Self-service touchless car wash with compact water and energy recovery and saving system

Project title: Self-service touchless car wash with compact water and energy recovery and saving system

Agreement number: POIR.04.01.04-00-0057/20

Priority: 4.1 Scientific research and development works

Project implementation period: 01.01.2021 - 30.06.2023

Project value: 3 887 683,36 PLN

Principal Investigator: prof. dr hab. inż. Mirosław Wendeker

Abstract: The project will result in a significantly improved product on the automotive self-service carwash market due to the introduction of new features: reduction of electricity and water consumption by 10% and 34% respectively, 30% wastewater reuse. In the self-service car washes currently in use, the waste water is 100% discharged into the sewage system. Investors ordering car washes aim at the shortest possible return on investment for the purchase of equipment. The main operating costs are water, sewage and electricity. The market of car washes is constantly growing due to the increase in the number of vehicles. Over 70% of vehicle owners use self-service car washes. The key element of the new design of the car wash will be an innovative wastewater treatment technology leading to the recovery of water from wastewater based on filters filled with synthetic zeolite and on the process of wastewater disinfection through radical oxidation and thermolytic mechanisms by means of hydrodynamic cavitation. The proposed technology has not been used so far in the treatment of wastewater from self-service car washes, requires little space and has increased energy efficiency, compared to solutions used in automatic car washes. The use of recycled and pre-heated water for washing will reduce energy demand. Applicants will develop an energy saving system based on the developed automation of the multi-stage drive control system and a hydraulic anti-freeze floor and flexible hose and lance system. Moreover, the project will result in a diagnostic system. The project will be completed on TRL IX - full-scale prototype of the carwash. The implementation will be based on the introduction of the results of research and development works to the activity of the Polish company Tixewash (20 years in the production of the car wash), which is a part of the consortium, by starting the production and then selling innovative self-service car washes by TixECO.The project is carried out in the disciplines of mechanical engineering and environmental engineering, mining and energy.