Beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material, a container filling plant container filling machine, and a filter apparatus for filtering a liquid beverage

A container filling plant for filling containers with beer, said container filling plant comprising:

• a filling machine being configured to fill empty containers with beer;
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move empty containers to said filling machine;
• said filling machine comprising a plurality of filling devices for filling containers with beer;
• a filter apparatus being configured and disposed to filter unfiltered beer to produce filtered beer for bottling;
• said filter apparatus comprising:
• a centrally disposed longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of filter chambers being configured and disposed to receive unfiltered beer and also being configured and disposed to release filtered beer;
• said filter chambers being disposed one above another in the direction of said centrally disposed filter axis and said filter chambers being disposed essentially horizontally;
• at least one centrally disposed distributor conduit being configured and disposed to permit introduction of unfiltered beer into said filter chambers of said filter apparatus;
• at least one inlet structure arrangement being configured and disposed to deliver unfiltered beer to said at least one distributor conduit in said filter apparatus;
• at least one outlet structure arrangement being configured and disposed to conduct filtered beer out of said filter apparatus;
• each filter chamber comprising a sieve structure being configured and disposed to permit filtered beer to be released from its corresponding filter chamber;
• each sieve structure being configured and disposed to permit support of at least one precoat filter-layer, comprising a filter medium, being configured and disposed to separate said filter chamber into a collecting portion being configured and disposed to collect filtered beer and a sludge compartment portion being configured and disposed to receive unfiltered beer and to retain material filtered out of said beer therein;
• said sludge compartment portion being disposed above said collecting portion;
• a plurality of valves, each valve being configured and disposed to control flow of filtered beer from its corresponding filter chamber;
• at least one sensor arrangement being configured and disposed to issue signals corresponding to sensed operating conditions in each filter chamber;
• at least one control arrangement being configured and disposed to receive signals issued from said sensor arrangement and to transmit signals to each said valves to control each said valves to optimize filtration of unfiltered beer;
• and
• said at least one control arrangement also being configured and disposed to transmit signals to each of said valves to control each of said valves to optimize cleaning of each filter chamber to be cleaned with cleaning liquid;
• a closing station being configured and disposed to close filled containers;
• and
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled containers from said filling machine to said closing station.

A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage filling material, said beverage bottling plant comprising:

• a filling machine being configured to fill empty bottles with liquid beverage filling material;
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to move empty bottles to said filling machine;
• said beverage filling machine comprising a plurality of beverage filling positions, each beverage filling position comprising a beverage filling device for filling bottles with liquid beverage filling material;
• a filter apparatus being configured and disposed to filter liquid beverage to be filtered and to produce a filtered beverage liquid for bottling;
• said filter apparatus comprising:
• a centrally disposed longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of filter chambers being configured and disposed to receive a liquid to be filtered and also being configured and disposed to release filtered liquid;
• said filter chambers being disposed one above another in the direction of said centrally disposed filter axis and said filter chambers being disposed essentially horizontally;
• at least one centrally disposed distributor conduit being configured and disposed to permit introduction of liquid to be filtered into said filter chambers of said filter apparatus;
• at least one inlet structure arrangement being configured and disposed to deliver liquid to be filtered to said at least one distributor conduit in said filter apparatus;
• at least one outlet structure arrangement being configured and disposed to conduct filtered liquid out of said filter apparatus;
• each filter chamber comprising a sieve structure being configured and disposed to permit filtered liquid to be released from its corresponding filter chamber;
• each sieve structure being configured and disposed to permit support of at least one precoat filter-layer, comprising a filter medium, being configured and disposed to separate said filter chamber into a collecting portion being configured and disposed to collect filtered liquid and a sludge compartment portion being configured and disposed to receive liquid to be filtered;
• said collecting portion for collecting filtered liquid being operatively connected to said at least one outlet structure arrangement for removing filtered liquid from said filter chambers;
• said sludge compartment portion being operatively connected to said at least one centrally disposed distributor conduit for introduction of liquid to be filtered into said filter chambers;
• said sludge compartment portion being positioned above said collecting portion;
• each filter chamber comprising an annular distribution chamber being configured to distribute liquid to be filtered and being disposed about said centrally disposed longitudinal axis;
• said annular distribution chamber being configured and disposed to introduce liquid to be filtered into said sludge compartment portion;
• said annular distribution chamber having at least a first peripheral portion being disposed at a first radial distance from said centrally disposed longitudinal axis;
• said annular distribution chamber having at least a second peripheral portion being disposed at a second radial distance from said centrally disposed longitudinal axis;
• said first radial distance being greater than said second radial distance;
• said annular distribution chamber comprising at least one opening being configured and disposed to permit entry of liquid to be filtered into said sludge compartment portion;
• said annular distribution chamber comprising at least one opening being configured and disposed to communicate said annular distribution chamber with said at least one inlet structure arrangement for delivering liquid to be filtered to said filter apparatus;
• a plurality of valves, each valve being configured and disposed to control flow of filtered liquid from its corresponding filter chamber;
• at least one sensor arrangement being configured and disposed to issue signals corresponding to sensed operating conditions in each filter chamber;
• at least one control arrangement being configured and disposed to receive signals issued from said sensor arrangement and to transmit signals to each said valves to control each said valves to optimize filtration of liquid to be filtered;
• said at least one control arrangement also being configured and disposed to transmit signals to each said valves to control each said valves to optimize cleaning of each filter chamber to be cleaned with cleaning liquid;
• and
• within said beverage bottling plant:
• said filling devices comprising apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined volume of filtered liquid beverage filling material into the interior of bottles to a substantially predetermined level of liquid beverage filling material;
• said apparatus being configured to introduce a predetermined volume of liquid beverage filling material comprising apparatus being configured to terminate the filling of beverage bottles upon filtered liquid beverage filling material reaching said substantially predetermined level in bottles;
• and
• said beverage bottling plant further comprising:
• a closing station being configured and disposed to close filled bottles;
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to transfer filled bottles from said filling machine to said closing station;
• a labeling station being configured and disposed to receive bottles to be labeled;
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to convey bottles to said labeling station;
• and
• a conveyer arrangement being configured and disposed to convey labeled bottles from said labeling station.