JP7699499B2 - suction car - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a suction vehicle that sucks up and transports sludge generated during sewage and gutter cleaning, as well as soil and sand generated at construction sites.

The high-power suction vehicle is equipped with a separator (tertiary catcher) that is located on the inlet side of the vacuum pump and has a dust collection function, a make-up water tank (quaternary catcher) that is located on the outlet side of the vacuum pump and has a sealed water separation function and a sealed water storage function, and a cleaning water tank that stores water used for washing vehicles, floors, etc. and supplies it to the water pump.
The separator (tertiary catcher) and the make-up water tank (quaternary catcher) may be provided integrally, but the cleaning water tank is provided separately from the separator and the make-up water tank.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a suction work vehicle that includes a tank for containing materials to be treated such as sewage, sludge, and soil, a vacuum pump that requires water for sealing and cooling, and a pump cooling water tank for storing water to be supplied to the vacuum pump, in which the tank is depressurized by the vacuum pump, water from the pump cooling water tank is supplied to the vacuum pump, and water discharged from the vacuum pump is returned to the pump cooling water tank to circulate the water to seal and cool the vacuum pump, and also has a cleaning water tank for storing cleaning water used for cleaning, and the water used to cool the vacuum pump is cooled with the cleaning water in the cleaning water tank.
Patent Document 2 discloses a suction vehicle in which a receiver tank and a suction device for reducing the pressure inside the receiver tank are mounted on a vehicle, the suction device including a water-sealed vacuum pump and a dust collector provided between the receiver tank and the water-sealed vacuum pump, the dust collector comprising a secondary catcher consisting of a cyclone and a tertiary catcher consisting of a water tank, the receiver tank has an internal space partitioned into one space serving as a material storage chamber for storing materials to be collected and the other space serving as a sealed water chamber containing sealed water, the material storage chamber and the sealed water chamber being connected via the secondary catcher, the sealed water chamber forming a tertiary catcher and being connected to a water-sealed vacuum pump so that the sealed water inside can be supplied to the water-sealed vacuum pump as cooling water.

JP 2015-224422 A JP 2006-336567 A

Due to the impact of stricter exhaust gas regulations on vehicles, more and more equipment is being installed on powerful suction vehicles than ever before. For this reason, the installation space for the cleaning water tank has been secured with ingenuity within the limited vehicle space, for example by mounting the cleaning water tank on a stand installed above the make-up water tank.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a suction vehicle that can more effectively utilize the limited vehicle space by reducing the required mounting space for the flush water tank.

The suction vehicle of the present invention described in claim 1 comprises a storage tank 20 for storing the collected material 1 that has been sucked up, a vacuum pump 30 that requires water for sealing and cooling and reduces the pressure in the storage tank 20, a separator 50 into which a mixed fluid of air and collected material 1 flowing from the storage tank 20 toward the vacuum pump 30 flows and which separates the mixed fluid into air and collected material 1 using the water stored inside, a make-up water tank 60 that stores water to be supplied to the vacuum pump 30 and separates the air-water fluid discharged from the vacuum pump 30 into gas and water, and a cleaning water tank 70 that stores water used for cleaning, and is characterized in that the separator 50, make-up water tank 60, and cleaning water tank 70 are arranged in a horizontal direction.

The present invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that in the suction vehicle described in claim 1, a separator 50 is closely attached to one side of the cleaning water tank 70, and a make-up water tank 60 is closely attached to the other side of the cleaning water tank 70.

The present invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that in the suction vehicle described in claim 2, the liquid level of the water stored in the cleaning water tank 70 can be made higher than the liquid level of the water stored in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60.

The present invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that in the suction vehicle described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the separator 50, the cleaning water tank 70, and the make-up water tank 60 are arranged in a straight line.

The present invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that in the suction vehicle described in any one of claims 1 to 4, the inside of one container is divided into multiple compartments by multiple partition plates 71, and the separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 are each provided as one of the compartments.

The present invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that in the suction vehicle described in claim 5, the partition plate 71 is curved in an arch shape.

