EP0331137B1 - Method and device for the counter-pressure filling of containers with carbonated liquids, especially with beverages - Google Patents

Description

When filling carbonated liquids and in particular also when filling drinks under counterpressure into vessels or bottles, a vessel relief to atmospheric pressure is necessary after the liquid inlet or the filling phase has ended. In the case of liquids, such as sparkling wine or soft drinks, which, because of their relatively high CO₂ content, do not have ideal filling properties, particularly when these liquids are to be filled at relatively high temperatures from an economic point of view, or expansion of the bottled liquid to avoid relaxation. For this purpose, the relief to atmospheric pressure must be carried out in stages so that the actual relief to atmospheric pressure is preceded by a preliminary relief phase.

A method of the type mentioned above is the subject of the older EP-A-0 291 971. In this method, prior to the relief of the respective vessel to atmospheric pressure, a pressure is brought into effect in the vessel in a preceding calming phase, which corresponds to the saturation pressure of the liquid to be filled or this is approximated so that there is no escape of CO₂ gas and thus the desired calming of the filled liquid is achieved in the respective vessel. Before the filled vessel is pulled off the filling element used for filling, it is then necessary to relieve the atmospheric pressure from the relatively high pressure used in the calming phase. This final discharge to atmospheric pressure must be carried out gently, in particular to avoid that in the filling material not bound or only loosely bound CO₂ gas, which is released during the discharge from atmospheric pressure, does not cause the bottled liquid to become so disturbed that the filled bottles overflow.

Also known is a process for filling carbonated liquids under counterpressure into vessels using a single-chamber counterpressure filler (DE-A-36 22 807). In this method, the filling phase is ended by closing the liquid valve of the filling element used when a liquid level has been reached in the vessel to be filled, at which the lower end of a return gas tube is immersed in the filled liquid. After the liquid valve has been closed, the return gas tube is connected to an annular chamber which has a pressure which is slightly less than the filling pressure prevailing in the liquid container. An amount of liquid (after-run liquid) present above the lower end of the return gas pipe is then discharged from the bottle into the annular chamber via this return gas pipe and the connection thereafter. The aim of this measure is to correct the fill level obtained after the completion of the filling phase to a predetermined target fill level.

From this chamber, the wake-up liquid is then either pumped back into the tank of the single-chamber counter-pressure filler or returned to the next bottle to be filled. In this known method, the respective vessel is not relieved to a pressure that is substantially below the filling pressure. Rather, the pressure in the annular chamber must be set very high, that is to say only slightly below the filling pressure and in any case above the saturation pressure, in order to avoid loosening or releasing carbon dioxide when the follow-up liquid is discharged into the chamber and also to prevent that when returning the wake liquid in the ring boiler the liquid there is disturbed, or the liquid arriving there is disturbed when the trailing liquid is returned to a bottle.

The object of the invention is to demonstrate a method and a device with which liquids which have very different filling properties in an economical manner can be optimally filled.

To achieve this object, the subject of the invention is a method according to claim 1 or an apparatus for performing this method according to claim 10 or 11 or 13.

With the method according to the invention, economical and optimal filling of carbonated liquids is possible. In particular, the pre-relief pressure can also be kept very low in the method according to the invention, the risk of foaming of the filled liquid and of escape of this liquid being avoided during the final discharge to atmospheric pressure.

The method according to the invention is suitable for filling vessels with counter-pressure filling machines in a single or multi-chamber construction, the respective filling element used for filling including a gas path or return gas path for the gas flowing out of the vessel during the vessel relief phase and a chamber provided with an outlet to the atmosphere which, at least during the pre-relief phase, is connected to the gas path or return gas path. Simply by adjusting the pressure regulated in this chamber, the pre-relief pressure can be optimally adapted to the often very different filling properties of the liquid to be filled with such a filling machine. In this case, it is above all ensured that the same pre-relief pressure is effective with each pre-relief, that is to say reproducible conditions.

With the method according to the invention, even with regard to their filling properties, very problematic liquids, such as sparkling wine or soft drinks, can be obtained at relatively high temperatures with high temperatures Filling services clean, ie without foaming or escaping from the container or bottle, for example sparkling wine with a CO₂ content of approx. 9.5 g CO₂ / liter. and at a filling temperature of 15 ° C.

When filling sparkling wine, the CO₂ saturation pressure is about 3.0 bar, a filling pressure of 6.5 bar is used, the pre-relief pressure can be reduced to 0.8 bar with a pre-relief time of about 1.5 seconds without there is foaming or escaping of sparkling wine in or out of the respective bottle, despite the relatively high filling temperature of 15 ° C.

The saturation pressure or CO₂ saturation pressure in the sense of the invention is that pressure at which there is still no rise in carbon dioxide bubbles in a liquid at a certain CO₂ content and a certain temperature.

If, in the method according to the invention, the return gas displaced when the vessel is being filled is discharged into the chamber with a pressure drop via a connection provided with a throttle device, then, if the filling properties of the liquid to be filled allow, the pressure conditions are preferably regulated so that the pressure set in the chamber or regulated pre-relief pressure is still between the atmospheric pressure and the saturation pressure and is preferably below the saturation pressure, but at the same time also between the filling pressure and a critical pressure of the throttle device. This also makes it possible to optimize the filling speed with respect to the filling properties of the liquid to be filled without changing the throttle device.

The critical pressure is the pressure in the chamber above which the volume flow of the return gas flowing through the throttle device during the filling phase has a pressure-dependent profile.

