Ring Main Fluid Supply for Bottling Plant Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage bottling plants face inefficiencies in supplying cleaning and disinfecting fluids due to separate supply lines for each consumer, lacking a holistic and automated cleaning concept, which results in unnecessary complexity and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A device that connects at least two consumers to a central reservoir via a ring line, allowing for a constant circulation of fresh, temperature-controlled disinfecting fluid, with integrated features like a bath for cap disinfection and a heat exchanger, ensuring defined properties and efficient utilization of the fluid, and integrates into an automated cleaning concept.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate supply lines are provided for each consumer, then each consumer receives dedicated cleaning fluid supply, but the system complexity and resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate supply lines into a single ring main that serves all consumers. The ring main circulates cleaning fluid continuously, allowing all consumers to be supplied from one integrated system rather than multiple independent lines, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining supply reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring main serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a supply line for all consumers, a return line for used fluid, and a circulation loop for continuous treatment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated supply and return lines for each consumer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate supply lines are provided for each consumer, then each consumer has independent fluid circulation, but resource wastage increases due to lack of holistic cleaning concept
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers used cleaning fluid by channeling it back through the ring main to the central reservoir instead of discarding it. The continuous circulation allows used fluid to be collected, treated, and reused, significantly reducing resource wastage while maintaining adaptability through the ring main's flexible distribution capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring main enables continuous circulation of cleaning fluid through all consumers in a holistic cycle. Rather than isolated intermittent operations, the system maintains continuous flow and treatment, ensuring efficient resource utilization across all consumers simultaneously.
3Loss of substance
If central reservoir with ring line is used, then resource efficiency improves through circulation, but system complexity increases compared to simple separate lines
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the circulation function from the distribution function by using a centralized reservoir for treatment and concentration control, while the ring main handles only distribution and collection. This segmentation allows efficient resource management at the central point while keeping the distribution network relatively simple.
4Reliability
If continuous circulation is implemented, then fresh temperature-controlled fluid is always available, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring main implements continuous circulation to ensure fresh, temperature-controlled fluid is always available at all consumers. The continuous flow prevents fluid degradation and maintains consistent quality without requiring complex storage or batch processing systems.
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 enables efficient and automated supply of disinfecting fluids to multiple consumers, ensuring consistent quality and reducing resource wastage by circulating and filtering the fluid, thereby improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning processes in beverage bottling plants.
Implementation Method 1
the ring line (4) includes a heat exchanger (7) for temperature control of the disinfecting fluid
Implementation Method 2
which allows the disinfecting fluid to flow in a circuit. In this case, for example, cleaning and/or disinfecting fluid is removed from the reservoir, conducted via the ring line
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for supplying consumers (6) with a cleaning and/or disinfection fluid, preferably in a beverage bottling plant, comprising a reservoir (2) for receiving a supply of cleaning and/or disinfection fluid, wherein at least two consumers (6) are connected to the reservoir (2) via a ring main (4).