MODEL 9500 RIPENING SYSTEM USER MANUAL VERSION 2.00
Contents
1. IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE YOUR MACHINE CONNECTED TO THE SUPPLY WHEN CHECKING SERVICING Catalyst Changing The catalyst used in the machine will need changing after after between 6 amp 12 months use Due to the restrictions imposed by Customs amp Excise departments the Ventech Ripening Fluid contains de naturants which will eventually poison the catalyst causing reduced gas generation We also recommend that if you are have problems ripening 9500USR2 Page 7 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM OPERATION SERVICING that you check the gas levels with with a gas sampler such as the GASTEC details of which are at the end of the manual This is supplied by us amp itis possible that a group of ripeners in one area share the cost of one kit since it is only used infrequently We recommend that the user checks the catalyst once a month after the first six months operation from new or after a catalyst change and examine the catalyst by unscrewing the exhaust nozzle when cold and viewing the catalyst which consists of small white tubes filling the reactor These should be loose amp not welded together by carbon If left too long it is difficult to remove the old catalyst and will require an exchange reactor Once the catalyst starts getting heavily carbonated it should be emptied by turning the machine upside down and shaking out the old catalyst It may be necessary to loosen the cataly2. thumbscrew holding the module into the main enclosure amp withdraw the module from the main enclosure Refitting is the reverse Ensure that when plugging in the new connectors they are push home to engage the latches Note that the electronics module does not need any adjustment after fitting The mass is 1 3 Kg which results a considerable cost saving amp time saving compared to returning the whole machine for repair 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING GUIDES 4 RIPENING GUIDES 41 BANANAS For best taste ripen bananas according to the following schedule then hold at 14 5 Deg C for delayed shipment Ensure that bananas are not chilled as this can cause damage To be able to provide your customers with a steady supply of good quality ripe bananas they must be harvested when green Mature green bananas will ripen after they are picked just as they would on the plant A low concentration of ethylene gas is mixed with the air in a ripening room and the temperature and relative humidity are controlled The banana ripens naturally and nothing is added to change the natural appearance or taste of the fruit The banana itself produces ethylene when ripening and adding external ethylene just triggers the natural ripening process No ecological hazard is produced and ethylene gas is ozone friendly No CFCs are produced as by products in the VENTECH RIPENING SYSTEM or a
3. VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM MODEL 9500 RIPENING SYSTEM USER MANUAL 0 MODEL 9500 218 CURING oe ma a m or ae o ge a ae 2 wee a 4 wan pa en 7 VERSION 2 00 JULY 2002 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM INDEX UNPACKING amp INSTALLATION CHECKS INDEX Pages Unpacking amp Installation checks 2 3 4 Operation 4 5 6 7 Servicing 7 amp 8 Ripening Guides 9 10 11 12 Ripening Room maintenance 13 14 Instrumentation 15 UNPACKING amp INSTALLATION CHECKS Remove machine from packaging amp save packaging for re use when returning machine for servicing or warranty repairs Open the door by sliding the slidelock catch to the right amp remove the mains lead which is packed inside Prior to connecting to electrical supply it is recommended that the power outlet to be used is checked for correct polarity amp good earthing grounding There should not be more than approx 50 milliVolts AC between the Neutral amp Earth Ground pins on the power outlet The machine can operate safely with reversed live amp neutral supply using anon polarised socket outlet as is used in conti
4. a standby generator if not already automatic have it converted for automatic starting and stopping A VENTECH AMF GENERATOR CONTROLLER can be retro fitted to virtually any electrically started generator to provide this facility 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING ROOMINSTRUMENTATION a MT 605 PEN DIGITAL THERMOMETER 2 ee eee aoe Contrelied valume pro vides stcble accurate ML gt pene ae ki your shirt Fast and accurate respon ___ Hubber inlet to reeatutieu ond fit the detector tube without isakage ip breaker Juil in tip braaker cupturse braken class tins Light wa ght rigged pump in seal gasket desigr provides optimum pump vacuum 256 Caunter Allaws the user lo keep track cf multiple strokes pump volume Guide mark _ Strong hande for a 5 secure grip DIGITAL 7 1 BY VENTECH AGRIONICS Call us on for details TEL 27 0 15 962 4203 or 4953 FAX 27 0 15 962 4110 email ventech lantic net DIGITAL MAX MIN HUMIDITY METER 9500USR2 Page 15
