US2189950A

US2189950A - Coil cleaning method

Info

Publication number: US2189950A
Authority: US
Inventors: George M Gump
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-11-05
Filing date: 1938-11-05
Publication date: 1940-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1957-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 19400 G. M. GUMP COIL CLEANING METHOD Filed Nov. 5, 1938 INVENTOR Gearye M 6002 0 'ATTO E Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED "STATES PATENT QFFIICE I e assesso p i COIL GLEANINGMETHOD GeorgeltLGump, Cincinnati, Ohio I i Application November 5, 1938; Serial N0 239,090" 7 2 Claims. (01. 225-12 This invention relatesto the cleaning olf coils and pipes and more in particular to an improved method for cleaning beer coils. e

An object of the invention is to provide a compact, portable coil cleaning apparatus having a minimum of moving parts.

A further object of the invention is to disclose a new and improved method of thoroughlyand quickly rinsing out the interior of coils and pipes.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a compressor unit which will continuously providequantities of rinse solution having admixed therewith quantities of gas for producing a frothy rinse solution. e

These and other objects are attained by the means disclosed herein and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of atypical coil cleaning set up embodying a compressor made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the compressor unit shown inFig. 1.

It has long been customary to clean beer coils either by passing live steam through said coils or by forcing a suitable chemical solution through said coils, however, cleaning with steam has the great disadvantage of being dangerous to persons because of its inherent qualities. Steam is also undesirablebecause of the latent heat transferred from the steam to the coils and pipes during the cleaning operation which results in overtaxing of the cooling system when beeris reintroduced into the hot lines and coils The present invention is concerned with an improvement in the method of cleaning beer coils by the so-called chemical method in which the coils are cleaned by the action of suitable chemicals in solution which are circulated through'said coils. 1

In a typical dispensing set up, as shown in Fig. 1, beer is drawn from a barrel or other suitable container l0 through valve H, coupling |2, pipe it, through floor l4, through cooling coil A and thence to a dispensing faucet l5. A suitable drain pan It may be disposed below the faucet to catch faucet drippings which in turn are collected and conducted to a sewer by means of a suitable pipe as ll. In a like manner the contents of container l8 'may be drawn through valve l9, coupling 20,

pipe 2| to cooling coil B, thence pensing faucet 22. v i

It should be understood that it is customary to provide suitable refrigeration means, not shown, around cooling coils A and: Bio! chilling out throughdisthe contentsof said coils prior to being discharged through faucets I5 and 22;, This system, except for slight modifications comprisesa standard beer dispensinginstallation;

Due to the inherent chemical qualities of beer it-is mandatory, for'sanitary reasons; to periodically cleanse the coils and pipes through which the beer is drawn. When the chemical method is employed to cleanse the coils and pipes it becomes necessary to provide a" pump to properly circulate the chemical cleaningsolution through the pipes comprising the system. e I

The pump unit of the present invention com prises a. diaphragmtype compressor 23 driven by a suitableelec'tric motor 24 by means of belting 25., As clearlyshown inFig. 2 compressor 23 comprises an upper section 2! and a lower section 26 secured together by any suitable means suchas bolts 28. Thelower section 26 houses an eccentric. 29, which when driven by suitable m'eans,

through strap 30 to connecting rod 30. The free end of connecting rod:30 terminates in an annular plate33, which is secured to a flexible diaphragm 3| by-meansof screw 32 which tightly secures plates 33 and 34. to opposite sides of said diaphragm as shown. Diaphragm 3| may be'of r not shown, imparts a. reciprocating l motion'.

chamber 4| terminating ina gas tight and fluid by the action of a spring 46 which is maintained in place byan apertured plug 41. A pipe 48 con nects theinteri'or of plug 4'|to intake pipe 40, as clearly shown. This safety valve permits. the medium housed within chamber 4| to by-pass' back to the intake linejwhenever the pressure within chamber 4| exceeds the counter "pressure ofispring, whereby damage to the compressor or to pipe lines being cleaned, is prevented.

A suitableannular gasket 49' may be interposed stopped. I

between flange 36 of dome 31 and flange 50 of housing 43 to prevent any leakage from chamber 4|.

Discharge pipe 42 comprises a T fitting, having a valve 5| interposed in leg 52 as shown.

A diaphragm compressor as described is utilized for cleaning coils A and B and piping I3 and 2| in the following manner, reference being had to Fi 1.

The following hose connections arc made prior to the start of the cleaning operation: Ahose 53 is connected to intake pipe 40'; one end of a hose 54 is connected to discharge pipe 42 the other end terminating in a faucet cup 55 which is adapted to fit over the end of a faucet 2|.5'as shown.--

