Method and device for filling a container to be filled with a filling product

Abstract

A method for filling a container to be filled with a fill product is described. The method includes connecting the container to be filled with a product fill pipe, determining the initial pressure in the container to be filled, filling the container to be filled, and stopping the filling of the container when a predetermined cut-off pressure is reached in the container.

Claims

1. A method for filling a container with a carbonated beverage in a beverage filling plant, which comprises: connecting the container with a beverage fill pipe to form a seal; after connecting the container and before filling the container with the carbonated beverage, evacuating the container; determining an initial pressure in the evacuated container; filling the evacuated container with the carbonated beverage as pressure in the container rises to reach atmospheric pressure; after the pressure in the container reaches atmospheric pressure, continuing to fill the container with the carbonated beverage as the pressure in the container rises above atmospheric pressure; and after continuing to fill the container, stopping the filling of the container when an equilibrium of pressures in the container and the beverage fill pipe is reached, or a predetermined cut-off pressure is reached in the container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the container is evacuated to an absolute pressure of about 0.5 to 0.05 bar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbonated beverage is supplied at an absolute pressure of about 1 bar to 9 bar.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the initial pressure according to the predetermined cut-off pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbonated beverage is supplied at the predetermined cut-off pressure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbonated beverage is at a higher pressure than the pre-determined cut-off pressure during the filling of the evacuated container.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising measuring a changing pressure in the container.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising closing a filler valve when one or both of a predetermined rise in the pressure and a predetermined differential of the pressure is reached.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the predetermined cut-off pressure, wherein determining the predetermined cut-off pressure comprises: determining an overall volume of the container based on a volume of an internal space of the container and a volume contributed by a product fill pipe; and determining a volume of residual gas in the container at the initial pressure, wherein filling the container with the carbonated beverage comprises filling the container to a first fill volume corresponding to when atmospheric pressure is reached in the container.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the predetermined cut-off pressure further comprises determining a missing fill volume based on a difference between the first fill volume and a desired fill volume.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined cut-off pressure is based on a ratio of the volume of residual gas to the missing fill volume, and filling the container with the carbonated beverage further comprises filling the container to a second fill volume corresponding to when the predetermined cut-off pressure is reached in the container.

12. A method for filling a container with a carbonated beverage in a beverage filling plant, which comprises: evacuating the container so that the container is brought to a first pressure, wherein the first pressure is an underpressure with respect to the carbonated beverage; determining an initial pressure in the evacuated container; filling, via a fill product feed, the evacuated container with the carbonated beverage supplied at a second pressure as pressure in the container rises to reach atmospheric pressure; after the pressure in the container reaches atmospheric pressure, continuing to fill the container with the carbonated beverage as the pressure in the container rises above atmospheric pressure; and after continuing to fill the container, stopping the filling of the container when an equilibrium of pressures in the container and the fill product feed is reached, or a predetermined cut-off pressure is reached in the container.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second pressure is an overpressure with respect to the predetermined cut-off pressure, or an overpressure with respect to the initial pressure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the overpressure with respect to the initial pressure corresponds to atmospheric pressure or a saturated pressure of the carbonated beverage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the saturated pressure is an absolute pressure of about 1.6 to 9 bar.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the second pressure is equal to the predetermined cut-off pressure.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising counteracting release of carbon dioxide in the carbonated beverage.

18. A device for filling a container with a carbonated beverage in a beverage filling plant, comprising: a beverage fill pipe connected to the container to form a seal, wherein the beverage fill pipe is in fluid communication with a beverage feed via a filler valve; a vacuum line that is configured to evacuate the container after the container is connected to the beverage fill pipe and before the container is filled with the carbonated beverage; a pressure gauge that is configured to determine an initial pressure in the evacuated container; and a control device that is configured to open the filler valve after the initial pressure is determined in the evacuated container, keep the filler valve open as the container reaches atmospheric pressure for initial filling and after the container reaches atmospheric pressure for further filling, and to close the filler valve after the further filling when an equilibrium of pressures in the container and the beverage fill pipe is reached, or a predetermined cut-off pressure is reached in the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are more fully explained by the description below of the figures.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a device for filling a container to be filled, with the container to be filled in a first state;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the device of FIG. 1 in a second state;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the device of FIG. 1 in a third state; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the changing volume flow of the fill product and the pressure in the container over the course of the filling process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Examples of embodiments are described below with the aid of the figures. In the figures, elements which are identical or similar, or have identical effects, are designated with identical reference signs, and repeated description of these elements is in part dispensed with in the description below, in order to avoid redundancy.

