WO2000061874A1

WO2000061874A1 - Vacuum apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2000061874A1
Application number: PCT/AU2000/000321
Authority: WO
Inventors: Derick Ross Lucas
Original assignee: Futurepump Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-04-14
Filing date: 2000-04-14
Publication date: 2000-10-19
Also published as: AUPP975699A0

Abstract

Vacuum apparatus (10) including a vacuum head (11) connected via ducting (12) to a storage or collection tank (13). The vacuum head (11) incorporates one or more venturis (14) and air is supplied to the venturi/s (14) from a supply of compressed air such as a compressor (15) via an air line (16). One or more venturis (17) may also be located within the ducting (12) and also supplied with air from the compressor (15) via the line (16). The air supply line (16) from the compressor (15) may include a manual control valve (18) and electronic valves (19) for controlling air supply to the venturi/s (14) and (17). A branch line (20) from the main air supply line (16) is connected to a pump (21) mounted on the storage tank (13). The storage tank (13) may also include a valve controlled drain outlet (22). The pump (21) can typically be a reversible venturi pump.

Description

VACUUM APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to vacuum apparatus which in a particular aspect may be used for liquid or solid waste recovery in land or marine environments but which has many other applications.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Current method for recovering or collecting liquid spills or other split materials are not standardised and range from the use of large numbers of personnel to collect the spilt materials sometimes with the use of sand or other absorbent substance to absorb the spilt material. These procedures result in inconvenience and disruptions to the public and danger to the environment and workers where toxic materials are involved. In marine environments various different methods are used for collecting waste spills such as oil spills however generally these methods are inefficient or ineffective. Often oil spills result in fouling of beaches however current methods of collecting such materials are labour intensive and ineffective usually involving hand shovelling or mechanical shovelling. For collection of other materials from beaches to maintain cleanliness and safety of beaches a rotating drum system is used to collect the top layer of sand and separate waste materials therefrom. This is often time consuming and not particularly effective. A further situation in which liquid is required to be collected arises where water collects on sports fields due say to excessive rainfall or flooding. This can be done by means of sponge rollers and or by manual hand towel and sponge methods, however again these arrangements have limitations both in time and manpower. OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide vacuum apparatus which may be used in the above or other applications for the purposes of collection of liquids or flowable solids or any other materials in a reliable and efficient manner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in a first preferred aspect vacuum collection apparatus including : a vacuum head for collection of solid or liquid materials, said vacuum head including a leading end having a primary venturi means, auxiliary venturi means downstream of said primary venturi means, means for supplying compressed air to said primary and auxiliary venturi means to create a back pressure in said vacuum head to draw materials into said head and a back pressure at said auxiliary venturi means, and means for conveying collected materials to a storage or discharge location. The leading venturi means may simply be configured as an opening in the vacuum head whereby air is injected under pressure. The vacuum head may include further venturi means trailing the leading venturi means for assisting the collection of materials and/or for assisting the conveying of collected materials to conveying means.

In one form, the leading end venturi means in the vacuum head may include a plurality of Venturis arranged in a substantially side by side attitude, each of which when supplied with compressed air, assists in creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the head to draw materials into the head under suction.

The conveying means may include any form of duct or pipe which may be connected to the vacuum head for conveying collected materials to the storage or discharge location. The conveying means may include one or more venturi means located suitably at spaced positions there along to assist in movement of the materials to the storage or discharge location. Typically the materials may be conveyed to a collection tank at the storage location wherein the materials may be collected for subsequent disposal or recovery. Preferably at least some of the venturi are reversible having manual or electrically controlled flow reversal means. Ducts can operate as intake or discharge ducting as required. The venturi are most preferably selected so that the available flow is optimised at each stage for efficient flow of the particular medium, all venturi working to optimise passage and containment of media. The level of flow required at different locations may change according to the application and by trial and error the optimal flow characteristics will be determined although it is preferable that capacity increases in the upstream direction. For example, it is preferable that the venturi from the vacuum head and along the duct and an inlet venturi of a storage tank have compressed air fed to them at variable pressures so that the air delivery to the system can be calibrated to suit different applications.

