Product tank and device for filling containers with filled product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a product tank (10) for containing a liquid product, preferably in a beverage filling facility, and to a device (1) for filling a container (100) with a filling product, wherein the product tank (10) has: an outlet (11) for discharging the product from the product tank (10) along a discharge direction; and a flow guiding device (12), which is arranged inside the product tank (10) and is configured to generate a transverse flow oriented relative to the discharge direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a product tank for containing a liquid product and to a device for filling containers with a filling product, both preferably for use in a beverage filling plant. Background Art

[0002] In beverage filling plants, product tanks are used to accommodate and temporarily store the product to be filled or components of the product to be filled at multiple locations. It is thus known, for example, to mix the product to be filled in a mixer, wherein raw materials and / or purees are usually mixed into a previously prepared and preferably degassed product water flow. The filled product produced in this way is accommodated in a product tank called a "buffer tank" and is first temporarily stored before it is filled in the filling machine. The filling machine can also have a product tank, for example in the form of a central boiler or a ring circuit, which is used to supply a plurality of filling valves, via which the filled product is finally introduced into the container to be filled.

[0003] Alternatively, the filling product can be supplied to the filling valve from a buffer tank without another product tank connected in between. This type of device is known from WO 2019 / 043240 A1.

[0004] The above-mentioned product tank has at least one outlet for discharging the filled product to the next processing station. The outlet can be oriented downward or extend sideways, especially sideways-tangentially. In both cases, eddies can be generated at the outlet due to the occurrence of centrifugal forces, depending on the process and environmental conditions (throughflow, geometry, liquid level, viscosity, etc.). A rotating vortex with a straight or curved axis of rotation is called a "vortex (Trombe)", which can be generated at the outlet, for example due to the rotation of the earth, the movement of the medium, the force of wall friction or other reasons. Due to the conservation of momentum, the angular velocity increases when the particles approach the axis of rotation. The vortex is accelerated.

[0005] This vortex formation is disadvantageous when filling liquid filling products, especially when filling beverages, because gas bubbles from the head space of the product can enter the filling product through the vortex. These bubbles in turn affect the quality of the filling product and also lead to incorrect flow rates measured in the filling valve by means of a flow meter. In addition, the filling product may foam and overflow into the container.

[0006] Eddies can form both in the case of downwardly oriented outlets and also in the case of lateral outlets. A method for reducing eddy formation is to significantly increase the filling level in the tank, which is usually undesirable in beverage filling plants due to the process and cannot be achieved during residual filling, i.e. when the product tank is empty. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved product tank for containing liquid products and an improved device for filling containers with filling products, in particular to avoid the possible ingress of gas into the product or the filling product.

[0008] This object is achieved by a product tank according to the invention and by a device according to the invention for filling containers with a filling product. Advantageous developments emerge from this text.

[0009] Product tanks are used to accommodate and possibly temporarily store liquid products, in particular filling products to be filled, preferably in beverage filling plants. Products or filling products include beverages such as water (still or carbonated), soft drinks, smoothies, dairy products, beer, wine, mixed drinks, etc. In this case, the product tank is usually not completely filled, but there is a head space above the filling level, which has a gas, such as air or CO. 2 .

[0010] The product tank according to the invention has an outlet for discharging the product from the product tank along a discharge direction and a flow guiding device which is arranged inside the product tank and is configured to generate a transverse flow oriented transversely to the discharge direction.

[0011] By generating a transverse flow oriented relative to the discharge direction by the flow guiding device, any vortices that form at the outlet are "flushed away" from the outlet and broken up. The vortices are preferably formed on the shortest path between the outlet and the liquid level or surface. Since the distance between the outlet and the starting vortex increases due to the transverse flow, the vortex breaks up again before gas can be sucked out of the head space of the product tank. In this way, any ingress of gas into the product can be avoided.

[0012] The outlet can be oriented downward or can extend laterally, especially laterally-tangentially. The outlet is usually arranged in the lower region of the product tank.

[0013] It should be pointed out that the spatial expressions used herein, such as "horizontal", "vertical", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "above", "below", etc., are clearly and unambiguously defined by the intended installation position of the product tank.

[0014] Preferably, the flow guiding device comprises at least one guide plate in the region of the outlet, which covers a portion of the product tank cross section. The guide plate forms a mechanically simple and reliable mechanism for generating a transverse flow, since the vortex formed causes the liquid deflected at the guide plate to rotate.

