Cleaning system for refrigeration or cooking appliances for food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of equipment for processing food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products, and in particular tunnels, cells, mixers, grinders, cookers, used for cooling or freezing or cooking such products.

[0002] As we know, quality and safety are the two watchwords of the agri-food sector. Prepared meals, or meals on the go, perfectly match modern lifestyles and represent one of the most promising sectors of the agri-food industry.

[0003] For example, ready meals have been criticized for poor ingredient quality. Today, the variety of compositions and the inventiveness of manufacturers pose new challenges. Total quality requires efficient solutions at every stage of the process, from preparation to packaging to freezing.

[0004] The quality departments of food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical manufacturers are in high demand by their management and certification bodies in order to reduce microbiological risks and risks linked to foreign bodies as much as possible.

[0005] At the same time, they are also vigilant about the deadlines for completion, but always keeping in mind the problem of avoiding any musculoskeletal disorders for staff.

[0006] Despite significant efforts by manufacturers to reduce water consumption and reuse or recycle all or part of the water used, these industries remain large consumers of water. Upstream, manufacturers are forced to undertake extensive treatment of their production water for the varied needs of their production. Downstream, they must treat a large quantity of effluent often laden with organic pollution and grease.

[0007] Water-saving processes are being developed. The goal is the same everywhere: to reduce the water footprint, in accordance with ISO 14046, which provides a framework and guidelines for assessing the water footprint of products, processes, and organizations.

[0008] Freezing / cooling equipment is cleaned after each production cycle. It is therefore important to ensure that this cleaning is carried out properly and with the fewest personnel, the least amount of effort, and in the shortest possible time.

[0009] Analyses conducted by specialized organizations have shown that cryogenic equipment is not a critical element in bacterial breeding grounds. Using this equipment at extremely low temperatures likely limits the spread of microorganisms. This equipment also does not suffer from the presence of biofilm. However, it is necessary to ensure that all food residues have been properly cleaned to avoid cross-contamination and create no risk of pathogen proliferation.

[0010] It should be noted, however, that some of these studies have highlighted the difficult accessibility of the space above the fans on the vault of the tunnels.

[0011] Among the existing cleaning solutions, we can mention the fact that some equipment is equipped with "washing ramps" which allow easy cleaning of the carpet but not of the entire enclosure.

[0012] There are also "washing balls" which are used on tank / vat type equipment, they are used by default in these places where human action is almost impossible.

[0013] There are also "wash arms" that require the use of pressurized water to rotate the arm, systems whose effectiveness depends on the number of arms present per m2 and the water pressure available to rotate the arm while maintaining an impact on the dirt.

[0014] According to the present invention, it is then desired to propose a new solution for washing such equipment, which, as will be seen in more detail below, is complementary to the use of the existing washing system, or even allows this system to be replaced or substituted.

[0015] As we will see, it is proposed to use the ventilation systems (fans) existing on this type of cooling / freezing equipment, or even cooking, in order to clean all or part of the internal enclosure of the equipment, whatever the equipment considered (tunnel, mixer, etc.).

[0016] Document DE-2616198A1 is known, which concerns a cooking process and which proposes to position below the blades of the cooking equipment fan, a ring equipped with nozzles for projecting a cleaning liquid, the nozzles for projecting the cleaning liquid being directed towards the fan blades.

[0017] The present invention aims in particular to provide solutions to the cleaning problems mentioned above, including by improving the solution proposed by the document DE above, the configuration of which, although interesting, proves to be insufficient as is clearly apparent to those skilled in the art, in particular with regard to the distribution of the cleaning fluid in the space internal to the equipment.

[0018] According to the invention, during the washing cycle, cleaning fluids pass through the ventilation system himself , whose fans are in operation. The centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan allows for a significant impact and a wide projection coverage.

[0019] For example, for a rotation speed of 1350 revolutions per minute, at the end of the blade a speed equivalent to 101 km / h is reached. This process allows the use of water, foaming products, disinfectants, at low pressures.

[0020] This impact speed significantly improves cleaning with reduced processing time and reduced water consumption.

[0021] For comparison, a traditional washing ball consumes 5 times more water than the system proposed according to the present invention.

[0022] Knowing that for convection reasons, freezing / cooling systems generally have one fan per m 2 < , a tunnel equipped according to the present invention will be comparable in terms of the number of cleaning nozzles to a washing tunnel according to the prior art.

[0023] And in particular the modification of the fan(s) of the system affects the very structure of these fans, it does not simply position the arrival of cleaning fluid between the fan and the space of the chamber, and it is thus proposed for example to carry out a drilling of the fan shaft to pass a fluid supply conduit therein, but it is more preferentially proposed to equip the fan with a disc for receiving the cleaning fluid and for distributing this fluid by centrifugal effect.