Advantageous developments of the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

ein Schema einer Gegendruck-Füllmaschine in Mehrkammerbauweise mit gesteuerten Füllelementen;

Fig. 2

ein Schema eines Füllelementes der Gegendruck-Füllmaschine nach Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 und 4

Einzelheiten der absperrbaren Verbindung des Füllelementes bei zwei gegenüber der Fig. 2 modifizierten Ausführungsformen;

Fig. 5

ein Diagramm, in welchem für die Gegendruck-Füllmaschine nach den Fig. 1-4 die Abhängigkeit des Volumenstromes des über die Drosseleinrichtung in die Rückgaskammer fließenden Rückgases von dem Rückgasdruck in der Rückgaskammer bei zwei unterschiedlichen Fülldrucken wiedergegeben ist;

Fig. 6

in vereinfachter Darstellung ein Schema einer Gegendruck-Füllmaschine in Einkammerbauweise, zusammen mit einem der gesteuerten Füllelementen dieser Füllmaschine;

Fig. 7 und 8

in einer vergrößerten Detaildarstellung ähnlich Fig. 2 eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform eines Füllelementes der Gegendruck-Füllmaschine nach Fig. 1, und zwar in zwei unterschiedlichen Betriebsstellungen einer Spanngasventil-Anordnung.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

a diagram of a back pressure filling machine in multi-chamber design with controlled filling elements;

Fig. 2

a diagram of a filling element of the back pressure filling machine of FIG. 1;

3 and 4

Details of the lockable connection of the filling element in two embodiments modified compared to FIG. 2;

Fig. 5

a diagram in which the dependency of the volume flow of the return gas flowing into the return gas chamber via the throttle device from the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber at two different filling pressures is shown for the counterpressure filling machine according to FIGS. 1-4;

Fig. 6

in a simplified representation, a diagram of a counter-pressure filling machine in single-chamber design, together with one of the controlled filling elements of this filling machine;

7 and 8

in an enlarged detail view similar to FIG. 2, a modified embodiment of a filling element of the back pressure filling machine according to FIG. 1, namely in two different operating positions of a tensioning gas valve arrangement.

1 shows a schematic representation of a counterpressure filling machine, for example a three-chamber counterpressure filling machine 10 in a rotating design for carbonated liquids, in particular drinks, with an annular liquid container 11, on the outer circumference of which around a large number of filling elements 12 with a uniform mutual spacing is scheduled. Each filling element 12 is equipped with a substantially vertically arranged filling tube 13 and a vertically displaceable centering and sealing tulip 14. Each filling element 12 is associated with a lifting and lowering device 15 with a lifting cylinder 16 and a support plate 17 for each vessel 18 to be filled, for example a bottle. The lowering and raising can take place in such a way that the lifting cylinders 16 are constantly acted upon by a pressure medium in the sense of lifting and a lifting cylinder control curve 19 in the region of the tube insert and vessel extension not shown is attached to the control rollers 20 provided on the lifting cylinders 16 in order to lower each support plate 17 with a filled vessel 18 standing thereon before the extension and each support plate 17 in this lowered state at the insert to have a container 18 to be filled, which can then be picked up by the Carrier plate 17 is raised to the respective filler 12.

At the bottom of the annular liquid container 11, an annular distribution chamber 25 for tension gas and an annular return gas chamber 26 for return gas are attached. Via a central distributor 27 of the filling machine 10, the liquid container 11 is connected to a liquid line 28 and the ring distribution chamber 25 to a tension gas line 29. The outlet 30 of the return gas chamber 26 or a line 31 which extends this outlet 30 and also leads via the distributor 27 is connected to a control valve 32 to which a pressure sensor 33, for example a pressure regulator, is inserted upstream into the extending line 31 or into the return gas chamber 26 is at which the pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is adjustable or adjustable. A further pressure regulator or pressure sensor 34 is provided in the liquid line 28, which controls a further control valve 35 interposed upstream in the liquid line 28. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the control valves 32 and 35 can be controlled separately or independently by the pressure sensors 33 and 34 respectively assigned to them. Basically, however, it is also possible to provide a linkage in such a way that the pressure set with the pressure sensor 33 in the return gas chamber 26 as a function of the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 35 in the liquid line 28 and thus as a function of the filling pressure prevailing in the liquid container 11 stands, as is indicated in FIG. 1 with the interrupted signal line 34 '. In this case, the control or regulating circuits including the pressure sensors 33 and 34 are designed, for example, in such a way that the pressure sensor 33 opens the control valve 32 by a signal, taking into account the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 34, when the pressure difference between the filling pressure measured by the pressure sensor 34 and the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 measured by the pressure sensor 33 exceeds a desired, preferably adjustable differential pressure, that is to say, for example, given the filling pressure in the liquid container 11, the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is below the critical pressure below Throttle device of the filling elements 12 described in more detail. In this way, when the return gas pressure is regulated in the return gas chamber 26 and lies between the filling pressure and the critical pressure of the throttle device, the filling speed (quantity of liquid flowing into the vessel 18 to be filled per unit time) is controlled by the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 an optimal value adjustable.

The pressure in the ring distribution chamber 25 is regulated as a function of the filling pressure in the liquid container 11 or in the liquid line 28. For this purpose, a control valve 36 is interposed in the tensioning gas line 29, to which a pressure regulator or pressure sensor 37 used in the tensioning gas line 29 is assigned. This pressure sensor 37 is connected to the pressure sensor 34 via a control line 34 '' in terms of control technology in such a way that the pressure sensor 37 sets such a clamping gas pressure in the tensioning gas line 29 by actuating the control valve 36 that the pressure difference between the filling pressure in the liquid line 28 and the tensioning gas pressure in the Tension gas line 29 corresponds to a predetermined, preferably preselectable value, ie the span gas pressure in the span gas line 29 is below the filling pressure in the liquid line 28 by this value.

