PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2011

BOTTLING / FILLING 32 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 07+08/11 www.petpla.net KHS says that its new-generation Innosept Asbofill ABF 611 and Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 twin aseptic linear fillers offer high speed and flexibility for a range of drinks and liquid phar- maceutical products. The machines can handle both PET and HDPE bottles without conver- sion. The primary target market for the ABF 711 is also carton packaging businesses. It is hoped that the ABF lines will persuade busi- nesses that have up to now used carton pack- aging to change to plastic bottles. The new Innosept Asbofill linear fillers can process up to 12,000bph. Innosept Asbofill ABF 611, the stand- ard model, fills 0.1 to 0.75l bottles; the ABF 711 model can fill 0.25 to 2.1-l units. In the twin version the 711 can handle 24,000bph. The machines are designed to handle non-carbonated beverages, including milk, yogurt drinks, fruit juices, and fruit juice drinks. KHS says they are suitable for filling liquid pharmaceutical products, such as health drinks or products for enteral feeding. The machines’ inte- grated neck handling enables them to process novel designs, such as rectangular and square bottles, and they can fill either PET or HDPE bot- tles without conversion. Operators can thus consider diversification of their product range while still using the same equipment. Bottles and closures are sprayed with a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) aero- sol in a dry sterilisation process. H 2 O 2 reacts on the surfaces and is then dried by hot air. Whatever the size or shape of the bottles being processed, all surfaces are sprayed evenly. KHS says that the machines need only a very small sterile zone; the area required for the Innosept Asbofill ABF 711 – the larger of the two – is 1.5m³ (about 53 cu ft) and the Innosept Asbo- fill ABF 611 needs just 0.9m³ (32 cu ft). The bottles are conveyed through all the processing stages in just one holder, eliminating critical mechanical transfers. KHS launches dual-concept aseptic fillers The next generation F.l..: Bernhard Hinken, Eckes Granini Deutschland GmbH and Thomas Niehr, Director / Competence Centre Aseptic Filling Technology, KHS F.l.: Paul Winterhoff - Director Con- struc- tion / Competence Centre Aseptic Filling Technology, KHS, Mike Herrmann - Sales KHS Germany, Berthold Burgmeier - Molkerei Gropper GmbH & Co. KG Filling is by two-stage free-flow filling valves, which means that bottles never come in contact with the valves themselves. Precise volumetric filling is delivered by magnetic inductive flowmetering. Options include integra- tion of pulp jets into the filling valves; and nitrogen flushing before the filling process and head space nitrogen flushing afterwards, which reduces the amount of oxygen remaining in the bottle. Placing of a drop of liquid nitro- gen in the headspace of filled plastic bottles is also available as an option – the first time this feature has been offered for linear fillers. This facility both displaces headspace oxygen and also helps to improve lightweight bot- tles’ stability, which can help achieve savings in materials. All options can be integrated either at installation or subsequently. Bottles filled by the new machines can be sealed with either aluminium seals or plastic screw-on caps. The two distinct processes of placing the caps on the bottles and then screwing them tight are carried out in entirely separate sterile chambers, which removes risks associated with the rotary capping motion. In anticipation of the forthcom- ing drinktec 2013, the company has announced an extensive update of the higher capacity aseptic rotary fillers. www.khs.com Innosept Asbo- fill ABF 711 twin aseptic linear filler sensitive BEVERAGES