EP0831179A2 - Systèmes de recirculation - Google Patents

Systèmes de recirculation Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0831179A2
EP0831179A2 EP97307334A EP97307334A EP0831179A2 EP 0831179 A2 EP0831179 A2 EP 0831179A2 EP 97307334 A EP97307334 A EP 97307334A EP 97307334 A EP97307334 A EP 97307334A EP 0831179 A2 EP0831179 A2 EP 0831179A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tank
air
matter
fan
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97307334A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0831179A3 (fr
Inventor
designation of the inventor has not yet been filed The
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Schmidt Holding Europe GmbH
Original Assignee
Schmidt UK Ltd
Schmidt Holding Europe GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schmidt UK Ltd, Schmidt Holding Europe GmbH filed Critical Schmidt UK Ltd
Publication of EP0831179A2 publication Critical patent/EP0831179A2/fr
Publication of EP0831179A3 publication Critical patent/EP0831179A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
    • E01H1/00—Removing undesirable matter from roads or like surfaces, with or without moistening of the surface
    • E01H1/08—Pneumatically dislodging or taking-up undesirable matter or small objects; Drying by heat only or by streams of gas; Cleaning by projecting abrasive particles
    • E01H1/0827—Dislodging by suction; Mechanical dislodging-cleaning apparatus with independent or dependent exhaust, e.g. dislodging-sweeping machines with independent suction nozzles ; Mechanical loosening devices working under vacuum

