Reclaim Water Systems
General Description:
The use of reclaim water has become an important method for the car wash
operator to reduce his / her operating expenses (water / sewer costs) and start-up
costs (impact / connection fees). Many municipalities are requiring the use of
reclaim water in car wash operations and operators are continually looking for
ways to increase profits, so reclaim systems are becoming essential in the overall
operation of the wash.
Reclaim water is the re-use of water that has already been used in the wash and
recovered by the drain system in the wash bay. Most drain systems consist of a
catch basin to settle out the large solids, followed by two or three underground
reclaim tanks to remove oil & grease, floatable materials and settleable solids.
Overflow water from the last reclaim tank is then discharged to sewer or an oil /
water separator.
Water from the reclaim tanks contains solids that have not settled within the tank.
These solids are typically small in size (less than 150 microns) and consist of sand,
clay, and silt. These solids can increase wear on pumps, piping, and nozzles, and
increase the potential of plugging nozzles. Reclaim water also is a great
environment for growing bacteria which can create plugging and odor problems.
Typically, anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that grow in the absence of oxygen) will
grow beneath the settled solids in the reclaim tank. This type of bacteria produces
hydrogen sulfide and methane that has an odor similar to rotten eggs. A properly
designed reclaim system must both remove solids and provide biological / odor
control.
A PurWater reclaim system takes water from the last compartment of the reclaim
tank and treats it further so that the quality is acceptable for re-use in the wash.
The PurWater reclaim system also returns a portion of the water back to the
reclaim tank to provide biological / odor control. Reclaim water that is treated by a
PurWater system can then be used for the undercarriage, side panel blasters,
mitters, and high pressure rinse cycles which greatly reduces the overall amount of
city water required by the wash and the amount of water discharged to sewer.
Typically, 60-85% of the water used on the car can be reclaim water.
PurWater Reclaim System:
The PurWater Reclaim System consists of cyclone separators to remove solids
down to the 5 micron range and one of three methods (air sparger, enzyme
addition or ozone addition) to control odor and biological growth. The system is
contained on a compact frame with its own pump / motor and controls. The system
will recirculate water continuously back to the second compartment of the reclaim
tank for odor and biological control. When a demand for reclaim water is received
from the wash, the system will provide treated reclaim water.
