Special Products

AcornVac FAQ

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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