EP3760576B1 - Filling machine for filling a liquid product into containers and method for controlling filling operations and / or cip processes on a filling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling machine for filling a liquid product into containers according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for controlling filling operations and/or CIP processes according to the preamble of claim 7, as is known from DE 10 2011 075459 and DE 42 39 954 A1 .

Generic filling machines include filling elements with short-circuit probes for ending filling processes after the product in the containers has reached a desired filling level.

A disadvantage of such filling machines is, for example, that individual filling processes in the event of a bottle breakage can only be ended after passing through the machine angular range provided for filling and/or after a filling time provided for the filling process has elapsed. This means that only then can it be determined whether the absence of a short circuit in the area of the short-circuit probe indicates an insufficient filling level and thus a bottle breakage.

By the time the maximum filling angle of the filling machine is reached and/or the maximum filling time has elapsed, a significant amount of product can therefore already be lost. Bottle breakage therefore leads to a considerable loss of product on such filling machines.

In addition, it would be desirable to be able to determine both the respective filling quantity at individual filling elements and the quantity of a cleaning agent, sterilizing agent, rinsing agent or the like that flowed through the individual filling elements during CIP processes.

There is therefore a need to improve filling machines and methods that are based on filling level limitation using short-circuit probes, with regard to at least one of the problems mentioned above.

The task is solved with a filling machine according to claim 1. The filling machine is designed for filling a liquid product into containers and includes filling elements with short-circuit probes for ending filling processes after the product has reached a target filling level in the containers. Furthermore, the filling machine includes flow meters individually assigned to the filling elements for measuring a momentary actual flow through the individual filling elements.

This allows the flow rate through the individual filling elements to be determined both in the filling operation and in CIP processes. It can be both the flow rate per unit of time for determine any time intervals as well as the total amount of product or cleaning agent or sterilizing agent that has flowed through the individual filling elements for individual filling operations and/or CIP processes.

Monitoring the current actual flow also allows conclusions to be drawn about irregular filling processes, such as those caused by a broken bottle. Bottle breakage leads to a characteristic change in the actual flow rate at the affected flow meter, for example to a gradual increase in the actual flow rate.

The flow meters can be, for example, inductive flow meters (IDM), mass flow meters (MDM) and/or suitable mechanical flow meters (e.g. impeller meters).

It is also conceivable to determine the flow or the flow rate by measuring the differential pressure and/or by measuring the time.

The flow meters are preferably arranged in/on supply lines to the individual filling elements. The flow meters can be arranged there in an easily accessible manner and, if necessary, retrofitted to existing filling machines with short-circuit probes to end filling processes. However, the flow meters can also be arranged in/on the individual filling elements.

The feed lines are preferably made from a plastic, in particular from PTFE. Electrically isolating supply lines are suitable for different flow measurement principles, in particular for inductive flow measurement. In addition, plastics make it possible to compensate for thermally induced stresses between assemblies made of different materials with relatively little design effort.

According to the invention, the filling machine also includes an evaluation unit for determining deviations in the instantaneous actual flow rates through the filling elements from at least one reference flow rate, the evaluation unit being designed to assess the admissibility of the determined deviation. The reference flow can be a target range of the actual flow, for example. If the actual flow rate deviates from such a reference flow rate in a characteristic way, it is possible to conclude that the container has ruptured, for example.

The evaluation unit is then preferably designed to detect a faulty filling process and in particular a container breakage when a predetermined permissible deviation of the actual flow rate from a target flow rate is exceeded.

The deviation of the actual flow can, for example, be a significant increase in the actual flow over a reference flow/set flow in the sense of a threshold value. If the reference flow rate/set flow rate is exceeded, for example over a predetermined period of time during the filling process, the conclusion is that the container has ruptured or something similar is leaking, and thus that the filling process is faulty, that is to say improper.

According to the invention, the filling machine includes a controller that is designed to prematurely interrupt the product flow in the event of a faulty filling process/inadmissible deviation, in particular if a container breakage is determined based on this, individually for the filling element concerned. Product losses due to container breakage or similar leaks on the outlet side can thus be minimized.

