Patent Publication Number: US-2006010886-A1

Title: Liquid cryogen dosing system with nozzle for pressurizing and inerting containers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates generally to liquid cryogen dispensing systems, and more particularly to systems for dispensing liquid cryogens into containers for beverages, food or other products.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Numerous packages contain carbonated beverages under pressure. Some containers, notably two-piece aluminum cans, are designed with a thin side walls to reduce weight and material costs. These containers, as well as other thin-walled containers such as plastic bottles and the like, rely significantly upon the internal pressure of the carbonated product within the container to prevent container walls from buckling or collapsing inward when subjected to external stresses associated with shipping, handling and display.  
      Non-carbonated drinks, such as bottled or canned fruit drinks, teas, and the like, have become increasingly popular. These non-carbonated drinks are often packaged in similar containers as the carbonated beverages. In the absence of internal pressure due to carbonation, such containers may be more susceptible to buckling.  
      It is known to physically mix gaseous nitrogen into such still products prior to packaging thereof, in order to provide nitrogen gas for pressurization of the container. However, nitrogen gas does not mix easily with these products. Introduction of liquid nitrogen into containers prior to sealing can pose problems relating to splashing of the liquid as it is being dispensed. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,919.  
      There is a need for a commercially viable method of using liquid cryogen for pressurization of still beverages or other food and beverage products in thin-wall containers and other packaging, wherein splashing of the liquid cryogen is not unduly problematic.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention provides a liquid cryogen dispensing system having a splash-reducing nozzle for substantially reliable and uniform dispensing of liquid cryogen into a container for a beverage, food product or other product, such as a still (non-carbonated) hot-filled beverage, just before it is sealed.  
      In one embodiment, a liquid cryogen delivery system including a dosing head is provided for introducing a dose of liquid cryogen into a product in a packaging assembly line. The dosing head includes a control valve and a unique liquid cryogen-dispensing nozzle. The control valve is operable to receive a flow of liquid cryogen from a liquid cryogen supply reservoir and controllably output metered doses of liquid cryogen to a dispensing nozzle in fluid communication therewith. The unique liquid cryogen-dispensing nozzle, which is in fluid communication with the control valve, is adapted to dispense liquid cryogen simultaneously as a plurality of liquid streams. The nozzle has an orifice plate and a nozzle body having a passageway which fluidly communicates with the orifice plate. The orifice plate preferably has a plurality of apertures through which streams of liquid cryogen are simultaneously dispensed from the nozzle into an open container.  
      In a preferred embodiment, the configuration of apertures provided in the nozzle orifice plate is arranged to dispense a dose of liquid cryogen into an underlying container as a generally ring-shaped “shower” of discrete liquid cryogen streams, which gently impact upon the surface of the fluid contents to minimize splashing. In this manner, containers may be more reliably pressurized as possible loss of cryogen from splashing is reduced, and freeze-ups on the liquid cryogen dispenser due to splashing cryogen may be avoided or significantly reduced. The reliably pressurized containers provided using a liquid cryogen dosing system in accordance with the invention are less apt to misshape during capping, sealing, and or handling.  
      In one embodiment, the orifice plate is disc shaped, and the apertures are arranged in a substantially circular pattern in the orifice plate to provide the “shower” pattern. In a preferred embodiment, apertures are provided in the outer radial regions of the orifice plate, and not at or near the central part thereof, in order to help isolate and dissipate the impacts of the individual streams upon the liquid surface of the container contents.  
      The dosing system and dispensing nozzle thereof in accordance with this invention are generally applicable to dispensing a liquefied cryogen gas which is useful for pressurizing or inerting containers, and to dispensing liquid nitrogen in particular.  
      The invention also relates to methods for pressurizing or inerting a hot filled product using the aforementioned dosing head. One of the methods of the invention comprises the steps of providing a open container hot filled with fluid contents; moving the hot-filled container beneath the aforementioned dosing head; and dispensing liquid cryogen from the nozzle into the container as a plurality of gentle liquid streams which softly impact the surface of the fluid contents, and thereby reduce or avoid splashing of the cryogen and or other fluid contents of the container. This method may be especially useful for dosing hot filled containers in a high speed automated moving production packaging assembly line, just before sealing. The dosing head with the unique nozzle as described herein permits substantially uniform doses of liquid cryogen to be reliably deposited into containers in a high speed packaging production line. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a liquid cryogen delivery system including a liquid cryogen dosing head in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is another schematic diagram of the liquid cryogen delivery system including a liquid cryogen-dispensing nozzle of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged schematic diagram of the dosing head and dosing arm of the liquid cryogen delivery system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway diagram of a dosing head with a liquid cryogen-dispensing nozzle useful in the liquid cryogen delivery system of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle body of the nozzle of the dosing head of  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the nozzle body of  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the nozzle body of  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view along section B-B of the nozzle body shown in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an orifice plate used with the nozzle body of  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 10  is an edge view of an orifice plate of  FIG. 9 .  
