System For Producing Sterile Beverages And Containers Using Electrolyzed Water

Abstract

A system and method of producing sterile beverages and containers, e.g., cleaning, sterilizing, and pre-sterilizing the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces using electrolyzed water. The sterilization system may include a mechanical sprayer that sprays electrolyzed water on the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces. In another embodiment, the sterilization system may include a fog generator connected to an electrolyzed water generator that produces a fog within a closed sterilization enclosure to sterilize the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces. Additionally, further, in yet another embodiment, the sterilization system may include an electrostatic fog generator connected to an electrolyzed water generator that produces an electrostatic, positively-charged fog within a closed sterilization enclosure. The electrostatic, positively-charged fog is attracted to the negatively charged or grounded bottles, caps, and critical surfaces to sterilize the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces.

1 . A sterilization system used to achieve sterile beverages and sterilize bottles and caps, wherein the bottles contain the sterile beverage and the caps cover the bottles, the sterilization system comprising:
 a bottle sterilizer for sterilizing the bottles, wherein the bottle sterilizer discharges electrolyzed water onto the bottles;   a cap sterilizer for sterilizing the caps, wherein the cap sterilizer discharges electrolyzed water onto the caps; and   a filler station that includes a filler sterilizer and a filler that includes product-contact surfaces, wherein the filler fills the bottles with the beverage and caps the bottles, wherein the filler sterilizer sterilizes the filler station before the initiation of production by discharging electrolyzed water on the product-contact surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The sterilization system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottle sterilizer, the cap sterilizer, and the filler sterilizer include a mechanical sprayer that includes nozzles that discharge a spray of electrolyzed water onto the bottles, the caps, and the product-contact surfaces respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The sterilization system according to  claim 2 , wherein the spray of electrolyzed water is at a concentration range of approximately 50 to 100 PPM as measured as free chlorine, a temperature range of approximately 10 to 30 degrees Celsius, and a hold time range of approximately 5 to 30 minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The sterilization system according to  claim 2 , wherein the spray of electrolyzed water is at a concentration range of approximately 100 to 1000 PPM as measured as free chlorine, a temperature range of approximately 25 to 65 degrees Celsius, and a hold time range of approximately 5 to 30 seconds. 
     
     
         5 . The sterilization system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottle sterilizer, the cap sterilizer, and the filler sterilizer include a fog generator that discharges a fog of electrolyzed water onto the bottles, the caps, and the product-contact surfaces respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The sterilization system according to  claim 5 , wherein the fog of electrolyzed water is discharged at a concentration range of approximately 50 to 100 PPM as measured as free chlorine and a temperature range of approximately 10 to 30 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         7 . The sterilization system according to  claim 5 , wherein the fog of electrolyzed water is discharged at a concentration range or approximately 100 to 1000 PPM as measured as free chlorine and a temperature range of approximately 25 to 65 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         8 . The sterilization system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottle sterilizer, the cap sterilizer, and the filler sterilizer include an electrostatic fog generator that discharges an electrostatically charged fog of electrolyzed water onto the bottles, the caps, and the product-contact surfaces respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The sterilization system according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrostatically charged fog of electrolyzed water is at a concentration range of approximately 50 to 100 PPM as measured as free chlorine and a temperature range of approximately 10 to 30 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         10 . The sterilization system according to  claim 8 , wherein the electro-statically charged fog of electrolyzed water is at a concentration range of approximately 100 to 1000 PPM as measured as free chlorine and a temperature range of approximately 25 to 65 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         11 . The sterilization system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzed water is produced by passing water through an electrochemical cell which results in two separate electrically opposite streams, a first stream that has a disinfectant property and includes a positively charged stream with a pH between approximately 6-8, and a second stream that has a detergent property and includes a negatively charged stream with a pH between approximately 11 and 13. 
     
