Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B7/00—Preservation or chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
  • A23B7/14—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10
  • A23B7/144—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
  • A23B7/152—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O ; Elimination of such other gases
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B7/00—Preservation or chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
  • A23B7/14—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10
  • A23B7/153—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of liquids or solids
  • A23B7/158—Apparatus for preserving using liquids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23N—MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS
  • A23N12/00—Machines for cleaning, blanching, drying or roasting fruits or vegetables, e.g. coffee, cocoa, nuts
  • A23N12/02—Machines for cleaning, blanching, drying or roasting fruits or vegetables, e.g. coffee, cocoa, nuts for washing or blanching
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B3/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam
  • B08B3/04—Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B3/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam
  • B08B3/04—Cleaning involving contact with liquid
  • B08B3/10—Cleaning involving contact with liquid with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for cleaning surface of objects, more particularly, the invention relates to a device for cleaning the surface of farm produce such as fruits and vegetables.
• the farm produce which is generally the fruits and vegetables that we eat are typically washed with water for cleaning away soil and other foreign matter between vegetable leaves or on fruit skins, especially coarse fruit and vegetable skins and, second, the elimination of residual agricultural chemicals that cannot be broken down. Ingestion of such agricultural produce which is contaminated with chemical toxins may in serious cases immediately results in toxicosis and in milder cases chronic poisoning that gradually deteriorates the health of the human body.
• the source for chemical residues in our food could be through the application of pesticides on crops, with residues remaining in the fruits and vegetables or through the application of disinfecting chemicals used in the store house or at homes.
• Such chemical residues once in our system can be the cause for several acute and chronic diseases. So removing such harmful chemicals, as much as we can, is the first step forward.
• CN101695345B Zhejiang University of Technology a method for eliminating pesticide residues on vegetables and fruits, which comprises the following steps: putting the vegetables or fruits to be cleaned into a cleaning device, taking water as a cleaning medium, enabling the concentration of a surfactant in the medium to be between 0.025 and 0.05 percent and the concentration of ozone water to be between 1.0 to 5.0ppm, and adjusting pH of the medium to between 6.0 and 9.0; and starting a bubbling device, and cleaning the vegetables or the fruits at a medium temperature of between 25 and 40DEG C for 20 to 40min.
• KR20010054719 discloses a fruit and vegetable washing device is provided to eliminate foreign matters or pesticide from the skin of fruit or vegetables by an ultrasonic oscillator, and to clean fruit or vegetables by neutralizing and disinfecting hygienically with an ozone apparatus.
• CN2508577 discloses a utility model relating to fruit and vegetable washing equipment and fruit and vegetable preservation equipment.
• a washing water tank is composed of an outer tank and an inner tank, ozone water is filled in the inner tank, an ultrasonic transducer and a water level in the inner tank are positioned at the same level, and an emitting surface is relative to an inner tank bottom; a conveyer band is arranged in the inner tank in a concavity shape, and the conveyer surface of the conveyer band is lower than the water level of the inner tank.
• a feed inlet and a discharge outlet are arranged on the upper end surface of the inner tank, a rinse tank connected with the discharge outlet is arranged at the discharge outlet, the ozone water for further sterilizing and disinfecting is filled in the rinse tank.
• JP201 1 121883 provides a low-cost germicidal auxiliary for ozone sterilization, capable of germicidally cleaning a material to be treated in high germicidal power by utilizing ozone aeration, capable of suppressing the reduction of taste and freshness of a food after treatment even if the fresh vegetables such as vegetables are germicidally cleaned, and to provide an ozone germicidal cleaning method using the germicidal auxiliary.
• the germicidal auxiliary includes (A) monocaprylin of greater than or equal to 10 mg/L and less than or equal to 100 mg/L, and (B) a water-soluble acid, and has a pH of 3.0-5.0.
