A side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper and method. The sweeper includes a sweeper body, a sweeping mechanism, and a suction system. The sweeping mechanism includes a sweeping brush and a robotic arm, which adjusts the lateral position of the sweeping brush to cover the highway edge. The suction system includes a side-mounted suction channel assembly, a garbage separation box, and an axial flow fan. The side-mounted suction channel assembly includes a tapered suction inlet, a transition box, and a manifold. The tapered suction inlet includes a bottom wall plate and a top wall plate. The top wall plate includes an inlet section, an arc transition section, and an internal extension section connected in sequence, forming a tapered channel together with the bottom wall plate. During operation, the sweeping brush lifts garbage particles from the highway edge, and the axial flow fan creates a negative pressure airflow, causing the garbage particles to pass through the tapered suction inlet, the transition box, and the manifold into the garbage separation box for separation and collection. This invention enables lateral sweeping and negative pressure collection of areas below guardrails or in corners along highway edges.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of highway sweeping equipment, specifically relating to a side-suction type highway edge garbage sweeper and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous expansion of highway networks, various types of garbage, such as plastic bottles, paper scraps, and tree branches, accumulate year-round under the central dividers and guardrails of expressways. Once this garbage is swept into the fast lane by crosswinds or the exhaust of high-speed vehicles, it can easily trigger drivers to swerve or cause vehicles to skid, leading to serious traffic accidents and posing a huge and fatal threat to highway driving safety.

[0003] Currently, the cleaning of debris in the median strip mainly relies on traditional manual on-site sweeping. However, manual sweeping requires the temporary closure of lanes, which not only severely reduces highway traffic efficiency and easily causes traffic congestion, but also exposes maintenance personnel to extremely high life risks in complex environments with high traffic volume and speed. Therefore, there is an urgent need to replace manual maintenance with mechanized equipment.

[0004] On the other hand, existing mechanized road sweepers are mainly designed for flat, low-speed urban roads. Their sweeping and dust collection discs are typically positioned directly under the vehicle chassis. This structure only cleans the road surface beneath the vehicle body, making it difficult to reach the median strip and green belts at the road edges. More importantly, there is currently no mechanical equipment on the market capable of cleaning the median strip without closing the road or disrupting normal traffic. Existing sweeping equipment, limited by its traditional single-chamber dust collection hood design, must operate at extremely low speeds to pick up debris. When traveling at cruising speeds on highways without road closures, the strong external dynamic aerodynamic interference and significant ground clearance cause severe boundary layer separation and large-scale low-speed aerodynamic vortices within the traditional suction nozzle. This complex dynamic interference leads to a drastic attenuation of the internal negative pressure field, generating significant aerodynamic blockage, resulting in an extremely narrow effective suction window and ultimately a complete loss of debris capture capability.

[0005] Therefore, given the technical challenges of manual maintenance of the median strip on highways, which requires road closures, is inefficient, and poses extremely high safety risks, and the inability of existing low-speed sweepers to perform highway maintenance without road closures, there is an urgent need to develop a new type of high-speed side-suction sweeping equipment with high ground clearance and large flow rate to meet the pressing needs of modern highway automated maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a side-suction type highway edge garbage sweeper and method.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper, which includes a sweeper body, a sweeping mechanism, and a suction system. The sweeping mechanism includes a rotatable sweeping brush; the sweeping mechanism also includes a robotic arm for adjusting the position of the sweeping brush.

[0008] The robotic arm is configured to adjust the lateral position of the sweeping brush relative to the main body of the sweeper, such that at least a portion of the sweeping brush's cleaning range extends beyond the side profile of the main body of the sweeper and covers the edge of the highway.

[0009] The suction system includes a side-mounted suction channel assembly, a waste separation bin, and an axial flow fan; the side-mounted suction channel assembly includes a tapered air inlet, a transition box, and a manifold; the transition box is located on the side of the sweeper body and extends along the length of the sweeper body; the tapered air inlet is located on the side of the transition box away from the sweeper body and communicates with the inner cavity of the transition box; the transition box and the waste separation bin are connected through the manifold.

