EP3947255A1

EP3947255A1 - Method for filling containers with a liquid filling material

Info

Publication number: EP3947255A1
Application number: EP20717561.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2019-04-04
Filing date: 2020-03-26
Publication date: 2022-02-09
Also published as: BR112021019317A2; WO2020201001A1; DE102019108829A1; US20220127124A1; US11608257B2; CN113677616A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for pressurised filling of containers (2) with a liquid filling material using a filling system (1) having at least one filling element (3, 3a). Prior to initiating a filling phase, the inner chamber of the container (2), which container is arranged in a sealing position at the filling element (3, 3a), is evacuated in at least one evacuation and flushing phase by being connected to a vacuum duct (40), and the evacuated inner chamber of the container, which is also connected to the vacuum duct (40), is then flushed with a flushing gas. After the evacuation and flushing phase, the inner chamber of the container is also preloaded with a pressurised inert gas, then filled with liquid filling material, and subsequently relieved into a relief duct. The present invention is characterised in that the relevant inner chamber of the container is flushed at low pressure in the container (2) in the at least one evacuation and flushing phase at least in part using steam as the flushing gas, which steam is from an annular duct (50) which is pressurised with steam.

Description

Method for filling containers with a liquid product

The invention relates to a method for filling containers with a liquid filling material according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Methods and filling systems for filling containers with liquid contents, in particular also for pressure filling, are known to the person skilled in the art in various designs.

In the context of the present invention, “free jet filling” or “free jet filling” is understood to mean a filling system or a filling method in which the liquid filling material flows into the container to be filled from the liquid valve in a free filling jet or filling material jet, the flow of the filling material not being through guide elements such as e.g. Discharge screens, swirl bodies, short or long filling pipes are influenced or changed.

Free jet filling can take place both without pressure and under pressure. In the case of pressureless free-jet filling, the container has ambient pressure, the container usually not resting against the filling element with its container mouth or opening, but being spaced from the filling element or from a dispensing opening provided. If, with the pressureless free-jet filling, the container is in contact with the filling element with its container mouth, a gas path creates a connection between the interior of the container and the environment, which enables pressureless filling. The gas contained in the container and displaced by the beverage flowing into the container preferably also escapes into the surroundings via this gas path.

If the free-jet filling takes place under a pressure that differs from the ambient pressure, the opening of the container is pressed against the filling element and sealed; the pressure in the interior of the container is increased by applying a tension gas (inert gas or CO 2 gas) or by applying a negative pressure set to this, deviating from the ambient pressure, which can be both above and below the ambient pressure.

For the filling method according to the invention, which is described in further detail below, the design as a free jet filling method is not absolutely necessary. The filling method according to the invention can also be designed without restrictions as a filling method in which the filling material is introduced into the container to be filled via the bottle wall. The free jet filling method described above is therefore only to be understood as a possible embodiment and not as a mandatory feature of the present invention.

In the context of the present invention, a container located in a sealed position with the filling element means that the container to be filled is pressed with its container mouth tightly against the filling element or a seal surrounding the at least one dispensing opening in the manner known to the person skilled in the art.

In particular, a method for pressure filling is also known (DE 42 25 476 A1), in which, after completion of the filling phase, the respective container provided in the sealing position on the filling element is first pre-relieved to a pre-relief pressure that is still above atmospheric pressure in a pre-relief chamber common to all filling elements of the filling system takes place and only then in a residual relief phase a residual relief of the respective container to atmospheric or ambient pressure. In this known method, provision is also made for the container to be flushed out of the pre-relief chamber with the inert gas.

The use of inert gas, i.e. H. C02 gas in particular when rinsing the containers represents a not inconsiderable cost factor and environmental impact when filling containers.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for filling containers with a liquid filling material which, compared to the prior art, significantly reduces the consumption of inert gas in order to reduce costs and from an environmental point of view.