• the ozone germicidal cleaning method includes a step of soaking a material to be treated in the germicidal auxiliary and aerating the ozone in the germicidal auxiliary in which the material to be treated is soaked.
• JP201 1 121883 does not disclose any specific design of a device to save water and no particular features or mechanism for automated and regulated dosing of the ingredients used for cleaning such that timely and predetermined amount of cleaning ingredients is released into the cleaning container and the cleaning process gets completed in a pre-determined amount of time.
• washing machines for washing fruits and vegetables which come with one of the drawbacks such as being bulky, space occupying, noisy, time consuming, high consumption of water, complicated device etc.
• the present inventors have designed a device suitable for cleaning the surface of objects such as farm produce for example fruits and vegetables for removing dust, dirt, grime and harmful chemicals adhering to the surface of such objects.
• One aspect of the present invention provides a device suitable for cleaning the surface of objects in a cleaning container, the device comprising: a. an ozone generator, connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube, the second end of the ozone outlet tube being connected to a bubbling means capable of being submerged in a cleaning container containing a liquid; b. a surfactant storage container connected to a surfactant dosing tube for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container; wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container is regulated through a regulating means; and wherein the regulating means is positioned at the surfactant storage container or in the flow path of the surfactant flowing from surfactant storage container to the cleaning container.
• compositions for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container comprising: a. 60 to 99.9 wt% water;
• b an effective concentration of ozone in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm; and c. 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of cleaning surface of objects, the method comprising, a. providing a container of water;
• kits comprising, a. a surfactant storage container containing a surfactant composition; b. a device according to the first aspect; and
• Another aspect of the present invention provides use of an effective concentration of ozone in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm and an effective concentration of 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant for cleaning surface of objects.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides use of 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non- ionic surfactant to increase the availability of ozone in an aqueous solution.
• Figure 1 shows an illustration of a device for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container according to the present invention.
• one aspect of the present invention relates to a device suitable for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container, the device comprising: a. an ozone generator, connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube, the second end of the ozone outlet tube being connected to a bubbling means capable of being submerged in a cleaning container containing a liquid; b. a surfactant storage container connected to a surfactant dosing tube for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container; wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container is regulated through a regulating means; and
• the regulating means is positioned at the surfactant storage container or in the flow path of the surfactant flowing from surfactant storage container to the cleaning container.
• a device suitable for cleaning surface of objects is a device which aims at removing particles or substances from unclean surface of objects. Undesirable chemical or biological contaminants may adhere to the surface of objects. More importantly it is required to clean the edible or consumable objects which are a farm produce such as fruits and vegetables which may contain dirt, mud, grime, undesirable chemicals such as pesticides which adhere to the surface of the object and some of which are not removed by simple washing.
• a device suitable for cleaning surface of objects may involve a number of different principles such as pressurized washing, ozone water, ultrasonication, washing with water with a swirl or tumble effect etc.
• the device suitable for cleaning surface of objects of the present invention is based on the synergistic action and appropriate and timely dosing of ozone and surfactant into the cleaning container.
• the device does not involve expensive mechanism or parts for its functioning and does not great heavy vibrations or noise during its functioning.
• the device provides a highly convenient and easy and an automated method of washing the surface of objects such as fruits and vegetables.
• the device also requires minimum amount of water only to submerge the object intended for cleaning in the cleaning container.
• the device of the present invention has an ozone generator for generating ozone, a surfactant container for storing the surfactant composition and a regulating means which ensures an appropriate and timely dosing of ozone and surfactant into the cleaning container. Also provided is a bubbling device at the end of the outlet of the ozone generator.
• the device of the present invention suitable for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container comprises: a. an ozone generator, connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube, the second end of the ozone outlet tube being connected to a bubbling means capable of being submerged in a cleaning container containing a liquid; b. a surfactant storage container connected to a surfactant dosing tube for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container; wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container is regulated through a regulating means;
• the device comprises an air suction pump connected to a connector which supplies air suctioned by the air suction pump to the ozone generator.