[0015] If the guide plates are optimally positioned and oriented according to the process conditions (product properties, product tank geometry, outlet position and shape, etc.), eddy currents and thus gas outflow can be almost completely prevented regardless of power reduction.

[0016] For this purpose, at least one guide plate is preferably fixedly and / or flushly fastened to the inner wall of the product tank. Particularly preferably, at least one guide plate and the inner wall of the product tank are welded to one another. In this way, the connection between the product tank and the guide plate is particularly hygienic. The same applies to the further or all guide plates, if any.

[0017] According to an alternative embodiment, a fastening frame is preferably provided inside the product tank, to which the guide plate is fastened or to which the guide plate can be fastened. The fastening frame can be releasably and adjustably mounted in the product tank, so that the position and orientation of the guide plate can be readjusted and adapted to changing process conditions. Alternatively or additionally, the guide plate is preferably releasably mounted, for example screwed, at the fastening frame. In this way, one or more guide plates can be retrofitted quickly and uncomplicatedly if necessary. Furthermore, it is thus possible to determine an optimal position and orientation of one or more guide plates without affecting the product tank.

[0018] Preferably, the fastening frame has one or more arms, which are supported on the inner wall of the product tank. The fastening frame can, for example, have four arms arranged in a cross shape, whereby the fastening frame can be supported on different sides or locations of the inner wall of the product tank. Preferably, the fastening frame is supported only by pressing against the inner wall of the product tank, the fastening frame being, so to speak, tensioned in the product tank. In this way, the guide plate can be positioned and fastened in the product tank quickly and simply without holes, fastening hooks, flanges, ridges or other fastening means that would affect the structure of the product tank.

[0019] Preferably, the product tank has a cylindrical interior space, which defines an axial direction. The guide plate is preferably arranged in the lower region of the product tank and is spaced apart from the outlet in the axial direction of the product tank. In this way, the guide plate acts on the outwardly driven, rotating fluid flow and deflects it in the case of vortex formation. Preferably, the guide plate covers approximately one quarter of the cross section of the product tank for this purpose. The guide plate can have a sector shape, in particular a quarter sector, for this purpose, and in the case of the above-mentioned four arms, the fastening frame is mounted at two arms.

[0020] Preferably, at least one guide plate is arcuately shaped and mounted so that it extends at least in sections at the inner wall of the product tank and protrudes perpendicularly to the axial direction into the interior of the product tank. The arcuate guide plate is preferably arranged at the location of the outlet in the axial direction. It can be observed that the vortex does not always remain in one position, but moves to different positions, but always directly upward from the outlet toward the head space of the product tank. At the guide plate at the axial height of the outlet, the rotating liquid is deflected, a transverse flow is generated, and the vortex remains "stagnant" and is thus destroyed.

[0021] Preferably, two curved guide plates are provided, which are shaped and mounted such that they extend at the same axial position on the inner wall of the product tank and protrude perpendicularly to the axial direction into the interior of the product tank, wherein the curved guide plates are arranged at the position of the outlet in the axial direction so that the curved guide plates leave the outlet free. In other words, in order to adapt the installation of the guide plates to the geometry of the outlet, guide plates extending upward from the outlet along the inner wall in an arc are mounted on the left and right of the outlet according to the embodiment variant, perpendicular to the inner wall. In this way, reliable eddy current protection can be achieved in a mechanically advantageous manner.

[0022] Preferably, an outlet disk is provided, which is arranged in the product tank at a distance from the outlet in the discharge direction and covers the outlet. The disk plane of the outlet disk is perpendicular to the discharge direction. In the case of an outlet oriented vertically downward, the outlet disk is therefore positioned above the outlet. The outlet disk serves as a further means for reducing eddy flow formation. Preferably, the diameter of the outlet disk is greater than the diameter of the outlet, whereby the outlet disk covers the outlet in the radial direction.

[0023] Preferably, the flow guiding device comprises a plurality of, for example, exactly four, paddles mounted or installed at the outlet disk, wherein the paddles protrude radially from the outlet disk. By virtue of the paddles protruding radially from the outlet disk, the rotating liquid of the vortex formed is deflected at the paddles, a transverse flow to the vortex is generated, thereby destroying the vortex. The paddles can be mounted directly at the outlet disk via paddle fasteners, whereby the paddles can be mounted without problems and reliably.

