Apparatus and Methods for Dispensing Solutions

Abstract

A system and method for dispensing cleaning fluids. The system includes a water source in fluid communication with a dissolved solids source. Both the water source and the dissolved solid source are in fluid communication with an inlet into an electrolytic cell. Two outlets which are configured to flow fluid out of the electrolytic cell may also be provided. The first outlet is an electrolyzed reducing water outlet, the second outlet is an electrolyzed astringent water outlet. The system may also include one or more point of use outlets in fluid communication with the electrolyzed reducing water outlet from the electrolytic cell. Similarly, one or more separate point of use outlets may be provided in fluid communication with the electrolyzed astringent water outlet. In one embodiment, all elements of the system as described above are contained within or attached to a single housing which may be a portable housing.

1 . A system for dispensing cleaning fluids comprising:
 a water source;   a dissolved solids source in fluid communication with the water source;   an electrolytic cell in fluid communication with the water source;   an electrolyzed reducing water outlet from the electrolytic cell;   an electrolyzed astringent water outlet from the electrolytic cell;   a point of use outlet in fluid communication with the electrolyzed reducing water outlet; and   a separate point of use outlet in fluid communication with the electrolyzed astringent water outlet, wherein the elements of the system are contained within or attached to a single housing.   
     
     
         2 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 1  further comprising a cleaning booster source in fluid communication with the electrolyzed reducing water outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 2  further comprising a metering apparatus operatively associated with the cleaning booster source to meter a select quantity of cleaning booster into an electrolyzed reducing water stream. 
     
     
         4 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 3  further comprising:
 multiple point of use outlets in fluid communication with the electrolyzed reducing water outlet; 
 a control valve in fluid communication with each of the multiple point of use outlets to provide a fluid pathway for select dilutions of a combination of the electrolyzed reducing water stream and the cleaning booster to a corresponding select one of the multiple point of use outlets. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 4  wherein the control valve provides for multiple user selectable dilution levels. 
     
     
         6 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 5  further comprising a data processing system in communication with the control valve. 
     
     
         7 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 6  further comprising at least one indicator associated with the housing identifying one or more of the multiple point of use outlets. 
     
     
         8 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 7  further comprising multiple point of use containers each identified with an indicator which corresponds to at least one of the multiple point of use outlets. 
     
     
         9 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 8  wherein the indicia on a point of use container and a corresponding point of use outlet are a matching color. 
     
     
         10 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 8  further comprising multiple point of use containers at least two of which are of different sizes. 
     
     
         11 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 2  wherein the cleaning fluid booster is selected from a group consisting of a surfactant, a solvent, an enzyme, an organic solvent, an alkyl glucoside, an alcohol ethoxylate, a humic acid and a fulvic acid. 
     
     
         12 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 1  wherein the source of dissolved solids is a brine source and wherein the system further comprises a metering apparatus in fluid communication with the brine source to meter a select quantity of brine into an input water stream from the water source. 
     
     
         13 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 11  further comprising a fluid communication pathway between the brine source and the electrolyzed astringent water outlet whereby an electrolyzed astringent water stream may be buffered with a select quantity of brine. 
     
     
         14 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an AC power input; 
 an AC to DC converter; and 
 a battery backup in electrical communication with the AC to DC converter, whereby electrically operated controls associated with the system are configured to operate with power supplied from the AC to DC converter or the battery backup. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 14  further comprising a central processing unit in communication with the electrically operated controls. 
     
     
         16 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 3  wherein at least one point of use outlet comprises a direct applicator for cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 16  wherein the direct applicator is selected from a group consisting of a hose, a nozzle, a spray nozzle, a porous soaking outlet, a pressurized jet and a drip system. 
     
     
         18 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 1  further comprising at least one storage tank in fluid communication with at least one of the electrolyzed reducing water outlet and the electrolyzed astringent water outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The system for dispensing cleaning fluids of  claim 1  wherein the housing and system are portable. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing cleaning solutions comprising:
 providing a water source associated with a point of use system which point of use system is housed within a single housing;   combining brine with water from the water source at a select dilution;   electrolyzing the brine and water combination in an electrolytic cell;   flowing a stream of electrolyzed reducing water from the electrolytic cell;   flowing a stream of electrolyzed astringent water from the electrolytic cell;   dispensing electrolyzed reducing water at a point of use outlet associated with the housing; and   dispensing electrolyzed astringent water at a point of use outlet associated with the housing.   
     
     
         21 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 20  further comprising combining a select quantity of cleaning booster with the electrolyzed reducing water before dispensing the electrolyzed reducing water. 
     
     
         22 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 21  further comprising:
 providing multiple electrolyzed reducing water point of use outlets from the system; 
 controlling the dilution of the electrolyzed reducing water and cleaning booster combination; and 
 dispensing selected dilutions of the reducing water and cleaning booster combination from selected point of use outlets. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 22  further comprising controlling the dilution of the electrolyzed reducing water and cleaning booster combination with a data processing system. 
     
     
         24 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 22  further comprising identifying one or more of the multiple electrolyzed reducing water point of use outlets with a distinct indicator. 
     
     
         25 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 24  further comprising providing multiple point of use containers identified with an indicator which corresponds to at least one indicator associated with one of the multiple electrolyzed reducing water point of use outlets. 
     
     
         26 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 25  wherein the corresponding indicia on a select point of use container and a corresponding electrolyzed reducing water point of use outlet is a matching color. 
     
     
         27 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 20  further comprising buffering the electrolyzed astringent water stream with a select quantity of brine. 
     
     
         28 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 20  further comprising selectively supplying power to selected operational from an AC to DC converter or a battery backup. 
     
     
         29 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the point of use outlets comprises a direct applicator for cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         30 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 29  wherein the direct applicator is selected from a group consisting of a hose, a nozzle, a spray nozzle, a porous soaking outlet, a pressurized jet and a drip system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of providing cleaning solutions of  claim 20  further comprising providing at least one storage tank in fluid communication with at least one of the electrolyzed reducing water stream and the electrolyzed astringent water stream.