Use of ingredient water in cleaning applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for laundry applications employ ingredient water having a defined specification. The ingredient water specification may include a maximum total dissolved solids (TDS) and/or a maximum TDS from water hardness ions. Use of ingredient water having a defined specification may allow for more effective laundering using less water and at lower water temperatures. Use of ingredient water may also allow for improved detergency at lower wash temperatures, which may further result in the potential for shorter wash cycles and less chemistry to achieve equivalent results.

1 . A system comprising:
 an ingredient water generator connected to receive water from a water supply, the ingredient water generator configured to treat the supply water and to output ingredient water meeting a defined specification; and   a wash machine having a cavity into which articles are placed for cleaning, and configured to receive the ingredient water into the cavity at specified times during a wash cycle,   the defined ingredient water specification including at least one of a Total Dissolved Solids specification and a Hardness Ion specification.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a holding tank that receives and stores the ingredient water for subsequent delivery to the wash machine. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an automated chemical product dispenser that delivers predetermined amounts of one or more chemical products to the wash machine at predetermined times during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the chemical product dispenser receives ingredient water and employs the received ingredient water during dispensation of at least one of the one or more chemical products. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the Total Dissolved Solids specification comprises less than 400 parts per million (ppm) and the Hardness Ion specification comprises less than 60 ppm. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the Total Dissolved Solids specification comprises less than 100 parts per million (ppm) and the Hardness Ion specification comprises less than 10 ppm. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the ingredient water generator comprises a reverse osmosis system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the ingredient water generator comprises one of a mixed resin bed deionizing system, a distillation system, or an electrolytic deionization system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wash machine is a laundry machine. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the ingredient water generator delivers ingredient water on demand to the wash machine during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wash machine draws the ingredient water from a holding tank during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the articles to be cleaned include textiles. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 an ingredient water generator connected to receive water from a water supply, the ingredient water generator configured to treat the supply water and to output ingredient water meeting a defined specification;   a holding tank that receives and stores the ingredient water for subsequent delivery to the wash machine;   a holding tank sensor positioned to sense whether the amount of ingredient water in the holding tank is below a threshold level;   an ingredient water generator controller configured to manage generation of ingredient water based on information received from the holding tank sensor;   a wash machine having a cavity into which articles are placed for cleaning; and   a wash machine controller configured to manage delivery of ingredient water from the holding tank into the cavity at one or more specified times during a wash cycle,   the defined ingredient water specification including at least one of a Total Dissolved Solids specification and a Hardness Ion specification.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the ingredient water generator controller manages generation of ingredient water when the information received from the holding tank sensor indicates that the amount of ingredient water in the holding tank is below the threshold level. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the wash machine is a laundry machine. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising an automated chemical product dispenser that delivers predetermined amounts of one or more chemical products to the wash machine at predetermined times during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the chemical product dispenser receives ingredient water during dispensation of at least one of the one or more chemical products. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the Total Dissolved Solids specification comprises less than 400 parts per million (ppm) and the Hardness Ion specification comprises less than 60 ppm. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the Total Dissolved Solids specification comprises less than 100 parts per million (ppm) and the Hardness Ion specification comprises less than 10 ppm. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the ingredient water generator comprises one of a reverse osmosis system, a mixed resin bed deionizing system, a distillation system, or an electrolytic deionization system.