JP7388820B2 - Filling equipment and filling method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filling device and a filling method for mixing multiple types of liquids or for filling a container after mixing a liquid and a gas.

Soft drinks and milk drinks are usually obtained by mixing multiple types of raw materials in a mixing section. For example, soft drinks are filled into containers in a filling section after water and syrup are mixed. A beverage filling device including a mixing part and a filling part is called a cushion tank, which stores a mixed liquid between the mixing part and a tank (filling tank) of the filling part, as shown in Patent Document 1 (FIG. 1), for example. It is equipped with a storage tank in which

In the mixing section, for example, when mixing water and syrup, the flow rates of each of the water and syrup are controlled so that the flow rates of the water and syrup become a predetermined ratio.
In order to ensure the accuracy of the filling amount, the filling section maintains a constant level of the liquid mixture (product liquid) in the filling tank. For this purpose, the amount of liquid mixture flowing into the filling tank is controlled by a flow control valve.
As described above, since the flow rates are individually controlled on the mixing section side and the filling section side, if the mixing section and the filling section are directly connected, an imbalance will occur in the flow rates between them. Therefore, by providing a cushion tank between the mixing section and the filling section, this imbalance in the flow rates between the mixing section and the filling section is corrected. Beverage filling devices are usually operated so that the flow rate of the mixing section is higher than the flow rate of the filling section so that the product liquid always accumulates in the cushion tank.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-143174

However, a beverage filling device including a cushion tank has the following problems.
Since the cushion tank is operated so that the product liquid is always stored in the cushion tank, the product liquid remains inside the cushion tank when filling with a predetermined amount of the beverage product is finished. Since the remaining product liquid is discarded, the remaining product liquid reduces the manufacturing yield of the product liquid.
Further, for example, when switching from manufacturing beverage product X to manufacturing beverage product Y, it is necessary to discharge beverage product X remaining in the cushion tank from the cushion tank and to clean the inside of the cushion tank. Since the cushion tank has a considerable capacity, the time spent on this draining and cleaning is long.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mixing device and a mixing method that can solve the above problems.

The filling device of the present invention includes a mixing section and a filling section that temporarily stores the liquid mixture supplied from the mixing section and fills the container.
The mixing section in the present invention includes a first raw material supply section that supplies the first raw material, a second raw material supply section that supplies the second raw material, and a second raw material supply section that supplies the mixed liquid containing the first raw material and the second raw material to the filling section. a first flow path, a first flow rate control section that sets a target flow rate of the first raw material to be supplied to the first flow path and controls an actual flow rate of the first raw material so as to reach the target flow rate; and a second flow rate control section that sets a target flow rate of the second raw material to be used and controls the actual flow rate of the second raw material so that the target flow rate is achieved.
The first flow rate control section controls the actual flow rate of the first raw material according to the storage state of the liquid mixture in the filling section.
In the filling device of the present invention, preferably, the second flow rate control section controls the actual flow rate of the second raw material based on the actual flow rate of the first raw material, which is controlled according to the storage state.
In the filling device of the present invention, preferably the first flow path is directly connected to the filling section.

The first flow rate control section and the second flow rate control section in the present invention preferably control the actual flow rate of the first raw material and the actual flow rate of the second raw material so that the amount of the mixed liquid stored in the filling section falls within a certain range. Control.

The first flow rate control section and the second flow rate control section in the present invention are preferably provided upstream of a first merging site where the first raw material and the second raw material join together in the first flow path.

In the filling device of the present invention, preferably, a first flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the first raw material and a second flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the second raw material are provided upstream of the first confluence site. Be prepared. Then, the mixing ratio of the first raw material and the second raw material is evaluated based on the actual flow rate of the first raw material measured by the first flow meter and the actual flow rate of the second raw material measured by the second flow meter.

In the filling device of the present invention, both the first raw material and the second raw material are liquid, or one is liquid and the other is gas.

The filling device of the present invention includes a third raw material supply section that supplies the third raw material, and a target flow rate of the third raw material supplied to the first flow path, and adjusts the actual flow rate of the third raw material so that the target flow rate is achieved. and a third flow rate control section for controlling the flow rate. In addition, the filling device of the present invention is arranged such that the filling device is located upstream of a second merging region where a liquid mixture containing the first raw material and the second raw material and the third raw material join together in the first flow path, and where the first raw material and A fourth flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the liquid mixture may be provided downstream of the first merging site where the second raw material joins.