Definitions

  • This invention relates to recirculation systems and is particularly but not exclusively applicable to recirculation systems for use in cleaning machines such as self-propelled street cleaning machines of the kind in which matter removed from a surface or location to be cleaned is delivered to a matter collection tank or chamber in which it is intended that the matter shall be deposited.
  • a problem which arises in relation to such systems is that it frequently happens that the matter delivered to the tank is not deposited on the floor of the tank but circulates within the tank and is then at least partially discharged from the tank with the tank exhaust air flow.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide improvements in or relating to the shortcomings of the prior art as discussed above, or generally.
  • a self propelled cleaning machine comprising a matter-receiving tank or chamber.
  • a power-driven fan assembly is provided.
  • the suction side of the fan assembly is connected to the tank so that the tank is at below atmospheric pressure.
  • the fan draws air from the tank through a fan screen.
  • the tank On the upstream side of the screen, the tank is connected to a suction nozzle through a large diameter suction duct.
  • matter is sucked into the nozzle from a surface to be cleaned and conveyed through the duct to the tank where some of the matter is deposited on the base of the tank and other parts of the matter, particularly the small particles and dust, pass through the fan screen and into the fan itself, from which the majority of the air is discharged upwards together with any entrained dust or the like.
  • the air return means operative to return air from the region of the fan to the tank to enable that air to enter the tank a second time and thereby have an opportunity for deposition.
  • the air return means comprises ductwork interconnecting the fan housing and a duct at the inlet region of the tank and leading directly to the tank. In this way, the recirculated air can pass direct from the fan to the tank and in the embodiment this is achieved substantially within the tank structure and/or the housing for the tank, and without the need for the provision of lengths of ducts external to the tank and leading to the nozzle and brush region of the cleaning vehicle. Indeed, in the embodiment, there is no requirement for the provision of any lengths of flexible duct and the air feed-back arrangement is particularly compact and convenient.
  • the provision of the air/matter feedback system can be readily provided within the tank structure so that by means of some simple sheet metal duct work there is provided a facility enabling repeated recirculation of dust laden air until the dust or other matter is deposited in the tank, and without the weight and expense and complication of corresponding water recirculation systems.
  • the means for recirculating the air and entrained matter is provided in a form comprising the provision of interception means on the fan assembly whereby a portion of the air and entrained matter passing through the fan assembly is permitted to be intercepted in the course of its passage through the fan assembly and to be caused to leave its otherwise intended trajectory so that it then adopts a new path in which it is caused to pass to an inlet device associated with the matter collection tank or chamber.
  • the interception means on the fan is provided in the form of an outlet opening in the fan casing.
  • the fan is of the kind in which a rotary impeller discharges air in a radial and/or circumferential direction while generating a sub-atmospheric pressure in the axis region of the fan.
  • a fan assembly comprises what may be termed a centrifugal impeller rotating in a generally volute-shaped impeller housing or casing.
  • the interception means is provided in the form of an opening in the casing which permits an outer laminar layer of the rotating air and dust load in the casing to exit through the opening.
  • the opening extends across the full axial (with respect to the rotation of the impeller) width of the casing and has an opening depth of between 10 and 30 millimetres, preferably 18 to 22 millimetres, which may be varied according to requirements by means of an adjustable shutter.
  • the arrangement is such that the ductwork conveying the recirculated air and entrained matter feeds into the existing pneumatic conveying system at a location such that the returned entrained matter does not re-enter the inlet duct leading from the nozzle to the tank. In this way the returned matter is able to re-enter the system by a short direct route. Moreover, the recirculated matter is injected into the ductwork carrying the existing pneumatically-conveyed matter without effecting a substantial reduction in the vacuum effect which is relied-upon to effect conveying.
  • the described embodiments of the invention avoid the need for such wasteful recirculation through the nozzle and its associated inlet duct leading to the tank, by delivering the material direct to the inlet to the tank and in a manner such that the effect on the vacuum conveying effect is minimised.
  • This is achieved by arranging for a balanced recirculation effect whereby the pressure differential between the relatively high pressure at the casing of the fan (from which the recirculated air and matter is taken) to the relatively low pressure in the suction conveying system at the inlet to the tank is co-ordinated with the required degree of feedback.
  • the cross-sectional areas By arranging for the cross-sectional areas to be appropriately balanced, the desired conveying effect is achieved.
  • the balancing of the feedback loop so that the desired proportion of feedback is achieved may be effected by selection of the appropriate dimensions for the inlet to the feedback loop from the fan casing, together with the corresponding design selection for the dimensions and dispositions of the parts of the injection means for injecting the feedback flow into the main flow through the cleaning apparatus.
  • Means for adjustment of the flow resistance in the feedback loop may be provided, for example in the form of an adjustable shutter.
  • the invention is based, according to one aspect of it, on the technical step of avoiding the perceived necessity for feedback to the first stage input level of the vacuum conveying system, and providing instead the means to feedback conveniently to exactly the location at which the hitherto unachieved deposition (in the tank) of entrained matter from the airstream can be given a second opportunity to occur, without the necessity for a repetition of the inconvenient passage of the matter through the first stages of the vacuum conveying system.
  • a self-propelled vehicle 10 comprising a matter-receiving tank 12, a fan 14 connected at 16 to said tank to reduce the pressure therein, a nozzle 18 connected to tank 12 by an inlet duct 20, and the ground is represented at 22, from which nozzle 18 removes matter to be cleaned by suction applied therefrom, as indicated at 24.
  • Tank 12 and fan 14 are enclosed within a housing or superstructure 26 carried on vehicle 10.
  • a screen 28 serving to screen-out from the connection 16 to fan 14, entrained matter within the air stream, which is larger than the mesh openings of the screen. It is intended that the majority of the solid matter deposited in tank 12 will be deposited in the portion 30 of the tank which is on the upstream side of screen 28.
  • Fan 14 discharges at its pressure side as shown at 32 and under dry conditions of cleaning and sweeping, substantial amounts of dust enter tank 12 and cannot immediately be deposited on the base of the tank due to the inevitable high velocity air flow through the tank arising from the fan and the requirement for the application of significant vacuum to inlet duct 20. As a result, in certain cleaning vehicles operating under dusty conditions there tends to be a plume of dust discharged upwards at 32 which is not acceptable.
  • the feedback/recirculation system 34 comprises ducting 38 connecting between fan 14 and the inlet 40 to tank 12 so that the air and entrained matter is injected into the airstream into the tank substantially without passing through the inlet duct 20 of vehicle 10.
  • the prior art systems 36 provide long ducts from the tank/fan region to the nozzle/ground region, which cause the disadvantages discussed above.
  • inlet duct 20 from nozzle 18 is connected to tank 12 to discharge air and entrained matter into it.
  • Feedback/recirculation system 34 including ducting 38, provides feedback of air and entrained matter from fan 14 to the inlet region 40 of tank 12 through injection means 42, which is shown in more detail in Fig 1A, which shows an axial section through injection means 42.
  • injection means 42 comprises a housing 44 into which the air flow and entrained matter from fan 14 is received, and within which is located an inlet device comprising a central nozzle 46 extending into a larger diameter receiving tube provided by tank inlet 40 and these defining between them an annular orifice 50 through which the air and entrained matter from fan 14 can enter tank inlet 40 and hence tank 12.
  • the air entering annular orifice 50 is obliged to travel in a direction generally axially of the nozzle/tank inlet axis.
  • Inlet duct 20 is connected to injection means 42 through a hinge assembly 52 permitting the duct 20 to be pivoted away to assist in demounting and in cleaning of the assembly.
  • nozzle 46 may be formed with a pattern of apertures 54 to assist in the air injection process. These apertures may be used instead of the annular inlet orifice 50 or in combination therewith.
  • the ducting 38 interconnecting tank inlet 40 and fan 14 extends across the width of the sweeper from a short feedback duct 56 through a tubular transfer duct 58 and thus tc a tapering inlet duct 60 for injection means 42.
  • Transfer duct 58 has removable end caps 62 which are provided for inspection and cleaning purposes.
  • Feedback duct 56 necessarily extends in the direction shown in Fig 1, due to the direction of fan rotation indicated at 64.
  • an oppositely-rotating fan is employed and inlet duct 60 then extends laterally in the opposite direction with respect to the direction F of forward travel of vehicle 10, so that this modified feedback duct 56 can extend almost directly into injection means 42.
  • Figs 3 and 4 show a practical embodiment of the system described above and in this embodiment parts corresponding to the parts described above have been numbered accordingly, including the indication of the overall machine 10 itself.
  • the main area of practical difference from that shown in Figs 1 and 2 is the relative disposition of the fan 14 and the inlet duct 20 between which the recirculated air and entrained matter is transferred via feedback duct 56 and inlet duct 60. It will be seen that these ducts are in relatively close proximity and feed directly one into the other whereby the transfer of air and entrained matter is effected more simply and more effectively.
  • inlet duct 20 is connected to a nozzle 100 into which air is drawn, as shown at 102 and proceeds upwardly at 104 with entrained matter and is directed rearwardly into tank 12 at 106 before the air passes at 108 through screen 28 and vents to fan 14 for discharge upwardly at 32.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning Of Streets, Tracks, Or Beaches (AREA)
  • Air Transport Of Granular Materials (AREA)
  • Vehicle Cleaning, Maintenance, Repair, Refitting, And Outriggers (AREA)
EP97307334A 1996-09-20 1997-09-19 Systèmes de recirculation Withdrawn EP0831179A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9619716A GB2317407A (en) 1996-09-20 1996-09-20 Air transfer system for a suction cleaning vehicle
GB9619716 1996-09-20

