DE102023109956A1 - Process for the utilization of waste heat from a bottling line and industrial plant - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for using waste heat from a filling line for filling liquid products and a corresponding industrial plant are described. Accordingly, in production processes for manufacturing, filling, treating, equipping and/or packaging product containers in the filling line, heated exhaust air is used to heat at least one heating area spatially separated from the filling line. This means that previously unused waste heat can generally be used flexibly and effectively in the respective industrial plant.

Description

The invention relates to a method for utilizing waste heat from a filling line for filling liquid products and to an industrial plant with the filling line and an exhaust air heater.

As is well known, filling lines for filling liquid products are usually part of industrial plants, which can also include office areas, workshop areas, staff lounge areas, canteen areas and/or process technology areas. These areas are usually heated or air-conditioned separately. Filling lines are usually installed in specially designated, separate rooms, for example in a so-called filling hall. It is quite common to spatially separate the wet part and the dry part of the filling line from each other, as well as an associated process technology part.

It is also known to use exhaust air from a blow-moulding machine oven to preheat preforms which are blown into plastic bottles in the associated blow-moulding machine. However, the disadvantage is that in individual process units of the filling line, such as drying facilities, shrink tunnels and blow-moulding machines, heated exhaust air (hot air) is usually released unused from the area of the filling line into the environment.

There is therefore a need to make better use of the thermal energy contained in the exhaust air of a filling line.

The stated object is achieved with a method according to claim 1 and with an industrial plant according to the independent industrial plant claim. Advantageous embodiments are specified, inter alia, in the dependent claims.

The method is therefore used to use waste heat from a filling line for filling liquid products. For this purpose, during production processes for manufacturing, filling, treating, equipping and/or packaging product containers in the filling line, heated exhaust air is used to heat at least one heating area spatially separated from the filling line.

In particular, at least one wall, a floor ceiling or the like can be arranged between the heating area and the filling line.

This means that the utilization of the thermal energy contained in the exhaust air is no longer limited to the area of the filling line and in particular not to the respective area of the process unit producing the exhaust air. Rather, this thermal energy can be used flexibly in at least one heating area with a corresponding heat requirement.

Suitable heating areas are, for example, at least one office area, workshop area, staff lounge area, canteen area and/or process technology area. Such heating areas can be advantageously heated according to the invention, since the exhaust air generated in the filling line generally has a higher temperature level than the air in the heating areas mentioned.

The process engineering sector includes devices for the storage, production and/or treatment of liquid products.

It is also possible that the heating area is heated exclusively by waste heat. For example, heat is not transferred to the heating area from any other source apart from the heated exhaust air.

The exhaust air can, for example, be guided from one or more process units through a pipe to the heating area. In particular, the pipe can be surrounded by an insulating layer, at least in sections.

The exhaust air can, for example, be collected and directed to the heating area via at least one throttleable exhaust air line and/or an electronically controllable extraction system in order to supply it with heat energy as required. For this purpose, the exhaust air line can be throttled depending on a target and actual temperature of the heating area and/or depending on an outside temperature and thus possibly also sealed off and/or the extraction can be regulated on this basis.

In particular, it is possible to heat the heating area only temporarily, e.g. with controlled and/or predeterminable interruptions, using the heated exhaust air. For example, an interruption can be caused by the absence of employees in the heating area.

Furthermore, the waste heat can be transferred from the exhaust air to the heating area by means of at least one gas heat exchanger, for example to avoid odor problems in the heating area, for example in an office area.

Alternatively or additionally, the waste heat can also be dissipated by means of heat transfer through a partition wall between the heating area and the area of the production process generating the waste heat. This is transferred from the exhaust air to the heating area. In this case, the process unit generating the exhaust air heat and the heating area are located in close proximity or directly adjacent to each other. This makes it particularly easy to use the thermal energy contained in the waste heat.

