Dyson Airblade Tap hand dryer

The Dyson Airblade Tap hand dryer washes and dries hands with no need to leave the sink. It is approved by HACCP International under the non-food product certification scheme, meaning it is safe for use in the food and beverage industry.

Infrared sensors pinpoint hand positions and release water from the tap stem. Once hands are wet and drying is requested, integrated circuitry computes the information and activates the Dyson digital motor, creating two high-velocity sheets of air on the tap’s branches.

Using Airblade technology, the hand dryer sends sheets of 430 mph unheated, filtered air towards hands. According to the company, hands are dry in 12 seconds and there is no need to touch anything. The air passes through a HEPA filter to remove 99.9% of bacteria before it is blown onto hands.

The hand dryer is powered by the company’s digital motor V4 - a power-dense brushless DC motor, using a bonded magnet encased in a carbon-fibre sleeve. It is claimed to be one of the world’s smallest and fully integrated 1600 W motors. Using digital pulse technology, it accelerates from 0 to 90,000 rpm in less than 0.7 s.

Independent infrared sensors allow the user to have as much water and air as they require. An aerator mixes the water and dispenses water across hands to reduce the volume of water used. The flow rate of water is controlled by motion detection.

The hand dryer is made from 304 stainless steel. It has been constructed using laser-welding technology which welds tough steel to an accuracy of 0.08 mm, using temperatures as high as 1400°C. According to the company, this technique ensures there are almost no joining lines.