MXPA99006460A - Removal of heat and steam water from machines dishwasher comercia - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dishwashing machine that can be cooled after completing one or more cycles, the machine employs high temperature water, the machine produces a humid and hot atmosphere, the machine comprises: (i) a machine enclosure comprising at least one entry in fluid communication between the inside of the machine and the outside of the machine, and (ii) extraction means comprising a housing comprising a water jet with a spray nozzle, and at least one duct in fluid communication between the interior of the machine enclosure and the housing, the spray nozzle provides effective water spraying to create a reduced pressure zone within the housing to remove the hot humid atmosphere from inside the enclosure. machine through the duct, while causing fresh air to enter the machine through the enter

Description

REMOVAL OF HEAT AND STEAM WATER FROM MACHINES WASHING MACHINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method and apparatus for venting particulate, gaseous, vapor and airborne material, and for cooling the inner part of processing equipment or machinery. In particular, the invention relates to the removal of hot steam-laden air leaving the interior of dishwashing machines or commercial dishwashers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Commercial automatic dishwashers have been used for many years in a variety of locations, where there was a need to wash and sterilize dishes, cutlery, glasses or other utensils. Regardless of whether the dishwasher in question is a simple batch loading dishwasher or is a complex multi-stage machine, there is a continuing problem with the hot water vapor escaping from the machine at the end of a washing program. This heat and humidity comes into direct contact with the kitchen staff and generally reduces the comfort of the kitchen environment. Commercial dishwashers can heat water or use very hot water from other sources, especially in the final rinse stage, to help ensure proper washing and sanitation. Current dishwashers are classified either as high temperature machines or low temperature machines, based on the temperature of the final rinse water. The high temperature machines have a final rinse water temperature of at least about 82.2 ° C, while the low temperature machines have a final rinse water temperature of about 71.1 ° C. Said high temperatures are necessary to ensure adequate sanitation of the dishes or other utensils to be cleaned. High temperature rinsing allows sanitation in one step, while low temperature rinsing is typically accompanied by an additional sanitation step in which a chemical is included (chlorine, peracid, etc.). In any situation, hot water and significant volumes of highly humid air are created in the dishwasher, particularly as a result of the final rinse, which is typically the hottest step in the dishwasher or dishwasher process. Direct contact with hot, humid air can cause safety problems for people who wear glasses or contact lenses. Warm, damp air can irritate people who do not wear glasses equally. Significant amounts of water vapor are put into the room's environment, filtering air conditioning systems and generally creating discomfort for operators. In addition, the dishes removed from the dishwasher can be at a high temperature. One way to address these difficulties concerns the use of ventilation hoods to capture hot, highly humid air that escapes from the dishwasher when opened. A disadvantage of this method is that hot, highly humid air makes contact with ambient air at the place of use and the hood only removes a portion. As a result, part of the heat and humidity is transferred to the immediate environment. While the hood sucks hot, highly humid air up and away from the dishwasher, it may fail to completely protect the operator from making contact with heat and moisture. In addition, the bells are large, noisy and expensive, heat is lost during the winter months, and air conditioning during the summer months. In addition, said system requires ventilation to the outside of the building. Another way to address these problems is related to the use of electric exhaust fans to remove the steam from hot water. Unfortunately, this is noisy, requires electricity and means to vent to the outside of the building. In addition, this also requires separate means to cool and condense water vapor. EP 0 753 282 A1 faces the problem of hot water vapor by cooling and condensing the steam released from the dishwasher. This is achieved by directing the steam through a heat exchanger through which cold water circulates. Nevertheless, this device is limited to applications in which the washing chamber is sealed. Such a device would not work, for example, in a single-stage or multi-stage dishwashing machine open to the atmosphere. EP 0 721 762 A1 teaches the use of a fan to suck the steam into a condensing chamber in order to prevent the escape of moisture into the immediate environment. Of course, this method requires the use of a fan, which increases the cost, complexity and noise to the dishwasher. Therefore, a need remains for simple, cheap and discreet means to capture the water vapor released by commercial dishwashers.