It is particularly advantageous if at least two of the production processes producing the exhaust air take place in close proximity or adjacent to one another. The exhaust air heated in each case can be discharged together and in particular extracted and used to heat at least one heating area. This allows heat losses between the process units producing the waste heat to be minimized and the thermal energy of the exhaust air generated to be used efficiently.

In principle, even without the described spatially separated use of the exhaust air heat, a separate subject matter of the invention would be conceivable in which at least two production processes of the type described that generate heated exhaust air are carried out spatially adjacent or spatially immediately adjacent to one another, or in which at least two process units that generate the heated exhaust air are arranged immediately adjacent, in particular with a distance of less than 20 cm, in particular less than 5 cm, or adjacent to one another, in particular touching one another. It would even be conceivable for the two process units to share the same housing wall. At least one of the described features could then optionally be assigned to this heat energy-saving arrangement or process control.

It is also advantageous if the production processes are carried out one above the other and are only separated from one another by assigned enclosures and/or a floor ceiling.

The at least one process unit for producing the product containers can be, for example, an oven for plastic preforms. The at least one process unit for filling the product containers can be, for example, a filling machine. The at least one process unit for filling the product containers can also include, for example, a system for producing or thermally treating the product to be filled. The at least one process unit for treating the product containers can be, for example, a drying device for drying the product containers, for example in the event that they come out of a tunnel pasteurizer moist or that they were filled cold and condensation has formed and must be dried in each case. The drying device can be arranged in particular downstream of a filling machine and upstream of a labeling machine, a packaging machine or a machine for directly connecting product containers with adhesive dots. The at least one process unit for equipping or packaging the product containers can be, for example, a shrink tunnel. In a shrink tunnel, for example, shrink film sections are shrunk onto product container assemblies using heated gas. It is also possible to use another type of shrink tunnel to shrink labels, e.g. in the form of tubes, onto individual product containers using heated gas. In another type of shrink tunnel, film material is shrunk onto palletized product container stacks using heated gas. In such process units, heated exhaust air can arise in production, cleaning processes and/or sterilization processes. The exhaust air can be used flexibly for heating, for example by means of heat exchange in a spatially separate heating area, without affecting the air quality there.

In particular, it is possible that in the event of production downtimes in at least one process unit, more heat or exhaust air is removed from the process unit per unit of time, at least for a short time, than was the case during production shortly before. Production downtimes can occur, for example, due to malfunctions or a change in production. These can be planned or unplanned. Production downtimes can be detected automatically, e.g. via sensors or an operator entering the change. Furthermore, the detection can increase the volume flow of the exhaust air removed. This is possible, for example, using a control system. The higher removal capacity means that more heat that is no longer needed in the process unit can be removed.

In particular, it is possible that in the event of production downtimes - e.g. depending on the expected length of the downtime - one or more process units first go into a standby mode in which an attempt is made to maintain heat and/or a certain temperature greater than the ambient temperature in the process unit. In such a standby mode, the volume flow of the exhaust air discharged may be reduced compared to the production immediately before. A reduction may include switching off or reducing to 0.

A change in the volume flow or a throttling can be achieved, for example, by changing the speed of a fan / blower arranged in a discharge line. and/or by changing the position of a flap or valve in the exhaust air duct.

In particular, it is possible that in the event of production downtime, doors of a process unit that were open during production may be closed.

Furthermore, it is possible that the exhaust air from one process unit is first led to another process unit, whereby the exhaust air streams mix in or at the second process unit before they are passed on to the heating area.

Additionally or alternatively, several exhaust air streams from individual process units may be brought together at a distance, possibly even outside the filling hall.

Additionally or alternatively, two exhaust air streams may be directed into separate heating areas and not mixed.

Additionally or alternatively, a mixture or a mixing ratio of at least two exhaust air streams can be controlled via valves or flaps, in particular automatically. If the exhaust air streams of two process units have different amounts of thermal energy per unit of time, two heating areas can be heated individually with different amounts of power, for example. It is conceivable that the exhaust air streams separate again after the (partial) mixing and lead to different heating areas. The mixture can also be regulated by throttling.

