JP2005131466A - Washing apparatus of stagnation part at time of washing of fluid flow piping line and evaluation of degree of washing thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing apparatus of the stagnation part such as the branch part or the like of a fluid flow piping line when the piping line in a food manufacturing process or the like is washed, a method for evaluating the degree of washing thereof and a method for detecting the optimum flow speed of washing water. <P>SOLUTION: Washing water is allowed to flow through the piping line having drain piping to wash the piping line. Alternatively, washing water is allowed to flow through each of the piping lines P<SB>2</SB>and P<SB>3</SB>branched from one piping line P<SB>1</SB>to wash each of the piping lines. An on-off valve 6 is provided to the rear stage of the branch pipe of each of the piping lines or the drain piping of each of the piping lines and an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is provided to the piping between the on-off valve 6 and the branch part or the drain piping. When ultrasonic waves are applied to the stagnated matter in the branch part (the drain piping or the piping up to the on-off value) at the time of washing, the stagnated matter is peeled from the inner wall of the piping by the action of cavitation, rectilinear flow or the like to become easy to flow and the flowability of the stagnated matter itself increases and the flowability as a whole is markedly increased. Accordingly, injector action is enhanced to markedly enhance the washing efficiency in the branch part (drain piping). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing device for a stagnation part such as a branching part of the piping line, a method for evaluating the degree of washing, and a method for detecting an optimum washing water circulation rate when washing a fluid distribution pipe line in food production or the like. Is.

For example, in today's food production line, where food safety is called out, it is required to regularly clean the line to prevent the generation of various bacteria and to provide safe food to the world. For this reason, a cleaning device is incorporated in a part of the food production line, and the cleaning device automatically cleans the line when necessary, for example, periodically or as needed. This is called stationary cleaning or CIP (Cleaning in Place) cleaning.
In this cleaning, an ultrasonic vibrator is attached to the pipe to be cleaned and the cleaning efficiency is increased by the ultrasonic waves (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-166568

The mechanism of this ultrasonic cleaning is considered to be due to cavitation by applying ultrasonic waves, straight flow, acceleration of the medium, and the like.
The cavitation is a phenomenon in which, when an ultrasonic wave is applied to a liquid, a positive pressure portion and a negative pressure portion are alternately generated in the liquid, and the liquid is torn by this negative pressure to generate a cavity. When pressure is applied to the liquid, the cavity is crushed and instantaneously destroyed by the liquid pressure, and liquid molecules collide with each other at the time of the destruction, whereby a shock wave is locally generated. It is said that this large pressure enhances the cleaning effect by promoting local stirring of the liquid and peeling of the adhered particles.

  In addition, when the propagation of sound waves is blocked by an object, a force is generated that pushes the object in the direction of sound wave propagation. The force generated by the radiation pressure of this sound acts not only on the object but also on the propagating substance, and fluid motion occurs on the substance. Excited. This flow is called straight flow (also called acoustic flow). This straight flow is a phenomenon that occurs when a part of wave energy of sound waves is converted into energy for moving the medium, and can be regarded as a secondary by-product of sound waves. The flow is substantially perpendicular to the radiation surface, and this straight flow promotes stirring in the vicinity of the object to be cleaned, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

  Further, when the ultrasonic wave collides with the medium, a part of wave energy of the sound wave is converted into energy for moving the medium in the medium, thereby increasing the acceleration of the medium. This increase in acceleration or the like causes a difference in speed from other media, thereby enhancing the cleaning effect.

On the other hand, in this type of production line, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 showing the embodiment of the present invention, the drain pipe 10 is branched to the production line P ₁ (FIGS. 1 and 2), or the production line Are divided into a plurality of branches to combine production lines P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ ... For various products (FIG. 3). For example, when the line P ₁ is used in the multi-branched production line shown in FIG. 3, the on-off valve 6 after the lines P ₂ and P ₃ are branched is closed.

