Dual-Zone Cleaning Module for Automated Milk System Hygiene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milk system cleaning methods for beverage makers are inefficient, requiring significant time, water, and risk unintentional contamination, lacking effective monitoring, and prone to errors due to the use of a single mixture container for cleaning and rinsing.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning module with two zones for fresh water and cleaning agent, allowing for automated, stepwise concentration of cleaning solutions and independent fluid control, including a heating element for efficient cleaning and monitoring via conductance sensors to ensure hygiene standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single mixture container is used for both cleaning agent storage and rinsing fluid storage, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning time increases and water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single mixture container is divided into two separate containers: a first container for storing cleaning agent and a second container for storing rinsing fluid. This segmentation allows independent operation of each container, enabling the rinsing fluid to be prepared and stored separately while the cleaning agent remains in its container, thus reducing cleaning time without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rinsing fluid is prepared and stored in advance in the second container before the cleaning operation begins. This preliminary action allows the system to skip the time-consuming step of preparing rinsing fluid during the cleaning cycle, as it is already ready in the second container, thereby reducing overall cleaning time.
2Device complexity
If a single mixture container is used for both cleaning agent storage and rinsing fluid storage, then the device complexity is reduced, but the water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the cleaning agent storage and rinsing fluid storage into different containers, the system can precisely control the amount of rinsing fluid used. The second container can be sized appropriately for the required rinsing volume, avoiding the excessive water consumption that would occur in a single large container system that must accommodate both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the concentration parameter of the cleaning solution by controlling the mixing ratio between cleaning agent from the first container and rinsing fluid from the second container. This allows optimization of water consumption by using the minimum necessary amount of rinsing fluid to achieve the required cleaning effect, rather than using excessive water in a single container system.
3Device complexity
If no monitoring system is implemented, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of cleaning process decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A monitoring system is implemented that detects parameters such as fluid levels in the first and second containers, temperature of the cleaning solution, and cleaning cycle progress. This feedback information is provided to the control unit, which can automatically adjust the cleaning process to ensure reliable cleaning results while maintaining reasonable device complexity through integrated sensing and control.
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
The method reduces cleaning time, conserves resources, prevents milk contamination, and ensures reproducible results by using a dual-zone cleaning module with automated fluid control and monitoring, enabling effective cleaning of milk systems without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
circuit rinsing of the milk system, cleaning fluid being withdrawn from the second zone, being heated by means of a heating device and being led back into the chamber
Implementation Method 2
extraction pump connected thereto
Data Source
AI summary
Method of cleaning of a milk system with dispensing device, which system is associated with a beverage maker, including a control unit and a cleaning module. The method includes the following steps: replacing a milk container of the milk system with the cleaning module, including at least two zones, cleaning fluid being filled in a first zone and in a second zone, and a cleaning agent being filled in a chamber; connecting the first zone and the second zone with docking units of the milk system for suctioning cleaning fluid, conveying the cleaning fluid through the milk system and at least partial recirculation of the cleaning fluid in the cleaning module; rinsing of the milk system with cleaning fluid, cleaning fluid being conveyed through the milk system out of the first zone and/or out of the second zone of the cleaning module and being led out; rinsing of the circuit of the milk system, cleaning fluid being extracted from the second zone, being heated by a heating device and being led back into the chamber, whereby it reaches the second zone via a fluid-conductive connection; terminating the circuit rinsing, cleaning fluid being led out and a valve device of the second zone being closed when the filling level of cleaning fluid in the second zone drops below a predetermined level; and final rinsing of the milk system with cleaning fluid from the first zone. Furthermore a device for carrying out the method is described.