FR3050467A1 - CLEANING VEHICLE COMPRISING A WASTEWATER RECYCLING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle (1) for cleaning a track comprises: - a cleaning system (3) of the track - a clean water tank (44) for supplying the cleaning system - a collection tank (40) dirty water sucked by the cleaning system, a recycling system (4), configured to depollute the dirty water collected by the collection tank and to inject the water thus cleaned up into the clean water tank. The recycling system (4) comprises a chemical treatment module fluidly connected between the collection tank (40) and the clean water tank (44) to clean up the dirty water circulating in the recycling system through the chemical reactions, chemicals being present in the chemical treatment module.

Description

Cleaning vehicle having a dirty water recycling system

The present invention relates to a cleaning vehicle having a dirty water recycling system.

Cleaning vehicles are known which are equipped with a cleaning system of the track on which they circulate, such as a railway or a road network. These cleaning vehicles typically include a cleaning tool, capable of blowing water to clean the lane. For example, this tool includes a jet of pressurized water and motorized brushes to scour the track to dislodge various dirt that had been deposited, such as particles of various kinds, organic materials and / or hydrocarbons. The projected water comes from a tank on board the cleaning vehicle. These vehicles also comprise a suction unit, to suck the dirt present on the track. During its operation, this suction unit also draws water sprayed on the track by the cleaning tool and which has been loaded with dirt. The water thus sucked, called dirty water, is polluted and can not be rejected as is in the environment. The dirty water is therefore stored in a collection tank on board the vehicle. Once the vehicle is returned to the depot, this water collection tank is emptied for recycling dirty water to appropriate facilities.

A disadvantage of these vehicles is that the collection tank must be regularly emptied, usually in a sewage basin, specially equipped for this purpose, located in a fixed location in a depot or garage.

As these vehicles often have small dimensions, especially when they have to evolve in an urban environment with sometimes limited accessibility, the volume of dirty water that can be stored is low. These vehicles thus have a limited operating autonomy.

To remedy this problem, there are cleaning vehicles carrying a recycling system that filters the collected dirty water in order to clean it up, so that it can be reused in the cleaning tool.

These known vehicles, however, have the disadvantage that their recycling system uses activated carbon filters. Such an activated carbon filter retains, by the implementation of pollutant adsorption effects on the surface of the activated carbon particles, a large number of pollutants, in particular organic pollutants, and is in fact saturated after a period of time. relatively short use, especially when the collected dirty water contains a lot of dirt. These activated carbon filters must therefore be regularly replaced, otherwise the efficiency of the recycling system is greatly reduced. In addition, these activated carbon filters have a significant cost which, coupled with their need to be replaced frequently, makes the operation and maintenance of these vehicles particularly expensive. It is these drawbacks that the invention intends to remedy more particularly, particularly by providing a cleaning vehicle comprising a dirty water recycling system whose cost is reduced and whose maintenance and maintenance are simplified, while ensuring satisfactory water recycling. To this end, the invention relates to a vehicle for cleaning a track, this vehicle comprising: - a cleaning system of the track, - a clean water tank, to feed the cleaning system, - a collection tank dirty water sucked by the cleaning system, - a recycling system, configured to depollute the dirty water collected by the collection tank and to inject the water thus cleaned up into the clean water tank.

According to the invention, the recycling system comprises a chemical treatment module fluidly connected between the collection tank and the clean water tank to clean up the dirty water circulating in the recycling system by carrying out reactions. adapted chemicals, the necessary chemicals being present in the chemical treatment module.

Thanks to the invention, the filtration unit and the chemical treatment unit allow the recycling system to effectively cleanse dirty water without the need for an activated carbon filter. . The maintenance needs of the cleaning vehicle are thus reduced, as is the cost of its maintenance.