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION In short, the invention involves the use of a water spray to create a zone of reduced pressure that can be used to remove heat and moisture and ventilate the interior of machines such as commercial dishwashers. Preferably, a water spray is used to form a pressure that sucks heat and moisture into the zone. In the carr the heat and humidity are captured and cooled. Hot, moist air created inside commercial dishwashers can be quickly removed and utensils can be cooled to room temperature. A spray of cold water is used to create a pressure reduction which serves to suck hot, highly moist air from the dishwasher. Water vapor at high temperature cools and condenses when making contact with the jet or spray of cold water. The invention also serves to help ventilate the dishwasher and cool the utensils, as fresh cooled air is sucked into the dishwasher to replace the hot air sucked into the zone of reduced pressure. Accordingly, the invention is found in a method for removing a heated atmosphere from a closed machine, the method comprising activating a water flow of a water spray within a housing to create a zone of reduced pressure in the housing in fluid communication between the inside of the machine and the housing, the reduced pressure introduces a cool atmosphere inside the machine while stirring the heated atmosphere. Finally, the invention is also found in a dishwashing machine, which uses water at high temperature, which can be cooled after completing one or more cycles, the machine comprises a closed machine comprising at least one inlet in fluid communication between the interior of the machine and the exterior of the machine, and extraction means comprising a housing comprising a water jet and at least one conduit in fluid communication between the closed interior of the machine and the housing, the spray nozzle it provides an effective water spray to create a reduced pressure zone within the housing to remove the hot humid atmosphere from the interior of the closed machine while causing fresh air to enter the machine through the inlet. The extraction means comprises one more air inlet means in fluid communication with both internal compartments of the dishwasher and with a vertical structure comprising a cold water inlet in fluid communication with sprinkler nozzles. The spray nozzle is located at a horizontal level approximately equal to that of the air inlet means. The spray nozzle provides a high speed water spray suitable for creating a venturi effect or a reduced pressure zone which can serve to suck hot air charged with moisture through air inlet means; and means of exit. For the purpose of the application of this patent, the term "extraction means" refers to a device that can use a pressure difference to use the atmospheric pressure of the environment to suck the atmosphere of a machine within the area of reduced pressure. . The term "spray nozzle angle" connotes the angle, within the spray, limited by the perimeter of the spray as it exits the nozzle opening. Said angles may vary from about 5o to about 180 °.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical commercial batch dishwashing machine showing the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cut away view of a portion of Figure 1, which demonstrates the relationship between the air inlet means, the water inlet means and the air outlet means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention generally involves the use of water spray to create a reduced pressure zone in fluid communication with the interior of a dishwashing machine. The reduced pressure in the zone can suck or vent a heated atmosphere comprising heat and moisture from the interior of machines such as commercial dishwashers. Preferably, a water spray is used to capture and cool the hot, highly moist air created within commercial dishwashers. A cold water spray is used to create a pressure reduction, which is used to suck highly moist air from the dishwasher. The water vapor cools and condenses when it makes contact with the cold water sprinkling inside the jet or venturi. The invention also serves to help ventilate the dishwasher, as fresh, cold air is sucked into the dishwasher since hot air is sucked out of the dishwasher. The cold water used to provide the venturi effect is water that comes from municipal water service or wells that comprise cold water or temperatures below room temperature. Since the allowable operating water temperature variation is from about 1.6 ° C to about 37.7 ° C, a variation of about 21.1 ° C is preferred. Obviously, colder water will result in more efficient steam condensation. Since no specific use is required in waste water, it can be imagined that it can be used to replenish at least a portion of wash water necessary for subsequent cycles. Alternatively, the waste water can be sent directly to the drain or to the sump. As moisture-laden air is removed from the machine, fresh air, cold air is sucked inside to replenish it. In a single-stage, single-stage batch loading machine, the spaces around the sides of the doors can provide the necessary fresh air. In optimal performance arrangements, it may be necessary to provide additional air vents. Larger multi-stage machines may also require additional ventilation to provide fresh, cool air. Venturi ventilation does not need to operate continuously. In a machine per batch, the operation needs at least to operate for a sufficient time to ventilate the machine before opening. Generally, it will operate for a period of about 10 to about 60 seconds, preferably about 10 to about 30 seconds during or immediately after the final rinse step but before opening it. Venturi venting could optionally operate intermittently as needed to help control the temperature of the air inside the dishwasher. In a continuous machine, the system can operate continuously or the system is operated at the end of the stage when the heat and humidity are at maximum.

