Holding Tank Pressure Control for Consistent Liquid Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional product filling systems, particularly those using blow-fill-seal technology, face challenges in maintaining consistent filling pressures throughout a batch cycle, leading to variations in the amount of product dispensed into containers due to pressure fluctuations in the holding tank as the product level decreases.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a holding tank with a controller that adjusts the outlet pressure based on real-time feedback from sensors, ensuring a constant product pressure is maintained by increasing the head pressure as the product level decreases, thus eliminating the need to monitor and adjust filling time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional pressure differential filling is used without active pressure control, then the system is simpler and requires less equipment, but the product pressure at the outlet varies as the product level in the holding tank decreases, leading to inconsistent filling amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a sensor to continuously monitor the product level in the holding tank and provides feedback to a controller. The controller adjusts the outlet pressure based on this feedback signal, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains consistent filling pressure throughout the batch cycle despite varying product levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet pressure is made dynamic rather than static. The controller actively adjusts the outlet pressure in real-time based on the product level, transitioning from a fixed pressure differential system to an adaptive system that responds to changing conditions to maintain consistent filling.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual monitoring and adjustment of filling time is performed to compensate for pressure variations, then filling consistency can be maintained, but operator time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-regulation through automated pressure control. The sensor-controller feedback loop automatically compensates for pressure variations without requiring operator intervention, allowing the system to self-correct and maintain consistent filling throughout the batch cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical adjustment process is replaced with an automated sensor-controller system. Instead of operators manually monitoring and adjusting filling time, an automated control system uses sensor feedback to regulate pressure, substituting human operation with automated electronic control.
3Manufacturing precision
If the outlet pressure is increased to compensate for product elevation pressure loss, then consistent filling can be achieved, but the head pressure in the holding tank must be dynamically adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static pressure conditions to dynamic pressure adjustment. The controller continuously modifies the outlet pressure based on real-time product level information, enabling the system to adapt to varying head pressure conditions and maintain consistent filling throughout the batch cycle.
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 ensures consistent product dispensing into containers throughout the batch cycle, improving filling precision and reducing the need for manual adjustments, which can be costly and time-consuming in conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
the controller increases the pressure in the holding tank, compensating for the product elevation pressure loss, to maintain a constant product pressure at the output of the holding tank
Implementation Method 2
the controller receives a signal from a sensor corresponding to the amount of product remaining in the holding tank
Implementation Method 3
Conventionally, product is transferred from a product holding tank to a BFS machine for filling individual containers by a pressure differential between the holding tank and the filling nozzle of the BFS machine
Implementation Method 4
filling at least one container with the liquid product through at least one nozzle of the container filling apparatus for a predetermined fill time, wherein an amount of the liquid product dispensed during the predetermined fill time is based on a pressure at the outlet of the holding tank
Data Source
AI summary
A method of filling containers with liquid product includes receiving a signal from at least one sensor corresponding to an amount of liquid product in a holding tank, the holding tank having an outlet for feeding the liquid product to a container filling apparatus; transferring liquid product from the outlet of the holding tank to an inlet of the container filling apparatus; and filling at least one container with the liquid product through at least one nozzle of the container filling apparatus for a predetermined fill time, wherein an amount of the liquid product dispensed during the predetermined fill time is based on a pressure at the outlet of the holding tank, wherein a head pressure in the holding tank is increased based on the signal from the sensor to control the pressure at the outlet of the holding tank as the liquid product is fed from the holding tank.