According to advantageous but non-obligatory aspects of the invention, such a cleaning vehicle may incorporate one or more of the following features, taken in any technically permissible combination: the cleaning vehicle comprises railway wheels capable of running on a railway, the cleaning system is then dedicated to cleaning the railway. - The vehicle is a rail-road vehicle, the vehicle further comprising additional wheels allowing it to travel on a road. - The recycling system includes a drive device to circulate dirty water from the collection tank to the clean water tank through the chemical treatment unit, then the filtration unit. - The chemical treatment module successively comprises a chemical treatment unit and a filtration unit, the chemical treatment unit and the filtration unit being fluidly connected between the collection tank and the clean water tank to clean the water. dirty water circulating through recycling system. The vehicle comprises a device for injecting chemicals into a tank of the chemical treatment unit, such as a flocculation agent or a pH-neutralizing agent. The chemical treatment unit comprises an agitator placed inside the tank of the chemical treatment unit for mixing the chemicals injected into the dirty water to be treated. - The filtration unit comprises at least one sandbox filter and / or a hydrocarbon filter. - The vehicle comprises a rainwater collection device, mounted on a roof of the vehicle, said rainwater collecting device being connected to the clean water tank, in order to supply the latter with clean water. - The cleaning system includes a cleaning tool, able to spray water from the clean water tank to clean the way, and a group of dirty water suction on the way, clean to suck the dirty water present on the way to the collection tank. The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows, of an embodiment of a cleaning vehicle given solely by way of example and made in reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle cleaning a lane according to the invention, the vehicle having a dirty water recycling system; FIG. 2 is an operating diagram of the recycling system of the vehicle of FIG. 1.

Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 cleaning a path. In this example, the vehicle 1 is a rail-road vehicle, able to travel either on a road or on a railway. In FIG. 1, the track represented is a railway line 2. For this purpose, the vehicle 1 comprises railway wheels 12 for traveling on a railway track and additional wheels 11, for example provided with tires, for driving on a road track. . The wheels 11 and 12 are rotatably mounted relative to a frame 10 of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 here comprises four wheels 11 which are mounted in pairs on, respectively, the first front and rear axles carried by the frame 10. From Similarly, the vehicle 1 comprises four wheels 12 mounted on second front and rear axles, supported by the chassis 10 and distinct from the first front and rear axles. The height of the first front and / or rear axles is adjustable for example to move the railway wheels 11 away from the track when the vehicle 1 is traveling on a road.

The track 2 comprises for example a concrete slab and two rows of grooved rails, separated from one another by a predefined distance and inserted into the concrete slab. Railway 2 allows the circulation of guided vehicles, such as trams, to form an urban transport system.

The vehicle 1 is here a motor vehicle having a motor, not shown, for rotating the wheels 11 and / or 12 so as to move the vehicle 1 on the track 2. In known manner, the vehicle 1 comprises a driving cabin 5 placed at the front of the vehicle 1 and allowing a driver to control the operation of the vehicle 1.

The vehicle 1 further comprises a cleaning system 3 of the track 2. This cleaning system 3 comprises cleaning tools 30 and 31 and a suction unit 32.

Each of the cleaning tools 30 and 31 is adapted to spray water on the track 2 so as to clean this way, for example to dislodge encrusted dirt inside the groove of the rails of the track 2. For example , the cleaning tool 30 is placed on a front part of the vehicle 1. The cleaning tool 30 comprises a rotary cleaning brush 301 attached to the end of an articulated arm 302. The brush 301 is provided with a or several high-pressure water jet nozzles. The cleaning tool 31 is placed on a lateral part of the vehicle 1, for example between the wheel trains 11.11 also comprises a rotary cleaning brush and high-pressure water jet nozzles.

The suction unit 32 is able to suck up elements present along the entire width of the track 2, including in particular dirty water present on this track 2. In this example, the group 32 comprises one or more suction ducts. 322 whose inlet opens onto a suction manifold 321. Here, the suction manifold 321 comprises a carriage mounted on rollers, which flows on the track 2 being towed by the vehicle 1. The duct or ducts 322 each have an outlet which is connected to a suction turbine suction group 32. This turbine (not shown), when in operation, creates a vacuum in the pipe 322, thus allowing to suck in the inside of the pipe 32 the elements present on the track 2 in the vicinity of the manifold 321. The conduit 322 opens into a collection tank 40 of the vehicle 1.

