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Water purification for car wash
1. Why is water purification needed at a car wash?
The issue of water treatment at a car wash is strictly controlled by the sanitary and epidemiological station. Without her permission, the car wash simply will not start working. Why are there such severe restrictions?
Think about how many mechanical impurities, coupled with machine oil, gasoline, sand, and colossal amounts of detergent, can end up in water bodies and then in the central water supply system if the water is not properly filtered? This whole hellish mixture will flow into reservoirs continuously, significantly worsening the condition of the water in the populated area where our potential car wash operates. Don't spit in the well - you'll need to drink the water, as they say. It's hard to disagree with this idea. In addition, today the owner of a car wash simply has no choice - if the car wash does not pass mandatory certification by the SES, it will not be allowed to provide services to citizens - period. For violating this regulation, the entrepreneur faces a hefty fine. Requirements for water treatment are recorded in SanPiN 2.1.5.980-00 in the section “Hygienic requirements for the protection of surface waters”.
2. Types of water contamination at car washes
The main part of the contaminants enters the waste water from the surface of the car. The nature of pollution directly depends on the region, its environmental situation and time of year.
Typical types of contamination are:
1. Petroleum products
2. The products of oil refining
3. Metal impurities (zinc, iron, lead, aluminum)
4. Surfactants (detergents).
5. Various mechanical impurities.
To remove these types of pollution from water, both fine and coarse cleaning methods must be used, which, as a rule, are used in combination.
3. Methods of water purification in car washes
Advocacy
This method is used for the primary purification of water from large particles. This occurs using a sand trap, which retains contaminated water and allows the suspension to settle to the bottom of the container. The impurities removed at this stage account for about 90% of the primary ones. The effectiveness of the method depends on the length of time the water remains in the sump.
Filtration
It is a process of purifying water from large suspended matter. Used to prepare water for reuse in a car wash. Sorbents (for example, activated carbon), polymer and mesh filters are used as filter materials. Filters come in various shapes: they can be in the form of a flask or a column.
Coagulation (flocculation)
A method of water purification aimed at clarifying it, using special reagents for this. These reagents react with impurities and help convert them into flakes that settle to the bottom. The effectiveness of the method directly depends on the initial characteristics of the water and the correct selection of the coagulant (reagent) in accordance with them.
Oxidation
A method used to remove dangerous and harmful chemical compounds from water. Oxidation is used if it is necessary to get rid of the unpleasant odor and color of water. Oxidation also removes small algae and bacteria. The oxidizing agent can be chlorine, oxygen, ozone or just air.
Ozonation
Used for complete disinfection of water from viruses, fungi and bacteria. Due to the fact that ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent, it is actively used to destroy biological impurities. Ozone is also a powerful bleach that works almost instantly and faster than chlorine and hydrogen peroxide.
Activated carbon filtration
Filters based on activated carbon are used to purify water from organic matter, clarify it, and remove unpleasant odors. A significant disadvantage of this cleaning method is the fact that carbon filters quickly become clogged and their short service life. Bacteria can quickly develop in carbon filters, which will make them not only useless, but also dangerous and unsuitable for water purification.
Deionization
It is used to soften water by replacing hardness salts with other, harmless salts. Softened water interacts better with surfactants used for car washing, while hard water prevents the formation of active foam, which leads to significant waste of detergents.
Reverse osmosis
The method involves passing water through a reverse osmosis membrane. The output is crystal clear water, without any contaminants. However, part of the water (up to 50% percent) remains in the form of a concentrate and must be drained or sent for further use.
Ultraviolet sterilization
Used for water disinfection. The method is effective due to the ability of UV rays to destroy bacteria and viruses. At a car wash it is also used as a preventive measure against “drying” of water. Ultraviolet sterilization is a fairly fast and effective method of water purification and can be combined with others.
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Pic. 1 - Water purification system for car wash
The issue of water treatment at a car wash is strictly controlled by the sanitary and epidemiological station. Without her permission, the car wash simply will not start working. Why are there such severe restrictions?
Think about how many mechanical impurities, coupled with machine oil, gasoline, sand, and colossal amounts of detergent, can end up in water bodies and then in the central water supply system if the water is not properly filtered? This whole hellish mixture will flow into reservoirs continuously, significantly worsening the condition of the water in the populated area where our potential car wash operates. Don't spit in the well - you'll need to drink the water, as they say. It's hard to disagree with this idea. In addition, today the owner of a car wash simply has no choice - if the car wash does not pass mandatory certification by the SES, it will not be allowed to provide services to citizens - period. For violating this regulation, the entrepreneur faces a hefty fine. Requirements for water treatment are recorded in SanPiN 2.1.5.980-00 in the section “Hygienic requirements for the protection of surface waters”.
2. Types of water contamination at car washes
The main part of the contaminants enters the waste water from the surface of the car. The nature of pollution directly depends on the region, its environmental situation and time of year.
Typical types of contamination are:
1. Petroleum products
2. The products of oil refining
3. Metal impurities (zinc, iron, lead, aluminum)
4. Surfactants (detergents).
5. Various mechanical impurities.
To remove these types of pollution from water, both fine and coarse cleaning methods must be used, which, as a rule, are used in combination.
3. Methods of water purification in car washes
Advocacy
This method is used for the primary purification of water from large particles. This occurs using a sand trap, which retains contaminated water and allows the suspension to settle to the bottom of the container. The impurities removed at this stage account for about 90% of the primary ones. The effectiveness of the method depends on the length of time the water remains in the sump.
Filtration
It is a process of purifying water from large suspended matter. Used to prepare water for reuse in a car wash. Sorbents (for example, activated carbon), polymer and mesh filters are used as filter materials. Filters come in various shapes: they can be in the form of a flask or a column.
Coagulation (flocculation)
A method of water purification aimed at clarifying it, using special reagents for this. These reagents react with impurities and help convert them into flakes that settle to the bottom. The effectiveness of the method directly depends on the initial characteristics of the water and the correct selection of the coagulant (reagent) in accordance with them.
Oxidation
A method used to remove dangerous and harmful chemical compounds from water. Oxidation is used if it is necessary to get rid of the unpleasant odor and color of water. Oxidation also removes small algae and bacteria. The oxidizing agent can be chlorine, oxygen, ozone or just air.
Ozonation
Used for complete disinfection of water from viruses, fungi and bacteria. Due to the fact that ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent, it is actively used to destroy biological impurities. Ozone is also a powerful bleach that works almost instantly and faster than chlorine and hydrogen peroxide.
Activated carbon filtration
Filters based on activated carbon are used to purify water from organic matter, clarify it, and remove unpleasant odors. A significant disadvantage of this cleaning method is the fact that carbon filters quickly become clogged and their short service life. Bacteria can quickly develop in carbon filters, which will make them not only useless, but also dangerous and unsuitable for water purification.
Deionization
It is used to soften water by replacing hardness salts with other, harmless salts. Softened water interacts better with surfactants used for car washing, while hard water prevents the formation of active foam, which leads to significant waste of detergents.
Reverse osmosis
The method involves passing water through a reverse osmosis membrane. The output is crystal clear water, without any contaminants. However, part of the water (up to 50% percent) remains in the form of a concentrate and must be drained or sent for further use.
Ultraviolet sterilization
Used for water disinfection. The method is effective due to the ability of UV rays to destroy bacteria and viruses. At a car wash it is also used as a preventive measure against “drying” of water. Ultraviolet sterilization is a fairly fast and effective method of water purification and can be combined with others.
Pic. 1 - Water purification system for car wash