Vacuum Truck with Loading Pump

Abstract

A transport truck for removing and transporting waste fluids, the transport truck having a storage tank mounted on a frame, a motor furnishing transport power to move the truck, and a fluid transfer apparatus. The fluid transfer apparatus includes a diaphragm pump in fluid communication with the storage tank, and having a first side and a second side. The first side has a first coupling configured for attachment to an external structure, and the second side has a second coupling connected to the storage tank by a fluid conduit. The fluid transfer apparatus is closed, so that the fluids within the fluid transfer apparatus are substantially separated from ambient air.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a truck for transporting waste fluids, and in particular a truck for loading, unloading, and transporting waste fluids with reduced emissions of petrochemical or other undesirable vapors during loading or unloading.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]In a number of industrial facilities, it is necessary to periodically conduct what are known as maintenance, startup, or shutdown (MSS) operations. During MSS operations it is required to extract waste fluids from one or more of the involved storage tanks or vessels in the facility. In the past, so far as is known, conventional transport trucks with storage tanks were loaded with the extracted waste fluids for transport to a treatment facility for compliance with environmental regulations.[0005]So far as is known, in the past vacuum pumps have been used to provide the extraction forces during loading of the waste fluids into the tru...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a new and improved apparatus for loading and unloading waste fluids into a transport truck. It includes a diaphragm pump, a fluid coupling, and a fluid transfer conduit for moving the fluids into and out of the storage tank. The apparatus can also include a vacuum pump. The method involves connecting the diaphragm pump to an external structure containing the fluids to be transported, and to the storage tank via a fluid transfer conduit. The diaphragm pump is activated to draw the fluids from the external structure and push them into the storage tank. This invention simplifies the process of loading and unloading waste fluids in a truck, making it more efficient and safe.

Problems solved by technology

The prior vacuum pumps required large amounts of air to move through the pumps, and as a result the air through the pumps came into contact with the products being transferred.

Thus the transfer pumps gave rise to possible emission of the same type of undesirable vapors from the products sought to be transferred for treatment to satisfy environmental concerns.

The monitoring of vacuum pump emissions, however, results in significant costs in monitoring as well as in scrubbing and containing those emissions.

The recording and retention of vacuum pump emissions further adds an additional administrative burden with attendant costs.

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