For Bottling Soft Drinks in PET

14/03/07 With its Innofill DRV, KHS presents a new filling system especially developed for the filling of soft drinks in PET bottles. Several versions of the Innofill DRV are available that are entirely oriented towards the product range to be filled by each beverage operation. From the 0.1-liter PET bottle up to the 5-liter size, this filler is capable of processing all bottle sizes and shapes. The maximum filling capacity of the Innofill DRV is 80,000 bottles/hr.

As a filling system for carbonated beverages, the Innofill DRV operates with only two pneumatic cylinders per filling valve that control the entire filling process – including lifting the bottle and sealing the bottle mouth against the filling valve. Using only two pneumatic functions is made possible by transmitting the pressurization pressure by means of an expansion bellows designed according to aseptic specifications to the neck ring holder. This means that the force of the counter-pressure is also used to press the PET bottle against the filling valve. This method completely eliminates the necessity of the bottle lifting elements required in conventional filling systems. Even with the high filling convenience provided, the complexity of the components was drastically reduced.

If the Innofill DRV is to be used to bottle both carbonated soft drinks and non-carbonated beverages, the filling valves are equipped with an additional pneumatic cylinder. Spring force is used for pressureless filling of non-carbonated beverages to press the bottle against the valve. Another variant of the Innofill DRV can be switched from the classic single-chamber principle of pressure filling to the pressureless filling method, as well as triple-chamber pressure filling for carbonated beverages. The principle of triple-chamber pressure filling is required particularly when filling is to be carried out under ultra-clean conditions. Both the product in the ring bowl and the bottles that follow are no longer exposed to gas from the bottles.

The Innofill DRV relies principally on the volumetric filling method of electromagnetic induction flowmetering (EIF) and the tried and tested system of guiding the product flow over a swirler used by KHS for many years. The advantages of the swirler are obvious. Besides eliminating spreading elements protruding into the bottle, the swirler ensures a high level of flexibility in filling. Using a swirler makes it possible to fill a widest variety of bottle shapes and sizes without any changeover.

Aseptic membrane and sealing technology is a given for the Innofill DRV. Inside the filling valves as well as all other product and sterile gas conducting channels and passages. Yet another feature of the Innofill DRV: CIP sanitizing. The filling valves are sealed by so-called CIP plates, which can be optionally inserted fully automatically. The same method used for bottle pressing is used for CIP sanitizing. The filling valves are automatically sealed and adapted to the interior pressure according to the pressure of the rinsing media. Other advantages of the Innofill DRV: consistent hygienic design implemented by using a tubular ring bowl in addition to using the latest in servo technology.

All in all, the Innofill DRV is a system that stands for specific simplicity and flexibility, maximum filling convenience, gentle filling of product, the highest in hygienic standards, best possible operating convenience, and a minimum of maintenance costs.