• a dehumidifier positioned downstream of the air suction pump to control the relative humidity of the air which enters the ozone generator to less than 40% relative humidity.
• the ozone generator is connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube, the second end of the ozone outlet tube being connected to a bubbling means capable of being submerged in a cleaning container containing water.
• the device also comprises a surfactant storage container connected to a surfactant dosing tube for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container; and wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container is regulated through a peristaltic pump when the gears of the pump are pinch onto the surfactant dosing tube intermittently.
• a one way valve is positioned at the ozone outlet tube after the surfactant dosing tube merges into the ozone outlet tube in the flow path of the surfactant.
• the device is provided with a control circuit which controls the regulating means for regular dispensing of the ozone and the surfactant composition.
• Cleaning container is preferably not a part of the device but may form a part of the device. It is a container which is suitable for holding water, the objects intended for cleaning are preferably submerged in the water. It is preferable that at the time of cleaning, the bubbling means is submerged in the cleaning container for proper diffusion of ozone into the water.
• the cleaning container preferably also has a removable basket for holding the objects intended for cleaning, such basket when used could be placed inside the cleaning container or mounted on the wall of the cleaning container.
• Air suction pump
• the device has an air suction pump configured to take in air from its surroundings.
• An air suction pump may be of any type which is configured to take in air from its surroundings and supply to the ozone generator through a connector. Air suction pump preferably allows the air to enter inside the device for providing air supply to the ozone generator.
• the air suction pump is preferably a positive displacement pump. It is preferred that the flow rate of the air pump ranges from 0.5 to 10 LPM, more preferably from 1 LPM to 5 LPM and most preferably from 1 .5 to 2.5 LPM.
• the air suction pump is connected to a connector which supplies air from the pump to the ozone generator.
• Connector A connector is preferably a type of tubing which is configured to transport air from the air suction pump into the ozone generator.
• a connector could be made of different types of materials such as butyl, chemraz, CPVC, durachlor-S1 , Durlon 9000, EPDM, EPR, Ethylene Polypropene, flexelene, florosiicon, glass, Hastelloy C, HDPE, Inconel, kalrez, Kel-F, PEEK, polycarbonate, polyurethane, Teflon, PVDF, santorene, silicone, stainless steel 316, titanium, Vmac, Viton and the likes which are compatible with Ozone.
• silicone tube is used as a connector.
• Ozone is a molecule made from three oxygen atoms.
• Ozone is trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula O3. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope O2, breaking down in the lower atmosphere to normal dioxygen.
• ground level ozone is a major component of smog. Ozone found high up in the atmosphere, called stratospheric ozone, protects us by shielding us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. This "high in the sky” ozone and its beneficial effects should not be confused with the harmful "low to the ground” ozone, or smog.
• UV ultraviolet
• Ozone has a greater disinfection effectiveness against bacteria and viruses compared to chlorination.
• the formation of oxygen into ozone occurs with the use of energy.
• Ozone generators are used to produce ozone for cleaning air or removing smoke odours in unoccupied rooms. These ozone generators can produce over 3 g of ozone per hour.
• Ozone often forms in nature under conditions where O2 will not react This process is carried out by an electric discharge field as in the CD-type ozone generators (corona discharge simulation of the lightning), or by ultraviolet radiation as in UV-type ozone generators (simulation of the ultraviolet rays from the sun), cold plasma method where pure oxygen gas is exposed to a plasma created by dielectric barrier discharge and the diatomic oxygen is split into single atoms, which then recombine in triplets to form ozone.
• Electrolytic ozone generation (EOG) method in which water molecules are split into H2, O2, and O3.
• an ozonation system includes passing dry, clean air through a high voltage electric discharge, i.e., corona discharge, which creates and ozone concentration of approximately 0.02 wt% to 12 wt% of air.
