System, method and process for disinfection of internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitizing fog

Abstract

A system, method and process for disinfection of internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitizing fog in facilities designed to store liquids in general, the system having an external equipment with means to generate sanitizing fog, controlling means of gases flow rate, in-line detectors and draining means of gases inside the tank, input means of fog carrying means comprising inert gases. A disinfection process includes introduction of a sanitizing fog with droplets having a maximum size of 10 μm, and 5 μm in some embodiments, simultaneously with removal of gases enclosed inside the tanks and pipelines, maintaining a positive pressure inside the tanks and pipelines. The method providing reduction of oxygen concentration inside the tanks in two steps, the first step having reduction to near 10% and the second a reduction to a value below 1%, filling the tank with a sanitizing fog during the second step.

1 . A system for disinfection of internal services in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitized fog configured to store liquids, the system comprising an external equipment having a sanitizing fog generator means, a gases flow rate controlling means, in-line detectors and an exhaustion means of gases inside the tank, and an input means of a fog carrying means comprising inert gases. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generator means comprises piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sanitizing fog comprises droplets having a maximum size of 10 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the sanitizing fog comprises droplets having a maximum size of 5 μm. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external equipment is provided with casters. 
     
     
         6 . A method for disinfection of internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines, the method comprising introducing a sanitizing fog with droplets having a maximum size of 10 μm simultaneously with removal of gases enclosed inside the tanks and pipelines, while maintaining a positive pressure inside the tanks and pipelines. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the droplets that make up the sanitizing fog have a maximum size of 5 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein a carrying means of the sanitizing fog comprises air. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein a drag means of the sanitizing fog comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein a drag means of the sanitizing fog comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the sanitizing fog is produced by oscillation of piezoelectric transducers driven by an ultrasonic oscillator circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein removal of gases included inside the tank simultaneously with introduction of the sanitizing fog is provided by a fan whose operation is controlled by an electronic inverter module of variable frequency driven by a control panel. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure inside the tank is kept at a positive value by controlling the flow rate of the fan provided by an electronic inverter module of variable frequency controlled by data provided by a pressure detector inside the tank. 
     
     
         14 . A method for disinfection if internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitizing fog, the method comprising reducing the concentration of oxygen inside the tanks to a value of less than 1%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method comprises:
 a first step of partially reducing a content of oxygen inside the tank to substantially 10%; and   a second step of injecting a sanitizing fog inside the tank.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first step comprises introduction of an inert gas simultaneously with exhaustion of air enclosed inside the tank by a centrifugal fan having a controlled flow rate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sanitizing fog comprise drops having a maximum size of 10 μm. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sanitizing fog comprises drops having a maximum size of 5 μm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second step of injection of the sanitizing fog is simultaneous with the draining of the tank by a centrifugal fan whose output discharges to the atmosphere.