Wallaard: electric high-pressure unit for cleaning in public spaces

For cleaning work at various locations in the centre of Utrecht, Wallaard was looking for a unit that would fit entirely inside the company van. A van with a trailer would take up too much space. Wallaard also wanted to reduce emissions for this local authority project.

Together with Waterkracht, Wallaard opted for a Hudson E250 as its electric skid unit. Waterkracht supplied the system on a skid; Wallaard fitted it themselves into a large Iveco van.

The solution in brief

• Hudson E250 as an electrically powered skid unit
• High-pressure pump powered by a battery pack and water heating with HVO100
• Compact setup for installation in a commercial van

Wallaard was already using a diesel-powered high-pressure unit in a commercial vehicle. For the project in Utrecht, the company wanted to reduce emissions and power the high-pressure pump electrically.

Wallaard works for the local authority at various locations in the centre of Utrecht. There isn’t always enough space there to park a service van with a trailer. The entire cleaning system therefore had to fit inside the service van.

The new system was intended to replace the existing diesel unit without significantly altering day-to-day operations. Battery capacity was also a key consideration from the outset: Wallaard wanted to be able to carry out a full day’s cleaning on two batteries.

Wallaard first requested a demonstration and also looked at solutions from other suppliers. Wallaard and Waterkracht then put together an electric Hudson E250 that fitted into the Iveco van.

Waterkracht supplied the high-pressure system as a skid-mounted unit. Wallaard carried out the installation in the company van itself.

• A battery pack powers the high-pressure pump electrically. To heat the water, the system uses an HVO100 burner. In doing so, Wallaard is replacing the Kubota diesel engine and reducing the company’s use of fossil diesel in its cleaning operations. The pump and the burner therefore use different energy sources.
• In this version, the Hudson E250 is adjustable from 50 to 250 bar. Staff can adjust the operating pressure to suit the surface they are cleaning. For delicate surfaces, such as wood, they select a lower pressure to minimise the risk of damage. A higher operating pressure remains available for other cleaning tasks.
• Wallaard removed the existing diesel unit from the company van and reinstalled the electric skid unit in its place. The installation therefore fits into the van used by staff to visit their various work sites. For the user, the daily workflow remained largely the same.

According to the sales representative involved, this project marked the first time Waterkracht had supplied an electric built-in unit in this configuration.

Beforehand, Wallaard wanted to know how long two batteries would last. The operating time depends on the working pressure: at 250 bar, continuous spraying is possible for approximately four hours; at 130 bar, for approximately ten hours. These are theoretical figures based on the spray gun being kept open continuously.

By choosing HVO100, we reduce CO₂ emissions across the entire supply chain (well-to-wheel) by up to 90 per cent compared with fossil diesel.

In their day-to-day work, staff travel between sites and do not spray continuously. Therefore, the theoretical spraying time does not directly indicate how many hours a full working day lasts with two batteries.

Wallaard now has a second similar installation.