• an ozone generator based on the corona discharge technology having capacity in the range of 50mg/hr to 500 mg/hr, more preferably in the range of 50mg/hr to 300 mg/hr and most preferably in the range of 70mg/hr to 200mg/hr.
• An ozone outlet tube is preferably a type of tubing which is configured to transport ozone from the ozone generator to the bubbling means.
• the ozone outlet tube could be made of different types of materials which are chemically inert and compatible with ozone such as butyl, chemraz, CPVC, durachlor-S1 , Durlon 9000, EPDM, EPR, Ethylene Polypropene, flexelene, florosiicon, glass, Hastelloy C, HDPE, Inconel, kalrez, Kel-F, PEEK, polycarbonate, polyurethane, Teflon, PVDF, santorene, silicone, stainless steel 316, titanium, Vmac, Viton and the likes.
• silicone tube is used as an ozone outlet tube.
• a bubbling means is present at the second end of the ozone outlet tube and is configured to dissolve ozone into water by creating fine bubbles. It is preferred that the bubbling means has a porous character such that when ozone is released through the fine pores in the liquid medium, ozone bubbles are released which rise in the cleaning container and transfer the ozone into the liquid phase (water).
• the bubbling means could be anything of a porous character and capable of being submerged in the cleaning container.
• the bubbling means is preferably an ozone diffuser such as a porous stone (such as aeration stone), ozone resistant ceramic or a stainless steel diffuser, or a porous PTFE diffuser. It is preferable to have a ceramic diffuser. It is further preferable that the ceramic diffuser has pore size in the range of 10 to 300 micrometre, more preferably in the range from 20 to 250 micrometre, yet more preferably 30 to 200 micrometre, and most preferably in the rage of 50 to150 micrometre. Bubbling means could be in different forms and shapes, however performing the same role of releasing ozone into the liquid phase in the form of bubbles.
• the bubbling means could be in the shape of a ring, a spiral, a cord, a pipe and other different shapes and forms. It is highly preferable that the bubbling means is fixed at the bottom of the cleaning container in a particular manner such as circular or spiral for effective release of ozone in the cleaning container.
• Surfactant storage container is designed to store a surfactant. It could be made of any material compatible with the surfactant such as plastic, glass and other inert materials.
• the surfactant composition which is stored in the surfactant storage container comprises a surfactant. It is preferable that the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.
• the present composition comprises a surfactant in an amount preferably in the range from 0.001 % to 1 %, more preferably from 0.01 % to 0.8% and most preferably from 0.1 % to 0.5% based on the weight of the surfactant composition.
• Suitable nonionic surfactants include the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols or fatty acids, with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide. Examples include the condensation products of aliphatic (Cs-Cis) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide, and products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine.
• Other so-called nonionic surfactant compounds include long chain tertiary amine oxides, long chain tertiary phosphine oxides and dialkyl sulphoxides.
• nonionics include mono or dialkyl alkanolamides or alkyl polyglucosides. Also useful are the alkyl polysaccharides.
• nonionic surfactants include coco mono or diethanolamide, coco mono isopropanolamide, and coco di glucoside.
• useful nonionic surfactants include the polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene oxide condensates of alkyl phenols, fatty acid amide surfactants, polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactants, alkyl cthoxylate surfactants, alkanoyl glucose amide surfactants, and alkylpolyglycosides.
• nonionic surfactants include alkanolamides such as cocainide DEA, cocamide MEA, cocamide Ml PA, lauramide DEA, and lauramide MEA, sorbitan lauratc, sorbitan distcaratc, fatty acids or fatty acid esters such as lauric acid, and isostearic acid, fatty alcohols or ethoxylated fatty alcohols such as laiiryl alcohol, lauicth-4, laureth-7, lanreth- 9, laureth-40, ti ' ideceth alcohol, Cn- 15 pareth-9, C12- 13 Pareth-3, and C14-15 Pareth-1 1 , alkylpolyglucosides such as decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, and coco glucoside.