       FIG. 11  is a bottom view of a nozzle tip including an orifice plate in a liquefied gas spray injection apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 12  is an enlarged partial section view a container being dosed with the liquid cryogen dosing head and nozzle of  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
      The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Similarly numbered elements in different figures represent like features unless indicated otherwise.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The invention provides an improved nozzle configuration for a liquid nitrogen delivery system which reduces or even eliminates splashing and associated problems in pressurization or inerting operations performed on fluid filled containers in general and hot-filled beverage or foodstuff containers in particular.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a liquid nitrogen delivery system  100  is illustrated which includes a unique and improved liquid nitrogen dosing head  106  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system  100  comprises a vacuum-insulated liquid nitrogen reservoir  102  that connects through a flexible conduit  104  to dosing head  106 . The dosing head may be further supported using a bracket or other support (not shown). A sensor  108  is used to detect when the dosing head  106  should discharge liquid nitrogen into typical container  122  among a plurality of containers in an assembly line  118 . A supply conduit  110  connects to standard liquid gas cylinders  112  and  114  filled with liquid nitrogen (“LN2”). A post  116  supports the reservoir  102  with an attachment that allows some up and down height adjustment. A typical bottle or can assembly line  118  passes at a high speed just under the dosing head  106 . The assembly line  118  also may have a carousel configuration for progressively moving bottles beneath and away from dosing head  106 . A control unit  120  uses the sensor  108  to determine when it should operate a control valve (not shown) in the dosing head  106  and the amount of time said control valve should be open.  
      In one embodiment, container  122  is a bottle prefilled with a hot beverage or other flowable foodstuff before it is moved below dosing head  106 . As seen in more detail in  FIG. 2 , container  122  is shown immediately before it receives its sealing cap at a capping station (not shown) that will contain the expanding gas resulting from the liquid nitrogen introduced by dosing head  106 . The liquid nitrogen delivered into the bottle creates a gas pressure within the beverage or food container that increases package crushing pressure and wall strength. It also may inert the space between the product and the sealing cap to the container.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , flexible conduit  104  forms part of a dosing arm  300 , and one end  314  of which is coupled into the vacuum-insulation envelope system of the vacuum-insulated liquid nitrogen reservoir  102 . A group of feed, return, purge, and pressure tap conduits  316  also connect into the reservoir system  102 . An actuator  308  operates a dosing valve within the dosing head  106 . Nozzle area  310  is provided with an internal integral nitrogen gas purge and an electric heater to help prevent freeze-up. A cover  312  is welded or otherwise secured onto the side of the dosing head and completes the vacuum seal. An optional resistive-type electric heater  718  is attached to the side of the valve body  320 . The heater, for example, may provide about fourty watts of heat from a 24-volt DC source. Such a heater  318  is operated only during servicing procedures. Standard vacuum insulating covering generally may be provided on the dosing arm  300 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , dosing head  106  is shown with a dosing head body  402  which contains a vacuum for insulation and receives feed conduit  104  from one side. A vacuum-insulating jacket for the conduit  304  is not shown in this view. Valve body  320  receives a needle valve  408  that operates up and down against a valve seat  410 . The actuator  308  located near the top of the dosing head  106  and operates the normally closed needle valve  408 . The actuator  308  may be, for example, a pneumatic or an electric type. Metering orifice  422  is screwed into the valve body  320  down past the needle valve  408  and seat  410 . This position permits the metering orifice  422  to be serviced from an opening inside a heated nozzle collar  424  and without having to drain the system first. The nozzle collar  424  is attached to the dosing head body  402 , such as, for example, by welding. A metal bellows  426  provides a long thermal path that helps separate any heat in the nozzle collar  424  from the liquid nitrogen inside the valve body  320 .  
