Special Products
AcornVac FAQ
Click on Link to Jump to Answer:
1) When cases are washed out will AcornVac accept this much
water (approximately 30 gallons) in a short period of time?
2) Does the accumulator act as a trap; that is to say, does
it keep water in it higher than the inlet?
3) Can you add a sink or two to the system without any big
problems?
4) What happens when debris gets into the system (peas, corn)
and general organic matter?
5) Are spare parts available for quick repair or should the
store themselves carry spare parts?
6) How fail-safe is the ACORNVAC system?
7) Is the system odor free?
8) Does the system have any problems with sudsing detergents
used in cleaning procedures?
9) The store does not have a dropped ceiling and
the roof joists are well above 22’. Can the pipe risers be higher than
22’?
10) What factors should be considered when sizing a system?
11) What happens if there is a leak or break in the system
piping?
12) Can the system take gray water from hand wash basins and
food preparation sinks?
13) Where are the controller, valves, check valves, etc. made?
14) Does the vacuum system need vents (roof penetrations)?
15) Is any maintenance required?
Q: When cases are washed out, will AcornVac accept this much
water (approximately 30 gallons) in a short period of time?
A: Yes,
the system can handle large volumes of water in short periods
of time without compromise in system performance. This
includes high water flow rates that occur in case wash down procedures
as well as drainage of multiple bay food preparation and utility
sinks. It is important however, to properly size the system to
accommodate high flow rates from various cases and fixtures.
Q: Does the accumulator act as a trap; that is to say, does
it keep water in it higher than the inlet?
A: Unlike gravity pluming systems, the piping is not open to
sewer lines and gasses. The piping is directly tied into the
Vac Center which discharges automatically via an air gap into
the facilities sewer lines. Any gasses or odors in the Vac Center
Collection Tanks are discharged when the tank is discharged or
held within the system by the normally closed Extraction Valve.
Q: Can you add a sink or two to the system without any big problems?
A: Yes, provided the system is properly sized. Because there
is no need to trench floors to run conventional waste lines,
adding additional cases or fixtures is easily accomplished by
tying into existing overhead mains or drainage lines.
Q: What happens when debris gets into the system (peas, corn)
and general organic matter?
A: Small debris does not effect the performance of the system.
In fact, items that would typically block a low flow gravity
drainage system will pass directly through to the Vac Center
Collection Tanks and into the sewer line at tank discharge with
no effect. Vacuum system drainage virtually eliminates clogged
piping.
Q: Are spare parts available for quick repair or should the
store themselves carry spare parts?
A: All parts are manufactured by AcornVac in the United States
and are available for immediate shipment; however, a local certified
maintenance contractor should stock a minimal quantity of repair
parts for more expedient service.
Q: How fail-safe is the ACORNVAC system?
A: The AcornVac system is designed to provide complete redundancy
on all Vacuum Collection Center components. In most cases the
Vacuum Collection Center includes dual tanks and multiple pumps
to ensure that the system does not fail. In addition, the programming
on the system includes a manual override component allowing store
personnel to manually activate tank fill and discharge cycles
as well as pump operation.
Q: Is the system odor free?
A: The system piping and positive seal on the Extraction Valve
eliminate the possibility of sewer odor on the sales floor.
Q: Does the system have any problems with sudsing detergents
used in cleaning procedures?
A: No it does
not, provided the pump selection is appropriate for sudsing detergents.
Q: The
store does not have a dropped ceiling and the roof joists are
well above 22’. Can the risers be higher than 22’?
A: Yes, they can. However, the system must be engineered considering
all load factors including case wash down, stair lifts, fixtures
or sinks tied to the system, the required highest riser height,
the size of the store, and requirements for future expansion.
Call the AcornVac Engineering Department for design assistance.
Q: What factors should be considered when sizing a system?
A: Several, including the following:
- size of the store
- the number or refrigerated or frozen food cases
- store operational procedures including case wash down
- the number of hand wash basins, food preparation or utility
sinks and the approximate sizes of each sink
- any requirements or expectations for future expansion of
the store or the equipment tied to the system
- any special
customer requirements, example: remote alarm notification,
historical data acquisition etc.
Q: What happens if there is a leak or break in the system piping?
A: Unlike conventional waste piping, any break in the vacuum
system piping will suck air into the piping, preventing waste
from leaking out.
Q: Can the system take gray water from hand wash basins and food
preparation sinks?
A: YES.
Q: Where are the controller, valves, check valves, etc. made?
A: All AcornVac
vacuum parts are made in the USA.
Q: Does the vacuum system need vents (roof penetrations)?
A: No, the vacuum
system does not need vent stacks.
Q: Is any maintenance required?
A: Suggested Maintenance Schedule:
The primary service requirements are at the Vacuum Collection
Center pumps. The maintenance schedule varies depending on
the type of pump provided as well as the size of the store
and the number of run hours on any given pump. Specific maintenance
instructions are provided with the Vacuum Collection Center
at shipment. The AcornVac valve components have been tested
to over a million cycles without failure. Should any problem
occur with either a Controller or an Extraction Valve, the
ITEM |
REQUIREMENT |
FREQUENCY |
Vacuum
Center Collection Tanks |
Inspect
and clean as needed |
Every
24 months |
Vacuum
Pumps |
Change
filter cartridge |
Every
12 months or as needed |
Control
Panel |
Inspect,
clean, tighten field wiring terminals if needed |
Every
12 months |
Controller |
None
required |
N/A |
Extraction
Valve |
None
required |
N/A |
Swing
Check Valve |
Inspect
and clean if needed |
Every
12 months |
Mini
check valve |
Inspect
and replace if needed |
Every
24 months |
Accumulators |
Inspect
and clean if needed |
Every
12 months |
|