Liquid Lock Technology

Liquid Lock is an integrated resource management system for conveyorized inline cleaning systems. This system reduces operating cost of the cleaning process by saving cleaning agent, water and power. Liquid Lock also minimizes the environmental impact of the cleaning process.

ACTUAL APPLICATION RESULTS

• Using Liquid Lock technology, a modest savings of 7.5 gallons per day provided an annual chemical cost saving of about $70,000.
• Heating requirements were reduced 75% from a normal 30 kW to 7.5 kW, for an energy savings of 22.5 kW at 7 cents/kW per hour. This resulted in an annual energy savings of $14,750, operating on a 24/7 basis

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Liquid Lock encloses the spray stage of an inline cleaner within a laminar flow that effectively “locks” the atomized and aerosoled cleaning agent within the confines of the locked wash zone. The laminar liquid locks are located at the entrance and exit of the wash stage.
• The liquid that comprises the locks is the same fluid being sprayed in the wash stage, which is pumped from the wash stage reservoir and cascades over specially designed weirs to enclose the entire spray zone.
• The spray zone is fully enclosed, with the only way in and out being through the liquid lock. Atomized and aerosoled cleaning agent solution drawn into the laminar flow of the liquid locks rejoins the rest of the fluid in the wash stage reservoir. This locking process drastically reduces the exhaust requirement for the cleaning system, and thus reduces emissions of cleaning agent and water while minimizing the environmental impact of the cleaning process.
• Cleaning agent solution consumption, and the power required to heat it, is directly proportional to the volume of cleaning agent flowing through the spray nozzles. Conservation benefits increase in direct proportion to the length of the spray zone and the number of nozzles within that zone.
• Cleaning agent conservation can be up to 75% in certain applications as compared to conventional designs.
• The reduced exhaust requirement also minimizes the consumption of facility-conditioned air and thus reduces the heating, cooling and filtration costs of the room in which the cleaner is located.
• Facility related reduction of operating cost is especially significant if the cleaning system is located in a clean room environment. Reduced exhaust volume also minimizes the capital requirement for costly mist eliminators in the exhaust system, and eliminates the maintenance cost associated with those devices.
• Diminished consumption of cleaning agent reduces operator exposure to cleaning agents by lowering the volume of makeup cleaning agent that must be added to maintain the required operating concentration.
• Reducing the consumption of cleaning agent creates a more stable cleaning process because the concentrations of cleaning agent and water are less dynamic. Results of the cleaning process are therefore more repeatable and predictable.
• Reduction of exhausted cleaning agent can also mean less impact on the building in which the cleaner is located. For instance, if the cleaner’s exhaust stack exits through the facility roof, cleaning agent residue can damage the roof: hydrocarbon-based cleaning agents can damage asphalt roofing surfaces, and alkaline-based cleaning agents can damage aluminum, galvanized or painted surfaces. The emission of cleaning agents also has an ecological impact with possible detrimental effects to terrestrial and aquatic life.