2 shows, in the filling position, one of the filling elements 12 attached to the annular liquid container 11, which are known in their essential structure and each have a valve seat 41 in a valve chamber 38 of the filling element housing 40 and a valve body raised by means of an opening spring 42 from this valve seat 41 43 have. The valve chamber 38 is connected to the liquid chamber 45 of the liquid container 11 via a liquid channel 44 connected and on the filling element housing 40 an electrical or electro-pneumatic actuating device 46 is arranged, which is connected by means of a control line a to a central control device 47 of the filling machine 10. In the activated state, the actuating device 46 presses the valve body 43 against the action of the opening spring 42 on the valve seat 41 and thereby closes the liquid valve 48 of the filling element 12 formed by the valve seat 41 and the valve body 43.

The filling tube 13, which is provided in a known manner with an electrical switching element 49 (electrode arrangement), is inserted into the filling element housing 40 from below. The switching element 49 is connected to the control device 47 via a signal line, not shown. A clamping gas valve arrangement 50 in the manner of a flat slide valve is attached to the side of the filler element housing 40, in whose housing 51 a flat valve disk 52 is rotatably mounted by means of a carrier 53. The carrier 53 has, at its free end protruding from the housing 51, an actuating lever 54 which cooperates with the valve disk 52 with control elements 56, for example control cams or control cams, which are attached to a stationary control ring 55 of the filling machine 10 at intervals and in different planes to pivot into the required operating position. A spring 57 presses the valve disk 52 in a gastight manner against a base plate 58, in the surface of which faces the valve disk 52 and which comes from the annular distribution chamber 25, through the lower leg of the liquid container 11 and through the filler element housing 40, leads to a tensioning gas supply channel 59. Furthermore, on the surface of the base plate 58 facing the valve disk 52, an equalizing channel 60 leads into an equalizing chamber 61 formed between the liquid valve 48 and the filler pipe 13, as well as a clamping gas which can be connected to the tensioning gas supply channel 59 via a groove in the valve disk 52, not shown -Inlet channel 62, which opens at the lower end of the filling element housing 40 or opens into an annular clamping gas chamber opening at the lower end.

From the lower end of the filler housing 40, a connection 64 provided with a throttle device 63 leads through the filler housing 40 to the return gas chamber 26. This connection consists on the one hand of a supply line 68 which leads from an inlet 79 located at the lower end of the filler housing 40 to an upstream one Route into a wiring harness 69 and a further wiring harness 70, and on the other hand from an exhausting wiring harness 71 connected to the return gas chamber 26, in which the wiring harness 69 and the further wiring harness 70 are reunited after a sufficient length extension. A nozzle 65 is provided in the pipeline 69 for filling at a reduced filling speed, this nozzle having an effective cross section of 0.64 mm in the embodiment shown. In the further pipeline 70, a nozzle 67 is used, which in the embodiment shown has an effective cross section of 0.81 mm and is effective together with the nozzle 65 when filling at a high filling speed. The nozzles 65 and 67 essentially form the throttle device 63 of the connection 64. In the direction of flow in front of the nozzle 65, the wiring harness 69 is designed to be shut off. For this purpose, the valve disk 52 is provided with a control groove 72, via which, in a specific operating position of the valve disk 52, the ends of the branch 69 opening on the surface of the base plate 58 facing the valve disk 52 can be connected in order to discharge the return gas displaced during the filling process. The nozzle 67 is followed in the flow direction by an electrically or electropneumatically actuated drain valve 66 located in the further line 70, which is connected to the control device 47 via a control line b and interrupts the line 70 with its valve body 76 in the closed position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wiring harness 69 can also be designed so that it can be shut off by means of a check valve 77 inserted in the wiring harness 69, which permits unhindered return gas removal, but the return flow of return gas Bottle breakage or automatically prevented during the vascular discharge to atmospheric pressure. The use of such a check valve 77, for example a ball check valve, eliminates the switching steps otherwise required for opening or blocking the wiring harness 69 for the valve disk 42 and also the control groove 72 necessary in the valve disk 52.

In the tensioning gas valve arrangement 50, which also includes the connection 64 including throttle device 63, a vessel relief 73 is formed, which serves to finally relieve the filled vessel to atmospheric pressure. This vessel relief 73 has a relief channel 75 provided with a throttle member 74, which leads away from the surface of the base plate 58 facing the valve disk 52 and is guided downward in the base plate 58 for discharge at the outer circumferential surface thereof. A channel, not shown, formed in the valve disk 52 connects the compensation channel 60, the clamping gas inlet channel 62 and the relief channel 75 in the relief position of the valve disk 52.

In Fig. 5 are a diagram of the influence of the throttle device 63 on the volume flow VS (volume per unit time) of the return gas, which is displaced in the filling phase, ie during the filling of a vessel 18 by the liquid flowing into the vessel 18 and via the Throttle device 63 flows into the return gas channel 26, and thus the influence of the throttle device 63 on the filling speed (amount of liquid flowing into the respective vessel 18 per unit of time) as a function of the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is reproduced in a standardized manner, with solid lines for filling with high Speed, ie a return gas flow through both nozzles 65 and 66 and with broken lines with an assumed return gas flow only through the nozzle 65 for the reduced filling speed. The volume flow VS with a return gas flow through both nozzles 65 and 67 and with a very low return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is assumed to be 100%. The course of the volume flow VS as a function of the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is shown in FIG. 5 for two different filling pressures of 2.5 bar and 4 bar in the liquid container 11 and in the liquid line 28, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, the volume flow VS at a return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26, which is below a critical pressure KD, is independent of this return gas pressure and is determined exclusively by the throttle device 63 or by the effective cross section of the nozzles 65 and 67. In the exemplary embodiment described, the critical pressure KD is approximately 0.8 bar at a filling pressure of 2.5 bar and approximately 1.6 bar at a filling pressure of 4 bar. If the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is greater than the respective critical pressure KD which is dependent on the filling pressure, ie if the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 lies between the filling pressure and the critical pressure KD of the throttle device 63, then the volume flow VS and thus also the filling speed with a predetermined design of the throttle device 63 (in particular effective cross section of the nozzles 65 and 67) depending on the return gas pressure set or regulated in the return gas chamber 26 with the aid of the pressure sensor 33 and the locking valve 32. In this case or in this mode of operation of the filling machine 10, the respective filling speed can be optimally adapted to the filling properties of the liquid to be filled without changing the throttle device 63 by adjusting the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26, and in particular also in such a way that no excessive filling takes place Amount of carbon dioxide released and thus no undesirable foaming of the filled liquid in the vessel 18 occurs.