[0010] The tapered air intake includes a bottom wall plate and a top wall plate located above the bottom wall plate; the top wall plate includes an inlet section, an arc transition section and an internal extension section connected sequentially along the airflow inlet direction; along the direction gradually approaching the main body of the sweeper, the bottom wall plate gradually rises, the inlet section gradually decreases, and the internal extension section gradually rises, so that the tapered air intake forms a flow channel profile that is sequentially guided, wall-attached and turned, and stably outputs air.

[0011] The axial flow fan is configured to provide negative pressure to the interior of the waste separation bin.

[0012] During operation, the cleaning brush and the tapered air inlet work together to allow the debris particles raised by the cleaning brush to enter the negative pressure capture area of ​​the tapered air inlet.

[0013] Preferably, the key geometric parameters of the tapered air inlet include the arc radius R1 of the arc transition section, the inclination angle α1 of the bottom wall plate, the inclination angle α2 of the inlet section, the overall lateral projection width H1, the extension section width H2, and the inlet section width H3. These key geometric parameters are determined as follows: a parameterized model of the tapered air inlet is established, with the optimization objectives of eliminating internal low-speed eddies, increasing throat velocity, and expanding the negative pressure wave range. The velocity field, pressure field, mass flow rate, and particle capture rate under different combinations of key geometric parameters are compared, and the key geometric parameter combinations are determined based on the comparison results. Specifically, a parameter combination that meets the preset flow field distribution and particle capture rate requirements is selected.

[0014] Preferably, the key geometric parameters of the tapered air intake also include the air intake height V1 from the ground. The air intake height V1 from the ground is set according to the height of the garbage particles raised by the cleaning brush, so that the garbage particles can enter the range of the tapered air intake and approach the lower edge of the tapered air intake.

[0015] Preferably, the air intake is 75mm to 85mm above the ground.

[0016] Preferably, the radius R1 of the arc transition section is 38mm to 55mm, and the inclination angle α2 of the introduction section is 45° to 52°.

[0017] Preferably, the bottom wall plate has an inclination angle α1 of 26° to 28°; the overall lateral projection width H1 is 190mm to 200mm; the extension section width H2 is 110mm to 125mm; and the introduction section width H3 is 23mm to 28mm.

[0018] Preferably, the robotic arm is configured to adjust the spatial tilt angle of the sweeping brush relative to the road surface, so that the sweeping range of the sweeping brush covers the inner corner area between the ground and the vertical plane of the highway edge and / or the area below the guardrail.

[0019] Preferably, the robotic arm includes a connecting bracket, a first adjusting arm, a second adjusting arm, a tilt adjustment seat, a first motor, a second motor, and a tilt adjustment motor; the connecting bracket is fixed to the front end of the sweeper body; the first adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket about a vertical axis, and the first motor drives the first adjusting arm to swing; the second adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the outer end of the first adjusting arm about a vertical axis, and the second motor drives the second adjusting arm to swing; the tilt adjustment seat is rotatably connected to the outer end of the second adjusting arm about a horizontal axis, and the tilt adjustment motor drives the tilt adjustment seat to rotate to adjust the tilt angle of the sweeping brush disc relative to the road surface; the sweeping brush disc is mounted on the tilt adjustment seat.

[0020] Preferably, the manifold includes multiple bent pipe branches spaced apart along the length of the tapered air inlet; the multiple bent pipe branches are connected in parallel between the waste separation box and the transition box, for distributing the dust-laden airflow entering along the length of the tapered air inlet to multiple pneumatic conveying channels. A filter screen is provided between the transition box and the axial flow fan.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for cleaning the edge of a highway, which uses the aforementioned side-suction type highway edge garbage sweeper, the method comprising:

[0022] Control the main body of the sweeper to travel along the edge of the highway.

[0023] The sweeping brush is adjusted by a robotic arm to maintain its lateral position relative to the main body of the sweeper, so that at least part of the sweeping brush's cleaning range extends beyond the side profile of the main body of the sweeper and covers the edge of the highway.

[0024] The cleaning brush is driven to rotate, causing the garbage particles at the edge of the highway to detach from the ground and move toward the negative pressure capture area of ​​the tapered air inlet.

[0025] A negative pressure is provided to the inner cavity of the waste separation box by an axial flow fan, so that a negative pressure airflow is formed in the waste separation box, manifold, transition box and tapered air inlet.

[0026] The raised garbage particles are carried by the dust-laden airflow into the tapered air inlet, and then through the transition box and manifold into the garbage separation box.