• alkanolamides such as cocainide DEA, cocamide MEA, cocamide Ml PA, lauramide DEA, and lauramide MEA
• the nonionic surfactant may also be a carbohydrate or sugar-based surfactant, ethers, esters or amides, such as alkyl (poly)saccharides and alkyl (poly)saccharide amides.
• the nonionic surfactant may also be a sugar amide, such as a polysaccharide amide.
• the surfactant may be one of the lactobionamides described in U.S. Patent No. 5,389,279 to Au et al. or it may be one of the sugar amides described in Patent No. 5,009,814 to Kelkenberg.
• Preferred alkyl polysaccharides are alkylpolyglycosides of the formula R ⁇ 2>0(C nH 2nO) t(glycosyl) x wherein R ⁇ 2> is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkylphenyl, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkylphenyl, and mixtures thereof in which alkyl groups contain from about 10 to about 18, preferably from about 12 to about 14, carbon atoms; n is 0 to 3, preferably 2; t is from 0 to about 10, preferably 0; and x is from 1.3 to about 10, preferably from 1.3 to about 2.7.
• the glycosyl is preferably derived from glucose.
• the alcohol or alkylcolyethoxy alcohol is formed first and then reacted with glucose, or a source of glucose, to form the glucoside (attachment at the 1 - position).
• the additional glycosyl units can then be attached between their 1 -position and the preceding glycosyl units 2-, 3-, 4- and/or 6-position, preferably predominantly the 2- position.
• the present composition includes non-ionic surfactant in a total amount preferably in the range from 0.001 % to 1 %, more preferably from 0.01 % to 0.8% and most preferably from 0.1 % to 0.5% based on the weight of the surfactant composition.
• non-ionic surfactants of the present invention are selected from the group of polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, glycerine fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene alkylphenols, poloxamers, polyethylene fatty acid ester and fatty acid mono or diglycerides. It is highly preferred that the non-ionic surfactants of the present invention are ethoxylated sorbitan esters. Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester is highly preferable. It is most preferred that the non-ionic surfactant comprises a polysorbate or polyoxyethylated sorbitol fatty acid ester.
• the non-ionic surfactant comprises a polyoxyethylated sorbitol fatty acid ester. It is highly preferred that the non-ionic composition comprises present composition comprises polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester preferably in the range from 0.001 % to 1 %, more preferably from 0.01 % to 0.8% and most preferably from 0.1 % to 0.5% based on the weight of the composition. It is further preferred that the polyoxyethylated sorbitol fatty acid ester comprises 80 to 100 wt%, more preferably 90 to 100 wt% and most preferably 95 to 100 wt% of the total non-ionic surfactant, based on weight of the total non-ionic surfactant. Surfactant dosing tube
• a surfactant dosing tube is preferably a type of tubing which is configured to transport surfactant composition from the surfactant storage container into the surfactant dosing tube.
• the surfactant dosing tube could be made of different types of materials which are chemically inert and compatible with the surfactant such as high molecular weight PVC, silicon, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic vulcanizate, vton rubber etc.
• silicone tube is used as a surfactant dosing tube. It is further preferred that when silicone is used as a material for the surfactant dosing tube, the silicon is peroxide cured.
• surfactant dosing tube opens into the ozone outlet tube, such that the ozone outlet tube is capable of dispensing ozone and surfactant from the second end of the ozone outlet tube. It is highly preferable that the surfactant dosing tube eventually is released into the cleaning container through the bubbling means along with the ozone.
• Regulating means is configured to regulate dosing of the composition from the surfactant storage container into the cleaning container.
• the regulating means is positioned at the surfactant storage container or in the flow path of the surfactant flowing from surfactant storage container to the cleaning container.
• regulating means is spatially positioned at or between the surfactant storage container, surfactant dosing tube and the bubbling means. It is most preferable that the regulating means is positioned at the surfactant doing tube.
