AU2006201527B2

AU2006201527B2 - Pipe system cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2006201527B2
Application number: AU2006201527A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Thomas Linden Borthwick; Clifford John Restarick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Restarick Clifford
Priority date: 2005-04-13
Filing date: 2006-04-12
Publication date: 2011-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-12
Also published as: AU2006201527A1

Description

Pool Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Pipe system cleaning apparatus The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 PIPE SYSTEM CLEANING APPARATUS The present invention relates to improvements in drain cleaning equipment normally carried by a vehicle to desired sites. Conventional drain cleaning apparatus carried on a vehicle typically 5 comprises a clean water tank fitted with a pressure jetting hose which is inserted into the drain to be cleaned. Pressurized water jets from the hose to flush out sedimentary particles including sand, roots, organic and other debris that might be at least partially blocking the drain. The nozzle of the jetting hose may include a cutting head that will cut roots and other material to clean the inside surface of 10 the drain pipe. The jetting hose will normally be inserted into the drain pipe system from an access manhole or the like and the nozzle may also include back flushing jets to flush water and debris back to the manhole through which access to the pipe system has been made. Modern cleaning apparatus of the aforementioned kind may. or can also include a suction hose inserted into the 15 manhole which is used to suck water and debris from the manhole into a separate debris storage tank from which it can be periodically dumped. While this type of cleaning apparatus works satisfactorily, it does have a number of disadvantages. Typically a vehicle carrying such cleaning equipment might store of the order of 6000 litres of water which is normally clean tap water to avoid blockages in the 20 jetting nozzle. In normal operation a store of 6000 litres of cleaning water might be used in about an hour's operation thereby requiring the storage tank to be refilled again with clean water for use at the same or different site. As a result transport to a water refilling point and refilling time needs to be factored into the cost of running such equipment where actual cleaning operations may constitute 25 less than three hours of a typical working day. Moreover, significant quantities of clean water are used on a one shot basis which is becoming a relevant issue both from a cost point of view and an ethical point of view. Moreover, such equipment collects debris or other solid or semisolid material in a storage tank for same which must, when full, be emptied to a proper 30 and acceptable disposal site. Thus periodic proper disposal of such material is also a requirement and to satisfy EPA (or similar) standards, such disposal processes are also increasingly more difficult.

