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The PET-Asept line is comprised of a BLOC-synchronized sterilizer, rinser, filler, capper using neck-handling starwheels. In this new design, the cleanroom has been reduced to the isolator – an airtight tunnel surrounding the bottle path. Two-stage filters remove the germs from the inflowing air, thus creating a sterile environment inside the isolator. The aseptic compartment is kept at a slight overpressure compared to its surroundings, designed to prevent germs from penetrating through the airlocks. The machine’s drives, plus the electrical and pneumatic supply lines, are located outside the aseptic zone – which is easily accessible.
After entering the aseptic zone, the PET bottles are passed through the sterilizer, where they are treated with disinfectant. To remove the disinfectant, the bottles continue to the Variojet rinser, where each bottle is flushed with sterile water and sterile air. These sterile bottles travel to the Volumetric VODM-PET filler and are filled with juice. Before the closures are applied, the screw caps are given aseptic treatment of two disinfectant immersion baths and then rinsed by sterile water and sterile air. Sterilized closures are applied to the PET bottles.