5. en ventilate Maintain temperature till ripe 2 days total Reducing temperature to 24 to 25 Deg will extend ripening time to 2 1 2 to 3 days NB Mangoes can also be mixed with bananas which are ripened at 15 to 18 Deg C Gas for 12 hours at 27 Deg C then ventilate Maintain temperature till ripe 3 4 days total Minimum safe storage temperature 10 to 13 Deg OTHER FRUITS Many oher fruits can be ripened with the VENTECH RIPENING SYSTEM Please contact us or your distributor agent for details TOBACCO Tobacco can be succesfully cured with a 15 reduction in curing time Please contact us or your distributor agent for a copy of our tobacco curing guide 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING ROOM MAINTENANCE RIPENING ROOM MAINTENANCE A good preventative maintenance program is the best way to avoid ripening room problems We would like to recommend the following TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS AND PROGRAMMERS Regular calibration checks should be carried to avoid incorrect ripening room temperatures Check capillary tubing to be sure it is free of kinks Capillary tube amp bulb temperature controllers should be replaced if possible with an electronic temperature controller preferably with a digital display reading to 0 1 Deg C Thermocouple type controllers should be avoided since the accuracy is not so good at low temperatures Platinum resistance Pt100
6. hine of 20 500 mm Also ensure the machine is clear of any fork lift trucks or any other mechanical handling equipment that could cause damage 1 9 Installation Options The VENTECH FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM is normally used as a portable unit which is plugged into the room to be gassed then moved onto the next room However for high volume ripening rooms there are available certain add on options as follows 1 9 1 Gas Pipe Adaptor This option also permits mounting the generator outside the ripening room The exhaust nozzle of the generator can be replaced with a1 8 NPT tube connector obtainable from any hydraulics supplier that allows connection to a gas pipe 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM UNPACKING amp INSTALLATION CHECKS The gas pipe in turn can be connected to a gas manifold feeding individual rooms with the gas supply to each room controlled by a butterfly or ball valve This option is particularly useful for converting an existing bottled gas fed ripening room to catalytic generator operation External Tank Option This option can be used in conjunction with the previously described options to enable the gassing period to be extended by means of an external tank mounted outside the ripening room which increases the capacity of the generator thus extending the gassing time This external tank is connected to a 1 8 NPT bulkead connector on the side of the mach
7. ine which is supplied as part of the external tank option kit and connected inside the machine directly to the solenoid valve replacing the tank The external tank can be manufactured locally to VENTECH specifications or supplied by VENTECH The tank capacity can be sized to suit local Health amp Safety codes which is usually 20 Litres However this amp other tanks can be in turn refilled automatically from 210L drum outside the building 2 OPERATION 21 Unscrew the lid of the tank amp fill with 1 litre US 1 Quart of VENTECH ripening fluid or an approved equivalent WARNING The ripening fluid is highly inflammable amp of low flashpoint Disconnect from electrical supply by unplugging before filling Keep away from naked flame when filling amp preferably fill in an open space or well ventilated room The use of solvents not approved by use is not recommended since although apparently normal ripening will be achieved accelarated degradation of system components occur resulting in expensive long term repair costs 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM OPERATION 2 2 Placed generator in ripening room amp plug in to power outlet The control panel status lights will light as follows ETHYLENE GENERATOR LOW TEMP Yellow CONTROL Green stor LO TEMP NORMAL Green CONTROL HEAT Green TEMP VOLTS 2 3 After about 10 m
8. inutes the YellowLO TEMP light will go out amp theSOV lamp will start to flash briefly at approx 9 second intervals accompa nied by a click This is the solenoid valve opening allowing ripening fluid to be admitted to the reactor to be converted to ethylene Ethylene gas will be emitted from the nozzle on the top of the machine CAUTION THE EXHAUST NOZZLE OPERATES AT OVER 300 DEG C DO NOT TOUCH WHEN OPERATING OR FOR HALF AN HOUR AFTER SWITCHING OFF After reaching operating temperature the HEAT amp CONTROL lights will flash on amp off as the system enters pulse width modulation mode which gives proportional control of the element temeperature This gives very accurate control of the catalytic conversion temperature and by preventing temperature cycling of the element gives longer element life than on off control After approx 6 8 hours operation the ripening fluid will have been used up amp the fluid bottle will be empty At this point since there is no fluid in the bottom of the reactor the temperature will rise from 70 Deg the boiling point of the fluid 90 Deg the cold end sensor mounted on the bottom of the element will switch on the STOP light amp switch off the SOV amp the heater indicated by the CONTROL amp HEAT lights switching off This will allow the machine to cool down until the sensor switches on again and the machine will cycle on amp off keeping it ready to start a new ripening sessi
