Kegging Beer
Keg Racking Machines
In the brewing industry, kegs are usually filled with beer using a piece of equipment commonly called a racker. Empty kegs are positioned successively at one end of the racker and pass sequentially through a series of stations or heads where different operations are performed on the kegs. Typically, the kegs pass through a plurality of cleaning heads and a steam sterilizing head before they arrive at a filling head where the kegs are filled. Movement of the kegs between the heads is usually by means of a walking beam conveyor. After filling, the kegs move to a discharge platform where they are removed from the machine. There are two basic designs of keg racking machines—rotary and in-line..
Rotary Machines
On rotary machines kegs are handled simultaneously as they move around in a circular motion on a series of stations. Rotary machines are not suitable for frequent changes in keg sizes.
In-Line Machines
With an in-line system (Figure 19.3), empty kegs are positioned successively at one end of the racker and pass sequentially through a series of stations or heads where different operations are performed on the kegs. Typically, the kegs pass through a plurality of cleaning heads and a steam sterilizing head before they arrive at a filling head where the kegs are filled.
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