GB2182319A - Method of filling - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of filling a keg 10 with beer against the pressure of a gas contained therein comprises 4 separate filling stages. The stages are controlled by beer flow control valves 22 and 24, a gas flow control valve 26 and a gas pressure relief valve 28. The first stage slow fills the keg at a low flow rate and the second stage fast fills the keg at a higher flow rate, both said flow rates being controlled by the valve 22 with gas venting being prevented by the control valve 26. The fast flow rate is maintained during the third filling stage and the beer filling rate is then reduced again to a slow fill during the fourth stage; gas being vented from the keg during the third and fourth stages by opening the gas control valve 26. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of filling containers This invention relates to an improved method offilling beer kegs with beer against the counter pressure of a gas already present in the keg when beerfilling commences.

It is conventional practice in a beer keg filling plant to fill the kegs in an inverted position through a filling head and probe brought into sealing engagement with a cooperating formation on the keg. Such an arrangement, in conjunction with appropriate valves, permits beerto be filled into the keg and also permits gas to be vented from within the keg as it is displaced by the incoming beer. Afilling operation is described in general terms in the context of a complete washing and filling sequence of operations in EP-A-001 9405 and EP-A-001 9407. Afurther descrip- tion offilling a beer keg against the counter pressure of nitrogen with a layer of carbon dioxide is given in GB-A-21 38790.

However, in the above and other conventional methods offilling the keg with beer, the counter pres sureofthe gas already in the keg at the beerfilling stage is retained substantially constant during thefilling operation. The gas displaced from the keg bythe incoming beer is vented from the keg when the gas pressure in the keg reaches a pressure predetermined by the setting of a pressure release valve so that the counter-pressure within the keg is always maintained at least atthe predetermined venting pressure ofthe pressure reliefvalve. Such venting pressure is typically of the order of 20 P.S.I.

Also, the beer is conventionally filled into the keg through a simple onloff control valve whereby, during filling, a uniform beerflow rate is maintained which istypically ofthe order of 24 gall/min.

Such known beerfilling practices can lead generally to excessive agitation of the beer in the keg and to excessive fobbing of the beer particularly at the beginning and end of the filling sequence. At the end of the filling sequence beer can be lost in the froth and vented through the gas pressure relief valve. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method offilling a keg with beer which will mitigate against the occurrence of the aforementioned disadvantages.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of filling a keg with beer againstthe pressure of a gas contained within the keg comprising the steps of sealing a filling head to a filling orifice ofthe keg, said filling head being capable of delivering beer therethrough to within the keg and also of being capable of permitting the venting of gas therethrough from within the keg; as a firstfilling stage, filling beer from the filling head at a first predetermined flow rate of beer to the keg whilst preventing venting of gas from within the keg; as a second filling stage,filling beerfrom the filling head at a second predetermined flow rate of beer into the keg, said second flow rate being greater than said first flow rate, whilst continuing to prevent a venting of gas from within the keg; as athirdfilling stage, continuing thefilling of beer from the filling head into the keg at said second flow rate whilst permitting venting of gas from within the keg through a pressure reliefvalve; as a fourth filling stage, reducing the filling ofbeerfromthefilling head into the keg a third predetermined flow rate, said third flow rate being less than said second flow rate, whilst continuing to permittheventing of gas from within the keg through said pressure relief valve; continuing said fourth filling stage until the keg is full; discontinuingthefilling ofbeerfromthe filling head into the keg whilst continuing to permit theventing of gas from withinthe keg through said pressure reliefvalve; and subsequently unsealing the filling head from the keg filling orifice of the filled keg.

Said third predetermined flow rate of beerfrom the filling head intothe keg isconvenientlysubstantially the same as said firstflow rate.

Preferably the beer is delivered to the filling head through two beer flow control valves in series with one another, a first of said valves in its closed condition defining said first and third flow rates and in its open condition defining said second flow rate; and the second of said valves being down stream of said first valve in the direction offlow of beer to thefilling head and in its closed condition discontinuing the supply of beerto the filling head and in its open condition permitting the supply of beerto the filling head at a said flow rate defined by said first valve.

Preferably, the gas vented from within the keg is expelled through a gas flow control valve and a said pressure reliefvalve in series with one another, said gas flow control valve in its closed condition prevent ingtheventing ofgasfromwithinthekeg and in its open condition permitting the passage of gas to said pressure reliefvalve, said pressure reliefvalve being down stream of said gas flow control valve in a direc tion offlow of gas away from filling head, and said pressure reliefvalve having a predetermined value of pressure relieffor permitting gas to be vented within the keg when the pressure therein exceeds said predetermined value and when saidgasflowcontrol valve is in its open condition.

