Systems and methods for detecting an H
View Patent ↗A system for detecting a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration in a cold aseptic filling system that uses a peracetic acid (PAA)-based cleaning solution is shown and described. The system includes a conductivity sensor configured to receive the PAA-based cleaning solution and to provide a signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution. The system further includes a controller configured to receive the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution and to compare the signal to a threshold value associated with a setpoint H2O2 concentration.
1. A system for detecting a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration in a cold aseptic filling system that uses a peracetic acid (PAA)-based cleaning solution, the system comprising:
a primary conduit through which the PAA-based cleaning solution is circulated;
a bypass conduit fluidly coupled to the primary conduit;
a conductivity sensor positioned in the bypass conduit, the conductivity sensor configured to receive a portion of the PAA-based cleaning solution from the primary conduit via the bypass conduit and to provide a signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution and to compare the signal to a threshold value associated with a setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration,
wherein the concentration of PAA in the PAA-based cleaning solution is depleted over time,
wherein the cold aseptic filling system is configured to dose the PAA-based cleaning solution with additional PAA to counteract the depletion, and
wherein the portion of the PAA-based cleaning solution provided to the conductivity sensor is returned to the primary conduit.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cold aseptic filling system is configured to recirculate the PAA-based cleaning solution.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm when the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution is greater than the threshold value associated with the setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is remote from the conductivity sensor and the system further comprises:
a transmitter locally coupled to the conductivity sensor, the transmitter configured to receive the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution and to provide the signal to the controller.
5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a display coupled to the transmitter and configured to display indicia representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the signal via radio frequency communications.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a processing circuit configured to receive the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution, wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause a display coupled to the processing circuit to display indicia representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution.
8. The controller of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to generate an alarm when the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution is greater than the threshold value associated with the setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration.
9. A method for detecting a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration in a cold aseptic filling system, the method comprising:
circulating a peracetic acid (PAA)-based cleaning solution through a primary conduit of the cold aseptic filling system;
bypassing a portion of the PAA-based cleaning solution to a conductivity sensor;
measuring the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution with the conductivity sensor;
providing a signal representative of the measured electrical conductivity from the conductivity sensor to a controller;
using the controller to compare the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution to a threshold value associated with a setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration;
routing the portion of the PAA-based cleaning solution back to the primary conduit; recirculating the PAA-based cleaning solution such that the concentration of PAA in the PAA-based cleaning solution is depleted over time; and
dosing the recirculated PAA-based cleaning solution with additional PAA to counteract the depletion.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating an alarm when the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution is greater than the threshold value associated with the setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
initiating a process to empty and refill the cold aseptic filling system with new PAA-based cleaning solution when the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution is greater than the threshold value associated with the setpoint H 2 O 2 .
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing a signal representative of the measured electrical conductivity from the conductivity sensor to a controller comprises:
providing the signal to a circuit local to the conductivity sensor that scales the signal for interpretation by the controller; and
transmitting the scaled signal to the controller via a transmitter.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
displaying indicia representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution.
14. A method for detecting a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration in a cold aseptic filling system, the method comprising:
circulating a peracetic acid (PAA)-based cleaning solution through the cold aseptic filling system to a conductivity sensor;
measuring the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution with the conductivity sensor;
providing a signal representative of the measured electrical conductivity from the conductivity sensor to a controller; and
using the controller to compare the signal representative of the electrical conductivity of the PAA-based cleaning solution to a threshold value associated with a setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration;
wherein the conductivity sensor is in parallel with hydraulics of the cold aseptic filling system such that the conductivity sensor continuously receives a flow of the PAA-based cleaning solution when the cold aseptic filling system is active with fluid flow, and
wherein the flow of PAA-based cleaning solution received by the conductivity sensor is directed back into fluid flow circulating through the cold aseptic filling system.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the threshold conductivity value is associated with a setpoint H 2 O 2 concentration of more than 7500 parts per million.