Vehicle Wash

Our customer-centric solution for the vehicle wash industry is the Aqua-Lab™ and our high-pressure nozzles.

Aqua-Lab Chemical Dispensing Systems were developed using Hydra-Flex’s innovative, patented1 technology to provide the vehicle wash industry a chemical dispensing system that will Do More With Less. Our reliable and efficient systems will deliver consistent and accurate mixed solution, improving your chemical performance and vehicle coverage while using less water and chemistry, taking up less space, and requiring less ongoing maintenance than traditional mixing, dosing, and pumping equipment. With thousands of systems in operation, Hydra-Flex has become The Most Trusted Name in Chemical Dispensing.

Hydra-Flex, founded with a commitment to innovation, holds patents on our chemical dispensing and nozzle technologies and was named one of Minnesota’s Top Inventors by Twin Cities Business Magazine.  While the fundamental concepts behind many of our products are not new, we set ourselves apart by finding a “better way” to apply fluid handling technologies to solve our customer’s and their industry’s problems.

Our direct-inject, boosted pressure chemical dispensing systems are an equipment upgrade that can contribute to the success of your facility in a dramatic way, with results that are better for your customers, the environment, and your bottom line.  Our systems will deliver improved application coverage and enhance your chemical performance while using less water, taking up less space, and requiring less maintenance and operating costs than traditional mixing, dosing, and pumping systems.

Revolutionizing the Vehicle Wash Industry

The science behind direct-inject chemical dispensing systems is far from new.  Giovanni Battista Venturi, an Italian physicist, wrote about the eponymous discovery of the Venturi effect in 1797.  The fundamental technology has been used in vehicle care and other industries with relative success over the last 50+ years, but only recently has Hydra-Flex applied the technology with techniques and components that can solve the unique needs of the car wash industry.  With thousands of sites now in operation, car wash owners have clearly signaled that this is the wave of the future.

Chem-Flex™ Venturi Injectors: How they work

A Venturi can be used to infuse a small amount of one fluid into the flow of another fluid. In vehicle wash and other cleaning applications, Venturi injectors work by forcing water through a cone-shaped nozzle, creating a pressure differential between the inlet and outlet.  The constricted flow in the center of the injector creates a vacuum, pulling in the undiluted chemistry, mixing it with water, and delivers the precisely diluted solution from the injector outlet directly to the applicator.  Additionally, Chem-Flex™ injectors were developed using the most chemical-resistant and longest lasting components available, including Kynar™ Venturi inserts, stainless steel connections, a hastelloy spring, a teflon check ball, and our exclusive XFC O-ring.

Chemical Dispensing System Advantages:

Our direct-inject chemical dispensing systems combine water with chemicals using a regulated Venturi injector to deliver consistent and accurate mixed solution to the applicator(s).  After chemical is mixed, air may be introduced into the solution line to generate foam at the arch or gantry.  Complete systems include booster pumps, injectors, metering tips, manifolds, electronic controls, gauges, and regulators pre-mounted, and pre-plumbed for easy installation.

Small Footprint. Our systems can be wall mounted, and accurately deliver RTU (ready to use) solution without cumbersome mixing tanks. Compare the wall space required to hang a bank of 12+ mixing tanks to the less than 20 sq ft. required for the equivalent direct-inject system at the national average build cost of $313.48/sq foot and you can see the savings add up.

• Consistency. Because these systems use pumps to pressurize and regulate the water, you don’t have to worry about changes in local water pressure changing your dilution ratios. The precisely diluted chemical is delivered to the applicator, every time.
• Better Vehicle Coverage. Water is used to carry the chemicals. Using the same dilution ratio, but increasing the delivery pressure allows for less solution used with better coverage and stunning visual results. (See water droplet images – right)
• Precision. These systems have the ability to work with super-concentrated chemicals. Color-coded injectors (by flow rate) and metering tips (by dilution ratio) offer precise optimization and easy maintenance of your chemical delivery system.
• Reliability. Less moving parts means less downtime and reduced operational costs. We design our systems using chemically resistant materials that will last longer and stand up to the rigorous demands of the car wash industry.
• Environmentally Friendly. Because the solution is applied to the vehicle at higher pressure, less solution is used, which can often result in significant reductions in water and chemical usage.  (See water droplet images – right) Additionally, the use of super concentrated chemicals can reduce packaging waste and shipping costs.