Automated Bottling system

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

scaryeyes

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
76
Reaction score
1
Location
sweden
Hi!
Im leaving this post here as well. Maybe more people in this section are interested.
Im building an automated bottling system. The only hold up is really the flow meter. Im gonna use a hall effect flow sensor, but I think im gonna control it with arduino board. Or maybe its better to go with a PLC to control all valves and the flowmeter? I dont know if its possible to program a PLC for that task?
The solenoid valves are easy in PLC, but maybe I can do it all with arduino instead?
Someone here must have done it already, thats why I put the question here.

cheers!
 
It would be better to just control a valve to open and close for a specific amount of time to allow the correct amount of product to fill the bottle. You would save the cost of the flow meter and if you are looking for one to do a preset amount they can get expensive. You would need one that is pretty accurate and the more accurate the more expensive.

If you can keep the pressure stable the flow would remain the same during filling. Just keep the valve open for a long enough time to fill the bottle.
 
I supposed you could also use a capacitive sensor at the bottle neck. Might be best to see what the real automated machines use, then mimic that.

Honestly though, I struggle to think this is worth the value of designing. If you are bottling a lot of beer, its probably not for personal consumption, therefore quality control is critical. Commercial machines handle lots more than filling, like oxygen, sterilization, labeling, etc.
 
good thoughts here. Im thinking about this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201..._8&btsid=b39c5b12-6286-41c8-980b-0c2576ca64be

I have one of these to control the ammount of brewing water. I tried it on a 0.5 litre pet bottle, and its accurate enough.

My son can program the arduino, if he get the right info from me he says.
I brew 200 litre batches, 53 gal.
But bottling is a pain. I use corny kegs, but if bottling can be easy, its a lot better. People around wants beer! And cornys dont work för them....

So, if I can have the arduino to read the flow meter and act like a switch to close the solenoid, my big task is done! The rest is easy. Then I can prime the bottles with co2 and build up counter pressure, then open beer solenoid. And have another solenoid to open for co2 out through a check valve. Then close beer solenoid when its full.
 
I supposed you could also use a capacitive sensor at the bottle neck. Might be best to see what the real automated machines use, then mimic that.

.
No flow meter required to fill bottles.
All commercial fillers I have played with or seen use the vent tube to stop flow. Some have an electrode fill option.

Krones the largest manufacturer of fillers does it this way: Once the liquid level reaches the end of the vent tube, no more gas can escape from the bottle – and the filling valve is closed.
Wine bottle fillers work the same way.

I do it different on my filler. I fill to the top and as soon the fill head goes up and pulling out the fill tube the level goes down to the correct hight.

Edit: http://www.krones.com/downloads/Bier_en.pdf
 
Interesting! But exactly how do i stop the flow then, when it reaches the vent tube? Im building all equipment my self, so thats why I ask. I wanna replicate big breweries in small 50 gallon style.

i must have a sensor in the vent tube of some sort. I have already built a prototype with conductive electrode, but didnt try yet. Dont believe in that, because of foam occationally.
 
Interesting! But exactly how do i stop the flow then, when it reaches the vent tube? Im building all equipment my self, so thats why I ask. I wanna replicate big breweries in small 50 gallon style.

i must have a sensor in the vent tube of some sort. I have already built a prototype with conductive electrode, but didnt try yet. Dont believe in that, because of foam occationally.

Investigate this filler head http://www.northernbrewer.com/ferrari-automatic-bottle-filler?gclid=CL2n5o2Q9M8CFQoPaQodwEoI6Q

Same principal. http://valleyvintner.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/GravityBottlerFiller.jpg
http://www.leeners.com/_img/prod/300x300/bonvinofiller.jpg

Look for fillers you like and purchase one of there replacement heads, no engineering required.
Getting fill heads done to your specs by a machine shop will cost you a few hundred dollars each.
My fill heads

2Bottles_Filler_Heads.jpg
 
Interesting! But exactly how do i stop the flow then, when it reaches the vent tube? Im building all equipment my self, so thats why I ask. I wanna replicate big breweries in small 50 gallon style.

i must have a sensor in the vent tube of some sort. I have already built a prototype with conductive electrode, but didnt try yet. Dont believe in that, because of foam occationally.

My understanding of the Krones type fillers is the vent tube is connected back up to the fill bowl and a syphon like situation exist which stops the flow of beer when it reaches the vent tube - but I am likely 100% wrong :D
My thoughts for the shut off are based on the idea that fluid flow through a orifice restriction depends on the fluid density (and compressability) so a small hole in the vent pipe (as close to the fill head as practical) will allow gas to vent but will severely restrict beer. If this is then connected to a secondary chamber with a pressure sensor and a even smaller vent then the pressure will build up in the chamber during filling, but drop when the liqiud hits the vent tube restriction. Sense this drop in pressure and shut off the fill valve. A few more valves will likely be needed to bleed pressure from the parts of the system so you don't have beer shooting all over the place when you raise the fill head.
But that's just theory right now :)
 
I have often thought about building my own bottling system for my 53gal/200L-system as well, but levelling the beers accurately seems offputting.. Im thinking it might be possible just to use a weight-sensor to assure correct filling of each bottle?

For a 500mL/19.6oz bottle it should be enough to make the valve close when at 500grams/1.1022928 Pounds (excluding the weight of the bottle itself).

Or would this be too difficult/too approximate?

I would love to hear your opinions. A weight sensor costs next to nothing..
 
Investigate this filler head Ferrari Automatic Wine Bottle Filler

Same principal. http://valleyvintner.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/GravityBottlerFiller.jpg
http://www.leeners.com/_img/prod/300x300/bonvinofiller.jpg

Look for fillers you like and purchase one of there replacement heads, no engineering required.
Getting fill heads done to your specs by a machine shop will cost you a few hundred dollars each.
My fill heads

View attachment 374755

Where did you get those filling heads?
 
What about filling up to a conductive probe set?
I've tried reading resistance by an Arduino. It would work, even with foam. However, I didn't adapt this method but designed and implemented another filling system based on a digital scale and a servo motor because I didn't want extra things touching my beer.
However, I ditched it because messing with the system took more time than bottling manually.

BTW,
Peristaltic pump is another option instead of flow meter. Peristaltic pump is better in terms of sanitary.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top