Such a drain pipe 10 and the pipe 10 from the branch part of the unused production lines P ₂ and P ₃ to the on-off valve 6 are manufactured in the pipe 10 because the ends thereof are closed. The food enters and stays (it becomes a stagnation part).
Even in the production line with the branched pipe 10, conventionally, the devices for improving the washing efficiency are all related only to the pipe (line P ₁ ) through which the washing water flows. That is, the washing of the branch is not taken into consideration. For this reason, the food that has entered the drain pipe 10 or the like is sucked and removed by the injector action of the washing water flowing in the pipe of the line P ₁ .
The removal action by suction of the injector action is remarkably different depending on the flow rate of the washing water.

  This invention makes it a subject to aim at the smooth removal of the fluid which stays in a branch part (stagnation part).

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, first, an ultrasonic transducer is attached to the branch portion. When ultrasonic waves are applied to the staying fluid in the bifurcation (drain piping, piping to the on-off valve), the fluid is peeled off from the inner wall of the tube due to the cavitation, straight flow, and acceleration of the medium. As a result, the fluidity of the product itself is increased, and the fluidity of the whole is greatly increased. For this reason, the injector action is enhanced, and the cleaning efficiency in the branch portion is greatly improved (see the experimental example described later).

  Next, the present invention detects (measures) the relationship between the cleaning efficiency improved by the application of the ultrasonic waves and the flow rate of the cleaning water. Since the injector action is greatly influenced by the flow speed that excites the action, the most efficient cleaning can be performed by grasping the optimum ultrasonic vibration and its speed.

  According to the present invention, since ultrasonic vibration is applied to the branch portion where the accumulated matter is generated, the injector action is improved, and the cleaning efficiency of the branch portion is greatly improved. Moreover, since the flow rate of the washing water with the optimum washing efficiency can be obtained, efficient washing can be performed.

  As one embodiment of the present invention, when cleaning water is circulated through a fluid distribution piping line and the inside of the piping line is cleaned, an ultrasonic vibrator is attached to a pipe branched from the cleaning piping line, The vibrator is operated to evaluate the degree of cleaning in the pipe by the ultrasonic vibration.

  In this way, it is possible to know the degree to which the stagnant fluid in the branch pipe is peeled off by ultrasonic vibration and is washed (removed), thereby providing the ultrasonic vibration in the branch pipe. The degree of cleaning can be evaluated. At that time, an optimal ultrasonic vibration degree and position can be obtained by appropriately selecting the strength and position of the ultrasonic vibration.

  In addition, this evaluation is performed by branching another fluid distribution piping line to one (1) fluid distribution piping line, and installing an opening / closing valve downstream of the branching section of each piping line. When cleaning with water flowing through each piping line by opening and closing, an ultrasonic vibrator is attached to the pipe between the on-off valve and the branch, and the ultrasonic vibrator is operated to operate the ultrasonic vibration. It can also be adopted when evaluating the degree of cleaning in the pipe according to the above, and the same effect can be obtained.

These cleaning degree evaluation methods may measure the relationship between the cleaning water flow rate of the cleaning pipe line and the cleaning degree of the pipe, and evaluate the cleaning degree in the pipe in consideration of the cleaning water flow rate. . Since the washing water flow rate is largely related to the injector action, it is effective to take this rate into account.
At this time, if an optimum washing water flow rate of the washing piping line is obtained, the stagnation part can be smoothly washed by washing at that rate.

  According to these cleaning degree evaluation methods and cleaning water flow rate detection methods, the cleaning effect of ultrasonic vibrations in the stagnation part of the piping line can be confirmed, and on the basis of the confirmation, the stagnation part cleaning device in the line Is provided.

  As an embodiment of the cleaning device, for example, in the device for cleaning the inside of the piping line by flowing cleaning water through a fluid distribution piping line having a branch piping with one end of the branch tube closed, the branch It is possible to employ a configuration in which an ultrasonic vibrator is attached to the pipe and the ultrasonic vibrator is activated during cleaning.