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0831179A2 true EP0831179A2 (fr) 1998-03-25
EP0831179A3 EP0831179A3 (fr) 1998-12-09

Family

ID=10800292

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97307334A Withdrawn EP0831179A3 (fr) 1996-09-20 1997-09-19 Systèmes de recirculation

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0831179A3 (fr)
GB (1) GB2317407A (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6161250A (en) * 1999-08-16 2000-12-19 Tymco, Inc. Dustless regenerative air sweeper

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE187843C (fr) *
GB160533A (en) * 1919-12-19 1921-03-21 William John Cowell Improvements in street sweeping and refuse-collecting machines
DE2034366A1 (de) * 1969-07-11 1971-02-04 Maschinenfabrik Ing Hans Simmon, Wien Verfahren zum fortlaufenden Abscheiden von hinsichtlich Große, Form und Gewicht unterschiedlichem Kehricht und Abscheider fur Kehrsaug bzw Straßenreinigungsmaschinen zur Durchfuhrung des Verfahrens
US3887959A (en) * 1974-05-14 1975-06-10 Susumu Matsuo Apparatus for separation of air and dust

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE187843C (fr) *
GB160533A (en) * 1919-12-19 1921-03-21 William John Cowell Improvements in street sweeping and refuse-collecting machines
DE2034366A1 (de) * 1969-07-11 1971-02-04 Maschinenfabrik Ing Hans Simmon, Wien Verfahren zum fortlaufenden Abscheiden von hinsichtlich Große, Form und Gewicht unterschiedlichem Kehricht und Abscheider fur Kehrsaug bzw Straßenreinigungsmaschinen zur Durchfuhrung des Verfahrens
US3887959A (en) * 1974-05-14 1975-06-10 Susumu Matsuo Apparatus for separation of air and dust

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0831179A3 (fr) 1998-12-09
GB2317407A (en) 1998-03-25
GB9619716D0 (en) 1996-11-06

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