Abstract
Abstract. Optimum detergent dosage during a washing process depends on water quality, degree of pollution and quantity of laundry. Particularly, water quality is an important factor. Other parameters like carbonate- or non-carbonate hardness and calcium / magnesium (Ca / Mg) ratio in addition to total hardness of water have an impact on the amount of detergent. This work discusses the possibilities realizing a detergent sensor that measures important parameters for the washing process and assess the ideal necessary amount of detergent during the washing process. The approach is to combine impedance spectroscopy with cyclic voltammetry in order to determine both water quality and concentration of detergent in the suds which build up the basis for an optimum detergent dosage. The results of cyclic voltammetry show that it is possible to identify the Ca / Mg ratio and the carbonate hardness separately, which is necessary for the optimization of the washing process. Impedance measurements identify total hardness and detergent concentrations.
Highlights
Introduction and motivationThis work is an extension of the conference article (Gruden and Kanoun, 2013a)1.In 2010 more than 580 000 tons of detergent and more than 1 billion liters of water were used in Germany for washing the laundry
The approach is to combine impedance spectroscopy with cyclic voltammetry in order to determine both water quality and concentration of detergent in the suds which build up the basis for an optimum detergent dosage
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Summary
This work is an extension of the conference article (Gruden and Kanoun, 2013a). In 2010 more than 580 000 tons of detergent and more than 1 billion liters of water were used in Germany for washing the laundry. Due to the higher concentration of detergent in the suds, more and longer rinsing processes are required to get rid of the detergent residues in the laundry This requires higher water consumption and more energy. At the present time automatic washing machines use only a control strategy that does not take the water quality or the actual properties of the laundry into consideration (Wagner, 2010; Smulders et al, 2002; Jakobi and Löhr, 1987). Moving to a regulation strategy by maintaining the washing result needs key parameters such as water quality, quantity of laundry (weight), concentration of dirt and concentration of detergent to be able to compute an optimal dosage. −2 cording to IEC 60734:2003 (IEC60734, 2003) and the homemade “Seuffer-Verfahren”
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