(7) In FIG. 1, an exemplary device 1 for filling a container 100 to be filled with a fill product is shown. The device 1 includes a product fill pipe 2, which has a gripping bell 20 in which a mouth 110 of the container 100 to be filled can be accommodated in a secure manner. Accordingly, the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled may be connected in pressure-tight communication with the product fill pipe 2.

(8) A vacuum line 3 is provided, which can be brought into connection via a vacuum valve 30 with the product fill pipe 2 and thereby also with the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled. The vacuum line 3 provides an underpressure in the region of an absolute pressure of about 0.5 bar to 0.05 bar, in some embodiments about 0.3 bar to 0.1 bar, and in further embodiments about 0.1 bar, with the result that after a certain time a corresponding underpressure with an absolute pressure of about 0.5 bar to 0.05 bar, in some embodiments about 0.3 bar to 0.1 bar, and in further embodiments about 0.1 bar, is established in the internal space 112 of the container 100.

(9) Accordingly, when the container 100 to be filled is in the state shown schematically in FIG. 1, in which the vacuum valve 30 is open, it can be brought to a predetermined underpressure, which is measured as the initial pressure P.sub.INI, for example by means of a pressure gauge 4 (shown only schematically). The pressure gauge 4 communicates with the product fill pipe 2 and therefore also with the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled. The pressure gauge 4 can thus also be used to determine the pressure in the internal space 112 of the container 100 after closure of the vacuum valve 30.

(10) Alternatively, the pressure gauge 4 can be provided in the vacuum line 3 or at the vacuum source itself (not shown here), which may be for example a vacuum pump. The pressure gauge 4 first serves only to measure the initial pressure P.sub.INI in the container 100 to be filled. If the pressure gauge 4 is disposed in the vacuum line 3 or at a vacuum source itself, it may be assumed that the pressure that is provided in the vacuum line 3 or by the vacuum source will also be reached after a short time in the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled. In this manner, the pressure in the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled can also be determined reliably by means of a pressure gauge 4 disposed in the vacuum line 3 or at the vacuum source.

(11) In FIG. 2, the device 1 for filling a container 100 is shown in a second state of the method. The vacuum valve 30 is closed and a filler valve 50 is open, thus establishing, via the product fill pipe 2, a connection between a fill product feed 5 and the internal space 112 of the container 100 to be filled. Accordingly, the fill product present in the fill product feed 5 can enter the container 100.

(12) The fill product in the fill product feed 5 is, in various embodiments, at an overpressure with respect to the initial pressure P.sub.INI present in the container 100, for example at an absolute pressure of about 1 to 9 bar.

(13) This enables the fill product to be supplied at an overpressure corresponding to the atmospheric pressure, for example at an absolute pressure of about 1 bar. The overpressure is thus to be regarded as overpressure with respect to the underpressure established in the container 100, with the result that a pressure gradient exists between the fill product that is supplied and the container 100.

(14) The overpressure of the fill product can also correspond to the saturated pressure of the fill product, and in some embodiments lie at an absolute pressure of about 1.1 bar to 6 bar. By means of an overpressure that corresponds to the saturated pressure, it is possible to counteract the release of CO.sub.2 in a carbonated fill product.

