A Portable Camera System for Observing the Inner Surface of Big Cylindroconical Tanks

Masahiro Hosokawa, I. Mochida, I Ishiwata, K. Shimomura, K. Hiraishi and T Okada. Poster presented at the MBAA 111th Anniversary Convention, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September, 1998.

Abstract
Keeping the equipment, which has direct contact with products clean is an essential task in a brewing plant in terms of preventing contamination of the product. However, to check if it is properly clean can be difficult, especially with today's huge fermenting or lagering tanks. Since these tanks often have dimensions as large as 20 meters in depth and 10 meters in diameter, to examine the inner surface closely by the naked eye is virtually impossible. A new camera system has been created to make this checking task easier. The system consists of a video camera, a lighting bulb, an extendible rod, a monitor, and a controlling unit. The camera and the rod can be inserted into a tank if there is an opening bigger than 15 centimeters in diameter. The rod can be extended as long as 6.5 meters. A motor is attached to the camera, so that one can alter the direction of the camera from the controlling unit. The sight can be narrowed down into one 24th by zooming. The whole system is small enough to be carried by one or two persons.
Keywords: CIP, cylindroconical tanks, camera  

Sintesis
EI mantener al equipo, que esta en contacto directo con el producto, limpio es una tarea escencial en una cerveceria en terminos de preveer contaminacion del product. Sinembargo, cl verificar si ha sido debidamente limpiado puede ser dificil, especialmente en los gigantescos tanques de fermentacion o reposo de boy dia. Como estos tanques frecuentemente tienen dimensiones de hasta 20 metros de alto y 10 metros de diametro, cl examinar las superficies intemas de cerea con la simple vista es virtualtnente imposible. Una nuevo sistema de camara ha sido creado para facilitar esta tarea de verificacion. EI sistema consiste dede una cantata de video, un foco de ilmninacion, un mastil extendible, un monitor y una unidad de control. La camara y cl mastil pueden ser insertados dentro del tanque si este tiene una apertura mayor a 15cm en diametro. EI mastil puede ser extendido hasta 6.5mts. Un motor esta montado con la camara para que uno pueda alterar la direccion de la camara desde la unidad de control. La vision puede ser acercada hasta un 24avo con el lente telescopico. El sistema completo es suficientemente pequeflo para ser manipulado por una o dos personas.