Recapture of wasted energy in system

Abstract

A car wash system including a hydraulic pump, the pump being overcapacity for the rotating cleaning elements to which it is connected. An output from the hydraulic pump is connected to a hydraulic motor, which is, in turn, connected to a generator. The generator is connected to a service panel. Thus, some of the spare capacity of the hydraulic pump may be used to generate electricity which may be returned to the grid, reducing operating costs of the automated car wash.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A car wash system configured to reclaim excess gallons per minute (GPM) capacity of a hydraulic pump of the car wash system, the car wash system including one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements for washing an exterior surface of a car, the system comprising:
 a hydraulic pump having a GPM capacity greater than a GPM requirement of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, the difference between the GPM capacity and the GPM requirement defining an excess GPM capacity;   the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements connected to the hydraulic pump;   a first hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump, the first hydraulic motor operated by the excess GPM capacity of the hydraulic pump;   a first electrical generator connected to the first hydraulic motor and to generate electricity for transferring to an electric grid or a rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         2 . The car wash system of  claim 1 , the car wash is configured to perform a first car wash cycle, and a second car wash cycle, in the first car wash cycle, the car wash system performs some of a plurality of cleaning applications, and in the second car wash cycle, the car wash system performs the cleaning applications of the first car wash cycle, and one or more additional cleaning applications of the plurality of cleaning applications; and
 wherein the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements for washing an exterior surface of a car includes a first rotating cleaning element, and a second rotating cleaning element.   
     
     
         3 . The car wash system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the first car wash rotating cleaning element, the second hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the first rotating cleaning elements' GPM requirement;   a second electrical generator connected to the second hydraulic motor;   at least one valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the second hydraulic motor during the entire first car wash cycle.   
     
     
         4 . The car wash system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the first rotating cleaning element, the second hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the first rotating cleaning elements' GPM requirement;   a second electrical generator connected to the second hydraulic motor;   at least one valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the second hydraulic motor when the first rotating cleaning elements is not being used in the current one of the plurality of cleaning applications during the second car wash cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The car wash system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the first car wash rotating cleaning element, the second hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the first rotating cleaning elements' GPM requirement;   a second electrical generator connected to the second hydraulic motor;   at least one first valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the second hydraulic motor during the entire second car wash cycle because the first rotating cleaning element is not used during any of the some of a plurality of cleaning applications;   a third hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the second rotating cleaning element, the third hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the second rotating cleaning elements' GPM requirement;   a third electrical generator connected to the third hydraulic motor;   at least one second valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the third hydraulic motor when the second rotating cleaning element is not being used in the current one of the plurality of cleaning applications during the second car wash cycle.   
     
     
         6 . A car wash system configured to reclaim excess gallons per minute (GPM) capacity of a hydraulic pump of the car wash system, the car wash system including one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements for washing an exterior surface of a car during one of a plurality of cleaning applications of a car wash cycle, the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements including a first rotating cleaning element, the system comprising:
 a hydraulic pump connected to the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, the hydraulic pump having a hydraulic fluid GPM capacity greater than a GPM requirement of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, the difference between the CPM capacity and the GPM requirement defining an excess GPM capacity;   a first hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump, the first hydraulic motor operated by the excess GPM capacity of the hydraulic pump;   a first electrical generator connected to the first hydraulic motor;   a second hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the first rotating cleaning element, the second hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the corresponding one of the first rotating cleaning elements' GPM requirement;   a second electrical generator connected to the second hydraulic motor;   at least one first valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the second hydraulic motor during the car wash cycle; and   wiring which connects the first electrical generator and second electrical generator to a service panel or a rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         7 . The car wash system of  claim 6 , the car wash system further comprising:
 a second rotating cleaning element;   a third hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to the second rotating cleaning element, the third hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the GPM requirement of the second rotating cleaning element;   a third electrical generator connected to the third hydraulic motor;   at least one second valve which selectively routes, during the wash cycle, hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the third hydraulic motor when the second rotating cleaning element is not being used during one of the plurality of cleaning applications.   
     
     
         8 . The car wash system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a plurality of hydraulic motors, each hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, each of the hydraulic motor GPM requirements equal to or less than the GPM requirement of the corresponding one of the plurality of car wash rotating cleaning elements;   an electrical generator connected to each of the plurality of hydraulic motors;   a valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to one of the plurality of hydraulic motors when the one of the plurality of car wash rotating cleaning elements connected to the one of the plurality of hydraulic motors is not being used during one of the plurality of cleaning applications.   
     
     
         9 . A car wash system configured to reclaim excess gallons per minute (GPM) capacity of a hydraulic pump of the car wash system, the car wash system having one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements for washing an exterior surface of a car, the system comprising:
 a hydraulic pump connected to the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements;   at least one hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to a first one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, the at least one hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the GPM requirement of the first one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements;   an electrical generator connected to the at least one hydraulic motor;   at least one valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the at least one hydraulic motor when the first one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements is not being used during the concurrent one of the plurality of cleaning applications; and   wiring which connects the electrical generator to a service panel or a rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         10 . The car wash system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second hydraulic motor connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to a second one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, the second hydraulic motor GPM requirement equal to or less than the GPM requirement of the second one of the plurality of car wash rotating cleaning elements;   a second electrical generator connected to the second hydraulic motor;   a second valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the second hydraulic motor when the second one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements is not being used during one of the plurality of cleaning applications.   
     
     
         11 . The car wash system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of hydraulic motors, each hydraulic motors connected to the hydraulic pump and connected to one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements, each of the hydraulic motor's GPM requirement equal to or less than the GPM requirement of the one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements;   an electrical generator connected to each of the plurality of hydraulic motors;   at least one valve which selectively routes hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to the each hydraulic motor of the plurality of hydraulic motors when the one of the one or more car wash rotating cleaning elements is not being used during one of the plurality of cleaning applications.