[0027] The present invention has the following beneficial effects.

[0028] 1. The present invention sets up a side-mounted tapering air inlet, and forms a tapering flow channel by combining the inclined bottom wall plate with the inlet section, the arc transition section and the internal extension section to form a top wall plate, so that the inlet airflow can stably adhere to the wall and continuously accelerate, thereby reducing the weakening of the negative pressure field by boundary layer separation and low-speed backflow eddies.

[0029] 2. This invention improves particle capture capability under high-speed conditions by coordinating the radius of the arc of the tapered air inlet, the inlet section inclination angle, the bottom wall plate inclination angle, the inlet width, the extension section width, and the ground clearance. This is achieved by synergistically limiting the air inlet's arc radius, inlet section inclination angle, bottom wall plate inclination angle, inlet width, extension section width, and ground clearance.

[0030] 3. This invention uses a robotic arm to adjust the position and posture of the cleaning brush, enabling the cleaning brush to extend into the edge of the central divider or the area below the guardrail, and to pre-lift garbage particles to the negative pressure capture area of ​​the suction system, thereby achieving the coordinated operation of mechanical stripping by the cleaning brush and side-positioned negative pressure suction.

[0031] 4. This invention matches the ground clearance of the tapered air inlet with the trajectory of the particles thrown up by the sweeping brush, enabling the air inlet to receive the particles under negative pressure before their upward kinetic energy decays, thus balancing the passability required for highway operations and the stability of near-ground particle capture.

[0032] 5. This invention connects a transition box, multiple parallel manifolds, a waste separation box, a filter screen, and an axial flow fan in sequence, enabling the dust-laden airflow to be diverted and transported and to complete gas-solid separation, reducing the risk of blocky foreign objects entering the fan and improving the reliability of continuous sweeping operations of the entire vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1This is a side view of the side-suction type highway edge garbage sweeper provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a top view of the side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is an isometric perspective view of the suction system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional profile of the tapered air intake in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a quantitative comparison diagram of the velocity field inside the air intake in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a simulation cloud map comparing the velocity field distribution inside the air intake in Embodiment 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the discrete-phase three-dimensional dynamic simulation model constructed in this invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is the Rosin-Rammler particle size distribution curve of the waste particles used in the simulation of this invention;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a cloud map showing the DPM particle trajectory distribution within a 1.0-meter working width of the tapered air intake in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a line graph showing the overall capture rate of the tapered air intake in Embodiment 1 of the present invention as a function of the lateral projection distance.

[0043] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the highway edge cleaning method provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Sweeping brush; 2. Robotic arm; 3. Main body of the sweeper; 4. 2B double flat pulley; 5. Suction system; 51. Gradient suction inlet; 52. Transition box; 53. Manifold; 54. Waste separation box; 55. Axial flow fan; 56. Filter screen; 6. Diesel engine. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Example 1

[0047] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and technical features described in this application can be combined with each other. For ease of description, this embodiment defines a spatial rectangular coordinate system: the X-axis represents the vehicle's front-to-back direction, the Y-axis represents the vehicle's left-to-right direction, and the Z-axis represents the up-down direction.

[0048] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper, including a sweeper body 3, a sweeping mechanism, a power unit, and a suction system 5. The sweeping mechanism is located at the front end of the sweeper body 3 and is used to raise dust at the inner corner of the road edge. The suction system 5 is located on the side of the sweeper body 3 and is used to collect garbage particles and dust raised at the road edge.

[0049] In this invention, the highway edge refers to the cleaning area on both sides of the highway carriageway near the boundary structures. This includes both the road edge on the right side (away from the central divider) and the road edge on the left side (closer to the central divider) in the direction of vehicle travel. The highway edge is not limited to the horizontal area of ​​the road surface, but also includes the inner corner area formed between the road surface and vertical or near-vertical planes such as curbs, crash barriers, central divider bases, and guardrail post foundations, as well as narrow areas of dust and debris accumulation formed under corrugated guardrails, beam-type guardrails, or other road protection components. These areas are typically dead corners on the road edges that are difficult to directly cover with traditional undercarriage cleaning devices, and are prone to accumulating dust, gravel, branches, paper scraps, plastic bottles, and other garbage or particulate matter.