To control or regulate one or more exhaust air flows or their mixing ratio, flow meters and temperature sensors can be arranged in some or all of the exhaust air ducts.

• 1 ein schematisches Layout einer Industrieanlage mit zugeordneten Heizbereichen;
• 2 ein schematisches Layout einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 3 eine schematische seitliche Ansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordneten Heizbereichen;
• 4 ein schematisches Layout einer alternativen Industrieanlage;
• 5 eine schematische Seitenansicht der Industrieanlage gemäß 4 mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 6 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 7 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 8 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 9 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 10 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 11 eine schematische Seitenansicht der Abluftheizung in unterschiedlichen Betriebszuständen;
• 12 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich;
• 13 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereichen; und
• 14 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer alternativen Industrieanlage mit zugeordnetem Heizbereich.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings.

• 1 a schematic layout of an industrial plant with assigned heating areas;
• 2 a schematic layout of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 3 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating areas;
• 4 a schematic layout of an alternative industrial plant;
• 5 a schematic side view of the industrial plant according to 4 with assigned heating area;
• 6 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 7 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 8 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 9 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 10 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 11 a schematic side view of the exhaust air heater in different operating states;
• 12 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area;
• 13 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating areas; and
• 14 a schematic side view of an alternative industrial plant with associated heating area.

As the 1 As can be seen, the industrial plant 101 according to a first embodiment comprises a filling line 1 with a first process unit 2a in which heated exhaust air 3a is generated, a second process unit 2b in which heated exhaust air 3b is generated, a first exhaust air heater 4a for heating an associated first heating area 5a by means of thermal energy contained in the exhaust air 3a and a second exhaust air heater 4b for heating an associated second heating area 5b by means of thermal energy contained in the exhaust air 3b.

The first and second exhaust air heaters 4a, 4b comprise (preferably throttleable) exhaust air ducts (exhaust air lines such as pipes or hoses) 4c to the heating areas 5a, 5b and, if appropriate, heat exchangers 4f there, such as gas-gas heat exchangers, radiators or the like (in the 1 not shown).

The first and second heating areas 5a, 5b are each separated from the area of the filling line 1 in the sense of separate rooms, for example from a filling hall 6 which accommodates it (see for example the 3 ). In the first and second Heating areas 5a, 5b are, for example, office areas or office rooms. The rooms can be connected to each other or to the filling hall 6 by a common wall with doors or several intermediate rooms.

The first process unit 2a is, for example, an oven for plastic preforms, the second process unit 2b is a shrink tunnel for packaging filled plastic bottles. Other process units can also be used.

Other components of the filling line 1 shown as examples are a blow molding machine 1a, neck handling stars 1b, a rinser 1c, a filling machine 1d, a closing machine 1e, a labeling machine 1f, a packing machine 1g, belt conveyor 1h and a palletizing machine 1i.

In the industrial plant 101 of the first embodiment, the filling line 1 is thus designed for filling a liquid product into plastic bottles, in particular those made of PET.

System components of the further described embodiments are provided with the same reference numerals as those in the 1 designated system components, unless this is explicitly stated as a deviation from this.

As the 2 As can be seen, the filling line 1 in an industrial plant 102 is designed according to a second embodiment for filling a liquid product into cans. In this case, a push-off device 1j for cans can be present on the input side, as well as a belt conveyor 1k with an associated rinser and a buffer function for buffering the fed cans (each not separately designated). The labeling machine 1f is merely optional.

In the example of 2 only the (second) process unit 2b is present, whereby this is directly adjacent to an associated (second) heating area 5b. The associated exhaust air heating 4b is carried out in this case by suitable guidance of the exhaust air 3b in the (second) process unit 2b to a (or against) a partition wall 7 formed between the (second) process unit 2b and the (second) heating area 5b and by corresponding heat passage 7a through this. The exhaust air heating 4b can thus be used in comparison to the 1 illustrated embodiment with at least one exhaust air duct 4c.

