Alkota is known for reliability and dependability. Today we want to share with you one of our most unique features and the heart of any hot water pressure washer, the Alkota hot water pressure washer coil.
Alkota’s coils are made in house and are used in our entire family of hot water pressure washers; including kerosene, #1 and #2 diesel fuel pressure washers, liquid propane and natural gas powered machines.
Let’s start with some history. The HOT or heated pressure washer went through a transformation in the seventies, converting from high BTU input, 350 degree Fahrenheit steam cleaners operating under 350 PSI to a much higher pressure. In Alkota’s case, up to 7200 PSI while heating the effluent to 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Alkota engineering team’s goal was initially to create a combustion chamber that would be safe, durable, efficient, and capable of functioning in the toughest possible environments.
Our machines see the worst possible situations. From ambient air that may contain airborne chemicals like in truck wash, to high sodium levels found in hog farrowing operations. Dust and chaff from a grain harvest to grinding dust and welding gases in a manufacturing facility. An oil field service location in Dead Horse, Alaska where temperatures reach negative 40 degrees in the winter to even an ice drill in Antarctica.
Even with all those challenges, we have two factors to contend with: water and condensation from the environment. It creates quite a challenge.
Running cold water through a heated pipe will create sweat on the outside of the pipe, and the inside of the combustion chamber. The more efficient this heating is, the more condensation is produced, the bigger the issue. An additional obstacle is the air intake will become wet and dirty, preventing an efficient transfer of energy from the combustion chamber to the high-pressure water traveling through the pipe.
The solution? Most hot pressure washers use a horizontal spiral design, similar to what a water hose looks like coiled up. This configuration typically has many layers of the coil on top of each other. The problem is, the transfer of heat to the coil is hindered because of inadequate ventilation and airflow around the pipe. The coils on these washers are too tight.
Alkota’s design is a helical configuration; it looks like a stretched spring. This spring or helical design can be pictured as a large spring on the outside of multiple progressively smaller springs inside. This creates the heat absorbing and allows for proper air flow in the combustion chamber.
Our combustion chamber was specifically designed and built for safety first while maintaining the highest combustion efficiency in the industry. Most other machines use a pancake coil. This condensed version has to have the circumference insulated because the design is over fired and also has smaller gaps for the exhaust portion of the chamber. These issues combine, causing a double long term negative.
First, the outer wrapper of the unit can often exceed 400 degrees; this creates an obvious safety concern for machine operators.
Second, the lack of proper ventilation for exhaust. As the machine sees daily use, the already small air gaps in the coil will become smaller, and the accumulation of soot degrades proper ventilation even more. For an efficient heated pressure washer, you need three things: fuel, ignition, and free-flowing air, which is the critical variant here.
The focus of most brands merely is heating water. Safety, efficiency, and dependability are at the bottom of the list. Alkota’s coils are superior.
Safety
The outside of our machines are cool to the touch – try it. Typically only 15-25 degrees above the ambient outside temperature. The benefits are apparent here; operator safety should be first and foremost when working with these types of heat and pressure.
Combustion Efficiency
Our machines are engineered to transfer heat to the high-pressure flow of water as efficiently as possible. By using a helix coil design, we not only keep things cool on the outside but move the majority of the BTU (heat) to focus on the temperature rise of the water, consuming most of the combustion gases, keeping things efficient. Airflow is key.
Dependability
With our properly vented chambers, soot build up is not an issue, thus, coil burn out is rare. The helix design is what creates this efficiently, and therefore, dependability. We back our coils with a 100% replacement in the first five years, and a prorated 50% replacement cost in the 6th and 7th years.
The time and engineering put into our hot pressure washer machines designs are evident and proven. When you have a job to do, the least of your worries should be the equipment you use. Our pressure washers are backed by the best support in the industry. Get Alkota clean.
To find an Alkota dealer, or learn more about our hot water machines, contact us today! We’re ready to help.