Irrespective of this, however, in the described embodiment, the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is set or regulated to a pressure value with the aid of the pressure sensor 33 and the control valve 32, which in a pre-relief phase of the respective vessel 18 following the filling phase and with the liquid valve already closed again 48 forms a pre-relief pressure which is between the atmospheric pressure and the saturation pressure of the to be filled carbonated liquid lying is chosen such that the liquid filled into the vessel 18 in question can calm down at this pre-relief pressure during the pre-relief phase and a rise of carbonic acid from the filled liquid is possible without causing the liquid to foam or overflow comes and without this liquid relieving pressure from the outside or into the return gas channel 26 or the connection 64.

As far as the liquid to be filled (in particular its ability to bind carbon dioxide, the amount of carbon dioxide present in the liquid, the filling temperature and the filling and saturation pressure which is also dependent on it), the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is preferably set such that it both optimally relieves the pressure each filled vessel 18 ensures, as well as between the critical pressure KD and the respective filling pressure in such a way that a filling speed which is optimally matched to the properties of the liquid to be filled in each case is achieved by the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 during the filling phase.

When filling sparkling wine with 9.5 g CO₂ / Ltr. and a temperature of 15 ° C at a filling pressure of 6.5 bar and a CO₂ saturation pressure of 3.0 bar, the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 to a value of about 0.8 bar, so that then after In the filling phase, the vessel 18 or the bottle can already be relieved to a pre-relief pressure of 0.8 bar, without foam formation or the liquid to be filled (sparkling wine) escaping to the outside or into the return gas channel 26 or into the connection 64 reached.

After setting the filling machine to the required filling pressure, the span gas pressure and the return gas pressure required for the pre-relief, the actual filling begins when the machine is in circulation. That is, as FIG. 2 shows, each vessel 18 to be filled, one in the example Bottle, with the interposition of a sealing element 78 of the centering tulip 14 in the sealing position with the lower end of the filling element housing 40 of the filling element 12, and it is then carried out after the usual pretensioning with air or an inert gas, which (pretensioning) may also be preceded by a prewashing in special cases can, upon release of the liquid valve 48 by a control signal supplied by the control device 47 via the signal line a to the actuating device 46, so that the action of the opening spring 42 brings the liquid valve 48 into the opening position shown in FIG. 2. At this time, for filling at a reduced filling speed, the valve disk 52, after the actuating lever 54 has started up, assumes a position in which the cable harness 69 is continuously free via the control groove 72, so that during the now-starting liquid inlet, that of the Returned gas displaced from the lower end of the filling pipe 13, which represents, for example, a gas mixture of prestressing gas and the air brought in from the vessel 18 to be filled, enters the supply line 68 of the connection via the mouth of the vessel and the sealing element 78 and then via the line 69 and the nozzle 65 arranged therein and the discharging line 71 of the connection 64 are discharged into the return gas chamber 26 which is under the set return gas pressure. It turns out that regardless of the cross section of the nozzle 65 and the return gas pressure regulated in the return gas chamber 26 in the vessel 18 to be filled, a pressure drop to the filling pressure occurs, at which the liquid slowly emerges from the lower end of the filling tube 13 at a low flow rate. If, as the filler element 12 continues to circulate, the liquid rising in the vessel 18 reaches the lower end of the filler tube 13, then the drain valve 66 is opened on the basis of a control signal supplied by the control device 47 via the control line b, as a result of which the return gas is now additionally supplied via the further nozzle 47 can be dissipated. That occurs in the vessel 18 to be filled a pressure gradient to the filling pressure, which at least depends on the effective cross section of the nozzles 65 and 67 and in the event of a return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26, which may be between the critical pressure KD and the filling pressure, is also dependent on this return gas pressure and at which the further liquid inlet is continued at an increased flow or filling speed. This filling with a higher filling speed ends when the liquid rises into the narrowing part of the vessel 18 in that the drain valve 66 is closed by a control signal emitted from the control device 47 via the control line b to the drain valve 66.

As the filling element 12 continues to circulate and the nozzle 65 is only effective, the liquid flow continues at a reduced flow or filling speed, namely until the switching element 69 responds to a predetermined height of rise, whereupon the control device 47 emits a control signal which, via the control line a, the actuating device 46 activated and to close the liquid valve 48 presses the valve body 43 against the action of the opening spring 42 on the valve seat 41. This completes the filling phase.

Then, as the filling element 12 continues to circulate for a predetermined time, the filled liquid calms down during the pre-relief phase, specifically in that the return gas pressure regulated or set in the return gas chamber 26 is via the line line 69 that is still effective or open from the filling phase of the compound 64 in the filled vessel is effective, so that bubbles of carbon dioxide which have formed in the filled liquid can rise without, however, causing the liquid to foam or overflow. Only after this preliminary relief phase has elapsed, when the filling element 12 continues to rotate, the actuating lever 54 runs against a control element 56. When the valve disk 52 is pivoted thereby, the control groove 72 is first interrupted by removing the control groove 72 from the operative connection with the wiring harness 69. Shortly thereafter, the valve disk 52 receives the final relief of the vessel Atmospheric pressure an operating position in which the channel, not shown, connects the span gas inlet channel 62 and the equalization channel 60 to the relief channel 75, so that the pre-relief pressure then still present in the filled vessel 18 is relieved to atmospheric pressure via this and the throttling element 74 arranged therein. Daßei also the mutual balancing of the liquid levels in the filling tube interior and in the vessel 18 takes place. As the filling element 12 continues to rotate, the relieved vessel 18 is removed from the filling element 12 by lowering by means of the lifting cylinder 16 and removed from the machine in the region of the vessel extension.

