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<\/p>\nSupported by \u00a0\u201eIKT 2020 \u2013 KMU-innovativ: IKT \u2013 Software Engineering\u201c<\/p>\n
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for the food, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries – for precise visualization of volume flow distribution and cleaning effect over time.<\/p>\n
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<\/h2>\nThe SIMKOR research project aims at the optimization of resource use in the development of complex spray cleaning systems using software-assisted process simulation to predict the optimal cleaning effects.<\/p>\n
Even today nostalgics swear to wash their dishes by hand. A household dish washer consumes an average of 50 percent less water and 28 percent less energy, apart from the time savings and better cleaning results. And still you can rewash your machine washed dishes by hand.<\/p>\n
Hand washing of course is no option in professional container cleaning in the industrial environment. A professional producer in food, pharmaceutical or cosmetics industry needs to rely on perfect, automated cleaning results for every single one of thousands of cleanings. This is what makes industrial cleaning system design so challenging. Type, positioning and number of cleaning nozzles as well as the ideal spray pressure for the best possible cleaning can differ from plant to plant.<\/p>\n
Until today, hygienic design of such systems is based on experience and costly trial-and-error procedures. The challenge is similar for a wide range of setups:\u00a0 cleaning in a bottle washing line of a brewery e.g. or cleaning in place at the inside of a large food container. The planner always configures the cleaning nozzles based empirical values. The final nozzle setup must then be controlled in lengthy iterative practice tests at the prototype or at the customer’s premises. This is an elaborate process that massively consumes resources: primarily water, but also energy, detergents, time, labor \u2013 and money.<\/p>\n
The SIMKOR project is a joint effort of ADVITEC Informatik GmbH, the innovation and simulation service Festenberg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging Dresden (IVV). It comprises experimental research, evaluation and realization of a software-supported simulation of static and dynamic spray cleaning systems in the industrial environment. The goal is the realistic prediction of the expected cleaning effect in the design phase. This will allow for minimizing number and extent of practice tests, reduce adaptation requirements before commissioning the plant and, ultimately, significantly decrease resource consumption of water, energy, cleaning agents, time and personnel.<\/p>\n
The research project includes the actual software system (framework, user interface, interfaces to the CAD programs, etc.) as well as a simulation kernel for the actual cleaning process. Direct beam impact, effluent fluid as a secondary cleaning component and spraying shadows are taken into account. The results of the model are matched continuously with real measured values in order to refine the simulation quality.<\/p>\n
A tool for virtual testing of cleaning efficiency is highly demanded as we know from interviews with interested parties. This is also evident in various research and development projects by potential users that support SIMKOR. The SIMKOR tool could result in estimated annual savings of 10 million cubic meters of fresh water and waste water in the food industry in Germany alone, not to mention more cost-effective handling of energy, cleaning agents, personnel and time. In addition, the permanent over-dimensioning of new plants could be avoided, and the potential for optimization of existing cleaning systems could be virtually tested and exploited with low investment risk. The resulting increase in planning security, cost transparency and profitability is a significant competitive advantage.<\/p>\n