2 In prior art disclosures, EP 0629749 shows apparatus for cleaning sewer ducts by flushing with water via a pump delivery water under pressure to the sewer duct to be cleaned. The apparatus further includes a suction head and associated hose for delivering water and contained sludge from the sewer duct 5 being cleaned to a sludge collection tank. The sludge collection tank is not under vacuum conditions. In the sludge collection tank solids are separated to some extent from the water and water with some solids is pumped back to a water holding tank via a treatment apparatus which includes a single standard cyclone with a modified underflow discharge chamber. EP 0506028 also discloses a 10 similar cleaning apparatus where the single cyclone provided is cylindrical but is required to be fitted with an internal annular screen. German patent specification no. DE 3303958 also discloses a similar cleaning apparatus but where pre clarified water from the collection tank is pumped from the tank and passed through a medium separator which appears to be a centrifuge and not a cyclone, 15 with the cleaned water being then mixed with new rinsing water and delivered to the hose line leading to the cleaning head. The objective of the present invention is to provide an arrangement in a pipe system cleaning apparatus of the above described type that permits at least a portion of the water used for cleaning the pipe system to be recycled in a simple 20 and continuous manner to thereby provide a lower cost of operation and an increased period of operation between stages when it may be necessary to refill the water storage zone of the cleaning equipment. A preferred objective may be to increase the time between emptying the debris tank as the excess water may be recycled. 25 Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a-pipe system cleaning apparatus including a water storage zone, means for discharging water from said water storage zone under pressure via a hose, in use, into said pipe system, a solids collection tank, a suction means for establishing vacuum conditions in said collection tank and for withdrawing water and entrained solids 30 from the pipe system, said suction means including a suction hose leading to said solids collection tank with a free end positionable in use in said pipe system, means for withdrawing water and some entrained solids material from said solids collection tank in use of said pipe system cleaning apparatus and passing said 3 water with some entrained solids material to at least one first cyclone device in which the water and some entrained solids is separated into a first stream containing water and relatively lighter solids and a second stream containing water and relatively heavier solids, filter or screening means to receive said first 5 stream from said first cyclone device to remove said lighter solids from said water in said first stream, a first return flow means for returning said water from said first stream to said water storage zone, and a second return flow means for returning said second stream to said solids collection tank, said second return flow means including at least one second cyclone device arranged to receive the second 10 stream before returning the second stream to said solids collection tank. Such apparatus will conveniently be vehicle mounted in use and provides an arrangement for recycling water used in the cleaning operation to thereby substantially extend the operational life of such apparatus with a predetermined water volume in the water storage zone. 15 Preferred features of this aspect may be as defined in claims 2 to 9 inclusive as annexed hereto, the subject matter of these claims being incorporated in the disclosure of this specification by this reference thereto. It will of course be apparent that the apparatus of this invention might be included in original equipment as described above or it might be retrofitted to 20 existing pipe cleaning apparatus of this general type. In accordance with this latter aspect, the present invention provides water recycling apparatus for retrofitting to pipe cleaning equipment of the type including a water storage zone, means for discharging water under pressure from said water storage zone via a first hose having a downstream end positionable in 25 a pipe system to be cleaned, a solids collection tank, a suction means for establishing vacuum conditions in said solids collection tank and for withdrawing water and entrained solids from the pipe system, said suction means including a suction hose leading to the solids collection tank with a free end positionable in use in said pipe system, said water recycling apparatus including means for 30 withdrawing water and some entrained solids material from said solids collection tank in use of said pipe system cleaning apparatus and passing said water with some entrained solids material to at least one first cyclone device in which the water and some entrained solids is separated into a first stream containing water 4 and relatively lighter solids and a second stream containing water and relatively heavier solids, filter or screening means to receive said first stream from said first cyclone device to remove said lighter solids from said water in said first stream, a first return flow means which, in use, returns the water from said first stream to 5 said water storage zone, and a second return flow means which, in use, returns the second stream to said solids collection tank, said second return flow means including at least one second cyclone device arranged to receive the second stream before returning said second stream to said solids collection tank. Preferred features of this second aspect may be as defined in claims 11 to 10 18 inclusive as annexed hereto, the subject matter of these claims being incorporated into the disclosure of this specification by this reference thereto. In this specification, the water storage zone is desirably but not necessarily isolated from the solids collection tank in the sense that the materials in each are 5 separated from one another although, in one embodiment, the water storage zone might be physically constructed as part of the solids collection tank. One preferred embodiment of this invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the annexed drawing (Fig 1) showing a schematic arrangement 5 of parts for performing the present invention. As noted previously, the apparatus will normally be vehicle mounted for transport between a water filling station and a pipe system site to be cleaned. Such known parts not illustrated but readily known to skilled persons in this art, would be incorporated into the equipment as required and have not therefore been further described hereafter. 10 As shown in the drawing, a drainage pipe system 10 is schematically illustrated which is accessible through a manhole, pit or other similar means 11. A conventional cleaning apparatus for such a pipe system might include a water storage tank 12, a pump 13 for delivering pressurized water via a hose 14 and a delivery or exit nozzle 15 to a blocked or partially blocked zone within the pipe 15 system 10. The nozzle 15 may, as is known, including cutting means to help clear the pipe and back flushing jets to back wash water and solids debris back towards the pit 11. A suction hose 16 is provided with its free end 17 in the pit to receive any back washed water and solids debris to deliver same to a debris tank 18. The interior of the tank 18 is typically under vacuum conditions established 20 by a vacuum pump 35 to provide the suction effect along the suction hose 16. The tank 18 will normally include some form of discharge structure (not shown) to periodically discharge solids and water delivered by the hose 16 to the tank 18. In one known arrangement an end wall of the tank 18 is pivotal to an open position and a pusher device inwardly of the tank is operated to push the 25 collected material outwardly thereof. In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention, the debris collection tank 18 may be divided by wall means 19 with a weir arrangement such that water from the debris collection zone 20 will flow over the weir into a water collection zone 21. The water collection zone 21 will of 30 course include a limited amount of solids debris that will flow with the water into the zone 21. Thus water with some entrained solids debris is pumped from the collection zone 21 via a recycling pump 22 to be introduced via an inlet 23 6 tangentially into an upstream end zone of a first cyclone separator device 24. The first cyclone separator device 24 is conveniently of uniform diameter along its operative length and is arranged to separate the material flowing therethrough into a first relatively central stream containing water and lighter solids material 5 and a second outer stream containing water and relatively heavier solids material such as sand or the like. The first stream exits the first cyclone separator device 24 via an axial exit 25 at the upstream end region thereof. The second stream exits the first cyclone separator device 24 via a tangential exit 26 at a downstream end region thereof. The second stream is caused to flow via line 27 10 to a second cyclone device 28 which includes a tangential entry 29 for the second stream at an upstream end zone and an axial exit 30 for the second stream at a downstream end zone of the second cyclone device 28. The second stream is then delivered by a line 31 to the zone 20 of the debris collection tank 18. The second cyclone device 28 acts to isolate the first cyclone device 24 from the 15 vacuum or suction pressure within the tank 18 while still enabling the second stream to be delivered to the zone 20 of the debris collection tank 18. This allows for the discharge of solids and carrying water to the debris collection tank 18 on a substantially continuous basis during use of the equipment while the tank 18 remains subject to a vacuum or suction pressure. 20 As is illustrated in the drawing, it is desirable for the diameter of the cyclone device 28 to be less than that of the cyclone separator device 24 and further that the axial length of the second cyclone device 28 to be less than that of the first cyclone separator device 24. The first stream exiting the first cyclone separation device 24 conveniently 25 flows through a filter or screening means 32 to remove the lighter and generally coarser solids material from the water flow. The lighter solids material needs to be collected and periodically removed to maintain clean water flow via line 36 to a clean recycled water tank 33. In an alternative arrangement, the recycled water return flow might be directed to the main water storage tank 12, ie without the 30 need of passing through an auxiliary tank 33. Any particles remaining in the recycled water are fine enough to pass through the pressure pump 13 and nozzle head 15 without causing damage or blockage to either.

