ES2606696T3 - Conveyor type dishwasher machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor or tunnel-type dishwashing machine comprising: - at least one rinse zone (R), in which one or more rinse arms (1) are located, which spray the dishes with water that is optionally added to the rinse agents, - at least one pre-rinse zone (PR), in which one or more pre-rinse arms (2, 3) are located, which spray the plates with recirculating liquid containing agents of rinsing and detergent residues by means of a first pump (P1), - at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2), which is located below at least one of said rinsing and pre-rinsing arms (1, 2, 3), - one or more washing areas (L1), with respective one or more washing tanks (V1), in which one or more washing arms (5) are located, which spray the dishes with a recirculation liquid, which comes from a respective washing tank (V1), which is added to a detergent and supplied ra to said washing arms (5) by means of a corresponding additional pump (PL), - at least one drying zone, configured to evaporate the water from the dishes by means of a flow of hot air coming from the outside and which it is directed towards a passage zone of said plates, - said at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2) and said one or more washing tanks (V1) being connected to each other through a settling system, so that said tanks are filled with liquid one after another, starting from said at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2) of said rinse and pre-rinse zones, wherein said first pump (P1), which is connected to said arms pre-rinse (2, 3), has a first flow passage (16), provided with at least one valve or limiter (17), through which a part of liquid contained inside said at least one tank flows collection (VR1, VR2), said part of the liquid being sent to a pre-wash zone or (L2) or to a discharge duct (SC) of said dishwashing machine, characterized in that said liquid part is sent to a heat exchanger (7) of the drying zone, and from there, through the inside of a second flow duct (18), which flows into said pre-wash zone (L2) or into said discharge duct (SC) of said dishwasher machine.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Conveyor type dishwasher

The present invention generally relates to a dishwasher type conveyor machine (also known as "tunnel dishwasher").

More particularly, the invention relates to a dishwasher machine of professional and / or industrial conveyor type (which is used, for example, in restaurants, hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.), in which the objects to be they must be washed sequentially through certain areas, said areas being constituted by one or more pre-washing zones, one or more washing zones, one or more rinse zones and one or more drying zones.

Known professional dishwashers typically employ one or more wash nozzles that are arranged inside a washing chamber or tank and that are connected to pumps for the supply of water from the water plant, one or more baskets or fixed shelves , sliding or rotating for the placement of the utensils to be washed, and one or more removable trays, containing detergents, rinsing agents and / or other cleaning agents and / or disinfectants.

For example, in the German patent application DE102011083179A1 a dishwasher type conveyor machine is disclosed which has the technical features of the preamble of claim 1 attached.

As schematized in the diagram of Figure 1 attached hereto, which shows a schematic drawing of a dishwasher machine of known conveyor type, the drinking water is loaded into the pre-wash tanks L2, in the wash tanks L1 and in the rinse tanks R, starting with the rinse zone R in which the injector 10 is located.

Water passes through the rinse zone, the VR1 rinse tanks, the V1 wash tanks and the V2 pre-wash tanks by means of a settling system.

In practice, the injector 10 fills the pre-rinse tank VR1, and when the water has reached a certain level inside the pre-rinse tank VR1 begins to fill the wash tank V1; when two or more wash tanks are provided, said wash tanks, which are connected by means of said decanting system, are filled one after another until they reach the pre-wash tank V2 fno.

Similar to the loading of the different tanks mentioned above, during the operation of the dishwasher, the decantation of water takes place in a direction opposite to the direction of transport of the dishes; said decantation phase makes it possible to regenerate the washing tank V1 and the pre-washing tank V2 with the water introduced inside the dishwasher in the rinse zone R.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, which show two embodiments of a known dishwashing machine, the dishes that are introduced into the dishwasher pass, first, through a pre-wash area or area fno L2 having a tank wash V2, in which said dishes are wetted, by means of the washing pump PL and the arms 6, with a recirculation liquid (water) at a temperature of approximately 45 ° C.