Said first and third flow rates of beer defined bythe closed condition of said first beerflow control valve are each conveniently ofthe order of 10 galls/min whilst said second flow rate defined by the open condition of said first beer flow control valve is conveniently ofthe order of 24 galls/min. Said predetermined value of pressure relief for permitting gas to be vented from within the keg is conveniently of the order of 20 P.S.I.

Other features ofthe invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows, in diagramatic form, the beer flow and gas flow control valves associated with the filling head for a beer keg for enabling the keg filling method of the invention to be put into practice.

As illustrated in the drawing, the keg 10 to be filled with beer is located and clamped jn an inverted position at a beer filling station, such a station conveniently being part of a complete keg washing and filling plant as is described for example In EP-A-001 9405 and EP-A-0019407. in known manner, keg 10 is prov idedwitha neck 12 having afillingidispensing orifice and associated valves therein together with an internal downtube 14 extending inwardly of the keg 10 from said valves. Thus, in the inverted position of the keg 10 as illustrated, beer being filled into the keg merges from the top ofthe downtube 14and falls back into the keg adjacentthe neck 12.It will also be appreciated that, in accordance with conventional practice, the keg 10 is filled with a gas,typically carbon dioxide, before it arrives at the filling station.

Atthefilling station, a filling head 16 is provided which, by means of suitable fluid pressure actuated rams, can be brought into sealing engagement with the neck 12 ofthe keg 10 to permit delivery of beer into the keg through conduit 18 and also to permitthe venting of gas from within the keg through conduit 20.

Beer is supplied from a suitable source thereof through conduit 18 to a first beer control valve 22 and thence to a second beer control valve 24 which is in series with and downstream ofthefirstvalve 22.

From the second valve 24 the beer is supplied to the filling head 16. Thefirst beerflowcontrol valve 22 comprises a profiled seat valve which, in its closed condition, permits the flow of beertherethrugh at a first predetermined flow rate which is typically ofthe order of 10 g al Is/mi n. In its open condition, the valve 22 permits the flow of beertherethrough at a second predetermined flow rate which is typically of the order of 24 galls/min.

The second beer flow control valve 24 is a simple on/offvalve which, in its closed condition, prevents anyflowofbeertherethrough and which, in its open condition, permits flow of beertherethrough at a flow rate determined by either the open or closed condition of the first valve 22.

The gas venting conduit 20 leads from thefilling head 16to a gas flow control valve 26 and thenceto a pressure relief valve 28 in series with and downstream of the gas flow control valve 26. The valve 26 is a simple on/offvalve which, in its closed condition prevents gas from being vented from within the keg and which, in it open condition, permits gas to flow therethrough to the pressure relief valve 28. The pressure reliefvalve 28 has a predetermined venting pressure whereby, when the gas flow control valve 26 is in its open condition, gas may be vented through pressure relief valve 28 when the gas pres sure within the keg 10 exceeds the predetermined pressure relief value of the valve 28.

The sequence of operations forfilling the keg 10 with beerfromthefilling head l6isasfollows:- 1 Valves 22, 24 and 26 are closed and thefilling head 16 is sealed to the keg neck 12 by opening the associated valves within the keg orifice to permitthe flow of beer and gas through respective conduits 18 and 20 underthe control ofthe respective valves 22, 24and 26.

2 As a first filling stage, only valve 24 is opened.

Thus beer is allowed to fill into the container at a first predeterminefflow rate defined by the closed condition of the profiled seatvalve 22; this flow rate, as mentioned above, typically being ofthe order of 10 galls/min. During thisfirstfilling stage the gas flow control valve 26 is retained in its closed condition whereby the gas pressure with the keg 10 is increased as beer enters the keg and compresses gas already contained therein.

3 As a secondfilling stage,thevalve 24 remains open and the profiled seat valve 22 is also opened; the gas flow control of 26 being retained in its closed condition. Opening of the profiled seat valve 22 has the effect of increasing the filling rate of beer into the keg to a second predetermined flow rate which, as mentioned above, is typically ofthe order of 24 gaIlsi min.Themaintainedclosureofthegasflowcontrol valve 26 has the effect of continuing to increase the pressure ofthe gas within the keg 10.

