Milnor has been a the top of tunnel washer – or continuous batch washer (CBW) – technology since it first introduced its innovation to the world. Milnor’s PulseFlow Technology CBW washer retains all the proven features that have made the Milnor CBW washer a global success story for more than 40 years. The PulseFlow concept improves upon that technology with increased productivity, more efficient use of chemical energy, reduced utilities and the lowest possible amount of water without external filtration., says the company.
PulseFlow Technology combines traditional True Top Transfer with standing bath washing and con-trolled intermittent counterflow rinsing in every process module. For the greatest part of each cycle, processing without counterflow creates standing baths so chemicals in the wash liquor reach equilibrium faster and are allowed to do their job without being diluted. Then, for a very short portion of each cycle, high-velocity counterflow is applied, ‘PulseFlow’, thereby providing the first part of the required dilution effect. The second stage of dilution, True Top Transfer, ensures the goods move into far cleaner water every time. Dedicated rinse modules are not required, meaning more production from fewer modules.
With Milnor’s PulseFlow Technology, it simply stops the counterflow completely for the first 65-75% of each transfer cycle and then pump the entire amount of counterflow water at a very fast rate in the final 25-35% of the time remaining. The high-velocity flow gives better rinsing action and uses far less water.
For Jensen, hygiene and efficiency are key topics in the washroom. The company’s UVClean, the chemical-free disinfection method for the double drum section of tunnel washers, was recently granted a patent as well as a hygiene certificate from the renowned German Schubert Hygiene Institute. With UVClean, 90% of the bacteria in the double drum is eliminated after just 30 minutes, going up to 99.9% after 90 minutes. Jensen tunnel washers also claim to feature the shortest transfer times in the industry, thanks to the open drum design without scoops.
The entire batch is transported to the next compartment in just four seconds by the Archimedean helix. The updated and fresh look of the machine visualisation was very well re-ceived by all clients. Every machine can be operated from any other PPC in the wash line thanks to compound redundancy (the ability to operate any machine in the wash line from any PPC). For example, if one PPC fails or becomes inaccessible, another PPC can take over its role. This duplication ensures continuous operation without downtime.
Additionally, the UVClean system for Jensen tunnel washers is now patented and certified to automatically prevent germ growth in double drum areas without having to use any chemicals. UV light is the most natural, most environmentally friendly, and most efficient way to eliminate germs, explains Jensen.
Washing cycle
A proper washing cycle disinfects laundry in the main washing area of the tunnel washer. Nevertheless, there is the risk in all types of tunnel washers that the laundry will become contaminated with microorganisms once again in the rinsing zone due to microbial bio-films.
According to Jensen, the double drums of a tunnel washer form a perfect breeding ground for biofilms with a warm and moist environment that is not continuously rinsed with washing water. Disinfection of surfaces inside a tunnel washer therefore eliminates or inhibits the growth of germs and biofilms. Below the water level, the inner surfaces of the outer drum are continuously rinsed with washing water. Thanks to flow mechanics, no microorganisms can build up here and disinfectants can act directly on the surfaces.
However, above the water level, the inner surfaces are not completely rinsed. Like a steam bath, this area is constantly exposed to warm moist air and splashes of washing water with cleaning agents, washing additives, and starch. This environment encourages the growth of microorganisms that build up on surfaces and can form a biofilm. Cleaning of these surfac-es within the machine is difficult and costly. With UVClean, jensen sought to innovate a simple solution to prevent the formation of biofilms.
Inspired by nature
The solution was both obvious and natural: UV-C rays are a natural and common approach for dealing with local biofilms. This method is also used in the pharmaceutical industry if treatment is to be carried out against multi-resistant microorganisms, for example antibiot-ics resistant bacteria. Microorganisms such as germs, viruses, or other pathogens are elim-inated and/or their growth is prevented.
