Tunnel Dishwasher Load Detection for Adaptive Water and Nozzle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor dishwashers often waste water and resources when not fully loaded, leading to operator loss of control over the cleaning process and reduced efficiency in hygienization due to automatic parameter adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a sensor system to detect item loading and a controller that adjusts operating modes, such as nozzle activation and transport speed, to optimize resource use without losing operator control, by suggesting and confirming the most efficient operating parameters based on current and expected loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If automatic parameter adjustments are made based on loading detection, then resource consumption is reduced, but operator control over the cleaning process is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect item presence on the conveyor belt and provides real-time feedback to the control unit. The control unit automatically adjusts operating parameters (transport speed, nozzle activation) based on this feedback, enabling resource-saving operation while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through continuous monitoring and adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device monitors its own loading condition via sensors and automatically adjusts its operating parameters without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by detecting empty belt sections and reducing water consumption, transport speed, and nozzle activation automatically, freeing the operator from manual parameter adjustment while maintaining control through automated decision-making.
2Reliability
If the transport speed is reduced to improve cleaning quality, then cleaning effectiveness increases, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport speed is made dynamically adjustable based on real-time loading conditions. When items are detected on the conveyor belt, the system automatically reduces transport speed to ensure adequate cleaning contact time. When the belt is empty or lightly loaded, the speed increases to maintain productivity. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between cleaning quality and throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit changes operating parameters (transport speed, nozzle activation) based on detected loading conditions. When items are present, the system switches to a lower speed mode with full nozzle activation for effective cleaning. When the belt is empty, it switches to a higher speed mode to maintain productivity, thus adapting parameters to current operational requirements.
3Reliability
If nozzles are activated continuously to ensure complete coverage, then cleaning coverage is maintained, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle system is divided into multiple independently controllable nozzle units corresponding to different sections of the conveyor belt. The control unit activates only those nozzle units that correspond to sections where items are detected by sensors. This localized activation ensures complete cleaning coverage of loaded sections while avoiding water waste on empty sections, resolving the contradiction between coverage and consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of activating all nozzles continuously, the system applies partial action by activating only the necessary subset of nozzles corresponding to loaded sections. This partial activation is sufficient to maintain cleaning coverage where needed while significantly reducing overall water consumption on empty or lightly loaded sections of the belt.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning articles to be cleaned is proposed, in particular a tunnel dishwashing machine. The cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning chamber and at least one conveying device, wherein the conveying device is set up to convey the articles to be cleaned in a conveying direction through the cleaning chamber. The cleaning apparatus comprises at least one nozzle system for acting upon the articles to be cleaned with at least one cleaning fluid. The cleaning apparatus additionally comprises at least one sensor for the articles to be cleaned which is set up in order to detect a loading of the conveying device with articles to be cleaned. The cleaning apparatus additionally comprises at least one control means and at least one displaying means. The control means is set up in order to select at least one operating mode of the cleaning apparatus corresponding to the detected loading of the conveying device with the items to be cleaned and to propose the selected operating mode by means of the displaying device to a user of the cleaning apparatus.