The present invention provides a suction vehicle that requires less space to accommodate the flushing water tank and can more effectively utilize the limited vehicle space.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a suction vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Flow sheet showing the main components of the suction vehicle FIG. 1 shows a separator, a make-up water tank, and a cleaning water tank arranged in series. An image showing the separator, make-up water tank, and cleaning water tank installed in series. A graph showing the results of noise measurements taken while changing the liquid level in the cleaning water tank.

The suction vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a storage tank for storing the sucked up material, a vacuum pump which requires water for sealing and cooling and reduces the pressure in the storage tank, a separator into which a mixed fluid of air and collected material flows from the storage tank toward the vacuum pump and which separates the mixed fluid into air and collected material using the water stored inside, a make-up water tank which stores water to be supplied to the vacuum pump and separates the air-water fluid discharged from the vacuum pump into gas and water, and a cleaning water tank which stores water to be used for cleaning, the separator, make-up water tank, and cleaning water tank being arranged horizontally in succession.
According to this embodiment, the space required for mounting the flush water tank can be reduced.

A second embodiment of the present invention is the suction vehicle according to the first embodiment, in which a separator is closely attached to one side of the wash water tank, and a make-up water tank is closely attached to the other side of the wash water tank.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to effectively suppress noise generated from the separator and the make-up water tank, as well as temperature changes in the separator and the make-up water tank.

A third embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the suction vehicle of the second embodiment, the liquid level of the water stored in the wash water tank can be made higher than the liquid level of the water stored in the separator and the make-up water tank.
According to this embodiment, the noise generated from the separator and the make-up water tank can be further suppressed.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is a suction vehicle according to any one of the first to third embodiments, in which the separator, the wash water tank and the make-up water tank are arranged in a straight line.
According to this embodiment, it becomes easier to secure mounting space for other devices, etc.

A fifth embodiment of the present invention is a suction vehicle according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, in which a single container is divided into a plurality of compartments by a plurality of partitions, and a separator, a make-up water tank, and a cleaning water tank are each provided as one of the compartments.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to further reduce the space required for mounting the flush water tank and to improve the efficiency of mounting work, etc.

A sixth embodiment of the present invention is a suction vehicle according to the fifth embodiment, in which the partition plate is curved in an arch shape.
According to this embodiment, the partition plate is less likely to vibrate due to pressure fluctuations, pulsations, and the like, and noise can be further reduced.

Hereinafter, a suction vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Fig. 1 shows the external appearance of the suction vehicle according to this embodiment, Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view, and Fig. 1(b) is a side view. Fig. 2 is a flow sheet showing the main components of the suction vehicle according to this embodiment, with thick arrows indicating the flow of air during suction work, double arrows indicating the flow of air during discharge work, thin arrows indicating the flow of make-up water, and dotted arrows indicating the flow of collected material 1.
The suction truck sucks up and collects materials 1, such as sludge generated during cleaning of sewers and gutters, and soil and sand generated at construction sites.
The suction vehicle is equipped with a suction hose 10 having a suction cock 11 for sucking up the collected material 1, a storage tank 20 (primary catcher) for storing the collected material 1 sucked up by the suction hose 10, a water-sealed vacuum pump 30 which requires water for sealing and cooling and reduces the pressure in the storage tank 20, a cyclone-type dust collector 40 (secondary catcher) which removes a certain amount of the collected material 1 from the mixed fluid of air and the collected material 1 flowing from the storage tank 20 to the vacuum pump 30, a separator 50 (tertiary catcher) into which the mixed fluid that has passed through the dust collector 40 flows and which separates the flow-in mixed fluid into air and the collected material 1 using the water stored inside, a make-up water tank 60 (quaternary catcher) which stores water (make-up water) to be supplied to the vacuum pump 30 and separates the air-water fluid discharged from the vacuum pump 30 into gas and water, and a cleaning water tank 70 which stores water to be used for cleaning vehicles, floors, etc. The water in the cleaning water tank 70 is sprayed via a water pump (not shown) or the like.