Unlike other methods of disinfection, this does not require chemicals, so there is no problem regarding environmental compatibility and disposal. UV-C radiation is now used in an increasing number of areas, for example disinfection in sewage treatment plants, laboratories, airconditioning systems, swimming pools, and aquariumss. UV-C radiation is used in healthcare to sterilise instruments, work surfaces and ambient air. .
Two UV-C lamps are mounted in a housing on the outer drum in the tunnel washer. They radiate the internal surfaces between the inner and outer drum. Through reflection, the inter-nal surfaces are reached and rid of microorganisms. This is a simple, virtually maintenancefree system with very low operating costs. The two 10 W bulbs need to be replaced after around one year. After 16 months of round-the-clock operation, the UV lamps still provide 75% of the radiation emission. Changing the lamps is very simple – as is cleaning the lamps. UVClean is also available as an option for retrofitting on existing Jensen tunnel washers. Contact samples from the surfaces can easily be taken through two test flanges, making it possible to measure the efficiency of the UVClean system at any time. The light power of the lamps can also be tested through an inspection window.
Tested, patented and certified
The Jensen development team, together with the Hygiene-Institut Schubert based in Dern-bach, Germany, carried out extensive tests in the customer’s laundry to verify the sterilistion efficacy of UVClean. Hygiene- Institut Schubert installed UVClean in a rinsing zone of a tunnel washer so that radiation doses of > 50 mJ/cm2 were reached after 30 minutes on the inside of the outer drum at multiple measuring points close to the light source. After just 30 minutes, radiation doses were significantly over the D90 value for many types of microorganism, meaning that with a radiation duration of 90 minutes, most germs were reduced by 99.9% percent.
“On the evaluated samples, we have reduced specific germs, as well as the total amount of germs. We were astonished by the results,” says Martin Sukop, sales manager in the wash-room technology business unit at Jensen.
“We are therefore able to highly recommend UVClean as an environmentally friendly and groundbreaking method for eliminating germs, and biofilms in tunnel washers. It is a sim-ple, virtually maintenance-free system that safeguards laundries against various problems. And now we can even prove this with a certificate from the Hygiene-Institut Schubert, that’s very important to us.”
Girbau says replacing traditional washing machines with continuous batch washing systems significantly enhances efficiency. These systems automate the washing process by feeding textiles into a tunnel washer, followed by automatic pressing and drying. The entire workflow is streamlined, reducing manual labour while optimising resource use.
This level of automation lowers water and energy consumption, and increases consistency in cleaning results, a key factor for businesses that require strict hygiene standards.(See cover story, pages 10-11.)
Kannegiesser has been continually developing its Power Trans tunnel washer and now it says that the latest manifestation of this, the Power Trans Vario, is at the top of industrial washing technology. “It delivers outstanding washing quality and hygiene, masters logisti-cal challenges on a daily basis, is a reliable guarantee of performance and at the same time moderate in its consumption of resources,” says the company..
A major benefit of the latest model is its flexibility, says Kannegiesser. “The delivery truck is late? A particular batch needs to be processed at short notice? As Kannegiesser so rightly poijts out the everyday life of a laundry is anything but straightforward. Adherence to dead-lines and tight time slots with ever-increasing traffic volumes often demand a high level of flexibility from employees and machine technology. Kannegiesser believes the PowerTrans Vario offers application possibilities that can until its arrival could only be achieved with washer extractors. Plus, says the company, the PowerTrans Vario offers the opportunity to acquire a batch washer “with the largest output within the smallest possible space”.
The PowerTrans Vario has been developed to minimise water and energy consumption thereby generating long term cost advantages. In addition, the laundry’s CO2 emissions are reduced, which is a major plus for sustainability reporting to customers and business part-ners.
As for wash results, says Kannegieser, because of ‘lifting, throwing, compressing and flow-through’ technology, the dirt is removed from deep within the fibres, while at the same time harmful friction on the textile surface is avoided. Exact supply to standing baths ensures each batch is washed with exactly the right amount of liquor and chemicals required for each individual wash programme and load quantity. There is no mixing between neighbour-ing batches.
