GB2225828A

GB2225828A - A method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2225828A
Application number: GB8827026A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Edward Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-18
Filing date: 1988-11-18
Publication date: 1990-06-13
Also published as: GB8827026D0

Abstract

A method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus having a heating or cooling coil, which method comprises the steps of: (a) removing parts of the apparatus (2) to expose the coil (4); (b) vacuuming the coil (4) to remove loose fluff and dirt; (c) spraying the coil (4) with a detergent; (d) leaving the sprayed coil (4) for a period of time sufficient for the detergent to work; (e) blowing the coil (4) clean with water and compressed air from a combined water unit and air compressor (14); and (f) removing residual water and mud left over from steps (e). The use of compressed air reduces the amount of water normally required. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD OF CLEANING HEATING OR COOLING APPARATUS This invention relates to a method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus.

There are many different well known types of heating or cooling apparatus. Such heating and cooling apparatus may be silline or perimeter heating apparatus, natural convectors, fan convectors, fan coil units or cooling coils. The heating or cooling apparatus loses its efficiency when the coils become clogged. Depending upon the environment in which the heating or cooling apparatus is operating, the coils can be clogged with a variety of materials including general fluff and dirt.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a simple and effective method of cleaning the heating or cooling apparatus.

Accordingly, this invention provides a method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus having a heating or cooling coil, which method comprises the steps of: (a) removing part of the apparatus to expose the coil; (b) vacuuming the coil to remove loose fluff and dirt; (c) spraying the coil with a detergent; (i) leaving the sprayed coil for a period of time sufficient for the detergent to work; (e) blowing the coil clean with water and compressed air from a combined water unit and air compressor; and (f) removing residual water and mud left over from step (e).

The method of the present invention is thus able to clean the heating or cooling apparatus without the removal of the heating or cooling coil or coils so that the cleaning is basically carried out in situ. Because the cleaning is carried out with the heating or cooling coil in situ, much time is saved in avoiding the removal of the heating or cooling coil. The cleaning time then just varies dependent upon the size of the coil to be cleaned, the environment that the coil has been exposed to, the material from which the coil is manufactured, and the general accessibility of the coil.

The method of the invention is advantageous over similar in situ cleaning using a high pressure water power wash. If a high pressure water power wash were to be used, the amount of water required would be approximately at least ten times that used by the method of the present invention.

It is often not convenient to use so much water and then to remove such a large amount of water after it has been used.

By using the combined water unit and air compressor, the effective cleaning of the coil can be achieved without the use of excessive water.

Preferably, step (a) is effected by removing one or more access covers.

Step (b) is preferably effected with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

The detergent employed in step (c) will usually be a metal detergent.

Preferably, step (d) is such that the period of time is from one to five minutes. Other time periods may however be employed dependent upon the particular type of detergent employed, and also upon the type of material which has to be removed from the coil.

Preferably, step (e) is effected using a combined water unit and air compressor that has water and air hoses, and a dual water and air cleaning gun. Such a combined water unit and air compressor is especially useful for cleaning the external surfaces of finning and tubes of coils. Fan assemblies can also be easily cleaned.

Preferably, step (f) is effected with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates somewhat schematically various method steps of the present invention.

As can be seen from the drawing, heating or cooling apparatus 2 is shown schematically as having a coil 4 and finns 6. The apparatus 2 can be cleaned by first removing an access cover or covers (not shown), forming part of a housing 8 for the apparatus 2. A wet and dry vacuum cleaner 10 is then employed to remove loose fluff and dust. Spray apparatus 12 is then employed to spray the coil with a metal detergent. The metal detergent is left on the sprayed coil for a period of time sufficient for the detergent to work, for example from one to five minutes. A combined water unit and air compressor 14 is then employed. This combined water unit and air compressor 14 has an air compressor 16, a water tank 18, an air hose 20, a water hose 22 and a dual water and air cleaning gun 24. The gun 24 is able to blow water and compressed air at the coil to clean it. Thereafter, the wet and dry vacuum cleaner 10 is again used to remove residual water and mud left over from the method step using the gun 24.

It will thus be seen that the coil 4 is cleaned in situ in a simple manner. The time taken to carry out the cleaning operation varies in dependence on the size of the coil, the environment that the coil has been exposed to, the material from which the coil has been manufactured and the accessibility of the coil.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the acoompanyxng drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 may be silline or perimeter heating apparatus, natural convectors, fan convectors, fan assemblies, fan coil units or cooling coils.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus having a heating or cooling coil, which method comprises the steps of: (a) removing part of the apparatus to expose the coil; (b) vacuuming the coil to remove loose fluff and dirt; (c) spraying the coil with a detergent; (d) leaving the sprayed coil for a period of time sufficient for the detergent to work; (e) blowing the coil clean with water and compressed air from a combined water unit and air compressor; and (f) removing residual water and mud left over from step (e).

2. A method according to claim 1 in which step (a) is effected by removing one or more access covers.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which step (b) is effected with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the detergent employed in step (c) is a metal detergent.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which step (d) is such that the period of time is from one to five minutes.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which step (e) is effected using a combined water unit and air compressor that has water and air hoses, and a dual water and air cleaning gun.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which step (f) is effected with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.

8. A method of cleaning heating or cooling apparatus having a heating or cooling coil, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.