SMB Technik manufactures a transfer process sparkling wine drainage machine to empty tirage wine bottles. Drainage is under full pressure and does not result in any loss of CO2. The process can be done at cellar temperature.
For traditional method sparkling wine producers, the drainage machines are adaptable for removing the contents of riddled and disgorged bottles. The product can then be directly transferred to specialty bottles other than the tirage sized bottle. SMB Technik also makes a single head counter pressure filler designed for bottles up to 9 liters and an accompanying large diameter cork closer. Please inquire regarding our model "Goliath".
The technology of drainage has further uses as a recovery process for improper fills or packaging on bottling lines where the product has a high value at the producer level. The technology can handle either carbonated or noncarbonated beverages. Recovery can be done with a variety of containers and closures. Included in the container list are glass bottles, PET bottles, and aluminum cans. Several of these machines are in operation on beer lines in locations where the cost of disposal is prohibitively high.
Principle of operation
The tirage bottle to be drained enters the drainage machine carousel via and infeed star and screw. The bottle is elevated to the valve. As contact is made with the centering bell seals, the cap is penetrated by a circular, hollow bore. When the bottle is securely pressed to the valve, a tube is lowered so the tip is at the bottom of the bottle. Gas pressure is applied to the head space and the liquid is pushed out passed a check valve. The product passes through a rotating seal to the center of the machine where the liquid drains down to a small holding reservoir. A simple float mechanism controls an on/off switch to a pump which transfers the product to the holding tank.
After drainage, the bottle is lowered down from the valve and passes back onto the conveyor. Within a few inches, the emptied bottle is picked up by a control screw. The control screw pushes the bottle under a 6 position passive wheel decrowner. The bottle is released after decrowning and passes out of the machine.
CO2 Recovery
The drainage process requires the use of carbon dioxide. SMB Technik makes a CO2 recovery unit that will recover about 85% of the gas consumed by the drainage process. The CO2 recovery system can be expanded to include recovery from the customer's fermenting tanks.
Available Sizes
Machine sizes range from a 12 - 24 valves
Machine speed range is approximately 40 - 80 bpm of 750 ml.
Decrowners may be sold separately or in monoblock construction with the drainage machine.
In addition to our rotary drainage machines, SMB Technik makes a 4 head intermittent acting drainage machine for transferring disgorged product out of the tirage bottle.
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