The filling device in the present invention preferably includes a third flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the third raw material, and the actual flow rate of the mixed liquid measured by the fourth flow meter and the third flow rate measured by the third flow meter. The mixing amount of the third raw material is evaluated based on the actual flow rate of the raw material.

In the filling device of the present invention, preferably, the first raw material and the second raw material are liquid, and the third raw material is gas.

The present invention includes a step (a) of feeding a mixed liquid obtained by mixing a first raw material and a second raw material, and a continuous feeding while temporarily storing the mixed liquid fed in step (a). Step (b) of filling each of the plurality of containers supplied with the mixed liquid, and adjusting the actual flow rate of the first raw material and the flow rate of the second raw material so that the set target flow rate of the first raw material in step (a) is achieved. A filling method is provided that includes a step (c) of controlling the actual flow rate of the second raw material so as to reach a set target flow rate.
In step (c) of the present invention, the actual flow rate is preferably controlled based on the temporary storage state of the mixed liquid.

According to the filling device of the present invention, since the target flow rate of the first raw material is controlled according to the storage state of the liquid mixture in the filling section, the flow rate in the mixing section can be matched to the storage state in the filling section. Therefore, according to the filling device of the present invention, there is no need to provide a cushion tank for correcting the imbalance in flow rates between the mixing section and the filling section. Therefore, according to the filling device of the present invention, compared to the case where a cushion tank is provided, the amount of product remaining in the filling device after filling with the liquid product can be significantly reduced, so that the manufacturing yield of the product can be improved.

Further, for example, when switching from manufacturing beverage product X to manufacturing beverage product Y, there is no need to discharge beverage product X from the cushion tank and clean the cushion tank. Therefore, according to the beverage filling device 1, productivity can be improved compared to the case where a cushion tank is provided.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a beverage filling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of the beverage filling device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the schematic structure of the beverage filling device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a flow chart which shows the control procedure of the beverage filling device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the schematic structure of the beverage filling device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is a flow chart which shows the control procedure of the beverage filling device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, it is a flowchart showing a control procedure when two types of liquid raw materials (a first raw material and a second raw material) are mixed, and the mixing amount of the first raw material is larger than that of the second raw material. .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[First embodiment]
As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage filling device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a mixing section 10 and a filling section 50. In the beverage filling device 1, a cushion tank is not provided between the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50, and the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50 are directly connected by the first flow path 6 and the second flow path 7. ing. As a result, the beverage filling device 1 with improved product yield and productivity is realized.
Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50 and the control procedure of the beverage filling device 1 will be explained.

[Mixing section 10]
The mixing section 10 includes a first raw material supply section 20 and a second raw material supply section 30. The first raw material supply section 20 supplies water as a first raw material, and the second raw material supply section 30 supplies syrup as a second raw material. Here, the term "syrup" is a general term for a high-concentration sugar solution, and is an object to be diluted with water supplied from the first raw material supply section 20. Water and syrup are usually mixed in a high ratio of water, such as 3 parts water to 1 part syrup, or 5 parts water to 1 part syrup.
In the beverage filling device 1, upstream (U) and downstream (D) are defined based on the flow directions of water, syrup, and a mixed liquid of water and syrup. This definition of upstream (U) and downstream (D) has a relative meaning.

The first raw material supply unit 20 is supplied with a water supply source 21, a first liquid pump 23 that sends out water stored in the water supply source 21, and a first flow rate adjustment valve 25 that controls a target flow rate of water. and a first flow meter 27 that measures the flow rate of water.
The water supply source 21 , the first liquid pump 23 , the first flow rate regulating valve 25 , and the first flow meter 27 are connected to the filling section 50 through the first flow path 6 . That is, the water sent out from the first liquid pump 23 has its flow rate adjusted by the first flow rate adjustment valve 25 provided in the first flow path 6, and passes through the first flow path 6 to the filling tank 50 of the filling section 50. supplied to Further, the first flow meter 27 measures the flow rate of water flowing through the first channel 6.

