Case Study: Delta Faucet, Low Flow Showerhead

Delta's Rain Can Low Flow Showerhead

Key features

Flows as low as 1.5 GPM
Large droplets retain heat
Less water feels like more

This showerhead feels so good, you'd never guess how much water it saves

Delta Faucet is a leading manufacturer of kitchen and bath faucets and fixtures. Seeking to improve their shower head water distribution technology, Delta partnered with Bowles Fluidics to develop a low flow showerhead product that lead an industry struggling with government water restrictions.

Challenge

In 1992, the federal government mandated that showerheads could flow a maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). Most shower head manufacturers responded by adding flow restrictors, but did little additional engineering to optimize the shower experience for the new flow rate. Technology to compensate for the lower flow rate simply increased velocity, resulting in a stinging shower. Dropping the flow rate lower than 2.5 GPM decreased the likeability of low flow showerheads even further.

Low Flow Showerhead Solution

We worked with our customer to research and 2007 Stevie Award define droplet size, velocity and spray pattern parameters that provided a superior shower experience. We sent numerous prototypes through consumer testing. By choosing a large oscillating stream, larger, more desirable droplets could be produced. For a given volume of water, larger droplets have less surface area, which means that they retain more heat. This resulted in a shower that not only felt good, but felt just as warm with lower temperature water. This allowed the homeowner to save energy as well as water while the fluidic oscillations make less water feel like more.

With this technology, marketed as H2OKinetic, Delta now offers showerheads from 2.5 GPM down to 1.5 GPM, all of which provide a hot, satisfying shower. In 2007, the H2OKinetic Showerhead was honored with the American Business Awards' prestigious Stevie Award.

Links

Delta's H2OKinetic page

Delta's H2OKinetic product line

More information

Contact Dr. Sri Sridhara at ssridhara@bowlesfluidics.com or (410) 381-0400 x 273

Simply put, Bowles Fluidics is an excellent partner with competent people who put the customer first. From prototype to design of tools and all the way through high capacity production, we received timely communication and follow through ensuring us of the highest product quality while still meeting tight timelines.
-Jeff Miller, Product Manager, the Toro Company (Irrigation)

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