Typical Applications and Considerations for Water Re-Use
The Con-Serv equipment product line is designed to operate with or without the availability of a sewer access. The equipment will provide wash quality water from a range of 30 to 125 GPM with a particulate rating of 5 microns.
Using combinations of Con-Serv equipment you can accommodate the gallon flow requirements in a typical facility. Odor control and color removal of reclaimed water is accomplished by high concentration ozone treatment of water held in holding tanks or pits. Typical applications can be operated in a closed loop environment by using Con-Serv equipment when utilizing the following general rule:
"The amount of fresh water added to the wash system does not exceed water loss seen through evaporation or other methods of carry off."
Water use in vehicle washing:
The amount of water lost will vary with each different type of car washing application. The addition of fresh water to compensate for carry off and evaporation loss will always be accomplished as the final rinse pass of the wash application. The final rinse adds back the lost water. The final rinse pass should always be high pressure and low volume for the purpose of rinsing off any residual relaimed water used in the wash process.
Sewer access and fees:
In the event sewer availability is offered at a particular car wash site, the Con-Serv equipment will still be utilized but offer greater flexibility to the operator in selecting which functions in the wash process will utilize reclaim versus fresh water. The utilization selection scenario will be based on the cost of sewer utilization fees and associated tap or wastewater capacity fees.
Examples of wash applications and water re-use strategies:
Self Service Wash:
This is the most demanding process to address due the uncontrolled use of water in the typical self service application. Our experience has taught that successful operation requires some wash equipment modification.
The first requirement in this application will see a wand nozzle change from 5 GPM tips to 2.5 GPM tips. The quality and efficiency of the wash will not be impacted, but the volume of water used in the wash process will be significantly reduced.
The second requirement will be to install a bypass circuit for the fresh water rinse function to drop the water pressure from a standard 1000 PSI to approximately 600 PSI. Vehicle rinsing will still be efficient but customers will be discouraged from rinsing only with fresh water, which is prevalent in a self-service environment.
All wash functions of the application with the exception of fresh water rinse, will be accomplished with reclaim water generated by Con-Serv equipment. A closed loop scenario will be accomplished due to the high amount of vehicle carry off and evaporation found in this application. The carry off associated to the self-service application is greatly impacted by the absence of automated air drying equipment.
In Bay Automatic High Pressure Wash:
The typical in-bay automatic will see the use of reclaim water processed by a Con-Serv unit for all wash functions except the last pass of fresh water. Here a pass is defined as one movement of the car wash equipment.
Normally, reclaimed water will be used during the first pass of rinse and changed over to fresh water just before the pass is completed. This early purging is the means to clear any reclaim water from the existing lines prior to the final fresh water rinse pass. A modification used in a closed loop environment will see the function of the undercarriage wash, set as a standard, instead of an optional service, to ensure a high amount of vehicle carry off.
Many in-bay automatics today offer spot free rinse, either as a standard, or as an option. The easiest means to account for water used by this function to use e-ionized water. Methods are available to use spot free generated by reverse osmosis and the handling of reject water generated by the R/O process. Discussion of these methods is available by contacting Con-Serv.
Tunnel Wash Applications:
The typical tunnel application, depending on size and volume, will see either single or double Con-Serv system. Successful operation will see one machine dedicated to reusing wash water while the second machine will be dedicated to rinse water. The car wash conveyor will contain a dam, which will separate the two types of water. The wash side machine will provide the functions of prepguns, cool down, pre-soak, tire blaster, and high-pressure wash. While the rinse side will provide high-pressure rinse with the final application arch being fresh water to spray off any remaining reclaim rinse water. The typical tunnel application operating in a closed loop environment will also see installation of a tank level control system which consists of a float sensor on the wash side of the tunnel. This level control system is the mechanism used to transfer water carried over the conveyor dam from wash to rinse. The water transfer is accomplished by interconnection of the Con-Serv equipment.
Tunnel type applications, which are short in length, will see use of a single Con-Serv unit. Here one unit will provide all water requirement for the washing equipment up to the last high pressure low volume fresh water rinse arch.
Industrial Washing Applications:
Industrial applications are like fingerprints. Every situation is unique, requiring different equipment. In some cases, site specific applications and equipment modification may be required.
Con-Serv design built systems can be manufactured for new or pre-existing locations. We can supply drawings and information, including systems guidelines and estimated cost savings for most applications.
With over two decades of experience in water recovery technology, we can provide a wide variety of equipment tailored to special requirements and environmental needs. These applications include transportation, agriculture, rental, and heavy duty construction equipment.
Ozone and Filtration Use in Water Recovery Systems:
Ozone is a very effective oxidizing agent, which will helps purify dirty water by attacking both, organic and inorganic substances, then reducing them to more desirable oxidized chemical forms without the by-products of undesirable residual chemical.
It should be stated in the beginning that ozone, by itself is not the cure-all for the water world. It is one of a combination of tools that can be used in various combinations to achieve the desired resultant water quality.
Other tools which must be considered as part of the total purification system design are: water pumps, air pumps, ozone injection techniques, filters, chemical additives, electrolysis systems, oxygenation techniques, holding tanks, facilities design, and more.
In order to design a complete purification system (which includes the specification of ozone equipment) many factors must be considered; some of these factors are:
Water quality of available water
Levels and types of contamination
Final water quality required
Amount of water to be treated
The filter components to be used and order of arrangement
The most cost effective methods and options

As you can see from all of these variables, the choice of an optimum system is not simple. Individual applications and requirements often call for different and unique solutions. Smart selection of tools and techniques provides the water quality desired at the lowest possible cost.