EP3345863B1 - Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de canettes - Google Patents

Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de canettes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3345863B1
EP3345863B1 EP17002044.0A EP17002044A EP3345863B1 EP 3345863 B1 EP3345863 B1 EP 3345863B1 EP 17002044 A EP17002044 A EP 17002044A EP 3345863 B1 EP3345863 B1 EP 3345863B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
filling
filling valve
attachment tube
predefined
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP17002044.0A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP3345863A3 (fr
EP3345863A2 (fr
EP3345863C0 (fr
Inventor
Benedikt Leibinger
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Leibinger GmbH
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Leibinger GmbH
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Publication of EP3345863A3 publication Critical patent/EP3345863A3/fr
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Publication of EP3345863B1 publication Critical patent/EP3345863B1/fr
Publication of EP3345863C0 publication Critical patent/EP3345863C0/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
    • B65B3/06—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles by gravity flow
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/18—Controlling escape of air from containers or receptacles during filling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/26—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2657—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for filling cans
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2671—Means for preventing foaming of the liquid
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2671—Means for preventing foaming of the liquid
    • B67C2003/2674—Means for preventing foaming of the liquid by creating a conical shaped flow directed to the container wall at the container neck height
    • B67C2003/268—Means for preventing foaming of the liquid by creating a conical shaped flow directed to the container wall at the container neck height by means of a flow channel integral with the filling nozzle

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a filling device of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1 and a method for filling cans.
  • Filling devices and methods for filling containers are known in many different embodiments.
  • the filling quantity is determined via the filling level, which is set by the position of the opening of a return air pipe or a return air bore of the filling device or by means of a sensor (level probe ) and actuator (valve) and suitable control logic - usually electronically or electro-pneumatically.
  • Known filling systems which use a probe designed as a small tube with a return air duct, which is arranged to reach into the container, to control the fill level during filling, provide that during the filling process the out of the container on which the filling device is arranged in a sealed manner, through gas displaced by the inflowing fluid is discharged from the container via the return air duct.
  • the filling process is automatically terminated when the end of the channel protruding into the container is immersed in the fluid level.
  • the container is then subjected to a gas with a slight excess pressure, so that excess fluid is pushed back through the return air duct into the storage container and the fluid level has dropped to the level of the probe opening.
  • air is usually removed from the container - to avoid undesirable gas binding, gas exchange or gas entry with atmospheric oxygen, which can result in a change in quality of the fluid due to oxidation reactions or increased germ contamination - both when filling the tank without pressure and when filling it under pressure containers arranged in a sealed position on the filling device are evacuated and/or flushed with a sterile gas or inert gas, which can be filled in via the return air duct.
  • This channel can also be used to apply the counter pressure intended for filling to the container.
  • a disadvantage of such filling systems are the fluid residues from a previous filling process that remain in the connecting paths between the return air duct and the reservoir and are blown into the container as an aerosol together with the gas during pressure equalization or covering. When filling a carbonated fluid, this can lead to CO2 escaping from the fluid and thus to excessive foam development at the end of the filling process.
  • US 3,830,265A and JP H04 31293 A disclose filling devices for pressure-filling cylindrical containers:
  • the filling devices each have a filling valve which is guided in a sealed manner in a sealing head which is designed to be placed on the container opening in a sealing manner.
  • the inflation valve is fully inserted into the container to expel most of the gas contained in the container before or after the sealing head is placed in sealing relation to the container opening, the container being vented and pressurized with pressurized gas before the inflation valve is opened and the filling product is introduced into the Container is transferred.
  • the compressed gas contained in the container is returned to a filling tank via return air pipes and valves in order to keep the pressure in the container constant during filling.
  • the filling arrangement according to the invention consists of a filling device and a predetermined cylindrical container, which is a can, the container opening of which has a diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the predetermined container by a predetermined amount.
  • the filling device has a filling valve with a piston that is controllably guided in a filling tube.
  • Predetermined dimension means the known ratio resulting from the diameters, which are defined here by the predetermined dimensions of the respectively known and therefore predetermined (selected) container.
  • the opening direction of the filling valve is arbitrary. It is important that the filling valve has the largest possible outer diameter and is designed to match the diameter of the container opening, so that the filling valve can be inserted coaxially into the container through the container opening, preferably without friction.
  • the portion of the fill valve intended for insertion into the container has a volume in the range of 33 to 99% of the container volume.