For land based applications, the vacuum head may be arranged at the end of a hand held wand or the like whereby a user may position the head at a required location or locations from which materials are required to be collected. The wand may be connected to a suitable collection vehicle via a flexible duct comprising the conveying means. The collection vehicle suitably incorporates a tank for collecting the waste materials. The connection vehicle may also include a suitable source of a compressed air such as a compressor for supply of compressed air to the venturi means.

In a further form, the vacuum head may be mounted on a mobile vehicle which may be driven over a location where materials or liquids are required to be collected. The vehicle may include forward and rearward wheels and suitably is a four-wheel drive vehicle for use in many different terrains. The vehicle may support more than one vacuum head. One vacuum head may be arranged forward ly of the front wheels. A further vacuum head may be arranged between the front and rear wheels. The vehicle may also include a tank or other form of storage container in which the collected liquid or materials may be collected. The mobile vehicle can have either a tank trailer towed behind it to hold additional water/medium which can have venturi pumps attached when required for large jobs and/or have a hose attachment enabling the medium/water to run down the host to a disposal point. For example, the mobile vehicle could be in the middle of a cricket pitch and the hose could run to the boundary. Note that venturi and contouring can be used in the hose and trailer tank. The vehicle may also be used where liquids such as rainwater or shallow flood waters are to be collected from flooded or partly flooded areas.

The means for supplying compressed air to the venturi means of the vacuum head/s may comprise a suitable compressor. Where mounted on a vehicle the compressor may be driven by the engine of the vehicle or alternatively by a separate engine or motor.

For marine applications, means may be provided for supporting the vacuum head at or adjacent the level of water in which the head is located. In one embodiment there is provided floatation means for supporting the vacuum head on water. Typically, the supporting means may comprise suitably arranged floats on or attached to the vacuum head. Advantageously, the floats may be arranged on opposite sides of the vacuum head to support the vacuum head such that it is partially submerged. Thus materials floating or on adjacent to the level of water will be drawn into the vacuum head from which they may be conveyed to a collection tank or for discharge. Typically, the vacuum head may be supported from a floating structure such as a barge which also supports a collection tank. Alternatively, the vacuum head may be supported from a land based location with duct means extending out over the water for connection to the vacuum head. The collection tank for the collected materials may be arranged at the land based location or alternatively the collected materials may be conveyed to a remote location.

The venturi means of the vacuum head and/or conveying means may be mounted so as to be reversible if desired to enable emptying of the collection tank by creating a back pressure for drawing liquids or other materials from the collection tank.

The Venturis are suitably in the form of annular bodies having series of openings angled inwardly from an outer air chamber connectable to the compressed air source to the interior of the annular bodies where they open through annular shoulders. Alternatively the series of openings may be replaced by an annular slot. The Venturis however may be of other designs.

In marine applications the apparatus may be used to collect oil spills or spills of other liquids or materials which float on or near the level of water. In land base applications, the apparatus may be used for collected land oil spills, water or any other solid or liquid materials desired to be removed from a surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically one form of apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates an application of the apparatus of the invention for land based collection;

Fig. 3 illustrates in sectional view a vacuum head for use in the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 illustrates a further application of the apparatus of the invention for land based collection;

Fig. 5 illustrates an application of the apparatus of the invention for use in marine environments;

Fig. 6 illustrates in front view a vacuum head for use in the apparatus of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional side view of the vacuum head of Fig. 6.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings and firstly to Fig. 1 there is illustrated schematically vacuum apparatus 10 according to a broad aspect of the invention including a vacuum head 11 connected via ducting 12 to a storage or collection tank 13. The vacuum head 11 incorporates one or more Venturis 14 and air is supplied to the venturi/s 14 from a supply of compressed air such as a compressor 15 via an air line 16.

One or more Venturis 17 may also be located within the ducting 12 and also supplied with air from the compressor 15 via the line 16. The air supply line 16 from the compressor 15 may include a manual control valve 18 and electronic valves 19 for controlling air supply to the venturi/s 14 and 17. A branch line 20 from the main air supply line 16 is connected to a pump 21 mounted on the storage tank 13. The storage tank 13 may also include a valve controlled drain outlet 22. The pump 21 can typically be a reversible venturi pump.