[0024] Preferably, the flow guiding device comprises a branch pipe, which has an opening in the region of the outlet and is configured to branch off a partial flow of the product to be discharged via the outlet, wherein the branched partial flow is preferably substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction. By the partial flow branching off via the branch pipe flowing perpendicularly to the outlet flow or having at least one vector component perpendicular to the outlet flow, a transverse flow is generated, which "entrains" the vortex as it is generated and prevents the vortex from developing and stabilizes it.

[0025] Preferably, the branch pipe extends from an opening in the region of the outlet in the axial direction of the product tank. The branch pipe can then be led out of the product tank in the direction of the partial flow, for example via a 90° turn, wherein the branch pipe is arranged outside the product tank in this case so that the branched partial flow is supplied to the product tank again at another location. The partial flow can be branched by means of negative pressure or a pump. In this way, a transverse flow is actively generated, wherein the transverse flow can be adjusted by the intensity of the partial flow, the volume flow, etc., even during normal operation, for example depending on the filling level in the product tank, in order to always ensure that eddies are optimally avoided.

[0026] The above object is also achieved by a device for filling containers with a filling product, wherein the device has a product tank according to one of the above-mentioned embodiment variants.

[0027] The features, technical effects, advantages and embodiments described with reference to the product tank apply analogously to the device.

[0028] The product tank can be realized, for example, as a boiler or as a ring line of a filling machine for supplying a filling valve.

[0029] Particularly preferably, the device has a mixer for mixing at least two components to form a filling product and one or more filling valves for filling the container with the filling product, wherein the product tank is configured to receive the filling product mixed in the mixer in a buffered manner. The product tank is also referred to in this case as a "buffer tank". It can guide the filling product to the filling machine or the filling valve without affecting the quality by means of an integrated flow guiding device.

[0030] Preferably, the filling valve or the filling valves are connected to the buffer tank in an unbuffered manner.

[0031] By connecting the filling valve to the buffer tank without buffering, an intermediate buffer between the filling valve and the buffer tank and in particular the filler boiler can be omitted, so that a more efficient design is achieved. In other words, at least one buffer tank provided in conventional filling facilities for filling products can be omitted in the device. This results in a structural improvement, because the overall temporarily buffered filling product volume can be reduced, which leads to an improved efficiency of the device, because less or no filling product has to be discarded at the end of filling or when changing products.

[0032] Furthermore, the system can be controlled or regulated more simply since coordination or monitoring of the filling levels of a plurality of buffers interacting with one another can be avoided between the mixer and the filling valve.

[0033] Since the filling product is preferably transported unbuffered from the buffer tank to the filling valve, the buffer tank is particularly useful in the embodiment of the product tank with a flow guiding device, since gases which could otherwise be introduced into the filling product reach the filling valve directly.

[0034] "No buffering" is understood here to mean that there is no special buffering device which can buffer the filling product, for example during production breaks or when the filling system is interrupted. In particular, a buffering device is not to be understood as a current line through which the filling product flows and which is filled with the filling product during the filling operation either over its entire cross section or at least over a part of its cross section. The ring line in the carousel of the filler, which supplies the corresponding filling valves with the filling product, is not a buffer according to the present understanding.

[0035] The buffer device is to be understood to be a buffer storage device which is provided specifically to provide a corresponding buffer volume. The buffer device can thereby accommodate a large amount of additional filling products which are accumulated during production stops or during equipment disturbances and are not directly taken from the filling facility.

[0036] Alternatively or additionally, the mixer can be connected to the buffer tank without buffering. Preferably, there is only one buffer tank between the mixer and the filling valve, in which both the temporary storage of the filling product produced in the mixer and the maintenance of the filling product produced in the mixer for supply to the filling valve are provided. This can reduce the overall buffer volume to be maintained and avoid dependencies between buffer tanks that differ, for example, in terms of filling height. Accordingly, not only can the efficiency of the system be increased, but also defined conditions for the filling valve can be provided.

