Warewasher Blower Dryer With Multi-Path Air Intake for Adaptive Drying
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial warewashers face challenges in maintaining optimal drying conditions due to varying air temperature and humidity requirements for different wares, while also avoiding overheating and excessive heat addition to the environment.
Innovation Solution
A blower dryer system with multiple air intake paths from ambient, internal, and machine exhaust air flow paths, allowing for selective and automatic adjustment to achieve desired output air characteristics, such as temperature, airflow rate, and humidity, using a combination of sensors and control valves to balance intake flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature air is used for drying, then drying efficiency is improved, but wares may become too hot for handling and excessive heat is added to the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the proportion of hot air from the exhaust flow path versus ambient air from the room air flow path based on real-time temperature sensing. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize drying efficiency while preventing overheating of wares and excessive heat addition to the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the drying air by blending hot exhaust air with cooler ambient air. By adjusting the mixing ratio, the system achieves optimal drying temperature that prevents ware overheating while maintaining effective drying performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different air temperatures are used for different wares, then drying quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides universal adaptability to different ware types and sizes through a single multi-functional air intake system that can blend ambient air and exhaust air in varying proportions. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple separate drying systems while maintaining optimal drying conditions for diverse wares.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature sensors to monitor air temperature and provides feedback to the control mechanism, which adjusts the air mixing ratio accordingly. This feedback loop enables automatic adaptation to different drying requirements without manual intervention or complex programming.
3Productivity
If sufficient air flow is blown over wares, then drying and sheeting action are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potentially wasted hot air from the machine exhaust flow path into a useful resource for the drying process. By capturing and reusing this exhaust air, the system reduces the need for additional heating and maintains effective drying air flow without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers heat energy from the exhaust air flow that would otherwise be discarded. This recovered thermal energy is reused in the drying process, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining sufficient air flow for effective drying and sheeting action.
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 approach enables adaptable drying conditions for different types and sizes of wares, ensuring they are not overheated while optimizing energy usage and maintaining ambient temperature, thus enhancing the efficiency and safety of the warewashing process.
Implementation Method 1
a downstream drying zone including a blower for blowing air onto wares passing therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A warewash machine for washing wares includes a chamber for receiving wares, the chamber having at least one wash zone with an associated spray system for spraying liquid onto wares passing therethrough, wherein a downstream drying zone includes a blower for blowing air onto wares passing therethrough. The blower includes an ambient intake operatively connected to an ambient air flow path, a machine intake operatively connected to an internal machine air flow path and an exhaust intake operatively connected to a machine exhaust air flow path.