INTERNATIONAL
Ozone is a breath of fresh air for OPL laundries looking to cut costs, according to Christeyns, which has launched its new Rapid-O system. Ozone is an effective option for laundries dealing with a high volume of hygiene linen, where washing with cold water leads to lower utility costs and increased washing capacity. Rapid-O is a total concept that consists of an ozone generator and dedicated chemicals that are combined in a wash process. The synergy between the ozone and the products results in efficiency improvements and an amazingly soft and fluffy end product.
Christeyns specifically developed the Rapid-O products for OPL in particular to enhance the benefits of ozone in the wash process. Together with a compact and efficient ozone generator, the concept enables low temperature wash and shorter cycles. This increases washing capacity, extends the textile lifetime and results in excellent softness and whiteness, says Christeyns.
What is ozone?
Inorganic molecule O3, known as trioxygen or ozone is a gas that consists of three oxygen atoms. The extra oxygen atom makes it a less stable gas than the diatomic O2 (dioxygen, generally known as oxygen), but also provides benefits during the wash process. When in contact with water, washing products and soiled textiles, the extra atom separates from its original molecule and is free to combine with other chemical compounds such as for example bleach or soil. Ozone gas is therefore a real laundry booster in your wash process:
¦ It replaces the use of heat
¦ It speeds up the destruction of soil
¦ It accelerates the work of water and chemicals
The Rapid-O generator has been developed by Christeyns Engineering department. It is a compact, wall mounted system that generates ozonated air. The ozonated air flows via two regulated outlets to two independent wash extractors with a combined capacity of maximum 80kg.
The system doses a very low quantity of ozone (only 0.2-0.4ppm) and is injected continuously into the operating washer extractor. There is no batch system or separate tank as is often the case on the market. This low and continuous flow of ozone ensures optimal safety of the system and a guaranteed stable quality.
The Rapid-O products are part of a multicomponent system of chemicals that need to be used together with the ozone generator to maximise the benefits of the ozone in the wash process. It combines a detergent and alkali booster with a bleach disinfectant. These 3 products are essential for the effectiveness of the system. They open up the textile fibres to create extreme softness, they boost the bleaching effect and they improve the stain removal capacity.
- Rapid-O Wash: detergent for stain removal at low temperatures (20°C) on both coloured and white fabrics.
- Rapid-O Boost: blend of alkalis, sequestering and anti-greying agents to boost the action of the detergent in the wash process.
- Peracid Forte: bleaching agent based on peracetic acid with anti-bacterial, -fungal and –viral hygiene properties.
For medium to heavily soiled linen, it is recommended to use an additional degreaser in your ozonated wash process to guarantee optimal stain removal. The Rapid-O degreaser is a gentle, but highly effective detergent booster for excellent stain removal, longer-lasting whiteness and brighter colours. With Rapid-O degrease, a higher machine load is possible. The product is specifically developed to apply at low temperatures.
Last but not least, the use of a softener is not required in an ozonated wash process as the ozone is already ensuring a great softening effect by opening up the textile fibres. The ozone also neutralises all bad odours to leave a freshness rather than a scent. A softener is sometimes requested for its perfume.
If we compare an average standard wash process to the Rapid-O wash process we can see that almost 50% more wash capacity is created. Water and energy costs are reduced due to washing at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and fewer rinse cycles.
More specifically, during a test case with an Italian client specialising in mop cleaning the wash tests showed that the life time of mops is significantly increased when washing with the Rapid-O process and with the Rapid-O products. The life span of the mops was almost tripled. Even after 1080 wash cycles the textile fibres were not affected and stains could effectively be removed. The user could still experience real softness and no bad odours could be detected. (The process was validated according to the ISO 14698-1: 2003 standard by an independent laboratory.)
The Rapid-O system is perfectly suited for on-premise laundries who wish to improve their efficiency and save costs. With a dedicated wash process for white textiles, coloured textiles, mops, hotel linen or bath towels, Rapid-O offers a solution for different types of textiles in different sectors: from small hotel laundries and spas to retirement home, care homes and sports centres.
Rapid-O can be used in combination with an automatic dosing system such as the FLUX-Compact. A dedicated and compact dosing system for OPL.
Ozone-generating systems come with necessary safety precautions as exposure to ozone can be harmful. It is important the generator is reliable, secure, installed professionally and used as per guidance. ¦
