Beverage Filling Valve Volume Actuator for Blockage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage filling systems using free-jet fillers often experience splashing and blockages due to fruit pieces or fibers, leading to uneven filling and contamination, as these particles can get stuck in the valve cone and cause asymmetrical flow, resulting in part of the filling product not reaching the container and potentially leading to mold or germ formation.
Innovation Solution
A device with a volume actuator is introduced between the shut-off valve and the filling valve, which adjusts the pressure and volume to prevent premature leakage and ensure the filling product flows only when the valve is fully open, and reversibly adjusts to prevent splashing during closure, using a control device to manage the shut-off valve and volume actuator to maintain a uniform filling jet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a free-jet filler with a valve cone is used to fill beverages, then homogeneous filling products flow uniformly into the container, but fruit pieces or fibers accumulate above and around the valve cone during filling breaks, causing blockages and asymmetrical flow
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by closing the shut-off valve before opening the filling valve to cut off supply, and by using the volume actuator to create negative pressure that withdraws filling product from the filling valve before closure. These preliminary actions prevent fruit pieces from accumulating and blocking the valve cone during filling breaks, while maintaining uniform filling jet operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume actuator serves as an intermediary element between the shut-off valve and the filling valve. It controls the volume of filling product in the system and creates negative pressure to prevent blockages, mediating between the supply cutoff and the filling operation to ensure both reliability and precision.
2Productivity
If the filling valve is opened quickly to increase productivity, then filling speed increases, but fruit pieces become jammed in the flow channel generating increased flow resistance and causing lateral deviation of the filling jet
Solution Approach 1:
The system closes the shut-off valve before opening the filling valve to ensure the flow channel is clear of accumulated fruit pieces. This preliminary action prevents blockages that would cause lateral deviation, allowing the filling valve to open quickly for high productivity while maintaining jet trajectory accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume actuator provides feedback control by monitoring and adjusting the volume of filling product in the system. It creates negative pressure when needed to withdraw filling product and prevent blockages, enabling the system to maintain both high filling speed and precise jet trajectory by responding to flow conditions in real-time.
3Reliability
If the valve cone is lowered into the valve seat to close the filling valve, then the filling process stops, but fruit pieces get stuck between the valve cone and valve seat, causing asymmetrical jet cross section and deflection of lateral impulses
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary withdrawal of filling product using the volume actuator before closing the filling valve. This preliminary action removes fruit pieces from the flow channel, preventing them from getting stuck between the valve cone and seat during closure, thereby maintaining both sealing effectiveness and jet symmetry.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume actuator acts as an intermediary that controls the filling product volume and creates negative pressure to withdraw liquid before valve closure. This mediation prevents fruit pieces from interfering with the sealing process, ensuring both reliable sealing and maintained jet symmetry.
4Reliability
If a shut-off valve is added upstream of the filling valve to control flow, then blockages are prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The volume actuator is integrated into the existing valve system, combining flow control and volume management functions in a single coordinated mechanism. This merging approach prevents blockages through the shut-off valve while minimizing the increase in device complexity by consolidating control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume actuator serves multiple functions: it controls the volume of filling product, creates negative pressure to prevent blockages, and coordinates the operation of the shut-off and filling valves. This multi-functionality justifies the added component by providing blockage prevention while also improving overall system control and reliability.
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 solution effectively prevents splashing and ensures a uniform filling process by controlling the pressure and flow, allowing for precise filling of particles like fruit pieces and reducing dripping, maintaining a clean sealing process and preventing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
after the filling product outlet of the filling valve, the respective filling product flows into the container to be filled, uninfluenced by other guide devices, following gravity
Implementation Method 2
a volume actuator is provided for increasing and/or reducing the volume provided between the filling valve and the shut-off valve
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for filling a container (100) with a filling product (110), preferably for filling a container (100) with a beverage in a beverage filling plant, comprising a filling valve (2) for introducing a filling product stream into a container (100) to be filled, and a shut-off valve (4) arranged upstream of the filling valve (2) in the filling product stream for shutting off the filling product stream to the filling valve (2), wherein a volume actuator (5) is provided for increasing and/or reducing the volume provided between the filling valve (2) and the shut-off valve (4).