In operation in a suction mode to collect liquid or other materials in the storage tank 13, the valves 18 and 19 are opened to supply air to the venturi/s 14 and 17 and the pump on tank 13. This will create a vacuum or partial vacuum at the mouth of the vacuum head 11 to draw in liquids or materials in proximity to the vacuum head 11 and pass them into the ducting 12 for flow to the storage tank 13. Passage of liquid or other materials along the ducting 12 is assisted by the venturi/s 17 within the ducting 12 which accelerate the follow. Pressure may be tailored to suit for example, say the compressed air pressure at the vacuum head is 100psi, the compressed air pressure at the venturi located at the point where the head and duct meet may be 90psi. The medium is then forced to behave in the required manner by the appropriate contouring of the internal lining of the duct. The medium can then meet another venturi with a compressed air pressure of 70psi the medium is then forced to behave in the required manner by the appropriate contouring of the internal lining of the duct. The medium then reaches the tank whereby the task may be separation of oil from water, wheat from sand etc etc. The term "tuned system" may be used to describe this aspect and simply means that all parts of the process work hand in hand with each other. If for example the wrong pressures were applied to one or more of the venturi or the contouring of the internal lining was non existent or incorrect or the tank was not designed properly, each one, or all of these, would slow or defeat the conveying and/or separation process. Therefore if all components are working at the correct pressure/design, optimum performance is achieved.

The operation is designed so that wherever possible there is no downstream resistance to flow at any point which is higher than any upstream resistance above that point in the system. To this end the capacity of the operation increases in the downstream direction for intake. In the case of discharge through the intake, the discharge may be co-ordinated by operating less Venturis for discharge than intake, different pressures or a slower rate of discharge may be tolerated.

Movement of liquids or other materials into the tank 13 is also assisted by operation of the pump 21.

When collection of liquids or other materials has been completed, the valves 18 and 19 may be closed to stop the air supply to the Venturis 14 and 16. The collected liquids or materials in the storage tank 13 may then be drained through the drain outlet 22. Alternatively, the Venturis 14, 17 and 21 may be reversed in directions and the valves 18 and 19 opened to again supply air to the Venturis 14 and 17 and also the pump 21 which pumps the liquids or other materials in the tank 13 into the ducting 12. The vacuum created in the ducting 12 by the reversed Venturis 14 and 17 will cause the contents of the tank 13 tc be emptied and pass out through the vacuum head 11 and deposited where required.

Fig. 2 illustrates an application of the invention to a mobile land based waste recovery system. In this system, a vehicle 23 is provided with a collection tank 24 and a compressor 25 or other source of pressurised air. Flexible ducting 26 extends from the collection tank 24 to a wand 27 which terminates in a vacuum head 28. A compressed air supply line passes along or within the ducting 26 from the compressor 25 to supply compressed air to the vacuum head 28.

The vacuum head 28 in the embodiments shown in Fig. 3 includes a hollow chamber 29 which has an inner end 30 connected to the ducting 26 and which flares outwardly to an open outer end or mouth 31. The mouth 31 incorporates a series of Venturis 32 which in the embodiment illustrated are arranged in on array and located in cylindrical openings 33. A flexible seal 34 is arranged to surround the mouth 31. The inner end 30 also incorporates a venturi 35. Air is applied to the Venturis 32 and 35 by the compressed air line and branch lines 36 (shown in dotted outline).

The Venturis 32 and 35 are of substantially the same form comprising an annular body defining an outer air chamber 32 and angled openings 32 which extend inwardly to open through a shoulder internally of the body. The Venturis 32 and 35 are held in position by any suitable retaining arrangement and may be reversed in orientation.

In use, an operator manipulates the wand 27 such that the vacuum head 28 is located over or adjacent to material 38 to be collected. Compressed air is supplied to the Venturis 32 to create a vacuum or partial vacuum to draw in the outer atmosphere and the material 38. Air exiting the Venturis 32 creates a spiral vortex to convey atmosphere and collected flowable materials 28 towards the venturi 35 which is also supplied with compressed air from the compressed air line 36. This creates a back pressure to accelerate the flow of the collected materials along the ducting 26 and by reason of Venturis in the ducting to the collection tank 24. Air supply to the Venturis 32 and 35 may be controlled by any suitable arrangement such as a valve on the wand 27 selectively operated by the operator.

