Nanobubbles in Car Washing

The cleaning effect of nanobubble water depends on the type and adhesion of the soil and on washing conditions, and improvement is most likely for soils that are hard to remove with ordinary water.

In an in-house comparison test with four oil-based markers applied to a glass surface, Honour Tech observed soil removal with tap water at 4.5 bar and oxygen nanobubble water at 2.5 bar. Under the oxygen nanobubble water condition, two of the four markers were completely removed.

This test, however, is an observation made with specific soils and spray conditions. It cannot be concluded that air nanobubble water, the standard configuration for car washes, produces the same result, and the actual washing effect should be evaluated taking into account vehicle soiling, detergent, spray pressure and wash program.

View cleaning comparison test

If the target cleaning quality can be achieved with nanobubble water, detergent use may be optimized, but a uniform reduction rate cannot be given.

Dust and loosely attached soil on vehicle surfaces can be removed with water and mechanical washing, but for oily or firmly bonded soils the chemical action of detergent is important. Nanobubble water is a means of complementing these existing cleaning actions.

Honour Tech recommends first comparing the cleaning performance of ordinary water and nanobubble water at the existing detergent concentration, then adjusting detergent use step by step once the target quality is achieved. Whether detergent can be reduced must be confirmed against actual vehicle soiling and wash programs.

In most cases, a nanobubble water supply system can be added while the existing car wash equipment continues to be used.

Typically, water in the wash water storage tank is circulated through the nanobubble system and then supplied through the existing feed pump and wash piping. For facilities without a storage tank, direct connection is reviewed separately according to feed flow and pressure conditions.

Honour Tech checks storage tank capacity, peak hourly use, piping layout, installation space and power conditions to propose a configuration that minimizes changes to existing car wash equipment. Where wastewater treatment and reuse are also needed, a separate water reuse system is reviewed as well.

View car wash wastewater reuse

Honour Tech's NanoSplash for car washes runs on ordinary air as standard, so no separate oxygen supply equipment is needed.

NanoSplash is a system based on the HQN bubble mixer, configured to connect to the wash water storage tank and existing feed equipment. It produces nanobubble water from ordinary air and supplies it to the existing wash process.

Other gases such as oxygen can be considered when there is a specific purpose and test condition. Standard product selection for car washes prioritizes flow rate, storage tank configuration, continuous operating conditions and ease of maintenance.

Better cleaning performance may help optimize detergent and water use and the burden of rewashing, but actual cost savings must be judged by comparing on-site operating conditions.

Car wash operating costs include not only detergent and water but also power for feed pumps and wash equipment, water and sewer charges and wastewater treatment costs. Adding a nanobubble system also brings its own power consumption and maintenance costs.

It is therefore important to compare detergent use, water consumption per wash, rewash frequency and equipment operating costs at the same wash quality. Honour Tech checks the size and current operating conditions of your car wash to review a suitable system configuration and economic evaluation method.

Request an operating cost review for your car wash