The opening/closing amount of the first flow rate regulating valve 25 is adjusted according to instructions from a control unit 60, which will be described later.
The first flow meter 27 continuously measures the flow rate of water flowing through the first channel 6. Information regarding the measured water flow rate (actual water flow rate) is sent to a control unit 60, which will be described later.

The second raw material supply section 30 is supplied with a syrup supply source 31, a second liquid feeding pump 33 that sends out the syrup stored in the syrup supply source 31, and a second flow rate adjustment valve 35 that controls the target flow rate of syrup. and a second flow meter 37 for measuring the flow rate of the syrup.
The syrup supply source 31 , the second liquid feeding pump 33 , the second flow rate regulating valve 35 , and the second flow meter 37 are connected to the filling section 50 through the second flow path 7 . In other words, the syrup sent out from the second liquid pump 33 has its flow rate adjusted by the second flow rate regulating valve 35 provided in the second flow path 7, and is filled through the second flow path 7 and the first flow path 6. 50. Further, the second flow meter 37 measures the flow rate of the syrup flowing through the second flow path 7.

The opening/closing amount of the second flow rate regulating valve 35 is adjusted according to instructions from a control unit 60, which will be described later.
The second flow meter 37 continuously measures the flow rate of the syrup flowing through the second channel 7. Information regarding the measured syrup flow rate (syrup actual flow rate) is sent to a control unit 60, which will be described later.

In the first raw material supply section 20 and the second raw material supply section 30, the second flow path 7 is connected to the first flow path 6 at the first confluence portion CP1. At this first confluence site CP1, the water that has flowed through the first flow path 6 and the syrup that has flowed through the second flow path 7 are mixed. Although not shown here, a device for promoting mixing of water and syrup can be provided at the first confluence site CP1.

In the first embodiment, the mixed liquid of water and syrup constitutes the product liquid in the beverage filling device 1, since no other liquid components or gas components are added to this mixed liquid.

[Filling section 50]
The filling section 50 fills the container with the product liquid mixed in the mixing section 10.
The filling unit 50 includes a filling tank 51 that temporarily stores the product liquid obtained by mixing in the mixing unit 10, and a filling machine (not shown) that fills a container with the product liquid filled in the filling tank 51. It includes a liquid level sensor 53 that measures the liquid level, which is the position of the liquid surface in the filling tank 51 of the product liquid stored in the filling tank 51, and a discharge path 55 that discharges the product liquid remaining in the filling tank 51. There is. The liquid level measured by the liquid level sensor 53 indicates the amount or state of storage of the product liquid.
In this embodiment, the form of the filling machine is arbitrary, and for example, a rotary type filling machine that supports a plurality of containers at the outer periphery of a rotating disc-shaped member and sequentially fills the containers with product liquid can be adopted.

The liquid level sensor 53 continuously measures the liquid level, and the measured liquid level (actual liquid level) is sent to the control section 60, which will be described later.
The discharge path 55 is used to discharge the product liquid remaining in the filling tank 51 to the outside when the product liquid to be manufactured is changed or when the mixing ratio of water and syrup deviates from an appropriate range. An on-off valve 57 is provided in the discharge path 55, and the on-off valve 57 is opened when the product liquid is discharged to the outside, but the on-off valve 57 is closed at other times. The on-off valve 57 is opened and closed according to instructions from the control section 60.

[Control unit 60]
The control section 60 controls the operations of the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50. Hereinafter, the control procedure of the beverage filling device 1 by the control unit 60 will be explained with reference to FIG. Note that the control unit 60 is composed of a computer device including input means such as a keyboard and a touch panel.

The control by the control unit 60 is based on the premise that the reference liquid level and the mixing ratio of water and syrup are set (S101 in FIG. 2). When a pelleter engaged in the beverage filling device 1 receives the reference liquid level and the mixing ratio of water and syrup from the input means of the control unit 60, the control unit 60 sets the reference liquid level and the mixing ratio.

When the reference liquid level is set, the control unit 60 acquires the liquid level of the product liquid measured by the liquid level sensor 53 in the filling tank 51, that is, the storage state of the product liquid (S103 in FIG. 2). The control unit 60 controls the target flow rate of water in the first raw material supply unit 20 and the target flow rate of syrup in the second raw material supply unit 30 as follows so that the obtained liquid level matches the set liquid level. Then, the amount of water and syrup mixed is adjusted (S105 to S111 in FIG. 2).

