Krones Modulfill HES glass-bottle filler

Krones has developed an automatic probe adjustment feature and a fully automated CIP cup mechanism for the Modulfill HES glass-bottle filler.

Utilising probe-controlled fillers enables precise adjustment of the fill level in the bottle and can result in substantial time savings when changing over to a different container, via a process in which a linear motor is used to change over all the valves simultaneously at the touch of a button.

This feature enables the probes to be moved to a comparatively high position, freeing up space at the valve outlet for automatically fitting the CIP cups. During production mode, the CIP cups are ‘parked’ in a readiness position behind the valves. For CIP mode, they are fed in fully automatically using a swivel mechanism and pressed against the valve.

The system provides gentle, foam-free filling and accurate fill quantities. The glass bottle is pre-evacuated twice using an interposed CO₂ flushing feature for minimised oxygen pick-up, creating a vacuum of <100 mbar, before the filling function starts. Two different speeds guarantee optimum flow behaviour. Diaphragm valve technology eliminates turbulence when switching over to a different speed. Swirl inserts in the valve ensure low-foam, low-turbulence filling.

Separate gas paths for pressurisation and snifting contribute towards high levels of hygiene and filling stability.