Systems for controlling chemical dispensing from a chemical delivery device include means for dispensing a chemical, wherein during dispensing an amount of the chemical from the chemical delivery device, the means for dispensing the chemical draws an equal amount of the chemical into the chemical delivery device as the amount of the chemical dispensed. Methods involve causing the means for dispensing a chemical to dispense the chemical. Means for dispensing a fluid and means for mixing the dispensed chemical and fluid are also used in connection with the means for dispensing a chemical. Means for controlling dispensing such as by means for linearly controlling dispensing, along with means for controlling a dilution ratio, means for coordinating dispensing, and means for individually controlling are also used in connection with these means for dispensing a chemical, means for dispensing a fluid and means for mixing.

A manifold for use with a fluid delivery system in a vehicle wash includes a fluid passageway with at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet. At least one integrated valve includes a plunger housing having an air chamber and is configured to receive a valve limiter and a valve plunger arranged therein, which is movable between a closed position and an open position to block a valve orifice and to permit the passage of fluid from the fluid inlet through the valve orifice for dispensing from the fluid outlet. At least one actuator assembly including an actuator, and the valve limiter is configured such that the actuator adjusts a position of the valve limiter to adjustably control an effective valve orifice area of the valve orifice based on a distance of movement of the valve plunger to the open position.

A vehicle wash assembly at a vehicle wash location includes a chemical delivery device with a pneumatic drive mechanism operable to cause chemical to be received in a chemical chamber and pressurized chemical to be dispensed therefrom via a chemical outlet, and a control system communicatively coupled to the pneumatic drive mechanism and configured to cause the pneumatic drive mechanism to operate to cause the pressurized chemical to be dispensed from the chemical chamber via the chemical outlet. The control system receives instructions for operation of the chemical delivery device, and in response to receipt of the instructions, the control system analyzes the instructions, generates separate instructions for operating the chemical delivery device based on the analysis, and transmits the separate instructions to cause the chemical delivery device to undergo a dispensing operation according to the separate instructions.

A chemical delivery device for use in a vehicle wash system includes two or more chemical chambers, each with an inlet configured to receive chemical and with an outlet configured for dispensing the chemical; a piston arranged between the inlet and the outlet and including a one-way valve and a circumferential seal; and a drive mechanism for simultaneously driving the pistons. In a dispensing stroke, the drive mechanism drives the pistons to cause chemical dispensing, and the one-way valves are in the closed state resulting corresponding amounts of the chemicals being drawn into the chemical chamber via the inlets as to the amounts being dispensed. In a resetting stroke, the drive mechanism retracts the pistons, and the one-way valves are in the open state such that the corresponding amounts of the chemicals drawn in from the chemical supplies are transmitted through the pistons for dispensing in a subsequent dispensing operation.

Controlling a dilution rate of mixed chemical dispensed by a fluid management system at a vehicle wash location involves, receiving, by a control system comprising a processor, flow rate data from at least one flow meter coupled to a chemical line of at least one mixing site. In response to the received flow rate data, using the control system to cause at least one metering device to adjust a flow rate of chemical passing through the chemical line. The control system further causes at least one integrated valve of a fluid delivery manifold to dispense motive fluid from a fluid outlet of said fluid delivery manifold. The control system controls an effective orifice area at least one of a valve orifice of the integrated valve or of the chemical line to thereby control the dilution rate.

Chemical delivery devices for vehicle wash systems include a chemical chamber with an inlet and an outlet and a piston arranged therebetween. The piston includes a one-way valve. A drive mechanism moves the piston in an advancing and retracting direction. Driving the piston in the advancing direction results in the one-way valve closing, and an amount of the chemical on a first side of the piston is dispensed from the outlet and a corresponding amount of the chemical to the amount dispensed is drawn into the chemical chamber at a second side of the piston, via the inlet. Retracting the piston in the retracting direction results in the one-way valve opening and the corresponding amount of the chemical drawn in from the chemical supply is transmitted through the one-way valve from the second side to the first side of the piston for subsequent dispensing from the chemical chamber.

A chemical delivery device for use in a vehicle wash system includes a chemical chamber with a piston, a chemical inlet and a chemical outlet, and a one-way valve. A drive mechanism receives pressurized driving fluid from a pressurized fluid source, and a drive shaft is joined to the piston. During dispensing, the pressurized driving fluid causes the drive shaft to drive the piston to dispense an amount of the chemical, and the one-way valve is closed. During a resetting stroke, the pressurized driving fluid causes the drive shaft to retract the piston, and the one-way valve is open and permits passage of chemical therethrough for dispensing from the chemical chamber in a subsequent dispensing operation. After the resetting stroke, the pressurized driving fluid may retain the drive shaft in the retracted position and the drive mechanism is in an idle state until initiation of the subsequent dispensing operation.

A chemical delivery device for use in a vehicle wash system includes a chemical delivery device with a chemical chamber having an inlet, an outlet, and a one-way valve, and a drive mechanism with a drive shaft joined to a piston in the chemical chamber. Upon the drive mechanism driving the piston in a dispensing direction, the one-way valve is closed and chemical in the chemical chamber is pressurized and the piston causes the pressurized chemical to be dispensed from the outlet, e.g., to a vehicle wash component, and during dispensing, a vacuum is created in the chemical chamber such that a corresponding amount of the chemical to an amount dispensed is drawn into the chemical chamber from a chemical supply via the chemical inlet. Upon the drive mechanism retracting the piston in a resetting direction, the one-way valve is open and permits passage of fluid therethrough for subsequent dispensing.

A fluid delivery manifold for use with a fluid delivery system includes a fluid passageway and at least one integrated valve, each with a plunger housing having an air chamber. The air chamber and the fluid passageway are non-fluidly coupled relative to each other. A valve plunger in the plunger housing blocks a valve orifice of the fluid outlet in a closed position to prevent passage of fluid, and opens to permit fluid to pass from a fluid inlet of the passageway through the valve orifice for dispensing from a fluid outlet. An actuator assembly coupled to each integrated valve includes an actuator configured to adjust a position of a valve limiter to adjustably control an effective valve orifice area of the valve orifice based on a distance of movement of the valve plunger to the open position.

A fluid delivery system for dispensing fluid in a vehicle wash includes at least one integrated valve, each with a plunger housing having an air chamber configured to receive a valve limiter. A valve plunger in the plunger housing has open and closed positions, and blocks a valve orifice when closed, and permits the passage of fluid through the valve orifice for dispensing from a fluid outlet when opened. An actuator assembly is coupled to each integrated valve, and each includes an actuator and the valve limiter. A control system is communicatively coupled to each actuator and is configured to receive a selection corresponding to a selected outlet pressure and based on the selection, causes the actuator assembly to adjust a position of the valve limiter to reach a target flow rate or a target outlet pressure of the motive fluid when the valve plunger is in the open position.