Assuming that the mixing ratio of water and syrup to be set is 3:1, the ratio of the flow rate of water and the flow rate of syrup to satisfy this mixing ratio is also 3:1. Therefore, the control unit 60 calculates the water flow rate as, for example, 3FR based on this mixing ratio (S104 in FIG. 2), and controls the water flow rate based on the calculated water flow rate 3FR (S105 in FIG. 2). This control is performed by adjusting the discharge amount of the first liquid feed pump 23 in the first raw material supply section 20 and the first flow rate so that the actual water flow rate measured by the first flow meter 27 matches the calculated water flow rate 3FR. This is done by controlling one or both of the opening degrees of the valve 25.

The control unit 60 acquires the measured value of the water flow rate (actual water flow rate) (S107 in FIG. 2). The obtained actual water flow rate is used in calculating the syrup flow rate and evaluating the mixing ratio (S121 in FIG. 2), which will be described later.

Further, the control unit 60 calculates the syrup flow rate based on the measured actual water flow rate and the mixing ratio of water and syrup (S109 in FIG. 2), and controls the syrup flow rate (S111 in FIG. 2). The actual syrup flow rate is controlled by controlling the discharge rate of the second liquid feed pump 33 in the second raw material supply section 30 and the second This is done by controlling one or both of the opening degrees of the flow rate regulating valve 35.
Here, the syrup flow rate to be controlled is calculated as the product of the measured actual water flow rate and ⅓, considering, for example, a 3:1 mixing ratio of water and syrup.

The control unit 60 acquires the measured value of the syrup flow rate (S113 in FIG. 2), and calculates the mixing ratio from the previously acquired measured value of the water flow rate and the measured value of the syrup flow rate (S121 in FIG. 2). The control unit 60 evaluates whether the calculated mixture ratio is out of the appropriate range (S123 in FIG. 2), that is, evaluates the mixture ratio.
If the calculated mixture ratio is within the appropriate range, the control unit 60 continues to calculate the mixture ratio and evaluate the mixture ratio (S121, S123 in FIG. 2), and performs the previous water flow rate control and By continuing to control the syrup flow rate, the product liquid is continuously supplied to the filling tank 51, thereby storing the product liquid.

When the control unit 60 finishes filling a predetermined amount of product liquid (S117 Y in FIG. 2), it controls the water flow rate, stops the syrup flow rate control, and measures the liquid level, water flow rate, and syrup flow rate. The measurement is stopped (S119 in FIG. 2). This completes the production of one batch of beverages. If the filling of the product liquid has not reached the predetermined amount (S117 N in FIG. 2), the procedure after measuring the liquid level (S101 in FIG. 2) is continued. That is, depending on the storage state of the product liquid in the filling section 50, the flow rate of water, which is the first raw material, and, by extension, the flow rate of the syrup, which is the second raw material, is controlled.

If the calculated mixing ratio is out of the appropriate range, the control unit 60 stops controlling the water flow rate and the syrup flow rate, and stops measuring the liquid level, the water flow rate, and the syrup flow rate ( S125 in FIG. 2), and a draining process for discharging the product liquid stored in the filling tank 51 is executed (S127 in FIG. 2). Stopping the control of the water flow rate and the control of the syrup flow rate means stopping the operation of the first liquid feeding pump 23 and the second liquid feeding pump 33. Further, the liquid draining process is performed by opening the on-off valve 57, which has been closed so far, and discharging the product liquid from the discharge path 55.

In FIG. 2, for example, liquid level measurement, water flow rate measurement, and syrup flow rate measurement are performed in this order, but in reality, all measurements are performed continuously. In other words, the procedure in FIG. 2 is merely for explaining the content of control, and does not specify the order in which measurements are actually performed.

[Effects of the first embodiment]
Next, the effects of the beverage filling device 1 will be explained.
The beverage filling device 1 controls the flow rate of water, which is the first raw material, according to the storage state of the product liquid in the filling section 50. Furthermore, since the target flow rate of the syrup, which is the second raw material, is controlled based on the actual flow rate of water, the flow rate in the mixing section 10 can be matched to the storage state in the filling section 50. Therefore, according to the beverage filling device 1, there is no need to provide a cushion tank for correcting the imbalance in flow rates between the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50. In other words, according to the beverage filling device 1, the amount of beverage product remaining in the beverage filling device 1 after filling the beverage product can be significantly reduced compared to the case where a cushion tank is provided, thereby improving the manufacturing yield of beverage products. can. This effect applies not only when filling the beverage product is finished, but also when discarding the product liquid when the mixing ratio deviates from the appropriate range.

