Rinse Water Recirculation System to Reduce Laundry Water Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial, institutional, and industrial laundry facilities face challenges in efficiently reusing rinse water and managing water usage due to high soil diversity and quantity, leading to increased water and wastewater costs, textile wear, and ineffective soil removal, with existing systems often requiring expensive filtration and significant space.
Innovation Solution
A compact water reuse system comprising a narrow reservoir tank with antimicrobial features, a recirculation kit with a nozzle system, and a pump that recirculates rinse water back into the wash tank, reducing water usage and preventing soil redeposition, while being adaptable to existing machines without expanding their footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional high water usage methods are used, then soil removal performance is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures rinse water that would normally be discarded and recirculates it back to the wash tank through a pump system. This recovery process allows the water to be reused for additional washing cycles, maintaining soil removal effectiveness while reducing overall water consumption by up to 30%.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation system operates continuously during wash cycles, constantly pumping rinse water from the drain back to the wash tank. This continuous circulation ensures that clean water is always available for soil removal without requiring additional water input, thereby maintaining cleaning performance while reducing water usage.
2Quantity of substance
If water recirculation systems are implemented, then water usage is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recirculation pump serves multiple functions: it pumps rinse water from the drain, filters it through a screen, and recirculates it back to the wash tank. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each operation, simplifying the overall system while achieving water reduction goals.
Solution Approach 2:
The water recirculation system is integrated within the existing washing machine structure. The pump, filter, and associated components are nested within the machine's footprint, utilizing available spaces efficiently. This nesting approach adds recirculation capability without significantly increasing the external dimensions or overall complexity of the device.
3Quantity of substance
If rinse water is stored in reservoir tank, then water reuse is enabled, but microbial growth is promoted
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic recirculation of rinse water from the reservoir tank back to the wash tank. By continuously or intermittently moving the water rather than leaving it static, the system disrupts conditions favorable for microbial growth while still enabling water reuse. The periodic action maintains water quality without requiring complex sterilization systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the necessary amount of rinse water from the reservoir tank for recirculation, rather than storing large quantities of water for extended periods. This extraction approach minimizes the volume of water susceptible to microbial growth while providing sufficient reused water for effective washing operations.
4Use of energy by moving object
If cooled reuse water is used, then energy savings are achieved, but cleaning effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system recirculates rinse water that has cooled to ambient temperature, which is sufficient for removing many types of soils without requiring high temperatures. This partial heating approach (using ambient temperature rather than heated water) achieves acceptable cleaning effectiveness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to traditional hot water washing systems.
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 effectively reduces water and wastewater costs, maintains cleaning performance, and extends textile life by using smaller water volumes and antimicrobial treatments, while being space-efficient and cost-effective for retrofitting or new installations.
Implementation Method 1
a pump that recirculates rinse water back into the wash tank
Implementation Method 2
narrow reservoir tank with antimicrobial features
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses and methods for reusing rinse water and recirculating wash water as well as spraying wash water and/or cleaning compositions onto textiles in order to optimize water usage, wash temperature, and composition dosage are provided. An apparatus comprising a water reservoir tank, a drain water pump, a reservoir tank water transfer pump, a control circuit box, at least one diverter drain valve, and a nozzle system comprising a spray nozzle, a valve, and connectors together with a replacement door window, pump, and tubing are further provided for use in the water reuse system. The water reuse system is beneficially combined with a customized cleaning composition to provide improved cleaning performance and effective soil removal.