• Regulating means could be mechanical, suction type, electrical or displacement type.
• the mechanical regulating means could be a piston type regulating means.
• This dosing mechanism preferably includes a defined size of reservoirs/Bore size with 2 one way valves and a spring-loaded piston.
• the piston movement is preferably controlled by user.
• piston is pressed against the spring preferably one valve is closed and other one open resulting into dosing of defined liquid.
• the amount of dosed liquid controlled by the piston movement and bore size of cylinder.
• a suction type regulating means preferably includes a defined size of reservoirs/Bore size with one way valve and a spring-loaded piston. Piston movement is preferably controlled by user.
• piston is pressed against the spring and valve is forced to close resulting into dosing of available liquid in reservoir out of nozzle.
• the amount of dosed liquid is controlled by the piston movement and bore size of cylinder.
• An electrical type regulating means preferably includes a pump type regulating means such as a peristaltic pump.
• This mechanism based dosing preferably includes a peristaltic (Rollar) pump which generate the pluses in the tube which filled with the liquid which generate positive displacement of the liquid within the tube with the help of rollers. Dosing is controlled by defined no of turns/seconds.
• a displacement type regulating means is preferably a valve/Displacement Type regulating means.
• a Solenoid valve (SV) based dosing mechanism preferably includes a small reservoir having a small opening which is operated by a piston. Piston moment is controlled by electrical means. When electrical power is supplied to SV the coil situated within pulls piston upwards resulting into dosing of the liquid. The amount of dosed liquid is controlled by bore size of tubing and time of opening and closing of piston.
• SV Solenoid valve
• the regulating means is a pump and more preferably a positive displacement pump including but not limited to rotary lobe pump, progressing cavity pump, rotary gear pump, piston pump, diaphragm pump, screw pump, gear pump, vane pump, regenerative (peripheral) pump and peristaltic pump. It is further preferred that the regulating means is a rotary pump and most preferably a rotatory gear pump. In a rotatory gear pump the liquid is trapped by the opening between the gear teeth of two identical gears and the chasing of the pump on the suction side. On the pressure side the fluid is squeezed out when the teeth of the two gears are rotated against each other. It is highly preferred that the regulating means is positioned such that the surfactant dosing tube is pinched intermittently by the gears of the peristaltic pump for a regulated dosing of the surfactant composition.
• the device comprises a control circuit which controls the regulating means for regular dispensing of the ozone and the surfactant composition.
• a one way valve preferably positioned at the ozone outlet tube and most preferably after the surfactant dosing tube merges into the ozone outlet tube in the flow path of the surfactant.
• a valve preferably prevents the flow of ozone and surfactant in the opposite direction.
• the device further comprises a dehumidifier positioned downstream of the air suction pump to control the relative humidity of the air which enters the suction pump to less than 40% relative humidity.
• a desiccant type dehumidifier which uses an adsorbent material to extract water from the air.
• silica gel is used as the absorbent material in the desiccant type dehumidifier.
• the present invention provides a method of cleaning surface of objects, the method comprising, a. providing a container of water;
• surfactant composition is dosed from the surfactant storage container into the surfactant dosing tube at a rate ranging from 0.1 to 20 ml/min, more preferably from 0.2 to 1.0 and most preferably from 0.4 to 0.5 ml/min. It is preferable that the surfactant dosing tube dispenses the surfactant composition into the ozone outlet tube.
• the surfactant composition is released into the cleaning container through the bubbling means. It is preferable that the objects in the cleaning container are in contact with the water having ozone and surfactant composition preferably for period of 5 to 30 minutes, preferably 5 to 15 minutes and most preferably 5 to 7rminut.es.
• the present invention provides a composition for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container, the composition comprising: a. 60 to 99.9 wt% water;
• b an effective concentration of ozone in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm; and c. 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant.