Further, for example, when switching from manufacturing beverage product X to manufacturing beverage product Y, there is no need to discharge beverage product X from the cushion tank and clean the cushion tank. Therefore, according to the beverage filling device 1, productivity can be improved compared to the case where a cushion tank is provided.

Furthermore, by not providing a cushion tank, the cost related to the beverage filling device 1 can be reduced. This cost includes not only the manufacturing cost of the cushion tank itself, but also the cost required for the space in which the beverage filling device 1 is installed since the space for installing the cushion tank can be saved. Furthermore, the inside of the cushion tank is filled with an inert gas, typically nitrogen gas, under pressure to prevent oxidation of the product liquid, and according to the beverage filling device 1, this inert gas is filled under pressure. related costs can also be reduced.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a beverage filling device 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The beverage filling device 2 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the beverage filling device 1 except that the beverage filling device 1 differs from the beverage filling device 1 in that carbon dioxide gas is included in the manufactured product liquid. Therefore, below, the beverage filling device 2 will be explained focusing on this difference.

The beverage filling device 2 includes a third raw material supply section 40 in addition to the first raw material supply section 20 and the second raw material supply section 30. The third raw material supply unit 40 is provided to mix carbon dioxide gas (CO ₂ ) as a third raw material into a mixed liquid of water and syrup.

The third raw material supply section 40 includes a gas supply source 41, a third flow rate adjustment valve 45 that controls the flow rate of carbon dioxide gas, and a third flow meter 47 that measures the flow rate of the supplied carbon dioxide gas.
The gas supply source 41 , the third flow rate regulating valve 45 , and the third flow meter 47 are connected to the first flow path 6 through the third flow path 8 . That is, the flow rate of the carbon dioxide gas sent out from the gas supply source 41 is adjusted by the third flow rate regulating valve 45 provided in the third flow path 8, and the carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the first flow path 6 through the third flow path 8. Ru. Further, the third flow meter 47 measures the flow rate of carbon dioxide gas flowing through the third flow path 8.

The opening/closing amount of the third flow rate regulating valve 45 is adjusted according to instructions from a control unit 60, which will be described later.
The third flow meter 47 continuously measures the flow rate of the carbon dioxide gas mixture flowing through the third flow path 8 . Information regarding the measured flow rate of the mixed liquid is sent to the control unit 60.

In the first raw material supply section 20 and the third raw material supply section 40, the third flow path 8 is connected to the first flow path 6 at the second confluence portion CP2. At this second confluence site CP2, the mixed liquid of water and syrup that has flowed through the first flow path 6 is mixed with the carbon dioxide gas that has flowed through the third flow path 8. Although not shown here, a device for promoting mixing of the mixed liquid and carbon dioxide gas can be provided at the second confluence site CP2.

Next, the control procedure of the beverage filling device 2 by the control unit 60 will be explained with reference to FIG. Note that the explanation will also focus on the differences in the control procedures of the beverage filling device 1. In addition, in FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 are attached to the same control procedures as in FIG. 2.

The beverage filling device 2 sets the gas volume (GV) in addition to the reference liquid level and the mixing ratio of water and syrup (S101 in FIG. 4). The gas volume here is the concentration of carbon dioxide gas contained in the liquid mixture.
In the beverage filling device 2, the steps from measuring the liquid level (S103 in FIG. 4) to measuring the amount of syrup (S113 in FIG. 4) are performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

Next, after measuring the syrup flow rate (S113 in FIG. 4), the beverage filling device 2 acquires the flow rate of the mixed liquid (actual mixed flow rate) measured by the third flow meter 47 (S114 in FIG. 4). The measurement of the mixed liquid flow rate is used to calculate the next CO ₂ flow rate and to determine whether the amount of carbon dioxide gas (gas volume) contained in the mixed liquid is within an appropriate range.