      A nozzle  425  provides a passageway for discharging liquid nitrogen under pressure from the dosing head  106 , such as when needle valve  408  is operated. The nozzle  425  includes a nozzle body  501  having an externally threaded stem  503  which defines an internal passageway that opens into a skirt  505  at its lower end. These and other nozzle features will be described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 5-10  discussed infra. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the nozzle body  501  is detachably mounted within nozzle collar  424  via an integral internally-threaded bore  401  provided within nozzle collar  424  into which the stem portion  503  of the nozzle  425  may be fittingly screwed in and out. A mouth portion  402  also is provided in nozzle collar  424  at the entrance of the threaded bore  401 , which has a shape which may conformably receive the skirt  505  of the nozzle body  501 . In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle  425  may mounted within threaded collar bore  401  and mouth  402  in nozzle collar  424  in a manner such that the lower end of the nozzle  425  is substantially flush with the bottom  426  of the nozzle collar  424 .  
      Referring still to  FIG. 4 , fed conduit  104  supplies a constant circulating flow of phase-separated liquid nitrogen to dosing head  106 . During operation, supply chamber  414  is flooded with liquid nitrogen, which inundates the seating area of the needle valve  408 . Any unused liquid nitrogen, or nitrogen that has turned to gas, is circulated past into a return chamber  416  and out back up to the reservoir through a dual pair of return lines  418  and  420  are routed back to the liquid nitrogen reservoir  102 . The conduits, lines and jackets preferably should be flexible so that the position and tilt of dosing head  106  may be adjusted in the field without changing the position or attitude of the liquid nitrogen reservoir.  
      A purge chamber  430  is kept filled with gaseous liquid nitrogen to prevent a build-up of ice crystals that potentially could clog the nozzle  425  and or the metering orifice  422 . A separate purge gas line (not shown) fed through a feed conduit (not shown) may be used to feed gaseous nitrogen to help keep nozzle  425  and also area  430  free of ice crystals, which, for example, may arise from frozen water vapor in the ambient air. For example, a purge gas flow rate of three to five standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH) may suffice for this purpose.  
      In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dosing head  106  including nozzle  425  discharges liquid nitrogen from a plurality of nozzle orifices arranged in a substantially circular profile. To accomplish this, the nozzle  425  is an integral assembly comprising nozzle body  501  having a flanged end  507  ( FIG. 5 ), which is adapted to receive an orifice plate  901  ( FIG. 9 ) from which liquid nitrogen is discharged from the nozzle  425  into an open mouth of a bottle or container.  
      Additional details and arrangements regarding the liquid nitrogen reservoir  102 , flexible conduit  104 , sensor  108 , supply conduit  110 , cylinders  112  and  114 , post  116 , control unit  120 , dosing head control valve  411 , purge system, and other components and features of system  100  which may be useful in conjunction with the invention are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,715 B1, which descriptions are incorporated herein by reference.  
      As shown in more detail in  FIG. 5 , the nozzle body  501  includes an externally threaded stem  503  having an internal passageway  509  that opens into a skirt  505 . The skirt  505  has a flanged end  507 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the flanged end  507  has a depth “t”. In  FIG. 7 , the central location of passageway  509  is seen, which is used to feed a stream of liquid nitrogen inside skirt  505 . In  FIG. 8 , the skirt  505  defines an interior space  511 . The flanged end  507  includes a ledge  513 , and defines a recess  508  having a diameter “w” and thickness “t”.  
      Referring to  FIG. 9 , in this embodiment the orifice plate  901  has a three-dimensional disc shape which substantially conformably fits within recess  508  of nozzle body  501 . As shown, the orifice plate  901  has a plurality of through-holes or apertures  903  through  914  extending from one major face  923  of the disc-shaped member to the opposite face, which are surrounded by the solid portion  922  of orifice plate  901 .  
       FIG. 10  is an edge view of orifice plate  901  showing the thickness “T” of the side edge  925  and diameter “D” of the plate. The thickness “T” of orifice plate  901  is selected to be equal to or just slightly less than the above-noted thickness “t” of the flanged end  507  of the nozzle body  501 , and a diameter “D” is a value equal to or just slightly less the diameter “w” of the flanged end  507  of the nozzle body  501 , such that orifice plate  901  can be snugly positioned within recess  508  of the flanged end  507  of nozzle body  501 . In one embodiment, the nozzle body  501  and orifice plate  901  are both metal construction, and the orifice plate is fixed in position, preferably flush within recess  508  of nozzle body  501 , by soldering, welding, mechanical engagement, and/or other methods of attachment.  
