Conveyor Belt Velocity Regulation in Pasteurizer Filling Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for regulating the velocity of conveyor belts in container treatment machines, such as pasteurizers, lead to energy inefficiencies and potential microbiological risks due to stop-and-go operations caused by output fluctuations, resulting in unnecessary heating and cooling and suboptimal pasteurization processes.
Innovation Solution
A method that monitors the output of a filling line and adjusts the conveyor belt's operation to run at a nominal velocity for a set time period and then stop for another set period, allowing for an effective velocity that is lower than nominal but greater than zero, thereby reducing energy consumption by minimizing active heating and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the conveyor belt is stopped completely when output falls below nominal output, then energy consumption is reduced, but the container treatment process deteriorates and pasteurization result increases (more PUs than in uninterrupted throughput)
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt velocity is dynamically adjusted to an effective velocity that is lower than nominal velocity but greater than zero, allowing the system to adapt continuously to reduced output conditions without complete stoppage, thus maintaining treatment quality while reducing energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The velocity parameter of the conveyor belt is changed from nominal velocity to an effective velocity (between 0 and nominal velocity) to optimize the balance between energy savings and maintaining adequate container treatment process
2Reliability
If the conveyor belt is operated at nominal velocity continuously, then the container treatment process is maintained, but energy is wasted due to unnecessary heating and cooling during stop-and-go operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static nominal velocity operation to dynamic velocity adjustment, operating at an effective velocity that balances treatment process maintenance with energy efficiency during reduced output conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor belt operates in periodic cycles at the effective velocity with timed operation at nominal velocity for a first time period and stoppage for a second time period, creating a rhythmic operation pattern that optimizes both energy consumption and treatment process
3Loss of energy
If the conveyor belt is stopped to reduce output, then energy consumption decreases, but the time in pasteurization zones increases leading to pasteurization at lower temperatures and potential microbiological risks
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belt velocity is dynamically adjusted to maintain an effective velocity greater than zero during reduced output conditions, preventing complete stoppage and ensuring containers continue moving through pasteurization zones at controlled speeds to avoid temperature-time abuse and microbiological risks
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for regulating a velocity of a conveyor belt of a container treatment machine, such as a pasteurizer, in a filling line having a plurality of machines, wherein the method comprises: monitoring a current output of the filling line; when it is determined that the current output falls below a predefined nominal output, operating the conveyor belt at an effective velocity by a timed operation of the conveyor belt at a nominal velocity for a first time period and with stoppage of the conveyor belt for a second time period. The disclosure further relates to a device for carrying out the method, wherein the device comprises a container treatment machine with a conveyor belt.