Ozone laundry systems are not new, but advanced technologies have increased energy efficiencies and lowered production costs. Not surprisingly, these systems have become more widespread as a result, for both new installations and retrofits.

The science behind the savings is simple enough. Ozone laundry is a process that uses electricity and oxygen to replace many of the chemicals that are used in a traditional washing process. Ozone gas is produced in an ozone generator, which takes in air and converts it into 90 percent oxygen. The oxygen is then electrically charged, causing the oxygen atoms to split. These atoms then reassemble and form ozone gas (O3). During the laundry cycle, the ozone is applied to the wash wheel in place of the chemicals. Ozone dissolves in cold water, opens up the fibers of the textiles, and releases the stains.

Commercial laundry systems currently account for almost one-quarter of all water consumed in a typical hotel, and 17 percent of the annual hot water heating costs. Ozone systems use less water and fewer chemicals, and produce less wastewater and shorter dry times. An added bonus is the extended life of linens, which can increase by up to 20 percent as a result of not using hot water and employing fewer chemicals.

What type of savings are possible? In the past year or so, Mount Snow Resort, Vt., installed an ozone laundry system at the 197-room Grand Summit Resort Hotel. Drying time has been reduced by almost half, and by year’s end, the hotel will see an annual reduction of 1.6 million gallons of hot water, and will save over 8 million BTU each month by no longer heating the wash water. Between the reduction in water consumption, hot water savings, and dryer and linen savings, the resort has cut its monthly operating costs by $3,000.

Here’s the rest of the story. Traditional laundry systems use five main ingredients: hot water, alkali, detergent, acid and bleach. An ozone laundry system can replace the need for all five, since ozone is a highly effective oxidizer that actually delivers multiple cleaning factors using only cold water. And because it is such a powerful oxidant, it is thereby a powerful bleaching agent, too.

Retrofitting existing laundry systems with ozone equipment can completely eliminate a laundry’s need for hot water, as ozone works best in cold water. Ozone is an unstable molecule, and heat causes it to break down much more rapidly. The colder your water is, the more stable the ozone is, and the longer it lasts. It can also reduce wash cycle and dryer times by a combined 30 percent. And because ozone systems reduce rinse cycles, it allows for water/sewer savings.

The math: Traditional laundry systems consume, on average, three gallons of water for each pound of linen processed. Typically, 70 percent of that water is heated. For every 1,000 pounds of linen laundered, a traditional system uses 3,000 gallons of water——2,100 of them heated. If the incoming water temperature is 60 degrees and the target temperature is 160 degrees, the 2,100 gallons must be heated by 100 degrees. It takes 8.33 BTU to heat one gallon of water by one degree; 2,100 gallons x 8.33 x 100 = 1,749,300 BTU used to heat the water for every 1,000 pounds of linen processed.

Drying 1,000 pounds of linens requires about the same amount of energy it takes to heat the water, which means traditional laundry methods will consume roughly 3.5 million BTU to process 1,000 pounds of linens. Hotel industry averages range from 11 to 15 pounds of linens per room, per day. This average number can vary depending on the type of property, textile, and room policies and practices. However, don’t forget linens from pool areas, exercise rooms, kitchen/dining areas and room service operations ... the energy savings can pile up fast.