  • the portion of the inflation valve predetermined for insertion refers to that portion of the inflation valve which is inserted into the container when the inflation valve has reached the bottom end position.
  • the filling valve thus has an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the container opening, with the tolerances due to the precise manufacturability of the cylindrical container, in particular cans, can be small.
  • the invention provides that when imported Filling valve an annular gap is left between the filling valve and the container opening to allow the escape of air or gas when inserting the filling valve into the container.
  • This annular gap preferably has a width in the millimeter range and can be, for example, 1 to 5% for commercially available beverage cans.
  • the filling valve can be moved relative to the container, ie the filling valve is either designed to be movable or the container is moved in relation to the filling valve by means of a movable container receptacle.
  • the filling device is particularly suitable for cylindrical containers such as cans, the container openings of which have a diameter which is 70 to 99.5% of the container inner diameter, so that the portion of the filling valve intended for insertion into the container, the outer diameter of which is adapted to the opening diameter, has a volume in the range of 49 to 99% of the container volume.
  • a filling device according to the invention can also be provided for containers whose container opening diameter is less than 70% of the container inner diameter, as long as the geometric dimensions and thus the volume of the predetermined container are exactly known or can be determined, as in the case of cans.
  • the filling device has an attachment tube which is arranged coaxially around the filling valve for sealing placement on the container opening. Furthermore, the attachment tube can be moved in a controlled manner relative to the filling valve, the filling valve being slidingly mounted in the attachment tube in a sealing manner.
  • the attachment tube is designed for fluid communication or for gas exchange with the interior of the container, i.e. at the point at which the attachment tube touches the container opening, there is also an annular gap, now between the filling valve and the attachment tube, to allow the exchange of air or to permit gas with the interior of the container upon movement of the inflation valve in and out of the container when the top tube is placed in sealing relation on the container.
  • the invention provides that the filling valve has a collar whose diameter is adapted to the inner diameter of the attachment tube.
  • a sliding seal is arranged peripherally on the collar to permit relative movement between the filling valve and the attachment tube and at the same time to seal the space in the attachment tube around the filling valve upwardly on the side remote from the container.
  • the filling, in particular the pressure filling, of a cylindrical container such as a can without a return air line and without complex measurement and control technology is made possible by means of a method according to the invention, which is based on a sub-layer filling process in which the filling valve is only opened when it is fully inserted into the container and then opened and moved upwards in the container, with the fluid level in the container, which occurs when the pressure in the container is equalized between the filling pressure and the back pressure, is always above the filling valve opening.
  • Inflation Valve Orifice means the opening end of the inflation valve or the opened sealing seat of the inflation valve.
  • the invention also includes embodiments of filling valves that open in the opposite direction, i. H. that the piston is moved downwards with respect to the filling tube.
  • the attachment tube can preferably have an annular shoulder, which is designed with a sealing seat adapted to the container opening.
  • the sealing seat can be equipped with a conventional sealing element.
  • Both the sealing seat and the sliding seal of the attachment tube are designed to be gas-tight, so that gas trapped within the container and the attachment tube cannot escape.
  • the collar is spaced a certain distance from the inflation valve opening.
  • the (minimum) distance of the collar from the filling valve opening can depend on the height of the predetermined container that is to be filled with the filling device if the collar on the filling tube is to come into contact with the ring shoulder of the attachment tube when the section of the filling valve intended for insertion is fully received within the container, ie the fill valve opening is at the container bottom or a predetermined defined distance provided for full insertion above the container bottom.
  • the distance between the collar and the filling valve opening can also be greater than the distance specified by the height of the container: the collar then comes to lie clearly above the annular shoulder when the section of the filling valve intended for insertion is completely accommodated in the container.
  • the upward movement of the filling valve during filling releases volume in the attachment tube which is occupied by the gas which is displaced from the container during filling with the fluid.
  • the extension tube is dimensioned in such a way that the released volume always corresponds to the displaced volume.
  • the attachment tube can have an inner diameter which essentially corresponds to the inner diameter of the predetermined container.
  • the filling valve will usually also have a circular cross-section corresponding to the usual circular cross-sectional shapes of containers such as cans. If the shape of the container to be filled and the container opening deviate from the circular shape, the outer contours of the filling valve and the attachment tube are adapted to it.
  • a further embodiment of the filling device ensures a further improvement in the filling process in that the inclusion of gas bubbles, which would lead to undesired foaming at the end of the filling process, is minimized by a directed flow.