Next, the control unit 60 calculates the CO 2 flow rate based on the measured mixed liquid flow rate and the set gas volume (S131 in FIG. 4 ₎ , and controls the CO ₂ flow rate so that the calculated CO ₂ flow rate is obtained. The flow rate is controlled (S133 in FIG. 4). The CO ₂ flow rate is controlled by controlling the opening degree of the third flow rate regulating valve 45 in the third raw material supply section 40 so that the CO ₂ flow rate measured by the third flow meter 47 matches the calculated CO ₂ flow rate. It is done by doing.
The CO ₂ flow rate to be controlled is calculated as the product of n and FRm, where n is the set gas volume and FRm is the actual mixed flow rate.

The control unit 60 acquires the measured value of the CO ₂ flow rate (actual CO ₂ flow rate) (S135 in FIG. 4), and calculates the gas volume (GV) from the previously acquired measured value of the mixed liquid flow rate and the measured value of the CO ₂ flow rate. Calculate (S141 in FIG. 2). The control unit 60 evaluates whether the calculated gas volume is out of the appropriate range (S143 in FIG. 2), that is, evaluates the gas volume.
If the calculated gas volume is within the appropriate range, the control unit 60 continues to calculate the gas volume and evaluate the gas volume (S141 and S143 in FIG. 4), and also performs the conventional water flow rate control and syrup control. By continuing the flow rate control and the CO ₂ flow rate control, the mixed liquid containing carbon dioxide gas is continued to be supplied to the filling tank 51, thereby storing the mixed liquid.

When the control unit 60 finishes filling the predetermined amount of the mixed liquid (S117 Y in FIG. 4), it stops the water flow rate control, syrup flow rate control, and CO ₂ flow rate control, and starts the water flow rate measurement, syrup flow rate measurement, and CO 2 flow rate control. _2. Stop flow rate measurement (S119 in FIG. 4). This completes the production of one batch of carbonated drinks.

If the calculated gas volume is out of the appropriate range, the control unit 60 stops controlling the water flow rate and the syrup flow rate (S125 in FIG. 2), and starts draining the liquid mixture stored in the filling tank 51. The process is executed (S127 in FIG. 2). Stopping the control of the water flow rate and the control of the syrup flow rate means stopping the operation of the first liquid feeding pump 23 and the second liquid feeding pump 33. Further, the liquid drainage process is performed by opening the on-off valve 57, which has been closed, and discharging the mixed liquid from the discharge path 55.

[Effects of second embodiment]
The beverage filling device 2 according to the second embodiment has the following effects in addition to the effects provided by the beverage filling device 1 according to the first embodiment.
The beverage filling device 2 controls the water flow rate, syrup flow rate and _CO2 flow rate based on the set gas volume in addition to the reference liquid level. Therefore, even when manufacturing a product liquid containing a gas component such as carbon dioxide, the beverage filling device 2 needs to be provided with a cushion tank to correct the imbalance in flow rates between the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50. do not have.

[Third embodiment]
Next, a beverage filling device 3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The beverage filling device 3 according to the third embodiment has the same configuration as the beverage filling device 2 according to the second embodiment, except that it does not contain syrup. Therefore, the beverage filling device 3 will be described below, focusing on the differences from the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the beverage filling device 3 does not include a second raw material supply section 30 that supplies syrup, and only the first raw material supply section 20 and the third raw material supply section 40 serve as raw material supply sources. It has two. The components of the first raw material supply section 20 and the third raw material supply section 40 are the same as those of the beverage filling device 2, but the fourth flow meter 29 included in the beverage filling device 2 is omitted.

In the beverage filling device 3, as shown in FIG. 6, a gas volume (GV) is set in addition to the reference liquid level (S101 in FIG. 6). This point is similar to the second embodiment.
After that, measurement of liquid level (S103 in Figure 6), control of water flow rate, measurement of water flow rate (S105, S107 in Figure 6), calculation of CO ₂ flow rate, control of CO ₂ flow rate, and measurement of CO ₂ flow rate (Figure 6 S131, S133, S135), etc. are executed in the same manner as in the second embodiment.
Further, since the only liquid handled by the beverage filling device 3 is water, the mixing ratio of water and syrup is not evaluated, but the gas volume is evaluated (S141 to S147 in FIG. 6).