[0037] Other advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments. The features described therein can be used alone or in combination with one or more of the above-mentioned features, as long as these features are not contradictory. The following description of preferred embodiments is hereby made with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Preferred further embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail by the following description of the accompanying drawings. Here, it is shown:

[0039] Figure 1 A product tank having a flow guiding device for avoiding vortex formation according to one embodiment is shown;

[0040] Figure 2 A product tank with a flow guiding device for avoiding vortex formation according to another embodiment is shown;

[0041] Figure 3A product tank with a flow guiding device for avoiding vortex formation according to another embodiment is shown;

[0042] Figure 4a A product tank with a flow guiding device for avoiding vortex formation according to another embodiment is shown;

[0043] Figure 4b From another perspective, Figure 4a A product tank having a flow guiding device for avoiding vortex formation; and

[0044] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a device for filling containers according to a further exemplary embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Preferred exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings. Identical, similar or identically acting elements are provided with the same reference numerals in different figures, and a repeated description of the elements is sometimes omitted in order to avoid redundancy.

[0046] Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4a and Figure 4b Different embodiments of product tanks 10 are shown. The product tank 10 has a cylindrical shape as an example, but it can also be designed in other shapes as long as it is suitable for receiving and temporarily storing liquid products, especially filling products to be filled. Beverages, such as water (still or carbonated), soft drinks, smoothies, dairy products, beer, wine, mixed drinks, etc. are considered as products. In this case, the product tank 10 is usually not completely filled, but there is a head space above the filling liquid level, and the head space has a gas, such as air or CO 2 .

[0047] The product tank 10 has an outlet 11, which is oriented downwards, i.e. in the direction of gravity, as an example. However, the outlet 11 can also be oriented to the side, i.e. in the lower region of the product tank 10, essentially horizontally and optionally tangentially to the product tank 10. The outlet 11 defines a discharge direction, which corresponds to the direction of gravity when the outlet 11 is oriented downwards.

[0048] The outlet 11 is equipped with an outlet disc 11a which is arranged above the outlet 11 or its opening and perpendicular to the outlet direction, which in the present case coincides with the direction of gravity. The outlet disc 11a serves as a first means for reducing vortex formation, which may however not necessarily completely prevent vortex formation.

[0049] The outlet 11 also has an outlet connection 11 b to which a line for carrying away the product can be connected.

[0050] The product tank 10 further comprises a flow guiding device 12 which is configured to generate one or more transverse flows in order to flush a formed vortex away from the outlet 11 and thereby break up a formed vortex as it is generated.

[0051] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the invention, the flow guiding device 12 comprises a guiding plate 12a, which is arranged laterally of the outlet 11 and is configured to generate the above-mentioned lateral flow. For this purpose, the guiding plate 12a can cover a part of the tank cross section in the horizontal direction, preferably about a quarter of the tank cross section. The guiding plate 12a has a fan-shaped shape, which ends at an arc on the inner wall 10a of the product tank 10 on the outside and extends inwardly from there.

[0052] The vortex preferably forms on the shortest path between the outlet 11 and the liquid level or surface. As the distance between the outlet 11 and the starting vortex increases, before gas can be drawn from the head space of the product tank 10, the vortex breaks down again.

[0053] If the guide plate 12a is positioned at the correct location in the product tank 10, the generation of vortices and thus the outflow of gas can be almost completely prevented without any degradation in performance.

[0054] Preferably, the guide plate 12a is fixedly welded to the inner wall 10a of the tank. However, in order to be able to quickly and easily position and fasten the guide plate 12a, a fastening frame 13 can be provided, to which the guide plate 12a is fastened, for example screwed via a clamp. The fastening frame 13 is supported at the inner wall 10a of the product tank 10 via a plurality of, preferably four, arms 13a. In this way, the guide plate 12a can be quickly and easily positioned and mounted without holes, fastening hooks, flanges, ridges or other fastening mechanisms that would affect the structure of the product tank 10.

[0055] The guide plate 12 a described here is an efficient means for avoiding eddies even in the case of lateral or lateral-tangential outlets 11 .

[0056] A variant embodiment also based on the use of a guide plate is Figure 2 Be informed.

[0057] Here, two arc-shaped guide plates 12b, 12c are formed and mounted on the fastening frame 13 so that the two arc-shaped guide plates extend on the inner wall 10a of the product tank 10 and extend inwardly along a specific path. In order to match the installation of the guide plates 12b, 12c to the geometry of the vertically centered outlet 11, guide plates 12b, 12c extending upward from the outlet 11 along the inner wall 10a are mounted on the left and right of the outlet 11 perpendicular to the inner wall 10a. In other words, when viewed in the axial direction of the cylindrical product tank 10, the guide plates 12b, 12c are at the position of the outlet 11. The outlet 11 and, if necessary, the upper section of the product tank 10 are left empty by the guide plates 12b, 12c.

