DOSING METHOD FOR ADDING DETERGENT TO A DISHWASHING MACHINE

• US 20020117187A1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: HELMINGER, KARL
• Application Number:
  US09/331,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117187A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/241 the dishes moving in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/07 Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt

Abstract

The invention relates to a commercial dishwashing machine, where the detergent added to the first wash tank of the wash section is controlled by a regulator which controls a dosing device. The regulator is a fuzzy regulator, which in a learning phase determines characteristic influencing values of the system to be regulated. In the learning phase, detergent is continuously added to the first wash tank for a predefined period. The change in the water'"'"'s conductivity over that period is determined. In the subsequent operating phase, the extent to which the conductivity measured deviates from a set value is determined. Dosing takes place by fuzzy regulation on the set value deviation, on the basis of the measured influencing values as fuzzy variables. Because in the learning phase all the influencing values of the dishwashing machine, dosage device and detergent are taken into account, dosing is automatically optimally adjusted to prevailing conditions.

Claims

1. A metering process for delivering detergent to a dishwashing machine comprising:

at least one cleaning tank (12), a conductivity transducer (28) located in the cleaning tank, a spray arm (19) with means for returning the sprayed detergent solution to the cleaning tank (12) and a metering unit (22) for introducing detergent into the cleaning tank (12), characterized in that detergent is continuously introduced into the cleaning tank (12) for a predetermined time in a learning phase and the resulting response of the conductivity as a function of time is determined;

in that characteristic influencing factors (T_t, MV, MD, KV, VV) of the control system are obtained from the response;

in that a conductivity setpoint (x_S) is adjusted for a following operating phase; and

in that, in the operating phase, the setpoint deviation (□

x) of the measured conductivity is determined and metering is carried out by a fuzzy control system as a function of the setpoint deviation (□

x) on the basis of the determined influencing factors as fuzzy variables.

2. A metering process as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the influencing factors of the control system obtained from the response comprise at least the dead time (T_t), the change in concentration (KD) between the starting value (A) and the last maximum (D) of the response and the equalizing rate (MV) and/or the change in the measured value (MD) between maximum and minimum conductivity.

3. A metering process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the influencing factors of the control system obtained from the response comprise the dilution rate (VV) caused by addition of water after the last maximum (D).

4. A metering process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a new learning phase is carried out when the setpoint deviation (□

x) exceeds a limit for a predetermined minimum time.

5. A metering process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the conductivity value (x) is measured at the beginning of the learning phase and the influencing factor-measured value change and/or the equalizing rate and/or change in concentration is evaluated in dependence thereon.