We have designed a condensing unit for our range of degreasing machines.
Our device is primary intended for the condensing of steam created in the washing chamber during the wash cycle and the effective removal of this water vapour created. This leads to a significant improvement in terms of the mobility of our degreasing machines. There is no need for the installation or purchase of an extractor fan for the unit with a condensing mechanism. Therefore there is no need to change the structure of your building to accommodate an extraction system. The installation of a condensing unit makes the degreasing machine pretty much emission-free.
The condensing process economically reduces water loss, resulting in the reducing of the number of times the operator would need to top up the water level due to the condensed water returning back to the machine sump.
Development and technical design of the unit
Initially, we explored several different solutions when developing this device. We looked for the most optimal way to combine functionality, material and production requirements. We have utilized SolidWorks Flow simulation software to find the best possible way,. The program helped us to test flow simulation, which confirmed our expectations of the whole process.
Despite various alternatives, we came to the conclusion that the above requirements are best met by a tube heat exchanger.
- Ease of manufacture.
- The device is fabricated from stainless steel and this means that it is much more resistant compared to better heat exchanging materials against the stronger chemical solutions used during the washing process.
- Streamlined design to aid uninterrupted steam flow.
The whole condensing device is an assembly of the heat exchanger and cooling unit. The cooling agent used in this case is water.
Condensation process:
The extractor fan draws the steam to the exchanger – this is sucked out through the upper part of the washing chamber. Not all the steam condenses during the first pass. The non-condensed vapours are returned to the lower part of the washing chamber. Cold air accumulated at the lower part helps to push the warm air up to the upper part of the washing chamber.
The heat exchanger removes heat from the steam passing through it, this reduction brings the steam to its dew point and condenses on the cooled inner surfaces of the device. The condensed water then drains from the exchanger and returns to the machine sump. The exchanger dissipates the heat via the water in the cooling circuit, which is in the cooling unit and here it is freely discharged into the surrounding atmosphere thanks to the fan. The cooled water is returned to the exchanger and the whole process is repeated.
