PRESENTATION ON
INTRODUCTION TO AN
ELECTRONIC CYLINDER FILLING SYSTEM
Presented By
Sri Sudarshan Baishya
Executive Trainee
Instrumentation Department
LAYOUT OF OLD FILLING PLANT
Unloading point Cylinder washing Manual Tare value
&Chain conveyor point reading point
(operator reads the tare value)
Introduction Filling Carousel Online
unit Ejection unit Check Scale
with Filling Machines
CYLINDER LOADING POINT
OK SEALING & CAPPING
CYL
Sort out conveyor Leak Detector system
& Including CVT Evacuation System
Under fill & O/F& (Leaky Cyl evacuated)
check scale with filling gun Water dip LEAKY
CYL
O/F CYL ADJUSTED
Why an Electronic cylinder
Filling System?
• Stringent Filling Accuracy standards
• Data & Information Management
• Reduced Manpower
• Saving in Gas
• Future Expansions
• Safety
• Customer satisfaction & reduced cost
Different units in an electronic
cylinder filling system
Equipments in hazardous area
• Chain Conveyor.
• Central Encoding Station with pre check scale.
• Introduction & Ejection units..
• Filling carousel & Filling machine.
• Check Scale.
• Weight correction machine
• Sort-out Conveyors
• Leak detectors
• Power & Data interface
Equipment in Non-hazardous area
• PC including software & database for
filling data
• Modem for data transfer.
• Printer for reports.
Controllers & instruments
• Distributed HMI controllers - with 32 I/P & 16 O/P
channels.
• Photocell based sensors & switches.
• Pressure switches & Pressure transmitters.
• Pneumatic stoppers, cylinders, pistons & pushers.
• Gun engaging & disengaging switches with auto cut off
valves.
• Load cell based weight controllers.
• Solenoid valves.
• Air filter regulators & lubricators.
• IMS PC along with associated Hardware & software.
• Data cabling & Ethernet hub.
• Gas detection system.
Role of Control & instrumentation system in an
EFP
• To ensure control of safe passage of cylinders from
unloading point to loading point with dedicated
controllers & field instrumentation system
• Tare weight encoding station with controls
• Interlocking of introduction/ejection unit for:
– Anti jamming output.
– Introduction only when platform empty.
– Ejection only when cylinder filled & gun released.
– Ejection only when the filled cylinder’s conveyor is
not in jammed condition
CONTD.
• Automatic filling of cylinders & gun release with auto
cutoff of LPG supply in filling machines
• Automatic Weight checking & sorting of incorrect
cylinders
• Weight correction unit with controls.
• GD & PT based leak detection of cylinder valves & ‘O’
rings with auto sorting of incorrect cylinders
• Automatic sealing & capping of cylinders
BENEFITS OF AN ELECTRONIC CYLINDER
FILLING SYSTEM
• Higher accuracy in filling LPG in cylinders
• Automatic introduction/ejection unit to minimize handling
• Fully automatic Weight Check Scale Checks over 1200
cylinders/hr and sorts non-conforming cylinders to
separate conveyor and Data collection software
compatible and Flexible for all cylinder diameters and
heights
• Valve Leak Detector Detects to 2 grams/hr (0.004 lb/hr)
with Proven infra-red detection principal and Sorts non-
conforming cylinders to separate conveyor
CONTD.
• Reduced manpower, Increased safety, Improved
consistency and Increased plant throughput
• Less down time and maintenance
• Optimal PC data collection tool for effective filling and
maintenance
• Rapid encoding or automatic reading of cylinder tare
• Filling machines and filling heads adapted to cylinders
and cylinder valves
• Easy calibration and zero-setting
• Check weighing system in-line with chain conveyor for
fully automatic check weighing with automatic transfer of
tare weight from central encoding station
Electronic Carrousel Filling
System
• An electronic carrousel filling system is designed for
safe and effective filling of all kinds of LPG cylinders.
• The most effective way of filling LPG cylinders
• High capacity filling, up to 1,800 cylinders per hour
• Fully automatic cylinder flow.
• High safety level due to intrinsically safe network.
• Decentralized control units independent of PC’s
• Rapid encoding or automatic reading of cylinder tare
• Control system uptime: 99%
• Total overview of the filling production is possible due to
PC data collection
Electronic Filling Machine
• Electronic filling machine is designed for safe and
accurate filling of all types of LPG cylinders and valves.
• Most used filling machine in the world
• Weighing principle (load cell) or mass flow principle.
• Operation: fully automatic, semi-automatic.
• Installation: on carrousel, in-line in conveyor, or as
stand-alone unit
• Flexible to different cylinder diameters, heights and
cylinder valves
• Modular design.
Check Weighing Systems
• Electronic check weighing systems are designed for
accurate and quick control of the net content in LPG
cylinders. The systems ensure correctly filled cylinders.
• Principle: Load cell based with digital display.
• Controller: HMI distributed controller.
• Safe cylinders to end-users
• Automatic sort-out of under- and overfilled cylinders
• Capacity up to 1,800 cylinders per hour
• Flexible for all cylinder diameters and heights
• Easy installation in existing plants
Electronic Leak Detectors and
Valve Testers
• Electronic leak detectors and valve testers perform tests on LPG
cylinder valves. The cylinders are approved or rejected according to
preset permitted values.
• Principle: Infrared GD & Pressure transmitter based.
• Control: HMI based distributed controller.
• Provide maximum safety
• Fully automatic test with same sorting limit
• Eliminate human errors
• Detect all kinds of leak around the valve
• Check the valve form (centre valves only)
• Flexible for all types of valves
• Flexible for all cylinder diameters and heights
• Easy installation in existing plants
• Minimum space requirements
Production Data Management
System
• Production Data Management System in an electronic
filling plant collects data from filling process machines
controlled by the HMI/CUC controller. The data is
monitored and serves as a basis for reports concerning
the filling process.
• Automatic collection of all important production data
• High safety level due to production surveillance
• Effective tools for viewing and analyzing production data
• PC monitoring of real time production status
• Report statistics for filling hall production overview
• Easy identification of maintenance and adjustments
needs
• Ready for direct connection to existing CUC network.
