Carbonated Beverage Packaging Equipment
The carbonated beverage packaging process is very similar
to that of a non-carbonated water bottling line in that much
of the same machinery is used in terms of the initial water
treatment, CIP systems (clean in place), and much of the
machinery that is utilized post filling and sealing. But there
are distinct differences that merit carbonated beverage
bottling equipment having its own page. For products that are not
naturally carbonated such as beer, a carbonator is inserted
into the process. But a carbonator works best when the fluid
has cooled down nearly to the freezing point to reduce foaming
during the filling process and CO2 can migrate into the
product. The cooling is done by a machine called a chiller. A
carbonater injects CO2 into the already mixed syrup and water
combination that give sodas and other carbonated drinks their
distinctive effervescence. Now the process for beer, soda, and
sparkling wines becomes pretty much the same.
At this point the carbonated beverage is ready to be filled
and we come down to what really makes carbonated beverage
filling so unique: the counter-pressure filler. Two issues pop
up at once with this carbonate beverage filler: Oxidation which can ruin the product's flavor and
shelf life and the fact that the carbonated mixture is now
several
atmospheres
of pressure above normal atmospehreic pressure. The first
thing a counter-pressure carbonated beverage filler does is seals the container
top against the atmosphere, next a valve opens to pressurize
the container with CO2 while simultaneously a second vent
valve is opened to displace the previously oxegenated air from
the container. Once virtually all of the oxygen has been
replaced by CO2 the vent is closed and another valve opens to
let the product flow into the container. This is where
there is a big difference between a can filler and a bottle
filler. A can filler will have a nozzle that extends
down to the bottom of the container whereas a bottle filler
fills in the neck and lets the product flow down the walls of
the bottle. In both cases the object is to avoid as much
agitation as is possible. After filling is complete a
vent is opened to allow excess product to escape which defines
the classic liquid level fill that you see in all carbonated
drinks.
Finally the container is ready for sealing and the faster
the better. Bottled carbonated drinks can go directly to
the capping machine without much worry as the foam caused by
escaping CO2 denies atmospheric oxygen from entering the
product (due largely to the small neck opening). However
canned product has a much larger opening and must remain in a
CO2 or inert gas environment through the can seaming
operation.
Special Considerations for Carbonated Beverage
Packaging
Another point that has to be considered with carbonated
beverage bottling equipment is that since the bottles have been filled
at very low temperatures, bottles will be sweating until they
can be brought back up to a temperature above the dew point.
This affects labeling (unless prelabeled) and final packaging
into cartons, small packs or even sleeve wraps. In order to
bring the bottle temperature up so that final packaging
operations can be done the most common method is to use a
warming tunnel. Warming Tunnels use heated water or steam
which is sprayed onto the bottles until temperature rises
sufficiently for remaining packaging to be completed.
At
this point all that is left to do is blow off the remaining
moisture from the warming process with a high velocity dryer
and continue on to final operation such as shrink sleeve
labeling, bottle coding, etc.
< High Velocity dryer
Shrink Sleeve Labeler >
Many Configurations for Carbonated Beverage
Packaging Equipment are Available
Busch Machinery offers full line carbonated beverage
bottling equipment and fillers for cans and bottles at speeds ranging from 2,500 - 30,000
bottles per hour. The combinations of speeds and options
are simply too numerous to list all on this website.
Please call one of our sales engineers so that we can fit the
right machinery for your needs.
|