Customers are looking for comprehensive solutions that ensure they can use high-quality multiplates, for a long time, while respecting the environment. It is obvious that in the course of crop production they are exposed to various pathogens or pests, which are controlled with plant protection products. Every grower is aware that such production packaging must be washed and disinfected after the crop cycle is completed, otherwise there is a great risk of disease infestation of young plantings. In some horticultural industries, which are particularly related to food production, this approach is completely unacceptable. That’s why more and more customers are looking for machines that allow them to wash and disinfect their multiplates easily and quickly, while maintaining high accuracy before the next cropping season.
What technical aspects are worth paying attention to when choosing a washer?
1 One of them is the material from which the machine is built. We must remember that in the washer we have a virtually continuous presence of water, usually at high pressure, and crop residues in the form of peat residue, plants or fertilizers. This creates unfavorable conditions that can cause corrosion, so this type of machine should always be made of the highest quality stainless steel and other components that are resistant to such conditions.
2 Effective washing requires the use of high-pressure water, so most often these devices are equipped with their own pumps to generate the necessary pressure. It is important that they are of the highest possible quality, and that the entire water system, including the nozzles, ensures that the water reaches the entire surface of the washed multiplat as well as possible.
(3) It is also important that the machine is equipped with an enclosed tank for washing water, which can be heated to the set temperature, thanks to the installed heater, because by heating the water we can, for example, reduce the washing time and increase productivity. The tank itself should be equipped with a system for automatic replenishment of depleting water and a filter for mechanical dirt trapping.
4 Typically, manufacturers use several or more types of multiples, so it is important to be able to easily adjust the guides and adjust their spacing to suit specific trays. Some multiplates, especially those that are tall and have deep cells, can be difficult to wash and require adjusting the machine to their shape.
Washer for multiples – LIMEX TECO
For many years, Limex has specialized in the construction of equipment for washing various types of production containers, from classic machines for washing various types of multiplats, through equipment for washing larger crates, pallets or transport carts, to complex and fully automatic washing lines. The choice of machines and comprehensive solutions at Limex is huge, but when choosing the right one, we are always guided by the main goal of effectively and efficiently washing and disinfecting the packaging in question.
The Limex Teco multiplatform washer is a very interesting device that combines all the best solutions used by Limex. It is a compact machine with exceptional performance. It is fully automatic, equipped with the necessary accessories that give us the ability to adjust four key parameters in the washing process, namely: time (water contact), temperature, force (pressure) and detergent application. This allows us to adjust the machine in the best way, in order to get the best results in terms of pure multiples. Importantly, the machine is primarily made of stainless steel (AISI 304), some small parts (such as the conveyor belt) are made of different types of plastic. As a result, Teco is corrosion-resistant and can operate trouble-free for many years.
The most important part of the machine is the main washing section using warm water in a closed circuit, after which the multiplat passes into a smaller section, where it is rinsed with clean, cold water.
MULTIPLATFORM WASHING PROCESS
? The machine is equipped with a guide system so that we can adjust it to handle different sizes of multiplats. The Teco model is designed for larger multiplats, and they are transported through the machine and washed in a lying position, with the drainage channels upwards. Empty multiplats, sorted by type and pre-cleaned mechanically of peat residue, are inserted manually by the operator onto the conveyor belt, ? “upside down” and narrow side forward.
? The speed of the conveyor belt is regulated by an inverter located in the control box. Multiplates are held in position by guides and are transported through the main washing section, where they pass through nozzles that feed water at high pressure. ? The water is heated by an electric heater located in the tank and circulates in a closed system. The heater has a temperature control and is controlled by a thermostat that keeps the temperature at the right level.
? The hot water used in the washing process circulates in a closed circuit and returns after washing to the tank through a special drawer filter. This filter is designed to mechanically separate dirt residues that end up with the water after washing on its surface. This component must be cleaned regularly, as dirt can hinder the operation of the machine.
? After the multiplat passes through the main wash zone, it is transported to the rinse zone. This is done using clean, cold water, which is delivered through a hose. *The rinse zone can be used to provide and use disinfectants. To do this, equip the machine with a Dosatron (optional extra), which will dispense the correct amount of agent needed for disinfection. It should be noted, however, that only disinfectants that do not produce foam, for example, can be used in such an arrangement. Ecodes, which is a hydrogen peroxide-based agent with the addition of colloidal silver. Dosing of this type is continuous and proportional – water flow or pressure does not matter. It is also important that Limex supplies specially prepared Dosatrons made of PVDF, so they have higher resistance to chemically aggressive products.
