Dishwasher Sorption Drying for Reduced Water and Ambient Moisture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial dishwashers face issues with continued water discharge during the drying phase, high fresh water and final-rinse liquid consumption, and increased moisture levels in the ambient air due to the high volume flow of drying air, which affects temperature conditions and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher system that combines a fresh water final-rinse phase with a steam final-rinse phase, using a sorption unit with reversibly dehydratable dry material to reduce water consumption and recirculate drying air, eliminating the need for a high-outlay drying-channel system and minimizing moisture discharge into the ambient air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a high volume flow of air (25 to 100 m³ per hour) is used for drying wash items in commercial dishwashers, then drying speed is improved, but moisture content in the ambient air increases causing condensation on cool boundary surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
A drying channel is introduced as an intermediary component between the treatment chamber and the ambient air. The drying channel receives the high volume flow of moisture-laden drying air, allows condensation to occur within its walls, and discharges the cooled, dehumidified air into the ambient area, thereby preventing condensation on boundary surfaces while maintaining high drying speed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transition of water vapor to liquid water through condensation in the drying channel. The moisture-laden drying air undergoes cooling and condensation as it passes through the drying channel walls, transforming water vapor into liquid condensate that is collected and discharged, thereby reducing moisture content before ambient discharge
2Manufacturing precision
If fresh water final-rinse system is used to remove detergent solution from wash items, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but fresh water consumption increases to 2.4 to 3.5 liters per cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The invention recovers and reuses the wash water that has already been used for washing. The wash water is pumped from the wash tank, heated to a suitable temperature, and reused as final-rinse liquid, thereby recovering valuable thermal energy and reducing fresh water consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the wash water by heating it to an appropriate temperature range for final rinsing. This parameter change enables the wash water to effectively remove detergent solution from wash items, achieving cleaning effectiveness comparable to fresh water while reducing water consumption
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 significantly reduces water and energy consumption, improves drying quality, especially for plastic items, and prevents undesirable moisture increase in the ambient air, while maintaining effective cleaning results.
Implementation Method 1
a sorption unit (41) having a reversibly dehydratable dry material, wherein during a drying phase at least a part of the air circulating in the treatment chamber (2) is led through the sorption unit (41) and is subsequently fed back to the treatment chamber (2)
Implementation Method 2
a steam final-rinse system for generating steam and for introducing the steam into the treatment chamber (2) during a steam final-rinse phase
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a dishwasher (1) configured as a program-operated machine and to a method for operating such a dishwasher (1). In order to be able to reduce the fresh water quantity or final-rinse liquid quantity necessary to clean wash items without hereby impairing the effectiveness of the cleaning of the wash items, it is provided that, during an adsorption phase, air is led out of the treatment chamber (2) of the machine (1) through a sorption unit (41) such that moisture is absorbed from the air flow by a dry material, after which the air is fed back to the treatment chamber (2). It is further provided that, during a desorption phase, the dry material is heated and air is led out of the treatment chamber (2) through the heated dry material such that moisture is desorbed from the dry material and at least a part of the desorbed moisture is discharged as steam from the sorption unit (41). As claimed in the invention, at least a part of the steam discharged from the sorption unit (41) is led into the treatment chamber (2) during a steam final-rinse phase.