogen nozzle connected to the dosing valve is configured to open in the area of its expansion facing away from the dosing valve. 
   
   
       19 . The installation in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the nitrogen nozzle is mounted by a nozzle carrier, the nozzle carrier being located mostly outside of the sterile zone. 
   
   
       20 . An installation in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein an end of the nozzle carrier extending into the sterile zone is enclosed by a cover sleeve. 
   
   
       21 . An installation in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the cover sleeve is screwed onto the nozzle carrier. 
   
   
       22 . An installation in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the cover sleeve is elastically supported relative to a wall that bounds the sterile zone. 
   
   
       23 . An installation in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the joining of the nozzle carrier and cover sleeve compensates stresses by variable length changes of the distributor line and the wall. 
   
   
       24 . An installation in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein a threaded region connecting the nozzle carrier with the cover sleeve is sealed relative to the sterile zone. 
   
   
       25 . An installation in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle carrier is clamped relative to the wall by means of the cover sleeve. 
   
   
       26 . An installation in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein a sterilization of the nitrogen is carried out in the vicinity of the filling system. 
   
   
       27 . An installation in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein a heat exchanger is used to liquefy the sterile nitrogen. 
   
   
       28 . An installation in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the dosing system is positioned downstream of the filling station and upstream of the sealing station with respect to the direction of conveyance of the containers.