Car wash tunnels are enclosures in which car wash services are performed. They can be used both by automated and full service car washes. These services include interior and exterior cleaning and in some cases detailing and waxing.
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Mechanical maintenance processes are not the only necessary efforts that are required to keep a car operating at peak performance. In order to extend the working life of any car, it should be subject to regular exterior maintenance as well as mechanical maintenance. Car washing is not simply a cosmetic procedure; it helps to eliminate the accumulation of harmful contaminants and corrosives like road salt. Car wash tunnels are among the most common of places where such processes are performed. Car wash tunnels can house both automated car wash services and full service car washes. They can be built of concrete and attached to other buildings like gas stations and dealership service departments, or they can be free-standing glass, metal or fiberglass structures that contain all of the necessary car wash equipment. These tunnels are big enough for a wide range of car sizes, and they are designed to contain, collect and drain the water and chemicals used during the washing process.
Self service car washes generally do not involve the use of a tunnel, instead, they usually involve short bays in which customers can use equipment to wash their cars on an on-demand basis. In automated car wash tunnels, a car can often be put in neutral and set on either an automated pair of tracks or a conveyer system. There is an entrance and an exit at both ends, and cars travel through, one vehicle at a time. Near the entrance, a pull-up payment machine accepts either cash or credit cards. Once the car has driven onto the tracks or conveyer, sensors start the process. As the car slowly moves through the car wash tunnel, it stops at different cleaning processes. If the tunnel is housing a cloth friction wash system, it contains a series of different curtains and brushes that come in contact with the car in order to clean it. If the system is touchless, the tunnel contains high-pressure water nozzles. Both use rinse arches, which hold rinsing water nozzles on the ceiling of the tunnel that remove the soap, foam and remaining dirt or oil from the car exterior. Other automated car wash varieties allow customers to drive through slowly according to the direction of indicators. The last step in most car wash tunnels is a drying system and though it is rarer, a waxing option. Full service car washes can also make use of tunnels; cars can be driven through and cleaned in the manner of an assembly line in such cases.