It is preferred to keep said maximum temperature value to avoid that food debris, such as cheese, sticks to the dishes, thus making it difficult to eliminate them; in fact, said pre-washing phase is executed when it is believed that the food remains mentioned above may remain in the dishes.

After the liquid decanting phase mentioned above, the liquid (water) from the washing areas (for example L1), which is at a temperature above 45 ° C and, consequently, raises the temperature of the Liquid contained in the pre-wash tank V2 flows regularly to the inside of the pre-wash tank V2 fno, which is provided with a f2 surface filter.

Therefore, according to the prior art, in order to maintain the temperature at values below 45 ° C, low temperature water is introduced, which is supplied from the pipes, for example through the injector 13, to the inside of the dishwasher by means of appropriate conduit filters f1, solenoid valves EL1, EL2, EL4 and flow switches FL.

Subsequently, the dishes are transported to one or more washing areas or areas L1, each provided with a special tank V1 with a surface filter F2, in which they are wetted, through the PL pump and by means of the arms 5, with a recirculation liquid (water) in which a cleaning substance is added; in the washing zones L1 the liquid temperature is always preferably greater than 50 ° C.

The plates are then passed through a rinse zone or area R, in which the cleaning substance or detergent is removed; the rinsing phase takes place when the dishes are wetted, by means of the pre-rinse pump P1 and a possible rinse pump (which can be a proportional type pump) P2 (which takes water from an intermediate tank or of separation 12), and by means of the arms 2 of a first phase of pre

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rinsing, of possible arms 3 of a second pre-rinsing phase and of arms 1 of a final rinsing phase.

The pre-rinse arms 2, 3 are supplied with a recirculation liquid that comes from the VR1 tank of the pre-rinse area PR, while the rinse arms 1 are supplied with water from the pipes with a rinse agent added at a temperature of approximately 85 ° C.

It is also possible to carry out a phase according to which the dishes are introduced into a drying area or area, whose purpose is to evaporate the water from the dishes by means of a stream of hot air that also comes from the outside and that is directs towards the drying zone by means of a fan 8 and a housing 9 provided with heating elements or resistors 9a and an outlet duct 9b.

As described previously, the stages of liquid decantation that take place between the different tanks, although they make possible the regeneration of the contents of the washing tanks V1 and the pre-washing tanks V2, involve the need to add a certain amount of detergent, proportional to the amount of liquid that is supplied inside the tank; In any case, the adequate compromise between the need for regeneration of tanks V1, V2 and the need to save detergent is already achieved by arranging that, according to known embodiments, a part of the liquid collected in the rinse tank VR1 ( at a temperature of approximately 60 ° C) to the inside of the pre-wash tank V2, through the injector 4 and without allowing said liquid part to enter inside the washing tanks V1.

In addition, if the pre-wash zone L2 is not present, the liquid is sent to the discharge duct SC, possibly by means of the discharge valve SV or through an evacuation pump.

In any case, as previously mentioned, as a result of the liquid decantation stages that take place between the tanks, in order to make it possible for the liquid to regenerate, the liquid from the wash tanks, at a temperature per above 45 ° C in order to raise the temperature of the liquid contained in the pre-wash tank, it flows continuously into the pre-wash tank fno.

Because, as mentioned, the pre-wash liquid has to maintain a temperature below 45 ° C, in order to carry out an effective removal of food debris, the low temperature water from the Water pipes are normally introduced, through a special injector, into the pre-wash zone.

The above procedure, however, results in considerable water consumption, which, together with the significant consumption of electrical energy that is necessary for the supply of the drying system, determines an obvious disadvantage in terms of efficient use of the dishwasher

An objective of the present invention is, therefore, to overcome the known disadvantages mentioned above and, in particular, a main objective of the invention is the provision of a dishwasher type conveyor that makes it possible to wash a large variety of dishes with low energy consumption, water and cleaning agents.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a dishwasher type conveyor machine that is particularly efficient and reliable, as well as functioning in compliance with environmental and energy standards.

