Method for operating a pasteurization apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12185745-B2
Application number	US-202017595937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2020
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure relates to methods for operating a pasteurizing device for pasteurizing foods filled into sealed containers. The foods are treated in treatment zones by applying a tempered, aqueous treatment liquid to an exterior of the containers. The treatment liquid is re-supplied to at least one treatment zone for reuse via circulation circuit pipes of a circulation circuit. A partial flow of the treatment liquid is continuously removed from the circulation circuit and filtered by means of a membrane filtration means. Furthermore, a biocide is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a concentration of the biocide does not exceed 0.4 mmol/L. In addition, a pH-regulating agent comprising at least one inorganic or organic acid is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a pH value of the treatment liquid is set to a range from 3.5 to 7.0.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a pasteurizing device for pasteurizing foods filled into sealed containers, comprising:
transporting sealed containers which are filled with foods through multiple treatment zones in a transport direction by means of a transport means, the treatment zones including at least one warm-up zone, at least one pasteurizing zone following the at least one warm-up zone in the transport direction, and at least one cool-down zone following the pasteurizing zone in the transport direction,
treating the foods in the treatment zones by applying a tempered, aqueous treatment liquid to an exterior of the containers, wherein treatment liquid with a specific temperature is supplied to each treatment zone via a feed pipe, such that the foods are pre-heated in the at least one warm-up zone, heated to a pasteurizing temperature in the at least one pasteurizing zone, and cooled down, in the at least one cool-down zone,
and wherein:
the treatment liquid is collected in the treatment zones after application to the containers, and collected treatment liquid is re-supplied to at least one treatment zone for reuse via circulation circuit pipes of a circulation circuit,
a partial quantity of treatment liquid is continuously removed from the treatment liquid circulated in the circulation circuit or from the treatment liquid in a treatment zone by means of at least one liquid-removal means for forming at least one partial flow of the treatment liquid, which at least one partial flow is supplied, via a feeding pipe of at least one bypass, to a membrane filtration means arranged in the at least one bypass and filtered, and subsequently fed back again into the circulation circuit or into one or more of the treatment, zones,
process chemicals are added to the treatment liquid,
a biocide, selected from a group consisting of hypochlorite, peracetic acid, chlorine dioxide and bronopol, and mixtures thereof, is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a concentration of the biocide does not exceed 0.4 mmol/L, and
a pH-regulating agent comprising at least one inorganic or organic acid is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a pH value of the treatment liquid is set to a range from 3.5 to 7.0.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the chlorine dioxide is apportioned to the treatment liquid as the biocide.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the biocide is apportioned to a volume flow of the treatment liquid, which volume flow of the treatment liquid is run in a circulation circuit pipe leading, in terms of flow dynamics, to a cool-down zone.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the biocide is apportioned to the treatment liquid at at least one dosing point arranged in the circulation circuit or in one or more of the treatment zones, at which dosing point treatment liquid is run at a temperature of 20° C. to 55° C.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the biocide is apportioned to the treatment liquid at at least one dosing point arranged in the at least one bypass downstream, in terms of flow dynamics, of the membrane filtration means.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one actual value of the biocide concentration in the treatment liquid is detected by means of at least one biocide concentration measurement sensor at at least one measurement point, and, based on the actual value detected at the at least one measurement point, the concentration of the biocide in the treatment liquid is manipulated with regard to a specifiable target value for the concentration of the biocide, by apportioning the biocide by means of at least one dosing means at at least one dosing point.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein at least one actual value of the biocide concentration is detected at at least one measurement point arranged in the circulation circuit or in a treatment zone, at which measurement point treatment liquid is run at a temperature of 20° C. to 55° C.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pH-regulating agent is selected from a group consisting of sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, heptagluconic acid, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pH-regulating agent is apportioned to the treatment liquid at at least one dosing point, at which dosing point treatment liquid is run at a temperature of 40° C. to 90° C.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one complex-forming acid selected from a group consisting of gluconic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and mixtures thereof, is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical(s), such that a concentration of the at least one complex-forming acid does not exceed 2.2 mmol/L.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one complex-forming acid is apportioned to the treatment liquid at at least one dosing point, at which dosing point treatment liquid is run at a temperature of 55° C. to 95° C.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a complex-forming additive selected from a group consisting of (1-Hydroxy-1,1-ethanediyl)bis(phosphonic acid), 3-Carboxy-3-phosphonohexanedioic acid, Diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid, Aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid), a phosphonate of (1-Hydroxy-1,1-ethanediyl)bis(phosphonic acid), a phosphonate of 3-Carboxy-3-phosphonohexanedioic acid, a phosphonate of Diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid, a phosphonate of Aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid), and mixtures thereof, is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical(s), such that a concentration of the complex-forming phosphonic additive does not exceed 0.2 mmol/L.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the complex-forming additive is apportioned to the treatment liquid at at least one dosing point, at which dosing point treatment liquid is run at a temperature of 55° C. to 95° C.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a divalent zinc salt is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a concentration of the divalent zinc salt does not exceed 0.06 mmol/L.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an oligomer or polymer substance selected from a group consisting of polyphosphates, water-soluble polyacrylates and copolymers of maleic acid and acrylic acid, and mixtures thereof, is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a concentration of the oligomer or polymer substance does not exceed 0.4 g/L.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more phosphoric esters, is apportioned to the treatment liquid as process chemical, such that a concentration of the phosphoric esters does not exceed 0.1 g/L.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one actual value of a concentration of at least one chemical substance contained in the treatment liquid and/or of at least one process chemical added and/or of at least one internal standard added is detected by means of at least one concentration measurement sensor at at least one measurement point, and, based on the actual value detected by means of the at least one concentration measurement sensor at the at least one measurement point, the concentration of the at least one chemical substance contained in the treatment liquid and/or of the at least one process chemical added is manipulated with regard to a specifiable target value for the concentration of the at least one chemical substance contained in the treatment liquid and/or of

Assignees

• Red Bull Gmbh

Inventors

• Concin Roland
• Rinderer Christian
• Hans Klemens
• Eder Harald
• Thonhauser Philip
• Herzog Daniel

Classifications

• A23B2/788

  Inorganic compounds · CPC title

• A23B2/22 Primary

  with packages on endless chain or band conveyors {(with packages moving on the spot while being transported A23B2/203)} · CPC title

• A23B2/20

  by heating materials in packages which are progressively transported, continuously or stepwise, through the apparatus · CPC title

• A23B70/30

  by heating · CPC title

• A23B11/127 Primary

  progressively transported through the apparatus · CPC title