Method and apparatus for treating dishwasher discharge

Claim 2

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including coil means, b. means for directing a cooling liquid through said coil means, c. means for drawing the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher through said heat exchanger to cool said discharge and remove moisture therefrom, d. means downstream of said heat exchanger for admitting to said apparatus additional air for mixing with said discharge to form a mixture thereof, and e. means for directing said mixture to ambience.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a. means for directing said cooling liquid from said coils to a dishwasher for use as a washing liquid.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for directing cooling liquid through said coil means comprises: a. first valve means for selectively admitting a continuous flow of said cooling liquid to said coil means, and b. second valve means for admitting additional cooling liquid to said coil means in response to a control signal received from a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: A. means for collecting condensate from said heat exchanger and directing said condensate to a dishwasher.

Claim 6

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including cooling means, b. means defining an axially extending enclosure surrounding said heat exchanger, c. a pumping chamber extending contiguously to said enclosure, d. a connecting chamber interconnecting an end of said enclosure to an end of said pumping chamber, e. means in said pumping chamber for drawing the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher through said heat exchanger, said connecting chamber and said pumping chamber, f. means defining an opening from said pumping chamber, and g. means for admitting to said apparatus a selected flow of additional air for mixture with the discharge of air from a dishwasher.

Claim 7

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including cooling means, b. means defining an axially extending enclosure surrounding said heat exchanger, c. a pumping chamber extending contiguously to said enclosure, d. a connecting chamber interconnecting an end of said enclosure to an end of said pumping chamber, e. means in said pumping chamber for drawing the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher through said heat exchanger, said connecting chamber and said pumping chamber, f. means defining an opening from said pumping chamber, and g. means for admitting to said apparatus a selected flow of additional air for mixture with the discharge of air from a dishwasher.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for admitting additional air comprises: a. means defining an opening into said apparatus downstream of said heat exchanger, and b. means for controlling the open area of said opening.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: a. said cooling means includes coil means for carrying a cooling liquid through said heat exchanger, b. means for admitting a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said coil means, and c. means for admitting an additional flow of cooling liquid to said coil means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: a. means for controlling the admission of said additional flow of cooling liquid in response to the energization of a cycle in a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: a. said cooling means includes coil means for carrying cooling water through said heat exchanger, and b. means for directing said water from said coil means for use in a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated.

Claim 12

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a dishwasher having initial and final stages, b. a heat exchanger including cooling means positioned adjacent said dishwasher, c. means for directing the discharge of hot steamy air from said final stage through said heat exchanger, d. means for mixing additional air with said discharge to form a mixture thereof, and e. means for exhausting said mixture from said apparatus.

Claim 13

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a dishwasher having initial and final stages, b. a heat exchanger including cooling means positioned adjacent said dishwasher, c. means for directing the discharge of hot steamy air from said final stage through said heat exchanger, d. means for mixing additional air with said discharge to form a mixture thereof, and e. means for exhausting said mixture from said apparatus.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a. means for directing cool water through said cooling means, and b. means for directing said water from said cooling means to said dishwasher for use therein in washing.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for directing said water to said dishwasher further comprises: a. means for directing said water to said initial stage of said dishwasher.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a. means for directing a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means, and b. means for directing an additional flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: a. valve means controlling said additional flow of cooling liquid, and b. switch means in said dishwasher controlling said valve means.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a. means for directing condensed moisture from said heat exchanger to said dishwasher.

Claim 19

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including coil means, b. first valve means for selectively admitting a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said coil means, c. second valve means for admitting additional cooling liquid to said coil means in response to a control signal received from a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated, and d. means for drawing the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher through said heat exchanger to cool said discharge and remove moisture therefrom.

Claim 20

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including coil means, b. first valve means for selectively admitting a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said coil means, c. second valve means for admitting additional cooling liquid to said coil means in response to a control signal received from a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated, and d. means for drawing the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher through said heat exchanger to cool said discharge and remove moisture therefrom.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising: a. means for directing said cooling liquid from said coils to a dishwasher for use as a washing liquid.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising: a. means for collecting condensate from said heat exchanger and directing said condensate to a dishwasher.

Claim 23

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a dishwasher having initial and final stages, b. a heat exchanger including cooling means positioned adjacent said dishwasher, c. means for directing a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means, d. means for directing an additional flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means in response to a control signal received from said dishwasher, and e. means for directing the discharge of hot steamy air from said final stage through said heat exchanger.