The storage tank 20 is cylindrical and is installed at the rear of the loading platform with its central axis horizontal and in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body. The rear end of the suction hose 10 faces upward inside the storage tank 20, and its front end extends outside the storage tank 20. Inside the storage tank 20, there are provided an impact plate 21 located near the rear end of the suction hose 10 and higher than the rear end of the suction hose 10, and a main manhole 22 protruding upward at a position spaced a predetermined distance horizontally from the impact plate 21.
The collected matter 1 sucked from the tip of the suction hose 10 is ejected from the rear end of the suction hose 10 together with air, collides with the collision plate 21 at an oblique angle, and is bounced downward to accumulate in the lower part of the storage tank 20.
One end of a first pipe 80 is connected to the main manhole 22, and the other end of the first pipe 80 is connected to the dust collector 40. A main valve 81 is provided midway through the first pipe 80. During suction operation, the main valve 81 is opened, and the mixed fluid (air mixed with the collected material 1) leaving the storage tank 20 flows through the first pipe 80 and into the dust collector 40. The collected material 1 falls and accumulates at the bottom of the dust collector 40 due to a swirling flow generated within the dust collector 40, and the air is discharged to a second pipe 90, one end of which is connected to the top of the dust collector 40. There is a possibility that the collected material 1 is still mixed in the air leaving the dust collector 40.

The other end of the second pipe 90 is connected to the top of the separator 50, and the air leaving the dust collector 40 flows downward into the separator 50. A certain amount of water is stored inside the separator 50, and there is space above it, with the water level being approximately 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the container that forms the separator 50. The air mixed with the recovered material 1 that flows into the separator 50 collides with the water, causing the recovered material 1 to be captured by the water, and the air from which the recovered material 1 has been separated is discharged into the third pipe 100, one end of which is connected to the top of the separator 50.

The other end of the third pipe 100 is connected to the vacuum pump 30, and the air leaving the separator 50 flows into the vacuum pump 30. The vacuum pump 30 is a pump that uses water for sealing and cooling. In this embodiment, a wet-type Roots blower in which a first-stage pump chamber 31 and a second-stage pump chamber 32 are connected in series is used as the vacuum pump 30.
One end of a fourth pipe 110 is connected to the outlet of the first-stage pump chamber 31, and the other end of the fourth pipe 110 is connected to an upper portion of the makeup water tank 60. A first branch pipe 111 is provided midway along the fourth pipe 110, one end of which is connected to the fourth pipe 110 and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the second-stage pump chamber 32, and a check valve 112 is provided downstream of the connection point with the first branch pipe 111.
One end of the fifth pipe 120 is connected to the outlet of the second-stage pump chamber 32, and the other end of the fifth pipe 120 is connected to the fourth pipe 110 at a position downstream of the check valve 112. A second branch pipe 121 is provided in the middle of the fifth pipe 120, one end of which is connected to the fifth pipe 120 and the other end of which is connected to the first pipe 80, and a pressurization switching valve 122 is provided downstream of the connection point with the second branch pipe 121, which opens during a suction operation and closes during a discharge operation. One end of a third branch pipe 123 is connected in the middle of the second branch pipe 121, and a pressurization valve 124 is provided downstream of the connection point with the third branch pipe 121, which closes during a suction operation and opens during a discharge operation. The other end of the third branch pipe 123 is connected to the fifth pipe 120 at a position downstream of the pressurization switching valve 122, and a pressurization safety valve 125 is provided in the middle.
In addition, a drain trap 150 and a pressure gauge 160 are provided in the first pipe 80 downstream of the connection point with the second branch pipe 121 .

The air-water fluid consisting of air and water discharged from the vacuum pump 30 flows through the fourth pipe 110 into the make-up water tank 60 .
A predetermined amount of water is stored inside the make-up water tank 60, with the space above it, and the water level is generally at a height of about 1/3 to 1/2 of the height of the container that forms the make-up water tank 60. Of the air and water that flow into the make-up water tank 60, the water is recovered to be used as make-up water, and the air is released into the atmosphere from an exhaust pipe 61 provided at the top of the make-up water tank 60.
One end of a fourth branch pipe 140 is connected to the exhaust pipe 61, and the other end of the fourth branch pipe 140 is connected to the second pipe 90. A load release valve 141 is provided midway through the fourth branch pipe 140, which is closed during the suction operation and is opened during the discharge operation.
One end of a delivery pipe 130 for delivering makeup water to the vacuum pump 30 is connected to the lower part of the makeup water tank 60, and the other end of the delivery pipe 130 is connected to a position of the third pipe 100 close to the vacuum pump 30. The delivery pipe 130 is provided with an inspection tube 131 for an operator or the like to visually check whether makeup water is being supplied.