(15) In a further development, the overpressure of the fill product is higher than the saturated pressure of the fill product, and in certain embodiments lies at an absolute pressure of about 1.6 to 9 bar. A high degree of overpressure, which is in particular above the saturated pressure of the fill product, makes it possible for the CO.sub.2 in the fill product to be at saturation, and at the same time for the pressure gradient between the supplied fill product and the container 100 to be greater, in order to accelerate the filling process still further.

(16) Due to the fact that an underpressure is provided in the internal space 112 of the container 100, and the fill product in the fill product feed 5 is supplied at an overpressure, filling of the container 100 can take place in a sudden burst. The filler valve 50 is closed as soon as the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT exists in the container 100 and hence the desired volume of fill product is present.

(17) In order to determine when the filling process is completed, a control device 120 calculates on the basis of the initial pressure P.sub.INI, which was measured in the container 100 before the opening of the filler valve 50, the portion of fill product that can be introduced into the container 100 until pressure equilibrium is established or a predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT is reached.

(18) In other words, the changes in pressure in the container 100 during the filling process are dependent on the initial pressure P.sub.INI present in the container 100 at the beginning of the filling process, and thus also dependent on the residual gas present in the container 100. The container 100 is filled by the fill product such that the fill product shares the available space with the residual gas. Accordingly, the pressure in the container 100 rises. The resulting pressure curve can therefore also be the means of determining the current filling status of the container 100, and on this basis, for example, the point at which the end of the filling process will be reached can also be determined, based on the initial pressure P.sub.INI in the not-yet-filled container 100.

(19) For example, if the container 100 that is evacuated has a nominal volume of one-half liter, and the headroom of the bottle is assumed to be 20 mL, with the space within the product fill pipe 2 below the valves 30, 50, 60 assumed to be 5 mL, an overall volume of 525 mL is present. This is first evacuated by opening the vacuum valve 30.

(20) If the vacuum valve 30 is then closed and the filler valve 50 opened, as shown in FIG. 2, the overall volume of 525 mL is charged with fill product from the fill product feed 5. Because, in the example described, there is an underpressure in the container 100 with respect to the fill product present in the fill product feed 5, the fill product is expelled into the container 100. If the fill product is a carbonated fill product, a high tendency of foaming is to be expected due to the pressure difference. Fill product foam is thus present in the overall volume, including the product fill pipe 2, headroom H and the container's internal space 112.

(21) If this overall volume is evacuated to an absolute pressure of for example 0.1 bar, residual gas with a volume of 52.5 mL, which was present in the container 100 before filling, remains. Depending on the pre-treatment of the container 100, the residual gas is CO.sub.2, another inert gas, air, or another gas mixture.

(22) Accordingly, the container 100 can be initially supplied with fill product via the fill product feed 5 until it reaches normal pressure, i.e. the atmospheric pressure, which results in a fill quantity of 472.5 mL.

(23) In order now to reach the nominal volume of for example 510 mL, the fill product must continue to flow via the fill product feed 5 into the container 100, and thereby compress the residual gas, which displaces a volume of 52.5 mL under atmospheric pressure, such that the missing fill quantity of 37.5 mL can be forced in under pressure to reach the desired nominal fill volume of 510 mL.

(24) Consequently, the fill product can be filled via the fill product feed 5 at an absolute pressure of at least 1.4 bar, in order to enable the appropriate compression of the residual gas. If the fill product in the fill product feed 5 is at this pressure, equilibrium of the pressures in the fill product feed 5, the product fill pipe 2 and the internal space 112 of the container 100 will be reached, such that an absolute pressure of 1.4 bar and a total fill quantity in the container 100 of 510 mL are present.

(25) Accordingly, by means of the determination of the pressure in the container 100 prior to the filling of the container 100 with the fill product, the device 1 for filling with a fill product a container 100 can achieve the ending of the filling when a predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT is reached in the container 100. In the example embodiment described above, the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT is reached in the container 100 by means of supplying the fill product in the fill product feed 5 already at the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT. Thus, the filling of the container 100 continues only until equilibrium of the pressure in the internal space 112 of the container 100 and the pressure in the fill product feed 5 is reached.

