A Practically Waterless Washing Machine

Author: Keiren // Last updated on September 24, 2020 Leave a Comment

A new washing machine that uses just a cup of water, a pinch of detergent, and about 1,000 small recyclable plastic chips to clean clothes is coming to an appliance store near you, by the end of 2012. Cost will be comparable to the average price of a conventional machine. Plus, your clothes come out of the wash almost dry! The product is being tested at commercial establishments only, as of March, 2012. In comparison, the average top-loading washing machine uses about 40 gallons per load while the average front-loading washing machine uses 20-25 gallons in every wash cycle. In addition, electrical consumption is estimated at 7¢ to 34¢ per load, depending on the amount of water used. Xeros uses less electricity due to shorter cycles, it also uses considerably less detergent. With the extra cost of the beads, Xeros says their system has the potential to save up to 30% of direct operating costs. On top, there is the indirect cost savings of faster through-put, less effluent and no need to tumble dry.

www.xerosltd.com – more on the design…
www.physorg.com
www.brighthub.com

Xeros System Installation at Watford Launderers + Cleaners, UK, October 2011.
Xeros is moving a step closer to a full-scale commercial launch of its revolutionary polymer-based washing system following highly successful trials at Jeeves at Belgravia and Watford launderers + cleaners. The field trials show that Xeros’ next generation washing system delivers superior cleaning performance to conventional commercial washing systems, as well as significantly reduces energy, detergent and water consumption.

Xeros provides a revolutionary cleaning process that uses polymer beads to ‘attract’ stains. The gentle flow of small polymer beads acts just like hand washing, tumbling with the washload and transporting stains off garments to be locked into the bead molecular structure. This exceptional environmental system uses only a fraction of the water, energy and detergent that is required for conventional cleaning.In January 2012 Xeros was awarded a £250,000 grant for research and development by the Technology Strategy Board to accelerate the development of a domestic laundry machine, which will fully exploit Xeros’ environmentally friendly technology.

Located at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Xeros Limited is a relatively new company that has commercialised a globally relevant technology which originally came out of pioneering work by Professor Stephen Burkinshaw at the Textile Design department of the University of Leeds. Xeros has raised over £6 million in funding from private investment and government R&D grants to commercialise the technology. Xeros was named 2nd in the top 50 “2010 Best Inventions” by TIME magazine; winner of ‘Best Technological Breakthrough’ in The Climate Week Awards 2010; listed in WWF’s survey of global “Green Game-Changers”; and selected as one of only 19 best fast-growing “Clean & Cool” companies to go on a government sponsored mission to Silicon Valley (February, 2010).

About Keiren

Keiren is an artist who lives in New York City. A lover of animals, nature, science & green building. Keiren originally founded Inspiration Green in 2007, which merged with Insteading in 2016.

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