ALPHA TUNNEL WASHER
JENSEN revolutionized the market with the ALPHA TW5 tunnel washer, being the most versatile tunnel washer that reuses energy and water internally. The combination of processing the greatest variety of linen types while keeping consumption at extremely low levels is now tuned to perfection with QuickSoak, and EcoTune to reach higher levels of operational efficiency. This combination of efficiency and productivity has been continuously optimized in recent years through ongoing innovations developments, with the result that even today the ALPHA TW5 can lay claim to a leading position in the world market.
And action!
An important feature of the ALPHA TW5 is its highly efficient wash action and its reliable transport method.Compared with other tunnel washers, which require considerably larger drum diameters, the ALPHA TW5 makes far more efficient use of the drum diameter thanks to its patented eccentric Archimedian helix, and enables high drop curves for outstanding wash action. This is reinforced even further by the washboard-type shape of the helix. An optimized drum design ensures an outstanding mechanical action and the most reliable batch transfer. The speed of the drum can be varied using the frequency-controlled drive motor, thus allowing for specific control of the mechanical action required by the goods being processed.
How to save energy and money
A tried and tested wash action with a superior reuse technique has enabled the consumption of resources by the ALPHA TW5 tunnel washer to be considerably reduced. The process water is recovered from various zones and fed to a number of tanks and could reach an amazing 100% reclaim. This water reclamation system allows for the process water’s heat and chemistry to be reused in the pre-wash, main wash, and rinse zones, having been accurately measured and controlled by inductive flow meters. The enormous versatility of ALPHA TW5 tunnel washers means that a great variety of wash processes can be used to meet individual requirements. It goes without saying that this also includes low-temperature cycles. There are also various optional packages that allow the ALPHA TW5 to be adapted to suit special requirements such as the washing of work wear, dust mats and so on.
The heart of the ALPHA TW5
State-of-the-art wash process: JENSEN is the master of process technology.
The heart of the tunnel washer is its drum, with an eccentric Archimedian helix that makes the optimal use of the drum volume and thus produces a highly efficient wash action while securely transporting the linen batch. JENSEN’s smart drum design allows a lighter drum without compromising the strength resulting in less energy to operate. This unique design, plus the fact that the helix is fully welded to the inner drum throughout (with no vertical bulkheads), gives the drum an extraordinary degree of strength and stability. The ALPHA TW5 therefore does not need any oversized drum plates, with their comparatively high weight and consequently greater consumption of drive power. The eccentric design of the helix makes far better use of the drum volume than is the case in conventional machines with drums of similar diameterand depth. Deep beaters ensure that the linen and process water are thoroughly mixed together and the outstanding washing action is made even more efficient by the washboard-shaped helix which offers multi-directional mechanical action. The drum is driven by a frequency-controlled geared motor and an extremely robust and durable toothed chain. This drive design has proved reliable a thousand times under the most severe conditions. The frequency-controlled drive is very smooth-running and protects all the drive components. An automatic electronically monitored system ensures that the chain is always perfectly lubricated. Specially designed drain valves on the double drums ensure that solid matter such as sand or metal particles from work wear etc. is always removed from the compartment and damage due to catalysis is safely avoided. Generously designed rapid drain outlets with ball valves that open up the entire opening ensure that drain times are very short, bath exchange is efficient and there is no risk of lint accumulating. The specially designed wash beaters assist rapid bath exchange and the efficient transport of the linen batch. All the drain valves also have clamp fasteners for ease of maintenance and can be opened without tools for inspection purposes – this is a tremendous advantage for the laundry manager as it saves time and money. The correct function of the drain valve can be checked through an inspection window in the discharge nozzle. Specially designed steam nozzles are ideally adapted to the drum geometry. Their position on the bottom of the double drums means that the steam very rapidly enters the process water and ensures very short heating stages even when cycle times are short and a perfect heat distribution within the batch. There is no time loss like on conventional machines with simple heating boxes below the drum. * Automatic sliding door for loading chute (e.g. for high pre-wash temperatures)