9. ked on pallets with 500 mm space between adjacent stacks and walls to ensure good air circulation 9500USR2 Page 9 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING GUIDES RECOMMENDED GUIDE FOR BANANA RIPENING Day Ripening Schedule no of days No 4 5 6 7 8 STORE AT 14 4 Deg C for delayed shipment 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RECOMMENDED GUIDE FOR TOMATO RIPENING Day Ripening Schedule no of days 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 211 211 211 211 211 211 21 1 aut _ 200 183 183 183 167 156 156 15 6 183 183 167 167 167 156 144 14 4 167 167 156 156 156 144 144 13 3 156 144 144 144 144 144 13 3 13 3 13 3 133 133 13 3 13 3 13 3 128 128 128 128 9 128 128 128 13 3 10 128 128 128 12 8 12 8 12 8 STORE 12 8 Deg C for delayed shipment 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING GUIDES AVOCADOES Gas for 12 hours at 23 Deg C then ventilate Maintain temperature till ripe 2 3 days total Minimum safe storage temperature 4 5 to 13 Deg CITRUS Gas for 12 hours at 27 Deg C then ventilate Maintain temperature till 3 4 days total Minimum safe storage temperature 3 Deg C MANGOES Wash in hot water at 53 to 55 Deg C for 5 mins then pack into lug boxes amp stack in ripening room Gas for 12 hours at 30 to 32 Deg C th
10. mally this will be picked up by the HI TEMP protection but should this fail for any reason theSTOP protection will provide backup protection and prevent any risk of fire or damage to the metalwork of the machine Total control failure Inthe event of a direct lightning strike of magnitude too great for the lightning protection the HI TEMP protection may fail and the STOP protection provides back up protection to prevent dangerous high temperatures occuring which could cause afire This has happened on more than one occasion with machines made by other manufacturers who do not offer such comprehensive protection Note that it is extremely unlikely that this will occur since a lightning strike or surge greater than the capacity of the ultra fast surge diodes will normally blow one or other the mains fuses INDICATOR LAMPS COLOUR CODES Green Normal operation modes Yellow Temporary operating modes such as low fluid or low temp on startup Red Abnormal operating modes Note further that the VOLTS TOO HI indication is outside the control of the gas generator and is not a machine fault as such being an external fault resulting from incorrect supply voltage A MACHINE SHOWING THIS INDICATION SHOULD NOT BE RETURNED FOR SERV ICE WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THAT THE SUPPLY VOLTAGE ISIN FACT TOO HIGH BY MEASURING WITH A DIGITAL METER PREFERABLY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS CONDITION WILL NORMALLY OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY amp
11. n the gas generator will still be working but most industrial amp domestic load is switched off In some developing countries these limits can also be exceeded For this reason the Ventech gas generator has a built in protection circuit which will automatically switch off once this safe working limit has been exceeded without damage to the components After supply has returned to normal the HI VOLT light will go out amp normal operation will be resumed STOP Red light This light will be lit if the temperature at the bottom of the reactor exceeds safe limits and when lit switches off power to the reactor amp solenoid valve This can be caused by several reasons Machine not level This results in the ripening fluid not being able to flow into the reactor when nearly empty Since the cooling effect of the ripening fluid is no longer applied to the base of the reactor the temperature will tend to rise with the risk of damage to the reactor element terminals This protection by removing power to the element maintains the temperature within safe limits amp therefore provides protection should the machine not be level 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM OPERATION Element failure The element as most heating elements has a finite working life and will eventually require replacement When it eventually fails it can possibly overheat by passing the control system Nor
12. nental Europe The machine has internal fuses in the LINE amp NEUTRAL which are not user accessible without dismantling If connecting by means of a three phase plug ensure that the mains lead is connected with the correct polarity to Live amp Neutral and not across two phases Also ensure that the earth connection is properly connected 1 5 Mains Lead Colour Code Page 2 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM UNPACKING amp INSTALLATION CHECKS Live Line Brown Neutral Blue Earth Ground Yellow Green 1 6 Power Requirements The maximum supply voltage is 280 Volts AC 50 60 Hz Above 260 Volts operation is automatically interrupted to protect the components from damage with automatic resetting when supply returns to safe limits Nominal working voltage is 200 to 250 Volts at 1 2 Amps Max Power during warm up is 234 watts and average power consumption over a 6 hour ripening cycle is 95 watts External current Protection No external protection is necessary however if a fused plug such as the UK 13A plug is used any fuse from 4 13 A is suitable Having satisfied that the power supply is correctly connected the machine can be put into service We recommend that the machine be placed in the ripening room at a height of 3 ft 1 Metre above floor levels preferably positioned so that maximum air flows across the machine amp with a minimum space all round the mac