Dishwasher Machines A wide variety of dishwashing machines and dishwashers can use the ventilation apparatus of the claimed invention. While the figures show a simple batch-loading dishwasher such as the Hobart AM-14, it can be imagined that the ventilation apparatus of the invention can also be used with larger multi-stage machines such as the Hobart FLT.

Yield and Equipment Parameters A preferred embodiment can be seen in Figure 2, which shows a ventilation apparatus attached to a high temperature single-stage batch washing machine. Since a variety of pipe sizes can be used, it has been found that optimum performance exists when the vertical pipe section has an inside diameter of 5.08 centimeters (ID) and the discharge pipe has an ID of 7.62 centimeters. The air inlet pipes also have an optimal ID of 5.08 centimeters. A wide variety of spray nozzles can be used in the invention. A wide variety of nozzle angles and flow rates can be used. It has been discovered that nozzles that can be used have nozzle angles that vary from 15 ° to 50 °, but which are preferably 30 °. In any case, the nozzle angle used should be sufficient to allow the water spray to make contact with the sides of the discharge pipe. In addition, the invention can use flow rates ranging from about 1.89 to about 37.84 liters per minute, preferably about 11.35 liters per minute. The pressure of the water supply may vary from about 0.703 to about 4,218 kg / cm2a, preferably from about 2.109 to 4.218 kg / cm2a and more preferably about 2.109 kg / cm2a. However, it has been found that the optimum performance can be obtained by using a nozzle with a spray angle of 30 °, which delivers approximately 11.35 liters per minute at a supply pressure of approximately 2.812 kg / cm2a. This particular nozzle delivers a full cone spray. The resulting zone of reduced pressure comprises a pressure difference of the ambient pressure of at least about 5.08 centimeters of water. However, the performance parameters of the invention do involve exchanges. In general it has been found that the higher water pressure moves more air, condenses more steam and is more efficient. However, it has also been found that nozzles with higher capacity were able to move more air and condense more steam. By increasing the capacity of the nozzle, the water pressure drops;, with this, the exchange. Depending on the water supply temperature, it has been found that the steam extraction capacity can currently exceed the steam condensation capacity. The steam extraction capacity is defined as the amount of water vapor removed from the steam actually condensed to form a liquid. The efficiency of the steam extraction is defined as the volume of air / steam moved per liter of water used. The apparatus can possibly extract more hot air charged with steam than the one that can condense. If you want to remove all the water vapor from the air that comes out, it may be necessary to limit the steam extraction efficiency. In general, it was found that the air flow created by the water flow was more than enough to ventilate the machine. In fact, it was found that additional ventilation holes in the dishwasher were necessary to allow optimal air flow. The operation of the method and apparatus of the invention can result in an evacuation of at least about 0.70792 cubic meters of gas or steam per minute from the interior of the dishwashing machine, preferably from about 0.566336 to 0.849504 cubic meters can be removed per minute from the operation during the practice of the invention. Within the machine, the water temperature can be reduced from a temperature of more than about 60 to 76.6 ° C, to less than about 48.8 ° C. Likewise, the temperature of the environment enclosed within the machine can be reduced from approximately greater than 60 to 76.6 ° C or more, to less than 48.8 ° C in 2 minutes during the operation of the machine. Humidity within the operating medium of the interior of the machine can be reduced from a substantially saturated atmosphere (with water vapor) to a humidity approaching the atmosphere of the * environment within approximately 1/2 minute of operation of the extraction apparatus and the process of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 generally shows a typical dishwasher 100 of the invention. The particular machine drawn is a high-temperature batch-loading dishwasher with an enclosed panel 110 and side doors 120 and 120a. The ventilation apparatus 190 is mounted to the machine panel 110. The visible portions of the ventilation apparatus 190 include water inlet means 150, machine ventilation or heat and humidity conduits 160, a vertical pipe section 170 and a pipeline. 180. Also seen in this figure are the cold air inlets 130, which correspond to spaces that allow fluid communication within the machine around the side doors 120. Not shown in this figure, are the ventilation ports optional, which may be necessary, depending on the operational parameters of the dishwasher. The operation of the ventilation apparatus 190 for removing heat and moisture 140 within a combined stream 145 is best explained using Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a cut away view 200 generally of the ventilation apparatus 190. Starting at the top of In the figure, water inlet means 150 can be seen, which provide a source of hot water to the spray nozzle 210. The spray nozzle 210 is housed within the vertical pipe section 170, which is in communication with fluid with the vents or moisture conduits 160, which in turn are in fluid communication with the internal compartment of the dishwasher 100 (not shown in this figure). The cold water is supplied to the spray nozzle 210 by means of the water inlet means 150. The high speed spray creates a low pressure inside the vertical pipe section 170, which serves to extract hot air charged with water. steam out of the dishwasher 100 and through the hot air inlets 160 towards the vertical pipe section 170. The contact with the cold water spraying helps to cool and condense the hot water vapor 140, which then leaves the hot water apparatus. vent 190 through the discharge pipe 180 in a stream 145 comprising service water and condensed moisture. The combined water and steam condensate can be sent either to the drain or to a wash tank (none shown in this figure). It is intended that this figure displays a general idea of the invention and is not intended to define the exact relationship between the spray nozzle 210 and the ventilation ducts 160. It has been found that the spatial relationship between these structures affects the efficiency of the apparatus. Also seen in Figure 2 there is a transition zone 220, which serves to provide a uniform transition between the vertical pipe section 170 and the larger diameter of the discharge pipe 180. More importantly, the transition zone 220 and the The increased diameter of the discharge pipe 180 serves to control the expansion of the fluid, which increases the air flow.