The collection tank 40 is configured to receive the elements sucked by the group 32, and in particular the dirty water present on the channel 2. For example, the collection tank 40 is a sealed tank fixed on the frame 10, on the rear side of the vehicle 1. The collection tank 40 here has a capacity greater than or equal to 1 m3, preferably greater than or equal to 2 m3. The collection tank 40 stores the dirty water 404 sucked by the group 32. Advantageously, the collection tank 40 allows the settling of the dirty water 404, that is to say that it allows particles in suspension in the water 404 to deposit, under the effect of gravitation, the bottom of the collection tank 40. These suspended particles have for example a diameter between 1mm and 1cm.

Advantageously, the collection tank 40 comprises a hatch or a draining eye formed on an upper part of a lateral face of the collection tank 40, allowing an operator to empty and clean the interior of this collection tank 40.

In addition, the vehicle 1 comprises a clean water tank 44 for supplying the cleaning tools 30 and 31. For example, this clean water tank has a capacity greater than or equal to 1 m3, preferably 2 m3. The clean water tank 44 is here fluidly connected to the cleaning tools 30 and 31 via a pipe provided with a controllable valve 443 (Figure 2). The clean water tank 44 is fixed on the frame 10, on the front side of the vehicle 1, for example just behind the cabin 5.

The vehicle 1 further comprises a recycling system 4. The system 4 is mounted on the frame 10 between the tank 40 and the tank 44. The system 4 is configured to depollute the dirty water 404 collected by the collection tank 40 and to inject the water thus cleaned in the clean water tank 44. In this way, during the operation of the vehicle 1, the dirty water 404 which accumulates in the collection tank 40 is gradually removed to be cleaned and fill the reservoir 44. In fact, it takes longer for the collection tank 40 to be full. The operating autonomy of the vehicle 1 is thus increased, because it is not necessary to stop as often the operation of the vehicle 1 to empty the collection tank 40 as in the known cleaning vehicles without such a system. recycling.

The recycling system 4 comprises a chemical treatment module, which includes here: a chemical treatment unit 41, and a filtration unit 43, connected at the outlet of the unit 41. The chemical treatment unit 41 and the filtration unit 43 are fluidly connected at the inlet to the collection tank 40 and at the outlet to the clean water tank 44 to clean up the dirty water 404 which circulates through the recycling system 4.

In this example, the chemical treatment unit 41 comprises a tank disposed on the frame 10. The tank receives dirty water 414 from the collection tank 40, suitable chemicals present in the tank, allow the course of reactions chemical remediation. The manner of adding chemicals to the dirty water 414 will be described hereinafter.

The collection tank 40 and the chemical treatment unit 41 are here physically connected to each other by a pipe 410, here equipped with a controllable pump 411. The pump 411 is configured to collect the dirty water 404 of the collection tank 40 and to inject it into the tank of the filtration unit 41, for example when the volume of water 404 stored in the collection tank 40 exceeds a predefined level. This predefined level is for example equal to 50% or 75% or 80% of the total capacity of the collection tank 40. For example, the pump 411 is controlled by a control unit 45 of the recycling system 4, this unit including a sensor, not shown, disposed within the collection tank for measuring the level of dirty water 404 in the collection tank 40.

Advantageously, the inlet of the pipe 410 opens into the collection tank 40 on an upper portion of this collection tank 40, for example at a height relative to the bottom of the collection tank 40 greater than or equal to 50% preferably 60% of the total height of the collection tank 40. Thus, it is avoided to suck, inside the pipe 410, debris and / or impurities collected by the suction group 32 and which is are deposited by sedimentation at the bottom of the collection tank 40. This also allows the decantation of the dirty water 404 in the collection tank 40.