[0058] It can be seen that the vortex does not always remain in one position, but moves to different positions, but always emerges from the gap between the outlet 11 or the outlet disc 11a and the outlet opening and goes straight upwards towards the head space of the product tank 10. The rotating liquid is deflected at the guide plates 12b, 12c, generating a lateral flow, and the vortex remains "stagnant" and is thereby destroyed.

[0059] Figure 3 The embodiment of is based on a similar principle, wherein instead of guide plates 12b, 12c at the level of the outlet 11, a plurality of, preferably four, paddles 14 are mounted on the outlet disk 11a. The paddles 14 protrude radially beyond the outlet disk 11a so that the rotating liquid of a possible vortex is deflected at the paddles, a transverse flow relative to the vortex is generated, thereby destroying the vortex. The paddles 14 are fastened directly to the outlet disk 11a via paddle fasteners 14a, whereby the paddles can be mounted without problems and reliably. The paddle fasteners 14a and one or more paddles 14 can be constructed in one piece or in part in one piece, as in Figure 3 As in the example.

[0060] Figure 4a and 4b A further embodiment is shown in which a transverse flow relative to the generated vortex is actively generated by branching off a partial flow via a branch pipe 15. The branch pipe 15 has an opening in the region of the outlet 11 or laterally of the outlet and extends substantially vertically or at least with a vertical vector component relative to the discharge direction, i.e., relative to the axis of rotation of a possible vortex. In the present example, the branch pipe 15 extends in the axial direction parallel to the inner wall 10a of the product tank 10 for a distance and then turns towards the inner wall 10a at a turning point 15a, leaving the product tank 10 in order to then be connected via an outer pipe section 15b outside the product tank 10 (compare Figure 4b ) is guided and supplied to the product tank 10 again at another location.

[0061] By flowing the partial flow branched off via the branch pipe 15 perpendicularly to the outlet flow, a transverse flow is generated, which "entrains" the vortex when it is generated and prevents the vortex from developing and stabilizes it. In order to generate the partial flow, a negative pressure can be generated in the branch pipe 15, for example, by means of a pump not shown in the figure.

[0062] The product tank 10 of the above-described embodiment is particularly preferably used in an apparatus for filling containers, in particular in a beverage filling facility.

[0063] Figure 5 The device 1 for filling schematically indicated containers 100 with a filling product according to one embodiment is shown, wherein the device 1 is shown here in the form of a beverage filling plant. The device 1 is used here, for example, to fill a supplied stream of containers 100 to be filled with carbonated cold drinks.

[0064] Now, according to the flow description of the filling product into the container 100 to be filled Figure 5 :

[0065] First, the product water which may have been pre-cleaned and prepared is supplied from the product water supply 2 to the degassing device 20. The degassing device 20 is schematically shown here in the form of a degassing tank, in which the product water obtained from the product water supply 2 is sprayed via schematically indicated nozzles 22.

[0066] The degassing device 20 may be provided in the form of a pressure degassing device, wherein the degassing device is provided by adding CO 2 Removes oxygen and nitrogen from product water.

[0067] However, the degassing device 20 can also be provided in the form of a vacuum degassing device, in which a negative pressure is provided in the degassing tank, as a result of which the oxygen and nitrogen content of the product water is discharged.

[0068] Here, product water is sprayed via a nozzle 22 in a degassing tank of a degassing device 20 for increasing a surface area of ​​water so that a degassing process can be performed efficiently.

[0069] After the degassing device 20 , the product water prepared in this way is fed to a mixer 3 , which can mix at least two components to form a filling product.

[0070] The first component is the product water stream already described. Cold beverage raw material and / or puree can be provided as the second component, for example.

[0071] The mixer 3 accordingly has a metering valve 34, which feeds the components from the puree reservoir 32 into the product water supply via the metering point 30. Accordingly, in the metering point 30, the supplied puree is mixed with the supplied prepared product water and in this way mixed into the filling product.

[0072] The puree reservoir 32 also serves in particular as an air bubble separator, so that the puree obtained from the puree reservoir 32 is substantially free of air bubbles and correspondingly reliable metering is achieved.