A premature termination of the filling process is to be understood as meaning that it is terminated before a specified maximum filling angle of the filling machine is reached and/or before a specified maximum filling time has elapsed.

The evaluation unit is preferably designed to store reference flow rates through the filling elements and/or reference flow rate curves over time through the filling elements, which are each specific to a specific product and/or specific to individual filling elements. As a result, the function of individual filling elements and/or the presence of a broken bottle can be monitored particularly reliably.

Such specific reference flow rates and/or reference flow rate curves over time can be adjusted on the basis of empirical values and/or measured values and/or after statistical evaluation of filling processes or the like in order to optimize the production process.

The evaluation unit is preferably designed to store the measured actual flow and to assign it to the assigned filling elements and/or the filled products and/or the cleaning agents used and to statistically evaluate it on this basis in order to calculate individual filling elements and/or different products and/or to calculate different cleaning agent-specific reference flow rates and/or reference flow rate curves over time.

This enables improved function control of the individual filling elements and improved monitoring of the circumstances surrounding individual filling processes. For example, allows a trend analysis of previously carried out filling processes a prediction of the course and/or the quality of filling processes to be carried out subsequently with the individual filling processes. In addition, fluctuations in the actual filling quantity determined by flow measurement can be used to draw conclusions about the quality and, in particular, the dimensional accuracy of the containers.

The task is also solved with a method according to claim 7. Accordingly, the method is used to control filling processes and in particular processes for CIP (Cleaning-In-Place) on a filling machine with filling level limitation using short-circuit probes, in particular on a filling machine according to at least one of the embodiments described above. In addition to the fill level limitation, a momentary actual flow through the individual filling elements is monitored.

The advantages described in relation to claim 1 can thus be achieved.

The actual flow is preferably measured in supply lines to the individual filling elements. This can be implemented comparatively easily in terms of equipment and, if necessary, retrofitted to existing filling machines with fill level limitation.

Alternatively or additionally, the actual flow can be measured in the filling elements and then in particular in the area of the short-circuit probes.

According to the invention, a deviation of the instantaneous actual flow rate and/or its time profile from at least one reference flow rate and/or reference flow rate profile over time is continuously calculated. As a result, deviations from reference values can be determined in real time and, if necessary, irregularities in the filling operation can be identified.

The calculated deviation is preferably assessed automatically with regard to its admissibility. This means that a permissible deviation is characteristic of a proper filling operation, while an impermissible deviation indicates a malfunction, in particular a broken bottle. A mechanical assessment of the reliability takes place electronically using comparison criteria in an assigned evaluation unit and/or control unit.

According to the invention, individual filling processes are aborted prematurely by machine if there is an impermissible deviation that is characteristic of a container breakage. This means that a detected impermissible deviation is evaluated in real time and a control signal to interrupt the respective filling process is output as promptly as possible and in any case before the filling process ends properly. This minimizes product losses due to container breakage.

The impermissible deviation is preferably calculated by comparing the actual flow rate and/or its time profile with at least one reference flow rate and/or reference flow rate profile over time. Comparison criteria calculated in this way can be continuously optimized on the basis of data collected on a specific filling element during previous filling processes and, if necessary, adapted to changed production conditions. This allows reliability to be optimized in terms of balancing potential false positives and false negatives.

In CIP processes, a quantity of a cleaning agent or similar CIP medium that has flowed through individual filling elements is preferably calculated from the measured actual flow, for example cumulatively by integrating the measured actual flow. This allows a required flow rate to be logged, for example.

Preferably, the inflow of the cleaning agent to the individual filling elements is stopped individually for the filling elements by means of electronic control after a prescribed amount of cleaning agent or similar CIP medium per filling element has been reached. As a result, a flow rate necessary for achieving a specific quality criterion of the CIP processes can be maintained exactly and the consumption of CIP cleaning agent or similar CIP medium can be minimized overall.

Figur 1

eine erste Ausführungsform der Füllmaschine; und

Figur 2

eine zweite bevorzugte Ausführungsform der Füllmaschine.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing. Show it:

figure 1

a first embodiment of the filling machine; and

figure 2

a second preferred embodiment of the filling machine.

