Reference 03 / Equipment
Standalone equipment deep dive
利乐单机设备硬核技术指南
Four machines define a UHT line. This is the mechanical and control-logic detail you need to commission them, read their faults, and talk to the OEM engineers on the floor - from heat-exchanger geometry to the jaw system that closes the last package.
- Machines
- Therm · Alex · Alsafe · A3/Flex
- Depth
- Mechanics + control logic
- Use
- SAT prep & troubleshooting
Tetra Therm - heat treatment / steriliser
热处理 / 杀菌机
Tetra Therm applies the validated time-temperature profile. Architecture varies by duty - indirect (plate or tubular heat exchangers) or direct (steam injection or infusion) - but the controlling element is always the holding tube and its divert logic.
Heat exchangers: plate vs. tubular换热器
| Type | 中文 | Strength | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plate (PHE) | 板式换热器 | High efficiency, compact, easy regeneration | Gasket integrity; fouling on protein-rich product |
| Tubular (THE) | 管式换热器 | Robust with particulates / high fouling | Larger footprint; longer CIP |
Direct heating: injection vs. infusion直接加热
| Method | Principle | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Steam injection | Steam injected into product | Very fast heating; flash cooling removes added water |
| Steam infusion | Product sprayed into steam chamber | Gentle, low fouling; best for sensitive product |
Balance tank & holding tube平衡缸与保持管
The balance tank gives the feed pump a stable, air-free supply at constant head - a fluctuating level there shows up as temperature swings at the holding tube. The holding tube is sized so that, at maximum flow, the fastest fluid element still receives the full validated hold time.
Tetra Alex - homogenizer
均质机
The homogenizer forces product through a narrow gap at high pressure to shear fat globules down to a stable size, preventing creaming. It is a high-pressure positive-displacement plunger pump feeding a precision homogenizing valve - the highest-maintenance machine on the line and the one most worth understanding.
High-pressure pump block高压泵体
Three or five plungers reciprocate in the pump block, drawing through suction valves and discharging through delivery valves. Plunger seals run with controlled water cooling/flushing; the condition of plungers, seals, and valve seats sets both pressure stability and hygiene.
1st & 2nd stage homogenizing valves均质阀组
| Stage | 中文 | Function | Typical share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st stage | 一级均质阀 | Main globule reduction across the valve gap | ~ 80% of total pressure |
| 2nd stage | 二级均质阀 | Breaks up clusters formed in stage 1, stabilises | ~ 20% of total pressure |
Hydraulics, plunger cooling & damper液压与缓冲
- 01
Set homogenizing pressure设定均质压力
A hydraulic (or electric) actuator loads the valve seat against the spring; pressure is read at the high-pressure block and trimmed to the recipe setpoint. - 02
Verify plunger cooling柱塞冷却
Confirm cooling/flush water flow to the plunger seals at the required rate - dry-running seals fail fast and risk hygiene. - 03
Calibrate the damper校准缓冲器
The pulsation damper smooths the plunger pressure ripple. Charge it to the specified pre-pressure (relative to working pressure) so the gauge reads steady, not pulsing - a flat or over-charged damper shows as pressure hammer.
Tetra Alsafe - aseptic tank
无菌罐
The aseptic tank buffers product between steriliser and filler under a maintained sterile barrier. Its integrity is the difference between a continuous run and a sterility loss, and it rests on valve-cluster feedback, sterile air, and pressure control.
Valve cluster feedback logic阀组反馈逻辑
Aseptic boundaries use double-seat mix-proof valves with steam barriers. Each reports position to the PLC; the sequence advances only when feedback confirms the commanded state within the timeout. A steam barrier between the two seats blocks any leak path from crossing the sterile boundary.
Sterile air barrier & pressure无菌空气屏障
| Control | Function | Commissioning test |
|---|---|---|
| Sterile air barrier | Positive overpressure vs. ambient via 0.2 µm air | Filter integrity + pressure-decay hold test |
| Pressure monitoring | Headspace held in validated band | High/low alarm trip points + control response |
| Vacuum relief | Sterile-air make-up on fast draw-down | Cycle level fast; confirm no vacuum/collapse |
| Steam barrier (SIP) | Steam-blocked valve boundaries during sterilisation | Hold all barrier temperatures for validated time |
Tetra Pak A3/Flex - aseptic filler
无菌灌装机
The filler sterilises the packaging material, forms it into an aseptic tube, fills under an overpressured sterile chamber, and seals each package - continuously, at thousands of packs per hour. Four subsystems carry the load.
H₂O₂ packaging-material sterilization过氧化氢灭菌
The web passes through a hydrogen-peroxide (H₂O₂) bath or spray, then is activated/dried so the inner surface enters the aseptic chamber commercially sterile. Bath concentration, temperature, and contact time are the controlling parameters; residual peroxide in the finished package must stay within the regulatory limit.
Aseptic chamber overpressure无菌腔过压
Jaw system & sealing封口系统
- 01
Strip application贴条
A longitudinal sealing strip is applied to the packaging-material edge so the formed tube has a product-safe, leak-tight overlap seam. - 02
Tube forming & longitudinal seal纵封
The flat web is formed into a tube and the longitudinal seam is welded as it closes - the first of the two seals that contain the product. - 03
Filling灌装
Sterile product fills the tube from below inside the aseptic chamber, keeping the seal zone wetted and air-free. - 04
Transverse seal & cut横封与切断
The jaw system clamps and induction/ultrasonically welds the tube transversely below the product level, then cuts individual packages free. - 05
Forming成型
Pre-creased packages are folded and sealed into their final brick/gable shape downstream.
| Seal | 中文 | Test |
|---|---|---|
| Longitudinal | 纵封 | Strip adhesion + tear-down inspection of the seam |
| Transverse | 横封 | Tear-down, tightness, and dye-penetration on jaw seals |
| Overall package | 整体包装 | Drop, squeeze, and incubation tests on finished packs |