There are at least five good reasons why you would want to specify Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel hand dryers, in addition to the fact that they look good. Neil Butler, from Mitsubishi Electric, discusses the main design and efficiency features that make high-speed air-curtain Jet Towel hand dryers the best hand drying method.
Automatic Jet Hand dryers have come a long way since the electric towel was patented back in 1921. Even high-speed air-curtain hand dryers, first released by Mitsubishi Electric in 1993, have moved-on a long way. Thanks to on-going engineering improvements, high-speed hand dryers now dry hands more quickly, use less energy and are significantly quieter in operation; small wonder they have taken over the market.
1. Time Saving
The most notable feature of high-speed air-curtain hand dryers is the short time required to dry hands. The whole process can be completed within 10 seconds, while older style hot air dryers generally need 30 seconds or more. The high drying efficiency is achieved using a thin curtain of high velocity air traveling at over 100 m/s that strips water off the surface of the hands, either from above or from both sides simultaneously.
As studies show most people habitually spend well below 20 seconds drying their hands, high-speed hand dryers provide a solution that prevents users from contaminating their hands and the surroundings by walking away with still-damp hands. In addition, high-speed hand dryers reduce waiting times and queues in the washroom.
Speeding up the drying process also means reducing the energy used for each pair of hands being dried. This feature can deliver a net energy saving of 90% compared to traditional hot-air hand dryers, yet high-speed hand dryers go a step further…
2. Energy Efficient
High-speed hand dryers’ energy efficiency is not only due to the short drying times. In Mitsubishi Electric’s Jet Towel products additional energy savings are attained by an optimised design of highly efficient nozzles and motors.
Mitsubishi Electric Slim and Smart model Jet Towels work with 550W motors, consuming less than 25% of the power of traditional 2400W hand dryers. Also, with an average electricity consumption of 0.25-0.31 kWh per 100 uses, Jet Towels are listed for their energy efficiency on the UK Government’s Energy Technology List.
The patented wave shape nozzles developed for a Jet Towel reduce air turbulence and noise, adding to drying efficiency while also providing auditory environment benefits.
3. Cost-Effective
The long operating lives, energy efficiency, low maintenance and minimal service requirements make high-speed hand dryers the cheapest alternative to paper towels and traditional hot-air dryers. With a varying demand profile, it’s also easy to see how costs can quickly escalate and waste can get out of hand in a public toilet equipped with paper towels, while they remain stable when using high-speed air-curtain hand dryers.
Although the initial cost for a high-speed air-curtain hand dryer is higher than a paper towel holder, the overall expenses are lower than for other drying methods. As Jet Towel units’ prices range between £190 and approximately £600, and the average electricity tariff is around 13.5p/kWh, the price per day is as low as £0.24. On the other hand, paper towels cost £0.02 per sheet, i.e. £8 per 400 daily uses, plus the staff overhead for any additional replenishments.
4. Eco-Friendly
While energy efficiency figures go some way to illustrating how sustainable hand dryers are, a true life-cycle assessment (LCA) gives a more comprehensive picture on hand dryers’ sustainability. These studies investigate the environmental impacts associated with hand dryers regarding extraction of raw materials, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal.
The results clearly show that high-speed hand dryers are the greenest alternative. Water and resource consumption, CO2 emissions, negative impact on human health and the ecosystem can be twice as high for towels or warm air hand dryers.
5. Durability
It is essential to combine the energy consumption with the device’s service life to reach a realistic whole-life cost. Each Jet Towel has been proven to last for over 400 uses every day for 7 years, so given a full service life the ROI is very favourable. In addition to being long-lasting devices, Jet Towel hand dryers are generally more vandal-proof, i.e. resistant to high physical stress than towel holders. This feature makes these hand dryers suitable for most public venues.
Each Jet Towel has been proven to last for over 400 uses every day for 7 years.
The outer casings for both Jet Towel Slim and Smart for example have been tested to withstand an impact of up to 15J. This means that if a 1kg steel ball is dropped on the hand dryer from a height of 1.5 metres, the device remains intact and anchored to the wall.
The added bonus of aesthetics…
In addition to the five reasons listed above when it comes to interior design Jet Towel Slim and Smart are highly customisable, they are available in different colours and finishes to be visually harmonious with virtually any washroom design. While Jet Towel Slim comes in white, silver and grey; Smart colours can be customised, and the front panel can also be personalised with logos.
Durability, efficiency, functionality, eco-friendliness, cost effectiveness and an appealing design make Jet Towel hand dryers a good investment for any building interior designer or facilities manager.