  • the filling valve has a flow guide structure on an inside of the filling tube or on an outside of the piston or on both above the respective sealing surfaces, which is designed to set the fluid exiting the filling valve into a swirling or eddying movement.
  • the rotating flow of the fluid prevents the fluid from hitting the lateral container wall radially and rebounding there, which would trap gas bubbles that could accumulate during the upward movement of the filling valve and lead to increased foaming.
  • the rotating flow creates significantly fewer gas bubbles, which are also smaller and are close to the surface of the rising fluid level, so they collapse before filling is complete, preventing increased foaming.
  • the flow guide structure can be formed, for example, by one or more helical webs similar to a thread or by blading.
  • the blading can be formed by a ring of guide vanes which are curved at least in one plane, ie in the circumferential direction in relation to the radial plane.
  • guide vanes can also be curved in two planes, ie in the circumferential direction and in the longitudinal direction in relation to the radial plane.
  • the blading can be formed by a ring of rotating blades, which can be curved or uncurved, and are arranged on the rotatable piston.
  • the piston of the filling valve is designed to be rotatable
  • the blading can be formed by a ring of rotating blades, which can be curved or uncurved, and are arranged on the rotatable piston.
  • no drive is advantageously required, since the fluid flowing past causes the piston to rotate. With non-curved blades, the piston is driven to rotate.
  • the movements of the filling valve and the attachment tube described here in relation to the container are to be understood as relative movements: the description mainly assumes a stationary container, while the filling valve and the attachment tube can be moved relative to it and to one another, since this is the preferred embodiment represents. However, it is also possible that z. B. the filling valve is fixed, and the container (by means of a corresponding container receptacle) and the attachment tube can be moved.
  • the third possible combination, that the attachment tube is fixed and the filling valve and container are movable, is also theoretically conceivable, but not preferred.
  • the filling device is a device with a simple structure in terms of apparatus, which has no return air line and also no large number of valves for filling (essentially) cylindrical containers such as cans—it gets by anyway. Furthermore, it does not require any filling level correction and still enables pressure equalization or pre-tensioning and filling without complex measurement and control technology.
  • the filling device according to the invention and the method use the fact that cylindrical containers such as cans, which, alongside bottles and cartons, represent the most important packaging for beverages, especially for carbonated beverages such as beer or soft drinks, have an extremely precisely manufactured cylindrical shape - and thus an exactly determinable volume - with a coaxial filling opening that is smaller than the container diameter.
  • the volume of cans is always the same and is therefore known exactly in advance for cans of the same type, with the predetermined filling volume corresponding to the nominal volume, so that the container volume V B can be regarded as predetermined.
  • Figures 1 to 10 show an exemplary embodiment of a filling device 10 according to the invention in different phases during a method according to the invention for filling a can body as a container 20. Since the figures show a sequence of the filling device in different method steps, not all reference numbers are allocated in each figure. However, due to the equivalence of the representations, the assignment to the undesignated components and objects is readily given.
  • FIG. 1 shows a filling device 10 which, according to the invention, is designed without a return air line without a return air duct and without measuring equipment, and has a simple construction with a minimum number of valves.
  • the container 20 to be filled can also be seen, which is a can body whose essentially cylindrical shape tapers somewhat at the upper end towards the coaxial filling opening 21 .
  • the taper serves primarily to accommodate the lid, not shown here, which is placed after the filling process has taken place and is connected to the edge of the can by flanging.
  • the method according to the invention uses this difference between the inside diameter of the container d i and the diameter d Do of the container opening 21, which can be between 70 and 99.5%, for example, but is usually between 80 and 90% of the inside diameter of the container d i for cans.
  • a filling device according to the invention can also be provided for containers whose container opening diameter is significantly smaller than the container inner diameter, as is the case with bottles, for example, provided that they are manufactured with an exactly determinable diameter and volume.
  • the filling device 10 shown has a movable filling valve 1 which consists of a filling tube 2 and a piston 3 which is guided in a controllable manner.
  • the filling valve 1 opens in that the piston 3 is moved upwards in relation to the filling tube 2 .
  • the filling valve 1 has an outer diameter d Fa which is adapted to the diameter d Do of the container opening 21 such that the filling valve 1 can be inserted through the container opening 21 into the container 20 without contact or friction.