(see broken line I); a third hose v56 connects leg 52 of the T discharge pipe 42 to a suitable" water supply tap T. The. free end of intake hose: 53 is positioned as shown by broken lines 55 so that the compressor will pump air. After these preliminary connections have been made the valve 5| is closed and the motor 24is started whereby compressed air is delivered viahose 54 to faucet l5. Faucet I5 is then opened with the result that any fluid in coil A andline I3 is forced back into container I0 by the compressed air. When the fluid in line |3 has all been thusly pumped into container H1, faucet I5 is closed. Faucet cup 55 is then placed uponfaucet 22 and the process is repeated, whereby the contentsof coil B and line 2| are pumped back'into container I8. If desired, the pump maynow be Valves I and I9 are then closed and-pipes I3 and 2| disconnected therefrom at couplings I2 and 20 respectively after which the ends of said pipes are connected together to form a complete circuit with faucet l5 at one end and faucet 22 at the other end. Faucet -|5 isxopened, then faucet 22 is opened followed by the opening of valves 5| and 51 in order. This permits the hydrant water to course through faucet 22, coil B, pipe 2 I, pipe l3 through 0011A and out through faucet I5 whereby the beer foam and other unde-. sirable substances in said coils and pipes is rinsed out. This flushing action is continued until only clear water is discharged through faucet "|5,"at which time valves 51 and 5| are closed.-

Motor 24 is then started and only air is pumped, whereby the water in chamber 4I'and in coils A and B and lines 2| and I3 is blown out through I a, suitableperiod oftime, after which. the end faucet l5. By reason ofthe fact that the end of discharge pipe 42 te'rminatesclose to the bottom of chamber 4|, practically all ofthe'liquid in said chamber is exhausted before any air can be discharged, and likewise this construction traps a certain amount of air in the top of said chamber when a liquid is being pumped:

After all the water thusly has been discharged from the pipe lines as will'be evidenced when air is discharged from open faucet I5, the'end of intake hose 53 is placed into a bucket 66 contain-' ing a suitable chemical cleansing and sterilizing solutionsee broken lines 59. This process is continued until the chemical solution is discharged through faucet |5 at which timethe free end of the intake hose 53 is secured to faucet I5 whereby the chemical solution is caused to circulate through the coils and associated pipes for of inlet hose 53 isremoved from faucet I5and positioned asat 58 whereby air is pumped through the system until all of the chemical solution has been exhausted from the lines. Said chemical ..1iver a frothy solution of air and water as long as desired. It is this ability to continuously de- .-'liverr'a frothy solution of air and water under pressure that results in the pump becoming an invaluable asset to those industries in which coils andpipes are to be cleaned.

After this flushing operation has been completedthe valves 5| and 57 are closed whereupon only air is pumped through the system, which blows .all of the water out of the coils and pipes. The'pump is then stopped, faucets l5 and 22 closed, the pipes I3 and 2| are disconnected and reconnected to couplings I2 and 20 respectively, valves II and i9 opened, discharge hoses 54 and 5B disconnected from faucet 22 and tap- 5'| respectively and the system is once again ready for. dispensation of the contents of containers I0 and I8... I-t is tobe understood that diaphragm compressor 23 and motor 24 may be mounted upon a suitableportable standard as 6| whereby said unit is rendered portable.

It should here be noted that it is characteristic of a diaphragm type compressor to build up a substantially constant pressure in pressure chamber 4|, but said pressure is characterized by rapid pulsations set up by the operation of diaphragm 3|. These rapid pulsations in conjunctionqwith the comparatively constant pressure within chamber 4| causes any suitable gaseous substance, such as air, to be forced into the fluid stream supplied through T pipe 52 as tiny globules or bubbles whereby a frothy solution results comprising an admixture of gas particles and fluid. Such a gas should be substantially non soluble in the fluid used in order that the frothy condition will continue as long as the solution is confined within the coils or conduits. Likewise it istdesirable that the gas used be substantially inert under the conditions encountered during the cleaning process in order that no harmful results 1 will follow such operation.

The process as. described greatly speeds up the usual process of rinsing without sacrificing thoroughness since the minute gas particles tend to scour the tube walls whereby the particles loosed by the chemical solution are dislodged and are carried in suspension through said lines by the fluidwhereu'pon-a better job of rinsing is accomplished than is possible with either water or the gas alone.

wItshould be understood that an admixture of air and water has been referred to in the specification merely for the purpose of illustration and I d'o not Wish to limit myself to these two substances since numerous other liquids and gases may be substituted within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l'. The method of flushing and cleaning beer dispensing coil systems and their faucets, which methodcomprises the steps of connecting one end of the coil system to a fresh water supply and pumping water therefrom through the system to initially flush it, then draining thesystern of the flush Water, then connecting the ends of the coil system to furnish a closed circuit, and injecting and circulating a chemical cleaner within the system,-then drainingthe system of the chemical cleaner, and thereafter filling the system with rinse Water and circulating said rinse v system. i

2. The method of flushing and cleaning beer dispensing coil systems and their faucets, which method comprises the steps of connecting one end of the coil system to a fresh water supply and pumping water therefrom through the system to initially flush it, then draining the system of the flush water, then connecting the ends of the coil system to furnish a closed circuit, and

injecting and circulating a liquid chemical cleaner Within the system with the aid of air under pressure delivered thereinto in sharp and sudden high-speed pulsations for breaking up the column of liquid in the system at infinitesimally small intervals, thereby to impart a scouring effect to the frothy admixture of liquid and air in the system, then draining the system of the chemical cleaner, then filling, the system with rinse water and circulating said rinse water through the system, and thereafter draining the system. t i

. GEORGE M. GUMP.