JP2889734B2 - Inert gas filling device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inert gas filling apparatus for filling an inert gas into a container such as a beverage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a content such as a non-carbonated beverage is sealed in a soft container such as an aluminum can, in order to prevent deterioration of the content and increase the internal pressure of the container to improve the strength of the container, Filling with an inert gas is performed.

[0003] Such an inert gas filling operation is performed by an inert gas filling device installed in a work line for filling or sealing the contents of a container. Conventionally, the inert gas filling apparatus includes an injector having a nozzle for discharging a liquefied inert gas into a container, a liquefied inert gas stored in the injector, and the liquefied inert gas supplied to the injector via a vacuum adiabatic pipe. It consists of a supply cylinder. The inert gas supplied from the cylinder to the injector is temporarily stored in a storage unit provided in the injector, and is dropped out of the nozzle by the action of the head pressure due to the level of the liquid surface.
It is desirable that the amount of the liquefied inert gas discharged into the container is always constant, and therefore, the height of the liquid surface of the liquefied inert gas stored in the storage unit provided in the injector is desirably constant. Must be kept constant and a stable head pressure must be generated.

However, for example, in a process in which a liquefied inert gas is supplied from the cylinder to the injector,
A part of the liquefied inert gas may be vaporized. For this reason, even if the height of the liquid surface is kept constant, the internal pressure in the reservoir of the injector rises, and the dropping speed changes, and per unit time There is a disadvantage that the amount of droplets varies.

[0005] Further, with the speeding up of a work line for filling or sealing the contents of the container, it is required to quickly perform an inert gas filling operation in the work line. For this purpose, it is desirable to increase the amount of the liquefied inert gas that is discharged. Therefore, in the inert gas filling apparatus, as a means for increasing the amount of liquefied inert gas to be filled in the container, the inner diameter of the nozzle may be increased to increase the amount of liquefied inert gas to be dropped. Conceivable. Further, it is conceivable to increase the head pressure by increasing the capacity of the reservoir of the injector by a high liquid level, thereby increasing the rate of dropping of the liquefied inert gas.

However, according to the former, since the amount of droplets discharged from the nozzle is large, the rate of reduction of the liquefied inert gas in the reservoir of the injector is high, and the height of the liquid level is liable to fluctuate.
Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the stable head pressure cannot be obtained and the amount of the inert gas discharged is not constant. Also,
According to the latter, the shape of the injector is enormous,
A large installation area is required, and particularly when the equipment is installed close to the work line, workability may be deteriorated. In addition, when the cylinder is replaced, the work line must be stopped, so that there is a disadvantage that the work efficiency is reduced.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has provided a container which can always be filled with a stable amount of inert gas by reducing the influence of vaporization of liquefied inert gas. It is another object of the present invention to provide an inert gas filling apparatus that can quickly fill an inert gas by increasing the amount of liquefied inert gas to be discharged.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cylinder for storing a liquefied inert gas,
An injector for storing the liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder via the vacuum adiabatic pipe in an open-to-air state, and for discharging the stored liquefied inert gas, wherein the liquefied inert gas discharged from the injector is provided. A first liquid tank for storing a predetermined amount of a liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder via a vacuum adiabatic pipe, the first liquid tank; A second liquid tank for storing a predetermined amount of the liquefied inert gas supplied from the tank via the vacuum insulated pipe in a state of being opened to the atmosphere, and a vacuum insulating member provided at a position below the second liquid tank and provided with a vacuum insulated gas from the second liquid tank. And the injector supplied below the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas in which the liquefied inert gas is stored through a pipe. The first liquid tank controls a flow rate of the liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder. A first supply valve for limiting; A liquid level sensor for sensing the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas stored in the tank; A first liquid level controller, and a pressure reducing valve for reducing the internal pressure of the liquefied inert gas stored in the first liquid tank to a predetermined pressure, and the second liquid tank is provided with a liquefied liquid supplied from the first liquid tank. A second supply valve for restricting the flow rate of the inert gas, a liquid level sensor for detecting the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas supplied to the second liquid tank, and the second level based on a signal from the liquid level sensor.
Open and close the supply valve to keep the liquid level in the second liquid tank constant.
A liquid level controller, wherein the injector restricts a flow rate of the liquefied inert gas supplied from the second liquid tank.
A supply valve, a liquid level sensor that senses the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas stored in the injector, and a third supply valve that opens and closes according to a signal from the liquid level sensor to keep the liquid level in the injector constant And a third liquid level controller.