  • the method provides that the container 20 (as in 1 to be seen) is arranged in relation to the filling valve 1 in such a way that a coaxial, central insertion of the filling valve 1 through the container opening 21 into the container 20 is possible - this can be done by axially moving the filling valve 1 or the container 20, for example via a correspondingly movable Container recording (not shown) take place.
  • the container 20 with the container volume V B is filled with ambient air (but possibly also another gas, e.g. inert gas or carbon dioxide) at an initial pressure p 0 (e.g. ambient pressure, or if necessary - if the filling takes place in a closed system takes place - preset outlet pressure).
  • a predetermined section of the filling valve 1 for insertion into the container 20 which has the volume V F , which according to the invention should be in the range of 49 to 99% of the container volume V B and in the example shown makes up about 65% of the container volume V B .
  • the volume V F of the portion of the filling valve 1 of a container-filling device combination intended for insertion into the container 20 is known and predetermined.
  • the filling device 10 shows an attachment pipe 4 which is arranged coaxially around the filling valve 1 and can be moved in a controlled manner relative thereto and independently of it.
  • the filling valve 1 is slidingly mounted in the attachment tube 4 in a sealing manner by means of a sliding seal 6 .
  • the sliding seal 6 is present circumferentially on a collar 5, which surrounds the filling tube 2 at a predetermined distance from the filling valve opening of the filling valve 1, at which the filling valve 1 opens.
  • This predetermined distance from the collar 5 to the filling valve opening of the filling valve 1 depends on the length of the section of the filling valve 1 intended for insertion and thus on the height H of the container 20; because it is provided according to the invention that the collar 5 comes to rest on (or at a defined distance adjacent to) the annular shoulder 7 when the section of the filling valve 1 intended for insertion is completely accommodated in the container 20, i.e. in principle up to extends to the container bottom 22, as in FIG 4 you can see.
  • the attachment tube 4 For sealing placement on the container opening 21 , the attachment tube 4 has an annular shoulder 7 on the front side, which is designed with a sealing seat 8 adapted to the container opening 21 .
  • a corresponding sealing element is not shown in the exemplary representation.
  • the annular shoulder 7 of the attachment tube 4 the inner diameter of which is adapted here to the inner diameter d i of the container 20, protrudes radially inward in order to be able to be placed on the container opening 21, the diameter d Do of which is smaller than this inner diameter d i .
  • the annular shoulder 7 is dimensioned in such a way that an annular gap remains around the filling valve 1 in order to allow fluid communication, ie gas exchange, with the interior of the container.
  • step a) of the method according to the invention for filling a cylindrical container 20 with a fluid, as in 2 indicated by the block arrow the filling valve 1 is inserted into the container 20 up to a predetermined height h 1 without the attachment tube 2 being moved.
  • the gas present there (at a known outlet pressure p 0 , eg ambient pressure) is displaced in the corresponding volume from the container 20 into the environment by the partial section of the filling valve 1 introduced into the container 20 .
  • the height h 1 is predetermined for each container-filling valve combination for which the volumes V B and V F are known, depending on the back pressure provided for the respective filling process, which is selected in relation to an intended filling pressure, as described below is explained.
  • the in 3 while the inflation valve 1 is maintained at the first predetermined height h1 , the attachment tube 4 is moved relative to the inflation valve 1, indicated by the block arrow, and seated onto the container opening 21, with the sealing seat 8 sealingly gastight to the the container edge delimiting the container opening 21 rests.
  • the filling device 10 with the sealing seat 8 on the attachment tube 4 is designed in such a way that fluid communication or gas exchange with the interior of the container is permitted, ie the partial volumes V A1 and V B1 in the attachment tube 4 and in the container 20 around the filling valve 1 are connected to one another via the annular gap which is present in the region of the container opening 21 or the annular shoulder 7 carrying the sealing seat 8 around the filling valve 1.
  • step c in which the filling valve 1, as indicated by the block arrow, is inserted completely into the container 20 with the predetermined section, while the attachment tube 4 remains in the sealing position at the container opening 21.
  • Complete insertion can mean, as in the example shown, that the filling valve opening of the filling valve 1 comes to rest on the bottom 22 of the container 20 .
  • the filling valve opening of the filling valve 1 can be shaped in accordance with the shaped bottom 22 of the container 20 . However, it can also be provided, for example in order to reliably avoid damage to the base 22, that a certain, defined distance from the base 22 remains even when the filling valve 1 is fully inserted.
