Method and device for filling barrels
AssigneeGEA Till GmbH & Co.
InventorVolker Till
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for filling barrels (4), specially kegs, with liquids, wherein at least one gas is dissolved. The barrel (4) is pre-stressed using a gas before the liquid is filled. Liquid is then fed into the barrel (4) by means of a filling valve (2) pertaining to a filling station (1) and connected to a feed line (3, 8). During filling, the pre-stress gas contained in the barrel (4) is evacuated. So as not to impair the product, the pre-stress gas in the barrel (4) is pre-stressed at only a partial pressure which corresponds approximately to the saturation pressure of the CO2 or N2 which is dissolved in the filled liquid. Said partial pressure is lower than the maximum product pressure occurring in the feed line (8) prior to the filling valve (2).
Claims18
A method for filling a barrel at a filling station connected to a feed line and having a filling valve with a product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved, said method comprising:
- prestressing the barrel with a prestress gas at a partial pressure roughly corresponding to the saturation pressure of one gas dissolved in the liquid;
- after prestressing the barrel, feeding the product to the barrel through the feed line and the filling valve wherein a maximum product pressure is applied upstream of the filling valve, said partial pressure being less than said maximum product pressure;
- controlling the pressure differential at the filling station between the product input into the barrel and the pressure inside the barrel;
- and
- removing the prestress gas from the barrel.
An apparatus for carrying out a method wherein a barrel is filled with a product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved and the barrel is prestressed with a prestress gas before being filled with the liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- a filling station connected to a feed line, by which product is supplied for filling a barrel provided at the filling station, and a return gas line, by which prestress gas escaping from the barrel is taken away;
- a pressure control device for establishing the filling pressure in the feed line of the filling station;
- and
- a pressure sensor associated with the pressure control device.
An apparatus for carrying out a method wherein a barrel is filled with a product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved and the barrel is prestressed with a prestress, gas before being filled with the liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- a filling station connected to a feed line, by which product is supplied for filling a barrel provided at the filling station, and a return gas line, by which prestress gas escaping from the barrel is taken away;
- a pressure control device for establishing the filling pressure in the feed line of the filling station;
- and
- a pressure sensor associated with the pressure control device,
- wherein the pressure control device is a pressure increasing unit.
An apparatus for carrying out a method wherein a barrel is filled with a product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved and the barrel is prestressed with a prestress gas before being filled with the liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- a filling station connected to a feed line, by which product is supplied for filling a barrel provided at the filling station, and a return gas line, by which prestress gas escaping from the barrel is taken away;
- a pressure control device for establishing the filling pressure in the feed line of the filling station;
- and
- a pressure sensor associated with the pressure control device,
- further comprising a central pressure increasing unit in the feed line and a pressure reducing unit disposed at the filling station.
An apparatus for carrying out a method wherein a barrel is filled with a product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved and the barrel is prestressed with a prestress gas before being filled with the liquid, said apparatus comprising:
- a filling station connected to a feed line, by which product is supplied for filling a barrel provided at the filling station, and a return gas line, by which prestress gas escaping from the barrel is taken away;
- a pressure control device for establishing the filling pressure in the feed line of the filling station;
- and
- a pressure sensor associated with the pressure control device,
- wherein an overflow valve is provided in the return gas line.
A method for filling barrels with a product at corresponding filling stations each connected to a feed line and having a filling valve, said product comprising a liquid in which at least one gas is dissolved, said method comprising:
- prestressing the barrels with a prestress gas at a partial pressure roughly corresponding to the saturation pressure of one gas dissolved in the liquid;
- and
- after prestressing the barrels, feeding the product to the barrels through the corresponding feed line and the filling valve wherein a maximum product pressure is applied upstream of the filling valve, said partial pressure being less than said maximum product pressure;
- and
- controlling the pressure differential between the product input into the barrel and the pressure inside the barrel at each filling station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.