JPH0227236B2 - EKISHORISOCHI - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a liquid processing device for heating and sterilizing liquids such as beverages and sending the sterilized liquids to a filling machine.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional type, in which product liquid at room temperature is supplied to a cushion tank 2 from a product liquid supply inlet 1. The product liquid is sucked from the cushion tank 2 through the liquid supply pipe 3 to the pressure pump 4, and the pressurized product liquid passes through the foreign matter separator 5.
It flows into the heat sterilization section 7 of the heat exchanger 6. The temperature indication adjustment alarm meter 8 detects the temperature of the product liquid flowing out from the heat sterilization section 7 of the heat exchanger 6, and controls the heat sterilization temperature. Specifically, while controlling the heat medium circulation device 16, the detected product liquid temperature (sterilization temperature) is lower than the set lower limit temperature, or
When the upper limit temperature is exceeded, the flow path of the three-way switching valve 9 is automatically switched to the liquid return pipe 13 side. When the predetermined sterilization temperature condition (when the sterilization temperature is within the range of the lower limit temperature or higher and the upper limit temperature or lower), the three-way switching valve 9 is switched to the forward flow side, and the product liquid flows through the filter 10. The liquid then passes through the second three-way switching valve 11, reaches the filling machine liquid sending piping 20, and is fed under pressure to the filling machine. The second three-way switching valve 11 switches the product liquid flow path to the liquid return side to prevent backlash when there is no liquid consumption in the filling machine or when there is no need to supply product liquid on the filling machine side. The flow path is switched to the liquid return pipe 13 side via the valve 12. The product liquid switched to the return side by the first three-way switching valve 9 and whose heat sterilization temperature conditions are not sufficient or the excess product liquid switched to the return side by the second three-way switching valve 11 is passed through the liquid return piping, It flows into the return liquid cooling section 14 of the heat exchanger 6.
In this return liquid cooling section 14, the product liquid is cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower using cooling water supplied from a cooling water supply port 17, and is then returned to the liquid through a throttle valve 15 and a liquid return pipe 19 to the cushion tank. Then, the liquid is returned to the cushion tank 2.

However, the conventional device described above has the following problems.

While the total operating time for normal product production is 100%, the operation rate of the filling machine described above is approximately 85 to 90% due to repeated startups and stops due to conditions such as supplying or discharging containers. Therefore, during the time equivalent to 10 to 15% of the total product production operation time, the flow path of the product liquid is switched to the liquid return side, and during this time, heating energy is expended for heating and the return liquid is cooled to almost room temperature. This consumes a considerable amount of cooling water and is extremely uneconomical due to wasted energy and resource consumption. In addition, if the piping length between the first three-way automatic valve and the second three-way automatic valve is relatively long and abnormal sterilization temperature occurs for some reason, the first three-way automatic valve and the second three-way automatic valve The flow of product liquid between the first three-way automatic valve becomes stagnant, and problems such as deterioration of the product liquid or drop in liquid temperature occur.As a result, the sterilization temperature returns to normal and the first three-way automatic valve is closed to direct flow. It was necessary to wait for the liquid in the piping to be replaced with a normal one by switching the second three-way automatic valve to the normal flow after a necessary period of time had passed after switching to the normal flow.

The present invention was proposed in view of the above-mentioned points, and its purpose is to significantly reduce the consumption of heating energy and cooling water, to be simpler, and to avoid deterioration of product quality. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid processing device that can send liquid to a filling machine relatively far away.

The present invention provides a pressure pump from a cushion tank,
Heat exchanger for heat sterilization, when the sterilization temperature is abnormal or there is no liquid consumption in the filling machine, the heat sterilized liquid is sent to the filling machine via a three-way automatic switching valve that switches the flow path to the liquid return side. In the liquid processing apparatus, when the three-way automatic switching valve switches to the liquid return side on the inlet side of the heat exchanger, and when the liquid flow rate to the filling machine becomes less than the set liquid volume, the flow rate is A first flow rate adjustment automatic valve is provided on the outlet side of the three-way switching automatic valve, and a second flow rate adjustment automatic valve is provided on the outlet side of the three-way automatic valve to feed a liquid according to the amount of liquid consumed by the filling machine. The valve is characterized in that a flow path is provided on the inlet side of the automatic flow rate adjustment valve 1 to bypass the liquid to the return side according to the opening degree of the valve, and as described above, the flow rate adjustment valve 1 and the second flow rate adjustment valve are By installing automatic valves and bypass flow paths, it is possible to send liquid according to the amount of liquid consumed by the filling machine, and it is also possible to prevent abnormal pressure increases in each equipment during operation. Since liquid can be fed according to the amount of liquid consumed by the filling machine, there is no need for wasted heating energy, and when the amount of liquid consumed by the filling machine falls below the set amount or the filling machine is temporarily suspended. For example, the liquid can be bypassed to the return side before entering the heat exchanger, making it possible to significantly reduce heating energy and cooling water, making it extremely economical.
Furthermore, since unnecessary heating and cooling can be avoided, deterioration in the quality of the liquid can also be prevented.