[0050] The sweeping mechanism includes a sweeping brush 1, a robotic arm 2, and a sweeping drive motor. The inner end of the robotic arm 2 is installed at the front center of the sweeper body 3. The sweeping brush 1 and the sweeping drive motor are installed at the outer end of the robotic arm 2. The sweeping drive motor is used to drive the sweeping brush 1 to rotate, thereby sweeping the road surface.

[0051] The robotic arm 2 is used to adjust the position and posture of the sweeping brush 1 relative to the main body 3 of the sweeper, so that the sweeping brush 1 can extend into the edge of the median strip or the area below the guardrail. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 2 can adjust the spatial tilt angle of the sweeping brush 1 relative to the road surface. During operation, the sweeping brush 1 contacts the road surface and rotates at high speed, lifting up the garbage, dust, and particulate matter deposited on the road surface or below the guardrail. This causes the garbage particles to gain an initial speed that moves away from the ground and towards the gradually narrowing suction port 51 in the suction system 5. Thus, the sweeping brush 1 does not collect garbage particles alone, but rather pre-feeds them into the negative pressure capture area of ​​the suction system 5, thereby forming a combined sweeping and suction operation.

[0052] In some embodiments, the robotic arm 2 includes a connecting bracket, a first adjusting arm, a second adjusting arm, a tilt adjustment seat, a first motor, a second motor, and a tilt adjustment motor. The connecting bracket is fixed to the middle of the front end of the sweeper body 3. The inner end of the first adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket about a vertical axis. The first motor is mounted on the connecting bracket to drive the first adjusting arm to swing; the inner end of the second adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the outer end of the first adjusting arm. The second motor is mounted on the first adjusting arm to drive the second adjusting arm to swing; the tilt adjustment seat is rotatably connected to the outer end of the second adjusting arm; the tilt adjustment motor is mounted on the second adjusting arm to drive the tilt adjustment seat to rotate. The sweeping brush 1 and the sweeping drive motor are mounted on the tilt adjustment seat. The first adjusting arm is vertically arranged about the rotation axis of the connecting bracket; the second adjusting arm is vertically arranged about the rotation axis of the first adjusting arm; the tilt adjustment seat is horizontally arranged about the rotation axis of the second adjusting arm.

[0053] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the suction system 5 is used to laterally capture garbage particles in the area below the guardrail and adjacent road surface when the vehicle is traveling along the edge of a highway, such as the edge of the median strip. The suction system 5 includes a side-mounted suction channel assembly, a garbage separation box 54, an axial flow fan 55, and a filter screen 56. The garbage separation box 54 is fixed to the load-bearing area of ​​the sweeper body 3. The side-mounted suction channel assembly includes a tapered air inlet 51, a transition box 52, and a manifold 53. The transition box 52 is elongated and located on the side of the sweeper body 3. The length of the transition box 52 extends along the length of the sweeper body 3. The tapered air inlet 51 is installed on the side wall of the transition box 52 away from the sweeper body 3 and communicates with the inner cavity of the transition box 52. The inner cavity of the transition box 52 is connected to the inner cavity of the garbage separation box 54 via multiple manifolds 53. The manifold 53 has an inlet end connected to a transition box 52 and an outlet end connected to a waste separation box 54. The transition box 52 is used to guide the dust-laden airflow drawn in from the converging air inlet 51 into the manifold 53. In this embodiment, the manifold 53 includes multiple bent pipe branches arranged at intervals along the length of the converging air inlet 51; the multiple bent pipe branches are connected in parallel to the waste separation box 54, so that the dust-laden airflow entering along the length of the converging air inlet 51 can be distributed to multiple pneumatic conveying channels before entering the waste separation box 54.

[0054] In some embodiments, there is only one side-mounted suction channel assembly, which is disposed on one side of the sweeper body 3. In some embodiments, there are two side-mounted suction channel assemblies; the two side-mounted suction channel assemblies are respectively disposed on both sides of the sweeper body 3.

[0055] The waste separation box 54 is used to contain the dust-laden airflow and waste particles delivered by the manifold 53.

