Throughflow Plate Slits for Uniform Aseptic Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining uniform and aseptic airflow in paperboard container filling machines is challenging due to moving parts and containers disrupting airflow, leading to potential contamination in aseptic chambers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a throughflow plate with predefined slits in the aseptic chamber, which directs clean air from an upper air distribution chamber to a lower processing chamber, ensuring a uniform flow and minimizing turbulence, combined with an elongated air distribution duct with throughflow holes, maintains aseptic conditions by preventing contaminated air from entering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If containers and processing equipment are moved through the aseptic chamber, then filling and sealing operations can be performed, but airflow uniformity deteriorates and turbulence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution system is segmented into multiple distributed outlets across the ceiling of the aseptic chamber, rather than using a single centralized source. This segmentation allows air to be introduced at multiple locations simultaneously, creating a more uniform airflow pattern that remains stable even when containers and equipment move through the chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the aseptic chamber receive air with locally optimized characteristics. The air distribution system provides air at various locations with different flow rates and directions tailored to local requirements, ensuring uniform overall airflow while accommodating the presence of moving containers and processing equipment.
2Ease of operation
If the aseptic chamber is kept open to allow container passage, then filling operations can proceed, but contamination risk increases due to impure air seeping in
Solution Approach 1:
Clean air is introduced into the aseptic chamber before containers enter and is maintained throughout the process. The air distribution system establishes a positive pressure environment with clean air in advance, creating a protective atmosphere that prevents contamination even when the chamber is open for container passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed air outlets act as intermediaries between the external environment and the containers/processing equipment within the chamber. These outlets introduce clean air that forms a protective barrier, mediating between the open chamber configuration and the need to prevent contamination of containers.
3Stability of the object's composition
If air distribution outlets are increased to improve airflow uniformity, then turbulence decreases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution system is integrated with the existing chamber structure, serving multiple functions simultaneously. The same structural elements that form the chamber ceiling also serve as the mounting surface for air outlets, and the airflow system simultaneously provides both uniform flow and contamination protection, reducing overall system complexity.
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 configuration ensures a stable and uniform airflow that maintains the sterility of the containers and equipment, reducing the risk of contamination and extending the shelf-life of filled products.
Implementation Method 1
the slits having a predefined length, a predefined width and a predefined length/width ratio... directing the air from the air distribution chamber to the processing chamber... ensuring a uniform flow and minimizing turbulence
Data Source
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AI summary
A paperboard container filling machine (10) comprising an aseptic chamber (30, 40), having: an upper air distribution chamber (35, 45); a lower processing chamber (36, 46) housing processing equipment (32, 42, 49) configured for interacting with paperboard containers passing through the processing chamber; a throughflow plate (37, 47) separating the distribution chamber (9) and the processing chamber (36, 46); and a paperboard container transport sub-system (12) configured for transporting the paperboard containers through the processing chamber along a container transport path (14) from an inlet opening (31, 41) to an outlet opening (33, 43) of the processing chamber. The throughflow plate has a predefined thickness (T) and comprises a plurality of slits (38, 48) configured for directing the air from the air distribution chamber to the processing chamber, the slits having a predefined length (L), a predefined width (W) and a predefined length/width ratio (L/W), wherein said thickness is at least 1.5 times said predefined width, and wherein said predefined length/width ratio is larger than any one of: 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20. A related method is also described.