The object is achieved by a method for filling containers with a liquid filling material according to the features of independent claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly preferred embodiment variants of the invention.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for pressure filling containers with a liquid filling material using a filling system with at least one filling element. In this case, before a filling phase is initiated, the interior of the container, which is arranged in the sealing position on the filling element, is in at least one evacuation and the flushing phase evacuated by connecting it to a vacuum channel and then the evacuated container interior, which is still connected to the vacuum channel, is flushed with a flushing gas. Furthermore, after the evacuation and rinsing phase, the container interior is preloaded with a pressurized inert gas, then filled with liquid filling material and then relieved into a relief channel. The present invention is characterized in particular in that the purging of the respective container interior in the at least one evacuation and purging phase takes place at least partially with steam from an annular channel acted upon by steam as the purging gas. Steam as a flushing gas is significantly cheaper and also less polluting than an inert gas or CO 2 gas. It should also be taken into account that the consumption of C02 inevitably also results in C02 emissions, which should generally be avoided. In contrast, energy from regenerative energy sources can be used to generate steam.

According to an advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the ring channel is acted upon with water vapor as the flushing gas.

According to a further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that at least one first control valve for the controlled switching of the annular channel acted upon with steam to a first and second gas space is insulated by means of a strand insulator.

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the evacuation and flushing phase comprises an evacuation step and a subsequent flushing step, the interior of the container being reduced to a pressure between 0.1 bar and 0.3 bar absolute in an evacuation step .

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that in the subsequent flushing step, steam from the annular channel is throttled and centrally supplied via a cross-sectional constriction of a return gas pipe in such a way that the pressure in the interior of the container is 0.1 bar compared to the end of the evacuation step up to 0.5 bar, preferably by 0.1 bar to 0.3 bar. According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the throttled rinsing with steam from the annular channel during the rinsing step generates superheated steam in the interior of the container.

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that approximately 0.5 to 3.0 times the internal volume of the container is dosed as the amount of steam during the rinsing step.

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that the extracted steam is condensed on the way to the annular channel. It can furthermore be provided that the vapor is sucked off by a vacuum pump, the sucked off steam being condensed or condensed on the way to the ring channel and / or on the way to the vacuum pump.

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that a relative and / or absolute pressure within a first and / or second gas space and / or at each filling point in the container and / or within a first and / or second gas channel by means of at least one pressure sensor monitored and / or controlled.

According to an even further advantageous embodiment variant, it can be provided that at least the flushing step is pressure-controlled and / or regulated with the involvement of the at least one pressure sensor.

The expression “essentially” or “approximately” means deviations from the exact value of +/- 10%, preferably +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Developments, advantages and possible applications of the invention also emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all of the features described and / or shown in the figures, individually or in any combination, are fundamentally the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their reference back. The content of the claims is also made part of the description. Although some aspects have been described in connection with a filling machine, it goes without saying that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding filling method, so that a block or component of a device is also to be understood as a corresponding method step or as a feature of a method step . Analogous to this, aspects that have been described in connection with or as a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or details or features of a corresponding device. Some or all of the method steps can be performed by a flardware apparatus (or using a flardware Apparatus) such as B. a microprocessor, a programmable computer or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, some or more of the most important process steps can be performed by such apparatus.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

1 to 8 show an exemplary embodiment variant of a simplified and shown in FIG

Sectional representation of the filling element shown of a filling system according to the invention in different phases of the filling process;

9 shows, by way of example, a further embodiment variant of a filling element of a filling system according to the invention, shown in a simplified and sectional view.

Identical reference symbols are used in the figures for elements of the invention that are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure.

The filling system, generally designated 1 in the figures, is part of a filling machine of rotating design for filling a liquid product into bottles 2 or similar containers. The filling system 1 can in particular be designed for free steel filling and / or filling over the container wall and / or for long pipe filling. For this purpose, the filling system 1 includes, among other things, filling elements 3, 3a, of which only one filling element 3 is shown in FIG. 1 and which are provided at regular angular intervals on the circumference of a rotor 4 of the filling machine that can be driven around a vertical machine axis MA. On the rotor 4, which is only partially shown, there is a filling material vessel 5 common to all filling elements 3, which is designed, for example, as a ring vessel and is partially filled with the filling material in a level-controlled manner up to a predetermined level during filling operation. In addition to the filling material boiler 5, there are also ring channels 30 and 40 common to all filling elements 1 .1 of the filling machine on the rotor 4.

An upper gas space 5.1 and a lower liquid space 5.2 are thus formed in the filling material boiler 5 during the filling operation. If the filling system 1 is used to pressurize the liquid filling material into the containers or bottles 2, the gas space 5.1 is pressurized with an inert gas (CO 2 gas) under a filling pressure. The liquid filling material is fed to the filling material tank 5 in a controlled manner via a supply line not shown in detail.