• the composition for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container has surfactant preferable in the range of 0.00001 to 1 wt%, more preferably in the range of 0.00001 to 0.1 wt% and most preferably in the range from 0.00001 to 0.0001 wt% based on the weight of the composition.
• the composition for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container has an effective concentration of ozone preferably in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm, more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 ppm and most preferably in the range from 0.1 to 1 ppm by weight of the composition.
• the composition for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container has an effective concentration of ozone preferably in the range of 0.000001 to 0.001 wt%, more preferably in the range of 0.00001 to 0.0005 wt% and most preferably in the range from 0.00001 to 0.0001 wt% by weight of the composition.
• the composition for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container has water preferably in the range of 60 to 99 wt%, more preferably in the range of 70 to 80 wt% and most preferably in the range from 75 to 80 wt% by weight of the composition.
• the present invention provides a kit for cleaning surface of objects comprising,
• the present invention provides use of an effective concentration of ozone in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm and an effective concentration of 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant for cleaning surface of objects.
• the present invention provides use of an effective concentration of ozone in the range of 0.01 to 10 ppm and an effective concentration of 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant for removing pesticides from the surface of farm produce.
• the present invention also provides use of 0.00001 % to 0.1 wt% of a non-ionic surfactant to increase the availability of ozone in an aqueous solution.
• the ozone generator generates ozone and supplies it into an ozone outlet tube, first end of which is connected to the ozone generator and the second end has an opening comprising of pores having size in the range of 10 ⁇ to 300 ⁇ .
• the ozone outlet tube projects out of the device such that the second end is capable of being submerged in a container containing a liquid.
• FIG. 1 is an illustration of a device for cleaning surface of objects according to the present invention.
• the device (1 ) for cleaning surface of objects in a cleaning container (2) comprises an ozone generator (3), connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube (4), the second end of the ozone outlet tube (4) being connected to a bubbling means (5) capable of being submerged in a cleaning container (2) containing a liquid.
• the device also comprises a surfactant storage container (6) connected to a surfactant dosing tube (7) for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container (2); wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container (2) is regulated through a regulating means (8); wherein the regulating means (8) is positioned at the surfactant storage container (6) or in the flow path of the surfactant flowing from surfactant storage container (6) to the cleaning container (2).
• the surfactant dosing tube (7) opens into the ozone outlet tube (4), such that the ozone outlet tube (4) is capable of dispensing ozone and surfactant from the second end of the ozone outlet tube (4).
• the device has the device (1 ) has an air suction pump (9) configured to take in air from its surroundings such that is connected to a connector (10) which supplies air from the pump (9) to the ozone generator (3).
• the regulating means (8) of the device (1 ) is positioned at the surfactant storage container (6) or in the flow path of the surfactant flowing from surfactant storage container (6) to the cleaning container (2). It is preferable that the regulating means (8) comprises a pump.
• the objects intended for cleaning are preferably kept in the cleaning container (2) filled with water and bubbling means preferably placed at bottom of the container, the device according to the present invention is then activated.
• the air suction pump (9) preferably begins to take air from its surroundings and supplies to the connector (10) which transports that air into the ozone generator (3).
• the ozone generator (3) then generates ozone using this air and transports the ozone via ozone outlet tube (4) into the cleaning container.
• the surfactant storage container (6) having the surfactant composition according to the present invention doses the surfactant composition into the surfactant dosing tube (7) which is connected to the surfactant storage container (6) and supplies surfactant composition into the cleaning container.
• the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container (2) is regulated through a regulating means (8).
• the regulating means (8) comprises a pump.
• the surfactant dosing tube (7) opens into the ozone outlet tube (4), such that the ozone outlet tube (4) is capable of dispensing ozone and surfactant from the second end of the ozone outlet tube (4).
• the ozone and surfactant composition are dispensed into the ozone outlet tube (4) alternately and are transported though the ozone outlet tube (4) into the cleaning container (2) through the bubbling means (5), thereby resulting to form a composition in water which comprises water, ozone and surfactant.