(26) Measuring and/or supplying the fill product pressure thus determines, in combination with the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT, the volume of fill product to be introduced into the container 100, even before the filling process begins.

(27) In order to enable the precise filling of the container 100 with the fill product, it may be necessary, in the example embodiment described, to introduce a gas lock into the product fill pipe 2 or the fill product feed 5, in order to prevent backflow of the residual gas from the container 100 into the fill product feed 5 when the pressures equalize in the container 100, which is at that point nearly full, and the fill product feed 5. If such a backflow of the residual gas into the fill product feed 5 were permitted, the container 100 would be overfilled with the fill product. The backflow of residual gas from the container 100 should therefore be prevented in order to achieve still more precise filling outcomes.

(28) With the equilibrium method, in which at the end of the filling process an equilibrium is established between the pressure present in the internal space 112 of the container 100 and the pressure in the fill product feed 5, the filling process is rapid at the outset. But at its end, prior to the actual establishment of the equilibrium, the filling process decelerates, and finally comes to a standstill when equilibrium is reached.

(29) In one variant, the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT, as described above, is again determined from the measured initial pressure P.sub.INI in the container 100. For example, a cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT of 1.4 bar absolute pressure is again determined based on an initial pressure P.sub.INI of 0.1 bar absolute pressure. In this variant however, the fill product in the fill product feed 5 is at a significantly higher pressure, for example, at an absolute pressure of about 1.5 bar to 9 bar.

(30) By means of the pressure gauge 4, when the fill product flows via the fill product feed 5 into the container 100, the changing pressure in the internal space 112 of the container 100 can be monitored, and when the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT (1.4 bar in the example described) is reached, the filler valve 50 can be closed. The filler valve 50 is thereby closed while in the fill product feed 5 a raised pressure still exists with respect to the pressure in the container 100, which has now been filled. By supplying the fill product at a higher pressure in the fill product feed 5 than the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT, filling of the container 100 can take place rapidly or in a sudden burst, and the filling process can be completed quickly.

(31) Accordingly, the fill product is at an overpressure with respect to the pressure in the container 100 until the filler valve 50 is closed, so that it is possible for the fill product to flow in rapidly. Furthermore, backflow of residual gas from the container 100 into the fill product feed 5 can be prevented, due to the pressure difference and the associated flow of fill product into the container 100. The filling of the container 100 can thus be carried out subject to the pressure ratios which are based on the determination of the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT, so that the predetermined fill volume can be reached exactly. It is also possible to dispense with the gas lock described above, since backflow of the residual gas is prevented by the constant pressure difference and the stream of fill product directed exclusively into the container 100.

(32) FIG. 3 shows a further step in the method, in which the device 1 for filling the container 100 to be filled with the fill product is connected with the product fill pipe 2 via a pressure gas device 6, which has a pressure gas valve 60, in order to push the residual fill product out of the product fill pipe 2 and push the foamed fill product into the internal space 112 of the container to be filled 100. In this manner, the product fill pipe 2 can be emptied of fill product that is still present, substantially in the form of foam. Furthermore, the fill product can be introduced into the internal space 112 of the container 100 in such a manner that the headroom H also remains substantially free of fill product foam.

(33) The interrelationships during the filling process are again shown schematically in FIG. 4, wherein the x-axis shows the time t and the y-axis the volume flow {dot over (V)}. The curve labelled {dot over (V)} thereby represents the volume flow of the fill product into the container 100 over time.

(34) The diagram in FIG. 4 also shows a second curve, labelled P. This represents the pressure P over time in the product fill pipe 2, and hence also the pressure over time in the internal space 112 of the container. The pressure curve P and the curve of the volume flow {dot over (V)} are correlated, so that the volume flow {dot over (V)} into the container 100 that is shown at any time corresponds to the pressure P in the container 100 shown at this time.

