STERILIZATION APPARATUS, PACKAGING MACHINE HAVING A STERILIZATION APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR STERILIZING

摘要

There is described a sterilization apparatus (9) for sterilizing a web (4) of packaging material advancing along a web advancement path (P). The sterilization apparatus (9) comprises an irradiation device (26) for sterilizing the advancing web (4) of packaging material, a main shielding chamber (27) housing the irradiation device (26) and comprising an advancement channel (28) having an inlet opening (29) and an outlet opening (30) and through which, in use, the web (4) of packaging material advances along the sterilization portion (P1), an auxiliary shielding chamber (31) being arranged upstream of the advancement channel (28) along the web advancement path (P), the auxiliary shielding chamber (31) having an inner space (32) being in fluid connection with the advancement channel (28) and comprising an extraction opening (52) configured to allow to extract gas from the auxiliary shielding chamber (31). The sterilization apparatus (9) further comprises an aspiration device configured to generate a first flow of gas within the advancement channel (28) from the outlet opening (30) to the inlet opening (29) and a second flow of gas from the inlet opening (29) to the extraction opening (52).