• the objects intended for cleaning kept in the cleaning container (2) are allowed to be in contact composition comprising water, ozone and surfactant for a predetermined period of time sufficient for substantial removal of dust, dirt and harmful chemicals from the surface of objects.
• the device used for the example comprises an air suction pump connected to a connector which supplies air suctioned by the air suction pump to the ozone generator (TRUMPXP ® TCB25200D12v corona discharge).
• Silica gel which functions as a dehumidifier is positioned downstream of the air suction pump to control the relative humidity of the air which enters the ozone generator to less than 40% relative humidity.
• the ozone generator is connected to first end of an ozone outlet tube, the second end of the ozone outlet tube being connected to a bubbling means (an aeration stone having pore size in the range of 10 ⁇ to 300 ⁇ ) capable of being submerged in a cleaning container containing water.
• the ozone generator released ozone into the ozone outlet tube at the pressure of 1 to 2 psi and at the rate of 100 mg/hr.
• the device also comprises a surfactant storage container connected to a surfactant dosing tube for dosing of a surfactant composition into the cleaning container; and wherein the dosing of the surfactant composition into the cleaning container is regulated through a peristaltic pump when the gears of the pump are pinch onto the surfactant dosing tube intermittently.
• a one way valve is positioned at the ozone outlet tube after the surfactant dosing tube merges into the ozone outlet tube in the flow path of the surfactant.
• the device is provided with a control circuit which controls the regulating means for regular dispensing of the ozone and the surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition which was stored in the storage container was prepared by mixing or dissolving 3 gm of Polyethylene glycol dodecyl ether in 1000 ml of water.
• the ozone generator released ozone into the ozone outlet tube at the pressure of 1 to 2 psi and at the rate of 100 mg/hr.
• the ozone outlet tube merged with the surfactant dosing tube which dosed surfactant (0.5 ml) via the surfactant dosing tube into the ozone outlet tube the ozone and the surfactant composition together were transported via the ozone outlet tube into the bubbling means to finally release into the water contained in the cleaning container, which resulted in a composition in the cleaning container according to the following table:
• Ozone treatment for 15 minutes in 2 litres RO water was followed by Conventional treatment.
• Pesticide removal was measured by preparing stock solution, cone, of 1000 ppm (mg/L), in acetone and then the working standard pesticide solution, cone, of 100/200 ppm, by diluting the standard stock solution in acetone, washing the fruits and vegetables bought from the market with plenty of water, wiping them. Each of the fruits and vegetables are then weighed and the weight noted.
• the required volume of working standard pesticide solution is loaded on the F&V surface by using a micro-pipette. For example for 150 gm of Apple, 1 ppm (mg/kg) of pesticide Aldrin (Working standard pesticide solution concentration- 200 ppm; therefore, 0.75 ml) was loaded with about 100 ⁇ _ volume through micro-pipette on apple surface at one time.
• the process was repeated 8 times to cover the entire surface of Apple with the pesticide.
• the pesticide solution on the surface of Apple was allowed to dry for 2 hours for allowing acetone to evaporate completely.
• Apple having the pesticide solution on its surface was analyzed for the presence of pesticide before and after treatments (I, II and III).
• the standard Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe, the QuEChERS ("catchers") method (European EN 15662 method) was used which is based on work done and published by Anastassiades et al. [M. Anastassiades, S.J. Lehotay, D. Stajnbaher, F.J.
• the pesticide removal % was calculated according to the following formula:
• % pesticide removal ⁇ (Input concentration - Output concentration)/(lnput concentration) ⁇ * 100

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)
• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
• Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)

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• 2018
  • 2018-01-26 WO PCT/EP2018/051953 patent/WO2018153613A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2018-01-26 CN CN201880013228.0A patent/CN110337246A/zh active Pending

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