ELC – Electro-pneumatic counter-pressure level filling system

Description

ELC – Electro-pneumatic counter-pressure level filling system

Suitable for filling products such as sparkling water, carbonated soft drinks and beer, it adopts innovative solutions. It is user-friendly and easily serviceable.

The heart of the machine is the electro-pneumatic filling valve (pneumatic valve propelled by electro-valve) for gravity level filling.

The electro-pneumatic valve, entirely designed by Enoberg, facilitates the automation of all the filling functions: pre-evacuation, bottle pressurization, filling, auto-leveling.

Equipped with a tank suitable to resist pressure up to 6 bar, ENOBERG’s ELC filling machine covers an extended production range, thanks to the configuration from 5 to 48 filling valves.

The beer version of the machine is configurable with a device intended to be used to perform an oxygen double pre-evacuation in the bottle before starting the filling phase; thanks to this optional device, the oxygen in the bottle is almost completely removed, in order to guarantee a longer shelf life to the beer, and to ensure its original taste.

Furthermore, the basic version is equipped with other technologically advanced solutions, such as:

• 7″ HMI (Human Machine Interface) touch screen, supplied by SMITEC;
• Independent setting of each electro-pneumatic valve by means of HMI;
• Independent movement of the machine axes through ICOS brushless motors with integrated control, in order to guarantee a perfect synchronism between the stars and low noise during the functioning;
• Diagnosis of motor operating conditions through HMI;
• Quick bottle changeover parts and pre-programmed recipes, enabling a quick changeover at a software level;
• Dummy bottles to be positioned in a quick and easy way.

ENOBERG’s ELC machine can be fully cleaned thanks to the dummy bottles and to the piping system designed for recovering or recycling, depending on the needs, the washing solutions and for sanitizing the in- and counter-current flow.

Available in various sizes to cover an wide production range, ELC machines are supplied in filler/capper version and in rinser/filler/capper version.

PRODUCTION RANGE

OTHER DATA

OPERATION

1INFEED CONVEYOR
PET bottles are transported inside the machine through an air conveyor. The bottle flow is regulated using a pneumatically operated gate which, depending on the condition of plant production, enables or blocks the bottles transfer to the first star wheel.

2BOTTLE TRANSFER: INLET – RINSER
Bottles coming from the air conveyor are transported towards the rinser. This transfer is performed through a rotating star wheel which receives the bottles from the air conveyor, handling them by the neck, and transports them towards the rinsing carousel.

3RINSER
The bottle coming from the star wheel reaches the rinsing turret where a rubber gripper grabs the bottle neck, and by using a mechanical cam system inverts the bottle (180 degrees) in order to have the bottle lip aligned with its rinsing nozzle. The nozzle is activated, dispensing water or air depending on the filling product and on the customers preference. At the end of the rinsing phase, the bottle is inverted again, coming back to the initial position. The bottle is ready to be moved to the rinsing carousel. Each rinsing turret is equipped with a “no bottle-no spray” system: a sensor placed close to the rinser inlet detects the presence of the bottle. In the event that no bottle is detected, the correspondent turret will not perform any rinsing operation.

4BOTTLE TRANSFER: RINSER – FILLER
Bottles coming from the rinser are moved towards the filler. This transfer is performed through a rotating star wheel which collects the bottles from the rinsing turret, handling them by the neck, and transports them towards the filling carousel.

5FILLER
The bottle coming from the star wheel reaches the filling turret where a gripper grabs the bottle neck keeping it lined up under the filling valve. This filling technology does not involve the contact between valve and bottle. The filling product is contained in an external tank from which, through a pump, it is conveyed to the filling valves. The filling system is electronic volumetric with magnetic flow-meters (EVF models for conductive products) or electronic by mass with flow-meters based on the Coriolis principle (EMF models for non-conductive products). A gauge is connected to each filling valve. Once the movement has started, the gauge measures the quantity of product going through the valve. The counting method is pulse-based: when the set value is reached, a closure sign is sent to the filling valve. The filled bottle is ready to be moved to the capping turret. Each filling turret is equipped with “no bottle-no fill” system: in the event that no bottle is detected in the filling turret, the filling operation will not start.

6BOTTLE TRANSFER: FILLER – CAPPER
Bottles coming from the filler are moved towards the capper. This transfer is performed through a rotating star wheel which collects the bottles form the filling turret, handling them by the neck, and transports them towards the capping turret.

7CAPPER
The bottle coming from the star wheel reaches the capping turret where a star shaped mould allows the bottle centering under the corresponding capping turret. The cap coming from caps feeding system is picked up by means of a star wheel called “pick and place”. The capping head collects the cap from the star wheel and it applies the cap to the bottle. Depending on the cap to be applied (plastic screw cap or plastic pressure cap), the capping system may be rotating or by-pressure. The rinsed, filled and capped bottle is ready to be moved to the outlet conveyor. Each capping turret is equipped with “no bottle-no cap” system: in the event that no bottle is detected under the capping turret, the cap will not be applied.

8OUTLET CONVEYOR
The rinsed, filled and capped bottles are transported out of the machine through an air conveyor. This conveyor is equipped with automatic height adjustment which allows the bottle point of support to be tailored to the bottle height.

TECHNICAL DATA

Advantages

• Modular structure which can be customized;
• Compact filling module which minimizes the number of stars for bottle handling, while ensuring an easy access for maintenance and cleaning;
• Modular framework which allows optimization of the shipping dimensions, cutting the transport costs and making the machine suitable for standard road transport;
• Low operating and maintenance costs;
• Low risk of contamination, high level of hygiene;
• Excellent price performance ratio.

Standard accessories

Each ELC machine is provided with:

• Independent movement of the machine axes through ICOS brushless motors with integrated control. Each motors parameter can be checked through HMI;
• Guarding in tempered glass;
• Installed dummy bottles cleaning in closed loop water circuits;
• 7″ HMI (Human Machine Interface) touch screen, supplied by SMITEC;
• Pre-programmed recipes, to have a quick changeover at software level;
• Quick bottle changeover parts;
• Electro-pneumatic filling system;
• Automatic setting of the machine carousels;
• Possibility to fill both carbonated and flat products;
• Automatic cleaning phases (CIP).

Optional

Available on request, it is possible to install on ENOBERG’s ELC machine:

• Upper covering;
• Laminar flow to create an overpressure in the working environment and to prevent penetration of micro foreign objects in the machine;
• Components in contact with the products in AISI 316;
• Modulating valve.

Optional for beer version

• Vacuum generation system by means of liquid ring pump, performing an oxygen double pre-evacuation before the filling;
• High-pressure hot water skimmer, in order to maintain a reduced oxygen pick-up.