It is understood that the 1 and 2 The variants of the filling line 1 and the exhaust air heating 4a, 4b shown as examples can be combined with one another as desired, i.e., for example, the second process unit 2b and the second heating area 5b can also be combined in the embodiment according to 1 could be directly adjacent to each other by means of a partition wall 7.

As the 3 As can be seen, according to a third embodiment, the industrial plant 103 can be assigned, for example, first and second heating regions 5a, 5b, which are arranged above a filling hall 6 accommodating the filling line 1.

For example, the (second) exhaust air heater 4b assigned to the (second) process unit 2b can comprise an exhaust air hood 8, which could, for example, be open at the top and there border on a floor 6a of the filling hall 6, wherein the first and/or second heating area 5a, 5b is then preferably located directly above the exhaust air hood 8, i.e. is then preferably only separated from it by the floor 6a of the filling hall 6.

The first heating area 5a could then be, for example, an office room, the second heating area 5b a canteen room or the like.

In all embodiments, elements for noise insulation can be arranged between a heating region 5a, 5b and the process unit 2b.

As the 4 As can be seen, the industrial plant 104 according to a fourth embodiment can comprise a filling line 1 which is designed for filling liquid products into plastic bottles and comprises, for example, the following plant components: a sorting device 1l for plastic preforms; a buffer table 1m for filled and labelled plastic bottles; and a distribution device, for example in the form of a tripod, for distributing containers with filled plastic bottles for their subsequent palletizing.

In contrast to the 1 to 3 In the embodiments described, the first process unit 2a, here again in the form of an oven for the plastic preforms, and the second process unit 2b, here again in the form of a shrink tunnel, are arranged in close proximity to one another, here in particular adjacent in the longitudinal direction.

Due to the essentially parallel alignment of the process units 2a, 2b, the belt conveyors 1h and the buffer table 1m are preferably designed and arranged such that where the product transport direction is changed in an appropriate manner.

The adjacent arrangement of the process units 2a, 2b simplifies an advantageous joint extraction of exhaust air 3a heated in the first process unit 2a and exhaust air 3b heated in the second process unit 2b and is shown in the 5 in a schematic side view (section along the line AA in the 4 ). Accordingly, the first and second process units 2a, 2b can be separated from one another by a walkable intermediate space 8 and/or connected to a common exhaust air hood 4d.

As further components of the exhaust air heating system 4a, an extraction system 4e and/or a heat exchanger 4f are preferably also present in order to extract the exhaust air 3a, 3b of the first and second process units 2a, 2b together and to transfer the thermal energy contained therein to at least one heating area 5a, here for example an office room.

The extraction system 4e enables a particularly effective removal of heated exhaust air 3a, 3b. In principle, this would only be possible upwards by means of convection even without the extraction system 4e.

The heat exchanger 4f enables the exhaust air to be separated from the filling hall 6 by returning the exhaust air 3a, 3b to the filling hall 6 after the heat has been released in the heat exchanger 4f. Accordingly, any possible odor nuisance in the heating area 5a caused by the exhaust air 3a, 3b coming from the process units 2a, 2b can be reliably avoided.

For better understanding, some of the exhaust air streams 9 involved in the exhaust air heating 4a, 4b are shown as block arrows in individual figures.

An extraction system 4e is understood here to mean a fan (blower) in an exhaust air duct 4c or the like, for example with an associated electronic control and in particular temperature control.

As the 6 As can be seen, the exhaust air heater 4a in an industrial plant 105 according to a fifth embodiment can provide exhaust air 3a, 3b, 3c jointly from a first process unit 2a, here for example again an oven for plastic preforms, a second process unit 2b, again for example a shrink tunnel, and a third process unit 2c, which can be for example a blow molding machine 1a or a filling machine 1d, for heating at least one spatially separated heating area 5a, here for example an office room.