Fig. 3 shows the separator 50, make-up water tank 60, and cleaning water tank 70 arranged in series, with Fig. 3(a) being a front view, Fig. 3(b) being an upper perspective view, Fig. 3(c) being a lower perspective view, Fig. 3(d) being a left side view, and Fig. 3(e) being a right side view. Note that Fig. 3 shows the upper halves of the separator 50 and make-up water tank 60 in a see-through manner. The see-through portions are spaces without water, and water is stored in the lower halves. Fig. 4 is an image diagram showing the separator 50, make-up water tank 60, and cleaning water tank 70 arranged in series.
The separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 are integrally formed as one cylindrical container, and are installed in a position on the loading platform forward of the storage tank 20 with the central axis in the horizontal direction and in the vehicle body width direction. By arranging the separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 in a horizontal line in this manner, the required mounting space for the cleaning water tank 70 can be narrowed. In addition, since the separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 can be installed using a single frame 170, the number of parts can be reduced and the mounting work can be made more efficient. In addition, since the installation height of the cleaning water tank 70 can be lowered compared to when the cleaning water tank 70 is installed above the make-up water tank 60, this contributes to improving the running stability of the suction vehicle.
The separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 can be arranged in a curved shape when viewed from above, but it is preferable to arrange them in a straight line, which makes it easier to secure space for mounting other equipment.
In addition to the separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70, other tanks, such as a hydraulic oil tank, may also be provided in series.

The inside of one cylindrical container is divided into three compartments by two partition plates 71, and the separator 50, the make-up water tank 60, and the cleaning water tank 70 are provided as one of each compartment.
It is possible to connect or arrange the separator 50, make-up water tank 60, and wash water tank 70 horizontally, each of which is manufactured as a separate container, in the loading platform, thereby connecting them together horizontally; however, by integrating the separator 50, make-up water tank 60, and wash water tank 70 into one container, as in this embodiment, it is possible to further reduce the space required for mounting the wash water tank 70 and to improve the efficiency of installation work, etc.
It is also possible to provide space for arranging pipes, pumps, etc. by making the height dimension of the cleaning water tank 70 smaller than that of the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, or by recessing part of the cleaning water tank 70, etc.

In this embodiment, the central compartment of each compartment is the cleaning water tank 70, the compartment at one end is the separator 50, and the compartment at the other end is the make-up water tank 60, so that the separator 50 is closely adjacent to one side of the cleaning water tank 70 and the make-up water tank 60 is closely adjacent to the other side of the cleaning water tank 70.
Furthermore, the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60 can store water only in roughly the lower half, with the upper part being a water-free space, but the flush water tank 70 can store water from the bottom to the top. This makes it possible for the water level in the flush water tank 70 to be higher than the water levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60.
During the suction operation, the side walls of the separator 50 repeatedly expand and contract due to internal pressure fluctuations, generating noise due to vibration. Also, noise is generated in the make-up water tank 60 due to the pulsation of the fluid discharged by the vacuum pump 30. This noise is amplified by the fact that the upper halves of the separator 50 and make-up water tank 60 are spaces without water.
In contrast, in this embodiment, the cleaning water tank 70 is located between the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, and the water level in the cleaning water tank 70 is higher than the water levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, so the cleaning water tank 70 functions as a vibration suppression damper and can reduce noise. Note that the cleaning water tank 70 is normally almost full during suction operation in preparation for cleaning after the suction operation.
In addition, the partition plate 71 is preferably curved in an arch shape as shown in Fig. 4. This makes the partition plate 71 less likely to vibrate due to pressure fluctuations, pulsations, etc., and can further reduce noise. The partition plate 71 can also be flat, but in this case it is preferable to provide reinforcing materials such as ribs. This makes the partition plate 71 less likely to vibrate, and can further reduce noise.