In addition, by having a three-way switching valve that switches the flow path to the liquid return side when the sterilization temperature is abnormal or when there is no liquid consumption in the filling machine, there are fewer places where liquid stagnates in the piping, making it simpler. In addition to improving controllability, it is also possible to prevent deterioration of the quality of the liquid.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 2.

a is an unsterilized product liquid supply port, b is a cushion tank, c is a liquid delivery pipe, d is an unsterilized product liquid pressure pump, e is a foreign matter separator, and the unsterilized product is sent by the pressure pump. This removes foreign substances such as solids in the liquid. f is an automatic bypass valve that automatically bypasses a part of the unsterilized product liquid when the flow of the product liquid is throttled by the first automatic flow rate adjustment valve g; It is also possible to connect the automatic bypass valve f, and in that case, the automatic bypass valve f can automatically adjust its opening degree or be forced to be fully closed.

The first automatic flow rate adjustment valve g is an automatic valve that automatically adjusts the flow rate of the product liquid depending on the consumption amount of the product liquid in the filling machine or the operating state, and receives a signal Z2, which will be described later.
The degree of opening is determined by opening and closing. h is a heat exchanger consisting of a heat sterilization section i for heating and sterilizing unsterilized product liquid, and a return liquid cooling section s for cooling insufficiently sterilized product liquid or liquid returned from the filling machine. j is a heat medium circulation device that supplies heat to heat and sterilize the unsterilized product liquid in the heat sterilization section i of the heat exchanger h. The heat sterilization section i can be divided into a preheating section and a heating section, if necessary, and connected to an appropriate heat medium circulation device.

K is a sterilization temperature indicator and alarm meter that measures the sterilization heating temperature of the product liquid, and is capable of setting the upper and lower limits of the heating sterilization temperature.

n is a three-way automatic valve, and a sterilization temperature indicator and alarm k
If the sterilization temperature of the product liquid detected is abnormal (below the lower limit or higher than the set temperature range), or if the product liquid is not consumed in the filling machine, the flow rate is returned to the liquid return side. This valve automatically switches to the piping R side, and conversely switches to the second flow rate adjustment O/side on the normal flow side when the sterilization temperature of the product liquid is normal and the product liquid is consumed by the filling machine.

m is a filter for the product liquid, and usually a series type or a double type filter is used.

The second flow rate adjustment automatic valve O/ is an automatic valve that opens and closes in response to the product liquid consumption signal Z1 in the filling machine, and its opening degree is determined, and supplies the product liquid to the filling machine according to the product liquid consumption in the filling machine. The liquid is sent to the filling machine through the liquid sending pipe p.

The product liquid switched to the liquid return pipe r side by the three-way automatic switching valve n is cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower in the return liquid cooling section s of the heat exchanger h.

t is a flow rate control valve that limits the flow rate of the returned liquid.

v is the return liquid cooling water supply port, w is the automatic cooling water supply valve, and the three-way switching automatic valve n is automatically opened only when the flow path is switched to the liquid return piping r side. This is a valve.

x is a manual or automatic flow control valve for cooling water, and used cooling water is diverted to a drain or another device through an outlet y. If X is an automatic flow rate control valve, it is also possible to automatically control the cooling temperature of the returning liquid to be constant.

The return liquid cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower is returned to the cushion tank b through a return pipe u.

In the above configuration, the heat medium circulation device j secures the necessary heat medium circulation flow rate, controls the heat medium supply temperature to the heat sterilization section i of the heat exchanger h, and sends and circulates the heat medium. let

The unsterilized product liquid pumped from the cushion tank b by the pressure pump d passes through the foreign matter separator e and the first automatic flow rate adjustment valve g, enters the heat exchanger h, and is heated and sterilized in the heat sterilization section i. Filter m, three-way automatic valve n, second flow rate adjustment automatic valve O/
The liquid is then sent to the filling machine.