Heated exhaust air 3a, 3b from the first and second process units 2a, 2b can, for example, be extracted upwards together by means of an exhaust air hood 4d and a first extraction system 4e (fan). The exhaust air 3a, 3b can essentially be room air of the filling hall 6 heated in the process units 2a, 2b, whereas the exhaust air 3c from the third process unit 2c can be heated sterilization vapors or the like that are to be removed from the third process unit 2c. The same would also be possible with other machines with such contaminated exhaust air, for example those for sterilizing plastic preforms.

Contaminated heated exhaust air 3c is preferably extracted separately by a second extraction system 4e (fan) and finally led together with uncontaminated exhaust air 3a, 3b (of the process units 2a, 2b) as exhaust air flow 9 to the heating area 5a. Due to the contaminated exhaust air 3c, a heat exchanger 4f is present here for dissipating heat to the heating area 5a and an exhaust air chimney 4g downstream of the heat exchanger 4f for the cooled exhaust air flow 9.

As the 7 As can be seen, the exhaust air heater 4a in an industrial plant 106 can be temperature-controlled according to a sixth embodiment. For this purpose, the exhaust air heater 4a comprises at least one temperature sensor 11 and an electronic control (regulation) 12 in order to regulate the exhaust air flow 9 of the exhaust air heater 4a in the direction of the heating area 5a and optionally the heat exchanger 4f. This is possible, for example, by regulating the extraction 4e and/or throttling the exhaust air flow 9 by means of the control 12. Temperature sensors 11 can be present, for example, in the first and/or second process unit 2a, 2b, in the exhaust air hood 4d common to these and/or in the associated heating area 5a. In this, an input device 13 for entering a target temperature of the heating area 5a can be present.

This enables automatic heating of the heating area 5a, whereby the same is also possible in principle for at least one further heating area (not shown here).

As the 8 As can be seen, the exhaust air heater 4a can be integrated into an air conditioning system in an industrial plant 107 according to a seventh embodiment. For example, in addition to the 7 shown and described components of the exhaust air heater 4a is provided: a temperature sensor 11 for measuring the outside temperature; valves 14 or throttles for controlling air flows in air ducts; at least one air filter 15; a heat exchanger bypass 16; and/or an additional heat exchanger 17.

The air filters 15 shown are optional components of the exhaust air heater 4a integrated into an air conditioning system. With the heat exchanger bypass 16, the exhaust air flow 9 with the exhaust air 3a, 3b from the first and second process units 2a, 2b can be partially or completely bypassed by the heat exchanger 4f.

The heat exchanger bypass 16 preferably leads to the additional heat exchanger 17. This is used in particular when relatively germ-free air from the filling hall 6 is not to be additionally polluted, or when it is exhaust air from an area with a controlled atmosphere, i.e. from a clean room or the like.

As an alternative or supplement to the additional heat exchanger 17, fresh air 18 can be supplied from outside, especially at night during the summer months.

The first process unit 2a can in turn be an oven for heating preforms, the second process unit 2b can in turn be a shrink tunnel or possibly also another oven for heating preforms.

As the 9 As can be seen, the exhaust air heater 4a in an industrial plant 108 according to a third embodiment can comprise a common exhaust air hood 4d or the like for extracting heated exhaust air 3a, 3b, 3c from a first process unit 2a, here again for example an oven for preforms, a second process unit 2b, here again for example a shrink tunnel or another oven for preforms, and a third process unit 2c, here for example a pasteurizer. Here too, the exhaust air stream 9 collected in this way is used to heat a spatially delimited heating area 5a, preferably adjoining the filling hall 6 or the associated floor 6a above. Optionally, selected components of the exhaust air heater 4a according to at least one of the other described or otherwise illustrated embodiments can be present (not shown).

The first to third process units 2a to 2c can, as schematically indicated, either be directly adjacent to one another or, for example, be arranged in close proximity to one another, separated from one another only by walkable intermediate spaces 8 (not shown).

