Industry/University Cooperative Projects Center
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Coors
Coors is a major manufacturer and distributor of beer products. Their headquarters and key manufacturing facility are located in Golden , CO. They employ mechanical engineers to control the manufacturing processes associated with both bottled and canned beer products.
Freeze Proof Liquid Nitrogen Injector
Coors recently installed liquid nitrogen injection systems on almost all of its can lines in all three plants. Liquid nitrogen is typically used on still products like bottled water and juices to pressurize the container. Because Coors does not pasteurize its products and ships the product cold to market, the internal pressure of a standard can (w/o liquid nitrogen) is significantly less than the competition's.
By injecting liquid nitrogen into the can, after filling, the internal pressure of the can is increased to create a structurally stronger can. This in turn has significantly reduced the number of consumer complaints Coors receives regarding can-damage issues.
In everyday operations, the injector freezes up, causing line downtime. When it freezes up, the line must be shut down to replace the nozzle. This can happen several times per shift. Coors would like to have a senior design team redesign the liquid nitrogen injector to make it freeze-proof.