      Referring to  FIG. 11 , in this embodiment the plurality of apertures  903 - 914 , of orifice plate  901  are provided in a substantially circular pattern or layout  924 . In operation, liquid nitrogen is simultaneously discharged from the nozzle  425  via apertures  903  through  914  of orifice plate  901  during pressurization or inerting operations performed on filled bottles or other containers. In a preferred embodiment, the configuration of apertures provided in the nozzle orifice plate is designed to provide a dose of liquid cryogen into a container as a generally ring-shaped “shower” of discrete liquid cryogen streams which can be gently impacted with the surface of the fluid contents to minimize splashing.  
      In this illustration, the plurality of apertures  903  to  914  are substantially equidistantly spaced from adjoining apertures by an angle alpha (α). In one non-limiting embodiment, the separation angle alpha (α) between adjacent apertures arranged in a substantially circular layout  924  in an orifice plate  901  as described herein is about 25° to about 35°, preferably between about 28° to about 32°. In one embodiment, at least two apertures, and preferably at least three apertures, are present in each 90° quadrant  927  of plate  901 . In a preferred embodiment, no additional apertures are located radially inside the circular pattern  924  of apertures.  
      In one non-limiting embodiment, the apertures  903  to  914  are each located a radial distance “r” from the geometric center  930  of the orifice plate  901 , which is about 60% to about 95%, and particularly about 75% to about 90%, of the overall radius “R” of the orifice plate  901 . In one preferred embodiment, no aperture is present in the orifice plate  901  at a radial distance “r” within 60% of the distance of disc radius “R.” 
      In one embodiment, for liquid nitrogen delivery systems operating at about 0.9 to about 1.1 psia internal nozzle pressure, a shower of liquid nitrogen streams may be dispensed using the above-noted pattern of orifice plate apertures  903  to  914  with aperture (hole) diameters ranging from about 0.75 to about 1.0 mm, particularly about 0.80 to about 0.95 mm, and the thickness of “T” of plate  901  may be from about 0.4 to about 0.6 mm. These parameters are meant to be exemplary and not limiting of conditions which may provide the desired spray characteristics and performance, as discussed in more detail below.  
      Referring to  FIG. 12 , the orifice plate  901  provided in nozzle  425  includes a layout or pattern of apertures effective to deliver liquid nitrogen into a hot-filled, upright open (unsealed) bottle  122 . After receiving a dose of liquid nitrogen, the container is transported to a capping station (not shown), which may be a conventional design for that purpose, soon thereafter for a sealing operation.  
      The hot-filled bottle  122  includes a heated fluid  123  filled up to a surface level  124  located just above the shoulder  127  of the bottle  122 . A small headspace  129  exists between the fluid surface  124  and the top of the throat  128  of the bottle  122 . In this non-limiting illustration, a total dose of liquid nitrogen is added inside container  122  to generate enough pressure to counteract the vacuum and subsequent paneling effects that may be created when a hot product cools in a sealed container.  
      In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, liquid nitrogen is dispensed from orifice plate  901  of nozzle  425  as a shower  121  comprised of a plurality of relatively soft, gentle streams  125 . These relatively soft, gentle streams  125  of liquid nitrogen impact and penetrate the liquid content surface  124  lightly without causing splashing of liquid nitrogen or bottle contents back out of the bottle. The streams  125  of liquid nitrogen may be dispensed continuously or pulsed via appropriate system pressure regulation and valving control. Each stream preferably comprises a substantially steady current or flow of liquid cryogen, and not an atomized spray thereof, during a discrete dosing or continuous dosing of the fluid contents of a container.  
      In one embodiment, the pattern of impacts made by dispensed liquid nitrogen streams  125  at the liquid content surface level  124  within the bottle  122  is substantially similar to the stream discharge pattern  924  on the overlying orifice plate  901  of the nozzle  425 . It will be appreciated that the radius “r” dimension selected for apertures  903  to  914  should be less than the inner diameter of the container opening  133  through which the streams of liquid nitrogen will be introduced. It is desirable to spread out and isolate the individual stream impact sites as much as possible. At a minimum, the radius “r” dimension parameter must be great enough to avoid dropping stream volumes in a concentrated central area of surface level  124  to the extent the combined effect leads to splashing of contents back out of the container.  
