EP2981498B1 - Method and system for filling of containers - Google Patents

Description

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 filling of the filling element, ie at the end of the respective filling phase with the liquid contents initially filled container in its not occupied by the contents headspace with a Trinox gas pressurized, so that filling material on the return gas or Trinox tube is pushed out of the container or displaced until the lower end of the return gas or Trinox tube emerged from the level of the contents in the container and thus the desired target level of the filling material is reached in the container. The in the correction or adjustment of the Sollfüllhöhe over the Rückgas- or Trinox tube displaced filling material is at least partially returned to the serving to provide the contents of the product, including together with gaseous and / or vaporous constituents, which during filling or were displaced 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 ). A method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a filling system according to the preamble of claim 4 is from the WO 2010/131271 A1 known.

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 inventive method 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 takes place at a collecting space. 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 alternative method not according to the invention, the flow path for returning the return gas and / or the filling material can be connected to the interior of the filling material boiler. According to the invention, the flow path is connected to the interior of a separate collecting space, from which the contents accumulating there are then introduced into the Füllgutkessel or is returned to a liquid space of the filling material boiler. This recirculation takes place according to the invention, for example in the case of highly degassing liquids, underlayer, ie at an area 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. In the case of liquids which do not contain volatile constituents, the liquid phase may also, but not according to the invention, be introduced directly into the head or gas space of the filling vessels.

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, a reliable monitoring of the filling process and in particular a reliable detection of defective filling positions is possible ie from filling positions at which the interior of the container in question is not sealed off from the environment at least during the filling phase by a damaged container and / or by defective seals on the filling element. The filling element of a defective filling position is caused by the signal of the at least one sensor closed and the container in question is discharged after leaving the filling machine from the container stream.

Also in the method according to the invention, the setting of the desired filling height is preferably carried out according to the Trinox method, wherein the from the respective container via the return gas or Trinox tube together with gas and / or vapor components or with the return gas displaced filling after a separation is recycled from the gaseous and / or vaporous components underlayer in the liquid space of the Füllgutkessels, ie 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 in communication with the gas space of the filling material boiler, in the collecting space there is a calming of the Flow of the return gas (eg inert gas, such as CO ₂ gas and / or nitrogen), so that there is no or substantially no worrying of the atmosphere in the gas space of the Füllgutkessels by this return gas.

In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container means in the context of the 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.

"Container" are in the context of the invention, inter alia, containers in the form of cans, bottles, even large-volume containers each 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 expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are 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.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung und im Schnitt ein Füllelement eines Füllsystems gemäß der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung wie Fig. 1 bei einer weiteren Ausführungsform des Füllsystems gemäß der Erfindung.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation and in section a filling element of a filling system according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a representation like Fig. 1 in another embodiment of the filling system according to the invention.

That in the Fig. 1 generally designated 1.1 filling element is provided on the circumference of about a vertical machine axis MA circumferentially drivable rotor 3 of a filling system 1 or a filling machine rotating type for filling containers 2 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 as a ring vessel formed 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 plenums, esp. Ring channels 5 and 6, of which the annular channel 6 is above the Füllgutkessels 4, in any case above the Füllgutspiegels in this Füllgutkessel. The gas space 4.2 is occupied, for example, by an inert gas (for example CO 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, inter alia, a liquid channel 9 is formed, which is connected in its upper region via a product line 10 with the liquid space 4.1 of the Füllgutkessels 4. On the underside of the housing 8, the liquid channel 9 forms a Füllelementachse FA enclosing annular discharge opening 11 through which flows during filling the liquid product arranged in sealing position on the filling element 1.1 and standing on a container carrier 7 container 2, the case with its container mouth over a seal of a centering cone 12 in the region of the discharge opening 11 bears tightly against the filling element, that is in sealing position with the filling element, and that raised by the Filling element 1.1 associated container carrier 13. In the liquid channel is provided in the flow direction of the contents in front of the discharge opening 11 formed by a valve body 15 liquid valve. 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 16 protrudes through the discharge opening 11 on the underside of the filling element and thus extends during filling in the head space 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 provided.

