Bubble Flow Cleaning Method for Food Process Plants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods in the food and beverage industry are inefficient, requiring multiple processes and high consumption of cleaning agents, leading to long cleaning times and high energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the addition of a gaseous medium to a liquid cleaning medium to form a bubble or piston flow, which creates turbulence and effectively removes stubborn dirt, such as biofilms, reducing the number of cleaning processes and time required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple cleaning cycles are used to ensure thorough cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but cleaning time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the cleaning medium by introducing a two-phase gas-liquid flow system. The gas phase (compressed air) creates turbulence and bubbles that enhance the cleaning action, allowing single-cycle cleaning to achieve the same effectiveness that previously required multiple cycles. This parameter change enables the cleaning process to maintain high reliability while reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite cleaning medium consisting of gas and liquid phases combined in a specific ratio. This composite approach creates a synergistic effect where the gas provides mechanical agitation and turbulence while the liquid provides chemical cleaning action, achieving superior cleaning effectiveness in a single pass that eliminates the need for multiple cleaning cycles.
2Reliability
If conventional liquid cleaning methods are used, then equipment is cleaned, but consumption of cleaning agents and energy is very high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies pneumatic principles by introducing compressed air into the liquid cleaning medium, creating a two-phase flow system. The gas phase provides mechanical cleaning through bubble formation, turbulence, and pressure pulses that dislodge contaminants. This reduces reliance on large volumes of liquid cleaning agents while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, thereby reducing consumption of cleaning agents and associated energy requirements.
3Reliability
If gas-liquid mixture with gas as dominant component is used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but compressed air consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the phase distribution parameters by maintaining liquid as the dominant phase (higher volume fraction) rather than using gas-dominant mixtures. The liquid phase carries the cleaning chemicals and provides continuous contact with surfaces, while the dispersed gas bubbles provide enhanced mechanical agitation. This parameter optimization achieves effective cleaning with reduced compressed air consumption compared to gas-dominant systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes cleaning time by up to 50% and reduces compressed air usage, achieving effective cleaning with a dominant liquid phase, thereby improving efficiency and economy.
Implementation Method 1
For example, turbulence can occur in the cleaning flow generated by adding a gaseous medium to the liquid cleaning medium, which can create an additional mechanical cleaning effect and can also effectively remove stubborn contaminants, such as biofilms.
Implementation Method 2
the cleaning flow being able to flow through the parts of the process plant to be cleaned as a bubble flow, surge flow or piston bubble flow or piston flow
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for cleaning a process plant (400), in particular a process plant of the food and beverage industry, comprising: the addition of a gaseous medium (103) to a liquid cleaning medium (102) to form a cleaning flow (105) which flows as a bubble flow or piston bubble flow through the parts of the process plant to be cleaned.