4As a third filling stage, the beer control valves 22 and 24 remain open and the gas flow control valve 26 is also opened. Th us beer continues to be filled into the keg 10 at the said second predetermined flow rate defined by the open condition of valve 22 but gas is now permitted to be vented from within the keg throughthe gasflowcontrol valve 26to the pressure relief valve 28 which, is mentioned above, may have a typical predetermined venting pressure of 20 P.S.I.

during this third filling stage therefore, the pres- surised gas within the keg 10its vented therefrom through the pressure relief valve 28.

5 As a fourth filling stage, the profiled seat valve 22 is returned to its closed condition thereby reducing the beer flow rate to a third predetermined flow rate which, in this embodiment, is identical with said first predetermined flow rate defined by the closed condi tion ofthevalve 22 ie 10 galls/min. Duringthisfourth filling stagethe gas flow control valve 26 remains open so that pressurised gas within the keg 10 continuesto be vented through the pressure reliefvalve 28.

6Thefourthfilling stage is continued until the keg 10 is filled with beer at which time the beer flow control valve 24 is closed thus discontinuing the supply of beer to the filling head 16. However, afterthevalve 24 has been closed, the gas control valve 26 is left open for a predetermined time to permit continued venting of pressurised gas from within keg 10 through the pressure relief valve 28.This venting is allowed to continue until the gas pressure within the keg 10 falls to the predetermined venting pressure of the pressure relief valve 28 ie 20 P.S.I. After the pressure within the keg 10 has falled to this pred etermined valuethefilling head 16may be unsealed from the keg neck 12; filling of the keg then being complete and the beer being sealed within the keg against a residual gas pressure therein of 20 P.S.I.

It isfound that the above described method offil- ling a keg with beer in accordance with the invention greatly reduces the general agitation of the beer within the keg particularly during the aforesaid second and third filling stages when beer is being filled at the higherflow rate but the counter pressure of gas within the keg is relatively high. The aforesaid fourth filling stage, which is the final stage before complete filling is achieved, is at the lowerfilling rate whilst gas is being vented and thereby enables the complete fill to be approached with the beer having a relatively smooth unrippled surface with little froth so that no beer is lost in the froth through the gas conduit 20.

Claims (5)

1. A method of filling a keg with beer againstthe pressure of a gas contained within the keg, comprising the steps of sealing a filling head to a filling orifice ofthe keg, said filling head being capable of delivering beertherethrough to within the keg and also of being capable of permitting the venting of gastherethrough from within the keg; as a first filling stage, filling beerfrom thefilling head at a first predetermined flow rate of beer to the keg whilst preventing venting of gas from within the keg; as a second filling stage, filling beer from the filling head at a second predetermined flow rate of beer into the keg, said second flow rate being geaterthan said first flow rate, whilst continuing to prevent a venting of gas from within the keg; as a third filling stage, continu ing thefilling of beer from the filling head into the keg at said second flow rate whilst permitting venting of gas from within the keg through a pressure relief valve; as afourthfilling stage, reducing thefilling of beerfrom the filling head into the keg to a third predetermined flow rate, said third flow rate being less than said second flow rate, whilst continuing to permittheventing of gas from within the keg through said pressure reliefvalve; continuing said fourfilling stage until the keg is full; discontinuing the filling of beerfrom thefilling head into the keg whilst continuing to permit the venting ofgasfrom within the keg through said pressure relief valve; and subsequently unsealing the filling head from the keg filling orifice ofthefilled keg.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein said third predetermined flow rate of beer from the fil I ing head into the keg is conveniently substantially the same as said firstflow rate.

3. A method according to either one of Claims 1 or 2 wherein the beer is delivered to the filling head through two beerflowcontrol valves in series with one another, a first of said valves in its closed condition defining said first and third flow rates and in its open condition defining said second flow rate; and the second of said valves being down stream of said firstvalve in the direction offlowofbeertothefilling head and in its closed condition discontinuing the supply of beerto the filling head and in its open condition permitting the supply of beerto the filling head at a said flow rate defined bysaidfirstvalve.

4. A method according to anyone ofthe preceding Claims wherein gas vented from within the keg is expelled through a gas flow control valve and a said pressure relief valve in series with one another, said gas flow control valve in its closed condition prevent ingtheventing of gas from within the keg and in its open condition permitting the passage of gas to said pressure reliefvalve, said pressure reliefvalve being down stream of said gas flow control valve in a direc tion offlowof gas awayfromfilling head, and said pressure reliefvalve having a predetermined value of pressure relief for permitting gas to be vented within the keg when the pressure therein exceeds said pred etermined value and when said gas flow control con trol valve is in its open condition.

5. A method of filling a keg with beersubstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.