High-Pressure Plug With Cleanable Product Duct Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-pressure processing technologies face limitations in productivity due to low filling coefficients and hygiene issues, particularly with the use of flexible packaging and complex systems prone to contamination and mechanical reliability problems.
Innovation Solution
A plug for high-pressure processing machines that allows for processing of substances in a flexible bag within the vessel, featuring a duct for the pressure-transmitting fluid, a product inlet/outlet duct, and a seat valve with a male and female seat, enabling easy cleaning and preventing contamination by maintaining a cleaning agent bath within the filling/emptying duct.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If batch processing with flexible containers is used, then product contamination is prevented, but productivity is limited due to low filling coefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the processing space by introducing a rigid container that occupies the entire vessel volume, dividing the space into productive processing area and necessary operational areas. This allows the rigid container to be efficiently filled while maintaining contamination prevention through controlled access points.
Solution Approach 2:
A piston acts as an intermediary element that transmits pressure from the pressure-transmitting fluid to the product inside the rigid container. This mediator enables high-pressure processing while maintaining product isolation and preventing contamination through the sealed piston mechanism.
2Productivity
If a piston system is used to apply pressure directly, then filling coefficient is improved, but hygiene is compromised due to product contact with pressure-transmitting fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The piston serves as a hydraulic intermediary that transmits force without direct product contact. The piston is sealed against the vessel wall, creating a barrier that prevents mixing between the pressure-transmitting fluid and the product, thus maintaining hygiene while enabling direct pressure application.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible membrane or seal on the piston creates a barrier that allows pressure transmission while preventing fluid mixing. This flexible sealing element maintains hygiene by ensuring complete isolation between the product and pressure-transmitting fluid during the pressurization process.
3Stress or pressure
If complex systems with multiple valves and gaskets are used, then high-pressure sealing is achieved, but contamination risk increases and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and eliminates unnecessary valves, couplings, and gaskets from the high-pressure path. By using a direct piston-acting mechanism on a rigid container, the design removes multiple potential contamination sources while maintaining effective high-pressure sealing through simplified components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple sealing elements to prevent contamination, the design inverts the approach by minimizing sealing surfaces and using a single robust piston seal. This reduction in sealing complexity directly lowers contamination risk while maintaining high-pressure integrity.
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
The solution achieves a high filling coefficient of up to 90-95% while ensuring hygiene and mechanical reliability, reducing contamination risks and simplifying the design to minimize high-pressure components, thus enhancing productivity and ease of cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure is transmitted to the products through the pressurizing fluid, usually water, being a pressure that is transmitted equally and instantaneously to all points of the product
Implementation Method 2
a seat valve with a male and a female seat in order to enable or prevent the passage of the product to or from the bag
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
Plug for high-pressure processing machines with a bag, comprising a duct for the passage of a pressure-transmitting fluid to the bag, another duct for filling and emptying of a product to be pressurized and a valve. The plug is further provided with a rod for opening and closing the valve. Said rod is located in the duct for the product and has its own inner duct joined to a cleaning agent chamber for the passage of the cleaning agent through the product duct. The invention also relates to a machine incorporating said plug and a method for the processing of pumpable substances. Hygienic design and very high pressure sealing requirements are met by the invention.