The recycling system 4 further comprises a device 42 for injecting chemicals into the tank of the unit 41. For example, the injection device comprises one or more tanks 420 of chemicals, each of which is connected. to the tank of the chemical treatment unit 41 by means of a pipe 422, provided with a controllable valve 421 for selectively allowing, or, alternatively, preventing, fluid communication between the tank 420 and the tank of the chemical processing unit 41. To simplify FIG. 2, only one copy of the tank 420, the valve 421 and the pipe 422 are illustrated.

The injection device 42 comprises a reservoir 420 for each chemical that is chosen to be used to depollute the dirty water. Such known chemicals are, for example, in the form of a liquid or a powder. For example, the chemicals used include a pH neutralizing agent for dirty water and a flocculation agent.

In a known manner, a flocculation agent is a polymer which, when mixed with dirty water 404, promotes the agglomeration between them of pollutants present in the dirty water, in particular particles of organic materials, so that these pollutants, once agglomerated, are deposited, under the effect of gravity, the bottom of the tank of the chemical treatment unit 41. The chemical treatment unit 41 advantageously comprises an agitator 415 placed inside the tank for mixing the chemicals injected into the dirty water to be treated. This stirrer 415 here comprises a rotor shaped helices rotatably mounted about a fixed axis and which is rotated under the action of a controllable actuator, such as an electric motor.

Advantageously, the chemical treatment unit 41 comprises a drain opening 412 closed by a controllable valve 413, to empty the contents of the tank. In this way, sludge and residues deposited at the bottom of the tank can be collected and recycled to specific facilities. In a variant, the chemical treatment unit 41 comprises a hatch or a draining sight. The filtration unit 43 is able to filter the dirty water 414 coming from the chemical treatment unit 41. More specifically, the filtration unit 43 comprises: a tank, able to receive the dirty water 414 from of the chemical treatment unit 41, and - one or more filters 435 disposed inside this reservoir so as to be traversed by the dirty water 414.

The or each filter 435 is for example a sandbag filter. The filters 435 are for example made of a porous material or woven material. The filters 435 do not contain activated carbon. Although these filters 435 do not capture as easily all the pollutants contained in the dirty water 414 as activated carbon filters, the recycling system 4 nevertheless has a satisfactory efficiency, in particular because of the chemical treatment previously provided by the unit. 41. Advantageously, the filtration unit 43 further comprises a hydrocarbon filtration device 436.

Here, the filtration unit 43 is connected to the reactor of the chemical treatment unit 41 by a pipe 430 provided with a controllable pump 431, for example similar to, respectively, the pipe 410 and the pump 411. The pump 431 makes it possible to forcibly circulate the dirty water 414 from the chemical treatment unit 41 to the filtration unit 43. For example, the pump 431 is controlled according to the properties of the dirty water 414, such as the quantity of dirty water 414 stored inside the tank of the chemical treatment unit 41, or the pH of this dirty water 414 or the concentration of a predetermined chemical substance. For example, the chemical treatment unit 41 comprises a control unit, not shown, and sensors arranged inside the tank of the chemical treatment unit 41.

Advantageously, the filtration unit 43 comprises a drain opening 432 closed by a controllable valve 433, similar to the opening 412 and to the valve 413 of the chemical treatment unit 41. In a variant, the filtration unit 43 is provided with a hatch or a draining sight.

In this example, the dirty water capacity of the filtration unit 43 is 1 m3. Alternatively, two distinct modules can be used which are connected fludically in parallel and each have a smaller capacity, for example equal to 0.5 m3.

The clean water tank 44 is fluidically connected at the outlet of the tank of the filtration unit 43 by means of a pipe 440 provided with a controllable pump 441. The pipe 440 and the pump 441 are for example similar, respectively, to the pipe 430 and the pump 431.

Pumps 411, 431 and 441 form here a device for circulating water recycling system 4. These pumps 411,431 and 441 are for example controlled by the same control unit 45 of the recycling system 4.

The clean water tank 44 collects the cleaned water 445 which comes from the outlet of the filtration unit 43. Thus, the dirty water 404 collected is recycled by the recycling system 4 to obtain the depolluted water 445 which is then reused in the cleaning system 3.