As the 10 As can be seen, at least one heating area 5a in an industrial plant 109 according to a ninth embodiment can be directly connected to the side of a filling hall 6 or arranged in lateral proximity to it. In this case, the heated exhaust air 3a, 3b from the first and/or second process unit 2a, 2b is guided by means of an extraction system 4e (fan, blower) in air ducts 4c both laterally and downwards to a heat exchanger 4f (radiator) arranged in the heating area 5a. In this case, a lacking or insufficient vertical chimney effect is compensated by an active lateral air transport by means of the extraction system 4e.

As the 11 for an industrial plant 110 according to a tenth embodiment, the exhaust air heater 4a can comprise a flow barrier 19 for blocking the exhaust air flow 9 resulting from the heated exhaust air 3a, 3b above an exhaust air hood 4d common to the first and second process units 2a, 2b, for example. The flow barrier 19 can be operated manually by means of a mechanism, for example, or in the form of a pneumatic valve circuit or by means of an electric motor at the push of a button. Such a flow barrier can in principle also be used in other embodiments in any line and is not restricted to the arrangement with two process units.

In the picture on the left, the flow barrier 19 is open, in the picture on the right it is closed.

Above the flow barrier 19, an extraction system (not shown here) can be provided. It would then be possible to direct the exhaust air flow 9 alternatively or additionally not only to a heating area 5a arranged above, but also to a heating area 5a arranged next to the filling hall 6, see for example the 10 .

As the 12 As can be seen by way of example from an industrial plant 111 according to an eleventh embodiment, heated exhaust air 3a to 3d can be fed to the exhaust air heater 4a by means of a ventilation series connection 20 and/or parallel connection 21 of individual process units 2a to 2d and can be used to heat at least one heating area 5a.

In the example, the first and second process units 2a, 2b, here again an oven for heating preforms and a shrink tunnel or another oven for heating preforms, are arranged in rows for ventilation purposes. circuit 20, so that the resulting heated exhaust air 3a can be combined, for example by subsequent parallel connection 21 on the exhaust air side, with the exhaust air 3c, 3d of a third and fourth process unit 2c, 2d, which can be, for example, pasteurizers or similar process units.

For this purpose, heated exhaust air 3a to 3d can be extracted or combined using air ducts 4c, such as pipes and/or hoses, as an alternative or in addition to the previously described embodiments with the exhaust air hood 4d. In this case too, the extraction system 4e shown is in principle optional. Likewise, separate extraction systems 4e (fans) could be present for individual sub-areas of the series and/or parallel circuit 20, 21 (not shown).

As the 13 for an industrial plant 112 according to a twelfth embodiment, the exhaust air heater 4a can optionally be used for serial (shown) or parallel (not shown) heating of several heating areas 5a, 5b separate from the filling line 1. For example, the heated exhaust air 3a, 3b originating from a first and second process unit 2a, 2b, here again preferably an oven for preforms and a shrink tunnel, is first fed together to a first heating area 5a, which here is, for example, a process technology area, and after heat exchange there, then to a second heating area 5b, which here is, for example, a staff lounge area.

In this regard, it is schematically indicated that the heated exhaust air stream 9 produced in this way is initially used, for example, to flow around a part of the process technology system, for example to preheat a process vessel 22 and/or, if this is heated, possibly also to tap additional heat. The process vessel 22 can be, for example, a wort kettle of a brewhouse or a heat exchanger of a flash heating system. The process technology area heated in this way could therefore be, for example, a brewhouse or the like.

After heat exchange with the process vessel 22, the still warm or even additionally heated exhaust air stream 9 (shown as block arrows) can be used to heat the second heating area 5b, whereby this is shown in the 13 is only shown in a highly simplified manner. In principle, the exhaust air flow 9 could be guided to the second heating area 5b, for example by means of an optional extraction system 4e (fan, blower) and/or one of the system components described above, and used there for heating.

As the 13 further schematically indicates, such a configuration of the industrial plant 112 and the associated heating areas 5a, 5b is particularly advantageous if they are arranged one above the other, for example with a filling hall 6 arranged on the ground floor, a process technology arranged on the first floor and a staff lounge area arranged on the second floor.

