IBC CLEANING MACHINE

CHALLENGE

The customer has drums (also known as IBC containers) that are used to store a plastic solution. When these containers are empty, they must be cleaned; IMA has designed an application for this purpose.

An additional challenge is that this cleaning machine will be installed in an ATEX Zone 2 area, where only electronic components that comply with ATEX Zone 2 standards are permitted, to ensure they cannot cause sparks. This would make the machine very expensive, so IMA took a different approach.

SOLUTION

IMA developed a cleaning machine with a single power supply that is fully pneumatic (with timers, etc.), which prevents sparking; the machine has also received A-TEC certification for this purpose.

Once the container is empty, it is placed on the cleaning machine using a forklift. The machine indicates whether the container is positioned correctly above the drip tray; it will only operate once it is properly positioned.

The machine is controlled by 3 buttons:

BUTTON 1:

Press once = The lid with the spray head goes into the container, thereby sealing it.

Press twice = START CYCLE

The rinse solution is drawn up and sent to the rinse head via a pump. The rinse head then cleans the container for 300 seconds.

There is a hole at the bottom of the container through which the contaminated product can drain into a reservoir consisting of three chambers. The contaminated rinse water can settle in the first two chambers, allowing clean rinse water to be recovered from the third chamber. (ecological solution)

As a final step, the cleaning machine blows itself dry for 30 seconds to ensure there is no residue left in the pipes. The container is then left to drain for another 500 seconds, after which the operator can pick up the clean container again with the forklift.

BUTTON 2: Open the lid and raise it again so that the container can be removed.

BUTTON 3: Emergency Stop – This does not stop everything, as a standard emergency stop would, but it interrupts the cycle at certain points. For example, you can still remove the lid using the container’s flush button.