Ensuring sufficient discharge capacity in production, how do you do it ?

All too often, insufficient consideration is given to the required capacity and flow rate that drains must be able to handle now, and possibly in the future. Insufficient drainage capacity leads to flooding, which compromises occupational health and safety and increases the risk of cross-contamination. For this reason, it is important that the design of your drainage system be consistent with the design of your production facilities.

The standard method of measuring flow rates is the EN1253-1 .This is the European methodology for determining the nominal flow rate for commercial gullies. A method that is not always optimal in a food & beverage environment because machine outlets are often placed above the drain to allow water to flow directly into the gully body. Here, the drainage system is seen not only as a way to get excess water off the floor, but as an extension of the wastewater outlet coming directly from the machine. It is important that this wastewater not end up on the floor.

Proprietary methodology that takes into account machine exhausts

ACO has therefore developed a proprietary methodology to measure the flow rate of ACO gullies. This is crucial to determine the right drainage solution in food & beverage environments. Selecting the right product according to its flow rate can now be done more accurately, especially when your drainage needs to handle large volumes of water at the same time. The EN 1253-1 standard stipulates the different classes of drainage channels, guidelines for installation and requirements for the construction, design, performance and marking of channels for use in drainage systems requiring a siphon with a sealing depth of at least 50 mm. The ACO Direct method determines the flow capacity of a siphon, when the water source is positioned directly above the drain. To select the right ACO channel, you need to know the maximum amount of water it can separate, for example, 6,000 l in 5 minutes, or 20 l per second.

Method according to the site situation

ACO applies both methods to achieve the right personalized solution. After all, it depends on how the drainage is used. If there are no direct outlets above, then it is more interesting to use only lower values established by using the EN1253-1 process. Proper drainage plays a crucial role in food safety. Wet floors cause a significant health and safety risk and, in the worst case, can even bring complete production to a halt. Proper drainage does not use the floor to divert wastewater from machinery. All wastewater must drain directly into the drainage system without leaking onto the floor.

What are the requirements to measure flow according to the ACO Direct method?

• Air gap: the drainage must be located exactly below and in the center of the wastewater flow coming out of the machine. Ideally, the pipe should be one to twice the diameter above the floor.
• Unless otherwise specified, grating above the drain is best avoided. Gratings can cause water splashing, thereby adversely affecting the performance of the drain.
• The piping system must have sufficient performance

Find more information at http://www.hygienefirst.com/be-nl