EP2981498A1

EP2981498A1 - Method and system for filling containers

Info

Publication number: EP2981498A1
Application number: EP14709559.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ludwig Clüsserath
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2013-04-05
Filing date: 2014-03-11
Publication date: 2016-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-11
Also published as: US9963335B2; DE102013103431A1; SI2981498T1; WO2014161628A1; US20160052765A1; EP2981498B1

Abstract

A method for filling containers with a liquid filling medium supplied from a filling medium tank, wherein during filling the container is sealingly arranged against a filling element and during filling the interior of the container is connected to a flow duct in the filling element, via which gaseous and/or vaporous medium, preferably pressurizing gas, displaced from the interior of the container by the flow of filling medium is discharged as a return gas during filling, and via which, at the end of the filling phase, filling medium displaced from the interior of the container is channelled to a collection chamber.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FILLING CONTAINERS

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a filling system according to the preamble of claim 6.

Methods and filling systems for filling containers, especially in the form of bottles, with a liquid product are known in different designs. In this case, it is also known, in particular, to set the correct filling level (nominal filling height) in the respective container arranged in sealing position on a filling element with the aid of a return gas or Trinox tube, which reaches through the container opening when it is filled into the respective container and the latter lower end determines the Sollfüllhöhe. To set the Sollfüllhöhe is the after closing of the filling element, i. At the end of the respective filling phase with the liquid product initially filled with containers in its not occupied by the contents headspace with a Trinox gas pressurized, so that filling material is pushed or displaced via the return gas or Trinox tube from the container, until the lower end of the Rückgas- or Trinox tube from the filling material level in the container emerged and thus the desired target filling height of the filling material is reached in the container. The displaced during the correction or adjustment of the Sollfüllhöhe on the Rückgas- or Trinox tube filling material is at least partially returned to serving to provide the contents of the product, including together with gas and / or

vaporous constituents which were displaced during filling or during the filling phase as a return gas from the interior of the respective container by the filling material flowing into it (DE 10 2009 016 322 A1).

The Füllgutkessel is partially filled during the filling operation with the liquid contents, so that in the Füllgutkessel a lower, occupied by the contents liquid space and above, i. over the Füllgutspiegel a gas space are formed.

The recycling of the contents and of the gaseous and / or vaporous constituents or of the return gas, which as a rule is an inert gas, for example CO ₂ gas or nitrogen is, but also can be air, in the gas space of the product chamber leads there to a considerable vortex formation. Furthermore, the recirculated and on the Füllgutspiegel in the filling vessel impinges filling leads to a considerable disturbance of the contents in the liquid space. Especially with products or products with volatile constituents, which tend to leak out of the product, as is the case in particular for products (eg spirits) with high alcohol content, ie with an alcohol content greater than 25%, due to the recycling of contents and Gas and / or vapor components or return gas-related alarm both in the gas space and in the liquid space of the product to substantial alcohol losses in the medium, which then have to be compensated costly many times.

The object of the invention is to provide a method which enables safe filling and reliable detection of defective filling points during filling with little design effort. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. A filling system is the subject of patent claim 7.

A special feature of the method according to the invention or the

filling system according to the invention is that the flow of the displaced during filling from the interior of the container return gas and / or the flow of, for example, in the Füllhöhenkorrektur from the interior of the container displaced filling material in a flow path with at least one

Flow monitor and / or flow meter trained sensor is monitored, in that flow path through which the return of the

Return gas and / or the contents of a collection space takes place. In this way it is possible to obtain data on the tightness of the container to be filled or the system with the involvement of the container in sealing position and to monitor this. According to an improved method, the flow path for returning the return gas and / or the filling material may be connected, for example, with the interior of the filling material boiler or the interior of a separate collecting space, from which the filling material accumulating there then preferably in the Füllgutkessel or is returned to a liquid space of the filling material boiler. This recycling is preferably carried out in the case of highly degassing liquids in a lower layer, ie at a region below the filling material level in the product vessel, so that disturbance of the liquid space by recycled product is avoided or substantially avoided. This also a filling of contents with volatile components such as alcohol or flavors is easily possible. For liquids that contain no volatile constituents, then the liquid phase are introduced without any disadvantages directly into the head or gas space of the filling tank.