[0009]

The liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder is
First, it passes through the vacuum insulation tube by the supply pressure of the cylinder,
The liquid is supplied into the first liquid tank by opening the first supply valve. In the first liquid tank, the liquid level of the stored liquefied inert gas is monitored by a liquid level sensor. Based on a signal from the liquid level sensor, the first liquid level controller controls the first supply valve. Open and close. That is, the first supply valve is closed when an appropriate amount of the liquefied inert gas has accumulated in the first liquid tank,
When reduced, the first supply valve is opened. Thereby, the liquefied inert gas in the first liquid tank is always stored in a constant amount. Further, a predetermined amount of the inert gas vaporized in the supply process is discharged from the pressure reducing valve of the first liquid tank. This separates the inert gas into a liquid and a gas, prevents an increase in the internal pressure of the first liquid tank due to the supply pressure of the vaporized inert gas and the cylinder, and further increases the internal pressure of the first liquid tank. At a predetermined pressure.

Subsequently, the liquefied inert gas in the first liquid tank is supplied into the second liquid tank by opening the second supply valve. In the second liquid tank, the liquid level of the stored liquefied inert gas is monitored by a liquid level sensor. Based on a signal from the liquid level sensor, a second liquid level controller operates the second supply valve. Open and close. That is, the second supply valve is closed when an appropriate amount of the liquefied inert gas has accumulated in the second liquid tank,
When reduced, the second supply valve is opened. Thereby, the liquefied inert gas in the second liquid tank is always stored in a constant amount. Further, since the second liquid tank is opened to the atmosphere to store the liquefied inert gas, the inert gas vaporized in the supply process is released. Thereby, the internal pressure of the second liquid tank is reduced to atmospheric pressure by the influence of the vaporized inert gas and the internal pressure of the storage section of the first liquid tank.

The liquefied inert gas in the second liquid tank is supplied and stored in the injector by opening the third supply valve. In the injector, the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas stored in the injector is monitored by a liquid level sensor. Based on a signal from the liquid level sensor, a third liquid level controller controls the third supply level. Open and close the valve. That is, the third supply valve is closed when an appropriate amount of the liquefied inert gas has accumulated in the injector, and the third supply valve is opened when the amount decreases. As a result, the liquefied inert gas in the injector is always stored in the injector in a fixed amount. Further, since the injector is provided below the second liquid tank, the liquefied inert gas flowing down the vacuum insulated pipe is supplied to the injector at a high speed. In addition, since the internal pressure during supply is reduced stepwise to the atmospheric pressure by the first liquid tank and the second liquid tank, the liquefied inert gas is injected from the second liquid tank at a stable rate. Supplied to In addition, since the vaporized inert gas is released to the atmospheric pressure in the injector, a stable head pressure is generated, and the liquefied inert gas can be dropped in a constant amount. Furthermore, even if the amount of the liquefied inert gas dripped from the injector is relatively large, the flow rate of the liquefied inert gas is high because the injector is provided below the second liquid tank. The supply of the liquefied inert gas to the injector is performed quickly.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In this embodiment, a liquefied inert gas such as liquid nitrogen is filled in the container after the contents are filled.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the configuration of the present embodiment, wherein 1 is a liquid nitrogen cylinder, 2 is a first liquid tank for temporarily storing liquid nitrogen X supplied from the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1, and 3 is a liquid tank. A second liquid tank 4 for storing the liquid nitrogen X supplied from the first liquid tank 2 again indicates an injector for discharging the liquid nitrogen X supplied from the second liquid tank 3 into the container. The cylinder 1 and the first liquid tank 2 are connected via a first supply valve 6 by a vacuum heat insulating pipe 5a. Similarly, the first liquid tank 2 and the second liquid tank 3 are connected to each other by a vacuum heat insulating pipe 5b. The second liquid tank 3 and the injector 4 are connected to each other via a second supply valve 7 and a third supply valve 8 by a vacuum heat insulating pipe 5c. Further, the injector 4 is provided at a position below the second liquid tank. Further, the vacuum heat insulating tubes 5a, 5b, 5c
Is a multilayer insulation structure with a vacuum part,
Since the amount of heat penetration is extremely small, a liquid nitrogen X that hardly vaporizes in the tube is used.