However, the use of a product vessel that is only partially filled with product is not mandatory. The corresponding statements serve only as an exemplary embodiment. The filling method according to the invention can also be used in those filling machines in which a filling material kettle is used that is completely or almost completely filled with filling material.

The ring channels 30 and 40 can fulfill different functions depending on the filling method. For example, the ring channel 30 for guiding the inert gas under pressure, in particular as a Trinox gas channel or tensioning gas channel, and / or the ring channel 40 as a vacuum channel for evacuating or relieving the pressure of the container 2 and, for example, a pressure of 0.05 bar. 0.25 bar.

In a housing 6 of the filling element 3, a liquid channel 7 is formed, among other things, which is connected to the liquid space 5.2 of the boiler 5 via a line 8. The line 8 can be assigned a flow meter 8.1, by means of which the volume flow of liquid filling material supplied to the liquid channel 7 via the line 8, that is to say the amount of filling material per unit of time, can be recorded. In addition, a switching valve 8.2 can be provided in the connection between the liquid space 5.2 of the boiler 5 and the liquid channel 7, which has at least two switching positions, so that a variable product flow (liters per unit of time) can be set using the different switching positions.

Alternatively, instead of a switchover valve 8.2, a control valve can also be provided, which allows an even more variable setting and / or control of the product flow.

Furthermore, a liquid valve 9 is provided in the liquid channel 7, specifically for the controlled delivery of the liquid filling material via an annular discharge opening 10 concentrically enclosing a vertical filling element axis FA, which is formed on the underside of the filling element 3 by the open end of the liquid channel 7 there.

At the dispensing opening 10, a centering tulip 11 with seal 12 is provided, which surrounds the dispensing opening 10 in a ring and against which the respective container 2 is pressed with its container mouth 2.1 during filling, in particular during pressure filling and / or during the evacuation and flushing phase is, d. H. rests in sealing position.

The liquid valve 9 essentially consists of a valve body 9.1 which is arranged in the liquid channel 7 and cooperates with a valve seat formed on the inner surface of the liquid channel 7. In the embodiment shown, the valve body 9.1 is provided or formed on a valve or gas tube 13 which is arranged on the same axis as the filling element axis FA and is open at both ends, which also serves as a valve tappet for actuating the liquid valve 9 and for this purpose cooperates with an actuating device 14, which is only indicated schematically which the gas pipe 13 and thus the valve body 9.1 to open and close the liquid valve 9 are axially movable by a predetermined flow in the filling element axis FA.

The lower, open end of the gas pipe 13 projects through the dispensing opening 11 over the underside of the housing 6 and thus extends with this end into the interior of the container 2 during the filling. With its upper, also open end, the gas pipe 13 extends into a first gas space 15 and thus forms a first Gas channel 21, which extends from the interior of the container 2 into the first gas space 15.

Furthermore, the corresponding filling element 3 of the filling system 1 can have a return gas pipe 16, which is arranged on the same axis as the filling element axis FA and which determines the filling level in the respective container 2, which can be designed as a Trinox pipe and which extends through the gas pipe 13 and with its lower one End protruding from the lower open end of the gas pipe 13. In more detail, the filling element 3 has the return gas pipe 16, which is arranged on the same axis as the filling element axis FA, is open at both ends and is surrounded at a distance by the gas pipe 13 and which, as the filling level-determining element, with its end 16.1 also enters the upper area or head space of the container 2 during the filling operation reaches in and protrudes over the lower end of the gas pipe 13.

The return gas pipe 16 is passed through the housing 6 of the filling element 3, protrudes with an upper length over the upper side of the housing 6 and is held with the one there on a support arm 18 of an adjusting device 19. The adjustment device 19 is designed to move the support arm 18, including the return gas pipe 16 held thereon, i.e. fixedly arranged, axially along the filling element axis FA, in particular to raise and lower it, preferably in the manner described in more detail below, in each case from one Upper starting or stroke position downwards for setting different filling levels during the filling process of the filling element 3. Furthermore, a second gas channel 17 formed in the return gas pipe 16 opens into a second gas space 20 formed within the housing 6. For this purpose, the return gas pipe 16 in the area of the second Gas space 20 have radial openings 16.2 which fluidically connect the second gas channel 17 to the second gas space 20.

