Flow-Sensed Piston Chemical Dosing for Consistent Vehicle Wash Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Car washes are labor and equipment maintenance intensive due to the use of concentrated chemicals, which increases material handling concerns and shipping costs.
Innovation Solution
A chemical delivery assembly with a chemical chamber, piston, one-way valve, and drive mechanism, integrated with a flow sensor and control system, allows precise control of chemical dispensing using data from the flow sensor to achieve a target amount, eliminating the need for venturi-style injection and ensuring consistent chemical delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If concentrated chemicals are used to reduce material handling and shipping costs, then chemical effectiveness is improved, but labor and equipment maintenance intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual chemical handling and traditional injection systems with an automated piston-based delivery system. The piston mechanism precisely meters concentrated chemicals, eliminating the need for manual mixing and handling while reducing maintenance compared to venturi-style injection systems. This mechanical automation directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining high chemical concentration while reducing labor intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical delivery system incorporates automatic refilling through one-way valves that allow the chemical chamber to self-replenish from the supply reservoir. This self-service mechanism reduces the frequency and intensity of manual intervention required for chemical replenishment, thereby reducing labor intensity while maintaining concentrated chemical delivery.
2Productivity
If venturi-style injection is used for chemical delivery, then chemical dispensing is achieved, but equipment maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the chemical injection function from the venturi-style system and implements it through a separate piston-based metering mechanism. This separation allows the injection function to be performed by a simpler, more maintainable piston system rather than relying on the complex fluid dynamics of a venturi injector, thereby reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining dispensing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston and seal assembly in the chemical delivery system uses simple, easily replaceable components. Rather than maintaining complex venturi geometry and associated plumbing, the system uses straightforward piston seals and O-rings that can be quickly replaced, reducing overall maintenance burden and easing repair operations.
3Ease of operation
If manual chemical dispensing is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but chemical usage optimization and consistency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates flow sensors that provide feedback to a control system, which monitors and adjusts piston operation to achieve target chemical amounts. This closed-loop feedback ensures consistent, precise chemical delivery while the control system automatically manages the complexity, maintaining operational simplicity for the user. The flow sensor data enables real-time adjustments to maintain dispensing consistency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides precise and consistent chemical dispensing, reducing labor and maintenance requirements, and optimizing chemical usage, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a piston with a one-way valve
Implementation Method 2
the drive mechanism may cause pressurized driving fluid to drive the piston towards the outlet to dispense a selected amount of the chemical therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A chemical delivery assembly for use in a vehicle wash system includes a chemical delivery device with a piston including a one-way valve and a drive mechanism with a drive shaft joined to the piston. A flow sensor and a control system communicatively coupled thereto are also integrated into the assembly. The control system uses information from the flow sensor to control chemical dispensing by causing the drive mechanism to operate to dispense chemical, while the one-way valve is in a closed state resulting in a corresponding amount of the chemical to the amount dispensed being drawn into the chemical chamber from an inlet via a chemical supply. The control system causes the drive mechanism to reset the piston, while the one-way valve is in an open state resulting in the chemical drawn in from the chemical supply being transmitted through the one-way valve for subsequent dispensing.