Flow pattern and cleaning performance of a stationary liquid jet operating at conditions relevant for industrial tank cleaning

N. Feldung Damkjær, Jens Adler-Nissen, B. B. B. Jensen, D.I. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Cleaning of processing tanks by impinging liquid jets is common practice in the food and biotechnology sectors. However, satisfactory prediction of the cleaning performance of such jets has so far only been achieved in small scale experiments. In the present work, cleaning with a horizontal water jet was studied using a 19m3 tank and settings applicable to industrial operations; nozzle internal diameters, dN, of 2–5.5mm, cleaning distances, L, of 80–2490mm, and flow rates, Q, of 0.05–3.0m3h−1. Experimental data and model predictions of the behaviour of the jet when striking an unsoiled surface showed reasonable agreement for a nozzle with dN=2mm at small cleaning distances (L 80 and 200mm). At greater dN and cleaning distances there was poorer agreement, which was attributed to jet break-up and splatter.Similar observations were made when cleaning a surface soiled with white petroleum jelly. The evolution of the cleaned area was predicted reasonably well for experiments with dN=2mm, L=80mm, and soil layer thicknesses of 0.25–1.49mm. For longer cleaning distances and larger dN only the initial stages of cleaning could be modelled, because jet break-up introduced complexities and momentum losses not accounted for in the mathematical models. The effects of jet break-up can partly be accommodated, in practice, by correcting the jet flow rate for these momentum losses.
Original languageEnglish
JournalFood and Bioproducts Processing
Volume101
Pages (from-to)145-156
Number of pages12
ISSN0960-3085
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • Film jump
  • Petroleum jelly
  • Tank cleaning
  • Jet cleaning
  • Jet break-up
  • Cleaning efficiency model

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