At the end of the respective filling process, excess filling material is fed back into the filling material tank 5 via the return gas tube 16, which is designed as a Trinox tube, by applying pressure to the head space of the filled container 2 not occupied by the filling material until the lower, open end of the Trinox tube is above it of the product level is in the container 2 and thus the exact product level is set.

In order to prevent dirt and / or germs from penetrating into critical areas or into the process side of the filling element when the gas return tube 16 is axially adjusted, ie when the filling level is set up to which the containers 2 are each filled with the liquid filling material 1, the return gas pipe 16 can be passed through a protective or sluice section 22 formed in the housing 6 before it emerges at the top of the housing 6, which in the embodiment shown is circular-cylindrical concentric to the filling element axis FA and based on the filling element axis FA has an axial length which corresponds at least to the maximum setting stroke by which the return gas pipe 16 is moved between the setting “maximum fill level” and the setting “minimum fill level”.

Furthermore, the filling element 3, 3a has a further annular channel 50, which is designed as a steam channel - that is, acted upon with steam or contains steam, in particular water vapor, and by means of a connecting line 51 to a valve block designed as a filling element 3, 3a, in particular a first control valve SV1 of the valve block is connected.

The first and second gas chambers 15, 20 are part, the control valves SV1 to SV4 of the filling element 3, 3a of the gas paths contained in more detail, via which at least the first and second gas channels 17, 21 are controlled with the gas chamber 5.2 and the three ring channels 30, 40 and 50 can be connected, which are provided for all filling elements 3, 3a of the filling machine or of the filling system 1 together. In particular, the valve block for this purpose comprises the first control valve SV1, a second control valve SV2, a third control valve SV3 and a fourth control valve SV4. The first to fourth control valves SV1 to SV4 can each be designed as a control and / or regulatable diaphragm valve.

It can be provided that at least the first control valve SV 1, which is fluidically connected to the connecting line 51, is insulated from the heat of the steam by means of a heat insulator 52 towards the first and second gas chambers 15, 20.

Furthermore, the filling element 3, 3a can also have at least one pressure sensor DS for detecting the relative and / or absolute pressure within the first and / or second gas space 15, 20 and within the first and / or second gas duct 17, 21. The pressure sensor DS is particularly advantageously designed at least to detect the pressure, for example the relative and / or absolute pressure, within the first gas space 15, which is connected to the interior of the container. A special feature of the filling element or the method carried out with this filling element 1 .1 consists in the special type and configuration of the rinsing of the interior of the respective container 2 arranged in the sealing position on the filling element 1 to displace the ambient air entrained in the container 2 from the interior of the container 2.

The additional process steps of the filling process, such as biasing the interior of the bottle with inert gas from the gas space 5.1 to the filling pressure, pressure filling the container 2 with liquid contents and relieving the filled container 2 to atmospheric pressure, for example in the annular channel 40, according to z. B. usual, known process steps.

For this purpose, in a method for pressure filling containers 2 with a liquid filling material using a filling system 1 with at least one filling element 3, 3a, before the initiation of a filling phase, the interior of the container 2 arranged in the sealing position on the filling element 3, 3a is in at least one evacuation and Rinsing phase evacuated by connecting to an annular channel 40.

Then the evacuated container interior of the corresponding container 2, which is still connected to the annular channel 40, is flushed with a flushing gas and, after the evacuation and flushing phase, the container interior is pretensioned with a pressurized inert gas from an annular channel 30 before the container 2 is filled with liquid is filled and then relieved into the annular channel 40 to atmospheric pressure.

According to the invention it is provided that the purging of the respective container interior in the at least one evacuation and purging phase takes place at least partially with steam from an annular channel 50 acted upon with steam as purging gas.

Effective purging of the interior of the bottle with a low consumption of steam as purging gas is desirable. For this purpose, the evacuation and rinsing phase can include at least two method steps, namely an evacuation step and a rinsing step that occurs afterwards. In the evacuation step, with the liquid valve 9 closed and the control valves SV1, SV2 and SV3 closed, the fourth control valve SV4 is opened, the first gas chamber 15 and the first Gas channel 21 evacuated the interior of the container 2, for example to a vacuum or to a pressure in the range of 0.1-0.3 bar absolute (Figure 2).

