Filling Machine Pre-Distribution for Uniform Sterile Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling machines face challenges in generating a uniform, unidirectional sterile air stream from top to bottom, leading to turbulent air flows that can compromise the sterility and efficiency of the filling process.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of pre-distribution units with perforated plates and layers of porous material to homogenize the air flow, combined with honeycomb elements, ensures a uniform downward flow, reducing turbulence and enhancing sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sterile air is supplied into the filling machine without pre-distribution, then the air supply structure is simple, but turbulent air flows occur and sterility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution system is segmented into multiple functional layers: a distribution plate with multiple outlets, porous material layers, and honeycomb elements. Each segment performs a specific function in controlling air flow, transforming a single complex air supply problem into multiple manageable stages of flow control
Solution Approach 2:
Porous material and honeycomb elements are introduced as intermediary components between the air supply and the filling chamber. These intermediaries gradually diffuse and homogenize the air flow, reducing turbulence while maintaining sterility without requiring complex mechanical control systems
2Productivity
If air flow velocity is high to ensure rapid sterilization, then sterilization efficiency is improved, but turbulence increases and uniformity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow is pre-conditioned before entering the main filling chamber through a sequence of flow-control elements. The distribution plate creates multiple low-velocity streams, porous material further diffuses them, and honeycomb elements finalize the homogenization, ensuring uniform flow is established before sterilization action begins
Solution Approach 2:
Porous material is used as a flow homogenization medium that allows rapid air passage while physically diffusing turbulent eddies. The porous structure provides numerous small flow paths that naturally reduce velocity variations and create a more uniform flow distribution without sacrificing overall flow rate
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration achieves a deep, unidirectional sterile air stream, improving the sterility and efficiency of the filling process by minimizing turbulence and ensuring uniform air distribution.
Implementation Method 1
each pre-distribution unit comprises at least one perforated plate arranged above at least one layer of porous material
Implementation Method 2
redirecting the sterile air vertically downwards when leaving the box-shaped perforated plate through a layer of porous material, to homogenize the velocity of the air flow
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 1E~1F
AI summary
Illustrated and described is a filling machine (20) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (10) closed at the bottom or packages (P), comprising a transport device (26) for conveying the package sleeves (10) or packages (P) along a transport direction, a sterilization station (30), a bottom sealing station (34), and a filling station (35) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (10) closed at the bottom or packages (P), wherein all aforesaid stations are arranged in a machine housing. In order to generate a unidirectional sterile air stream from top to bottom of such a filling machine in a suitable and effective way, the filling machine (20) further comprises at least one pre-distribution unit (42, 42') for a homogenization of sterile air being introduced from above into the filling machine (20) at least in areas where a uniform downward flow is required, and in that each pre-distribution unit (42, 42') comprises at least one perforated plate (45, 45') arranged above at least one layer of porous material. Furthermore, two methods for generating a unidirectional sterile air stream from top to bottom of a filling machine (20) comprise the following steps: - supply of sterile air into a pre-distribution unit (42), - division of the centrally supplied sterile air into a downward flow and a radially outward flow at the top of a box-shaped perforated plate (45) or a strip-shaped perforated plate (45') arranged in the pre-distribution unit (42 or 42'), to reduce its flow velocity, - redirecting the sterile air vertically downwards when leaving the box-shaped perforated plate (45) or the strip-shaped perforated plate (45') through a layer of porous material, to homogenize the velocity of the air flow.