Aseptic Tank Priming Control via Level Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
In food processing lines, particularly in UHT dairy product lines, significant product waste occurs during the priming process due to the need to purge air from storage tanks to filling machines, leading to unnecessary product loss and potential contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a level switch between the intermediate storage tank and the end-valve assembly to detect product levels and stop priming, thereby preventing product from reaching the end-valve assembly, and using a prime valve downstream to prevent air migration upstream, reducing the length of filled piping and minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filling line is primed all the way to the end-valve cluster to expel air during cleaning, then the filling machine can start producing, but a large quantity of product fills the piping unnecessarily and is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The filling line is divided into two segments: a short primed section near the filling machine and a long unprimed section to the end-valve cluster. The level switch creates a boundary that stops product flow, preventing full-line priming and reducing product waste while ensuring the filling machine area is properly primed for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A level switch is introduced as an intermediary device between the filling machine and end-valve cluster. This switch acts as a control mediator that detects product levels and automatically stops the priming process at the appropriate point, preventing excessive product from entering the piping system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the end-valve cluster is placed 30 meters away from the filling machine to avoid contamination, then steam and fluids escaping valves are contained, but the priming process requires filling a large volume of piping
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a sterile filling area and a non-sterile valve area. The level switch creates a controlled boundary that limits product presence to only the necessary filling machine area, eliminating the need to prime the entire 30-meter piping run while maintaining the beneficial separation of contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The level switch provides automatic control of the priming process, detecting when sufficient product has reached the filling machine area and automatically stopping further flow. This self-regulating mechanism prevents product waste without requiring manual intervention or full-line priming.
3Reliability
If cleaning is performed frequently to maintain product quality, then contamination is prevented, but product waste accumulates due to repeated priming of long piping
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing full-line priming (excessive action), the system performs partial priming only to the extent necessary for the filling machine operation. The level switch ensures that product is introduced only to the required area, providing sufficient cleaning and priming action without the waste associated with priming the entire 30-meter piping system.
Solution Approach 2:
The level switch provides real-time feedback on product levels in the piping, automatically controlling the priming process. This feedback mechanism ensures cleaning and priming are performed only to the necessary extent, preventing both under-priming (which would compromise quality) and over-priming (which would waste product).
Data Source
AI summary
An intermediate storage tank assembly can include a filling line; a filling machine; and an end-valve assembly. In some embodiments, the intermediate storage tank assembly comprises a switch arranged between said filling machine and said end-valve assembly for detecting a level of product and in response thereto stopping a priming of intermediate storage tank thereby preventing product from reaching said end-valve assembly.