Wouldn't it be refreshing to take a shower on a long-haul flight or a cross-country bus journey? But a key problem is that carrying enough water adds too much bulk and weight to the vehicle.
So Boeing commissioned an 11-strong team in Washington State to look for the solution. The result is an in-flight (or in-bus) shower that turns a little water into a lot of mist.
The shower unit is a watertight cylinder with very fine nozzles all around. As the traveller steps inside, an optical sensor measures their height and shape and pumps water mixed with shampoo at high pressure through only those nozzles needed to cover the body.
The resulting very fine mist is electrically ionised as it leaves the nozzles and is therefore attracted to the earthed body ? so no misty water is wasted. The nozzles then emit a mist of pure water, for rinsing, followed by warm air for drying. It all sounds rather pleasant, I must say.
for the in-flight shower patent.
(By Barry Fox)