      Although not desiring to be bound to any theory, the above-noted shower head design of orifice plate  901  is thought to encourage a fluid dynamic phenomenon in which the streams  125  of liquid nitrogen dispensed into the open mouth  133  of bottle  122  as shower  121  tend to push or move radially outward towards the walls  131  of the bottle  122 , instead of pushing relatively straight down (vertically) a significant depth into the fluid  123 . The result is that an insignificant amount of splashing, if any, occurs.  
      By comparison, if a standard single port injection nozzle arrangement is used, liquid nitrogen is observed to inject relatively deeply into the fluid content of a hot filled container (e.g., up to several inches depth), whereupon a highly physically agitated fluid combination results, which may resemble intense “boiling.” The resulting highly agitated fluid produces droplets of liquid nitrogen, and or fluid content, that rapidly splashes back out of the container.  
      Avoidance of such splashing is crucial. Any splashed-out liquid nitrogen is lost from the container, and thus is not available to pressurize the container during subsequent processing and handling. A filled container lacking a sufficient dose of liquid nitrogen for pressurization is prone to misshape during subsequent exposure to structural stress such as may be encountered during bottle (or can) capping procedures, and or during stacking or other handling exerting structural pressure on the capped containers.  
      The precise, non-splashing liquid cryogen dosing achieved using the nozzle of an embodiment of the invention significantly eliminates “duds” and rework otherwise that may be associated with misshapen hot filled containers in particular. In particular, liquid cryogen pressurization implemented using the inventive nozzle arrangement prevents paneling of containers in hot-fill applications.  
      A dose of liquid nitrogen or other suitable cryogen added via the nozzle arrangement of an embodiment of this invention adds enough pressure to counteract the vacuum and subsequent paneling effects created when a hot product cools in a sealed container. The reduced nitrogen splashing achieved provides more reliable container strengthening, and may allow for use of lower gram weight bottles or cans, in addition to reducing waste associated with overfilling of containers. It thus provides a more efficient and cost effective packaging solution.  
      Also, avoidance of splashing also helps to prevent clogging of the nozzle from freeze-up of splashed nitrogen back into the nozzle area. Use of standard electric heater arrangements alone in nozzles has been observed to be insufficient to prevent such freeze-up under some typical operating conditions.  
      Referring again to  FIG. 12 , as another advantage, and unlike prior liquid cryogen delivery systems used for pressurizing containers, the nozzle  425  of an embodiment of the invention need not be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis  136  of the filled container  122  to minimize or prevent splash back and associated freeze-ups of the nozzle. For example, the nozzle  425  may be oriented to dispense liquid nitrogen streams  125  having trajectories substantially parallel, e.g., within about 0 to about 5 degrees inclination, relative to the longitudinal axis  136  of bottle  122 . Bottles having narrowed throats preferably have the liquid nitrogen dispensed therein from essentially directly above, and not from an angle. Containers having wider mouths, such as cans, may be permit some inclination angle of the nozzle, although direct overhead dispensing is still preferred in most instances in the practice of the invention.  
      The nozzle arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of this invention may be used in liquid nitrogen dosing operations performed on high-speed production lines, such as accommodating lines speeds ranging from about 400 to about 2000 dosed containers per minute, in a pulsed (discrete) dosing mode of operation of the nozzle. In one embodiment, line speeds of about 600 containers or more per minute are handled. If a continuous stream dosing mode of nozzle operation is used, these and even greater line speeds may be accommodated.  
      Liquid nitrogen doses may be set anywhere from about 0.01 g per second to about 20 g per second, and the dose will depend on the amount needed for strengthening the particular container and contents filled thereof. In one embodiment, the liquid nitrogen nozzle arrangement may be used in liquid nitrogen delivery systems for dispensing substantially uniformly about 0.8 to about 1.0 g liquid nitrogen per container in a high speed production line running at a rate exceeding about 500 containers or more per minute. The liquid nitrogen nozzle arrangement in accordance with an embodiment herein allows high dosing accuracy to be maintained, such as ±5% of a target dose value per container, even in high speed production lines.  
      A liquid nitrogen dosing head including a nozzle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may be used generally in liquid cryogen dosing systems used for pressurization and or product inerting. The nozzle arrangement described herein is generally effective for pressurizing or inerting operations performed with relatively thin-walled packaging containers used for ambient or hot filling applications. These thin-walled product containers include, for example, thin-walled metal (e.g., aluminum), glass, and plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) containers. The containers may be in the form of a bottle, can, or another container type. For instance, the nozzle arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of this invention is useful for pressurizing hot-filled aluminum “bottle can” type beverage containers.  
