EP1972877A2 - Apparatus and method for drying containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a drying device (2) for removing water on the surface of a container i.e. bottle (8). A measuring device measures environment parameters and transmits the parameters to a control unit (4). The control unit is designed in such a manner that drying performance of the drying device is controlled based on the measured environment parameters. An input mechanism (9) is provided to input the environment parameters to the control unit. A measuring instrument (3b) measures air temperature, and another measuring instrument (3c) measures air humidity. An independent claim is also included for a method for drying a container such as a bottle.

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for drying containers according to the preambles of claims 1 and 12.

In bottling plants in the beverage industry, containers (primary packaging), in particular bottles, are provided with equipment such as labels. This is done in a continuous run. The label is adhered with glue / glue directly onto the container. This compound is particularly problematic in hot glue and self-adhesive labels. For a good quality of the bonding / equipment, the container may only be slightly damp. The acceptable amount of water on the containers, such as glass or PET, is less than about 0.5 g / container, depending on the size of the container, the shape of the container and the type of machine with which, for example, the label is applied.

To reduce the amount of water to the containers usually drying devices are used. In these devices, for. B. blown by means of blowers air at high speed via so-called. Air nozzles or air Knifes to the container. The water is thereby largely mechanically removed. Such drying devices are for example in the EP1028300A1 or US2501367 described.

• das Füllsystem (Rinser, Abschwallungen, Gewindeabspritzung),
• Nachbehandlung (Dusche) der befüllten Behälter (z. B. wegen Überschäumung des Produkts),
• Pasteurisation (z. B. Tunnelpasteur) sowie
• Kondensation, etc.

The causes of the water on the containers are, for example:

• the filling system (Rinser, Abschwallungen, Gewindeabspritzung),
• Aftertreatment (shower) of filled containers (eg due to product overflow),
• Pasteurisation (eg tunnel pasteurizer) as well
• Condensation, etc.

Condensation is a special problem as it occurs only seasonally and sometimes only a few days a year, depending on the climate and product temperature.

Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to provide a device or a method for drying containers, which allow an adapted to environmental conditions and energy-saving drying, such that labels can be applied in a subsequently arranged labeling machine in a reliable manner ,

According to the invention, this object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 12.

Since, according to the present invention, the drying performance is regulated as a function of measured environmental parameters, it is ensured that the drying process can always be adapted to the environmental parameters relevant for the condensation. Thus, it can be ensured that the condensed water contained on the container z. B. in a range below about 0.5 g / container. The adaptation of the drying to the ambient conditions also brings a significant energy savings with it, since the lowest possible heating power can be used, which allows condensation on the Container surface can be prevented or kept below a certain limit. According to the present invention, the drying performance is regulated so that there is virtually no annoying condensation on the container surface. Thus, the containers can be provided in a reliable manner with equipment, in particular labels. The term "regulating the drying performance" is understood to mean both manual setting and automatic regulation or control.

The at least one measuring device can deliver the measured values directly to the control unit. However, an input device may also be provided for inputting measured environmental parameters or known values, e.g. Container type or process specific data. Thus, for example, certain parameters, such as bottle temperature, may also be measured at another location and then entered for purposes of regulating drying performance.

Advantageously, the device comprises a measuring device for the air temperature and a measuring device for the humidity.

The apparatus may further comprise a measuring device for measuring the moisture of the container surface. It can be z. B. the amount of condensate / container or the relative humidity in% can be determined.

Advantageously, the control unit determines from the measured environmental parameters, such as air temperature and humidity, the dew point at which condensation of water occurs at the container surface. The dew point then serves as the basis for regulating the drying performance. In particular, by comparing the Tank temperature, in particular the surface temperature, with the determined dew point, the drying performance can be regulated.

It is advantageous if the control unit is connected to a display which, depending on the measured parameters, displays a signal indicating whether the heating power should be increased or decreased in order to prevent condensation or to save energy. If the device has such a display, the performance of the drying device can then be regulated manually. But it can also be issued an audible warning.

The performance of the drying device can also be controlled automatically via the control unit.

The performance of the drying device can be increased, for example, by increasing the power supply for individual parts, for. B. to increase the strength of the blower and / or the supplied heat energy. However, it is also possible to automatically or manually switch on or off to regulate the drying capacity as a function of the measured environmental parameters parts of the drying device and / or the complete drying device on or off.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the drying device may additionally comprise a device for reducing condensation by reducing the humidity and / or reducing the air temperature. Such a device can be switched on to avoid condensation if necessary.

The invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in a schematic representation.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a part of another embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart illustrating several possibilities of execution of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the device 1 according to the invention for drying, with a drying device 2, which is arranged in front of a labeling machine 5. Container, here bottles 8 are conveyed from the inlet 10 via a conveyor 7 through the drying device 2 and the labeling machine 5 to the outlet 11 out. The drying device 2 reduces the amount of water on the containers so far that the labeling machine 5 can apply a well-adhering label on the container. The drying device 2 can have, for example, air nozzles, not shown, which blow moisture from the container surface. For drying, the containers can be rotated about their longitudinal axis. In addition, heating devices can also be provided. The drying device 2 is controlled by a control unit 4. Furthermore, the device 1 for drying comprises at least one measuring device 3 for measuring environmental parameters. By ambient parameters is meant the environmental conditions relevant to the condensation of water at the container surface, such as relative humidity, air temperature, tank temperature, moisture at the tank surface, air pressure.

In this embodiment, the device 1 comprises three measuring devices. The measuring device 3a measures the surface temperature of the bottle. The measuring device 3b measures the air temperature and the measuring device 3c the relative humidity. The measuring devices 3 a, b, c are each connected to the control unit 4 and pass the measurement signals to the control unit 4. The control unit 4 is also connected to a display 6, which displays a signal depending on the measured parameters, the z. B. measured values and / or indicates whether the heating power must be increased to prevent condensation, or whether the heating power can be reduced. Furthermore, the device 1 has an input device 9 for inputting measured environmental parameters. This has the advantage that certain environmental parameters, such as the bottle temperature, need not be measured directly, but, if they are known or measured at another location, can be entered via the input 9. Also, the type of container and process specific data (e.g., type of machine, temperature of the product in the containers, etc.) can be entered here.

The control unit 4 is designed such that the drying capacity of the drying device 2 is adjustable in dependence on the measured environmental parameters. This means on the one hand that the control unit 4 can regulate the drying performance of the drying device 2 automatically, but also means that the control device 4 outputs a signal to the display 6, which indicates to an operator whether he should manually increase or decrease the heating power to condensation to prevent or save energy.

For example, the heating power can be regulated by increasing the energy input, i. H. z. As the fan power is increased or decreased, or also the amount of heat that is delivered to the container for drying is increased or decreased.

How out FIG. 2 As can be seen, the drying device 2 can also be constructed from a plurality of individual parts 2 a, b, c, d, with individual parts of the drying device automatically being switched on or off manually by the control unit 4 for regulating the drying power. It can also be the complete drying device with all parts switched on or off.

The device 1 may also include a device 2e, for reducing condensation by reducing the humidity and / or by reducing the air temperature. Such a device 2e can be switched on to prevent condensation on the container surface, if necessary.

Alternatively or in addition to the in FIG. 1 1, the device 1 may also comprise a measuring device for measuring the moisture on the container surface of the container 8. Such a measurement can be done for example by resistance measurement. The amount of water / container can be determined or the relative humidity (%) can be measured.

In connection with the Figures 3 and 4 the functional principle of the device 1 according to the invention will be explained in more detail. The flowchart in FIG. 3 shows several possible processes.

First, environmental parameters such as tank temperature, in particular surface temperature of the container, air temperature, relative humidity are measured (S1). Advantageously, these parameters relevant to the condensation in the transport direction after the inlet 10 are measured. Known environmental parameters can also be entered via the input 9, for example a keyboard. The determined environmental parameters are then supplied to the control unit 4.

One way to regulate the drying performance of the drying device 2 is to first determine the dew point at which it comes to the condensation of water on the container surface, and is by the first arrow from the left in FIG. 3 shown. (S3)

The dew point of water in the formal sense is the condensation point of pure water and thus a value pair of pressure and temperature. However, since these are mutually dependent on the phase boundary line of a pure substance, the temperature value of the dew point, ie the dew point temperature, is usually the same as the dew point. It is therefore the temperature of the humid air at which it would be saturated with water vapor and would condense at an increasing temperature decrease.

Wobei ϕ = relative Luftfeuchtigkeit (%), T_d Taupunkt, t = Lufttemperatur (°C).The control unit 4 can determine the dew point, for example, via the measured relative humidity (%) and the associated measured air temperature (° C) using the following formula (S3): $${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{d}}\left(\mathrm{\phi }\mathrm{t}\right)\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{241}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{\cdot }\ln \mathrm{\left(}\frac{\mathrm{\phi }}{\mathrm{100}\mathrm{\%}}\mathrm{\right)}\mathrm{+}\frac{\mathrm{4222}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{03716}\mathrm{\cdot }\mathrm{t}}{\mathrm{241}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{t}}}{\mathrm{17}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{5043}\mathrm{-}\ln \mathrm{\left(}\frac{\mathrm{\phi }}{\mathrm{100}\mathrm{\%}}\mathrm{\right)}\mathrm{-}\frac{\mathrm{17}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{5043}\mathrm{\cdot }\mathrm{t}}{\mathrm{241}\mathrm{.}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{+}\mathrm{t}}}$$

Where φ = relative humidity (%), T _d dew point, t = air temperature (° C).

