Transport scheduling for low microbial bulk products

Abstract

Transport scheduling and transport processes for low microbial (“LM”) bulk products are described. The transport scheduling and processes facilitate low microbial activity in a LM bulk product during the transport of the LM bulk product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to:
 receive a transportation request for a shipment of a low microbial (LM) bulk product;   determine a vehicle transport period based on the transportation request;   identify a vehicle for the vehicle transport period;   compare a low microbial wash (LMW) timing threshold for the vehicle to a low microbial wash LMW record for the vehicle to determine whether the LMW timing threshold for the vehicle would be surpassed at any time during the vehicle transport period, wherein the LMW timing threshold is a maximum amount of time between low microbial LM washes for a bulk product vessel of the vehicle;   produce a signal to perform a LMW process based upon an output of step (d) above; and   produce a qualification signal indicative that the vehicle is qualified for shipment of the LM bulk product after receiving an indication signal indicative that the vehicle for the shipment of the LM bulk product has undergone the LMW process.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 actuate spinners, for a sanitization time threshold, that force sanitary solution through the spinners to cause dispersion of the sanitary solution within the interior of the vessel.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 actuate the spinners, for a rinse time threshold, that force hot water through the spinners to cause dispersion of the hot water within the vessel.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the rinse time threshold is at least 15 consecutive minutes and the hot water is at a temperature between 140° F. and 215° F. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the sanitary solution is an ammonia based sanitizer at a concentration between 150 ppm and 450 ppm. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the sanitary solution is a benzalkonium chloride compound at a concentration between 150 ppm and 450 ppm. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 send a signal to remove vessel accessibility components from the vehicle.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the vehicle accessibility components include at least one of the following: valves, caps, gaskets, lids, product lines or screens. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 receive a transportation request for a shipment of a low microbial (LM) bulk product;   determine a vehicle transport period based on the transportation request;   identify a vehicle for the vehicle transport period;   compare a low microbial wash (LMW) timing threshold for the vehicle to a low microbial wash LMW record for the vehicle to determine whether the LMW timing threshold for the vehicle would be surpassed at any time during the vehicle transport period, wherein the LMW timing threshold is a maximum amount of time between low microbial LM washes for a bulk product vessel of the vehicle;   produce a signal to perform a LMW process based upon an output of step (d) above; and   produce a qualification signal indicative that the vehicle is qualified for shipment of the LM bulk product after receiving an indication signal indicative that the vehicle for the shipment of the LM bulk product has undergone the LMW process.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 actuate spinners, for a sanitization time threshold, that force sanitary solution through the spinners to cause dispersion of the sanitary solution within the interior of the vessel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 actuate the spinners, for a rinse time threshold, that force hot water through the spinners to cause dispersion of the hot water within the vessel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rinse time threshold is at least 15 consecutive minutes and the hot water is at a temperature between 140° F. and 215° F. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sanitary solution is an ammonia based sanitizer at a concentration between 150 ppm and 450 ppm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sanitary solution is a benzalkonium chloride compound at a concentration between 150 ppm and 450 ppm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , the computer executable instructions further comprising instructions that cause the one or more computers to:
 send a signal to remove vessel accessibility components from the vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle accessibility components include at least one of the following: valves, caps, gaskets, lids, product lines or screens.