[0073] In the embodiment shown, only a single metering point 30 is provided, so that the prepared product water is mixed at the metering point 30 with the components stored in the raw puree reservoir 32. However, depending on the configuration of the mixer 3, two, three or any number of such metering points 30 can also be installed, so as to respectively supply different components to the corresponding product water flow (also with mixed components) and finally mix the corresponding components into the desired filling product by mixing.

[0074] After the mixer 3, a carbonation device 4 is provided in the illustrated embodiment, which carbonates the mixed filling product. For this purpose, a carbonation station 40 is provided, which can be configured as a carbonation nozzle, for example, via which carbonation is carried out by CO. 2 The CO supplied by the supply device 42 2 The CO supplied to the filled product via the carbonation station 40 is introduced into the mixed filled product. 2 The metering depends on the desired properties of the filled product.

[0075] A bypass 24 is provided around the carbonation site 40, the bypass being configured to provide a flow path for CO 2 Add (CO 2 -Zudosage) always the same conditions of flow and / or pressure - independent of mixer power or mixer output.

[0076] The filled product produced in this way, which is also in the provided carbonation after the carbonation device 4 , is temporarily buffered in a product tank 10 , which in the application of the mixer 3 shown here is also referred to as a “buffer tank”.

[0077] The buffer tank 10 accordingly contains the mixed and carbonated filling product and forms a filling product reservoir for the filling machine described below. In the buffer tank 10, the carbonation of the mixed and carbonated filling product can be maintained as follows. 2 Pre-pressurizing at this pressure avoids CO bonding in the filled product. 2 Separation.

[0078] The pre-pressurization buffer tank 10 is realized by a pre-pressurization device 50, through which the CO 2 CO supply device 52 2 is introduced into the head space of the buffer tank 10. As a result, CO under pressure is present in the buffer tank accordingly. 2atmosphere, the CO 2 Atmosphere suppresses CO 2 Separation from the mixed and carbonated filling product which is temporarily stored in the buffer tank 10 .

[0079] The buffer tank 10 is connected to a filling valve 6 of a filling machine, schematically represented, for filling containers 100 to be filled. The filling machine can have a boiler, a ring line or the like for supplying the filling valve 6, for example by means of a product tank according to the above-described embodiments, or can be implemented as in Figure 5 As shown in , the connection is not buffered. The fluid connection between the buffer tank 10 and the filling valve 6 is thereby designed in such a way that no temporary buffering of the filling product is provided.

[0080] The gas space of the buffer tank 10 is also connected to the filling valve 6 via a pressurized gas line 54 in the illustrated embodiment in order to provide pressurized gas to the filling valve 6. The buffer tank 10 is connected to the head space of the container 100 to be filled during the filling process via the pressurized gas line 54. Via the connection, the container 100 is pre-pressurized and return gas is led back into the buffer tank during filling.

[0081] In this case, conventional line connections are not to be understood as buffers. Rather, a buffer is to be understood only as a reservoir designed specifically as a buffer, which has a corresponding volume that is used not only to transport the filled product but also to allow for temporary storage of the filled product. In this case, process technology components such as stop valves, sensors, flow meters, valves, pipe clamps, branchings, etc. are not to be understood as buffers, since they serve to guide the filled product but do not provide a buffer volume and therefore have no buffering effect at all.

[0082] The filling valves 6 are arranged at the schematically indicated filling machine turntable 60 of the filling machine. Usually, a plurality of filling valves 6 are installed at its circumference. The filling machine turntable 60 is usually arranged in a beverage filling facility to accommodate a continuous flow of containers to be filled, fill the containers to be filled with filling products via the corresponding filling valves 6 during the rotation, and then output the filled containers 100 to subsequent transport or processing equipment.

[0083] In order to transfer the filling product from the stationary plant part of the plant 1, in which the buffer tank 10 and the filling product line 70 are also provided, to the filling machine carousel 60 rotating relative to the stationary plant part, a rotary distributor 72 is provided. The rotary distributor 72 accordingly transfers the filling product supplied via the filling product line 70 to a further filling product line 74 at the filling machine carousel 60, and then guides the filling product to one filling valve 6 or a plurality of filling valves 6 via the further filling product line.

[0084] exist Figure 5In a specific design of the invention, a filling product line 70 is provided between the buffer tank 10 and the rotary distributor 72. With the aid of the rotary distributor 72, the filling product is transferred from the part of the filling product line 70 that is located in the stationary part of the device 1 to the filler turntable 60 that rotates relative to it. On the filler turntable 60, the filling product is then transported from the part of the filling product line 70 that is located on the filler turntable 70 to the filling valve 6.