Advantageously, the vehicle 1 comprises a collector 50 of rainwater formed on a roof of the vehicle 1 and connected to the tank of clean water 44 to supply rainwater reservoir 44. For example, this collector extends on at least 75% of the roof area of the vehicle 1. Thus, there is an economical way to make a supplementary supply of clean water tank 44. In addition, this water collector 50 can be used together with a rainwater collector mounted on a fixed building. For example, when not in use, the vehicle 1 is typically parked in a depot at a predefined location. The deposit can then be equipped with a rainwater collection system, provided with a pipe whose outlet is placed directly above the collector 50 when the vehicle 1 is parked at this predefined location. A greater quantity of water can thus be collected via the water collector 50, especially in the event of rain. Advantageously, this pipe is provided with a valve, to close the pipe when the vehicle 1 is not parked in its predefined location. This valve is advantageously controlled remotely, for example as a function of the amount of water 445 stored in the reservoir 44, for example by means of a data link between the vehicle 1 and a central computer management system water collector.

Advantageously, the vehicle 1 comprises an auxiliary energy system 60 for electrically supplying at least a portion of the recycling system 4 when the vehicle 1 is stopped. For example, the energy system 60 comprises solar panels and an energy storage module, powered by the solar panels. The energy storage module comprises a set of batteries and / or super capacitors. The energy system 60 is here placed on the roof of the vehicle 1. Thus, the recycling system 4 can operate continuously even when the vehicle 1 does not circulate, allowing in particular to ensure settling for a prolonged period, for example 24 hours .

The different variants described above can be combined with each other in any technically permissible combination to form new embodiments of the invention.

Claims (10)

1Vehicle (1) for cleaning a track (2), this vehicle comprising: - a cleaning system (3) of the track, - a clean water tank (44), to feed the cleaning system, - a collection tank (40) of the dirty water sucked by the cleaning system, - a recycling system (4), configured to depollute the dirty water collected by the collection tank and to inject the water thus cleaned up in the clean water tank, characterized in that the recycling system (4) comprises a chemical treatment module (41, 42, 43) fluidly connected between the collection tank (40) and the clean water tank (44). ) to clean the dirty water circulating in the recycling system through the implementation of appropriate chemical reactions, the necessary chemicals being present in the chemical treatment module. 2. - Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning vehicle comprises railway wheels (12) adapted to circulate on a railway track (2), the cleaning system (3) then being dedicated to cleaning the track railway. 3. - Vehicle according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle (1) is a rail-road vehicle, the vehicle (1) further comprising additional wheels (11) allowing it to circulate on a roadway. 4. - Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the chemical treatment module comprises successively a chemical treatment unit (41) and a filtration unit (43), and in that the recycling system (4) comprises a driving device (411, 431, 411) for circulating dirty water from the collection tank to the clean water tank through the chemical treatment unit, and then the filtration unit. 5. - Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chemical treatment module comprises successively a chemical treatment unit (41) and a filtration unit (43), the chemical treatment unit and the filter unit being fluidly connected between the collection tank (40) and the clean water tank (44) for cleaning dirty water circulating through the recycling system. 6. - Vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a device for injecting (42) chemicals into a tank of the chemical treatment unit (41), such as a flocculation agent or a pH neutralizing agent. 7. - Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the chemical treatment unit (41) comprises an agitator (415) placed inside the tank of the chemical treatment unit for mixing the chemicals injected into dirty water to treat. 8. - Vehicle according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the filter unit (43) comprises at least one sandbag filter (435) and / or a hydrocarbon filter (436). 9. - Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a rainwater collecting device (50), mounted on a roof of the vehicle, said water collecting device of rain being connected to the clean water tank (44), in order to supply the latter with clean water. 10. - Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cleaning system comprises: - a cleaning tool (30, 31) capable of spraying water from the clean water tank (44) for cleaning the track, and - a suction unit (32) dirty water present on the track, suitable for sucking dirty water present on the way to the collection tank (40).