Super-heated Water Jet Pressure Washer with PTFE Hose
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure washers face challenges in producing a high-temperature, super-heated water jet without compromising component integrity, as raising water temperature can cause equipment failure if not designed for high temperatures, and existing systems struggle to provide sterilized cleaning water for applications like food preparation without introducing contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A pressure washer design featuring a water pump that supplies up to 20 liters per minute at 15 MPa, a boiler capable of heating water to at least 155°C with 75 kW power, and a PTFE-lined hose and nozzle configured to maintain high pressure and temperature while preventing steam formation, using a stainless steel boiler with a double-walled jacket and a ceramic nozzle to withstand extreme conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water temperature is raised in a conventional pressure washer, then cleaning and sterilization effectiveness is improved, but component integrity deteriorates due to equipment failure at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to super-high temperatures (above 100°C, specifically 155°C or higher) while maintaining pressure above 15 MPa, transforming the operating conditions beyond conventional pressure washer capabilities to achieve both high temperature and component reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material solutions including PTFE-lined hoses and ceramic nozzle tips that can withstand super-high temperatures and pressures, combining materials with complementary properties to maintain component integrity at extreme operating conditions
2Quantity of substance
If water volume is increased, then cleaning coverage is improved, but heating efficiency deteriorates as the boiler cannot heat larger volumes to high temperatures within the same time period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by supplying water at high pressure (greater than 15 MPa) at a controlled rate of at most 20 liters per minute, allowing the boiler to heat the water to super-high temperatures (at least 155°C) while maintaining adequate cleaning volume
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a high-power boiler (at least 75 kW) that provides excessive heating capacity relative to the water flow rate, ensuring that even at maximum flow rate the water can be heated to the required super-high temperature, with the ability to reduce flow rate if higher temperatures are needed
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 solution enables the production of a high-temperature, super-heated water jet that effectively cleans and sterilizes surfaces without introducing contaminants, maintaining the water in a liquid state at high pressures and temperatures, ensuring efficient and safe operation for applications like food preparation.
Implementation Method 1
a water pump configured to provide at most 20 litres of water per minute at greater than 15 MPa
Implementation Method 2
a boiler arranged to receive pressurised water from the output of the water pump, the boiler configured to heat the pressurised water with a power of at least 75 kW to a temperature of at least 155 degrees centigrade
Implementation Method 3
maintaining the water in a liquid state at high pressures and temperatures
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Some pressure washers include units for introduction of detergents and other chemicals into the water stream; however, it is desirable to obtain sterilized cleaning water without them, such that use in, for instance, food preparation processes can be implemented. With a sufficiently high temperature super-heated water stream, all process equipment, including pipework, that comes into contact with sterile process materials, can be cleaned, de-greased and sterilized both with the spray jet using water alone whilst not contributing endotoxins, microbial contamination or particles. Merely raising the temperature of water in a conventional pressure washer could cause components to fail, if they were not designed to operate at such high temperatures. In the present invention, the pump (25) supplies a relatively low volume of water at a relatively high pressure to the boiler (13), allowing the boiler (13) to heat that volume of water to a relatively high temperature. In contrast, if a higher volume of water were desired over a given time period, the pump would have to supply it at a comparatively lower pressure (which is undesirable) and/or the boiler would only be able to heat it to a comparatively lower temperature over that same time period (which is also undesirable). Increased working temperatures on a hose (3) will reduce its maximum working pressure; however, by using a PTFE hose as in the present invention, the maximum working pressure at 170 degrees may be up to 17 MPa.