Stationary Insert Filling Element for CO2 Bottles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling elements with movable inserts exacerbate residual volume and kinetic energy issues when the liquid valve is closed, leading to CO2 gas release and foaming, especially in containers filled with CO2-based filling materials.
Innovation Solution
A filling element design featuring a stationary annular insert acting as a gas barrier and swirl body within the liquid channel, which reduces residual volume and acceleration by ensuring the insert does not move with the valve body, utilizing a lamellar structure to manage flow and gas discharge effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the insert is moved with the liquid valve when opened and closed, then the insert can act as a gas barrier and swirl body, but the residual volume and kinetic energy increase causing CO2 release and foaming
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is segmented into a stationary annular body with multiple lamellae (flow guide elements) arranged radially. This segmentation allows the insert to maintain its gas barrier function while the stationary design prevents it from accelerating residual volume into the container, eliminating the foaming problem caused by movable inserts.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the insert movable as in conventional designs, the invention inverts the approach by making the insert stationary and allowing the liquid valve to move relative to it. This inversion resolves the contradiction by maintaining the gas barrier function while eliminating the harmful acceleration of residual volume.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the insert is stationary, then residual volume and kinetic energy are reduced, but the insert must still effectively barrier gas and guide liquid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary insert features local quality variations through its lamellar structure, where each lamella is positioned and dimensioned to optimize local flow guidance and gas barrier properties. This allows the stationary insert to maintain effective gas barrier function while reducing residual volume acceleration.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert extends in the axial dimension with multiple radially arranged lamellae, creating a three-dimensional flow guidance structure. This dimensional approach allows the stationary insert to effectively barrier gas and guide liquid flow without moving, resolving the contradiction between stationarity and functional effectiveness.
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
Significantly reduces residual volume and kinetic energy introduction into containers, minimizing CO2 release and foaming, while maintaining the benefits of a gas barrier and swirl body functionality, thereby improving filling accuracy and reducing standard deviation in fill levels.
Implementation Method 1
a stationary insert (18) in the liquid channel (3), which acts as a gas barrier
Implementation Method 2
acts as a gas barrier and swirl body for the filling material in the liquid channel
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Filling element (1) for filling bottles or similar containers with a liquid filler, comprising at least one liquid channel (3) formed in a filling-element housing (2), comprising at least one liquid valve (13) which is arranged in the liquid channel (3) and controls the discharging of the filler into the respective container and has at least one valve body (14) that can be moved in order to open and close the liquid valve (13) and that engages with a valve seat (15), and comprising an insert (18) which is designed as and/or acts as a swirl body and/or as a gas barrier and, in the direction of flow of the filler, is arranged upstream of a valve seat (15) of the liquid valve. The insert (18) is fixed in position in the liquid channel (3), i.e. it is not moved with the valve body (14) during the opening and closing of the liquid valve (13).