Method and device for the controlled foaming of a product introduced in bottles or similar containers

A method of operating a foaming device in a beverage bottling plant to reduce interruptions in the bottling process due to malfunctions relating to said foaming device, said foaming device being configured to inject heated, pressurized water into a bottle filled with an effervescent beverage material in order to agitate the effervescent beverage material and cause the effervescent beverage material to foam and therefore displace air present in a bottle above the level of the effervescent beverage bottle and comprising:

• a first line arrangement being configured and disposed to receive unheated water from a source of unheated water;
• a plurality of injector nozzles being configured and disposed to inject heated water with a pressure in the range of about two bar to about sixteen bar into a bottle filled with an effervescent beverage material in order to agitate the effervescent beverage material and cause the effervescent beverage material to foam and therefore displace air present in a bottle above the level of the effervescent beverage in a bottle;
• a pump being disposed to receive unheated water from said first line arrangement and being configured to produce sufficiently heated water at a sufficient pressure to said plurality of injection nozzles;
• said pump comprising:
• an inlet;
• an outlet;
• and a frequency-controlled drive motor being configured and disposed to run said pump;
• said frequency-controlled drive motor being further configured to vary the speed of said frequency-controlled drive motor and output of said frequency-controlled drive motor depending on the input frequency;
• a bypass line arrangement being configured and disposed to operatively permit the flow of unheated water from said outlet of said pump back to said inlet of said pump;
• said bypass line arrangement being configured to provide sufficient water for lubrication and cooling of said pump to minimize malfunctioning of said pump during periods of low demand for heated, pressurized water by said plurality of injector nozzles;
• a water heater being disposed to receive unheated water from said pump and being configured to heat unheated water to produce heated water;
• a temperature sensor being configured and disposed to sense the temperature of water being heated for delivery to said plurality of injector nozzles;
• a pressure sensor being configured and disposed to sense the pressure of water being heated for delivery to said plurality of injector nozzles;
• a second line arrangement being configured and disposed to receive heated water from said water heater and deliver water to said plurality of injector nozzles at a desired temperature and pressure;
• at least one valve being disposed in said second line arrangement and being configured to restrict the flow of heated water in said second line arrangement;
• a foaming sensor being configured and disposed to sense foaming in bottles upon heated water being injected;
• a control device being configured and disposed to receive signals from said sensors and to control said pump and said water heater to provide heated water at a desired temperature and pressure to said plurality of injector nozzles as production of bottles filled with an effervescent beverage material changes;
• said control device being further configured to provide variable frequency operating voltages to run the frequency-controlled drive motor;
• said pump being further configured to increase the water pressure at said plurality of injector nozzles as production rates increase and to decrease the water pressure at said plurality of injector nozzles as production rates decrease;
• and said frequency-controlled drive motor being further configured to run at a higher speed to increase the output of said pump as production rates increase and to run at a slower speed to decrease the output of said pump as production rates decrease;
• and said frequency-controlled drive motor comprising a frequency-controlled inverter being configured and disposed to change voltage into frequency;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a variable frequency operating voltage to run said frequency-controlled drive motor and therefore running said pump;
• pumping unheated water from said first line arrangement to said water heater and providing water at a predetermined pressure;
• heating water in said water heater;
• sensing the temperature and pressure of water being heated for delivery to said plurality of injector nozzles with said temperature sensor and said pressure sensor;
• delivering heated water to said plurality of injector nozzles at a desired temperature and pressure with said second line arrangement;
• injecting heated water with a pressure in the range of about two bar to about sixteen bar into bottles filled with effervescent beverage material, thereby agitating the effervescent beverage material and foaming the effervescent beverage material and displacing air present in said bottles above the level of the effervescent beverage in said bottles;
• sensing foaming in said bottle upon heated water being injected with said foaming sensor;
• and
• increasing the supply frequency to run said frequency-controlled drive motor and therefore running said pump at a higher speed and thus increasing the water pressure at said plurality of injector nozzles as production rates increase;
• decreasing the supply frequency to said frequency-controlled drive motor and therefore running said pump at a slower speed and thus decreasing the water pressure at said plurality of injector nozzles as production rates decrease;
• and
• permitting a flow of unheated water from said outlet of said pump back to said inlet of said pump to provide sufficient water for lubrication and cooling of said pump to minimize malfunctioning of said pump during periods of low demand for heated, pressurized water by said plurality of injector nozzles.