What are the applications of air showers and material showers in the food processing industry?

The application of air showers and material showers in the food processing industry has the following differences:
Application purpose
Air shower room: It is mainly used to purify personnel entering the clean area of food processing, removing impurities such as dust, hair, and dander adhering to their bodies, preventing personnel from bringing contaminants into the processing area, ensuring the hygiene of the food production environment, and reducing the risk of food contamination by microorganisms and foreign substances.
The goods shower room: The key point is to clean the raw materials, packaging materials, tools, and other goods entering the food processing workshop, remove the dust and impurities that have adhered to the surface of the goods during transportation and storage, and prevent these contaminants from entering the production process and affecting the quality of food.
Specific application scenarios
Air shower: It is generally set up at the personnel entrances of food processing workshops, such as the entrances of clean production areas, packaging areas, and other areas. After changing into work clothes and shoe covers, employees should enter the air shower room for air shower before they can enter the corresponding work area. For instance, in the fine processing workshops of pastries, candies, and other foods, employees must pass through the air shower room before entering to ensure that the contaminants carried by the human body do not mix into the food.
Goods shower room: It is usually installed on the passage through which goods enter the food processing workshop, such as the connection passage between the raw material warehouse and the processing workshop, the passage between the finished product packaging area and the warehouse, etc. When goods enter the workshop from the outside, they first go into the material shower room for purification treatment and then enter the corresponding area. For instance, in beverage manufacturing enterprises, empty bottles, bottle caps, and other packaging materials will be cleaned through the material shower room before entering the filling workshop.
Equipment configuration and parameters
Air shower room: According to the personnel flow and space requirements of the food processing industry, the size and specification of air shower rooms vary. Single-person air showers are generally more common. Their air shower duration is usually set at 30 seconds to about 1 minute, with a wind speed ranging from 25m/s to 35m/s. They can effectively remove dust from people's bodies without causing any discomfort to them. The filters in the air shower room usually adopt a combination of primary, medium, and high-efficiency filters to ensure that the cleanliness of the air blown out meets the requirements of the food processing industry.
Cargo shower room: The size of the cargo shower room needs to be determined based on the dimensions of the goods and the mode of transportation. It may have different lengths, widths, and heights to accommodate different types of goods such as pallets and turnover boxes. The air shower time may be relatively long, usually around 1 to 2 minutes. The wind speed will also be adjusted according to the nature of the goods and the degree of contamination, typically ranging from 20m/s to 30m/s. The filter configuration of the material air shower is similar to that of the air shower, but for some food raw materials that are sensitive to dust, higher-grade filters may be adopted.
Cleaning and maintenance requirements
Air shower room: The internal surface needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent the growth of dust and microorganisms. Filters need to be replaced regularly based on usage. Generally, the primary filter should be cleaned or replaced every 1 to 2 weeks, the medium-efficiency filter every 1 to 3 months, and the high-efficiency filter every 1 to 2 years. At the same time, the door, nozzles, control system, and other components of the air shower room should be inspected regularly to ensure their normal operation.
Cargo shower room: As the goods may carry various impurities, the cleaning frequency of the cargo shower room may be higher. In addition to regular cleaning of the interior and replacement of filters, it is also necessary to inspect and maintain components such as the conveying device and rolling shutter door to ensure that goods can smoothly enter and exit the shower room and that the purification function of the equipment is not affected. For some components that are prone to corrosion, corresponding protective measures should be taken to meet the hygiene requirements of the food processing industry.