Optimal Pipe Size Since the pipe sizes were examined ranging from 3.81 centimeters of ID to 7.62 centimeters of ID, it was found that the pipe with an ID of 5.08 centimeters exceeded in performance the pipes with ID of 3.81 and 7.62 centimeters. Optimal performance was found with a combination of a pipe with an ID of 5.08 centimeters used with a transition to a pipe with an ID of 7.62 centimeters.

Optimal Spray Nozzle Parameters Nozzles were examined that had spray angles ranging from 15 degrees to 50 degrees. It was found that the 30 degree spray angle nozzle had a higher steam removal capacity than any of the other nozzles tested. The nozzles were tested at flow rates ranging from 2.64 to 13.4 liters per minute. Optimal results were discovered using a flow rate of approximately 11.35 liters per minute at a supply pressure of 2812 kg / cm2a. It was observed that the optimum position of the nozzle was such, that the outermost portion of the water spraying made contact with the inside of the pipe wall just after the inlet pipe. The above specification, the examples and the information provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the apparatus of the invention. Because many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the field of use and spirit of the invention, the invention resides in the claims appended hereto.

Claims (18)

1. A method for removing a heated atmosphere from the closed part of a machine, the method comprises activating a water flow from a water spray within a housing to create a reduced pressure zone in the housing in fluid communication between the Inside the machine and the housing, the reduced pressure introduces a cool atmosphere into the machine while stirring the heated atmosphere.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine comprises a batch dishwashing machine and the atmosphere comprises air comprising steam at a temperature greater than 60 ° C.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heated atmosphere comprises steam at a temperature greater than 76.6 ° C.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the water spray comprises a water source between about 1.6 ° C and about 37.7 ° C and between about 0.703 and 4.218 kg / cm2.

The method according to claim 4, wherein the water spray comprises a water source between about 1.6 ° C and 21.1 ° C and between about 2,109 and 4,218 kg / cm2.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the water spray comprises a spray nozzle with a spray angle of between about 15 ° and 50 °, which is sufficient to allow the spray to come into contact with the side walls of the discharge pipe and a flow velocity between approximately 1.89 and 37.84 liters per minute at a supply pressure of between approximately 0.703 and 4.218 kg / cm2.

The method according to claim 6, wherein the water spray comprises a spray nozzle with a spray angle of about 30 ° and a flow rate of about 11.35 liters per minute at a supply pressure of about 2.812 kg / cm2.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the interior of the machine is reduced to less than 48.8 ° C.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the water spray operates for a duration of 10 to 30 seconds at the end of the rinsing period.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the water spray operates intermittently as needed.

11. A dishwashing machine, which uses water at elevated temperature, which can be cooled after completing one or more cycles, the machine comprises: (i) a closed part of the machine comprising at least one inlet of fluid communication between the interior of the machine and the exterior of the machine, and (ii) extraction means comprising a housing comprising a water jet and at least one conduit in fluid communication between the closed interior part of the machine and the housing, the Spray nozzle provides effective water spray to create a reduced pressure zone within the housing to remove the hot moist atmosphere from inside the closed part of the machine while causing fresh air to enter the machine through the entry.

The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the water jet comprises a source of water between about 1.6 ° C and about 37.7 ° C and between about 0.703 to 4.218 kg / cm2.

The dishwasher according to claim 12, wherein the water jet comprises a water source between about 1.6 ° C and between about 21.1 ° C and between about 2,109 and 4,218 kg / cm2.

The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the water jet comprises a spray nozzle with a spray angle of between about 15 ° and 50 °, which is sufficient to allow the spray to make contact with the walls laterals of the discharge pipe and a flow velocity of between approximately 1.89 and 37.84 liters per minute at a supply pressure of between approximately 0.703 and 4.218 kg / cm2.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 14, wherein the water jet comprises a spray nozzle with a spray angle of about 30 ° and a flow rate of about 11.35 liters per minute at a supply pressure of about 2.812 kg / cm2.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a pipe with an ID of 2.54 to 7.62 centimeters, the duct comprises a pipe with an ID of 2.54 to 7.62 centimeters, the housing ends in a discharge section that It comprises a pipe with an ID of 2.54 to 10.16 centimeters.

The method according to claim 11, wherein the extraction means operates for a period of 10 to 30 seconds at the end of a period of rinsing.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the extraction means operate intermittently as needed.