Filling Machines for Products That Foam

From soaps to beverages, chemicals and cleaners, a wide range of liquid products have a tendency to create foam when unsettled by the filling process. Moving the liquid from the bulk tank or a holding tank, through the plumbing of a liquid filler and in to bottles tends to agitate the product, which can result in foam in the bottle or other container. Luckily, bottle fillers from Liquid Packaging Solutions can solve the foaming issue without sacrificing the efficiency, consistency or reliability of the packaging line.

The first solution comes in the form of a specific filling principle, the overflow principle. The overflow filler uses a special nozzle which dives into a bottle while also creating a seal on the bottle opening. As the nozzle dives, a port is opened to allow product to flow into the container. A second port on the nozzle allows product to then, as the name suggests, overflow out of the bottle and back into a holding tank. This type of fill, with the seal on the bottle, essentially pushes the foam out of the bottle, allowing foamy products to be filled to a level with each cycle.

Of course, not every packager wants to use an overflow filler, nor will the overflow filler work with every project. Some packagers prefer their liquid to be filled by volume, rather than to a level as done with the overflow filler. In addition, overflow fillers work more consistently and efficiently with thiin, free-flowing products. Thicker products or products that contain particulates may require a different filling principle. When a fill to level system simply will not work, but foam is still a concern, there are a couple of options to help control the foam on volumetric filling machines.

First, anti-foam nozzles can be used to control the foam during the fill cycle. In addition, a bottom up fill can be utilized to lessen the tendency of a product to foam as well. A bottom up fill will, like the overflow filler, allow nozzles to dive in to the containers. However, the dive will go deeper in to the bottle and no seal will be placed over the container opening. Instead, the nozzles will slowly ascend during the fill to help control splashing and agitation.

Regardless of the fill principle or the level of automation (semi-automatic or fully automated), there are options available that will assist in allowing products that foam to be filled quickly and accurately without leaving foam in the bottles. To learn more about the different filling machines offered by LPS, visit the Filling Machinery section of the website.