  • the counter-pressure p G is thus not adjusted by supplying a tensioning gas, but is (based on the initially present outlet pressure po) determined by the height h 1 to which the filling valve 1 is inserted into the container 20 in step a) before in step b) the container 20 is sealed with the attachment tube 4.
  • the remaining parameters influencing the adjustable back pressure are the known and fixed dimensions or volumes of the container and the filling device.
  • the predetermined height h 1 to which the filling valve 1 is inserted is not limited to that in 2 and 3 shown insertion depth is limited, but is determined by the counter pressure p G to be achieved.
  • the height h 1 is preferably between the container opening 21 and the container bottom 22, but heights h 1 ⁇ H are also included, ie the filling valve 1 in step a) also can be positioned at the level H of the container opening 21 or above if the sealing is carried out in step b) by placing the attachment tube 4 in place.
  • the back pressure p G which is then achieved in step c) by the fully inserted filling valve 1, is greater the greater the predetermined height h 1 is.
  • the filling valve 1 can already be fully inserted in step a) (the predetermined height h 1 is thus the height of the container bottom 22), so that after sealing with the attachment tube 4 in step b) there is no pressure increase by further inserting the filling valve and the actual filling process in steps d) and e) thus takes place at the initial pressure p 0 .
  • h 1 it can also be advantageous for h 1 to be chosen “too low” in order to deliberately set the back pressure p G below the saturation pressure of the liquid. As a result, an intended initial foaming of the liquid can be generated. This foam on the annular surface of the fluid in the annular gap 23 creates a separation of the fluid and the air that is desirable in this case, which leads to reduced oxygen uptake.
  • Figures 5 and 6 show the filling process with steps d) and e):
  • the filling valve 1 opens (block arrow in figure 5 ), so that the fluid flows into the annular gap 23 with a predetermined filling pressure p F , while at the same time the opened filling valve 1 is moved upwards (block arrow in 6 ).
  • Filling pressure p F and back pressure p G are chosen so that when the pressure equalizes between the filling pressure p F and the back pressure p G , the fluid level S is within the annular gap 23 at a defined distance above the filling valve opening of the filling valve 1 .
  • the speed of the upward movement of the filling valve 1 is coordinated with the inflow speed of the fluid, so that the fluid level S is always above the filling valve opening of the valve 1 with the valve opening in the annular gap 23 and the lower-level filling process is achieved, which can be carried out very quickly.
  • a partial gas volume ⁇ V 1 is released around the filling valve 1 within the attachment tube 4, which corresponds to the fluid volume flowing into the container 20, so that the sum of the partial gas volume ⁇ V 1 in the attachment tube 4 and a partial gas volume ⁇ V 2 in the container above the Fluid level S corresponds to the differential volume ⁇ V. Since this gas volume ⁇ V remains constant, the predetermined back pressure p G also remains constant, as a result of which the filling device 10 according to the invention manages without any measuring means for controlling the filling process.
  • the only controlled upward movement of the filling valve 1 is for a given container-filling device combination depending on the filling pressure provided in each case set so that, as in 7 can be seen, in step f) the relative upward movement of the opened filling valve 1 is terminated when a second predetermined height h 2 is reached, which is present in the region of the container opening 21 .
  • the height h 2 is selected in such a way that the volume of fluid then present in the container 20 corresponds to the predetermined filling volume.
  • the level of the fluid level S in relation to the filling valve 1 also remains constant, when the predetermined height h 2 is reached reaches the predetermined filling volume in the container 20 without having to make any corrections, since due to the existing pressure equalization when the filling valve 1 stops, there is no further inflow of fluid, even if the valve 1 is still open before it, as in 8 shown, is closed.
  • step g) the closed filling valve 1 is removed from the container 20, on the opening 21 of which the attachment tube 4 is still sealingly arranged.
  • the upward movement of the filling valve 1 within the attachment tube 4 increases the partial volumes V B2 and V A2 available for the gas quantity in the system, so that the back pressure p G is reduced to a predetermined relief pressure p E , which can correspond to the outlet pressure p 0 , before in step h) ( 10 ) the attachment tube 4 is also removed from the container opening 21, and thus the initial pressure p 0 prevails, and the filling process for the respective container 20 is thus terminated.
  • a next container 20 can then be supplied to be filled in the same way.
