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DIY Fobbing on semi-auto bottling machine

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  • DIY Fobbing on semi-auto bottling machine

    Hi everyone,

    We are looking into a 6-head semi-automatic bottling machines (see picture below), using counter pressure filling with air pre-evacuation. However, such machines do not have any fobbing capability, meaning the neck of the bottle will not be purged of air prior to capping. I’m quite concerned about oxidation in general, especially considering the hot climate where we are, and our wish to produce beers that may benefit from some aging in bottle.

    Are there any DIY methods for causing some foaming inside the bottle just before capping? E.g. a tapping mechanism, or vibration or some way of dropping in a drop of liquid nitrogen?

    Or maybe I am overestimating this risk, and there is enough foaming when releasing the counterpressure to help purge air in the neck?

    We are fortunate to have a local engineer who custom-makes such machines, but if you have any suggestions of a good (relatively cheap) supplier of similar equipment, we are all ears.

    Thanks for your help,
    Dieter

    Click image for larger version

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  • #2
    We currently utilize a 2-head counterpressure filler/crowner from HDP out of Canada. While this unit is certainly smaller and less robust than the bottling line you are describing it too lacks a fobbing feature. However, the method this unit utilizes to achieve a cap on foam and purge the neck and headspace of the bottle is by having control of 2 different pressure points in the bottle, as read and set by a digital pressure sensor. Pressure setting #1 is the counter pressure that the bottle is pressurized to during the purging cycle and prior to filling, allowing an even, foam-free fill of the bottles. Pressure setting #2 is the pressure that the unit bleeds the bottles down to prior to lifting the fill heads after the bottle has been filled. By increasing or decreasing Pressure #2 the operator is able to create a small "pop" of pressure release as the fill heads come up, causing the bottle to foam slightly. This can be adjusted and timed individually for each fill head so that by the time the unit caps each bottle there is foam rising above the lip. Too much pressure in the bottle results in lots of foam, loss of CO2, a potential low-fill and a mess. Too little pressure before the fill heads lift up and there is very little foam, allowing for the potential of oxidation in the bottle.

    Will your bottling line also have a CO2 purge/vacuum feature prior to filling? This, of course, will be the first step in reducing oxidation with capping on foam being the desired final step.

    Hope this helps - let me know if I can clarify the description above in any way.

    Cheers,
    Tom

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    • #3
      Jetter fobber

      We made a DIY fobber for just a couple hundred dollars.

      Plumb cold water to a small heating element (we used one intended for biodiesel manufacturing) and connect that via a short length of flexible dishwasher hose to a nozzle. Our nozzle is .008 inch zero degree solid stream. I think I got it from spray.com

      The bottles pass under the jet just before the cap lands. You can adjust the level of foaming by adjusting the residence time under the jet.Click image for larger version

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      Mike Elliott
      Head Brewer
      Philipsburg Brewing Co.
      Montana

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Mike Elliott View Post
        We made a DIY fobber for just a couple hundred dollars.

        Plumb cold water to a small heating element (we used one intended for biodiesel manufacturing) and connect that via a short length of flexible dishwasher hose to a nozzle. Our nozzle is .008 inch zero degree solid stream. I think I got it from spray.com

        The bottles pass under the jet just before the cap lands. You can adjust the level of foaming by adjusting the residence time under the jet.
        He says about this type of heating element from.WVO Designs.



        Last edited by syrinx; 07-23-2018, 12:46 AM.

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