In addition, the temperature of the separator 50 drops as the pressure is reduced during the suction operation, but by being closely adjacent to the cleaning water tank 70, which stores water at room temperature, this temperature drop is suppressed and condensation on the separator 50 can be prevented.
In addition, the temperature of the water (make-up water) stored inside the make-up water tank 60 rises due to the inflow of high-temperature fluid (air and water) discharged from the vacuum pump 30 during suction operation, but the close proximity of the cleaning water tank 70, which stores water at room temperature, suppresses this temperature rise and increases the cooling effect of the vacuum pump 30 by the make-up water.
In this way, by closely fitting the separator 50 to one side of the cleaning water tank 70 and closely fitting the make-up water tank 60 to the other side of the cleaning water tank 70, not only is the required installation space for the cleaning water tank 70 reduced, but noise can also be suppressed and temperature changes can be suppressed.
Furthermore, conventionally, the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60 are often made of stainless steel or iron, while the cleaning water tank 70 is often made of resin, but it is preferable that the cleaning water tank 70 is also made of a metal such as stainless steel or iron. This makes it possible to enhance the vibration suppression effect and temperature change suppression effect when the separator 50 is closely attached to one side of the cleaning water tank 70 and the make-up water tank 60 is closely attached to the other side of the cleaning water tank 70.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the results of noise measurements carried out while changing the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70, with the vertical axis representing noise level (dB) and the horizontal axis representing frequency.
A suction vehicle as shown in Fig. 1 was prepared, and the noise during suction work was measured for cases where the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70, located in the central compartment of the cylindrical container, was higher and lower than the liquid levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, located in the adjacent compartments. The sound level meter used was an NA-27 precision sound level meter (manufactured by Rion Co., Ltd.), and the measurement distance was 1 m from the left side of the suction vehicle, and the measurement height was 1.2 m. In this measurement, when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 was higher than the liquid levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, the cleaning water tank 70 was almost full, and when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 was lower than the liquid levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, the cleaning water tank 70 was almost empty.
In Figure 5, the solid colored bars represent the noise value when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 is higher than the liquid level in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, and the diagonal lined bars represent the noise value when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 is lower than the liquid level in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60.
5, it can be seen that when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 is higher than the liquid levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, noise is suppressed more than when it is lower. In particular, even in the high-frequency range of 200 Hz or more, the noise value is smaller when the liquid level in the cleaning water tank 70 is higher than the liquid levels in the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60, and it can be seen that the water in the cleaning water tank 70 is able to absorb the micro-vibrations of the separator 50 and the make-up water tank 60.

1 Recovered material 20 Storage tank 30 Vacuum pump 50 Separator 60 Make-up water tank 70 Cleaning water tank 71 Partition plate

Claims (6)

A storage tank for storing the suctioned recovered material;
A vacuum pump that requires water for sealing and cooling and reduces the pressure in the storage tank;
a separator into which a mixed fluid of the air and the collected material flowing from the storage tank to the vacuum pump flows, and which separates the mixed fluid into the air and the collected material by using water stored therein;
a make-up water tank that stores water to be supplied to the vacuum pump and separates the gas-water fluid discharged from the vacuum pump into gas and water;
A cleaning water tank for storing water to be used for cleaning,
A suction vehicle characterized in that the separator, the make-up water tank, and the cleaning water tank are arranged in a horizontal direction. The suction vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the separator is in close contact with one side of the cleaning water tank, and the make-up water tank is in close contact with the other side of the cleaning water tank. The suction vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the level of the water stored in the cleaning water tank can be made higher than the level of the water stored in the separator and the make-up water tank. The suction vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the separator, the cleaning water tank, and the make-up water tank are arranged in a straight line. The suction vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inside of one container is divided into a plurality of compartments by a plurality of partitions, and the separator, the make-up water tank, and the cleaning water tank are each provided as one of the compartments. The suction vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the partition plate is curved in an arch shape.