Multifunction Filling Valve With Tangential Torus Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling valves for multi-component beverages face challenges in maintaining hygienic properties during frequent product changes, require complex mechanical designs, and are not suitable for high-performance filling machines due to structural complexity and lack of feedback on actual dosed amounts.
Innovation Solution
A filling valve design featuring a swirl chamber without swirl elements, with a valve body that includes a main inlet tangentially introducing the filling product into a torus-shaped swirl chamber, allowing for direct mixing of components and controlled flow regulation using a valve cone, enabling flexible and hygienic filling with minimal aroma carryover and reduced maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate dosing stations are used for multiple components, then dosing accuracy is improved, but system complexity and process sequence complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple dosing components into a single filling valve unit, integrating the dosing function directly into the filling process. This merging eliminates the need for separate dosing stations while maintaining dosing accuracy through integrated flow control and measurement mechanisms within the valve assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling valve is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: dosing multiple components, controlling flow rates, and executing the actual filling operation. This multi-functionality consolidates what would traditionally require separate dedicated devices into a single universal valve unit.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If components are mixed at late stage during filling, then aroma carryover is prevented, but dosing time must be reduced or parallel dosing lines required for high performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs dosing actions immediately before filling within the same valve assembly, eliminating the time delay between dosing and filling. This preliminary action ensures components are dosed just in time for filling, preventing aroma carryover while maintaining high productivity by eliminating idle time between dosing and filling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The dosing and filling operations are made continuous and seamless within the valve assembly. The dosing mechanism operates continuously to maintain pressure and flow, with the filling operation immediately following without interruption. This continuity eliminates downtime and maintains high productivity while preventing aroma carryover through immediate sequential operation.
3Ease of operation
If dosing head moves with container or container remains stationary, then filling is enabled, but mechanical complexity and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dosing and filling function from complex mechanical moving systems and implements it through a stationary valve assembly with integrated flow control. By taking out the need for moving dosing heads or complex positioning mechanisms, the design achieves filling capability through a simplified stationary structure that reduces mechanical complexity and installation space requirements.
4Adaptability or versatility
If volumetric dosing methods are used, then dosing range is expanded, but feedback on actual dosed amount is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms within the valve assembly that monitor and provide information about the actual dosed amount. This feedback system allows the control system to verify dosing accuracy and make real-time adjustments, ensuring precise dosing while maintaining an expanded dosing range through the integrated flow control capabilities.
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 design ensures hygienic and reliable filling with minimal structural complexity, supports flexible product changes, reduces maintenance costs, and allows for precise control of filling rates, making it suitable for high-performance filling machines and various beverage applications.
Implementation Method 1
a main inlet (12) which opens into the swirl chamber (11) and is configured to introduce at least one main component of the filling product into the swirl chamber (11) in such a way that the filling product is swirled in the swirl chamber (11)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5a
AI summary
Filling valve (1) for filling a container (100) with a filling product, preferably a beverage in a beverage filling plant, comprising a valve body (10) which has: a discharge outlet (13) configured to discharge the filling product into the container (100); a swirl chamber (11) configured to receive the filling product and which can be brought into fluid communication with the discharge outlet (13); and a main inlet (12) which opens into the swirl chamber (11) and is configured to introduce at least one main component of the filling product into the swirl chamber (11) in such a way that the filling product is set into a swirl in the swirl chamber (11), causing the filling product to flow downwards in a spiral motion in the container (100) after exiting the discharge outlet (13); characterized in that the swirl chamber (11) has a ring shape, the cross-sectional contour of which has a rounded shape essentially without corner points in the direction of extension as well as perpendicular to the direction of extension.