Apparatus for cleaning pipes having pumping and vacuuming capability

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning waste collection systems of solid materials. The apparatus is capable of cleaning waste systems in two known ways. First, a pumping method uses normal and injected water flow to suspend the solids in a slurry. A submersible pump moves the slurry from a collection point up to a pressurized container where the water content of the slurry is decanted and reused as injection water while the particulate material settles to the bottom of the pressurized container. Second, a vacuum system may be used to move the slurry from the waste system to the waste container. The vacuum system creates a negative pressure differential, causing material to be pulled through a vacuum tube and into the waste container. When the container becomes substantially full of solid particles, it may be emptied at a dumpsite.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates generally to cleaning waste collection systems such as but not limited to sewers, sumps, wet wells, collection tanks, digesters, clarifiers, classifiers, etc. and in particular to cleaning and removal of solid and liquid materials therefrom. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Waste collection systems such as sewers, sumps, wet wells, digesters, clarifiers, classifiers, collection tanks, etc. must be cleaned periodically in order to maintain proper fluid flow and capacity. Cleaning removes sand and other deleterious materials that have infiltrated into, for example, a sewer as well as solid materials that have settled out from the normally slow moving waste slurry that varies in volume and flow rate depending on the collective amount of effluents emptied into the waste collection system over time. In order to properly clean large capacity waste collection systems such as collection tanks or the vast lengths of sewer lines in a typi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a waste cleaning apparatus and method that eliminates the need for pre-examination of the waste collection system before dispatching a cleaning apparatus to the jobsite. The apparatus uses high-pressure water washing and a submersible pump to clean waste collection systems. It includes a source of high-pressure water, a submersible pump, a vacuum system, a pressurized container for collecting the slurry, and means for removing the water from the slurry. The apparatus can reuse the water for further cleaning operations, resulting in cost and efficiency improvements. The invention also includes a kite and a Wayne ball for creating a slurry of waste material and a positive pressure to atmosphere for rapid settlement of the solids. Filtered decanted water and excess decanted water can be used as a water source for the high-pressure water pump."

Problems solved by technology

If, for example, there is a large volume of liquid relative to solids in the slurry, vacuuming becomes very inefficient and possibly infeasible.

If very little liquid is present in the waste water system, a pump will be inefficient or may not work at all, and a vacuum is required.

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