In at least one subsequent flushing step, with the fourth control valve SV4 still open, the first control valve SV1 is then also opened, so that the steam from the annular channel 50, which is acted upon with steam, flows through the opened first control valve SV1 and throttled via a cross-sectional constriction in the return gas pipe 16 into the second Gas space 20 and from this centrally via the second gas channel 17, d. H. is blown downwards in the direction of the filling element axis FA as flushing gas into the interior of the container 2 or into the flotation vacuum there (FIG. 3). For example, the throttling can be set by means of the cross-sectional constriction through the opening diameter and / or the number of openings 16.2. It is therefore provided that the throttled purging with steam from the annular channel 50 into the interior of the container 2, which is under vacuum, forms a superheated steam.

In the treatment process, several evacuation and / or flushing phases can also be switched or carried out alternately one after the other.

Since the return gas pipe 16 extends far down into the interior of the container 2, the purge gas emerging from the return gas pipe 16 in the form of steam u. a. also to the bottom of the container 2. The flushing gas and the air displaced by this from the interior of the container are discharged into the annular channel 40 via the first gas channel 21, the first gas space 15 and the opened fourth control valve SV4.

With the aid of a cross-sectional constriction in the return gas pipe 16, the purge gas flow formed from steam or the volume flow of the vaporous purge gas are throttled so far that the negative pressure that has arisen during purging in the container 2 at the end of the first evacuation step only increases slightly, for example by about 0.1 bar - 0.2 bar. So that in the second rinsing step an internal pressure or rinsing pressure is established in the container 2 which is still considerably below the ambient pressure and is, for example, about 0.15 bar-0.45 bar. It is provided within the scope of the present invention that the cross-sectional constriction in the return gas pipe 16 is formed either by reducing the inside diameter of the return gas pipe 16 or by a control valve. The very thin atmosphere inside the container creates turbulence, which creates an optimal mixture of residual air and superheated steam. It is particularly advantageous that the added amount of steam during the flushing step corresponds to approximately 0.5 to 3.0 times the container volume of the flushing container 2 and the added amount of steam corresponds to the amount of flushing gas released into the annular channel 40. This enables the remaining air to be removed from the interior of the container very quickly, with low steam consumption at the same time.

Furthermore, the steam blown into the evacuated container 2 in the flushing step leads to a flushing effect and reduces the air content in the interior of the container 2. The extracted steam is then at least partially condensed on the way to the annular channel 40 and further on the way to the vacuum pump and must therefore In contrast to C02, it is no longer or no longer completely extracted by the vacuum pump, which results in considerable energy and thus cost savings when operating the vacuum pump.

It is particularly advantageous that several filling elements 3 are simultaneously connected to the filling system 1, each with a container 2 arranged in a sealing position on the corresponding filling element 3, or their container interiors, with the annular channel 40 during a simultaneous rinsing step, so that it is between the connected container interiors of the container 2 comes to a pressure equalization.

To intensify the purging, the vaporous purging gas can be supplied in the second process step in a time-controlled manner and without interruptions. Alternatively, the vaporous flushing gas can also be supplied at intervals, that is to say in several sub-steps.

It can also advantageously be provided that at least the flushing step is pressure-controlled and / or regulated with the involvement of the at least one pressure sensor DS.

For the purge gas supply, it is advantageously provided that the connection between the interior of the container 2 and the annular channel 40 carrying the vacuum is always open, since the purging of the interior of the container 40 is particularly intensive. It is also particularly advantageously provided that the flushing pipe 16 is also designed as an electrical probe for determining the filling level.

After the evacuation and purging phase, the interior of the container is preloaded with a pressurized inert gas from an annular channel 30, for which the second control valve SV2 is opened and the remaining three control valves SV1, SV3 and SV4 are closed, so that inert gas from the annular channel 30 flows through the first gas space 15 and the first gas channel 21 into the interior of the container, and inert gas is applied to it (FIG. 4).