[Effects of third embodiment]
The beverage filling device 3 according to the third embodiment has the following effects in addition to the effects provided by the beverage filling device 1 according to the first embodiment.
The beverage filling device 3 controls the water flow rate and the _CO2 flow rate based on the set gas volume in addition to the reference liquid level. Therefore, even when manufacturing a liquid mixture containing gas components such as carbon dioxide, the beverage filling device 2 needs to be provided with a cushion tank to correct the imbalance in flow rates between the mixing section 10 and the filling section 50. do not have.

[Additional notes]
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configurations mentioned in the above embodiments can be selected and replaced with other configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[Applicable target]
In the first to third embodiments, water, syrup, and carbon dioxide gas are exemplified as raw materials, but the raw materials targeted by the present invention are not limited to those exemplified. For example, it can be applied to a wide variety of beverage products such as milk drinks, coffee drinks, tea drinks, and alcoholic drinks. In addition, although a beverage product is illustrated here, the present invention is a product liquid other than a beverage product, in which multiple liquid raw materials are mixed, or a single or multiple gas raw materials are mixed with multiple liquid raw materials. Furthermore, it is applied when a single or multiple gas raw materials are mixed into a single liquid raw material.

The objects to which the present invention is applied are summarized as follows; one of the objects to be mixed is a liquid, and the other is concentrated into one or both of a liquid and a gas.
First form: Mixture of liquid A and liquid B. Liquid A: at least one kind of liquid a1, liquid a2, liquid a3, ... liquid an. Liquid B: at least one kind of liquid b1, liquid b2, liquid b3, ... liquid bn. 2 forms: Mixture of liquid A and gas C Liquid A: At least one type of liquid a1, liquid a2, liquid a3, ... liquid an Gas C: At least one type of liquid c1, liquid c2, liquid c3, ... liquid cn

The present invention can be applied to liquids containing solids. Since it is difficult to mix solids into liquid in the mixing equipment of the present invention, it is preferable to prepare a liquid containing solids in advance.

[Setting order when mixing multiple types of liquids]
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the water flow rate was first set, and then the syrup flow rate was calculated and controlled. This is based on the mixing ratio of water and syrup. Usually, when mixing water and syrup, a large amount of water is mixed. An example is water:syrup=4:1. Therefore, the water flow rate is set first for water with a large mixing amount. If this is the other way around, the error will likely increase.

As above, when two types of liquid raw materials (first raw material and second raw material) are mixed, and when the mixing amount of the first raw material is larger than that of the second raw material, as shown in FIG. As shown, it is preferable to set and control the first raw material in advance.

[Evaluation of mixing ratio and gas volume]
When evaluating the mixing ratio of two types of liquids, for example, water and syrup, the water flow rate and syrup flow rate can be evaluated based on instantaneous flow rates, or based on flow rates accumulated over a predetermined period of time. It can also be evaluated.

[Control criteria in mixing section 10]
In the first to third embodiments, the reference liquid level, the mixing ratio of water and syrup, and the gas volume in the filling tank 51 are set, and based on this reference liquid level, the water flow rate, syrup flow rate, and carbon dioxide gas (CO ₂ ) to control the flow rate. That is, in the embodiment described here, the reference liquid level of the filling tank 51 is the reference for control in the mixing section 10. However, the reference for controlling the mixing device in the present invention is not limited to this reference liquid level, and elements equivalent to the liquid level can be used as the control reference. In other words, the liquid level specifies the amount of the mixed liquid stored in the filling tank 51, and as an equivalent element, for example, the mass of the filling tank 51 containing the mixed liquid is measured with a load cell and used as a control standard. can do. That is, since the mass of the filling tank 51 is known, by measuring the mass of the filling tank 51 containing the mixed liquid, the mass of only the mixed liquid can be determined.