In the operation described above, a different filling behavior of the liquid to be filled is to be determined because, for example, the temperature and / or the CO₂ content of the liquid to be filled has different values or the bottle type has been changed, and this causes the liquid to foam up during the pre-relief phase comes, then by changing the previous pressure setting on the pressure sensor 33, the return gas pressure to be locked must be adjusted to the changed filling behavior in order to achieve an optimal pre-relief adapted to this filling behavior, possibly again with simultaneous optimization of the flow or filling speed by the set return gas pressure, if this allows the liquid to be filled.

A corresponding procedure is to be followed if the filling machine 10 is supplied with a liquid to be filled due to a change of type which has a different filling behavior compared to the previously filled liquid, in order to provide the most effective possible relief and thus also the best possible performance for the filling machine 10 (number of units per time unit filled vessels or bottles), care must be taken to ensure that the return gas pressure and thus also the pre-relief pressure to be regulated are as far as possible below the saturation pressure of the liquid to be processed, but sufficiently above atmospheric pressure lies in such a way that, in the manner already mentioned, the filled liquid calms down, but does not cause this liquid to foam up or foam over in the pre-relief phase, and accordingly the final relief to atmospheric pressure in a relatively short time and without any or foaming of the liquid can take place. Since each filling element 12 of the filling machine 10 is connected via its connection 64, which is provided with the throttle device 63, to the return gas chamber 26 common to all filling elements 12, each change in the pressure setting made on the pressure sensor 33 simultaneously affects all filling elements 12, so that for all filling elements 12 the optimum pre-relief pressure for the pre-relief phase can be set jointly and it is also possible for all filling elements 12 by a common setting to adjust the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 for a flow or filling speed that is optimally adapted to the filling behavior of the liquid to be filled, if this is the case given the properties of the liquid to be filled and taking into account the pre-relief pressure required for the prestressing phase, the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is set to a value between the critical pressure KD of the throttle direction 63 and the filling pressure can be adjusted.

In a further embodiment of the invention, provision is also made to use at least a partial amount of the return gas discharged via the connection 64 into the return gas chamber 26 for the vessel preload and / or for a pre-purge preceding the vessel preload. This is of economic importance especially when the liquid inflow (filling phase) is to be accelerated or largely with the exclusion of air with low CO₂ consumption. However, this presupposes that for prestressing and, if necessary, the prestressing, which is preceded by prestressing, is used in inert gas, for example CO₂. In such a case, it is advisable to provide a line leading away from the connection 64 in each filler element 12 for the further use of the return gas, which line then flows downstream of the nozzle 65 to the line branch 69 connects and opens out on the surface of the base plate 58 facing the valve disk 52. In addition, the valve disc 52 is to be provided with a connecting channel, so that in an operating position preceding the actual pre-tensioning position for pre-rinsing and / or partial pre-tensioning, the compensation channel 60 can be connected to the outgoing line. In this operating position to be provided for the valve disk 52, the pre-rinsing takes place when the vessel 18 is not yet in the sealing position with the filling element 12, and when the vessel 18 is in the sealing position with the filling element 12, the partial prestressing to the pressure to be locked in, after which the filling element 12 continues to circulate actual prestressing is carried out in the intended operating position of the valve disk 52. When the operating position for pre-purging and partial pretensioning is reached, the return gas under the pressure to be regulated passes from the return gas chamber 26 via the supply line, not shown, and the connecting channel, also not shown, into the compensation channel 60 and from there via the compensation chamber 61 and the inside of the filling tube 13 the vessel 18. In this it then flows upward and displaces that the air brought from the vessel 18 through the not yet sealed vessel mouth to the outside until the vessel 18 with further rotation of the filling element 12 and the upward stroke of the lifting cylinder 16 taking place has been brought into the sealing position shown in FIG. 2. With the sealing layer in place, the partial prestressing of the vessel then begins at the pressure to be regulated. If there is a risk that so much back gas is taken from the back gas chamber 26 for the purge and partial preloading that the back gas required for the pre-relief phase cannot be maintained by means of the back gas to be fed to the back gas chamber 26, then tension gas in corresponding amounts of the back gas chamber 26 must be maintained to be supplied, for example via a stub line, not shown, which connects the return gas chamber 26 or the extending line 31 to the ring distribution chamber 25 or the tensioning gas line 29, which are controlled by the pressure sensor 33 and also to act on the return gas chamber 26 can be used with the return gas pressure to be regulated when establishing the operational readiness of the filling machine 10.

The preceding explanations apply not only to the previously described filling machine 10, which has filling elements 12, each with a controlled liquid valve 48, which is brought into the closed position on the basis of a signal emitted by the switching element 49 when the liquid in the vessel 18 rises to a predetermined filling level. It is also possible, without departing from the inventive concept which bears the invention, to close the respective liquid valve 48 on the basis of a signal that after the running-in has taken place, a quantity of liquid which has actually flowed into the vessel 18 is output by the control device 47. The liquid valve can also be brought mechanically into the closed position in the usual way after the further increase in the liquid in the vessel has been interrupted by means of an input which determines the fill level. In the latter case, as shown in FIG. 4, instead of the switching element 49, the input 79 of the connection 64 is moved in the usual way into the vessel 18 to be filled for determining the fill level, and a ball check valve 80 for interrupting the liquid supply in a known manner above it in the supply line 68 been assigned to the vessel 18. In this variant, it can also be expedient to mechanically control the drain valve 66 and to transfer its function to the valve disk 52.