As the figure 1 As can be seen, the filling machine 1 for filling a liquid product 2, such as a drink, into containers 3, such as bottles made of glass or plastic, comprises filling elements 4 with short-circuit probes 5 for ending filling processes on the individual containers 3 when/after a Target fill level 6 of the product 2 in the containers 3.

Flow meters 7 are also assigned individually to the filling elements 4 . The flow meters 7 are designed to measure an instantaneous actual flow 8 through the individual filling elements 4 . The actual flow 8 can be measured in the product feed to the individual filling elements 4 and/or in the product paths running through the filling elements 4 .

The actual flow 8 of the product 2 is preferably measured in supply lines 9 to the individual filling elements 4 . The individual filling elements 4 are connected via the supply lines 9 to a product tank 10 which, for example, is ring-shaped and, like the filling elements 4 , is fastened to a rotor 11 of the filling machine 1 .

The rotor 11 is in the figure 1 only indicated schematically by dashed lines. During the filling operation, the rotor 11 of the filling machine 1 rotates continuously in a conventional manner about a vertical axis of rotation 11a. This is also indicated only schematically due to the known mechanical mode of operation of the filling machine 1 .

The filling elements 4 comprise a product valve 12 on the outlet side, which in a known manner can release and prevent the discharge of the product 2 into the container 3 sealingly attached to the filling element 4 from below.

A relief gas path 13 with a relief valve 13a and a tensioning gas path 14 with a tensioning gas valve 14a can also be seen on the filling element 4, which establish the connection to a relief channel 15 and tensioning gas channel 16 running centrally on the rotor 11 in a known manner.

A rotating lifting device 17 for lifting each of the containers 3 onto the product valve 12 of the associated filling element 4 is also indicated schematically. This function is also known in principle and is therefore not explained in detail.

The filling machine 1 includes an electronic evaluation unit 18 for data processing of the actual flow rates 8 of the product 2 measured with the flow meters 7.

The evaluation unit 18 can be integrated, for example, in a controller 19 for the filling elements 4 embodied on the filling machine 1 . The controller 19 processes, for example, measurement signals from the short-circuit probes 5 and controls the product valves 12, relief valves 13a and tension gas valves 15a.

The filling machine 1 is probe-controlled. This means that the individual filling processes are terminated by the controller 19 as a function of a filling level measured with the short-circuit probes 5 in each case, ie when the target filling level 6 is reached.

In addition, the actual flow rate 8 of the product 2 through the individual filling elements 4 is continuously monitored using the flow meter 7 . With the help of the actual flow rate 8 monitored in this way, the evaluation unit 18 can check separately for each filling element 4 whether the currently running filling process has a correct instantaneous actual flow rate 8 and/or a time profile of the actual flow rate 8 or an impermissible one There is a deviation from this, for example due to a broken bottle or a leaking bottle finish.

Such deviations are calculated and evaluated by the evaluation unit 18 with regard to reference values stored therein.

If the evaluation unit 18 calculates, for example, that the instantaneous actual flow rate 8 and/or its progression over time deviates from a characteristic reference flow rate and/or reference flow progression in an impermissible manner, the impermissible filling process at the affected filling element 4 is terminated prematurely, in particular as quickly as possible .

In other words, broken bottles and/or other leaky containers 3 can be detected based on the flow measurement described, even in the case of probe-controlled filling processes, before the proper end of the individual filling processes is reached, i.e. before the machine angle of the filling machine 1 provided for the filling processes is run through and/or before the end of the the filling time planned for the filling processes. This minimizes product losses due to irregular filling processes.

Furthermore, the flow meter 7 can be used in CIP processes to monitor the instantaneous actual flow rate 8 of a CIP medium, ie a cleaning agent, sterilizing agent, rinsing agent or the like, and to integrate the measured actual flow rate 8, for example. As a result, a quantity of cleaning agent that has flowed through the respective filling element 4 can be determined cumulatively.

Thus, on the one hand, the quantity of CIP medium that has flowed through the filling element 4 can be documented and the cleaning process for the individual filling element 4 can be ended in a targeted manner after a prescribed quantity of CIP medium per filling element 4 has been reached. The overall consumption of CIP media can be optimized as a result.