The first liquid tank 2 has a pressure reducing valve 9 at an upper portion thereof and a liquid level sensor 10 therein. The pressure reducing valve 9 reduces the internal pressure of the first liquid tank when the pressure for flowing out the liquid nitrogen X of the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 reaches the inside of the first liquid tank. At the same time, when the vaporized nitrogen gas is mixed in the liquid nitrogen X supplied from the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 into the first liquid tank 2, the pressure reducing valve 9 discharges the nitrogen gas to release the nitrogen gas. To prevent the internal pressure from rising. Thus, in the first liquid tank,
Liquid nitrogen X is stored while the internal pressure is constant.

The liquid level sensor 10 of the first liquid tank 2 is
It senses the level of the liquid nitrogen X in the first liquid tank 2 and is connected to a first liquid level controller 11. The first
The liquid level controller 11 controls the first supply valve 6 to be in a closed state if the liquid nitrogen X has accumulated in the first liquid tank 2 in an appropriate amount according to a signal of the liquid level sensor 10 of the first liquid tank 2. Liquid nitrogen X
Is reduced, the first supply valve 6 is controlled to be opened until an appropriate amount is accumulated. Thus, the liquid nitrogen X in the first liquid tank 2 is always stored in the first liquid tank 2 in a constant amount.

The liquid nitrogen X flows down from the first liquid tank 2 to the second liquid tank 3 located below the first liquid tank 2 through the vacuum heat insulating pipe 5b connected to the bottom of the first liquid tank 2. I do.

The second liquid tank 3 has an air release valve 12 at an upper part thereof and a liquid level sensor 13 therein. When the internal pressure of the first liquid tank 2 reaches the inside of the second liquid tank 3, the air release valve 12 releases the internal pressure of the second liquid tank 3 to reduce the pressure to the atmospheric pressure. At the same time, the air release valve 12
When nitrogen gas is mixed in the liquid nitrogen X supplied from the first liquid tank 2 to the second liquid tank 3, the nitrogen gas is released to prevent an increase in the internal pressure due to the nitrogen gas. In this way, in the second liquid tank 3, the liquid nitrogen X is stored with its internal pressure at a stable atmospheric pressure.

The liquid level sensor 13 of the second liquid tank 3 is
It senses the level of the liquid nitrogen X in the second liquid tank 3 and is connected to a second liquid level controller 14. The second
The operation of the liquid level controller 14 is the same as that of the first liquid level controller 11. When the signal of the liquid level sensor 13 of the second liquid tank 3 is input, the liquid nitrogen X If a proper amount is accumulated in the tank 3, the second supply valve 7 is closed. If the amount is reduced, the second supply valve 7 is opened until the appropriate amount is accumulated. This allows
The liquid nitrogen X in the second liquid tank 3 always keeps a constant
It is stored in the liquid tank 3. Then, the second liquid tank 3 is connected to the second liquid tank 3 via the vacuum heat insulating pipe 5c connected to the bottom of the second liquid tank 3.
, The liquid nitrogen X flows down toward the injector 4 located therebelow. At this time, the second liquid tank 3
Since the inside is at atmospheric pressure and the liquid amount of the stored liquid nitrogen X is kept constant, a constant head pressure can be generated in the liquid nitrogen X in the second liquid tank 3, The flow speed can also be constant.

The lower end of the vacuum adiabatic tube 5c is connected to the injector 4 in a state where it is supplied below the liquid level of the liquid nitrogen X stored in the injector 4. Thereby, the vaporization of the liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4 can be prevented.