6 shows a schematic representation of a single-chamber counter-pressure filling machine 10a in a rotating design. This filling machine 10a, which is also intended for filling carbonated liquids, has an annular liquid container 81, on the underside of which a plurality of filling elements 82 are provided with a uniform mutual spacing, each of which has a valve body 84 provided with a return gas pipe 83 and a filling channel have filler neck 85. The filler neck 85 is on its inner surface delimiting the filling channel designed as a valve seat, which forms the liquid valve 86 together with the valve body 84 and against which the valve body 84 can be brought to bear in order to close this liquid valve 86. The valve body 84 with gas valve 87 'is actuated to open and close the liquid valve 86 via a control lever 87 which interacts with control cams or control cams on a stationary control ring (not shown) of the filling machine 10a.

Each filling element 82 is assigned a lifting and lowering device, of which only the associated support plate 88 is shown in FIG. 6. The filling machine 10a furthermore has an annular chamber 89 which is common to all the filling elements 82 and is attached to the outer circumference of the liquid container 81 and is subjected to an adjustable or adjustable pressure which corresponds to the pre-relief pressure required in the pre-relief phase. This pressure in the chamber 89 is set or regulated, for example, by means of a pressure sensor which corresponds to the pressure sensor 33 of the filling machine 10 and to which a control valve corresponding to the control valve 32 is assigned in an outlet of the chamber 89 leading to the atmosphere. Below the chamber 89 and partly also below the liquid container 81, a control valve arrangement 90 is provided which interacts via an actuating element 91 'with control cams or control cams of a stationary control ring (not shown) of the filling machine 10a, or in another suitable manner, for example electrically or electronically. is pneumatically controlled. The input of the control valve arrangement 90 is connected, at least when the liquid valve 86 is in the closed position, via a connecting channel 91 to the filling channel downstream behind the liquid valve 86. An outlet of the control valve assembly 90 of each filler 82 is connected to the chamber 89. Another output of the control valve arrangement 90 is connected to a vessel relief 92 corresponding to the vessel relief 73, which has a relief channel 93 with an associated throttle element that is open to the environment.

The control valve arrangement 90 has three operating positions, namely a first operating position in which there is no connection between the input and the outputs of the control valve arrangement 90, a second operating position in which the input and the first output of the control valve arrangement 90 are connected to one another and thus a fluid connection there is between the connecting channel 91 and the chamber 89, and a third operating position, in which the inlet and the second outlet of the control valve arrangement 90 are connected to one another and thus there is a fluid connection between the connecting channel 91 and the vessel relief 92 or its relief channel 93.

To fill the vessel 18, it is pressed against the filling element 82 from below by means of the lifting and lowering device or by means of the support plate 88, so that the mouth of the vessel 18 lies tightly against the filler neck 85 with the interposition of a sealing element (not shown). To initiate the filling phase, by lifting the control lever 87 into the position shown in FIG. 6, the gas valve 87 'is opened, thereby releasing the liquid valve 86, so that when the pressure equalization between the vessel 18 and the liquid container 81 is established, the liquid valve 86 opens and the liquid can flow into the vessel 18 to be filled. The filling of the vessel 18 is complete as soon as the liquid rising in the vessel 18 has reached the lower end of the return gas tube 83. The filling valve 84 is then closed, whereby the filling phase is finally ended. The control valve arrangement 90, which was previously in its first operating position, is then brought into the second operating position for the subsequent pre-relief of the filled vessel 18, whereby the pressure in the filled vessel 18 relaxes via the connecting channel 91 to the pre-relief pressure prevailing in the chamber 89 or regulated there can. In this embodiment, too, the pre-relief pressure is in turn set such that undissolved carbon dioxide, that is to say any carbon dioxide bubbles which may be present, can rise from the filled liquid, but does not cause foaming or foaming of the liquid or this liquid comes out of the vessel 18 during the subsequent unloading to atmospheric pressure. Only after this pre-relief phase, to the pre-relief pressure present in the chamber 89 and above the atmospheric pressure, which is maintained for a certain time in order to calm the bottled liquid, is the control valve arrangement 90 then brought into its third operating position, in which the connection channel 91 connected vessel relief 92 the vessel 18 is relieved of the pre-relief pressure to atmospheric pressure. When the filling element 82 continues to circulate, the relieved vessel 18 is removed from the filling element 82 by lowering by means of the support plate 88 or the lifting and lowering device and can then be removed from the filling machine 10a in the region of the vessel extension.

7 and 8 show similar to FIG. 2, but in an enlarged detail, a filling element 12 ', which can be used together with further, similar filling elements 12' instead of the filling elements 12 in the three-chamber counter-pressure filling machine 10 and which is different from the filling element 12 only differs in that the nozzle 65 of the throttle device 63 is moved from the wiring harness 69 into the wiring harness 68, in that part of the wiring harness 68 which lies between the branch to the wiring harness 70 and the valve disk 52.

In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the control of the three-chamber counter-pressure filling machine 10 or its filling elements 12 'with the likewise long filling tube 13 takes place in such a way that after the filling phase has ended, that is to say after the liquid valve 48 has been closed, the filled one is relieved Vessel 18 to the return gas pressure set in the return gas chamber 26 takes place, again via the line branch 68 with the nozzle 65 and the line branch 69. In this embodiment of the invention, however, takes place approximately when the return gas or preliminary relief pressure is reached and thus during the preliminary relief. respectively. Calming phase a compensation of the liquid levels in the interior of the filling tube 13 and in the vessel 18 at pre-relief pressure. For this purpose, after the closing of the liquid valve 48, the valve disk 52 is moved into an operating position, which is shown in FIG. 7, by appropriately switching the tensioning gas valve arrangement 50, which (switching) takes place in turn by a control element 56 which interacts with the actuating lever 54 in which a connection between the compensating channel 60, the clamping gas channel 62 and the wiring harness 69 is established via the control groove 72 provided in the valve disk 52. This connection then makes it possible to compensate for the liquid levels at the pre-relief pressure in the pre-relief phase, and in particular any carbon dioxide that may be released in the filling tube 13 can flow out of this filling tube into the return gas chamber 26 via the equalization channel 60.