These and other objectives, which will be more evident throughout the course of the description, are achieved by means of a dishwasher type conveyor machine with low consumption of energy, water, detergents and rinsing agents according to the attached claim 1; other technical features of the invention are specified in greater detail in the dependent claims.

Advantageously, the dishwasher type conveyor machine that is the object of the present invention, makes it possible to wash the dishes efficiently and has, at the same time, very low consumption of water, electric energy and cleaning agents, with respect to to the known dishwasher type conveyor machines that are still used.

In addition, the dishwashing machine according to the invention has a very low consumption of water and energy with respect to the prior art, for an equal load and wash cycles, and still obtains a good washing result, thanks to the extended temporary action of the water and cleaning agents or detergents.

The above objectives and advantages, as well as other objectives and advantages, will be more apparent from the following description, which refers to preferred embodiments of the dishwasher type conveyor of the invention, and from the accompanying drawings, in the that:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a dishwasher type machine

conveyor, according to the prior art;

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- Figure 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a dishwasher type conveyor, according to the prior art;

- Figure 3 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a dishwasher type conveyor, according to the present invention;

- Figure 4 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a dishwasher type conveyor, according to the present invention.

First, it should be noted that the reference numbers used in Figures 3 and 4 are the same reference numbers as Figures 1 and 2 when referring to elements that have the same structure and the same function.

With particular reference to Figure 3, which refers to a first embodiment of the dishwasher type conveyor according to the present invention, said machine comprises:

- one or more rinse zones R, in which the final rinse arms 1 are provided to wet the dishes with clean water added to the rinse or cleaning agents, at a temperature of approximately 85 ° C, through the pump P2 and the injector 10, which, in a phase of filling the tanks, introduce clean water from the water pipes, at a temperature ranging between 5 ° C and 80 ° C, through the conduction filter F1 and solenoid valve EL1;

- one or more PR pre-rinse zones, in which the pre-rinse arms 2 are provided to wet the dishes with recirculation liquid (water + brighteners + detergent residues), at a temperature of approximately 62 ° C;

- a collection tank VR1, located below the rinse zone R and the pre-rinse zone PR, and below the respective arms 1, 2;

- one or more washing areas L1, provided with respective washing tanks V1 having a surface filter F2, in which the washing arms 5 are provided to wet the dishes with a recirculation liquid that is added to a detergent , at a temperature greater than 50 ° C (and approximately equal to 62 ° C), and which comes from the respective tank V1 and is supplied to the arms 5 by means of a corresponding PL pump;

- one or more pre-wash areas L2, provided with a respective tank V2, in which the dishes are wetted, to

through the arms 6, with a recirculation liquid that comes from the tank V2 and is supplied to the arms 6 by means of a corresponding PL pump, at a maximum temperature of 45 ° C;

- one or more drying areas for drying dishes, which are eventually provided with a

suction element or a blower 15, whose purpose is to evaporate the water from the dishes by means of a stream of hot air (at a temperature of approximately 65 ° C) that comes from outside and is directed towards the area by that the plates pass through a fan 8 and a housing 9 provided with heating elements or resistors 9a and an outlet duct 9b.

Water passes from the rinse zones R to the interior of the different tanks VR1, V1 and V2 through a settling system, so that said tanks are filled one after the other to the pre-wash tank V2; in the same way, during the operation of the dishwashing machine a liquid decanting takes place in a direction opposite to the direction of the dishes, so that the washing tank V1 and the pre-washing tank V2 are regenerated with the water used during the rinse phase.

According to an alternative embodiment of the dishwashing machine of the present invention (shown in the attached figure 4), it is possible to add one more pre-rinse zone PR, with pre-rinse arms 3 and a respective collection tank VR2 , which uses the pressure of the pump P1 for the rinse of the plates, which thus simultaneously supplies the pre-rinse arms 2 and the pre-rinse arms 3.