As the 14 for an industrial plant 113 according to a thirteenth embodiment, process units 2a to 2c generating heated exhaust air 3a to 3c (number and designation merely as examples) can be arranged at least partially in different rooms and/or floors. This is indicated by way of example for a bottling hall 6 with a first and second process unit 2a, 2b and a production area 23 arranged above it with a third process unit 2c, which generates a heated exhaust air stream 3c. This is collected together with the heated exhaust air streams 3a and 3b of the first and second process units 2a, 2b in the exhaust air heater 4a and conveyed, for example by means of an optional extraction system 4e, to the heating area 5a in order to heat it by means of heat exchange.

In the described embodiments, process units 2a to 2d (or a different number thereof) can in principle be combined with one another by means of conventional air ducts 4c in the form of pipes and/or hoses in series connection 20 and/or parallel connection 21. The exhaust air 3a to 3d can be removed from the interior of the respective process units 2a to 2d by means of convection and/or suction 4e and, if necessary, be directed together to the heating area 5a, 5b to be heated (number and arrangement merely as examples).

Claims (14)

Method for utilizing waste heat from a filling line (1) suitable for filling liquid products, wherein, in production processes for producing, filling, treating, equipping and/or packaging product containers in the filling line, heated exhaust air (3a-3d) is used to heat at least one heating area (5a, 5b) spatially separated from the filling line. procedure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating area (5a, 5b) is an office area, a workshop area, a staff area area, a canteen area and/or a process technology area. procedure according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the exhaust air (3a-3d) is collected and guided to the heating area (5a, 5b) via at least one throttleable exhaust air duct (4c). procedure according to claim 3 , wherein the exhaust air duct (4c) is throttled depending on a target and actual temperature of the heating area (5a) and/or depending on an outside temperature. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein waste heat is transferred from the exhaust air (3a-3d) to the heating region (5a, 5b) by means of at least one heat exchanger (10). procedure according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein waste heat is transferred from the exhaust air (3b) to the heating area by means of heat transfer (7a) through a partition wall (7) which separates the heating area (5b) from a process unit (2b) generating the waste heat. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the production processes are carried out spatially adjacent or spatially immediately adjacent to one another and the exhaust air (3a-3d) heated in each case is discharged together, in particular sucked off. procedure according to claim 7 , wherein the production processes are carried out one above the other and separated from one another only by associated enclosures and/or a floor slab (6a). Industrial plant (101-113) comprising: - a filling line (1) for filling liquid products, with process units (2a-2d) for producing, filling, treating, equipping and/or packaging product containers; and - an exhaust air heater (4a, 4b) for heating at least one heating area (5a, 5b) spatially separated from the process units and in particular from the filling line as a whole with exhaust air (3a-3d) heated in at least one of the process units, in particular according to the method according to at least one of the preceding claims. industrial plant after claim 9 , wherein the at least one heating area (5a, 5b) is an office area, a workshop area, a staff lounge area, a canteen area and/or a process technology area. industrial plant after claim 9 or 10 , further comprising at least one exhaust air duct (4c) which leads the heated exhaust air (3a-3d) from the at least one process unit (2a-2d) to the at least one heating region (5a, 5b) and which can be throttled in particular in a temperature-controlled manner. Industrial plant according to at least one of the Claims 9 until 11 , wherein at least two of the process units (2a-2d) generating the heated exhaust air (2a-2d) are arranged adjacent to and/or adjacent to one another. industrial plant after claim 11 and 12 , wherein the adjacent and/or adjacent process units (2a-2d) are assigned a common exhaust air duct (4c), a common exhaust air hood (4d) and/or a common extraction (4e) for the heated exhaust air (3a-3d). Industrial plant according to at least one of the Claims 9 until 13 , wherein the process unit (2a-2d) for producing the product containers is an oven for plastic preforms and/or the process unit (2a-2d) for filling the product containers is a filling machine and/or the process unit (2a-2d) for treating the product containers is a drying device and/or the process unit (2a-2d) for equipping or packaging the product containers is a shrink tunnel.

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