  • a further embodiment of the invention provides that the filling valve 1 has a flow guide structure 9 that directs the outflowing fluid into a defined eddy or whirlpool movement offset. This avoids the fluid escaping at filling pressure colliding radially with the container wall and sloshing back, which means that more gas bubbles are trapped, which would accumulate until the end of the filling process and then lead to severe foaming.
  • the flow guide structure can, like 11 shows on an inside of the filling tube 2 or, as in the examples of Figures 12 to 14 on an outside of the piston 3 above the respective sealing surfaces 2', 3'. Contrary to what is shown, cooperating flow guide structures can also be present on both the filling tube and the piston, just as the filling valve can be a filling valve that opens to the outside.
  • the examples in 11 and 12 show a flow guide structure 9 in the filling tube 2 and on the piston 3, which is formed by a helical web similar to a thread. It is also possible to provide several helical webs running in parallel.
  • blading as flow guide structures on the outside of the piston 3. Contrary to what is shown, blading can also be present on the inside of the filling tube.
  • the flow-guiding blading 9 on the piston 3 in 13 is formed by a ring of guide vanes, which are curved at least in two planes in order to put the fluid flowing past into a vortex or eddy movement.
  • the flow-guiding blading 9 is formed by a ring of rotor blades, which are not curved here.
  • the piston 3 In order to set the fluid flowing past into a vortex or eddy movement, the piston 3 is designed to be driven in rotation, as indicated by the block arrow. If the rotor blades are curved, it is sufficient if the piston 3 is rotatably mounted, since the fluid flowing past the rotor blades causes the piston 3 to rotate, whereby the formation of vortices or eddies is supported even without a drive.
  • the filling device offers the advantage that the contact of the fluid with atmospheric oxygen is reduced even without previous evacuation or gas flushing.
  • the contact surface of the fluid in the annular gap around the filling valve in the container is merely an annulus with an annular width which is the difference between half the inside diameter of the container d i and half the outside diameter of the filling valve d Fa .
  • the circular ring represents an extremely small contact surface, which means that the absorption of gas (especially atmospheric oxygen) in the fluid is very low.
  • the filling quantity is determined by the known geometries (volume) of the container (can) and the filling valve, which at the same time represents a displacement element, and the attachment tube.
  • Various designs are conceivable for the filling valve.
  • expensive measuring devices such as MID sensors, as used in the prior art, can be dispensed with.
  • the size of the ring-shaped surface between the container wall and the filling valve depends on the container diameter and container opening diameter and can therefore be very small - the contact surface is reduced, which results in reduced gas absorption in the filled fluid.
  • the ambient air in the container is flushed out by carbon dioxide, which causes a very high consumption of carbon dioxide, the amount of oxygen is already significantly reduced here by the mechanical displacement of the air from the container as a result of the geometric conditions. Due to the layered filling process around the filling valve, in particular in the embodiment with the flow guide structure, there is little or no turbulence of the filled fluid and residual gas in the container, as a result of which the oxygen uptake is further minimized.
  • the back pressure required for pressure filling which is generated in the prior art by compressed gas, usually carbon dioxide or nitrogen, is provided mechanically by sealing the filling opening during insertion of the filling valve, so that tensioning gas and corresponding devices for feeding can be omitted.
  • the desired pressure can be set simply by determining the required insertion depth given the given geometric conditions.
  • a pressure filling without a return air tube is made possible, which means that the separate control, cleaning and maintenance of the return air tubes or return air lines is no longer necessary, which is still required in the prior art: a one-chamber principle is usually used there used for filling.
  • the container to be filled and a storage container on the filling device (ring bowl) form a chamber during the actual filling process.
  • the liquid flowing into the container to be filled displaces the gas present there into the reservoir.
  • the known multi-chamber solutions have not yet become established, since the individual chambers can only be correctly separated if a loss of filling material is accepted. A real separation of the chambers is only possible in terms of equipment.