In this case, the additional pre-rinse zone or area PR using the arms 3, can have a subdivisor or faucet 11 upstream, which makes it possible to supply a certain amount of liquid to the arms 3; also, always using the abovementioned decanting system, the liquid that is contained inside the VR2 tank (water + rinse agents + detergent residues) can be added, in the wash tank V1, to the liquid that comes from the VR1 tank, in the same way that it can be sent directly to the discharge duct SC.

The liquid decantation phase between the VR1, VR2, V1, V2 tanks, although it makes possible the regeneration of the washing tanks V1 and the pre-washing tanks V2, implies the need to add a certain amount of detergent, proportional to the amount of liquid that is supplied inside the tanks; therefore, in order to reach a compromise between the need for regeneration of tanks V1, V2 and detergent savings, a part of the liquid contained in the VR1 tank (at a temperature of approximately 60 ° C) is sent to the

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inside the pre-wash tank V2 through the injector 4, without said liquid being sent to the washing tanks V1.

Said part of the liquid to be sent inside the pre-wash tank V2 is carried out as follows: the pump P1, provided with a relative flow switch FL, which supplies the pre-rinse arms 2 ( and eventually to the additional arms 3), it has an additional supply line or branch 16, possibly provided with a limiter 17, which is capable of reducing the amount of liquid suitable for the regeneration of the different washing tanks V1 and of washing V2, by means of sending part of the liquid contained in the VR1 tank to the interior of the pre-washing area or area L2 and, therefore, to the interior of the pre-washing tank V2, through the duct 18 and of injector 4 (a detergent saving system of this type is known as "detergent economizer" or "ecodet"); also, if the pre-wash zone or area L2 is not present, the liquid contained in the branch 16 and in the conduit 18 is sent to the discharge conduit SC.

According to the present invention, the excess liquid in the pre-rinse zone PR, which comes from the collection tanks VR1 and / or VR2, depending on the configuration of the rinse zone R, and which is sent to branch 16 , is used to pre-heat the air that enters the area or area of drying dishes; therefore, the excess liquid, before reaching the duct 18, the injector 4 or the discharge duct SC, is passed through a heat exchanger 7 and transfers heat to the air used for drying (which also It comes from the outside and then leads to fan 8 and is heated by means of resistors 9a).

Therefore, in addition to the energy benefit due to the fact that the air is preheated, a reduction in the temperature of the liquid that is sent to the conduit 18 is also carried out, so that when said liquid is sent inside of the pre-wash tank V2 (if said pre-wash tank V2 exists), by means of the injector 4, this does not increase the temperature of the liquid that the arms 6 roll, thus avoiding the known cooling technique that is performed by means of the injector 13 and the tube or conduit 14 that is directly connected to the water pipes at a temperature of approximately 5/15 ° C.

The fact that the liquid is at a temperature as low as possible in the pre-wash zone L2 is a considerable advantage, since it avoids, as mentioned, the addition of cooling water and the connection of the area of pre-wash L2 with water pipes.

The advantage is therefore double, since both a pre-heating of the inlet air in the drying zone and a reduction in the temperature of the water that is sent to the discharge duct SC or to the pre-washing zone is obtained L2

The technical solution mentioned above also makes it possible to obtain many other advantages, such as the provision of a cooling by wetting, by introducing the liquid that comes from the heat exchanger 7 into the collection tank V2 of the pre-zone. -Washing L2 through the injector 4.

In addition, the drying air that it takes from the outside, when it leaves the heat exchanger 7, is also dehumidified before it is sucked by the fan 8.

Finally, the power of the resistors 9a can be significantly reduced with respect to the prior art, since the air sucked by means of the fan 8 is already pre-heated.

Based on the foregoing, it is understood, therefore, that the conveyor-type dishwasher of the present invention achieves the objectives and obtains the advantages mentioned above.