  Further, in an apparatus for cleaning a piping line obtained by branching another fluid distribution piping line to one fluid distribution piping line by flowing cleaning water for each fluid distribution piping line, a branch portion of each piping line It is possible to adopt a configuration in which an on-off valve is provided in the subsequent stage, an ultrasonic vibrator is attached to the pipe between the on-off valve and the branching portion, and the ultrasonic vibrator is operated when the cleaning water flows.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment, and this embodiment is an experimental device that cleans the branch portion of the production line P ₁ (cleans the portion of the pipe P ₁ and the branch pipe 10 indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2). The cleaning effect of the branch portion when the water is washed) is selected from the warm water tank 1 and the wash water tank 2 by the pump 3 to the production line piping P ₁ via the rotameter 4. To be sent to. The drain pipe 10 is branched at an appropriate position in the middle of the line P ₁ , and warm water or washing water returns to the tanks 1 and 2 through the strainer 5, for example. On-off valves 6 are appropriately provided in the circulation line, and the on-off valves 6 are appropriately opened and closed to selectively circulate hot water or washing water. In the figure, the black paint on-off valve 6 is in a closed state, and white is in an open state.

  The pipe 10 forming the branching portion (drain pipe) employs a structure in which an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is incorporated therein, and when a voltage is applied to the ultrasonic vibrator 12, the pipe 10 has an internal structure. Ultrasonic waves are applied, and by applying the ultrasonic waves, cavitation, straight flow, and acceleration of the medium increase in the object, and due to the action of the cavitation, the object easily peels off and flows from the inner wall of the tube. The liquidity of itself increases, and the liquidity as a whole is remarkably increased.

In this embodiment, in order to evaluate the degree of washing, first, the pipe 10 is removed from the line P ₁ and the food to be washed therein, for example, food is “godare (sesame, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, sake, soy sauce” , A mixture of sesame oil, etc.) ”, the“ gore ”is filled into the pipe 10 and the pipe 10 is attached to the line P ₁ .

Next, in this state, the cleaning water and the hot water are circulated in the same manner as the CIP cleaning of the production line P ₁ , and a voltage is applied to the ultrasonic vibrator 12.
At this time, the degree of cleaning in the pipe 10 is measured by appropriately changing both or one of the flow rate and temperature of the cleaning water and warm water. In the measurement, the pipe 10 is removed from the line P ₁ after a predetermined period of time, and the removal depth H of “garden” from the upper part of the pipe 10 is measured (see FIG. 2). The results are shown in Table 1. The table also shows the results when no ultrasound was used (blank).

From this result, it can be understood that if ultrasonic waves are applied, the injector action is improved and the removal rate of the residue in the pipe 10 is improved. Moreover, it turns out that the provision effect of the ultrasonic wave becomes so high that the distribution | circulation speeds, such as washing water, are low.
Through such experiments, the most cost-effective distribution speed is determined.

The Figure 3 shows another embodiment, this embodiment is one other production lines P ₂ for the production line P _1, P ₃ that production line P ₁ a pipe line which branches a, each P _2, P ₃ Washing water is circulated through the water. An opening / closing valve 6 is provided downstream of the pipe branching portion of each production line P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , and an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is attached to the pipe 10 between the opening / closing valve 6 and the branching portion. The number of production lines to be branched is arbitrary.

In this embodiment, for example, when the production line P ₁ is used, the on-off valves 6 of the production lines P ₂ and P ₃ are closed, and branching to the production lines P ₂ and P ₃ is performed at the time of cleaning. The ultrasonic transducer 12 is operated. As a result, cavitation, straight flow, and increased acceleration of the medium are generated in the staying material in the branch portion, and due to the action of the cavitation, the material is peeled off from the inner wall of the pipe and easily flows. The liquidity of itself increases, and the liquidity as a whole greatly increases. For this reason, the injector action is also performed smoothly, and the inside of the branch portion is smoothly cleaned. The same applies to the production lines P ₂ and P ₃ .