After the calming or pre-relief phase has ended, the respective vessel 18 is finally relieved to atmospheric pressure in this embodiment as well. For this purpose, the valve disk 52 of the tensioning gas valve arrangement 50 is brought into an operating position in which the tensioning gas inlet channel 62 and the equalization channel 60 are connected to the relief channel 75 via the control groove 72, which is the only one for all operating positions, but a connection between the line strands 68 and 69 is interrupted.

The above-described compensation of the liquid level during the calming or pre-relief phase, for example when the pre-relief pressure is reached, has considerable advantages. Since during the pre-discharge any carbon dioxide released in the filling tube 13 can flow into the return gas chamber 26 via the equalizing channel 60 and the line 69 not having the nozzle 65, a possible gas cushion in the filling tube 13 and a gas surge associated therewith are avoided during the pre-relief . Such a gas surge, which would occur in particular when the pressure is relieved to atmospheric pressure, would cause considerable disturbance to the liquid, in particular also in the vessel 18 and thus lead to an additional release of carbon dioxide with considerable foaming. The compensation of the liquid level, for example when the pre-relief pressure is reached, thus contributes significantly to better behavior of the filled liquid in the relief phase.

In this embodiment of the invention, since the liquid levels have already been equalized before the respective vessel 18 is finally relieved to atmospheric pressure, it is also possible to initiate the final relieving of the vessel to atmospheric pressure or immediately afterwards by pulling off the filled vessel from to start the associated filling element 12 ', specifically with careful emptying of the filling tube 13 while avoiding any disturbance of the liquid which (disturbance) could lead to unnecessary release of carbonic acid or to foam formation in the vessel 18. Since, in particular, unnecessary foam formation in the filling tube 13 or in other channels of the respective filling element 12 'is prevented, this embodiment results in low drip losses and thus also a cleaner working method for the counterpressure filling machine 10.

The above-described compensation of the liquid level at pre-relief pressure can basically be applied to all counterpressure filling machines with a long filling tube with the aforementioned advantages.

In a further embodiment, the three-chamber counter-pressure filling machine 10, for example, which in turn has the filling elements 12 ′, is controlled in such a way that, after the pre-relief or calming phase, the relief is initially reduced to approximately 0.1-0. 6 bar low overpressure or relief pressure is made. Then, when this low overpressure of, for example, 0.5 bar is reached, the corresponding vessel 18 is withdrawn from the associated filling element 12 ', so that the discharge to atmospheric pressure then takes place via the vessel mouth. To achieve the relief on the low overpressure, is followed by 8, the valve disk 52 is brought into an operating position in which the compensating channel 60, the tensioning gas inlet channel 62 and the relief channel 75 are connected to one another by the control groove 72 when the line strands 68 and 69 are interrupted. In addition, the drain valve 66 is opened. Taking into account the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26, the nozzle 67 and the throttle element 74 are selected with respect to their respective diameters such that the desired low overpressure or relief pressure is established in the vessel 18. The advantage of this method is a particularly gentle treatment, in particular also of those liquids or beverages which tend to release more carbon dioxide or to increase foaming. Relief to a low excess pressure can in principle be used in all counterpressure filling machines in a filler pipe-less design or with a filler pipe, in particular with the advantage that loosened or released carbonic acid and air bubbles are gently removed to the atmosphere.

In the exemplary embodiment described above, it was assumed that the return gas pressure in the return gas chamber 26 is used to generate the low excess pressure. In principle, it is also possible to provide a separate or additional chamber for this purpose, which has a pressure medium. This embodiment would have the advantage that the pre-relief pressure in the return gas chamber 26 can be varied without changing the low overpressure or relief pressure.

It must also be added that not only can the filling performance be increased with the method according to the invention, but also the oxygen uptake during the filling process can be reduced because both the filling pressure can be reduced and there is the possibility that during the pre-unloading of the filling process bottled beverage existing air bubbles can rise under the pre-relief pressure. This is particularly advantageous when bottling beer.

Claims (13)

