Filling Valve Flow Control for Viscous Beverages With Inclusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current beverage filling systems are limited in their ability to handle a wide range of product types, viscosities, and inclusion sizes, requiring multiple systems for different filling scenarios, which reduces flexibility and increases costs due to the need for frequent equipment conversions.
Innovation Solution
A versatile filling system that includes a filler unit with a filling valve and container handling arm, capable of operating as cold fill, hot fill, extended shelf life, high acid aseptic, and low acid aseptic systems, accommodating beverages with viscosities from 1 to 400 centipoise and containing inclusions up to 50% by volume, with a filling valve design that allows for adjustable flow rates and inclusion sizes up to 10 mm cubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional filling systems are designed for a narrow range of product types and viscosities, then the system can operate reliably for specific product categories, but the system lacks versatility and requires multiple filling systems for different products
Solution Approach 1:
The filling system is designed to perform multiple filling functions (cold fill, hot fill, aseptic filling) using a single integrated platform. The system can handle various product types including carbonated beverages, juices, dairy products, and products with inclusions, eliminating the need for multiple separate filling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable components that can dynamically adapt to different product requirements. The filling valve, container handling arm, and processing parameters can be adjusted to accommodate varying viscosities, inclusion sizes, and filling speeds for different beverage types
2Adaptability or versatility
If filling systems are designed to handle high viscosity products and products with inclusions, then the system can process diverse beverage types, but the filling speed must be substantially reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic control of filling parameters including variable filling speeds that can be adjusted based on product viscosity and inclusion content. The container handling arm and filling valve work in coordination to maintain optimal filling speeds for each product type, preventing excessive slowing while handling high viscosity products
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operating parameters such as filling valve opening degree, filling duration, and container positioning based on the specific product characteristics. This allows the system to maintain higher productivity by optimizing parameters for each product rather than using a conservative fixed slow speed for all products
3Reliability
If multiple filling systems are provided to handle different product types, then each system can be optimized for its specific product category, but the overall facility cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate filling systems for different product categories, the invention implements a single universal filling system that can be configured to handle carbonated beverages, non-carbonated beverages, high acid products, low acid products, and products with various inclusion types and sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple filling system functionalities into one integrated platform, combining cold fill, hot fill, and aseptic filling capabilities in a single system that shares common components such as the container handling arm, filling valve, and control system
Data Source
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AI summary
A filler unit comprising: a container filling valve (50), the filling valve including a shuttle (200) movable between an open position corresponding to a first flow rate through the filling valve, a closed position corresponding to no flow through the filling valve, and a low flow setpoint position corresponding to a non-zero second flow rate through the filling valve, wherein the second flow rate is less the first flow rate; an actuator (80) comprising a first chamber (552, 553) and a barrier (551) coupled to the shuttle, wherein the barrier is movable to alternately increase a volume of the first chamber or to decrease the volume of the first chamber; a flow path from the first chamber; and a control valve (557, 557') positioned in the flow path and having a blocked position in which fluid flow is blocked and an unblocked position in which fluid flow is unblocked.