7 The arrangement thus described can be made part of original equipment or they could be retrofitted to existing equipment. The advantages are that operational times are significantly increased in any working day and water usage is significantly decreased. . Moreover, high quality clean water no longer needs to 5 be used as lower quality water from dams, ponds or drains themselves, might be used to replace fresh water as the primary charge. The arrangements further allow the collection of sedimentary materials such as sand, and organic matter, in different tanks or collection regions. The arrangements further enable the design of simpler systems and vehicles with a single debris collection tank and with 10 water collection zones therein and no separate fresh water tank, ie the source of water required may be from the debris collection tank or a region thereof. Desirably, however, the fresh or clean water tank might be constructed either physically separate from the debris collection tank or part of the debris collection tank but isolated therefrom such that solids from the debris collection tank cannot 15 directly flow into the fresh or clean water tank. Conveniently, the debris or solids collection tank will include access means and mechanisms for proper removal of solids material at a suitable down time for the apparatus such that they can be discharged to a desired location. 20

Claims

1. Pipe system cleaning apparatus including a water storage zone, means for discharging water from said water storage zone under pressure via a hose, in use, into said pipe system, a solids collection tank, a suction means for 5 establishing vacuum conditions in said solids collection tank, said suction means further including a suction hose leading to said solids collection tank with a free end positionable in use in said pipe system for withdrawing water and entrained solids from the pipe system, means for withdrawing water and some entrained solids material from said solids collection tank in use of said pipe system cleaning 10 apparatus and passing said water with some entrained solids material to at least one first cyclone device in which the water and some entrained solids is separated into a first stream containing water and relatively lighter solids and a second stream containing water and relatively heavier solids, filter or screening means to receive said first stream from said first cyclone device to remove said 15 lighter solids from said water in said first stream, a first return flow means for returning said water from said first stream to said water storage zone, and a second return flow means for returning said second stream to said solids collection tank, said second return flow means including at least one second cyclone device arranged to receive the second stream before returning said 20 second stream to said solids collection tank.

2. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cyclone device defines a substantially uniform diameter cyclone treatment region within said first cyclone device, the first stream exiting said first cyclone device axially from an upstream end thereof. 25

3. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means for withdrawing said water and some entrained solids from said solids collection tank delivers same tangentially to an upstream end of said first cyclone device. 9

4. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said second stream exits tangentially from a downstream region of the first cyclone device.

5. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 5 wherein the second stream enters the second cyclone device tangentially at an upstream end region thereof.

6. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said second cyclone device defines a substantially uniform diameter cyclone treatment region therewithin, the second stream exiting axially from a downstream region of said 10 second cyclone device.

7. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to claim 6 when appended through claim 2 wherein the uniform diameter of the cyclone treatment region of the first cyclone device is greater than the uniform diameter of the cyclone treatment region of the second cyclone device. 15

8. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the cyclone treatment region of the first cyclone device has an axial length greater than the axial length of the cyclone treatment region of the second cyclone device.

9. Pipe system cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said solids collection tank includes discharge means for periodically 20 discharging solids or semisolids contents of the solids collection tank.

10. Water recycling apparatus for retrofitting to pipe cleaning equipment of the type including a water storage zone, means for discharging water under pressure from said water storage zone via a first hose having a downstream end positionable in a pipe system to be cleaned, a solids collection tank, a suction 25 means for establishing vacuum conditions in said solids collection tank and for withdrawing water and entrained solids from the pipe system, said suction means including a suction hose leading to the solids collection tank with a free end positionable in use in said pipe system, said water recycling apparatus including 10 means for withdrawing water and some entrained solids material from said solids collection tank in use of said pipe system cleaning apparatus and passing said water with some entrained solids material to at least one first cyclone device in which the water and some entrained solids is separated into a first stream 5 containing water and relatively lighter solids and a second stream containing water and relatively heavier solids, filter or screening means to receive said first stream from said first cyclone device to remove said lighter solids from said water in said first stream, a first return flow means which, in use, returns the water from said first stream to said water storage zone, and a second return flow means 10 which, in use, returns the second stream to said solids collection tank, said second return flow means including at least one second cyclone device arranged to receive the second stream before returning said second stream to said solids collection tank.

11. Water recycling apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first cyclone 15 device defines a substantially uniform diameter cyclone treatment region within said first cyclone device, an exit for the first stream from said first cyclone device being provided axially at an upstream end thereof.

12. Water recycling apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein an inlet to said first cyclone device is tangential and is arranged at or adjacent an 20 upstream end of the first cyclone device.

13. Water recycling apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein an exit for said second stream from said first cyclone device is provided tangentially from a downstream region of said first cyclone device.

14. Water recycling apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein 25 the second cyclone device includes a tangential inlet at an upstream end region to receive said second stream in use.

15. Water recycling apparatus according to 14 wherein said second cyclone device defines a substantially uniform diameter cyclone treatment region 11 therewithin, the second stream exiting axially from a downstream region of said second cyclone device.

16. Water recycling apparatus according to claim 15 when appended through claim 11 wherein the uniform diameter of the cyclone treatment region of the first 5 cyclone device is greater than the uniform diameter of the cyclone treatment region of the second cyclone device.

17. Water recycling apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the cyclone treatment region of the first cyclone device has an axial length greater than the axial length of the cyclone treatment region of said second cyclone device. 10

18. Water recycling apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 17 wherein said means for withdrawing water and some entrained solids from said solids collection tank includes pumping means. SWISSTON PTY LTD AND CLIFFORD JOHN RESTARICK WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARKS ATTORNEYS P25407AU00