Single Pump Metering Device for Car Wash Energy Savings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual car washing facilities require multiple independent high-pressure pumps and metering devices for each washing bay, leading to high costs and energy consumption due to the need for separate systems for each chemical product and bay.
Innovation Solution
A metering device that uses a single pump per chemical product, with a control unit managing the dispensing of chemical products to multiple washing bays through electrovalves and a wash water diversion system, allowing for proportional distribution based on demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate pump and metering device is installed for each washing bay and chemical product, then each bay has full autonomy and reliable chemical supply, but the facility cost and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate pump systems into a single shared pump that serves multiple washing bays. The pump is controlled to operate only when needed by any bay, reducing energy consumption while maintaining chemical supply reliability through a centralized reservoir system that ensures continuous availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single pump and reservoir system is designed to serve multiple washing bays with different chemical products through a universal architecture. The system can be configured to dispense different chemicals to different bays as needed, providing multi-functional capability without requiring dedicated equipment for each bay.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a separate pump and metering device is installed for each washing bay and chemical product, then each bay operates independently, but the facility complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the chemical distribution function into two independent parts: a centralized pump and reservoir system for chemical supply, and local electrovalves at each bay for chemical selection and dispensing control. This segmentation allows bays to operate independently in selecting and receiving chemicals while sharing the common supply infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir acts as an intermediary between the single pump and multiple washing bays. It buffers and stores chemical products, allowing the pump to operate independently from bay-specific demands while ensuring continuous chemical availability to all bays. This intermediary component simplifies the connection architecture between the centralized pump and distributed bays.
3Reliability
If multiple pumps are used for different chemical products across multiple bays, then each chemical product can be dispensed reliably, but the number of components and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple chemical storage and dispensing functions into a single integrated reservoir system that receives chemical products from the pump and distributes them to multiple bays. This merging reduces the number of components from multiple separate pump-metering devices to one pump, one reservoir, and multiple simple electrovalves at each bay.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir is designed as a universal chemical storage and distribution unit that can handle different chemical products and serve multiple washing bays. Its multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate storage and dispensing equipment for each chemical-bay combination, reducing component count while maintaining reliable dispensing capability.
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
This solution simplifies the design of car washing facilities, reduces costs, and achieves significant energy savings by using a single pump for each chemical product across multiple bays, while ensuring efficient distribution of chemicals during the washing process.
Implementation Method 1
the device comprises a single chemical product force pump (or dispensing pump) per each dispensing unit
Implementation Method 2
Each pipe of each dispensing unit has at least one electrovalve controlled by the control unit
Implementation Method 3
Said control is typically achieved by controlling the number of pulses of the force pump
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a metering device for a washing facility, comprising at least one dispensing unit (4) for dispensing a chemical product to at least one washing bay (3) of the washing facility. According to the invention, for each dispensing unit (4), the device comprises at least as many chemical product pipes (6) as the number of washing bays (3) in the washing facility, and the metering device comprises a single chemical product force pump (7) for each dispensing unit (4).