Steam Cleaning System for Layer Pad Sanitization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to efficiently clean and sanitize layer pads or containers used in stacking products, particularly in the food industry, leading to contamination risks and inefficiencies in reusing these materials.
Innovation Solution
A system employing high-temperature steam cleaning, combined with a conveyor and inspection process, to sanitize and dry layer pads or containers, ensuring they are clean and free of contamination, while also sorting them for reuse or disposal based on cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-temperature steam cleaning is used to sanitize layer pads, then cleanliness and contamination prevention are improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cleaning process into separate functional stations: a steam cleaning station with steam generators positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor, a drying station with air knives, and an inspection station. Each station performs a specific cleaning function independently, allowing the system to achieve thorough sanitization while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor system serves multiple functions: it transports layer pads through the cleaning process, positions them for steam treatment from both sides, facilitates drying, and enables inspection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate handling mechanisms, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high cleanliness standards.
2Reliability
If high-temperature steam cleaning is used to sanitize layer pads, then contamination prevention is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The steam cleaning system operates by periodically introducing steam from generators positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor as layer pads pass through. This periodic steam application, rather than continuous heating, reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining effective contamination prevention during the cleaning phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation by having multiple steam generators and a continuous conveyor, ensuring that cleaning action is always available without interruption. This continuous useful action improves contamination prevention while energy consumption is managed through efficient steam generation and immediate application, minimizing heat loss.
3Productivity
If automated conveying and inspection systems are used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The layer pads are designed to be self-sufficient during the cleaning process - they maintain their structural integrity, positioning, and orientation without requiring complex external manipulation. The conveyor system simply transports them through the cleaning stations, and the pads themselves cooperate with the cleaning mechanism, reducing the complexity of handling devices while maintaining high productivity.
4Reliability
If multiple steam treating units are used to clean both sides of layer pads, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is segmented into multiple independent steam treating units positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor, each capable of cleaning one side of the layer pad. This segmentation allows each unit to be relatively simple in design while the combination of units achieves comprehensive cleaning effectiveness on both sides of the pads.
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 system effectively sanitizes and dries layer pads or containers at a high rate, reducing contamination risks and enabling their safe reuse, while minimizing product damage and waste, and facilitating the removal of noncompliant items.
Implementation Method 1
The steam cleaning station is connected to a steam generator for providing steam of at least 160 degrees F. to produce temperatures on the surfaces of the layer pad of 160 degrees F. for a desired period of time
Implementation Method 2
The drying station removes excess moisture on the pads after the cleaning process through, for example, the operation of one or more air knives and/or with multiple consecutive wiper sections
Data Source
AI summary
The invention comprises a steam cleaning system that can rapidly handle multiple objects in an efficient and useful way. For example, objects used for shipping or moving food products in the food manufacturing or food services industries must either be new, clean and used once and then discarded, or re-used and thus cleaned to ensure no contamination is present. Layer pad objects or other separating surfaces are often used in these industries and often when these objects are used in stacking and pelletizing large shipments of food products, where the payer pad or other separating or container objects or surfaces help contain or maintain the integrity of the food products during shipment. In an important aspect of the invention, a plastic layer pad cleaning system is described. In other aspects, other surfaces, containers, or other separating objects used in shipping or distribution or food products are efficiently cleaned using a steam cleaning and conveying system. The system can comprise a steam generator, one or more steam cleaning units where optionally an individual object or layer pad is cleaned one at a time, one or more drying units, and specialized conveying and holding units for moving objects through a cleaning apparatus, and then subsequently drying and handling or storing the objects for future use.