Claim 24

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a dishwasher having initial and final stages, b. a heat exchanger including cooling means positioned adjacent said dishwasher, c. means for directing a continuous flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means, d. means for directing an additional flow of cooling liquid to said cooling means in response to a control signal received from said dishwasher, and e. means for directing the discharge of hot steamy air from said final stage through said heat exchanger.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising: a. means for directing said cooling liquid from said cooling means to said dishwasher for use therein in washing.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said means for directing said water to said dishwasher further comprises: a. means for directing said water to said initial stage of said dishwasher.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising: a. valve means controlling said additional flow of cooling liquid, and b. switch means in said dishwasher controlling said valve means.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising: a. means for directing condensed moisture from said heat exchanger to said dishwasher.

Claim 29

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including a vertically arranged stack of spaced cooling coils, b. cladding surrounding said heat exchanger to direct the hot steamy discharge from a dishwasher upwardly over said spaced cooling coils, c. a cool water inlet to said cooling coils at the upper end thereof to direct cool water downwardly through said coils in generally counter current flow to the flow of dishwasher discharge upwardly through said heat exchanger, d. a pumping chamber positioned adjacent said heat exchanger, e. a connecting chamber extending between upper ends of said heat exchanger and said pumping chamber and placing said heat exchanger and said pumping chamber in fluid communication, f. means defining an adjustable opening in said connecting chamber to admit a controlled flow of ambient air into said apparatus, g. blower means mounted in said pumping chamber for drawing the dishwasher discharge upwardly through said heat exchanger, laterally through said connecting chamber, mixing said dishwasher discharge and ambient air admitted through said adjustable opening and drawing the mixture downwardly into said pumping chamber and said blower means and outwardly therefrom, h. a plenum chamber mounted beneath said pumping chamber, i. means defining an opening placing said pumping and plenum chambers in communication adjacent the periphieries thereof, j. a scroll baffle disposed about said blower means and extending in a spiral path from adjacent said blower outwardly thereof to said opening, k. means defining louvered openings from said plenum chamber, l. a first valve for admitting a continuous flow of cool water to said inlet, m. a second valve for admitting an additional flow of cool water to said inlet in response to a signal generated by the passage of dishes being washed into the final stage of a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated, n. an outlet from said cooling coils at the lower end thereof, and o. means for directing wateR from said outlet for use in a dishwasher with which said apparatus in associated.

Claim 30

Apparatus for treating the discharge of hot steamy air from a dishwasher to reduce the temperature and moisture content thereof comprising: a. a heat exchanger including a vertically arranged stack of spaced cooling coils, b. cladding surrounding said heat exchanger to direct the hot steamy discharge from a dishwasher upwardly over said spaced cooling coils, c. a cool water inlet to said cooling coils at the upper end thereof to direct cool water downwardly through said coils in generally counter current flow to the flow of dishwasher discharge upwardly through said heat exchanger, d. a pumping chamber positioned adjacent said heat exchanger, e. a connecting chamber extending between upper ends of said heat exchanger and said pumping chamber and placing said heat exchanger and said pumping chamber in fluid communication, f. means defining an adjustable opening in said connecting chamber to admit a controlled flow of ambient air into said apparatus, g. blower means mounted in said pumping chamber for drawing the dishwasher discharge upwardly through said heat exchanger, laterally through said connecting chamber, mixing said dishwasher discharge and ambient air admitted through said adjustable opening and drawing the mixture downwardly into said pumping chamber and said blower means and outwardly therefrom, h. a plenum chamber mounted beneath said pumping chamber, i. means defining an opening placing said pumping and plenum chambers in communication adjacent the periphieries thereof, j. a scroll baffle disposed about said blower means and extending in a spiral path from adjacent said blower outwardly thereof to said opening, k. means defining louvered openings from said plenum chamber, l. a first valve for admitting a continuous flow of cool water to said inlet, m. a second valve for admitting an additional flow of cool water to said inlet in response to a signal generated by the passage of dishes being washed into the final stage of a dishwasher with which said apparatus is associated, n. an outlet from said cooling coils at the lower end thereof, and o. means for directing wateR from said outlet for use in a dishwasher with which said apparatus in associated.