Depending on the dew point T _d , the drying performance can then be regulated automatically (S4) or manually (S5).

How closer FIG. 4 shows, for example, the dew point T _d with the container temperature T _beh can be compared (S6). If the container temperature or the surface temperature of the container 8 is below the dew point temperature T _d , a condensation of the water on the container surface 8 is to be expected. If, for example, the dew point is equal to the tank temperature or above the tank temperature, the drying capacity must be increased (S7). If the dew point T _{d is} below the container temperature T _beh , the drying _device 2 can be operated only with a partial power. If the tank temperature T _{beh exceeds} the dew point T _d by a certain amount, the drying performance can be reduced (S9). The comparison between dew point _Td and vessel temperature _Tbeh can also lead to the result that, when the container temperature T _retains no more than a predetermined amount in excess of the dew point T _d, no change in the drying capacity is necessary (S8). This is just one example of a possible regulation of performance. The regulation, in particular the predetermined limits, also depends on the type of container.

As mentioned above, depending on the dew point, the control unit 4 can automatically control or regulate the drying performance (S4). If the drying capacity to be regulated manually, z. B. by switching on and off of parts of the drying device 2 or increase the supplied Energy, it is advantageous if an indication of a signal is previously given, indicating whether the heating power should be increased or decreased. During the display the determined dew point can be displayed (S2). Also in the automatic control or regulation of the drying performance can also be done a display. Additionally or alternatively, an acoustic signal can be generated.

Another way to regulate the drying performance in dependence on the environmental parameters, by the second and third arrow from the left in FIG. 3 indicated. It is not, as explained above, calculated in an intermediate step, the dew point. The regulation takes place directly as a function of the measured ambient parameters relevant for the condensation, such as relative humidity or temperature.

It can also be measured directly the moisture at the container surface, which is then compared to a limit. If the moisture of the container surface is above a certain limit value, then the drying performance must be increased and step S4 or S5 follows. Here as well, a display or an acoustic signal can occur beforehand (S2).

In steps S4 and S5, to regulate the drying power, for example, the amount of energy supplied can be regulated, for. B. to regulate the strength of the fan or the heating power for the air flow. However, as described above, parts of the heating device 2 a, b, c, d, e or the entire device can be switched on or off.

• Behältertyp oder Typ der nachfolgenden Ausstattungsmaschine/Ausstattungsprozess steuern oder regeln.

The control unit 4, the drying performance in addition to other parameters, such as:

• Control or regulate the container type or type of the following equipment machine / equipment process.

Claims (18)

Device (1) for drying containers (8), in particular bottles, with: a drying device (2) for removing water on the container surface, characterized by at least one measuring device (3) for measuring environmental parameters, and a control unit (4) which is designed such that the drying capacity of the drying device (2) as a function of at least a measured environmental parameter is adjustable. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the measured environmental parameters of the at least one measuring device (3) to the control unit (4) are passed and / or an input device (9) is provided for entering environmental parameters. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device (1) has a measuring device (3b) for the air temperature and a measuring device (3c) for the humidity. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device comprises a measuring device (3a) for the container temperature, in particular the surface temperature of the container (8). Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device (1) a Measuring device (3) for measuring the moisture of the container surface comprises. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control unit (4) determines from the measured environmental parameters the dew point at which it comes to the condensation of water at the container surface. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control unit (4) is connected to a display (6) which displays a signal depending on the measured parameters indicating whether the heating power is to be increased and / or should be reduced. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the power of the drying device (2) is manually adjustable. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control unit (4) automatically regulates the power of the drying device (2). Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device (1) in front of a processing machine, in particular a labeling machine (5) is arranged. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the drying device (2) comprises a device (2e) for Reduction of condensation by reducing the humidity and / or by reducing the air temperature includes. Method for drying containers (8), in particular bottles, wherein water is removed from the surface of the container (8) by means of a drying device (2), characterized in that the drying capacity of the drying device (2) is regulated as a function of measured environmental parameters becomes. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one parameter from the following group is measured as the environmental parameter: Humidity, air temperature, tank temperature, air pressure, humidity at the tank surface. A method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the dew point is determined, which leads to the condensation of water at the container surface. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that on the basis of a comparison of the container temperature with the determined dew point, the drying performance is regulated. Method according to at least one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that an optical or acoustic warning signal is emitted when it is determined that condensation is to be expected, whereupon the drying performance is increased manually or automatically. Method according to at least one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that to regulate the drying power as a function of the measured environmental parameters parts of the drying device (2) automatically or manually switched on or off and / or the entire drying device (2) on or off becomes. Method according to at least one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the power of the drying device (2) is automatically regulated as a function of the measured environmental parameters.

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