| 摘要 |
<p>A processing method for thermally treating a container (containing a product) characterised by three processing zones (12, 13A, 13B 14) in which are carried out a sequence of steps comprising: causing the container (C, Cl) in the first zone (12) to pass along a first direction (D) of travel; preheating the container (C, Cl( during the first zone (12) to a first pre-determined temperature and agitating the container (C, Cl) during the first stage wherein the minimum acceleration amount to which the container (Cl) is subjected during agitation is of sufficient magnitude to cause the process to operate in a regime in which the heating time required for the product to reach the first pre-determined temperature is: firstly reduced by at least 90% compared to the heating time required to reach the first pre-determined temperature but without agitation; and secondly substantially insensitive to increase in the magnitude of the agitation; passing the preheated container (C, Cl) from the first zone (12) to the second zone (13A) by way of a pressure lock (Pl) providing for the maintenance of an ambient pressure difference between the first zone (12) and second zone (13A); heating the, or each, container (C, Cl) to a second pre-determined temperature in order to sterilise the container (Cl) and its contents; and agitating the, or each, container (Cl) in the second zone (13A) wherein the minimum acceleration to which the, or each, container (Cl) is subjected during agitation is of sufficient magnitude to cause the process to operate in a regime in which the heating time required for the product to reach the second pre-determined temperature is: firstly reduced by at least 90% compared to the heating time required to reach the second pre-determined temperature but without agitation; and secondly substantially insensitive to increase in the magnitude of the agitation; passing the treated container (Cl) from the second zone 13A to the third zone 13B by way of a pressure lock (P2) providing for the maintenance of an ambient pressure difference between the second zone 13A and third zone 13(B) ; and causing the sterilised container (Cl) in the third zone (13B) to pass through the third zone (13b) while being subjected to the simultaneous steps ot: cooling of the container (Cl) and its contents, in at least two stages, to a third pre-determined temperature while agitating the container (Cl) -wherein the minimum acceleration amount to which the container (Cl) is subjected during agitation is of sufficient magnitude to cause the process to operate in a regime in which the cooling time required for the contents to reach the third pre-determined temperature is: firstly reduced by at least 90% compared to the cooling time required to reach the third pre-determined temperature but without agitation; and secondly substantially insensitive to increase in the magnitude of the agitation. According to another aspect there is provided apparatus for undertaking the method.</p> |
