SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA—If you’re looking for a sizable return-on-investment (ROI), and energy and water savings from a commercial on-premise laundry (OPL), ClearWater Tech might just have the solution. The global designer and manufacturer of ozone systems for water and air purification, headquartered here, offers the EcoTex Ozone Laundry System, which has been backed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The DOE commissioned a report to evaluate energy efficient technologies within the OPL market. After consideration of several alternative technologies, the department selected ozone as the research subject for the report. The study noted EcoTex Technology’s ROI, energy and water savings and customer satisfaction.
“Although this report does not begin to reflect our more typical eight-month ROI from EcoTex, it does do a tremendous job of quantifying the true effectiveness of ozone in the commercial laundry industry,” said Cameron Tapp, president of ClearWater Tech.
According to a 2013 report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), ozone laundry technology is becoming more widespread as advancements have resulted in lower production costs, increased efficiencies and higher cleaning performances.
Ozone is a gas produced from an ozone generator, which takes in air and converts it into 90% oxygen. The oxygen is then electrically charged causing the oxygen atom to split. These atoms then reassemble and form the ozone gas.
For ozone laundry systems, the ozone gas is injected directly into the wash wheel where it dissolves in the cold water, opens up the fibers and releases stains. Opening up the fibers makes the linens easier to dry and results in a decrease in drying time. After the wash is completed, the ozone is then vented through a carbon tower and absorbed.
Adding ozone equipment to existing washing machines can completely eliminate a laundry’s need for hot water because ozone works best in cold water, according to AH&LA. It also reduces the wash cycle and dryer times by a combined 30%, and the rinse cycle is reduced from two cycles to one.
ClearWater Tech attempts to take commercial ozone laundering a step further for the hotel industry. The EcoTex Ozone Laundry System can reduce energy costs by 85% and water reduction by 35% per property, according to the company.
“You still need some hot water for food and beverage laundering, but the vast majority of laundry in the hotel environment is sheets and towels, which are all washed in cold water,” said Tapp. “EcoTex cuts out several process steps from the traditional laundry formulas. Each time you eliminate a step you can eliminate a rinse, saving water and sewer.”
Compared to other commercial laundering systems, ozone laundering offers a more effective solution, according to Tapp. “Ozone is the planet’s strongest oxidizer commercially available,” he said. “It has the added benefit of being created on-site so there’s nothing to transport, recharge or fill. We simply use the air in the room to generate ozone, introduce it into the washer with the only byproduct being oxygen. It’s a natural addition to laundry.”
In addition to offering an ROI, and energy and water savings, EcoTex provides an added benefit to hotel properties by extending linen life. “We have been proven by the North Carolina State University College of Textiles to extend linen life by as much as 11%,” said Tapp. “Shorter cycle times, cooler temperatures and more neutral pH- based chemicals equals extended linen life.”