WO2008116583A1 - Method for removing residual air from the top region of a container for beverages, such as a beer can - Google Patents

Abstract

With a method for removing residual air from the top region of a container (2) for beverages (3) producing ascending foam (8) by introducing a fluid into the top region, cans (2), particularly larger cans for parties, such as those containing beer, are to be treated such that the oxygen still present after filling is driven out of the top region of the cans (2). This is achieved in that a gaseous fluid is blown under pressure into the open container (2).

Description

 "Process for removing residual air from the headspace of a container for

Drinks, like a beer can "

The invention is directed to a method for residual air removal from the headspace of a container for ascending foam-producing beverages according to the preamble of claim 1. These containers may be, for example, bottles, cans or the like.

When filling ascending foaming beverages in bottles, it is known e.g. inject high pressure sterilized hot water into the headspace of the bottles after filling the bottles to achieve short-term foaming of the beverage, such that the oxygen is displaced from the headspace. This injection of hot water under pressure makes the filled beverages uneasy, whereupon this foam develops, which rises upwards and displaces the oxygen in the headspace. Such methods are used in practice especially in high performance systems with fast fillings and a variety of time units to be filled containers, for example in bottle fillers its application.

A disadvantage of the known method, for example, the great mechanical effort that must be driven to deliver, for example, within the rotating bottle bottling machine sterile water at high temperature ready.

It has also been reported in practice to be useful for slow product changes and larger containers, e.g. in so-called party cans for beer, came selbiger because of the low compressive strength of such packaging to deformation.

This is where the invention, whose task is to show a method which allows foaming with much lower aparativem effort. It is also an object of the invention, even cans, especially larger, eg beer-containing party cans to treat such that is expelled from the headspace of the cans after filling the existing there oxygen. With a method of the type described, this object is achieved according to the invention in that a fluid, preferably a gaseous fluid is injected under pressure into the open container. If, for example, gaseous CO ₂ under pressure is provided, as the invention also provides in an embodiment, not only is the desired generation of foam achieved, but the installations associated with this procedure at the corresponding filling plants are significantly cheaper than the abovementioned hot water treatment for use of this sterile hot water for foaming purposes.

Embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

In addition to the above-mentioned use for so-called party cans, the inventive method is particularly suitable for use in linear machines, which are used for filling open containers.

According to the invention, it is initially provided to virtually inject the gaseous fluid into the container. This is to be understood as meaning that the gaseous fluid is introduced into the container as a sharp and / or focused and / or momentary and high-energy gas jet or fluid jet, so that the gas impact has a certain amount of energy which causes foaming on or into the vessel Filling transfers.

The injection of the fluid jet can be controlled, for example, so that the fluid jet is guided over the surface of the filled liquid, the surface of the filled liquid is indeed set in motion, but the surface does not break through.

Likewise, the injection of the fluid jet can be controlled, for example, so that there is an opening of the surface tension of the liquid level of the liquid, and thus to a penetration of the fluid jet into the liquid, whereby a particularly violent foaming can be achieved.

In particular, gaseous CO ₂ under pressure is suitable for carrying out the methods described above, since this is used in the usual beverages. filling systems is kept as standard. Of course, other sterile gases can also be used.

Suitably, an injection lance may be provided in the corresponding plant which blows the gaseous fluid under pressure over the liquid level.

Further advantages, details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the drawing. This shows in the single figure a block diagram for carrying out the method according to the invention in a bottling plant.

Of the bottling plant generally designated 1 in the figure, only the part which is responsible for the foaming of the liquid 3 in the containers 2, e.g. Beer, is shown.

Via a supply line 4 is the system eg CO ₂ available, which is supplied via a filter 5 a spray lance 6, which is activated or deactivated via a valve 7.

In the figure, the container 2 are shown only symbolically. For example, if there are so-called party cans, the filling and gassing opening is significantly smaller than the upper can cross section. However, this does not matter in the present case.

If CO _{2 is} briefly sprayed onto or into the liquid level 3 a via the nozzle 6 or a corresponding feed lance, the product foams up. This foam is indicated in the figure and designated 8. Now, again shown symbolically, a lid 9 according to arrow 10 applied to the container 2 and the container 2 is closed, which is ensured due to the formation of foam, that in the headspace of the container 2 no air and thus no unnecessary oxygen. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 filling line

2 containers

3 liquid

3a liquid level

4 supply line

5 filters

6 spray lance

7 valve

8 foam

9 lids

10 arrow

Claims

claims: 1. A process for removing residual air from the headspace of a A container for ascending foam-producing beverages by introducing a fluid into the head space, characterized in that a gaseous fluid is injected under pressure into the open container. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a fluid is injected under pressure in filled with foaming drinks party cans. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gaseous fluid is used for foaming filled in linear machines open containers. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gaseous fluid is introduced into the container in such a manner that the liquid level is not broken by the gaseous fluid. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gaseous fluid is introduced into the container in such a manner that the liquid level is broken by the gaseous fluid. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gaseous fluid is injected under pressure via an injection lance from a position slightly above the liquid level and / or below the liquid level. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that is used as the gaseous fluid CO ₂ .