      The hot-filled non-carbonated food products that may be successfully packaged in thin-walled containers which are pressurized with liquid nitrogen using the nozzle arrangement of an embodiment of the invention are not particularly limited, and includes hot filled beverages such as fruit drinks or teas; tomato sauce, edible oils, dessert syrups, coffee concentrates, and so forth. In one embodiment, a “hot filled” product, as referenced herein, refers to a comestible product heated to a temperature of approximately 60° C. to 96° C. that is placed in a container, which then is subjected to liquid nitrogen introduction before sealing the container.  
      The nozzle arrangement of the invention also may be used for cryogen inerting of non-carbonated food products and beverages, such as, for example, wine, to reduce oxygen levels thereof.  
      A commercially-available liquid nitrogen delivery system which may be adapted to use a shower head type nozzle according to an embodiment of the invention includes, for example, the LCI-2000M liquid cryogen delivery system manufactured by VBS Industries, Inc., Campbell, Calif., U.S.A. For instance, the external threading provided on the nozzle body of a nozzle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may be designed to match to female threading provided for detachable mounting of a single port nozzle on commercial dosing heads, such as the LCI-2000M liquid cryogen delivery system. The threaded or other detachable mount for a nozzle often is provided to facilitate nozzle changes or equipment maintenance.  
      Commercial liquid cryogen dosing systems, such as the above-noted LCI-2000M system and the like, are available which generally include an operator interface supporting data monitoring, data display, data entry, recipe download, and PLC speed compensation. For example, the computer control interface on the above-noted LCI-2000M system allows an operator to adjust dose values and compensate for changes in line speed or container shapes, or other production line variations.  
      The timing of dosing on the above-noted LCI-2000M system may be controlled by standard means such as container detector means. For example, as noted, a sensor may be used to detect the presence of a container, and then the controller may initiate a solenoid and a pneumatic-actuated or otherwise actuated dosing valve may be used to dispense a dose of liquid cryogen from the nozzle mounted in the dosing head. A programmable change over point may be provided from discrete (pulsed) dosing to steady stream dosing.  
      The LCI-2000M liquid cryogen delivery system also includes a vacuum insulated liquid nitrogen reservoir which provides constant liquid pressure at the dosing head. A typical flow (consumption) rate of LN2 in the LCI-2000M liquid cryogen delivery system equipped with an nozzle arrangement of an embodiment of this invention generally may be about 3.5 to about 4.5 cubic feet per hour. The presence of an internal, self-generated gaseous cryogen purge feature along with self-regulating heaters in such a commercial liquid cryogen delivery system further helps to assure moisture intrusion and ice/frost accumulation is prevented from obstructing or clogging the dosing head nozzle. The nozzle configuration described herein accommodates, if optionally desired or needed, a slim profile dosing head including the above-noted nozzle, as used together with a flexible dosing arm, which allows for easier integration into lines with minimal space availability.  
      The use of nozzle design in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in a LCI-2000M liquid cryogen delivery system in lieu of a standard single port nitrogen dosing nozzle has been observed to significantly reduce product container anomalies at least approximately 85%, or even more, for hot-filled juice products bottled in 16.5 ounce aluminum “bottle cans”, which were dosed with liquid nitrogen immediately before capping. The inventive nozzle design allows for better control of internal container pressures and allows the factory to operate within a more consistent level of pressure that can be obtained using conventional nitrogen dosing nozzles.  
      For instance, in one embodiment, relatively uniform and consistent internal pressures ranging from approximately 14 to 20 psia may be provided within containers dosed with liquid nitrogen using a nozzle arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. These internal pressures are generally adequate for strengthening the container before typical capping and handling. By comparison, internal pressures vary much more widely in similar containers filled with conventional single port liquid nitrogen nozzle arrangements.  
      Although illustrations herein may refer to liquid nitrogen as the exemplified cryogen used, it will be appreciated that other liquefiable cryogens, such as liquefied argon gas, liquefied carbon dioxide, or mixtures thereof, also may be used, to the extent they have a suitable volatility and inertness to the material stored in the container being pressurized or inerted.  
      While the invention has been particularly described with specific reference to particular process and product embodiments, it will be appreciated that various alterations, modifications and adaptations may be based on the present disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.