Bottle Washer Alkaline Concentration and Temperature Settings

1. Selection of Alkaline Concentration

1.1 Composition of Cleaning Solution

The detergent in the alkaline tank typically consists of:

• Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
• Cleaning-active substances
• Additives to prevent sediment

1.2 Selection of Detergent Concentration

The concentration should be determined based on:

• Degree of bottle contamination
• Label & adhesive properties
• Label attachment method (spot, line, full adhesion)
• Water hardness
• Bottle throughput per hour
  

  1.3 Standard NaOH Concentrations

• Alkaline Tank I: 1.5-2.5%
• Alkaline Tank II: 1.0-2.0%

Recommended Concentrations

• Higher water hardness requires higher additive concentration (total additive: 0.2-0.5%)
• Due to carryover between tanks, the final alkaline tank should use minimal concentration

1.4 Alkali Dosing Guidelines

• Preheat to >50°C before adding alkali to avoid foaming
• Manual vs. automatic dosing:
  • Manual: Follow the "frequent small doses" principle
  • Automatic: Preferred for stable concentration control
• Dosing methods:
  • Alkali Tank I: Solid NaOH via dosing hopper / liquid via feed port
  • Alkali Tank II: Solid NaOH via label removal box

1.5 Tank Capacity

Refer to machine-specific technical parameters

2. Temperature Settings

2.1 Heating Process

1. Steam & heating initiation:
   • Open steam main valve (ensure stable 0.4 MPa pressure)
   • Activate manual valves for alkaline, hot water, and warm water tanks
2. At 50°C:
   • Add detergent + additives (NaOH typically 1-2.5%)
   • Avoid NaOH >5% to prevent label dissolution
3. Optimal detergent characteristics:
   • Effective sterilization & cleaning
   • Low foam, non-toxic, cost-efficient
4. At 60°C:
   • Switch from manual to automatic temperature control (target ~82°C)
5. Final checks before operation:
   • Verify all tanks reach required temp & concentration
   • Activate conveyors, pumps, and downstream alerts
     

     2.2 Key Notes

     ✔ Safety Guidelines:

   • Fill tanks before heating
   • Steam should only be supplied during pump operation
   • Open valves gradually to prevent water hammer

✔ Temperature Control:

• For new bottles: ΔT ≤ 38°C between tanks
• For recycled bottles: ΔT ≤ 35°C to reduce breakage
• Observed deviation: ±3°C from displayed temperature

✔ Cleaning Efficiency:

• Higher temperatures enhance cleaning (especially critical for recycled bottles)

2.3 Operation Process

1. When heating reaches 50°C:
   • Start label removal system
   • Activate all spray pumps (alkali spray, hot water spray, warm water spray, clean water spray)
   • Begin main machine operation to circulate bottles and accelerate heating
2. When Alkali Tank I reaches 60°C:
   • Close bypass steam valve
   • Switch to automatic temperature control
3. Final checks:
   • Confirm all tanks meet temperature and concentration requirements
   • Start bottle feeding system
   • Activate clean water spray pump
   • Prepare discharge system and notify next process station

2.4 Special Considerations for Beer Bottles

• New bottles: Maximum temperature difference between tanks ≤38°C
• Recycled bottles: Maximum temperature difference ≤35°C
• Temperature is more critical than concentration for cleaning recycled bottles
• Practical temperature measurement shows ±3°C deviation from display

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