The ‘standing bath’ is also the basis for the flexibility of the PowerTrans Vario. Unlike other batch washers, washing sequence and lot size are determined by current needs, not by any technological limitations of the machine. With the ‘washing without empty chambers’ function, even output losses due to empty compartments when changing colours are a thing of the past.
The drum has been designed with straight walls and a large transport chute which insures against overload making it a very safe option while facilitationg optimisation of active wash-ing time. Essentially this cuts back on, the nonproductive periods– for example through the fast processes in the QuickExchange chamber and through the short transfer time due to intelligent signal exchange with the extraction press or centrifuge.
Kannegiesser explains also that its patented ActiveDrop” is behind the low consumption of the PowerTrans Vario: Thanks to the optimised mechanical action, the washing result is less dependent on temperature, time and chemistry. In addition, many details of the PowerTrans Vario are designed to save energy. Examples of this are the main wash area with 60 mm full foam insulation and thermo walls to the pre-wash and rinse chambers, the fully insulated recovery tanks and the innovative steam nozzles which operate without the addition of compressed air.
According to CLM Texfinity, fresh from a successful showing at Texcare 2024, thanks to advanced engineering and intelligent technology, the S.wash t is a top-performing and versa-tile tunnel washer for high-production laundries. “Our continuous efforts in maximising reliability have resulted in a robust tunnel washer design with top-quality parts, ensuring an excellent washing process and extending machine lifespan,” says the company. The tunnel washer is available in 8 to 16 compartments of 60 or 80 kg each.
One of the standout features of the S.wash t , says CLM Texfinity, is its exceptional speed. Thanks to individual wash speed settings for each article or programme, this tunnel washer ensures optimal washing times for various textiles. The combination of a unique drum de-sign, sophisticated water management, and high-quality industrial components makes the S.wash t a top performer in terms of speed and the quality of the washing process. Additionally, generously dimensioned pipes and water valves expedite drainage, further reducing cycle times.
The S.wash t is designed with a standard water recovery tank and filter system to reclaim, reduce and re-use water where possible. The washing process ensures efficient use of detergents and energy, minimising the environmental footprint. Additionally, innovative water management technology maximises resource efficiency.
With its smart and connected IoT technology, the S.wash t continuously streams data, enhancing automation, machine learning, and real-time monitoring. Production data is stored in a central database, accessible via smartphones or tablets for service and efficiency tracking.
The company is also playing an important role in expanding the French Blanchisserie de Paris laundry by providing the machinery for its new facility in Grigny. The first phase will include the installation of a two tunnel washer systems.
CLM Texfinity has also been expanding operations in Spain where it recently announced the establishment of CLM Texfinity España.
Lavatec has been getting busy in the hospitality sector where it has recently upgraded the laundry equipment at The Broadmoor, a renowned luxurious resort in Colorado, with better and more sustainable solutions.
The order for the new machinery came after The Clean Show 2022 in Atlanta and the now two-year-old LT60 tunnel washing system, with 10 compartments and 132-pound capacity per chamber, is connected to four new TT-746 natural gas dryers with 292-pound capacity via a Lavatec conveyor system. washers.
“Purchasing this tunnel system helped us streamline our washroom. We added another 500 pounds of capacity per hour and still have more than adequate machine produc-tion power to increase our future capacity by another 500 to 700 pounds,” says John Fish, The Broadmoor’s chief facilities maintenance mechanic.
“The Lavatec tunnel and its related systems now in place will be running well for a minimum of 25-30 years.
“Our production day this past summer changed significantly. Instead of running 10- 12 hours a day for seven days, we reduced it to 8-10 hours. Our water usage has decreased about 50%, with hot water being generated faster in 40% less time. Our gas usage is also down about 30%. Overall, our labour hours have been lowered by about 20% in the summer, and linen life and quality is up.”