(35) At the start of the filling process, in a first phase which is labelled underpressure in FIG. 4, the volume flow {dot over (V)} is very high. When the fill product, which is at an overpressure, is introduced into the container to be filled 100, which is at an underpressure relative to the fill product, filling takes place substantially in a sudden burst, in particular in the pressure area in which there is still an underpressure in the container to be filled. Accordingly, the volume flow that results from this pressure difference is very high.

(36) In this manner, it is possible to calculate simply at the same time the volume of fill product that has already been introduced into the container when atmospheric pressure, i.e. 1 bar absolute pressure, is reached. Because the initial pressure P.sub.INI in the container to be filled was measured before the product valve was opened, it is possible, from the difference between this and the pressure in the gas volume remaining in the container, to calculate the volume of fluid that is introduced into the container up to the time when atmospheric pressure is reached.

(37) Starting from the point of intersection of the volume flow {dot over (V)} with the axis of the normal pressure (1 bar), further filling of the container 100 then takes place in the area of FIG. 4 labelled overpressure, which then results in a pressure P above normal pressure (1 bar) in the container 100. As already mentioned, the fill product feed 5 is generally at an overpressure, or supplies the fill product at an overpressure with respect to the pressure in the container 100. This overpressure applied at the gripping bell 20 of the product fill pipe is a combination of the actual pressure of the fill product in the fill product feed 5 and the hydrostatic pressure, which is governed by the geometry of the particular device 1 for filling a container 100.

(38) The overall volume of fill product to be filled into the container to be filled 100 corresponds to the area under the volume flow curve {dot over (V)}, i.e. the integral of the volume flow {dot over (V)} over the time period between the beginning of the filling process and its end. The overall fill volume is divided into a first fill volume, labelled I, in which the container to be filled 100 is at a pressure of up to normal pressure, and a second fill volume, labelled II, in which the pressure in the container 100 rises above normal pressure.

(39) The overpressure of the fill product accordingly compresses the residual gas remaining in the container 100, starting from normal pressure, until the desired quantity of fill product has been introduced into the container 100. At this point in time, the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT and thereby the end of the filling process is reached, and the filler valve 50 closes.

(40) The end of the filling process can thus be reached in two ways, in one embodiment.

(41) In the first case, the fill product that is supplied via the product fill pipe is supplied already at the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT. In this case, filling continues until an equilibrium of the pressures in the container 100 and the fill product feed 5 is established. Here, the actual fill volume introduced into the container reacts sensitively to the initial pressure P.sub.INI in the container 100. When the equilibrium pressure is reached, the filler valve 50 can then be closed. This closing of the filler valve 50 is, however, not time-critical, but can be carried out at any time after equilibrium pressure is reached, since due to the fact that the equilibrium pressure has been reached the fill volume in the container 100 no longer changes.

(42) Alternatively, in the second case, the pressure of the fill product in the fill product feed is higher than the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT. In this case, not only the initial pressure P.sub.INI is determined by means of the pressure gauge 4; the changing pressure is also measured in the container to be filled 100 during the filling process, and when the predetermined cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT is reached the filler valve 50 is closed. Here the pressure in the container 100 is monitored by means of the pressure gauge 4 such that the cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT can be reliably determined and exact filling can thereby be achieved.

(43) In still another embodiment, the changing pressure in the container 100, starting from the initial pressure P.sub.INI, can be analyzed during the filling process, and for example if the change in pressure is less than a predetermined rate of increase or a predetermined differential dP/dt of the pressure P, the filler valve 50 can be closed.

(44) In exemplary embodiments, the initial pressure P.sub.INI in the container 100 and the resulting cut-off pressure P.sub.CUT, or the resulting cut-off rate of increase, or the cut-off differential, can be determined separately for each filling process and for each filling element. It is also possible, if the pressure gauge 4 is disposed centrally on a vacuum device, for the initial pressure P.sub.INI to be determined collectively for all filling elements, or for groups of filling elements in a filler carrousel, or else an identical initial pressure P.sub.INI can be assumed for all filling processes.

(45) To the extent applicable, all individual features described in the individual example embodiments can be combined with each other and/or exchanged, without departing from the field of the invention.