Container Cleaning Apparatus Return Line Dilution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning systems for containers, particularly beverage bottles, face inefficiencies in resource utilization, as the recirculation of cleaning liquids dilutes the cleaning solution in upstream stations, leading to suboptimal cleaning and increased resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
The direct return of cleaner cleaning liquid from subsequent cleaning processes into the supply line of previous stations, with a return line that opens upstream of the pump and includes a filter, significantly increases the dilution ratio, ensuring a cleaner cleaning solution is used throughout the process, improving the breakdown of alkalinity and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If water is recirculated via overflow plate between collecting containers in a cascade manner, then water consumption is reduced, but the degree of dilution of cleaning liquid is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the water recirculation path into two distinct routes: a cascade overflow path between collecting containers and a direct return path from the supply line. This segmentation allows the direct return path to deliver cleaner water directly to the spray nozzle, achieving higher dilution effectiveness while the cascade path continues to provide overall water conservation.
Solution Approach 2:
A return line with a return opening is introduced as an intermediary element that directly connects the supply line to the spray nozzle system. This intermediary bypasses the collecting container overflow system, allowing cleaner recirculated water to directly enhance the cleaning solution without being mixed with the larger volume of water in the collecting containers.
2Productivity
If recirculated water is returned to previous cleaning stations, then resource utilization improves, but the cleaning liquid becomes diluted with less effective cleaning agents
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality levels of recirculated water to different locations: cleaner water from the supply line return opening is directed to the spray nozzle for immediate cleaning effectiveness, while the cascade overflow system handles bulk water recirculation. This local quality differentiation ensures that the most effective cleaning locations receive the highest quality recirculated water.
Solution Approach 2:
The return opening in the supply line introduces cleaner recirculated water into the system before the spray nozzle, allowing this pre-treated water to immediately contribute to cleaning effectiveness. This preliminary action ensures that the cleaning solution has optimal composition before contacting the containers.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a large volume of cleaning liquid is circulated in the collecting container, then the system can operate continuously, but the dilution effect of returned cleaner liquid is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation through the cascade overflow recirculation between collecting containers while simultaneously maintaining high dilution effectiveness through the continuous direct return of cleaner water from the supply line. Both functions operate continuously and simultaneously without interfering with each other.
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 results in a more effective utilization of cleaning liquids, enhancing the cleaning process by maintaining a cleaner solution and improving the cooling and alkalinity reduction of containers, while reducing resource consumption.
Implementation Method 1
A filter ensures that coarse dirt can be filtered out of the collecting container
Implementation Method 2
The direct return of cleaner cleaning liquid of a subsequent cleaning process directly into the supply line for spraying the containers in a previous cleaning process leads to a significantly greater degree of dilution of the cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 3
the alkalinity remaining from a previous lye treatment is broken down better
Implementation Method 4
the containers are cooled more effectively after hot water treatment
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The device (1) has a spraying device (7) for cleaning agent i.e. fresh water, and a conveying device (3) for conveying a container (2) in a predetermined conveying direction (F) through a set of cleaning stations (4) arranged in series. Each cleaning station includes a supply line (6) for supplying the cleaning agent to the spraying device. A return device (12) transfers the used agent from the cleaning station succeeding in the conveying direction into a preceding cleaning station. The return device includes return lines (12.1-12.3) terminating in the supply line for the spraying device.