On-premise laundry (OPL) operators have been hearing about the promise of ozone laundry for a long time. When ozone installations failed to surpass expectations, operators naturally became skeptical about it.
The truth is that ozone laundry systems CAN save energy, reduce any chemical use, and maintain or even improve linen outcomes, but only when the system is designed and installed properly. The way to achieve this may be to implement a systematic program that includes assessment of the unique laundry operation, proper design and installation, training, in addition to professional service backup. Under the control of a total program, ozone can deliver on the promises it makes.
Over-promising and Under-delivering on Ozone in the Past
A lot of on-premise laundry operators have heard the exaggerated claims:
• Ozone will totally eliminate the use of hot water for laundry. • You won't need chemicals anymore. • Linen quality might improve dramatically. • Ozone systems work their magic automatically. • One size system fits all.
Agencies anxious to make sales made claims like these for the obvious reason that they needed to break into the industry along with generate revenue. But they were not capitalized or organized well enough to sustain a long-term ozone laundry product that will deliver reasonable gains to laundry operators. Claims were based on theoretical or optimal conditions rather than the real world instances of each unique on-premise laundry.
What was missing was a systematic program of evaluation, design, and operation that's built on objective information about the OPL plus excellent engineering of the ozone system.
Every OPL is unique, and the ozone system that serves it needs to be properly matched to it as a result of engineering and design. Not every OPL will experience the same outcomes because each one faces different demands. Today, clothing operators can greatly improve operational and linen outcomes with a full service program based on operation-specific needs test; sound engineering and design; customized system installation; verifiable energy and cleaning performance; and comprehensive service copy as needed.
A reality-based ozone laundry program is the path to operational stability, energy savings, and excellent sheets and pillowcases outcomes.
Step 1: Analysis of the OPL Demand and Outcome Factors
The first step is to systematically analyze the laundry arrange, routine linen load and required outcomes of the laundry operation. The analysis will include: Characteristic soiling, load dimensions and frequency, type of linens, and linen applications all need to be taken into account. The details of the laundry equipment and its h2o and energy supplies need to be evaluated in the context of the demands placed on them.
An assessment of the types of substances and wash routines needed to achieve required outcomes for the typical linen applications is needed to determine how an ozone process will interact with - and change - the chemical prescription. Baseline measures of key variables including normal water used, energy used, chemicals used and operational linen outcomes are needed to evaluate the ozone laundry installation and even identify opportunities for further savings. A projected cash flow analysis based on current and projected energy costs, inorganic demand, and operations is required to make the final evaluation of the optimal type of ozone laundry installation. This step will include marks for water, energy and chemical use.
Step 2: Engineering and Design of the System
Based on the analysis in Step one, engineers will select ozone components matched to the laundry operation. Ozone sanitation capacity requirements will vary with measurements of machine and load, linen application and implied water temperature needed, soil types anticipated, and recurring chemicals needed. In this step, the system designers will also specify how the components will be integrated into the existing equipment and waters supplies, including an installation diagram.
Step 3: Installation of the Ozone System
Using the ozone system installation diagram, experts will install and test the system. Ozone production will be monitored in a live test environment before turning the machine over to routine operations.
Step 4: Monitoring and Verification
The routine operations of the system can be measured for electrical power used, water used, chemicals used, and linen outcomes. These tests should be made under routine operational circumstances and compared to both the same measures before the ozone laundry installation and to the levels projected in Step 1. Important, the ozone laundry program should be able to verify energy savings, especially if the utility used by the OPL offers a kickback or rates reduction benefit to energy-saving installations (many of them do).
Step 5: Management and Maintenance
Some sort of well-engineered ozone laundry system should not change routine laundry operations for workers in any way. Further, these systems ought to be reliable for extended periods of time, within the lifespan of ozone components (good quality components should last 10 years prior to the ozonator needs to be replaced). To ensure this, periodic service should be made to evaluate ozone output and make adjustments since needed to optimize the impact of the system.
Dependable Ozone Laundry Programs Exist
Though they are rare in the industry now, high quality ozone laundry programs do exist. DEL Ozone, a technology leader in ozone sanitation applications, goes a full-service ozone laundry program backed by a full performance guarantee. This is possible because DEL's equipment is amongst the best-engineered in the world and it is a 35-year old company with a well-known commitment to service backing up its sales.
"Reliability" and "ozone laundry" can now co-exist in one on-premise laundry. The key is a full-service program that tailors the ozone laundry system to the exact demands of the operation to guarantee optimal outcomes.