The injector 4 is provided with an open-to-atmosphere pipe 15 at an upper part thereof and a liquid level sensor 16 therein. The open-to-atmosphere pipe 15 sets the internal pressure of the injector 4 to the atmospheric pressure similarly to the second liquid tank 3. At the same time, when the nitrogen gas is mixed in the liquid nitrogen X supplied from the second liquid tank 3 to the injector 4, the open-to-atmosphere pipe 15 releases the nitrogen gas to increase the internal pressure of the injector 4. Pressure.

In order to make the inside of the injector 4 atmospheric pressure, the entire upper part of the injector 4 may be opened. For example, around the injector 4, a container (not shown) is filled with contents. At this time, since the contents are floating in the air in a fine mist state, the air opening pipe 15 is provided to prevent the contents in the fine mist state from entering.

Thus, in the injector 4,
The liquid nitrogen X is stored with the internal pressure at a stable atmospheric pressure.

The liquid level sensor 16 of the injector 4
Is for detecting the level of the liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4, and is connected to the third liquid level controller 17. The third liquid level controller 17 opens and closes the third supply valve 8 by inputting a signal of the liquid level sensor 16 of the injector 4 according to the level of the liquid level inside the injector 4. The opening and closing of the first liquid level controller 11
Similarly to the second liquid level controller 14, the third supply valve 8 is opened when the liquid level in the injector 4 drops, and when the liquid level is at a predetermined height, the third supply valve 8 is opened. 8 is closed. As a result, the liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4 is always stored in the injector 4 in a constant amount. The nozzle 18 provided in the injector 4
, A required amount of liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4 is dropped. At this time, since the inside of the injector 4 is at atmospheric pressure and the liquid amount of the stored liquid nitrogen X is kept constant, a constant head pressure is generated in the liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4. And the drop amount can be constant. Further, the third liquid level controller 17 is a sensor raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the liquid level sensor 13 of the second liquid tank 3.
By controlling 19, the storage amount of liquid nitrogen X in the second liquid tank 3 can be adjusted. This is because, for example, when the inner diameter of the nozzle 18 of the injector 4 is made relatively large and the amount of liquid nitrogen X dripped is increased, the rate of decrease of the liquid nitrogen X in the injector 4 is also increased. In order to follow the decreasing speed,
It is conceivable to increase the flow rate of the liquid nitrogen X flowing down the vacuum adiabatic tube 5c. Therefore, the liquid level of the liquid nitrogen X in the second liquid tank 3 is made relatively high to increase the water head pressure, and
The flow rate of the liquid nitrogen X flowing down from the liquid tank 3 may be increased. For this purpose, the liquid level sensor 13 of the second liquid tank 3 is raised and lowered by the sensor raising and lowering means 19, and the flow rate of the liquid nitrogen X flowing down the vacuum adiabatic pipe 5c is increased to increase the injector 4
Liquid nitrogen X can be quickly supplied to the apparatus.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the internal pressure of the liquid supplied to the first liquid tank 2 and the second liquid tank 3 is reduced stepwise to atmospheric pressure, and the liquid nitrogen X
Can be supplied from the second liquid tank 3 to the injector 4 at a stable speed. In the injector 4, since the vaporized nitrogen gas is released and the atmospheric pressure is established, a stable head pressure is generated, and the liquid nitrogen X can be dripped in a fixed amount. Further, even if the amount of liquid nitrogen X dropped from the injector 4 is relatively large, the injector 4 is provided below the second liquid tank 3 so that the flow rate of the liquid nitrogen X can be reduced. The liquid nitrogen X can be quickly supplied to the injector 4 quickly.

A liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 'may be provided in addition to the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1. At this time, it is preferable that the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 ′ is connected to the vacuum heat insulating pipe 5 d which joins the vacuum heat insulating pipe 5 a via a supply valve 20, and the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 is provided with a supply valve 21. As a result, the liquid nitrogen X is normally supplied from the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1, and when the liquid nitrogen X in the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1 decreases, the supply valve 20 is opened and the supply valve 21 is closed at the same time. The supply can be switched from the nitrogen cylinder 1 '. Then, without stopping the dropping of the liquid nitrogen X from the injector 4, the liquid nitrogen cylinder 1
Can be replaced.