? After passing through the flushing zone, the multiplates go outside the machine, where they are picked up manually by the operator. *Due to the fact that the multiplates transport a considerable amount of water on their surface after the washing and rinsing process, it is possible to optionally equip the washer with an extended channel at the exit. It allows the operator to shake off each multiplat from the excess water on them, and this water will go back into the main tank. This reduces the possibility of wasting water by spilling it outside the machine.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The machine needs a three-phase 400-volt power connection and a 3-bar water connection. The power connection must be prepared to handle heavy loads. A standard machine has an installed power of about 19 kW, so the electrical system and the protection used in it must be properly selected to ensure stable and safe operation of the machine. The water we supply to the washer must be of suitable quality. The use of water that will contain iron ions, will be saline or will contain other chemical impurities will affect the life of machine components and may cause frequent malfunctions and the need for service.
SUMMARY
The Limex TECO is an interesting unit with great performance. It gives the opportunity to thoroughly wash high multiplates. It can find use in nurseries, but also in other farms (for example, for washing transport boxes or other containers of this type). The possibility of working with a particular type of multiplat as well as box is verified each time at the stage of preparing an offer. With a 30-second multiplat contact time, its output reaches about 400 multiplats per hour. By shortening the water contact time, the output can be increased up to 600 multiplats per hour, while taking into account the possibility of a decrease in cleaning quality with increased output and the need for warm water and detergent. This is definitely a washer worth considering when choosing a machine for washing multiplats and crates.
Washer for multiples – Urbinati LAV10
Urbinati is mainly associated with solutions for sowing seeds, filling multiplats or pots or automatic transplanters and irrigation beams. However, Urbinati also has a multiplat wash. The LAV 10 washer is a compact machine that is ideal for washing various types of multiples.
DIMENSIONS OF ELEMENTS TO BE WASHED
In its standard version, the LAV 10 can handle various types of containers that are no longer than 600 mm, wider than 400 mm and higher than 150 mm. Taking into account the standards of multiplats used in horticulture, the vast majority fall within this range. If required, it is possible to expand the machine to handle multiplatforms up to 750mm long, 500mm wide and 150mm high. On special order, it is possible to expand the machine to handle multiplats or boxes up to 250 mm high.
MATERIAL
This machine is made of stainless steel, and the parts that are not in direct contact with water have been prepared from galvanized steel. The machine’s components also include small parts made of plastic. The LAV10’s design ensures that it can be used for a long time.
MACHINE OPERATION
At least one operator is needed to operate the machine, which puts the multiplates on a conveyor belt. High-pressure water delivery nozzles are symmetrically located on both sides of the main wash chamber housing, providing water access to the entire surface of the multiplat.
WATER CIRCULATION AND WASHING PROCESS
This machine is equipped with its own 3.7 kW pump, which produces an operating pressure of up to 9 bar, and directly from the pump water is fed to the nozzles. The water works in a closed circuit, so it is reused. After use, it returns to the main tank, into which it falls through a special steel sieve that mechanically captures dirt and debris from the washed multiples. Water loss is replenished on an ongoing basis, a process that happens on the fly and in a completely automatic manner ? The machine must be permanently connected to a source of clean water. Before leaving the washing chamber, there are nozzles at the very end with which we can rinse the multiplates with clean water, which also goes into the main tank. After rinsing, the multiplats are transported through a tunnel where a high-capacity blower air outlet is installed to dry the multiplat and blow excess water off its surface. The surface of the multiplat still remains slightly moist after passing through the air outlet. Collection of the multiplat after washing is manual.
OPTIONAL EXTRA
The LAV10 can be equipped with an 8 kW electric heater to heat water in the main tank, which is useful when dealing with heavily soiled multiples. The heater is equipped with a thermostat that automatically maintains the water temperature. Before the multiplats enter the machine, they should be mechanically cleaned to get rid of any loose peat residue that may linger in the cells. Besides, the machine can be equipped with 4 transport wheels, which greatly facilitate maneuvering and transporting the machine to different locations. The LAV10 can also be combined with a disinfection unit ? equipped with a tank into which the disinfectant solution is poured, with which the multiplates are then rinsed. Excess disinfection solution is returned to the tank and can be reused. This unit, too, is equipped with a fan so that excess disinfectant liquid is blown off the surface of the multiples. The LAV10 washer together with the disinfection station can be expanded with automatic feeders for multiples at the entrance to the washer, as well as a system for automatic collection of multiples after washing, so that we can prepare a fully automatic washing line on their basis.
SUMMARY
The LAV10 machine is mainly designed for farms that use classic multiplats for the production of ornamental plant cuttings or nursery stock. It provides high cleaning efficiency and a throughput of up to 600 multiplats per hour with a standard configuration. Thanks to its compact size, it can be used even in small spaces, and the possibility of equipping it with transport wheels ensures that it can be transported conveniently and easily around the farm. This machine should certainly be considered when choosing a multiplatform washing machine.
We hope the article will be helpful in the future!
