PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2017

BOTTLING / FILLING PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 01+02/17 www.petpla.net 18 Application of dry sterilisation technology in filling production line To reach for low temperature Beverage producers increasingly focus on achieving ultra-high line speeds, lightweighting, and reducing energy costs. Thus, demand for high-end technology equipment to meet changing market conditions is becoming more and more urgent. Newamstar, the liquid product packaging machinery supplier in China, was one of the first compa- nies to develop the dry sterilisation technology, using H 2 O 2 and peracetic acid. The system has already been operating in the Combi production line and aseptic cold filling production line, for PET bottled water, beverages and dairy products. The application of dry sterilisation technology can reduce the consumption of chemical products and the water used in bottle rinsing, and can achieve the same sterilisa- ASEPTIC HOT FILL SPECIAL tion effect under the low concentration compared with wet sterilisation. Newamstar aseptic technology is being continuously updated and improved, in addition to the VHP and HPV systems, developed by the com- pany to sterilise packaging materials. In cooperation with Jiangnan Univer- sity, a series of theoretical sterilisation intensity figures are being collected to verify the microorganism in the laboratory. This technology has been successfully applied on the non-ozone mineral water Combi production line, aseptic cold filling and cold-chain filling production line etc. The low concentration 1-3mg/l, low tempera- ture 20-50°C gaseous H 2 O 2 , rapidly achieves the sterilisation level ≥5log. Preform dry sterilisation technology The dry gas spray device is installed before the preform enters the heat oven, gaseous H 2 O 2 is evenly sprayed to the internal surface of preform. The H 2 0 2 will be activated by the heating process in the heat oven and the sterilisation effect will be intensified, resulting in a reduction in the numbers of bacteria in the pre- form. The H 2 0 2 will be evaporated by decomposition instantaneously by the means of high temperature heating after the preform is sterilised by H 2 O 2 . The whole technical process design is simple and reliable. The technology not only reduces the risk of an H 2 O 2 residual inside the preform, but also achieves the high hygienic safety level target. Cap dry sterilisation technology The traditional cap sterilisation technical process normally uses the wet sterilisation type that uses disin- fectant to soak the cap for certain time. The advantage of this method is that the intensity of the sterilisation is high, stability and reliability are good but the