Finally, it is evident that, when carried out, the dishwashing machine according to the invention may be subject to modifications and / or variations without departing from the scope of the appended claims, in the same way that it is evident that in the practical implementation of the invention , the materials, shapes and dimensions of the technical details can be any, depending on the needs, and that can be replaced by other technically equivalent ones.

When the features and techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by numbers or reference signs, such reference signs have been introduced for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and, consequently, have no limiting effect. with respect to the interpretation of each element, which is identified, by way of example only, by means of said reference signs.

Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 1. A conveyor or tunnel type dishwasher comprising: - at least one rinse zone (R), in which one or more rinse arms (1) are located, which they roll the dishes with water that optionally add to the rinse agents, - at least one pre-rinse zone (PR), in which one or more pre-rinse arms (2, 3) are located, which roll the dishes with recirculation liquid containing rinsing agents and detergent residues by means of a first pump (P1), - at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2), which is located below at least one of said rinse and pre-rinse arms (1,2, 3), - one or more washing areas (L1), with respective one or more washing tanks (V1), in which one or more washing arms (5) is located, which roll the dishes with a recirculation liquid, which comes from a respective washing tank (V1), which is added to a detergent and supplied to said washing arms (5) by means of a corresponding additional pump (PL), - at least one drying zone, configured to evaporate the water from the dishes by means of an air flow hot that comes from the outside and that goes towards an area of passage of said dishes, - said at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2) and said one or more being connected to each other washing tanks (V1) through a settling system, so that said tanks are filled with liquid one after another, starting from said at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2) of said rinse and pre-rinse zones, wherein said first pump (P1), which is connected to said pre-rinse arms (2, 3), has a first flow passage (16), provided with at least one valve or limiter (17), by which inside a liquid part contained inside said at least one collection tank (VR1, VR2) flows, said liquid part being sent to a pre-wash zone (L2) or to a discharge duct (SC) of said dishwashing machine, characterized in that said liquid part is sent to a heat exchanger (7) of the drying zone, and from ad, through the inside of a second flow duct (18), which flows into said zone of pre-washing (L2) or in said discharge duct (SC) of said dishwasher. 2. A dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that there is at least one pre-wash zone (L2) having a corresponding pre-wash tank (V2) in which the dishes are wet, in upstream position with respect to said at least one washing zone (L1), said plates being wetted or sprayed by means of one or more pre-washing arms (6) with a recirculation liquid that comes from said pre-washing tank (V2 ) and sent to said pre-wash arms (6) by means of said corresponding additional pump (PL). 3. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second flow duct (18) has a final injector (4), located within said pre-wash zone (L2), such that said part of the liquid is injected directly into said pre-wash tank (V2), without ducts inside the wash tanks (V1). 4. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said liquid part flowing through said heat exchanger (7) gives heat to the air entering from the outside, which is also transported to a fan (8) and one or more resistors (9a) of said drying zone is heated. 5. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a liquid decanting phase takes place between said tanks (VR1, VR2, V1, V2) in a direction that is opposite to the transport direction of the dishes, in order to regenerate the washing and pre-washing tanks (V1, V2) by means of the water supplied inside the dishwasher in the rinse zone (R). A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two pre-rinse (PR) zones are arranged, each of said pre-rinse (PR) zones having one or more pre-rinse arms. (2, 3) and a corresponding collection tank (VR1, VR2), and using each of said pre-rinse zones (PR) said first pump (P1). 7. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a first pre-rinse zone (PR) has a tap (11) located upstream, which is capable of determining the amount of liquid which must be sent to the pre-rinse arms (3) of said first zone. 8. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said collection tanks (VR1, VR2) communicates with said washing tanks (V1). 9. A dishwasher machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said collection tanks (VR1, VR2) is directly connected to a discharge duct (SC) of the dishwasher machine. 10. A dishwashing machine according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fan (8) of the drying zone is connected to a housing or housing (9), which is provided with said resistors (9a), and to an outlet duct (9b), said drying zone also comprising a fume extractor and / or a suction element or a blower (15).