The Importance of Sealing in Liquid Filling Systems
Liquid Filling Machines are used for bottling water, olive oil, shampoo, or chemical substances. The heart of these machines is the valve (nozzle) system that starts and stops the flow of liquid. A leaking valve leads to both raw material waste and contaminates the outer surface of the bottle, disrupting the labeling process.
How to Select a Valve Based on Viscosity?
Viscosity is the resistance of a liquid to flow. Water has low viscosity, while honey has high viscosity.
- Piston Filler:
- Application Area: Shampoo, honey, tomato paste, ketchup, cream.
- Advantage: It fills by pushing thick and particulate liquids. Dosage accuracy is very high.
- Gravity/Time Filler:
- Application Area: Water, fruit juice, vinegar.
- Advantage: Enables high-speed filling (10,000+ bottles per hour) for thin liquids. Prevents foaming.
- Lobe Pump Filling:
- Application Area: Tahini, jam, peanut butter.
- Advantage: Provides a continuous pushing force to fill particulate products without disrupting their structure.
How Do Anti-Drip Systems Work?
It is undesirable for the final drop remaining in the nozzle to fall outside the bottle after filling is complete. To prevent this:
- Pneumatic Cut-off Valves: Mechanically close the nozzle from the inside within milliseconds of the filling process ending.
- Suck-back System: The motor momentarily reverses, vacuuming the liquid at the tip of the nozzle back inside.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What should be considered during hot fill? A: Products like fruit juice are filled at 85-90°C to eliminate bacteria. In this case, the seals used in the machine (Viton or Teflon) must be heat-resistant.
Q: How are foaming liquids (e.g., detergent) filled? A: The bottom-up filling technique is used. The filling nozzle descends to the bottom of the bottle and rises as the liquid level increases, reducing foaming to nearly zero.
Dr Mach Liquid Filling Lines are equipped with anti-drip valves and servo motor-supported bottom-up filling technologies. Consult us for zero waste and 100% dosage accuracy.