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Flash Drying

T

TEEBOX

Member
All,

Out of curiosity how many operators utilize flash drying in their location. I have an arch I would like move after my final rinse arch. How far should it be and does it require a different producer/blower unit?

Thanks!
 
Chemistry is very important in flash drying. The surface of the vehicle must be at least slightly acidic before it reaches the drying agent. This is essential in addition to using the proper drying agent and distance between the drying agent and rinse arch. Most I have seen are around a foot apart. I think the distance also depends on the coverage of the drying agent as well.
 
I have a number of clients that use flash dry.

The method requires placing air producers directly after the spot-free rinse applicator.

By stripping excess water immediately from the vehicle's surface as it is being applied, a virtual drip space is created.

The result is water rolls up on itself like a wave and gathers up the remaining water producing a dryer vehicle and using a lot less space than conventional method.

Generally speaking, the distance between rinse arch and dryer nozzle is about three feet.

Looking at schematic, positioning of producers resembles a V or diamond shape.

For example, one of my clients has 40’ mini-tunnel. The dryer configuration has three rows.

First row has one 15 hp producer positioned 3’ from rinse arch, followed by a row with four 15’ hp producers, followed by a row with one 15’ hp producer.

I was sold on this method about 7 or 8 years ago when Vince MacNeil and his chief engineer flew to Kansas to show us how to set this up for mini-tunnel, one of the first of its kind.
 
Yes I have it and love it, so much so I am on schedule to add another producer so that I have 2 and I am going to put a duck bill on both which will make them one producer
 
robert roman said:
I have a number of clients that use flash dry.

The method requires placing air producers directly after the spot-free rinse applicator.

By stripping excess water immediately from the vehicle's surface as it is being applied, a virtual drip space is created.

The result is water rolls up on itself like a wave and gathers up the remaining water producing a dryer vehicle and using a lot less space than conventional method.

Generally speaking, the distance between rinse arch and dryer nozzle is about three feet.

Looking at schematic, positioning of producers resembles a V or diamond shape.

For example, one of my clients has 40’ mini-tunnel. The dryer configuration has three rows.

First row has one 15 hp producer positioned 3’ from rinse arch, followed by a row with four 15’ hp producers, followed by a row with one 15’ hp producer.

I was sold on this method about 7 or 8 years ago when Vince MacNeil and his chief engineer flew to Kansas to show us how to set this up for mini-tunnel, one of the first of its kind.
Click to expand...

The v shape will begin at first arch toward exit with the producers spreading out to final arch?

I ask this because drip space is not an issue. I have over 20 feet drip space. I would like to install a tire shiner in my drip space immediately after the flash drying and before my other producers/blowers. The flash dry will be one producer and I will have 7 producers left on 3 arches. My intentions in the future is to reduce my labor. Towel dryers who finish off a vehicle and apply tire shine.
 
All,

I just installed an Dryer Arch 3 feet from my final rinse arch. It has a 15hp blower centered on Arch. I cannot believe the results!

Here is the link to view my Flash Dryer! https://youtu.be/-utUApDDBgU

Next project is a tire shine applicator!

Pretty soon I'm going to say Bye Bye to towel drying.
 
TEEBOX the blower looks like it's doing a great job.
I have a couple of questions.
What drying agent are you using?
Chain speed?
Who's dryer did you install?
I have an oscillating blower 18" from my final rinse that does a good job but I'm thinking maybe I should put your setup in (at 3') from the rinse arch and install the oscillating dryer after my main stationary dryers as a final touch up dryer.
 
The chain speed is 109 CPH, I'm using Warsaw's Formula 580 dry aid. It's an15hp dryer from Premier Drying Systems.... I'm still tweaking but I am very happy with results.
 
I can not tell from the video for sure, it looks like your nozzle is aimed towards the exit of the wash. I tried this for a couple days then went back. I personally would flip the nozzle so it would blow water up and over the windshield.
 
RJMurph said:
I can not tell from the video for sure, it looks like your nozzle is aimed towards the exit of the wash. I tried this for a couple days then went back. I personally would flip the nozzle so it would blow water up and over the windshield.
Click to expand...

Your a mind reader! I was thinking that yesterday. I'm also considering the round nozzle but I'll try that first before the extra expense of $90 dollars.

Thank you
 
TEEBOX said:
Your a mind reader! I was thinking that yesterday. I'm also considering the round nozzle but I'll try that first before the extra expense of $90 dollars.

Thank you
Click to expand...

So i flipped the nozzle for the water to blow over the windshield towards that entrance. Disaster! The vehicles came out to wet let alone it pushed the rain arch stream everywhere. Dry Aid Arch spray became to erratic as well. I flipped it back to original position which works a lot better. I'm going to purchase a straight round nozzle to force air down and I'll post that result later.
 
I see the intake faces the exit of the wash. Makes perfect sense. Makes for less moisture to get sucked into the blower. I always wondered why so many washes, including mine have the intake facing the entrance??
 
Earl Weiss said:
I see the intake faces the exit of the wash. Makes perfect sense. Makes for less moisture to get sucked into the blower. I always wondered why so many washes, including mine have the intake facing the entrance??
Click to expand...

Earl, this is new to me but I'm giving it a chance. I like the original position of the nozzle facing the exit rather than the exit as well.

When I had the nozzle facing the entrance. It blew dry aid and rain arch everywhere. Mitter curtain was constantly be blown around too!

I'm going to try the straight nozzle when it comes in. I'll keep the board posted!
 
Noted!

It makes perfectly sense to do that but I wonder why also. I guess before there was directional nozzles they placed them that way. Or for aesthetic reasons they didn't want customer to see the motors.
 
My equipment guys say if the motor faces the entrance it sucks in moisture and they have failures in 6 mos to a year even with motors supposedly built for this. Please get back to us in a year and let us know.
 
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