[0056] The waste separation box 54 is provided with an outlet. The outlet of the waste separation box 54 is connected to the air inlet of the axial flow fan 55. The filter screen 56 is disposed at the outlet of the waste separation box 54. After the dust-laden airflow enters the waste separation box 54, solid particles are intercepted by the filter screen 56 and retained inside the waste separation box 54. The filtered air then enters the axial flow fan 55 and is discharged by the axial flow fan 55. In some embodiments, the filter screen 56 is made of 304 stainless steel wire mesh with a mesh size of 4.5 mm and a wire diameter of 0.6 mm. This filter screen 56 can intercept larger solid particles, preventing blocky foreign objects from entering the axial flow fan 55 and impacting the fan blades, while maintaining a high airflow capacity.

[0057] In some embodiments, the axial flow fan 55 is driven by the power unit. The power unit includes a diesel engine 6 and a 2B double flat pulley 4. The diesel engine 6 outputs power to the axial flow fan 55 through the 2B double flat pulley 4. In some further embodiments, the diesel engine 6 is a 12V2000G63 with a power of 625kW and a speed of 1500rpm; the outer diameter transmission ratio of the 2B double flat pulley 4 is 1:3. With this power configuration, the axial flow fan 55 can provide a large flow rate of negative pressure airflow to the suction system 5, enabling the mass flow rate of the suction system 5 to reach 46kg / s and the inlet gauge pressure to reach -10kPa.

[0058] In this embodiment, the total length of the tapered air inlet 51 is 6m and the height is 20cm; the maximum external dimensions of the waste separation box 54 are 1.08m × 3.45m × 2.33m.

[0059] The tapered air inlet 51 is an elongated, strip-shaped inlet extending along the X-axis, with a converging flow channel in its YZ cross-section. Along the airflow inlet direction, the tapered air inlet 51 has a larger inlet cross-section, gradually narrowing internally, and a smaller outlet cross-section. The tapered air inlet 51 includes a bottom wall plate and a top wall plate directly above it. The bottom wall plate is a flat plate structure angled relative to the horizontal plane. The top wall plate includes an inlet section, an arc transition section, and an internal extension section connected sequentially from the outside in. Along the Y-axis, gradually approaching the sweeper body 3, the bottom wall plate gradually rises, the inlet section of the top wall plate gradually decreases, the arc transition section first decreases and then rises, and the internal extension section gradually rises. In this embodiment, through the combination of the top and bottom wall plates, the tapered air inlet 51 forms a tapered flow channel in its cross-section that first guides the airflow, then attaches to the curved wall, and finally provides stable output.

[0060] like Figure 4As shown, the key geometric parameters of the tapered air intake 51 include: H1, H2, H3, α1, α2, R1, and V1. Specifically, H1 is the overall lateral projection width, which is the overall lateral projection width of the air intake cross-section; H2 is the extension section width, which is the lateral projection width of the extension section inside the top wall panel; H3 is the inlet section width, which is the lateral projection width of the inlet section of the top wall panel; α1 is the bottom wall panel inclination angle, which is the angle between the bottom wall panel and the horizontal plane; α2 is the inlet section inclination angle, which is the angle between the inlet section of the top wall panel and the horizontal plane; R1 is the radius of the arc transition section of the top wall panel; and V1 is the air intake height above the ground, which is the ground clearance between the lower edge of the tapered air intake 51 and the ground. These parameters collectively define the convergent shape, air intake area, wall curvature, bottom suction channel, and outlet velocity distribution of the tapered air intake 51.

[0061] The parameter optimization process of the tapered air inlet 51 aims to eliminate internal low-speed vortices, increase throat velocity, and expand the negative pressure wave range. First, a parameterized model of the tapered air inlet 51 is established, using H1, H2, H3, α1, α2, R1, and V1 as design parameters. Second, flow field calculations are performed under different parameter combinations, comparing local maximum velocity, full-width velocity distribution, mass flow rate, and pressure distribution. Third, the flow field distributions at different X-direction sections are compared between the baseline model before optimization and the optimized tapered model. Finally, the optimal parameter combination is determined comprehensively based on the velocity field, pressure field, and particle capture rate.

[0062] The following section, based on aerodynamic principles, explains the specific impact mechanism of each parameter on the two target indicators, "maximum throat velocity" and "pressure wave range".

[0063] (a) The radius of the arc of the top wall plate transition section R1 is the core parameter for suppressing eddies.