[0085] The filling valve 6 is particularly preferably a proportional valve. By configuring the filling valve 6 as a proportional valve, it is possible to adjust the flow of filling product supplied from the filling valve 6 to the container 100 to be filled in multiple steps or particularly preferably steplessly.

[0086] The filling valve 6 can be designed here, for example, in the form of a conical valve, in which a valve seat is provided, into which the valve cone can be lowered in order to close the valve. By gradually or continuously lifting the valve cone from the valve seat, the cross section of the annular gap obtained between the valve cone and the valve seat can be changed, so that a change in the filling product flow through the proportional valve is also obtained.

[0087] exist Figure 5 The embodiment shown in the figure accordingly enables the mixed and carbonated filling product contained in the buffer tank 10 to be transferred to the filling valve 6 and then filled in a controlled manner into the container 100 to be filled. Since the filling product is preferably transported from the buffer tank 10 to the filling valve 6 without buffering, the buffer tank 10 is particularly useful in the embodiment of the product tank with the flow guiding device 12, because the gas that may be introduced into the filling product will directly reach the filling valve 6.

[0088] I'm here too Figure 5 In a particularly advantageous embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the buffer tank 10 is arranged above the filling valve 6 and the filling product guide between the filling valve 6 and the buffer tank 10 is arranged so that it rises continuously. Accordingly, no siphon effect is obtained. As a result, the gas present in the filling valve 6 can continuously rise towards the buffer tank 10 and be discharged therein without accumulating at a specific position in the filling product guide.

[0089] In other words, the gas present in the filling valve 6 and / or the filling product line 70 can rise in the rising filling product line 70 , so that the filling product awaits processing at the filling valve 70 accordingly without bubbles.

[0090] from Figure 5 It can be seen that preferably no buffer is also arranged between the mixer 3 and the buffer tank 10. Accordingly, the mixer 3 is connected to the buffer tank 10 without buffering.

[0091] This results in a correspondingly very efficient design of the device 1 , since only a single buffer tank, namely the buffer tank 10 , is provided between the mixer 3 and the filling valve 6 .

[0092] By preferably providing only a single buffer tank 10 , the respective filling height of the filled product in the buffer tank 10 can be easily controlled or regulated and in the illustrated embodiment no complex dependencies between different buffer tanks known from the prior art occur, so that the method control or method regulation is also simplified.

[0093] In order to ventilate the containers filled with the carbonated filling product at the filling valve 6 before the containers 100 are removed from the filling valve 6 , a decompression line 8 is preferably provided which leads to the outside via a rotary distributor 82 .

[0094] Via the pressure relief line 8 and the rotary distributor 82 , a CIP cleaning of the area of ​​the device 1 that conducts the filling product can also be performed accordingly.

[0095] By preferably providing only a single buffer tank 10 , the cleaning process can also be simplified and the involved surfaces can be reduced, which could also lead to cooling of the cleaning medium and to an increase in the cleaning effort.

[0096] In order to monitor and control the quality of the filling product in the buffer tank 10, a circulation line 9 is provided in which the filling product can be withdrawn from the buffer tank 10 by means of a circulation pump 90 and can be fed back into the buffer tank. In the circulation line 9, a CO pump for monitoring the filling product is provided. 2 CO content 2 Sensor 92 and Brix sensor 94 for reading the Brix value. Also or alternatively, other sensors may be provided in the circulation line 9.

[0097] Accordingly, a particularly efficient design of the device is obtained, which not only leads to reduced material consumption when constructing the device and thus to reduced investment, but also leads to efficient filling, because the overall volume of filled product to be maintained can be reduced and correspondingly the volume of filled product that is wasted at the end of production or when changing products can be reduced or avoided.

