Container Pump Cleaning Circuit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for cleaning container pumps with pump lances for flowable media are often complex, time-consuming, and prone to being overlooked, leading to contamination and damage, which increases maintenance costs and downtime.
Innovation Solution
A device that forms a fluidic cleaning circuit using a cleaning agent pumped between a cleaning agent tank and the conveyor unit, allowing for easy circulation and thorough cleaning of both the inside and outside of the pump lance, with features like an immersion tank, metering pump, and auxiliary pump to ensure effective cleaning without manual effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cleaning methods are used for container pumps, then cleaning can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The container pump cleans itself by circulating cleaning agent through its own pump lance and internal passages. The pump's existing circulation system is utilized to pump cleaning agent from the tank, through the pump lance, and back to the tank, eliminating the need for external cleaning equipment and manual disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning agent circulation system uses the pump's existing multi-functional capability to serve both product transfer and self-cleaning purposes. The same pump lance and circulation paths used for conveying products are utilized for cleaning, making the system versatile and eliminating dedicated cleaning equipment.
2Reliability
If thorough cleaning is performed manually, then contamination is reduced, but maintenance costs and downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning agent circulates continuously through the pump system, maintaining constant cleaning action throughout the pump lance and internal passages. This continuous circulation ensures thorough cleaning of all surfaces without requiring repeated manual interventions or system shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump performs self-cleaning during operational downtime or between product changes by circulating cleaning agent through its own system. This automated self-service cleaning ensures contamination prevention without requiring manual intervention, reducing both maintenance costs and operational downtime.
3Reliability
If cleaning agent circulation system is added, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system leverages the pump's existing multi-functional design, using the same pump lance and circulation paths for both product transfer and cleaning operations. This universality adds minimal complexity while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, as no dedicated cleaning-specific components are required.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning agent acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the cleaning process without requiring complex mechanical cleaning mechanisms. The cleaning agent circulates through the system, dissolving and removing contaminants, thereby simplifying the overall cleaning system architecture while maintaining effectiveness.
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 solution simplifies and enhances the cleaning process, reducing contamination risks and maintenance costs by allowing for thorough and efficient cleaning of both internal and external surfaces of the pump lance, minimizing downtime and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the pump lance (7) is inserted into an immersion tank (8) for the cleaning agent and the pump lance (7) pumps the cleaning agent out of the immersion tank (8)
Implementation Method 2
circulation within the resulting cleaning circuit begins. This circulation is achieved by the conveyor unit itself, which pumps the cleaning agent from the tank through itself and returns it to the tank
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Many conveying units for flowable media are used for products that are environmentally harmful and which, over time, corrode or accumulate within the conveying units, causing blockages. To prevent this, cleaning the conveying units is recommended, but this is an effort that is often avoided due to the associated costs. Against this background, the present invention aims to provide a device for cleaning conveying units (1, 2, 3) that is both simple and practically unattended. This is achieved via a cleaning circuit in which the conveying unit (1, 2, 3) to be cleaned is short-circuited with a cleaning agent tank (4), thus pumping a continuous circulation of cleaning agent through the conveying unit (1, 2, 3) and thereby cleaning it.