With the at least one sensor, which is preferably provided separately in a filling system or a filling machine with a plurality of filling elements for each filling element or for each filling position formed by this, is a reliable monitoring of the filling process and in particular a reliable

Detection of defective filling positions possible, i. from filling positions caused by a damaged container and / or defective seals on the

Filling the interior of the container in question is not sealed against the environment at least during the filling phase. The filling element of a defective filling position is caused by the signal of the at least one sensor is closed and the container in question after leaving the

Filling machine discharged from the container stream.

Also in the method according to the invention, the setting of the desired filling height is preferably carried out by the Trinox method, wherein the from the respective container via the return gas or Trinox tube together with gas and / or vapor

Ingredients or with the return gas displaced filling material after separation of the gas and / or vaporous constituents in the lower layer in the

Liquid space of the filling material boiler is returned, i. is introduced below the local Füllgutspiegels in the liquid space. As a result, an impact of recirculated product on the Füllgutspiegel in Füllgutkessel and a disturbance of the local contents are avoided by the returned contents. Although the collecting space is preferably with the gas space of

Füllgutkessels in connection, in the collection room but a reassurance of Flow of the return gas (eg inert gas, for example C0 ₂ gas and / or

Nitrogen), so that there is no or substantially no disturbance of the atmosphere in the gas space of the filling material boiler by this return gas. In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container means in the sense of

Invention that the respective container in the manner known to those skilled with its container mouth tightly pressed against the treatment head or to the filling element or to a local seal. "Containers" in the sense of the invention include containers in the form of cans, bottles, and also large-volume containers made of metal, glass and / or plastic.

"Trinox pressurized gas" in the context of the invention is an inert gas, for example sterile air, nitrogen and / or CO ₂ gas, and is supplied to the head space of the respective container with a pressure which is at least slightly greater than that for setting the desired filling level Filling pressure or the pressure in the gas space of the filling material boiler.

The term "substantially" or "approximately" means within the meaning of the invention

Deviations from the respective exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination, in principle, the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their

Dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiment. Show it: Fig. 1 in a simplified representation and in section a filling element of a filling system according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 in a further embodiment of the

Filling system according to the invention.

The in Fig. 1 generally denoted by 1 .1 filling element is on the circumference of a rotatable about a vertical machine axis MA rotor 3 of a

Filling system 1 or a filling machine of rotating design for filling containers 2 provided in the form of bottles with a liquid product. On the rotor 3 are for all filling elements 1 .1 of the filling machine together designed as a ring vessel Füllgutkessel 4, which is partially filled during the filling operation to form a liquid space 4.1 and an overlying gas space 4.2 with the liquid contents and at least one collecting space 5, ideally two Collecting chambers, esp. Ring channels 5 and 6, of which the annular channel 6 above the Füllgutkessels 4, in any case above the

Level of product is located in this product. The gas space 4.2 is occupied, for example, by an inert gas (eg C0 ₂ gas or nitrogen) which, depending on the filling process, is under excess pressure, atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure. The annular channel 5, which is provided as well as the annular channel 6 for all filling elements of the filling machine, serves to provide a Trinox gas, ie an inert gas, which is for example sterile air, CO ₂ gas or nitrogen and is provided with a pressure, which is greater than the pressure of the gas space 4.2.

The filling element 1 .1 comprises a Füllelementgehäuse 8, in which u.a. one

Liquid channel 9 is formed, which in its upper region via a

Product line 10 is connected to the liquid space 4.1 of the product container 4. At the bottom of the housing 8, the liquid channel 9 forms a

Filling element axis FA enclosing annular discharge opening 1 1, via which the liquid product flows into the sealing layer on the filling element 1 .1 and standing on a container carrier 7 container 2, the case with its container mouth via a seal of a centering cone 12 in the region of the discharge opening 1 1 bears tightly against the filling element, that is in sealing position with the filling element, and that raised by the In the liquid channel is in the flow direction of the filling material in front of the discharge opening 1 1 one of a

Valve body 15 formed liquid valve provided. The valve body 15, which cooperates with a valve surface in the liquid channel 9, is arranged on a gas pipe 16 which is arranged coaxially with the vertical filling element axis FA and acts as a valve tappet. The gas pipe 6 projects through the discharge opening 1 1 on the underside of the filling element and thus extends during filling in the

Headspace of the respective container 2. For controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve 14 is a force acting on the gas pipe 16 and in the

illustrated embodiment pneumatic actuator 17 is provided.