13. ny other environment hostile by products TRANSPORTATION AND HANDLING To prevent chill damage and loss of flavor the pulp temperature of the banana should never be below 14 4 degrees C while in transit Bananas should always be handled with care They are quite tough but can be easily damaged Do not let bananas stay in cold or hot storage areas during truck to truck or truck to rail transfers during transit The ideal temperature range is 14 18 degrees Notes Humidity should be maintained at 80 to 95 RH Temperatures are pulp temperatures not air temperatures Ventilate ripening room for10 20 minutesevery 24 hours The VENTECH RIPENING SYSTEM will produce ethylene gas continuously for 6 8 hours Provide the room is reasonably gas tight the room can be kept closed for the remainder of the 24 hour period then refilled whilst the doors are opened for ventilation Maintain gassing until colour breaks Usually gassing only required for first day for rooms up to 600 box capacity 100 150 ppm of ethylene is required for initiating ripening Excess will not cause any harm The VENTECH GAS GENERATOR will produce in excess of the this amount for ripening rooms up to 600 box capacity The generator will switch itself off automatically when the alcohol is finished No harm will be done leaving in the room after gassing but it should be removed and stored in an office or dry store room once ripening is finished Ensure boxes are stac
14. on once refilled but preventing damage to the element Once refilled if the STOP light is on it will restart automatically once cooled amp the inflow of fluid will prevent it coming on again Note It is important that the machine is level otherwise the fluid will not flow into the reactor when it is almost finished and the STOP light will switch off earlier 9500USR2 VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM OPERATION 2 5 WARNING INDICATORS 2 5 1 HI TEMP red light After start up the temperature will sometimes initially overshoot the correct set point causing the HI TEMP red light to turn on This is no cause for alarm and should go out after a few minutes amp will not come on again This can also occur in the event of a power failure when power is restored This provides backup protection to avoid incorrect gas generation which could cause degraded ripening HI VOLTS red light If this light comes on it is an indication that the mains power supply voltage is too high above 260 Volts Normally the nominal voltage depending on country is from 220 to 250 Volts Normal variations in supply voltage should be within 6 UK 10 S Africa It is unlikely that any country will have a supply that intentionally exceeds the 10 limit although under fault conditions or very heavily loaded distribution systems the voltage can exceed these limits late at night whe
15. st with a long thin screwdriver or skewer Once all the catalyst is removed the reactor can be refilled with a new catalyst pack taking care not to overtighten the exhaust nozzle when replacing When refilling some of the catalyst consist of triangular ceramic chips that should be put in first followed by the tubular active catalyst Due to the low cost of the catalyst it is better to change it sooner rather than later This will be done automatically if your machine is covered by a service contract or sent in for any service or repairs Before returning a machine for repair a few simple checks should be carried out which could save you the transport costs amp downtime involved in sending a machine in to your service centre 3 3 Condition No lights lit First check the electrical supply to your machine and if you have testmeter check that you have mains supply across the two outside pins on the connector that plugs into the socket If there is supply the electronics module must be faulty You can either return the whole machine to the agent for repair or remove the electronics module amp fit an exchange unit to do this unplug the machine from the mains supply and open the door then unplug the six way amp two way plugs from the electronic module These are plugged in through the side of the main enclosure There is a retaining latch on the connector that has to be squeezed in to release the connector Now undo the centre
16. type controllers are best The capilliary type controller has too high a differential Difference between switching off and switching on to give accurate temperature control and the capilliary tube is easily damaged and cannot be replaced If damaged the complete instrument has to be replaced An independent high low temperature alarm amp chart recorder is recommended especially if you are in an area that has a high incidence of power failures 5 2 AIR HANDLING amp LEAKS 5 2 1 Evaporator amp condensor coils should cleaned at least every 6 months 5 2 2 Check drain lines regularly 5 2 3 Check compressors fan motors belts etc and service as recommended by manufacturer 5 2 4 Replace damaged or worn door gaskets as necessary 5 2 5 Check rooms for gas tightness at least once a year VENTECH AGRIONICS USER MANUAL ISSUE 2 00 MODEL 9500 FRUIT RIPENING SYSTEM RIPENING ROOM MAINTENANCE 5 3 ELECTRICAL Check that your electrical panel has protection against Low voltage high voltage phase failure phase reversal and a three minute timer to prevent damage due to operation of the power company s auto reclosers Any of these faults will damage your compressors and air circulation fans If not we recommend that you ask your electrician to fit suitable equipment The VENTECH THREE PHASE LOAD PROTECTOR combines all these functions in one unit and one unit can protect a multiple compressor installation If you use
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