  • the invention makes it possible to dispense with both measuring devices for monitoring the filling quantity and flushing or tensioning gas, with the filling device used having a very simple design and hardly being error-prone. But even if the invention preferably manages without flushing and tensioning gas, the implementation of such steps in the method according to the invention is not ruled out.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Disposition de remplissage composée d'un dispositif de remplissage (10) et d'un conteneur cylindrique (20) prédéfini, qui est une boîte (20) et dont l'ouverture du conteneur (21) présente un diamètre (dDo) qui est inférieur d'une mesure prédéfinie au diamètre intérieur (di) du conteneur (20) prédéfini, le dispositif de remplissage (10) présentant une vanne de remplissage (1) qui présente un piston (3) guidé de manière contrôlable dans un tube de remplissage (2) et un diamètre extérieur (dFa), qui est conçu de manière à s'adapter au diamètre (dDo) de l'ouverture du conteneur (21) pour l'insertion coaxiale de la vanne de remplissage (1) dans le conteneur (20) par l'ouverture du conteneur (21), de manière à ce qu'une section de la vanne de remplissage (1), prédéfinie pour être insérée dans le conteneur (20), présente un volume (VF) de l'ordre de 33 à 99 % du volume du conteneur (VB), la vanne de remplissage (1) étant déplaçable par rapport à un logement du conteneur conçu pour recevoir le conteneur (20),
    le dispositif de remplissage (10) comprenant un tube-rallonge (4) conçu pour être posé de manière étanche sur l'ouverture du conteneur (21), disposé coaxialement autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) et déplaçable par rapport à celle-ci, la vanne de remplissage (1) étant étanche sur palier lisse dans le tube-rallonge (4),
    caractérisée en ce que
    la vanne de remplissage (1) présente, pour un montage étanche sur palier lisse dans le tube-rallonge (4), une collerette (5) d'un diamètre adapté à un diamètre intérieur du tube-rallonge (4) et un joint coulissant (6) qui est disposé sur le pourtour extérieur de la collerette (5) afin de permettre le mouvement relatif entre la vanne de remplissage (1) et le tube-rallonge (4) tout en étanchéifiant un espace dans le tube-rallonge (4) autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) vers le haut, sur un côté opposé au conteneur (20),
    de façon à pouvoir prédéfinir un volume de gaz, composé d'un volume partiel (VB1) dans le conteneur (20) et d'un volume partiel (VA1) autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) dans le tube-rallonge (4) qui est placé de manière étanche sur l'ouverture du conteneur (21) par la collerette (5) avec le joint coulissant (6), lorsque la vanne de remplissage (1) fermée est positionnée, coaxialement avec l'ouverture du conteneur (21), à une première hauteur (h1) prédéfinie par rapport au conteneur (20),
    le volume de gaz prédéfinissable dans un espace annulaire (23), présent dans le conteneur (20) autour de la vanne de remplissage (1), pouvant être comprimé à une contre-pression prédéfinie lorsque la vanne de remplissage (1) est complètement insérée et,
    lors d'un mouvement ascendant relatif de la vanne de remplissage (1) ouverte à l'intérieur du conteneur (20) et à l'intérieur du tube-rallonge (4) pour permettre au fluide de s'écouler dans l'espace annulaire (23), un volume partiel de gaz (ΔV1) pouvant être libéré dans le tube-rallonge (4) étanchéifié autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) avec la collerette (5) par le joint coulissant (6), lequel correspond à un volume du fluide s'écoulant dans le conteneur (20), de sorte que la contre-pression (pG) prédéfinie reste constante.
  2. Disposition de remplissage selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisée en ce que
    le tube-rallonge (4) présente, pour la pose étanche sur l'ouverture du conteneur (21), un épaulement annulaire (7) avec un siège d'étanchéité (8) adapté à l'ouverture du conteneur (21).
  3. Disposition de remplissage selon la revendication 1 ou 2,
    caractérisée en ce que
    la collerette (5) est espacée d'une ouverture de la vanne de remplissage (1) de telle sorte que la collerette (5) vienne se placer contre l'épaulement annulaire (7), lorsque la section de la vanne de remplissage (1) destinée à être insérée est entièrement logée dans le conteneur (20).
  4. Disposition de remplissage selon au moins l'une des revendications 1 à 3,
    caractérisée en ce que
    le tube-rallonge (4) a un diamètre intérieur qui correspond au diamètre intérieur (di) du conteneur (20) prédéfini.