The filling element 1.1 further comprises a coaxially arranged with the Füllelementachse FA and from the gas pipe 16 at a distance and open at both ends open probe-like Trinox tube or gas return tube 18, which during Füllbetriebes as fill level determining element with its lower open end 18.1 also in the headspace of extends in question container 2 and projects beyond the lower open end of the gas pipe 16.

The return gas pipe 18 is passed through the Füllelementgehäuse 8 and projects with an upper length over the top of this case and is held with its upper end to a common filling element for all filling elements of the filling system support ring 19 an adjusting 20, with all the return gas tubes 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 serves as Füllgutsammelkanal in the illustrated embodiment.

When in the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment, 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 an overlying subspace (gas subspace), which is also connected to the gas space 4.2 of the Füllgutkessels 4 via the lines 25 and 25.1, so that ultimately prevails in the annular channel 6, the same pressure as in 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, a controlled gas path to the control valve 28 is provided in the interior of the housing 8, via which the gas channel 27 in the manner described in more detail below can be connected to the annular channel 5 controlled.

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 these filling methods have in common that the actual filling phase is initiated by opening the liquid valve 14, and that with the control valve 28 closed, but with the control valve 21 open, the gas and / or vapor displaced from the inflowing liquid contents from the interior of the container 2 Medium is returned via the return gas pipe 18 in the annular channel 6 and thereby, among other things, in the gas space 4.2 of the ring boiler 4. The inflow of the liquid contents in the respective container 2 is terminated by the fact that finally the lower end 18.1 is immersed in the Füllgutspiegel, whereby the further recycling of gaseous and / or vaporous medium from the headspace of the container 2 is prevented, wherein the liquid product increases in the return gas pipe 18 to a level which is below the level of Füllgutspiegels in the ring bowl 4, but above the level of Füllgutspiegels in the container 2. The liquid valve 14 is then closed time-controlled. 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 terminated by closing the control valves 21 and 28. 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 through the lines 23 and 24 in the ring vessel underlayer and without shares or substantially no shares of gaseous and / or vaporous medium, so that by the recycling 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.

The 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 line 23 and above a line 34 open, which is connected to the line 25. 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 means of the liquid separator 32, an improved separation of entrained and / or dissolved gaseous and / or vaporous constituents of the filling material is achieved, so that the contents guided back from the liquid separator 32 to the supply line 24 and thus to the liquid space 4.1 are free of gas. and / or vaporous components and thereby a vortex formation in the Fill of the ring boiler 4 is prevented by rising gas and / or vapor bubbles.

A special feature of the filling systems 1 and 1 a is that in the compound, via which when filling the container 2, ie in the filling phase and during the subsequent filling height correction displaced from the interior of the respective container 2 gas and / or vapor medium ( inert gas used as rinsing and clamping gas, for example CO ₂ gas or nitrogen) as the return gas and also contents in the receiving space or the annular channel 6 is returned, ie in the illustrated embodiment in the compound of the return gas pipe 18 and the line 22nd is formed, a sensor 36 is provided.

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 1 a. 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. In order to detect the flow of the filling material displaced into the annular channel 6, the sensor 36 is designed, for example, in the manner of a moving flowmeter-avoiding flowmeter, eg in the manner of a magnetically inductive flow meter. In principle, it is also possible to design the sensor 36 in such a way that it has both functions, ie acts as a flow monitor and as a flowmeter. 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 FIG. 2 ), in which the actual values are compared with the expected target values and then processed further, in particular for controlling the process, such as or the discharge of the defective bottle or shutdown of a filling station.

As in FIG. 1 Dashed lines, the sensor 36 may be disposed below the control valve 21 in the region of the return gas or Trinox tube 18.