This is followed by the actual filling phase, in which the container 2 is filled with liquid filling material and is still in a sealed position on the filling element 3, 3a. Such a filling phase is described, for example, in DE 10 2013 109 430 A1 and is known to the person skilled in the art. Text passages in this regard are explained by reference to the subject matter of the present invention and are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

To relieve, in particular, the head space of the filled container 2, the first gas channel 21 is connected to the annular channel 40 via the first gas chamber 15 by opening the third control valve SV3, so that inert gas flows from the head space into the annular channel 40 designed as a relief channel (FIG. 7 ). The filled container 2 is then lowered (FIG. 8). Alternatively, the relief of the container can of course also be designed as a separate function, in which the relief takes place in a separate relief channel additionally formed on the filling machine,

Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of a filling element 3a, in which, unlike the previous embodiment, the return gas pipe 16 is passed through the housing 6 of the filling element 3, protrudes with an upper length over the top of the housing 6 and with the also open end 16.3 there is held on a support arm 18 of an adjusting device 19. The adjusting device 19 is designed to move the support arm 18, including the return gas pipe 16 held thereon, that is fixedly arranged, axially along the filling element axis FA, in particular to raise and lower it. Furthermore, the upper open end 16.3 is connected via the connecting line 51 to the annular channel 50 under steam, with the interposition of the first control valve SV1. The invention was described above using exemplary embodiments. It goes without saying that a large number of changes or modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention defined by the patent claims.

Thus, essential parts of the preceding description or the exemplary embodiments relate to a method for pressure filling containers. Of course, the method according to the invention can also be used for pressureless filling, i.e. Use for filling under normal pressure or under ambient pressure, filling goods that are free of C02 or comparable compressed gases.

The claims are declared to be part of the description.

List of reference symbols

1 filling system

2 containers

2.1 Container mouth

3, 3a filling element

4 rotor

5 product kettles

5.1 Gas compartment

5.2 Liquid space

6 housing

7 fluid channel

8 line

8.1 Flow meter

9 liquid valve

9.1 valve body

10 Dispensing opening

11 centering tulip

12 seal

13 gas pipe

14 Control device

15 first gas compartment

16 return gas pipe

16.1 lower end

16.2 openings

16.3 open end

17 second gas channel

18 support arm

19 adjustment device

20 second gas compartment

21 first gas channel

22 Lock area

30 ring channel

40 ring channel 50 ring channel

51 management

52 heat insulator

DS pressure sensor FA filling element axis MA machine axis SV1 first control valve SV2 second control valve SV3 third control valve SV4 fourth control valve

Claims

1. A method for filling containers (2) with a liquid filling material using a filling system (1) with at least one filling element (3, 3a), the interior of which is arranged in a sealing position on the filling element (3, 3a) before a filling phase is initiated The container (2) is evacuated in at least one evacuation and flushing phase by connecting it to an annular channel (40) and then the evacuated and further connected to the annular channel (40) container interior is flushed with a flushing gas, and the container interior after the evacuation and flushing phase filled with an inert gas from an annular channel (30) and / or pretensioned, filled with liquid filling material and preferably subsequently relieved into the annular channel (40), characterized in that the purging of the respective container interior in the at least one evacuation and the flushing phase takes place at least partially with steam from an annular channel (50) acted upon by steam as the flushing gas.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular channel (50) is acted upon with water vapor as the flushing gas.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one first control valve (SV1) for the controlled switching of the steam-loaded annular channel (50) to a first and second gas space (15, 20) is isolated by means of a strand insulator (52) becomes.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evacuation and flushing phase comprises an evacuation step and a subsequent flushing step, wherein in an evacuation step the interior of the container (2) to a pressure below the pressure of the flushing gas, preferably to a Pressure is lowered between 0.1 bar and 0.2 bar absolute.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the subsequent rinsing step steam from the annular channel (50) is throttled via a cross-sectional constriction of a return gas pipe (16) or a control valve provided in the return gas pipe is supplied in such a way that the pressure in the interior of the The container (2) increases by 0.1 bar to 0.5 bar, preferably by 0.1 bar to 0.3 bar, compared to the end of the evacuation step.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the throttled rinsing with steam from the annular channel (50) during the rinsing step, a superheated steam is generated in the container interior of the container (2).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that approximately 0.5 to 2.0 times the internal volume of the container is added as the amount of steam during the rinsing step.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extracted steam is condensed and / or condensed on the way to the annular channel (40) and / or further on the way to the vacuum pump.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a relative and / or absolute pressure within a first and / or second gas space (15, 20) and within a first and / or second gas channel (17, 21) by means of at least one Pressure sensor (DS) is monitored and / or controlled.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that at least the flushing step with the involvement of the at least one pressure sensor (DS) is pressure-controlled and / or regulated.