[0024] The invention then relates to equipment for cooling or freezing or cooking food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products, equipment which is provided with a ventilation system comprising at least one fan, and also provided with a system for washing the enclosure internal to the equipment using cleaning fluids, where at least one of the fans has been modified to allow cleaning fluids to pass through the fan, the fan in operation then allowing the cleaning fluids to be projected into the enclosure, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan generating an impact and a projection coverage of the fluids allowing either to provide a cleaning action supplement to that obtained using the existing washing system or to provide a cleaning action replacing that of the existing washing system, in accordance with claim 1 below.

[0025] According to the invention, the cleaning fluid is conveyed in one or more independent pipes (typically one to four, for example one or two), extending in parallel with the shaft, along the fan shaft, their end opening above a distribution disc, a disc positioned around the shaft, and integral with this shaft, between the end of said pipes and the fan blades, this disc being able to be smooth or have specific shapes (as in the Figure 4 attached), in order to be able, in particular via its centrifugal effect, to project the fluid above or even below the disc (disc which also rotates), in order to project the cleaning fluid into the internal enclosure of the equipment and in particular to cover an optimal surface of the internal enclosure.

[0026] According to one of the advantageous embodiments of the invention, compressed air is injected before and after a cleaning cycle into the cleaning product inlet of the fan(s) concerned, in order to avoid freezing the water in the liquid circuit.

[0027] This compressed air can be injected in pulses, fan by fan, or on all fans simultaneously. There Figure 1 attached provides an example of a fan commonly used in freezing tunnels. The Figure 2 provides a partial schematic view of a comparative mode using projection nozzles connected to the fan hub. The Figure 3 provides a partial schematic view of a comparative mode using tubes pierced with holes connected to the fan hub. The Figure 4provides a partial schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention using a distribution disc as developed above. The Figure 5 provides a partial schematic view of a comparative mode implementing a T below the fan blades, T on which two drilled tubes P1 and P2 have been mounted.

[0028] View a) of the figure 4 provides an example of 4 cleaning fluid supply pipes surrounding the central shaft of the fan, while view b) allows a partial and schematic view of two of these supply pipes opening above the distribution disc (ejection), positioned between the end of the pipes and the final blades of the fan. View c) provides an example of a distribution disc, having fin shapes along the periphery of the disc, particularly advantageous for projecting the liquid above and below the disc.

[0029] The present invention also relates to a method for cleaning the internal enclosure of equipment for cooling, freezing, or cooking food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical products, equipment which is provided with a ventilation system comprising at least one fan, and also provided with a system for washing the enclosure internal to the equipment using cleaning fluids, characterized in that at least one of the fans has been modified to allow cleaning fluids to pass through the fan, the fan in operation then allowing the cleaning fluids to be projected into the enclosure,the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan generating an impact and a projection coverage of the fluids allowing either to provide a cleaning action complementary to that obtained using the existing washing system or to provide a cleaning action replacing that of the existing washing system, and in that an injection of compressed air is carried out before and after a cleaning cycle, in the arrival of cleaning products of the fan(s) concerned, this in order not to freeze the water in the liquid circuit.,

[0030] This compressed air can be injected in pulses, fan by fan, or on all fans simultaneously.

Claims

1. System for washing the internal enclosure of equipment for cooling or freezing or cooking food products, cosmetic products or pharmaceutical products, which equipment is provided with a ventilation system comprising at least one fan, washing being carried out by means of cleaning fluids, wherein at least one of the fans of the equipment has been modified to allow cleaning fluids to pass through the fan, the fan in operation then allowing the cleaning fluids to be sprayed into the enclosure, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan generating an impact and a spraying coverage of the fluids, making it possible either to provide a supplemental cleaning action to that obtained by means of the existing washing system or to provide a cleaning action substituting that of the existing washing system, characterized in that, for at least one of the modified fans, the modification comprises one or more independent ducts, extending parallel to the shaft, along the shaft of the fan, their end opening out above a distribution disc, which disc is positioned around the shaft and secured to the shaft, between the end of said ducts and the fan blades, this disc being able to be smooth or to have specific shapes, the cleaning fluid being able to be conveyed within the independent duct(s), the disc being capable, in particular via its centrifugal effect, of spraying the fluid above or even also below the disc.

2. Method for cleaning the internal enclosure of equipment for cooling or freezing or cooking food products, cosmetic products or pharmaceutical products, which equipment is provided with a ventilation system comprising at least one fan, and also provided with a system for washing the internal enclosure of the equipment by means of cleaning fluids according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of the fans of the equipment has been modified to allow cleaning fluids to pass through the fan, the fan in operation then allowing the cleaning fluids to be sprayed into the enclosure, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan generating an impact and a spraying coverage of the fluids, making it possible either to provide a supplemental cleaning action to that obtained by means of the existing washing system or to provide a cleaning action substituting that of the existing washing system, characterized in that compressed air is injected, before and after a cleaning cycle, into the cleaning product inlet of the fan(s) in question, in order not to frost the water in the liquid circuit.