With the sensor 36, which is assigned separately to each filling element 1.1, can be reliably monitored whether during filling actually the interior of the relevant, arranged on the filling element 1.1 in sealing position container is sealed from the environment, or whether, for example due to damage of the Container 2 and / or due to defective seals, in particular in the region of the centering tulip 12 a close seal of the container interior 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 removal of the relevant container 2 from the 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 container takes place under vacuum, ie the gas chamber 4.2 is subjected to a negative pressure during filling, is prevented by the closing of the liquid valve 14 in the event of a defect that in the Füllgutkessel 4 via a defective container 2 and / or through defective seals of the filling element 1.1 outside air is drawn, which would flow without closing a defective filling position over the entire, intended for the filling phase period through the contents in the filling vessel, with the risk of contamination of the contents by hygienic concern Air from the environment or from a production hall. In addition, without the closing of the liquid valve 1.1 a defective filling position would result in a filling system for vacuum filling at least significant operating costs for the vacuum blower. 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 in an alcohol-containing filling and increased alcohol losses.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a

filling system

1.1

filler

2

container

3

rotor

4

ring bowl

4.1

liquid space

4.2

headspace

5, 6

annular channel

8th

casing

9

liquid channel

10

product line

11

discharge opening

12

centering bell

13

bottle plates

14

liquid valve

15

valve body

16

gas pipe

17

actuator

18

Return gas pipe or Trinox pipe

18.1

lower pipe end

19

Beam

20

adjustment

21

control valve

22

flexible line

23 - 25

management

25.1

management

26

headspace

27

gas channel

28

control valve

32

liquid separator

33

casing

34

management

35

check valve

36

sensor element

37

evaluation

FA

filling element

Claims (5)

1. Method for filling containers (2) with a liquid filling medium supplied from a filling medium tank (4), wherein during filling the respective container (2) is sealingly arranged against a filling element (1.1), and during filling the interior of the container is connected to a flow duct (18, 22) of the filling element (1.1), via which, during filling, a gaseous and/or vaporous medium, preferably pressurising gas, displaced from the interior of the container by the flow of the filling medium, is discharged as a return gas, 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 (6), wherein, in the flow duct (18, 22) to the collection chamber, the flow of the return gas and/or of the filling medium is monitored by at least one sensor (36), characterised in that the collection chamber is a separate chamber from the filling medium tank (4), from which at least the filling medium is conveyed back into the filling medium tank (4) or into a liquid chamber (4.1) formed in the partially filled filling medium tank (4) as a sublayer.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that, in the event of a sensor signal coming from the at least one sensor (36) which corresponds to an absence of return gas and/or filling medium flow, or a return gas and/or filling medium flow which is below a predetermined reference value, the filling element (1.1) is closed.
3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterised in that, with the use of a return gas tube or trinox tube (18), extending into the container (2), by means of which, during filling, the return gas is displaced into the collection chamber (6) and, at the end of the filling phase, filling medium is displaced in order to adjust to a reference filling height by introduction into a head space of the container (2), which is initially overfilled, this return gas tube or trinox tube (18) being at least a part of the flow duct which comprises the at least one sensor (36).
4. Filling system for the filling of containers (2) with a liquid filling medium, with at least one filling element (1.1) with at least one liquid duct (9), which forms an outlet opening (11), via which the liquid filling medium flows in a controlled manner to the container sealingly arranged against the filling element (1.1) through at least one liquid valve (14), and which is connected to a liquid chamber (4.1) of a filling medium tank (4) partially filled with the filling medium, as well as with a flow duct (18, 22), which at least during the filling phase is in connection with the interior of the container (2) and via which, during the filling phase, return gas displaced out of the container and/or, at the end of the filling phase, filling medium displaced out of the container is conveyed to a collection chamber (6), wherein at least one sensor (36), configured as a flow monitor or flowmeter, is provided in the flow duct (18, 22) for monitoring the flow of the return gas and/or of the filling medium, characterised in that the collection chamber is configured as a chamber (6) separated from the filling medium tank, that the collection chamber (6) is configured for a separation of return gas and filling medium, and that the filling medium is conveyed back, as a sublayer, out of the collection chamber (6) via a connection (23, 24; 23, 33, 24) into the filling medium tank or the liquid chamber (4.1) located there.
5. Filling system according to claim 4, characterised in that the at least one filling element (1.1) is configured as a return gas tube or trinox tube (18), extending during the filling phase into the container (2), via which, during the filling phase, the return gas, which is displaced by the filling medium flowing into the container interior, is conveyed into the collection chamber (6), and/or, at the end of the filling phase, filling medium is displaced out of the head space of the initially overfilled container (2) into the collection chamber (6), in order to adjust a reference filling height.

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