[0098] As far as applicable, all individual features shown in the exemplary embodiments may be combined with one another and / or exchanged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0099] Reference numerals list

[0100] 1Equipment for filling containers

[0101] 100 containers

[0102] 2Product water supply device

[0103] 20Degassing equipment

[0104] 22 Nozzles

[0105] 3. Mixer

[0106] 30 Measuring parts

[0107] 32 component storage

[0108] 34 metering valve

[0109] 4 Carbonation equipment

[0110] 40 Carbonation site

[0111] 42CO 2 Supply device

[0112] 50Pre-pressurization equipment

[0113] 52CO 2 Supply device

[0114] 54 pressurized line

[0115] 6Filling valve

[0116] 60 Filling machine turntable

[0117] 70 filling product lines

[0118] 72 Rotary distributor

[0119] 74 filling product lines

[0120] 8 Decompression lines

[0121] 82 Rotary distributor

[0122] 9 loop routes

[0123] 90 circulation pump

[0124] 92CO 2 sensor

[0125] 94Brix Sensor

[0126] 10 product tanks

[0127] 10a tank inner wall

[0128] 11Exit

[0129] 11a Export plate

[0130] 11b Outlet connection

[0131] 12Flow guiding device

[0132] 12a Guide plate

[0133] 12b Guide plate

[0134] 12c Guide Plate

[0135] 13 Fasten the frame

[0136] 13a Arm

[0137] 14 oars

[0138] 14a Paddle Fastener

[0139] 15 branch pipe

[0140] 15a Steering part

[0141] 15b External pipe section

Claims

1. A product tank (10) for containing a liquid product in a beverage bottling facility, wherein the product tank (10) has: an outlet (11) for discharging the product from the product tank (10) along a discharging direction; and a flow guiding device (12) arranged inside the product tank (10) and configured to generate a transverse flow directed relative to the discharge direction, wherein the flow guiding device (12) comprises at least one guiding plate (12a, 12b, 12c) covering a portion of the cross section of the product tank, and the product tank (10) has a cylindrical inner space, the cylindrical inner space defines an axial direction, wherein The guide plate (12a) is arranged in the lower region of the product tank (10) and is spaced apart from the outlet (11) in the axial direction of the product tank (10), wherein the guide plate (12a) covers a quarter of the cross section of the product tank, or At least one guide plate (12b, 12c) is arc-shaped and mounted so that it extends at least in sections on the inner wall (10a) of the product tank (10) and protrudes perpendicularly to the axial direction into the interior space of the product tank (10).

2. The product tank (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that The at least one guide plate (12a, 12b, 12c) is fastened flush to the inner wall (10a) of the product tank (10).

3. The product tank (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least one guide plate (12a, 12b, 12c) is welded to the inner wall (10a) of the product tank (10).

4. The product tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: An arcuate guide plate (12b, 12c) is arranged at the position of the outlet (11) in the axial direction of the product tank (10), wherein the arcuate guide plate is arranged at the position of the outlet (11) in the axial direction so that the arcuate guide plate leaves the outlet (11) empty.

5. The product tank (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that Two arc-shaped guide plates (12b, 12c) are provided, which are shaped and installed so that they extend at the same position on the inner wall (10a) of the product tank (10) in the axial direction and protrude into the inner space of the product tank (10) perpendicular to the axial direction.

6. The product tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: An outlet disk (11a) is provided, which is arranged in the product tank (10) at a distance from the outlet (11) in the discharge direction and covers the outlet.

7. The product tank (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that The flow guiding device (12) comprises a plurality of paddles (14) mounted at the outlet disk (11a), wherein the paddles (14) radially protrude from the outlet disk (11a).

8. The product tank (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that The flow guiding device (12) comprises four paddles (14).

9. The product tank (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The flow guiding device (12) comprises a branch pipe (15) which has an opening in the region of the outlet (11) and is configured to branch off a partial flow of the product to be discharged via the outlet (11).

10. The product tank (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that The branched-off partial flow is substantially perpendicular to the discharge direction.

11. The product tank (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that The product tank (10) has a cylindrical interior space which defines an axial direction and in which the branch pipe (15) extends starting from an opening in the region of the outlet (11).

12. The product tank (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that The branch pipe (15) leads out from the product tank (10) and is configured to supply the branched partial flow back to the product tank (10) at another location.

13. A device (1) for filling containers (100) with a filling product, the device having a product tank (10) according to any of the preceding claims.

14. The device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that The device comprises a mixer (3) for mixing at least two components into a filling product and one or more filling valves (6) for filling the container (100) with the filling product, wherein the product tank (10) is configured to receive the filling product mixed in the mixer (3) in a buffered manner.

15. The device (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that The filling valve (6) is connected to the buffer tank without buffering and / or the mixer (3) is connected to the buffer tank without buffering.

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