  In these embodiments, the degree of cleaning by changing the frequency of ultrasonic vibration (the intensity of ultrasonic vibration) can also be evaluated. At this time, the flow rate and temperature of washing water and the like can also be changed.

These examples was the case of the experimental apparatus, in order to increase the cleaning efficiency of the actual production line P ₁ 1, the branch portion of the P _2, P ₃ (the drain pipe 10), the branch pipes ( The ultrasonic vibrator 12 is incorporated into the pipe 10), and when the production lines P ₁ , P ₂ and P ₃ are cleaned, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the branch pipe 10 to improve the injector action. With this configuration, it is possible to evaluate and clean the degree of cleaning of the branch portion of the line. In addition, an optimum washing water flow rate and temperature can be obtained.

  In each embodiment, the food production line is used. However, the present invention can be applied to various chemical plants such as a chemical production line, a chemical production line, and a petrochemical process.

Schematic piping diagram of one embodiment Main part enlarged view of the same embodiment Schematic diagram of the main part of another embodiment

Explanation of symbols

1 Hot water tank 2 Washing water tank 3 Pump 6 On-off valve 10 Branch pipe (pipe)
12 Ultrasonic vibrators P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ production line P2 Branch pipe

Claims (6)

When cleaning water is circulated through the fluid distribution piping line P ₁ to clean the inside of the piping line P ₁ , an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is attached to the piping 10 branched from the cleaning piping line P ₁ , and the ultrasonic vibration is provided. A cleaning degree evaluation method for a fluid distribution piping line, wherein the child 12 is operated to evaluate the degree of cleaning in the pipe 10 by ultrasonic vibration. Another fluid distribution piping line P ₂ , P ₃ is branched to one fluid distribution piping line P ₁ , and an opening / closing valve 6 is provided downstream of the branch portion of each piping line P ₁ , P ₂ , P _3. When the on-off valves 6 are opened and closed and washing water is circulated for each of the piping lines P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , ultrasonic vibration is generated in the pipe 10 between the on-off valve 6 and the branch portion. A cleaning degree evaluation method for a fluid distribution piping line, wherein a child 12 is attached and the ultrasonic vibrator 12 is operated to evaluate the cleaning degree in the pipe 10 due to the ultrasonic vibration. The relationship between the washing water flow rate of the washing pipe line and the washing degree of the pipe 10 is measured, and the washing degree in the pipe 10 is evaluated in consideration of the washing water circulation rate. Item 3. A method for evaluating the degree of cleaning of a fluid distribution piping line according to item 1 or 2. A method for detecting an optimum washing water flow rate in a fluid distribution piping line, wherein an optimum washing water flow rate of the fluid distribution piping line P ₁ is obtained by the method for evaluating the degree of washing according to claim 3. . An apparatus for cleaning the inside of the piping line P ₁ by flowing cleaning water through the fluid distribution piping line P ₁ having the branch pipe 10 with one end of the branch pipe 10 closed.
An apparatus for cleaning a fluid distribution pipe line, wherein an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is attached to the branch pipe 10 and the ultrasonic vibrator 12 is operated during cleaning. The wash water is circulated one another in fluids circulation pipe line P ₁ of the fluidized product flow pipe line P _2, pipe line which is branched to P ₃ that fluids circulation pipe line P _1, P _2, each P ₃ An apparatus for cleaning,
An on-off valve 6 is provided downstream of the branch portions of the above-described piping lines P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , and an ultrasonic vibrator 12 is attached to the pipe 10 between the on-off valve 6 and the branch portion. The vibrator 12 is operated at the time of the circulation of the cleaning water, and is a cleaning device for a fluid distribution pipe line.

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