The apparatus of Fig. 1 may be used for rapid and effective recovery of spills on roadways or in any other application where flowable materials are involved. Typical materials which may be collected include caustic and non- caustic materials, dry, wet, granular and other flowable solid material, sludges, slurries or liquid materials.

A further land based application of the invention is shown in Fig.4. In this embodiment a vehicle 37 is provided, preferably a four-wheel drive vehicle having front and rear wheels 38 and 39. Vacuum heads 40 of similar form to the vacuum head 28 are located forwardly of the front wheels 38 and between the front and rear wheels 38 and 39. The vehicle 37 also supports a collection tank

41 to which the heads 40 are connected by suitable ducting, and a compressor

42 (shown in dotted outline), the vacuum heads 40 being connected to the collection tank 41 and being selectively supplied with air from the compressor 42 under the control of the driver of the vehicle 37. The mobile vehicle of Figure 4 and to a lesser extent the truck of Figure 2 can have either a tank trailer towed behind it to hold additional water/medium which can have venturi pumps attached when required for large jobs and/or have a hose attachment enabling the medium/water to run down the hose attachment enabling the medium/water to run down the hose to a disposal point. For example, the mobile vehicle could be in the middle of a cricket pitch and the hose could run to the boundary. Note that venturi and duct contouring can also be used in the hose and trailer tank.

The vehicle 37 may be driven over any area where flowable materials or liquids are required to be collected such that when compressed air is supplied to the vacuum heads 40, the flowable materials or liquids are drawn into the heads 40 to pass into the collection tank 41. The vehicle 37 has many applications including use in beach and foreshore clean up applications for collection of oil spills or collection of any other contaminant materials on a beach or foreshore. In beach applications, the vacuum heads 40 operate to remove contaminated layers of sand whilst leaving the cleaner layers below .hε contaminated layers untouched.

The vehicle 37 may further be used for collecting water and other debris from sports fields such as tennis courts, cricket grounds, golf courses and track and field venues resulting from excessive rains or flooding to enhance drying of those fields

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 7, there is illustrated a typical marine based application of the invention for use in collecting oil spills or other floating materials from the surface of water. The collecting apparatus 43 in this embodiment includes a floating structure 44 such as a barge which may include a storage tank and a compressed air supply (not shown). A duct 45 is mounted at one end on the floating structure 44 via a flexible or pivotal joint 46 to permit its movement up and down to compensate for wave action and is connected to the collection tank. At is other end, the duct 45 is connected to a floating vacuum head assembly 47 which includes a vacuum head 48 and floats 49 on opposite sides of the vacuum head 48.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7 which illustrates an embodiment of vacuum head 48, the head 48 includes a hollow chamber 49 having an inlet end 50 and an outlet end 51 connected to the duct 45. The chamber preferably tapers in cross section from the inlet end 50 to the outlet end 51. The inlet end 50 includes a series of aligned Venturis 52, in this embodiment three, which are arranged in use in substantially the same horizontal plane. A further venturi 53 is arranged at or adjacent the outlet end 51. The Venturis 52 and 53 may be of similar form to that illustrated in and described with reference to Fig. 3. Compressed air is supplied to the Venturis 52 and 53 via a compressed air line 54 which is connected to the compressor on the floating structure 44 and which may extend along and be secured to the duct 45. The floats 49 support the vacuum head 48 (and duct 45) such that the Venturis 52 are approximately half submerged in the water 55 in which the head 48 is floating as is apparent in Figs. 6 and 7. The floats 49 may be constructed of an inherently buoyant material or alternative are of inflatable form. The floats 49 of course may be of any configuration and shape. In operation, compressed ai supplied to the venture 5/ will create a back pressure within the chamber 49 to draw water and othei materials or liquids, such as oil, on the surface of the water into the chamber 49. The venturi 53 will assist the passage of the collected materials along the duct 45 to the collection tank on the floating structure 44. Additional Venturis in the duct 45 can also be employed. The collected materials or liquids may be separated from the collected water which may be returned as clean water back to the environment. When the tank is full of collected materials it may be returned to land for discharge or alternatively, the collected materials may be transferred to a ship or the like to convey the collected materials to shore.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus of the invention may be used in many different applications and may have many different configurations. A particular advantage of the apparatus is that it has no moving parts which can be contaminated by the materials being pumped or conveyed and require nc filtration.