1, 2, 3 Beverage filling device 6 First flow path 7 Second flow path 8 Third flow path 10 Mixing section 20 First raw material supply section 21 Water supply source 23 First liquid feeding pump 25 First flow rate adjustment valve 27 1 flow meter 29 4th flow meter 30 2nd raw material supply section 31 Syrup supply source 33 2nd liquid feed pump 35 2nd flow rate adjustment valve 40 3rd raw material supply section 41 Gas supply source 45 3rd flow rate adjustment valve 47 3rd flow rate Total 50 Filling section 51 Filling tank 53 Liquid level sensor 55 Discharge path 57 On-off valve 60 Control section

Claims (10)

a mixing section;
a filling part that temporarily stores the mixed liquid supplied from the mixing part and fills the container,
The mixing section is
a first raw material supply section that supplies the first raw material;
a second raw material supply section that supplies a second raw material;
a first channel that sends the liquid mixture containing the first raw material and the second raw material to the filling section;
a first flow rate control unit that sets a target flow rate of the first raw material supplied to the first flow path and controls the actual flow rate of the first raw material so as to reach the target flow rate;
a second flow rate control unit that sets a target flow rate of the second raw material supplied to the first flow path and controls the actual flow rate of the second raw material so as to reach the target flow rate;
Upstream of a first merging site where the first raw material and the second raw material join,
a first flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the first raw material;
a second flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the second raw material,
When the amount of the first raw material mixed in the liquid mixture is larger than that of the second raw material, setting the target flow rate of the first raw material is performed before setting the target flow rate of the second raw material,
The first flow rate control section includes:
Controlling the actual flow rate of the first raw material according to the storage state of the mixed liquid in the filling part,
The first raw material and the second raw material are evaluated based on the actual flow rate of the first raw material measured by the first flow meter and the actual flow rate of the second raw material measured by the second flow meter. If the mixing ratio is out of the appropriate range, control of the actual flow rate of the first raw material and control of the actual flow rate of the second raw material are stopped, and a drain for discharging the mixed liquid stored in the filling section is stopped. liquid processing is carried out,
A filling device characterized by:
The second flow rate control section includes:
controlling the actual flow rate of the second raw material based on the actual flow rate of the first raw material, which is controlled according to the storage state;
The filling device according to claim 1.
the first flow path is directly connected to the filling part,
The filling device according to claim 1 or claim 2.
The first flow rate control unit and the second flow rate control unit are
so that the amount of the mixed liquid stored in the filling part falls within a certain range,
controlling the actual flow rate of the first raw material and the actual flow rate of the second raw material;
The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The first flow rate control unit and the second flow rate control unit are
in the first flow path, provided upstream of the first merging region where the first raw material and the second raw material merge;
The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The first raw material and the second raw material are
both are liquids, or one is a liquid and the other is a gas,
The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
a third raw material supply section that supplies a third raw material;
a third flow rate control unit that sets a target flow rate of the third raw material supplied to the first flow path and controls the actual flow rate of the third raw material so that the target flow rate is reached;
In the first flow path, the liquid mixture containing the first raw material and the second raw material is upstream of a second confluence site where the mixed liquid containing the first raw material and the second raw material joins the third raw material, and the first raw material and the second raw material a fourth flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the mixed liquid, the fourth flow meter being provided downstream of the first merging site where the liquid mixture merges with the liquid mixture;
The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
comprising a third flow meter that measures the actual flow rate of the third raw material,
The amount of the third raw material mixed is evaluated based on the actual flow rate of the liquid mixture measured by the fourth flow meter and the actual flow rate of the third raw material measured by the third flow meter.
The filling device according to claim 7.
The first raw material and the second raw material are liquids,
the third raw material is a gas;
The filling device according to claim 7 or claim 8.
a step (a) of feeding a mixed liquid obtained by mixing the first raw material and the second raw material;
Step (b) of filling each of a plurality of continuously supplied containers with the mixed liquid while temporarily storing the mixed liquid supplied in the step (a);
In step (a), the actual flow rate of the first raw material is adjusted to the set target flow rate of the first raw material, and the actual flow rate of the second raw material is adjusted to the set target flow rate of the second raw material. a step (c) of controlling;
In step (c),
When the amount of the first raw material mixed in the liquid mixture is larger than that of the second raw material, setting the target flow rate of the first raw material is performed before setting the target flow rate of the second raw material,
The actual flow rate of the first raw material is controlled based on the temporary storage state of the mixed liquid,
If the mixing ratio of the first raw material and the second raw material, which is evaluated based on the actual flow rate of the first raw material and the actual flow rate of the second raw material, is out of the appropriate range, the actual flow rate of the first raw material is A filling method in which control of the flow rate and control of the actual flow rate of the second raw material are stopped, and a drainage process is performed to discharge the stored mixed liquid.

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