The actual flow rates 8 measured at the individual filling elements 4 by means of the flow meter 7 can be stored in the evaluation unit 18 in order to use them to calculate individual reference flow rates for the individual filling elements 4 . As a result, normal behavior in the filling operation and/or during CIP can be individually characterized for the filling elements 4, for example in the form of individual target characteristics.

Furthermore, statistical evaluations of the measured actual flow rates 8 are possible, for example the calculation of mean values and/or trends for individual filling elements 4 determine imminent malfunction of individual filling elements 4.

In addition, the reference flow rates and/or their time profiles can be stored product-specifically and/or format-specifically for different filling processes in the evaluation unit 18 and can be activated during production changes by calling up corresponding product-specific and/or format-specific filling programs and/or CIP programs.

Since an essentially uniform filling height of the containers can be assumed for probe-controlled filling, the actual flow rates 8 measured with the flow meters 7 and the product quantities calculated from them allow conclusions to be drawn as to whether the containers 3 are within a permissible range of their dimensional tolerance or in an impermissible manner differ. The described flow measurement in the product path thus also enables quality control of the containers 3 processed in the filling machine 1.

The one in the figure 1 The illustrated arrangement of the flow meter 7 on the respective supply line 9 to the individual filling elements 4 can be implemented with comparatively little technical effort and, if necessary, retrofitted to probe-controlled filling machines. For this purpose, the flow meters 7 are only to be arranged at a suitable location, in particular in freely accessible sections of the supply lines 9, and the controller 19 is to be supplemented by the evaluation unit 18.

The supply lines 9 are preferably made of a plastic approved for filling liquid foodstuffs, in particular PTFE.

Plastic supply lines 9 are particularly suitable for flow measurement, since they do not impede the function of electromagnetic/inductive flow meters 7 . The Flow meters 7 can, for example, work inductively (IDM) or by determining mass flow (MDM).

Feed lines 9 made of plastic are also advantageous for connecting assemblies made of materials with different temperature-related expansion behavior, such as different steels, gray cast iron or the like.

The figure 2 shows schematically a filling machine 21 with a function that is basically identical to that described above. However, instead of the liquid product, a cleaning agent 22 used in a CIP process or a similar CIP medium is shown schematically. The filling machine 21 comprises an outlet-side product path 23, a filling element 24 surrounding it and a short-circuit probe 25 for ending individual filling processes after a desired filling level 26 has been reached figure 2 is indicated only schematically (without container).

The filling machine 21 differs from the filling machine 1 described above essentially by the flow meter 27 integrated into the filling elements 24. These measure the actual flow 28 of the product or cleaning agent 22 in the area of the short-circuit probe 25.

In the area of the flow meter 27, the short-circuit probe 25 can, for example, comprise a non-conductive section 25a. This favors an inductive flow measurement.

The filling machine 21 also includes an annular product vessel 29 to which the filling elements 24 are flanged without connecting lines running freely in between.

The other functions of the filling machine 21, in particular the evaluation of the actual flow rates 28 measured with the individual flow meters 27 in the evaluation unit 18 and their connection to the controller 19 correspond in principle to the functions described with regard to the filling machine 1, so that these are not described/illustrated again .

The filling machines 1, 21 can be used as follows:
Proper filling processes are automatically ended by means of the short-circuit probes 5, 25 after reaching the respective setpoint sensing height 6, 26. In this way, all of the containers 3 are filled with the product 2 with a substantially identical fill level.

During the individual filling processes, the instantaneous actual flow rate 8, 28 of the product 2 to or through the filling elements 4, 24 is continuously monitored. The measured actual flow rates 8, 28 are continuously compared with at least one reference flow rate and/or a reference course of the flow rate. Any discrepancies in the actual flow rate 8, 28 that are determined in this regard are checked in the evaluation unit 18 for admissibility.

If, for example, an impermissible deviation in the actual flow rate 8, 28 is detected, which is characteristic of a broken bottle, the controller 19 of the filling machine 1, 21 is instructed to start the filling process of the affected filling element 4, 24 automatically by actuating the button on the respective filling element 4, 24 existing product valve 12 prematurely and in particular as early as possible to cancel. This makes it possible to prevent the product 2 from being delivered to a defective container 3 and thus being recorded as a loss of product.

