A filling carousel is intended for filling liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in large groups. It consist of a frame with running wheels, rails, a central column for LPG and air, and a driving unit the carousel frame around the central column. The speed of the carousel can be adapted to the various filling times and capacities. The dimension of the carousel is important to consider for the future filling capacity. The carousel frame chosen can be equipped with a number of filling scales covering the present demand and also for the future demand. Filling carousel can be provided with equipment for automatic introduction and automatic filling scales with ejection of cylinders.
Contents |
Frame sizes and approximate filling times for 12 kg cylinders with two-man operation:
| CAROUSEL TYPE | NET WEIGHT OF CYLINDER | CAPACITY-PER HOUR |
|---|---|---|
| 12 scales, dia 4350mm | 12 kg | 720 Cylinders |
| 24 scales, dia 5500mm | 12 kg | 1200 Cylinders |
Automatic inlet device controls the transfer of LPG cylinders from the inlet portion of the conveyor system into the carousel. It is an integral part of an automated cylinder filling operation.
The main purpose of the double chain conveyor is to carry the LPG cylinders to and from the filling carousel. It has a sturdy steel construction and is one of the most important components of an automated LPG filling operation. Good conveyor layout saves time, space and labor.
A conveyor drive unit consists of an explosion-proof electric motor, a gear reducer and a chain-sprocket drive mechanism.
A carousel drive unit consists an explosion-proof electric motor, an hydraulic pump and an hydraulic motor to drive the rubber wheel that turns the carousel.
The ejection unit is designed to take the filled cylinder from the carousel. The ejection unit typically receives a signal from the corresponding filling head (filling head is up)indicating that the cylinder is filled ad may be taken off the carousel. If the filling is not completed, "filling head down" tells the evacuation unit not to activate and the cylinder completes one more cycle on the carousel while being filled. On modern carousels these commands are electronic, but can also be mechanical by means of a dowel which operates a switch.
The pressure control valve is a very important instrument in cylinder filling. It allows LPG in pipeline to be at a predetermined pressure. When the pressure exceeds this value the valve opens and sends the flow to return line.