  5. Procédé de remplissage d'un conteneur cylindrique (20) avec un fluide en utilisant une disposition de remplissage selon au moins l'une des revendications 1 à 4, comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    a) positionnement de la vanne de remplissage (1) fermée par rapport au conteneur (20), coaxialement avec l'ouverture du conteneur (21), à une première hauteur (h1) prédéfinie,
    b) pose étanche du tube-rallonge (4) sur l'ouverture du conteneur (21), moyennant quoi un volume de gaz prédéfinissable, composé d'un volume partiel (VB1) dans le conteneur (20) et d'un volume partiel (VA1) dans le tube-rallonge (4) étanchéifié autour de la vanne de remplissage (1), qui est fermé hermétiquement autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) par la collerette (5) avec le joint coulissant (6), est maintenu,
    c) insertion complète de la vanne de remplissage (1) de telle sorte que le volume de gaz prédéfinissable soit comprimé à une contre-pression prédédinie dans un espace annulaire (23) présent dans le conteneur (20) autour de la vanne de remplissage (1),
    d) ouverture de la vanne de remplissage (1) et laisser le fluide s'écouler dans l'espace annulaire (23) avec une pression de remplissage prédédinie, de telle sorte qu'un niveau de fluide (S) à l'intérieur de l'espace annulaire (23) se situe au-dessus de l'ouverture de la vanne de remplissage (1), et ce faisant
    e) exécution d'un mouvement ascendant relatif de la vanne de remplissage (1) ouverte à l'intérieur du conteneur (20) et à l'intérieur du tube-rallonge (4), le niveau de fluide (S) à l'intérieur de l'espace annulaire (23) restant au-dessus de l'ouverture de la vanne de remplissage (1) et le mouvement ascendant de la vanne de remplissage (1) libérant un volume partiel de gaz (ΔV1) dans le tube-rallonge (4) étanchéifié autour de la vanne de remplissage (1) avec la collerette (5) par le joint coulissant (6), lequel correspond à un volume du fluide s'écoulant dans le conteneur (20), de telle manière à ce que la contre-pression prédéfinie reste constante,
    f) arrêt du mouvement ascendant relatif de la vanne de remplissage (1) ouverte lorsqu'une deuxième hauteur (h2) prédéfinie est atteinte, le volume de remplissage prédéfini étant atteint dans le conteneur (20) et fermeture de la vanne de remplissage (1),
    g) retrait de la vanne de remplissage (1) fermée du conteneur (20) avec le tube-rallonge (4) en place et abaissement de la contre-pression (pG) à une pression de décharge prédéfinie,
    h) retrait du tube-rallonge (4) de l'ouverture du conteneur (21).
EP17002044.0A 2017-01-05 2017-12-20 Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de canettes Active EP3345863B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP17000013.7A EP3345862B1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-01-05 Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de récipients cylindriques

Publications (4)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3345863A2 EP3345863A2 (fr) 2018-07-11
EP3345863A3 EP3345863A3 (fr) 2019-06-12
EP3345863B1 true EP3345863B1 (fr) 2023-06-21
EP3345863C0 EP3345863C0 (fr) 2023-06-21

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EP17000013.7A Active EP3345862B1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-01-05 Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de récipients cylindriques
EP17842415.6A Withdrawn EP3565780A1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-12-20 Procédé de remplissage de récipients conservés cylindriques, en particulier de boîtes et système de remplissage constitué d'un dispositif de remplissage et d'un récipient
EP17002044.0A Active EP3345863B1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-12-20 Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de canettes

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EP17000013.7A Active EP3345862B1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-01-05 Système de remplissage et procédé de remplissage de récipients cylindriques
EP17842415.6A Withdrawn EP3565780A1 (fr) 2017-01-05 2017-12-20 Procédé de remplissage de récipients conservés cylindriques, en particulier de boîtes et système de remplissage constitué d'un dispositif de remplissage et d'un récipient

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US10894704B2 (fr)
EP (3) EP3345862B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN110167869B (fr)
ES (1) ES2786560T3 (fr)
HU (1) HUE049288T2 (fr)
PL (1) PL3345862T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO2018127268A1 (fr)

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EP0184166B1 (fr) * 1984-12-06 1989-03-22 Hans Dipl.-Chem. Gabler Procédé et dispositif de remplissage de récipients rigides

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WO2018127268A1 (fr) 2018-07-12
EP3345862A1 (fr) 2018-07-11
EP3345862B1 (fr) 2020-03-04
CN110167869B (zh) 2021-09-03
PL3345862T3 (pl) 2020-08-24
US20200017343A1 (en) 2020-01-16
HUE049288T2 (hu) 2020-09-28
ES2786560T3 (es) 2020-10-13
EP3345863A3 (fr) 2019-06-12
EP3345863A2 (fr) 2018-07-11
CN110167869A (zh) 2019-08-23
US10894704B2 (en) 2021-01-19
EP3345863C0 (fr) 2023-06-21
EP3565780A1 (fr) 2019-11-13

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