In CIP processes, a cleaning agent 22, sterilizing agent or the like flows through the product path 23 and/or the feed line 9, the actual flow rate 8, 28 of which can also be monitored individually for the filling elements 4, 24 with the aid of the individual flow meters 7, 27 .

Here, the individual actual flow rates 8, 28 can be integrated, for example, and thus the amount of cleaning agent 22 that has flowed through the individual filling elements 4, 24 can be determined cumulatively. Likewise, the CIP processes for individual filling elements 4, 24 can be ended in a targeted manner as soon as a required minimum flow rate of the cleaning agent 22 has been reached at the respective filling element 4, 24 based on the measured actual flow rates 8, 28.

The criteria for assessing the permissibility of actual flows 8, 28 during filling operations and/or CIP processes can be set flexibly for individual filling elements 4, 24 and/or products 2 and/or cleaning agents 22 and/or containers by means of electronic programming of the evaluation unit 18 3 to be specified.

Claims (11)

1. Filling machine (1, 21) for filling a liquid product (2) into containers (3), comprising: filling elements (4, 24) with short-circuit probes (5, 25) for terminating filling processes after a reference filling level (6, 16) of the product (2) in the containers (3) is reached; and flow meters (7, 27) assigned individually to the filling elements (4, 24) for measuring an instantaneous actual flow rate (8, 28) through the individual filling elements (4, 24), characterised by an evaluation unit (18) for determining deviations of the instantaneous actual flow rates (8, 28) through the filling elements (4, 24) from at least one reference flow rate and for assessing the admissibility of the deviations determined; and a controller (19) which, in the event of an inadmissible deviation, is configured to prematurely stop the flow of product individually for the related filling element (4, 24).
2. Filling machine according to claim 1, wherein the flow meters (7) are arranged in/on supply lines (9) to the individual filling elements (4).
3. Filling machine according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit (18) is configured to detect a faulty filling process and in particular a break in the container in the event that a predetermined permissible deviation of the actual flow rate (8, 28) exceeds a reference flow rate.
4. Filling machine according to claim 1 and/or 3, further comprising a controller (19), which is configured to prematurely stop the flow of product, individually for the related filling element (4, 24), in the event of an inadmissible deviation and a container break detected on the basis thereof.
5. Filling machine according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the evaluation unit (18) is configured for storing temporal reference flow rate profiles and/or reference flow rates specific to the product (2) and/or individual filling elements (4, 24).
6. Filling machine according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the evaluation unit (18) is configured to individually store and statistically evaluate the measured actual flow rate (8, 28) for individual filling elements (4, 24) and/or different products (2) and/or different cleaning agents (22) in order to calculate specific reference flow rates and/or temporal reference flow rate profiles for individual filling elements (4, 24) and/or different products and/or different cleaning agents.
7. Method for controlling filling processes and in particular CIP processes in a filling machine (1, 21) with filling level limitation by means of short-circuit probe (5, 25), in particular in a filling machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein in addition an instantaneous actual flow rate through the individual filling elements is monitored, characterised in that a deviation of the instantaneous actual flow rate (8, 28) from at least one stored reference flow rate and/or reference flow rate profile is calculated continuously by machine and assessed for admissibility and individual filling processes are prematurely stopped by means of an electronic controller (19) in the event of an inadmissible deviation characteristic of a container break.
8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the actual flow rate (8) in supply lines (9) to the individual filling elements (4) is measured.
9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the actual flow rate (28) is measured in the filling elements (24) and in particular in the region of the short-circuit probes (25).
10. Method according to at least one of claims 7 to 9, wherein in CIP processes, a quantity of cleaning agent (22) which has flowed through individual filling elements (4, 24) is calculated from the actual flow rate (8, 28) measured in the process.
11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the inflow of the cleaning agent (22) to the individual filling elements (4, 24) is stopped individually for the filling elements (4, 24) by means of an electronic controller (19) after a prescribed quantity of the cleaning agent (22) for each filling element (4, 24) is reached.

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