The filling element 1 .1 further comprises a probe-like Trinox tube or return gas tube 18 which is arranged equidistantly with the filling element axis FA and spaced from the gas tube 16 and open at both ends, which also determines the filling level as the filling height determining element with its lower open end 18.1 Headspace of the container in question 2 extends and projects beyond the lower open end of the gas pipe 16.

The return gas pipe 18 is passed through the Füllelementgehäuse 8 and protrudes with an upper length over the top of this housing and is held with its upper end to a common filling element for all filling elements of the filling system support ring 19 of an adjusting device 20, with all return gas pipes 18 together axially Adjustment of the filling height are movable. The upper end of the return gas pipe 18 is connected via a control valve 21 and a flexible conduit 22 to the upper portion of the annular channel 6, which in the illustrated

Embodiment serves as Füllgutsammelkanal.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the annular channel 6 is connected in its lower region via a line 23 to a supply line 24, which serves for feeding or refilling the liquid filling material in the ring bowl 4. Furthermore, the upper region of the annular channel 6 is connected via a line 25.1 with a line 25 for supplying the inert gas into the gas space 4.2 and thus with this gas space. The annular channel 6 thus forms, inter alia, a separator for Separation of the liquid contents of gaseous and / or vaporous components or of the return gas, in such a way that the respective liquid product in a lower, connected to the line 23 subspace (liquid subspace) collects and the gas and / or vaporous constituents in one

overlying subspace (gas subspace), the u.a. over the lines 25 and 25.1. is also in communication with the gas space 4.2 of 4 Füllgutkessels so that ultimately prevails in the annular channel 6 of the same pressure as in the Füllgutkessel 4.

Inside the housing 8 u.a. a gas space 26 into which the upper end of the gas pipe 16 or a gas channel 27 formed between the inner surface of the gas pipe 16 and the outer surface of the return gas pipe 18 opens. Furthermore, inside the housing 8, a controlled gas path with the control valve 28th

provided over which the gas channel 27 in the following even closer

described manner controlled with the annular channel 5 can be connected.

With the filling element 1.1 different filling process for filling the container 2 are possible. In all these methods, the return gas pipe 18 serves as the filling level in the respective container 2 determining element and extends during filling in the arranged in sealing position on the filling element 1.1 container 2 inside. All of these

Filling method has in common that the actual filling phase by opening the

Liquid valve 14 is initiated, and that while it is closed

Control valve 28, but with open control valve 21, the displaced by the incoming liquid product from the interior of the container 2 gas and / or vaporous medium via the return gas pipe 18 into the annular channel 6 and thereby u.a. is also returned to the gas space 4.2 of the ring boiler 4. The inflow of the liquid filling material into the respective container 2 is terminated by

Finally, the lower end 18.1 is immersed in the level of the contents, whereby the further recycling of gaseous and / or vaporous medium from the headspace of the container 2 is prevented, wherein the liquid contents in the return gas pipe 18 rises to a level below the level of Füllgutspiegels in Ring bowl 4, but above the level of Füllgutspiegels in the container 2 is located. The

Liquid valve 14 is then closed in a time-controlled manner. In still open control valve 21 is used for precise adjustment of the level or Füllhöhenkorrektur the control valve 28 is opened, so that the pressurized Trinox gas or inert gas from the annular channel 5 via the gas chamber 26 and the gas channel 27 enters the headspace of the filled container 2 and pushes more contents on the end 18.1 in the return gas pipe 18 , wherein a part of this filling finally reaches the annular channel 6. The Sollfüllhöhe is reached when the end 18.1 emerges from the contents. The actual filling process is through

Close the control valves 21 and 28 ended. The filled container 2 can then be removed by lowering the container carrier of the filling element 1 .1. The annular channel 6 serves to separate the liquid phase, i. of the product supplied via the gas pipe 18 and the gas and / or vapor phase, i. of the gas and / or vapor medium displaced from the container 2 during filling. The liquid phase or the filling material is recycled via the lines 23 and 24 in the ring vessel underlayer and without shares or substantially without proportions of gaseous and / or vaporous medium, so that by returning no

Turbulence of liquid contents and / or inert gas in the region of the product level and thus also no release of alcohol from the contents takes place.

