Container Pretreatment with Peroxide for Alkaline Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods in the brewery and dairy industries for repeatedly usable containers, which involve high temperatures and the use of peroxide in alkaline wash tanks, result in increased costs and difficulty in controlling peroxide consumption, leading to unsatisfactory cleaning effects and higher operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pretreatment step where containers are treated with a peroxide solution before being cleaned in an alkaline wash tank, allowing for controlled peroxide usage and reduced temperatures, thereby enhancing cleaning efficiency and lowering costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If peroxide is added directly in the alkaline wash tank for cleaning, then cleaning effect is improved, but peroxide consumption cannot be controlled and cleaning cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies peroxide pretreatment to containers before they enter the alkaline wash tank. This preliminary action removes organic soils and labels in advance, so that less or no peroxide is needed in the subsequent alkaline cleaning stage, achieving both good cleaning effect and controlled peroxide consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning process is divided into two separate stages: (1) peroxide-based pretreatment stage for removing organic contaminants and labels, and (2) alkaline cleaning stage for final washing. This segmentation allows each stage to use the most appropriate chemistry for its specific function, optimizing both effectiveness and chemical usage
2Productivity
If cleaning is conducted at high temperature (80-90°C), then cleaning rate is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (80-90°C) to lower temperature (35-45°C) cleaning. The peroxide pretreatment enables effective soil removal at these lower temperatures, maintaining cleaning quality while significantly reducing energy consumption for heating
3Use of energy by moving object
If cleaning is conducted at lower temperature (50-70°C) with peroxide in alkaline tank, then energy consumption is reduced, but peroxide decomposition increases and cleaning cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
Peroxide is applied as a pretreatment before the alkaline cleaning stage, not during it. This preliminary application allows peroxide to work on organic soils and labels at lower temperatures without the accelerating decomposition that occurs when peroxide is present in alkaline conditions, thereby reducing peroxide consumption and cost
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 achieves comparable or better cleaning effects while significantly reducing peroxide consumption and energy costs, with the alkaline wash tanks being substantially free of peroxide, thus lowering overall cleaning costs and improving operational safety.
Implementation Method 1
applying a pretreatment solution comprising peroxide to a container to be cleaned for pretreatment
Implementation Method 2
cleaning the pretreated container with a cleaning solution in the alkaline wash tank
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for pretreating a container and a method for cleaning a container and the device for carrying out such cleaning. The method for pretreating a container comprises, prior to conveying a container to be cleaned into an alkaline wash tank for cleaning, pretreating the container to be cleaned with an aqueous solution comprising a peroxide. By using the pretreatment method of present invention, an excellent cleaning effect is obtained, while the overall cost is lowered.