Hydrogen peroxide supply for sterilization of a container, including a bypass arrangement for recirculation of hydrogen peroxide

1. A H 2 O 2 supply arrangement comprising:

a H 2 O 2 storage container;

a pressurized line arrangement configured to cycle H 2 O 2 out from said H 2 O 2 storage container and back into said H 2 O 2 storage container;

a plurality of metering valves, each comprising an openable and closable exit configured to control flow of doses of H 2 O 2 from the H 2 O 2 being cycled in said line arrangement to a corresponding article sterilization device; and

each of said exits is configured to be closed such that only cycled flow of H 2 O 2 through said line arrangement is permitted, and to be opened such that both cycled flow of H 2 O 2 through said line arrangement and flow of H 2 O 2 through said exits are permitted.

2. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said line arrangement comprises at least one line having a cross-section sufficiently large to minimize pressure losses and/or pressure fluctuations and/or changes in volume flow resulting from opening and closing of said metering valves, and sufficiently large to promote a substantially identical or constant pressure at each of said metering valves.

3. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein said line arrangement is configured such that the flow resistance for said H 2 O 2 flowing through each of said metering valves upon said exit being closed is substantially identical or identical to the flow resistance upon said exit being opened.

4. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein said storage container is configured to generate pressure at said metering valves, and comprises the sole source of pressure at said metering valves.

5. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein said H 2 O 2 supply arrangement comprises a collecting container configured to collect H 2 O 2 returned via said line arrangement, which collecting container is connected to said H 2 O 2 storage container by a connecting line.

6. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:

each of said metering valves is configured to meter doses of H 2 O 2 from said line arrangement to a mixing arrangement which is configured to mix a gaseous or vaporous carrier medium with doses of H 2 O 2 from said metering valve;

the pressure in said collecting container is less than the pressure at said metering valves; and

said connecting line comprises a pump being configured and disposed to pump H 2 O 2 from said collecting container to said storage container.

7. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein:

at least one of said storage container and said collecting container comprises a gas space being configured and disposed to permit discharge of gaseous decomposition products of said H 2 O 2 ;

said line arrangement comprises gas separators being configured and disposed to separate or discharge gaseous decomposition products of said H 2 O 2 ; and

one of (A) and (B):

(A) said line arrangement comprises a plurality of lines configured to be connected to a plurality of article sterilization devices, wherein each line is configured to be connected to at least one of the article sterilization devices; and

(B) said line arrangement comprises a single line configured to be connected to all article sterilization devices.

8. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 7 , in combination with a plurality of article sterilization devices disposed on the periphery of a rotor and configured to sterilize articles comprising bottles or containers.

9. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein:

said line arrangement comprises at least one pump configured to generate pressure at said metering valves;

said storage container is configured to provide a gas space above H 2 O 2 in said storage container; and

said line arrangement comprises gas separators being configured and disposed to separate or discharge gaseous decomposition products of H 2 O 2 in said line arrangement.

10. The H 2 O 2 supply arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a computer control device configured to repeatedly switch open and closed said exits to substantially immediately allow flow of H 2 O 2 out of said exits, and to substantially immediately stop flow of H 2 O 2 out of said exits, to thereby meter doses of H 2 O 2 from said line arrangement to a plurality of article sterilization devices.

11. A H 2 O 2 supply arrangement comprising:

a H 2 O 2 storage container;

a pressurized line arrangement configured to cycle H 2 O 2 out from said H 2 O 2 storage container and back into said H 2 O 2 storage container;

a plurality of metering valves, each comprising an openable and closable exit configured to control flow of doses of H 2 O 2 from the H 2 O 2 being cycled in said line arrangement to a corresponding article sterilization device; and

said storage container is pressurized to generate pressure at said metering valves, and comprises the sole source of pressure at said metering valves.

12. A H 2 O 2 supply arrangement comprising:

a H 2 O 2 storage container;

a pressurized line arrangement configured to cycle H 2 O 2 out from said H 2 O 2 storage container and back into said H 2 O 2 storage container;

a plurality of metering valves, each comprising an openable and closable exit configured to control flow of doses of H 2 O 2 from the H 2 O 2 being cycled in said line arrangement to a corresponding article sterilization device; and

a collecting container configured to collect H 2 O 2 returned via said line arrangement, which collecting container is connected to said H 2 O 2 storage container by a connecting line.

13. A method of supplying H 2 O 2 comprising:

cycling H 2 O 2 via a pressurized line arrangement out from a H 2 O 2 storage container and back into said H 2 O 2 storage container;

opening and closing an exit in each of a plurality of metering valves and thereby metering doses of H 2 O 2 from the H 2 O 2 being cycled in said line arrangement to a plurality of article sterilization devices; and

pressurizing said storage container and generating a pressure at said metering valves solely with pressure from within said storage container.

14. The method of supplying H 2 O 2 according to claim 13 , wherein said step of metering comprises using a computer control device to repeatedly switch open and closed at least one of said exits to substantially immediately allow flow of H 2 O 2 out of at least one of said exits, and to substantially immediately stop flow of H 2 O 2 out of at least one of said exits.

15. The method of supplying H 2 O 2 according to claim 13 , wherein said method further comprises maintaining substantially the same pressure throughout said line arrangement and at said metering valves, and thereby minimizing disturbance of H 2 O 2 and decomposition of H 2 O 2 caused by such disturbance.

16. The method of supplying H 2 O 2 according to claim 13 , wherein said method further comprises:

rotating a rotor, about the periphery of which said plurality of article sterilization devices are mounted;

supplying articles to be sterilized to said rotor; and

sterilizing said articles while said articles are moved by said rotor.

17. A method of supplying H 2 O 2 comprising continuously and uninterruptedly cycling H 2 O 2 via a pressurized line arrangement out from a H 2 O 2 storage container and back into said H 2 O 2 storage container, while opening and closing an exit in each of a plurality of metering valves and thereby metering doses of H 2 O 2 from the H 2 O 2 being cycled in said line arrangement to a plurality of article sterilization devices.