1. Method for the filling of carbonated liquids, in particular beverages, under counterpressure into vessels or the like, with the following features:
   during a filling phase following the pressurising of the vessel, the inflow of the liquid standing under a filling pressure takes place into a respective vessel disposed in sealed position with a filling element and the return gas, which is expelled by the inflowing liquid, is conducted away at least for a time from that vessel by way of a return gas path of the filling element;
   after termination of the filling phase and during a preliminary relief phase, a preliminary relief pressure, which lies below the filling pressure, is initially brought into action in the respective vessel continuing to be disposed in sealed position with the filling element; subsequently, a relief of the vessel to atmospheric pressure takes place and
   the preliminary relief pressure is regulated to a value which is substantially less than the saturation pressure.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised thereby, that the filled vessel at least during the preliminary relief phase stands in communication with a chamber, in which the preliminary relief pressure is regulated.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised thereby, that the respective vessel is connected after the filling phase by way of a control valve arrangement with the chamber regulated to the preliminary relief pressure.
4. Method according to claim 2, characterised thereby, that during the filling phase, the expelled return gas is conducted away with pressure gradient by way of a connection, which forms the return gas path and is provided with a throttle device, into the chamber regulated to the preliminary relief pressure.
5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised thereby, that the pressure regulated in the chamber is regulated in dependence on the filling pressure of the liquid to be filled, preferably continuously in dependence on the filling pressure of the liquid to be filled.
6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterised thereby, that at least a partial quantity of the return gas expelled by way of the connection into the chamber is used for the pressurising of the vessel and/or for a preliminary flushing preceding the pressurising of the vessel.
7. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised thereby, that an equalisation of the liquid levels in the vessel as well as in the filling tube of the filling element takes place during the preliminary relief phase, preferably when the preliminary relief pressure is reached in the vessel.
8. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterised thereby, that a relief of the vessel to a small excess pressure, which is settable to between about 0.1 to 0.6 bars, takes place after preliminary relief has taken place and still before the final relief to atmospheric pressure.
9. Method according to claim 8, characterised thereby, that the respective vessel during the relief to the small excess pressure stands in communication with the atmosphere by way of at least one nozzle or at least one throttle equipment.
10. Device for the performance of the method according to one of the claims 1 to 9,
    with a liquid container (11) for the liquid to be filled, with at least one filling element (12, 12'), which displays a filling tube (13) and with which the respective vessel to be filled is brought into sealed position at least during the pressurising of the vessel, the filling phase as well as the relief, which includes a preliminary relief to a preliminary relief pressure, of the filled vessel to atmospheric pressure,
    with a filling channel, which is provided at the filling element (12, 12') and which stands in communication by way of a controlled liquid valve (48) with the liquid container (11),
    with a return gas path, which is formed at the filling element (12, 12'), for the return gas which is expelled out of the respective vessel during the filling phase and/or flows away during the relief of the vessel,
    with a chamber (26), which is provided with an exit to atmosphere and which stands in communication with the return gas path at least during the preliminary relief phase following the filling phase,
    wherein a regulating valve (32), which is opened when the pressure present in the chamber (26) exceeds the preliminary relief pressure to be regulated, is connected to the exit (30) of the chamber (26) or to a duct (31) prolonging this exit (30), as well as with a control valve arrangement (50), which - for an equalisation of the liquid levers present in the interior of the filling tube (13) and in the vessel at the preliminary relief pressure - is switchable into an operative setting, in which the interior of the filling tube (13) is connected with that space of the vessel, which lies above the liquid surface level, as well as with a channel (69), which in its turn stands in communication either with the chamber provided with the exit to the atmosphere or with the return gas chamber (26).
11. Device for the performance of the method according to one of the claims 1 to 9,
    with a liquid container (11) for the liquid to be filled,
    with at least one filling element (12, 12'), with which the respective vessel to be filled is brought into sealed position at least during the pressurising of the vessel, the filling phase as well as the relief, which includes a preliminary relief to a preliminary relief pressure, of the filled vessel to atmospheric pressure,
    with a filling channel, which is provided at the filling element (12, 12') and which stands in communication by way of a controlled liquid valve (48) with the liquid container (11),
    with a return gas path, which is formed at the filling element (12, 12'), for the return gas which is expelled out of the respective vessel during the filling phase and/or flows away during the relief of the vessel, as well as
    with a chamber (26), which is provided with an exit to atmosphere and which stands in communication with the return gas path at least during the preliminary relief phase following the filling phase,
    wherein a regulating valve (32), which is opened when the pressure present in the chamber (26) exceeds the preliminary relief pressure to be regulated, is connected to the exit (30) of the chamber (26) or to a duct (31) prolonging this exit (30),
    wherein - in the case of a filling element (12, 12'), which is provided with a long filling tube (13) and a controlled pressurising gas valve arrangement (50) as well as connected to a pressurising chamber (25) for pressurising gas - the chamber provided with the exit to the atmosphere is a return gas chamber (26), which is connected to the return gas path which is provided by a blockable connection (64), which is provided with a throttle device (63) and which comprises a first duct branch with a first nozzle (67) and with an outlet valve (66), which is controllable into an opening position for a filling at increased filling speed, as well as a second duct branch which for the filling at reduced filling speed comprises a second nozzle (65) and a shut-off valve (52), which subdivides the second duct branch into a channel displaying an entry of this duct branch and a channel (69) connected with the return gas chamber (26) and likewise formed by the pressurising gas valve arrangement (50), and
    wherein the channel, which forms the entry of the second duct branch, has the second nozzle (65).
12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterised by a relief channel (75), which is provided at the filling element (12, 12') and open to the atmosphere by way of at least one throttle element (74) and which for the relief of the vessel (18) is connectible to that space of the vessel which lies above the liquid surface level as well as in a given case also the interior of the filling tube (13) as well as to a duct branch (70), which is blockable and provided with a nozzle (67) and which leads to the return gas chamber (26), and that the throttle element (74) as well as the nozzle (67) are chosen in such manner that, when the duct branch (70) is open, a relief pressure lying slightly above atmospheric pressure results, preferably a relief pressure between 0.1 and 0.6 bars, wherein the duct branch (70) provided with the nozzle (67) is preferably part of the throttle equipment (63).
13. Device for the performance of the method according to one of the claims 1 to 9,
    with a liquid container (81) for the liquid to be filled,
    with at least one filling element (82), with which the respective vessel to be filled is brought into sealed position at least during the pressurising of the vessel, the filling phase as well as the relief, which includes a preliminary relief to a preliminary relief pressure, of the filled vessel to atmospheric pressure,
    with a filling channel (85), which is provided at the filling element (82) and stands in communication by way of a controlled liquid valve (86) with the liquid container (81),
    with a return gas path (83), which is formed at the filling element, for the return gas which is expelled out of the respective vessel during the filling phase as well as with a chamber (89), which is provided with an exit to atmosphere and which stands in communication with the filling channel (85) at least during the preliminary relief phase following the filling phase,
    wherein a regulating valve, which is opened when the pressure present in the chamber (89) exceeds the preliminary relief pressure to be regulated, is connected to the exit of the chamber or to a duct prolonging this exit and
    wherein - in the case of the construction of the device as a single-chamber counterpressure filling machine (10a) - a control valve arrangement (90) is provided, which for the preliminary relief phase is switchable into an operative setting, in which the control valve arrangement (90) connects the filling channel (85) with the chamber (89), which is provided in addition to the liquid container (81) and which has the regulated preliminary relief pressure.

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