Composition and method for continuous or intermittent removal of soil from recirculated washing solution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Low water dishmachines face increased soil accumulation due to reduced water usage, leading to filming on cleaned ware and inefficiencies in removing smaller suspended food particles, which existing hydrocyclones are not effective at handling.
Innovation Solution
A method combining a flocculating agent with a hydrocyclone to agglomerate food soil particles, increasing their density, allowing the hydrocyclone to effectively separate them from the recirculated water, thereby reducing soil concentration and improving water quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If water usage is reduced in dishmachines, then water consumption is lowered, but soil accumulation in the sump increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes food soil particles from the recirculated wash solution using a hydrocyclone separator. The hydrocyclone continuously separates and removes suspended food particles from the wash water, preventing soil accumulation even when water usage is reduced. This extraction mechanism enables low-water operation by actively managing soil removal.
2Loss of substance
If recirculated wash solution is used, then water consumption is reduced, but filming on ware occurs due to soil accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements continuous soil removal through the hydrocyclone separator, which operates continuously during the wash cycle. This continuous action maintains the quality of recirculated wash water by constantly removing suspended particles, preventing the degradation that leads to filming on ware. The continuous separation ensures recirculated water remains effective for cleaning throughout the cycle.
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 significantly enhances the efficiency of hydrocyclone separation, reducing food soil levels in dishmachine sumps by up to 90% and minimizing water consumption by recycling cleaner water, effectively addressing the challenges of soil accumulation and water usage in low water dishmachines.
Implementation Method 1
The flocculating agent causes the food soil particles to agglomerate into particles having a density greater than at least some of the food soil particles
Implementation Method 2
separating the agglomerated food soil particles from the recirculated solution of the dishmachine using a hydrocyclone. The particles are separated based on a density of the agglomerated food soil particles
Data Source
AI summary
A method of removing food soils from a recirculated washing solution includes adding a flocculating agent to the recirculated washing solution and separating the particulates from the recirculated washing solution using a hydrocyclone. The flocculating agent causes a portion of the food soils to combine into particulates having a higher density.