| Pressure washers direct a high-pressure | | | | plunger pumps may be more efficient in |
| stream or jet of water against a surface | | | | electrical energy costs compared to |
| to clean, descale, degrease or prepare a | | | | intensifiers, but at high pressures |
| surface. Pressure washers may use | | | | (>20,00 psi) seals must be periodically |
| either cold water or hot water and steam | | | | replaced. Crankshaft driven plunger |
| to perform their function, and the water | | | | pumps also provide a virtually ripple |
| is often mixed with various cleansers, | | | | free pressure source in comparison to |
| detergents or solvents. They are used | | | | intensifiers. An accumulator may be |
| for cleaning, or for the demolition of | | | | required to smooth out pressure |
| products made of metal, wood, concrete, | | | | fluctuations if an intensifier pump is |
| stone, plastic, glass or other building | | | | used. |
| materials. | | | | Dust collection or filtration systems |
| Pressure washers are available as | | | | remove fine particle sizes of abrasive, |
| complete machines or systems, or they | | | | swarf, grease or other blasting waste |
| can be purchased in component form and | | | | (removed scale or stock in the form of |
| built from the ground up, or to replace | | | | dust or fine swarf) that would otherwise |
| worn out parts. Specific available | | | | contaminate the environment. |
| parts include the gun or lance, the | | | | Pressure washing cabinets are |
| pumping unit, separators or reclaimers, | | | | glovebox-like vessels that hold the |
| filtration system, blast cabinets and | | | | workpiece and the blasting process. |
| blast rooms, water blast wheel, and | | | | Wash cabinets usually consist of a |
| water storage tank. | | | | chamber with glove ports, viewing window |
| The gun or lance directs the stream | | | | and internal lighting. The workpieces |
| fluid (air or water) through a nozzle | | | | rest on an open grid that allows used |
| and at the appropriate region of the | | | | wash fluid to drop through for |
| workpiece. Some pressure washers have | | | | recycling. The operator may hold the |
| wear resistant nozzles and optional | | | | washing nozzle on the end of a lance. |
| abrasive injectors to provide wet | | | | The workpieces rest on open grid |
| sandblasting capability. | | | | flooring that allows used water and/or |
| The pumping unit is the pressure | | | | cleanser to drop through for recycling |
| generator used to force out the carrier | | | | or treatment. |
| fluid at high velocity. Plunger-type | | | | The water blast wheel propels and |
| intensifier pumps are commonly used to | | | | directs a wide stream of abrasives and |
| generate high-pressure water for water | | | | carrier (water or air) at the |
| jet cutting and wet or water abrasive | | | | appropriate region of the workpiece. |
| blasting for non-abrasive pressure | | | | Water tanks or hoppers are used by |
| washing or rinsing. Crankshaft driven | | | | pressure washers for the storage of dry |
| plunger pumps are commonly used for | | | | abrasive grains, blasting media or |
| pressure generation. Crankshaft driven | | | | abrasive-water slurry mixtures. |