     
         12 . A sterilization system used to achieve sterile beverages and sterilize bottles and caps, wherein the bottles contain the sterile beverage and the caps cover the bottles, the sterilization system comprising:
 an electrolyzed water generator that produces electrolyzed water;   a bottle station for sterilizing the bottles, the bottle station including a bottle loader for loading the bottles, a bottle conveyor for transporting the bottles, and a bottle rinser located along the bottle conveyor and connected to the electrolyzed water generator, wherein the bottle rinser sprays the electrolyzed water onto the bottles;   a cap station for sterilizing the caps, the cap station including a cap loader for loading the caps, a cap conveyor for transporting the caps, and a cap rinser located along the cap conveyor and connected to the electrolyzed water generator, wherein the cap rinser sprays the electrolyzed water on the caps;   a filler station connected to the bottle station and the cap station, wherein the filler station includes a filler with critical surfaces that are potential product-contact surfaces during the filling operation, and wherein the filler fills the bottles with the beverage and caps the bottles after the bottles are filled with the beverage, and wherein the filler station further includes a spray device connected to the electrolyzed water generator that sprays the electrolyzed water onto the critical surfaces of the filler.   
     
     
         13 . The sterilization system according to  claim 12 , wherein the critical surfaces include one or more of the following: internal chamber of the filler, filler heads that connect to or associate with the bottles to fill the bottles with the beverage, or a cap tightening device that tightens the caps onto the bottles. 
     
     
         14 . The sterilization system according to  claim 12 , wherein the electrolyzed water is sprayed at a concentration range of approximately 50 to 100 PPM as measured as free chlorine, a low temperature range of approximately 10 to 30 degrees Celsius, and a dwell time range of approximately 5 to 30 minutes. 
     
     
         15 . The sterilization system according to  claim 12 , wherein the electrolyzed water is sprayed at a concentration range of approximately 100 to 1000 PPM as measured as free chlorine, a temperature range of approximately 25 to 65 degrees Celsius, and a dwell time range of approximately 5 to 30 seconds. 
     
     
         16 . The sterilization system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a sterilization enclosure that fully encloses the filler, wherein the sterilization enclosure maintains aseptic conditions for the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces. 
     
     
         17 . The sterilization system according to  claim 16 , wherein the sterilization enclosure includes a HEPA air filter to provide positive air pressure and proper air flow regimes throughout the sterilization enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . A sterilization system used to achieve sterile beverages and sterilize bottles and caps, wherein the bottles contain the sterile beverage and the caps cover the bottles, the sterilization system comprising:
 a bottle station that includes a bottle loader for loading the bottles and a bottle conveyor for transporting the bottles;   a cap station that a cap loader for loading the caps and a cap conveyor for transporting the caps;   a filler station connected to the bottle station and the cap station, wherein the filler station includes a filler with critical surfaces that are potential product-contact surfaces during the filling operation, and wherein the filler fills the bottles with the beverage and caps the bottles after the bottles are filled with the beverage;   a sterilization enclosure that fully encloses the filler, wherein the sterilization enclosure maintains aseptic conditions for the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces;   an electrolyzed water generator that produces electrolyzed water;   a fog generator connected to the electrolyzed water generator, wherein the fog generator produces a fog of electrolyzed water that is dispersed within the sterilization enclosure, wherein the fog of electrolyzed water sterilizes the bottles, caps, and critical surfaces.   
     
     
         19 . The sterilization system according to  claim 18 , wherein the critical surfaces include one or more of the following: internal chamber of the filler, filler heads that connect to or associate with the bottles to fill the bottles with the beverage, or a cap tightening device that tightens the caps onto the bottles. 
     
     
         20 . The sterilization system according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrolyzed water generator produces electrolyzed water at a concentration range of approximately 50 to 1000 PPM as measured as free chlorine. 
     
     
         21 . The sterilization system according to  claim 18 , wherein the fog generator produces an electrostatic, positively-charged fog of electrolyzed water. 
     
     
         22 . The sterilization system according to  claim 21 , wherein the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces are negatively charged or grounded, wherein the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces attract the electrostatic, positively-charged fog of electrolyzed water, thereby sterilizing the bottles, the caps, and the critical surfaces. 
     
     
         23 . A method for achieving sterile beverages and sterilizing bottles and caps comprising:
 sterilizing the bottles by using electrolyzed water on the bottles;   sterilizing the caps by using electrolyzed water on the caps; and   sterilizing a filler with electrolyzed water before the initiation of production.