FIG. 2 shows, as a further embodiment, a filling system 1 a, which differs from the filling system 1 in that in addition to the annular channel 6 a

Liquid separator 32 is provided, in the connection between the line 23 and the supply line 24. The liquid separator 32 consists of a housing 33 which forms a closed housing interior, in which sealed the conduit 23 and above a conduit 34 open, which with the Line 25 is connected. At the bottom of the interior of the housing 33 is connected to the supply line 24. Furthermore, a check valve 35 is provided in the line 25 between the gas chamber 4.2 and the connection of the line 25.1, which is open during the normal filling operation. By the

Liquid separator 32, an improved separation of the contents entrained and / or dissolved gas and / or vapor-containing components is achieved, so that the liquid from the separator 32 to the supply line 24 and thus to the liquid space 4.1 underlaid back led contents free of gas and / or vaporous components and thereby vortex formation in the Fill of the ring boiler 4 is prevented by rising gas and / or vapor bubbles.

A peculiarity of the filling systems 1 and 1a is that, in the connection via which, when filling the containers 2, i. in the filling phase and during the

subsequent filling height correction that from the interior of the respective

Container 2 displaced gas and / or vapor medium (as flushing and

Span gas used inert gas, for example CO2 gas or nitrogen) as

Return gas and also filling material in the receiving space or the annular channel. 6

is returned, i. in the illustrated embodiment, a sensor 36 is provided in the connection formed by the return gas tube 18 and the conduit 22.

With this sensor 36, the presence of a flow of displaced in the annular channel 6 gas or vapor medium and the contents is monitored. The sensor 36 supplies a corresponding electrical measurement and monitoring signal to an electronic control unit of the filling system 1 or 1a. For detecting the flow of the return gas, the sensor 36 is formed, for example, similar to an electrical sensor, as it is used for engine control as Luftmengen- or mass sensor. To detect the flow of the displaced in the annular channel 6 filling the sensor 36, for example, in the manner of a moving

Functional elements of avoiding flow meter, e.g. like one

formed magnetic inductive flow meter. In principle, it is also possible to design the sensor 36 so that it has both functions, i. acts as a flow switch and as a flow meter. In a simple embodiment, the sensor 36 is designed as a pressure sensor. The sensor 36 is connected via a data line to an evaluation unit 37 (not shown in FIG. 2) in which the actual values are compared with the expected desired values and subsequently processed further, in particular for controlling the process, such as Removal of the defective bottle or shutdown of a filling station.

As shown in dashed lines in Figure 1, the sensor 36 can also below the

Control valve 21 may be arranged in the region of the return gas or Trinox tube 18. With the sensor 36, which is assigned to each filling element 1 .1 separately, can be reliably monitored whether during filling actually the

Interior of the relevant, arranged on the filling element 1 .1 in a sealing position

Container is sealed from the environment, or whether, for example due to damage to the container 2 and / or due to defective

Gaskets, especially in the region of the centering tulip 12, a tight seal of the container interior with respect to the environment is missing. In the latter case, the sensor 36 delivers a sensor signal which corresponds to no flow or only to a flow well below or above a desired value, so that the

Control device detects a defective filling point and still during the filling phase, the closing of at least the liquid valve 14 of the respective filling element 1 .1 and / or a discharge of the respective container 2 from further processing after removal from the filling element 1 .1 can cause.

As a result, it is optimally avoided that damaged and / or only insufficiently filled containers are fed to a further processing, or that in the case of a vacuum filling system in case of leakage additional outside air is sucked into the return gas path.