The ducts which convey the collected liquids or materials may be flexible corrugated ducts or other flexible or semi-rigid ducts. If required , the internal surface of the ducts may be patterned or have protrusions or impressions or a combination of both to create a variety of effects on the medium being conveyed. Pumps, similar to the pump 21 of Fig. 1 may also be associated with each collection or storage tank to assist in movement of materials into or from the tanks.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Vacuum collection apparatus including : a vacuum head for collection of solid or liquid materials, said vacuum head including a leading end having a primary venturi means, auxiliary venturi means downstream of said primary venturi means, means fcr supplying compressed air to said primary and auxiliary venturi means to create _ back pressure in said vacuum head to draw materials into said head and a back pressure at said auxiliary venturi means, and means for conveying collected materials to a storage or discharge location.

2. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the leading end venturi means in the vacuum head includes a plurality of Venturis arranged in a substantially side by side attitude.

3. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveying means includes a pipe connected to the vacuum head for conveying collected materials to the storage or discharge location the pipe including venturi meεnε located at spaced positions there along to assist in movement of the materials to the storage or discharge location.

4. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the venturi means are reversible having manual or electrically controlled flow reversal means.

5. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveying means includes a pipe connected to the vacuum head for conveying collected materials to the storage or discharge location the pipe including venturi means located at spaced positions there along to assist in movement of the materials to the storage or discharge location, the venturi means in said pipe being reversible having manual or electrically controlled flow reversal means.

6. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveying means includes a pipe connected to the vacuum head for conveying collected materials to the storage or discharge location the pipe including venturi means located at spaced positions there along to assist in movement of the materials to the storage or discharge location, the capacity of said venturi means in said pipe increasing in the upstream direction.

7. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the materials are delivered to a storage tank, the storage tank having an inlet venturi, the primary venturi means from the vacuum head, the auxiliary venturi means and the inlet venturi of a storage tank have compressed air fed tc them at variable pressures so that the air delivery to the system can be calibrated to suit different applications.

8. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim ι wherein the vacuum head is at the end of a hand held wand whereby a user may position the head at a required location from which materials are required to be collected, the wand being connected to a collection vehicle via a flexible duct comprising the conveying means, the collection vehicle incorporating a tank foi collecting the waste materials the collection vehicle including a source of a compressed air for supply of compressed air to the primary and auxiliary venturi means.

9. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum head is mounted on a mobile vehicle which may be driven over a location where materials or liquids are required to be collected.

10. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum head may be mounted on a mobile vehicle which may be diiven over a location where materials or liquids are required to be collected, the vehicle including forward and rearward wheels and supporting more than one said vacuum head, one vacuum head being arranged forwardly of the front wheels, a further vacuum head being arranged between the front and rear wheels, the vehicle having a storage container in which collected liquid or materials are stored.

11. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided floatation means for supporting the vacuum head on water.

12. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided floatation means for supporting the vacuum head on water, the floatation means including floats arranged on opposite sides of the vacuum head to support the vacuum head such that it is partially submerged.

13. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the storage location includes a storage tank, the primary and auxiliary venturi means being mounted so as to be reversible if desired to enable emptying of the storage tank by creating a back pressure for drawing liquids or other materials: frorr. the storage tank.

14. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the Venturis are in the form of annular bodies having an interior and a series of openings angled inwardly from an outer air chamber connected to the compressed air source delivering compressed air to the interior of the annular bodies vvhere they open through annular shoulders.

15. Vacuum collection apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the Venturis are in the form of annular bodies having an interior and an annular slot angled inwardly from an outer air chamber connected to the compressed air source delivering compressed air to the interior of the annular bodies where they open through annular shoulders.