In the case of restarting after stopping the dropping of the liquid nitrogen X by the present embodiment, it is desirable to dry the inside of the injector 4 and remove the freezing of the nozzle portion 18 and the like prior to the start. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a method is employed in which nitrogen gas from a nitrogen cylinder 22 is passed through a heater 23 and heated nitrogen gas is blown through a valve 24 to an injector 4 and a nozzle unit 18. This makes it possible to easily prevent the inside of the injector 4 and the nozzle portion 18 from freezing, and to set the injector 4 in an optimal state for dropping the liquid nitrogen X at the start of the present embodiment, and to drop the droplet from the nozzle portion 18. The amount can be kept constant.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above, the present invention is characterized in that in the first liquid tank, the pressure from the cylinder added to the supplied liquefied inert gas is reduced, and Atmospheric pressure in the liquid tank. Thereby, the pressure from the cylinder is sufficiently reduced to prevent the influence on the inside of the injector, and the inside of the injection can generate a stable head pressure of the liquefied inert gas due to the atmospheric pressure.
A stable amount of liquid inert gas can be dropped from the injector.

Further, since the injector is provided at a position below the second liquid tank and the second liquid tank is set at the atmospheric pressure, the falling velocity of the liquid nitrogen can be increased by the head, thereby supplying the liquid nitrogen to the injector. Can be done quickly.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a stable amount of the inert gas can be always filled in the container while the influence of the vaporization of the liquefied inert gas is reduced. It is possible to provide an inert gas filling apparatus that can quickly fill an inert gas with a large amount.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

X: liquid nitrogen (liquefied inert gas), 1: liquid nitrogen cylinder (cylinder), 2: first liquid tank, 3: second liquid tank, 4: injector, 5a, 5b, 5c: vacuum insulated pipe, 6: 1st supply valve, 7 ... 2nd supply valve, 8 ... 3rd supply valve, 9
... pressure reducing valves, 10, 13, 16 ... liquid level sensor, 11 ... first liquid level controller, 14 ... second liquid level controller, 17 ... third liquid level controller.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cylinder for storing a liquefied inert gas, an injector for storing the liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder via a vacuum heat insulating pipe in an open state to the atmosphere, and discharging the stored liquefied inert gas. In an inert gas filling apparatus for filling a liquefied inert gas which is discharged from the injector into a container after filling the contents, the liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder via a vacuum adiabatic pipe is provided. A first liquid tank for storing a predetermined amount, a second liquid tank for storing a predetermined amount of a liquefied inert gas supplied from the first liquid tank via a vacuum adiabatic pipe in an open-to-air state, and the second liquid tank. The first liquid tank, wherein the injector is provided at a position below the tank and is supplied from the second liquid tank via a vacuum insulated pipe to a level below the level of the liquefied inert gas stored therein. Is the liquefied inert gas supplied from the cylinder A first supply valve for restricting a gas flow rate, a liquid level sensor for detecting the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas stored in the first liquid tank, and the first supply valve based on a signal from the liquid level sensor A first liquid level controller for opening and closing the first liquid tank to make the liquid level of the first liquid tank constant, and a pressure reducing valve for reducing the internal pressure of the liquefied inert gas stored in the first liquid tank to a predetermined pressure, A second supply tank configured to limit a flow rate of the liquefied inert gas supplied from the first liquid tank;
A liquid level sensor for sensing the level of the liquid level of the liquefied inert gas supplied to the liquid tank; and opening and closing the second supply valve according to a signal from the liquid level sensor to make the liquid level in the second liquid tank constant. A second liquid level controller, wherein the injector has a third supply valve for restricting a flow rate of the liquefied inert gas supplied from the second liquid tank, and a liquid of the liquefied inert gas stored in the injector. A liquid level sensor for detecting the level of the surface; and a third liquid level controller for opening and closing the third supply valve in accordance with a signal from the liquid level sensor to keep the liquid level in the injector constant. Inert gas filling equipment.