In the hygiene and safety chain of the catering industry, tableware disinfection is the last barrier to safeguard consumers' health. In recent years, with the advancement of technology, commercial disinfection cabinets have been continuously upgraded, and centrifugal fans, as key components, have provided strong support for the efficient operation of disinfection cabinets.
1.The Role of Centrifugal Fans in Commercial Disinfection Cabinets
(1) Efficient Hot Air Circulation
Different from the linear air supply of axial fans, centrifugal fans generate centrifugal force through the rotation of the impeller, sucking air in axially and throwing it out radially, forming a high-pressure, strong convection air flow field. In commercial disinfection cabinets, this characteristic enables hot air or ozone to form a spiral circulation inside the cavity, penetrating hidden areas such as gaps between bowls and dishes and the inner cavities of tableware. A renovation case of a well-known catering chain brand shows that after replacing the disinfection cabinet equipped with a centrifugal fan, the disinfection time of its melamine tableware was shortened from 60 minutes to 35 minutes, energy consumption was reduced by 28%, and it maintained a record of zero unqualified tableware in sampling inspections for 6 consecutive months.
(2) Rapid Drying
In addition to the sterilization function, the centrifugal fan can also start the drying program after disinfection is completed, quickly removing moisture from the surface of tableware to prevent bacterial growth, ensuring that the tableware can be used directly, and saving subsequent processing time.
2.Technical Characteristics and Advantages of Commercial Disinfection Cabinets
(1)Combination of Multiple Disinfection Technologies
Modern commercial disinfection cabinets usually combine multiple disinfection technologies, such as ultraviolet disinfection, ozone disinfection, and high-temperature steam disinfection. Centrifugal fans, in conjunction with these technologies, can further enhance the disinfection effect. For example, Yidexin disinfection cabinets adopt the combination of hot air circulation and ultraviolet or ozone disinfection technologies. Ultraviolet rays destroy the bacterial DNA structure, and ozone uses strong oxidizing properties for in-depth sterilization, achieving double protection.
(2) Temperature Field Control
The strong convection characteristic of centrifugal fans can effectively solve the problem of "heat accumulation". When traditional disinfection cabinets use top heating tubes, hot air will accumulate in the upper part of the cavity due to density differences, resulting in a temperature difference of more than 20℃ between the upper and lower parts. However, centrifugal fans can forcefully transport hot air from the heating source to all corners of the cavity, forming an "overall circulation" with the cooperation of guide plates. Laboratory data shows that a disinfection cabinet equipped with a 120mm diameter centrifugal fan can control the internal temperature difference within ±3℃, ensuring that all tableware surfaces can reach the sterilization temperature of 121℃ (at which stubborn pathogens such as hepatitis B virus and poliovirus can be killed). The practice of a hotpot restaurant shows that this uniformity reduces the bacterial residue on stainless steel tableware from 50 CFU per square centimeter to less than 3 CFU, which is far lower than the national standard of 10 CFU.
(3) Diffusion of Disinfection Media
Centrifugal fans provide an efficiency-enhancing path for disinfection methods such as ozone and ultraviolet rays. During ozone disinfection, the air flow generated by the fan can break the limitation of ozone's natural diffusion, making it reach a balanced concentration (≥40mg/m³) in all areas of the cavity within 3 minutes, avoiding incomplete sterilization due to insufficient local concentration. For ultraviolet disinfection, air circulation can take away the ozone residue on the tableware surface caused by light irradiation, solving the problem of "heavy odor after disinfection" in traditional equipment. A test by a fast-food brand shows that the ozone residue on tableware in ultraviolet disinfection cabinets equipped with centrifugal fans has dropped from 0.3mg/m² to 0.05mg/m², meeting the safety standard for direct contact with food.
As a key component of commercial disinfection cabinets, centrifugal fans provide strong support for the efficient operation of disinfection cabinets. They not only solve the physical problems in the disinfection process but also inject impetus for the sustainable development of catering operations by improving efficiency and reducing costs. When consumers use clean tableware in restaurants with peace of mind, they may not realize that it is the high-speed rotating centrifugal fan inside the disinfection cabinet that safeguards the safety of every meal with silent air flow.
