Reusable containers include all types of crates, vegetable crates, bottle crates, trays, bread baskets, pallets, KLT containers and pallet boxes. Depending on the type of soiling and construction, very different procedures are required for cleaning. These can be adapted using the following parameters, provided that the system manufacturer has the necessary experience:

- low washing temperatures for soiling caused by animal or vegetable protein
- High washing temperatures for all types of grease residues
- Vertical transport for trays and VDA-KLT containers
- Adapted conveyor technology for folding boxes
- Precisely configured soaking time

Drying with a sense of proportion
After cleaning, it is always necessary to remove more or less adhering moisture from the items to be washed. This prevents the operating rooms from being contaminated with water residues and areas with a high risk of slipping. This often also reduces the amount of fresh water required. When configuring the blow-off system, less is more, as unnecessarily high operating costs should be avoided. Almost 100% drying is possible, but may not even be necessary, for example if the wash items can be stored for a few hours or even days. Containers that can no longer be freely ventilated after cleaning naturally require comprehensive drying in any case. Similar to a car wash, powerful blowers are used, and the process is further assisted by the addition of a surface relaxant for the final water rinse and/or by heating the blow-off air. Centrifugal dryers are also used today to further reduce the costs associated with drying.

Significant thermal energy factor
Among other things, Kitzinger has developed systems for pallets or hinged pallet boxes. With the latter, conventional drying is not possible with acceptable results due to the corners, edges and capillaries in the area of the hinges. This is where spin drying shows its great advantage of energy savings combined with first-class results. With 150 pallets or pallet boxes per hour, only around 4 kW of motor power is required. Centrifuges in chamber design are also possible for all types of hinged boxes. Mechanical container cleaning is very energy-intensive. The need for thermal energy is significant. The wash liquor must be kept hot. Cooling is achieved by heat radiation to the outside via the machine housing, by spraying the wash liquor itself and, of course, by heat absorption by the wash ware itself. In Kitzinger systems, for example, heat radiation to the outside is minimized by a completely double-walled insulated wash tunnel, which also reduces the operating noise of the machine. Depending on the size of the system, heating via electric heating, via a carrier medium such as hot water, steam or thermal oil, or direct gas heating can be considered.

About Kitzinger Maschinenbau
The manufacturer of crate washers, bottle washers, container washers and washers for reusable containers was founded in 1986. The company near Flensburg designs the systems according to customer requirements using standard components with add-on parts from well-known manufacturers.