Equipment Washdown project, part 2

M Lane

Hey Guys,

This is a continuation of a earlier thread I started but did not bookmark; so I can't find it. I did get valuable from it which I followed through on and decided on a AO Smith commercial rated tankless. So thanks!

So anyway, the client threw a curveball at me last Friday when he told me he was less interested in lots of very hot water under pressure, and more interested in using steam to clean his used restaurant equipment. So, 2 questions. One, I found what sounds like what he's after from a outfit called Sioux, it's a nat gas fired steam boiler designed for equipment cleaning that'll provide 2.0 gpm of 300* steam. Any comments on Sioux? I've never seen any of their boilers before. The other notion I have is has anyone set up a space heating steam boiler for an application like this? Thanks in advance, ML

SWEI

Equipment washdown

is this routine washdown, or some kind of deep cleaning for equipment that's been neglected for years (typically done by restaurant equipment dealers when preparing for resale)?  If the former, they might want to look into an ozone system, as used in meat and fish processing facilities.  If the latter, try this http://www.rational-online.com/en_ca/products/accessories/original_rational_careproducts/ (really.)

M Lane

It is exactly

a restaurant equipment re-sale outfit. They have been using a 200 MBH Hotsy out in the alley for years. They want to move indoors for the winter months; plus I'm pointing out they have some compliance issues doing it outside.

This is what I am looking at:

http://www.sioux.com/steam-cleaners/dakota-ii-series-fuel-fired.html

M Lane

Still looking

for applicable units. Found an outfit called Jenny that makes the right kind of boiler.

http://www.steamjenny.com/steamhome.html

Mostly looking for references/preferences as I am just shooting in the dark here. Installed plenty Dunkirk and Weil-McLain space heating steam boilers, and even some Hurst for industrial/medical applications; just not this specific application.

M Lane

I'll add

that these things are expensive, too. The Sioux and Hotsy quotes exceed $6K

icesailor

Compliance Issues:

You might have "Code Compliance" Issues when you move it indoors for the winter and run it. How do you vent it inside and not sicken people? Let alone, all that hot moist air all over everything.

The biggest compliance issue I see is the lack of any grease interceptor.

Yucky restaurant work. GREASE!!! If you saw how nasty some restaurant kitchens are, you would never eat there. I've removed fry equipment that was so nasty, I had to go home and take a shower after I got it out and before I installed the new one.

M Lane

Up to codes, inspected

Itt'll be up to codes. Part of my design includes a trench drain, grease trap, properly vented, etc. I am both a plumbing and heating contractor.

icesailor

Cost:

If it does the job, it cost money. Whatever one will work, get the next bigger one.

They show one with a draft hood on top. and one without. Both look like they are being used inside. Is that legal? To direct vent something like that inside?

I hope that they have a dedicated room for the cleaning or else the inside of the building will be raining water from the ceiling when they are running it.

Sounds like an interesting job. One that makes it worth getting up and going to work for.

There's never enough time (or money) to do it right. But always time (and money) for someone else to do it over. Lets hope that they let you do it right the first time and they can save the money and be more profitable in cleaning up the filthy equipment that the previous owners couldn't pay their minimum wage (or less) employees to clean.

M Lane

It is

a really interesting job. I get to design the washdown room and everything. The trick is staying in a sell-able budget.