Filling system for hot filling of beverage bottles or containers in a bottle or container filling plant

A bottle filling system in a bottle filling plant, which bottle filling system is configured to fill bottles with a hot liquid, said bottle filling system comprising:

• a hot liquid reservoir configured and disposed to hold a supply of hot liquid and a gas in a head space above the hot liquid;
• at least one filling element, each said at least one filling element comprising:
• a housing;
• a dispensing opening disposed on the bottom of said housing;
• said dispensing opening being configured and disposed to permit the dispensing of hot liquid therethrough and into a bottle to be filled;
• a hot liquid flow arrangement being disposed and configured to permit the flow of hot liquid from said hot liquid reservoir to said dispensing opening;
• a flow meter being disposed and configured to measure the flow of hot liquid flowing from said hot liquid reservoir to its corresponding filling element;
• a return gas flow arrangement being configured and disposed to receive a flow of displaced gas from a bottle being filled with hot liquid, said return gas flow arrangement comprising:
• at least one valve configured to switch the gas flow rate of displaced gas from a bottle being filled with hot liquid to permit switching its corresponding filling element between a higher liquid filling rate, during initial filling of a bottle with hot liquid, and a lower liquid filling rate, during final filling of a bottle with hot liquid;
• a first gas duct disposed in said housing and being operatively connected to said return gas flow arrangement and said at least one valve;
• a second gas duct disposed in said housing and being operatively connected to said head space in said hot liquid reservoir and said return gas flowing arrangement;
• a gas flow throttle operatively connected to said second gas duct, said gas flow throttle being configured and disposed to permit a throttled flow of gas through said second gas duct;
• said at least one valve being configured to permit gas flow through said first and said second gas ducts, in parallel, with gas flow through said flow throttle, and to permit displaced gas to flow out of a bottle and into said headspace during the higher liquid filling rate, upon a bottle being filled with hot liquid during the higher liquid filling rate, during initial filling;
• said at least one valve being configured to stop the flow of gas through said first gas duct and still permit a flow of gas through said second gas duct, during the lower liquid filling rate during final filling,
• each said at least one filling element further comprising:
• a temperature maintaining system configured to maintain a temperature of each said at least one filling element and hot liquid within said at least one filling element at a temperature substantially equal to a bottle filling temperature by circulation of hot liquid from said hot liquid reservoir, upon said bottle filling system not filling bottles;
• said temperature maintaining system comprising:
• a hot liquid circulation arrangement comprising an inlet operatively connected to said hot liquid flow arrangement, upstream said dispensing opening;
• a weighted one way valve in said hot liquid circulation arrangement, disposed downstream of said inlet of said hot liquid circulation arrangement, configured to open upon a predetermined pressure being reached in said hot liquid flow arrangement and to inhibit a flow of hot liquid from said hot liquid reservoir to said inlet of said hot liquid circulation arrangement;
• a ring shaped hot liquid collecting channel disposed completely about said bottle filling system, said hot liquid collecting channel cooperating with each said hot liquid circulation arrangement of each said at least one filling element, said hot liquid collecting channel being configured to collect hot liquid after flowing through each said weighted one way valve of each said at least one filling element;
• a shut off valve, disposed downstream of said hot liquid collecting channel, configured to stop the flow of hot liquid in said hot liquid circulation arrangement;
• said hot liquid circulation arrangement comprising an outlet into said hot liquid reservoir;
• and
• a pump configured to move hot liquid through said hot liquid circulation arrangement from said hot liquid flow arrangement to said hot liquid reservoir;
• said bottle filling system further comprising a controller operatively connected to said at least one valve, said flow meter, said shut off valve, and said pump;
• said controller being configured to open said first gas duct upon initiation of filling of a bottle and to close said first gas duct upon a predetermined initial amount of hot liquid passing through said flow meter to a bottle being filled;
• and
• said controller further being configured to start said pump and move hot liquid through said hot liquid circulation arrangement, upon the stopping of filling of bottles by said bottle filling system.