Here, the second flow rate adjustment automatic valve O/ automatically adjusts the flow rate of the heat-sterilized product liquid to be sent to the filling machine, and is a proportional control signal according to the consumption amount of the product liquid from the filling machine. The valve is opened and closed by Z1, and the degree of opening is determined, and the amount of product liquid corresponding to the consumption amount is sent.

Further, the opening degree of the first flow rate adjustment automatic valve g is determined by the signal Z2 that controls the opening degree, and this control signal Z2 is the one that controls the opening degree of the three-way automatic valve n.
When the flow path is on the liquid return side, that is, when there is no need to send liquid to the filling machine, the first automatic flow rate adjustment valve
At the same time, when the flow rate of liquid sent to the filling machine becomes lower than the set flow rate, the discharge pressure of the pressure pump d is not applied to functional components such as the heat exchanger h more than necessary. The opening degree of the automatic flow rate adjustment valve g of No. 1 is given. When the opening degree of the first automatic flow rate adjustment valve g is reduced, the automatic bypass valve f opens in response to the signal Z3 that controls the opening degree or the pressure on the primary side of the valve, bypassing the liquid, and It acts to keep the product pressure on the primary side of the automatic flow rate adjustment valve g of No. 1 constant. This prevents the liquid from stagnation in the foreign matter separator e and at the same time secures the required flow rate. The first step is to prevent abnormal pressure rise due to the cut-off pressure of the pressure pump d.
To make it easier to control the flow rate of the product liquid by interlocking the automatic flow rate adjustment valve g and the second automatic flow rate adjustment valve O/;
By locating the three-way automatic valve n and the second automatic flow rate adjustment valve O/ as close to the filling machine as possible to reduce stagnation of liquid in the piping on the forward flow side of the three-way valve n. It is possible to prevent quality deterioration of the product liquid, simplify the equipment, and improve controllability.

As is clear from the above description, according to this embodiment, the following effects with high practical value can be obtained.

(1) It is possible to send heat-sterilized product liquid to the filling machine according to the amount of product liquid consumed by the filling machine.

(2) During operation, abnormal pressure increases in functional components such as foreign matter separators, heat exchangers, filters, automatic valves, and piping can be prevented, and the durability of these functional components can be maintained.

(3) Due to the effect of (1) above, when the filling machine is in production operation,
At the same time, it does not require wasted heating energy, and in conventional systems, for example, when the product liquid consumption in the filling machine was halved, a part of it was returned to the cooling liquid, but this is not necessary in this embodiment. ,
Cooling water consumption in this case can be made unnecessary.

(4) When the filling machine is temporarily out of operation, conventional methods heat and sterilize a predetermined product liquid flow rate (liquid flow rate commensurate with the product liquid consumption of the filling machine) using a heat exchanger, and then Since the path was switched to the liquid return side to return the liquid for cooling, energy for heating and cooling water for cooling were wasted. If there is no problem with the limit or quality deterioration of the product liquid, it is possible to temporarily stop feeding the product liquid to the heat exchanger, and the flow rate can be adjusted. The consumption of heating energy and cooling water when the machine is temporarily out of operation can be reduced to less than half, or even become unnecessary in some cases.

(5) Even if a sterilization temperature abnormality occurs at the start of operation or during operation, there are few areas where the liquid stagnates, making it possible to prevent deterioration of liquid quality and improve controllability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional one;
The figure is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. b: cushion tank, d: pressure pump, f:
Bypass automatic valve, g: first flow rate adjustment automatic valve,
h: heat exchanger, n: three-way automatic switching valve, O/: second flow rate adjustment automatic valve, r, u: liquid return piping.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. From the cushion tank to the pressure pump, heat exchanger for heat sterilization, and to the filling machine via a three-way automatic switching valve that switches the flow path to the liquid return side when the sterilization temperature is abnormal or when there is no liquid consumption in the filling machine. In a liquid processing device configured to send heat-sterilized liquid, when the three-way automatic switching valve is switched to the liquid return side on the inlet side of the heat exchanger, and the liquid flow rate to the filling machine is set to the set liquid volume. When the flow rate is below, a first flow rate adjustment automatic valve that adjusts the flow rate is activated, and a second flow rate that sends liquid according to the liquid consumption amount in the filling machine to the outlet side of the three-way automatic switching valve. A liquid processing device characterized in that an automatic regulating valve is provided, and a flow path is provided on the inlet side of the first automatic flow rate regulating valve to bypass the liquid to the return side according to the opening degree of the first automatic flow rate regulating valve.