Especially in filling systems in which the filling of the containers takes place under vacuum, i. the gas space 4.2 is subjected to a negative pressure during filling, is prevented by the closing of the liquid valve 14 when a defect occurs that is drawn into the Füllgutkessel 4 via a defective container 2 and / or defective seals of the filling element 1 .1 outside air that would flow through the contents in the filling vessel without closing a defective filling position over the entire, intended for the filling period of time, with the risk of contamination of the contents by hygienically harmful air from the environment or from a production hall. In addition, would be without the closing of the liquid valve 1 .1 a defective filling position at a

Filling system for vacuum filling at least significant operating costs for the

Vacuum blower result. Also, this fan would have to be without the one with the respective Sensor 36 achieved monitoring and closing function can be dimensioned with higher power, which then means increased investment costs. Another disadvantage would be increased in an alcohol-containing filling material

Alcohol losses.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a filling system

1.1 filling element

2 containers

3 rotor

4 ring bowls

4.1 liquid space

4.2 gas space

5, 6 ring channel

8 housing

9 fluid channel

10 product line

11 discharge opening

12 centering tulip

13 bottle plates

14 fluid valve

15 valve body

16 gas pipe

17 actuating device

18 return gas tube or Trinox tube

18.1 lower pipe end

19 support arm

20 adjusting device

21 control valve

22 flexible cable

23 - 25 line

25.1 line

26 gas room

27 gas channel

28 control valve

32 liquid separator

33 housing

34 line

35 check valve

36 sensor element

37 evaluation unit

FA filler element axis

Claims

claims

1. A method for filling containers (2) with a product from a Füllgutkessel (4) provided liquid contents, wherein the respective container (2) during filling in sealing position on a filling element (1.1) is arranged and the interior of the container during filling with a flow path (18, 22) of the filling element (1.1) is in communication, via the during filling a displaced by the inflowing medium from the interior of the container gas and / or vapor medium, preferably clamping gas, as a return gas and at the end of Filling phase are displaced from the interior of the container displaced filling material in a collecting space (6), characterized in that in the flow path (18, 22) to the collecting space, the flow of the return gas and / or the contents is monitored with at least one sensor (36) ,

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the collecting space (6) from the interior of the product container (4) is formed.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the collecting space is a Füllgutkessel (4) separate space from which at least the filling material in the Füllgutkessel (4) or in a partially filled Füllgutkessel (4) formed liquid space (4.1) is returned , preferably lower layer.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at a sensor signal of the at least one sensor (36) which a missing return gas and / or Füllgutstrom or under a

predetermined setpoint lying return gas and / or Füllgutstrom corresponds to a closing of the filling element (1.1) takes place.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when using a in the container (2) extending into Rückgas- or Trinoxrohres (18), via which when filling the return gas into the collecting space (6) and at the end of the filling phase for adjustment a Sollfüllhöhe

Loading a headspace of the initially overfilling container (2) is displaced filling, this return gas and / or Tnnoxrohr (18) is at least part of the at least one sensor (36) having flow path.

6. filling system for filling containers (2) with a liquid product, with

at least one filling element (1.1) having at least one liquid channel (9) which forms a discharge opening (11) via which the liquid product is controlled by the container arranged in the sealing position on the filling element (1.1)

at least one liquid valve (14) flows, and with a

Liquid space (4.1) of a partially filled with the filling material Füllgutkessels (4) is connected, as well as with a flow path (18, 22), which communicates at least during the filling phase with the interior of the container (2) and on the during the filling phase of the Container displaced return gas and / or at the end of the filling phase of the container displaced filling material is a collecting chamber (6) is supplied, characterized in that in the flow path (18, 22) at least one designed as a flow monitor or flow meter sensor (36) for monitoring the flow of the Return gas and / or the contents is provided.

7. Filling system according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one filling element (1.1) with a during the filling phase in the container (2)

Recovered gas or Trinox tube (18) is formed, via which during the filling phase by the inflowing liquid displaced back into the collecting chamber (6) and / or at the end of the filling phase for setting a Sollfüllhöhe from the headspace of the initially overfilled container ( 2) filling material is displaced into the collecting space (6).

8. Filling system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the

Collecting space is the interior of the filling material boiler (4).

9. Filling system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the

Collecting space is a separate space from the Füllgutkessel (6).

10. Filling system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the collecting space (6) is designed for separating return gas and filling material, and that the contents from the collecting space (6) via a connection (23, 24; 23, 33, 24) in the Füllgutkessel or the Dorten

Liquid space (4.1), preferably recycled underlayer.