[0064] The radius R1 of the arc transition section of the top wall plate is the primary design parameter for solving the problem of low-speed backflow vortex on the upper wall surface of traditional nozzles. In traditional nozzles, the middle section of the top wall plate lacks an arc structure that recesses into the flow channel (equivalent to R1 approaching infinity). When the airflow passes through this section, it cannot obtain a normal guiding force pointing towards the wall surface. Under inertia, it deviates from the wall surface, resulting in boundary layer separation and the formation of a large-scale backflow vortex zone. This embodiment introduces a concave arc protruding into the flow channel (i.e., assigning a finite value to R1), using the wall curvature to apply a centripetal guiding force to the airflow, actively guiding the airflow to follow the wall contour and thus suppressing boundary layer separation. The value of R1 directly determines the strength of this guiding force: the smaller R1 is, the greater the wall curvature, the stronger the guiding force, the more the airflow tends to adhere to the wall surface, and the better the vortex suppression effect; however, if R1 is too small, the flow channel cross-sectional area contracts too sharply in the arc section, the airflow is over-compressed, and additional local flow resistance and pressure loss are generated, which in turn limits the increase of the maximum flow velocity at the throat. Conversely, the larger the value of R1, the closer it is to the flat wall state of a traditional suction nozzle (R1→∞), the weaker the guiding force, and the worse the vortex suppression effect. Through systematic parameterization comparison, this embodiment found that when R1 is within the preferred range of approximately 38mm to 55mm, the wall curvature can achieve the best balance between the guiding effect and the flow resistance—providing sufficient normal force to ensure that the airflow adheres tightly to the top wall plate throughout the entire process, completely eliminating the backflow vortex zone, without introducing additional local resistance loss due to excessive contraction. Among them, R1=42.6mm is the optimal value for this balance.

[0065] (ii) The inclination angle α2 of the inlet section—the source parameter that determines the quality of the inlet flow field

[0066] The inclination angle of the top wall panel inlet section relative to the horizontal ground determines the initial flow direction of the inlet airflow as it changes from the external horizontal flow direction to the internal flow channel of the suction inlet. In traditional suction nozzles, the inlet section usually lacks a targeted inclination angle design (or has an extremely small inclination angle). After entering the flow channel, the inlet airflow lacks a normal velocity component pointing towards the top wall panel. Therefore, the airflow is difficult to get close to the wall surface at the beginning, and it is very easy to evolve into large-scale separation in the subsequent arc section. This embodiment sets a specific downward inclination angle for the inlet section. This allows the inlet airflow to be given a normal velocity component pointing towards the top wall plate as soon as it enters the flow channel, actively driving the airflow to adhere closely to the wall at the source, laying the foundation for wall-attached flow throughout the flow channel. When the value is too small (e.g., close to 30°), the normal velocity component obtained by the airflow is insufficient, the active wall adhesion effect is weak, which contradicts the goal of eliminating eddies. When the value is too large (e.g., close to 55°), although the normal guidance is sufficient, the effective intake cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet channel is reduced in the vertical projection direction, and the overly abrupt turning may induce local flow separation in the inlet section itself. Through comparative studies, this embodiment found that when... When the value is selected within the preferred range of approximately 45° to 52°, the inlet airflow can obtain sufficient normal guiding force to achieve rapid and reliable wall adhesion, without losing effective intake area or causing flow separation within the inlet section due to excessively abrupt turning. The overall performance is optimal at 50.2°.

[0067] (III) Bottom wall plate inclination angle α1—a key parameter controlling convergence rate and pressure wave travel distance

[0068] The angle between the bottom wall plate and the horizontal ground determines the convergence rate of the air intake channel in the vertical direction. In traditional suction nozzles, the bottom wall plate has a large inclination angle (or uses a simple oblique design), and the air intake channel converges rapidly over a short longitudinal distance. Although theoretically, rapid cross-sectional contraction can produce a certain airflow acceleration effect, the problems that follow are equally prominent: First, the rapid rise of the bottom wall plate leads to a rapid reduction in the effective air intake height below the suction inlet, making it difficult to fully entrain the bottom dust-laden airflow (i.e., the core airflow layer carrying garbage particles), thus limiting the maximum mass flow rate that can be handled; second, the rapid convergence is accompanied by a large reverse pressure gradient, and the airflow is prone to separation in the expansion section after the minimum cross-section at the throat due to the reverse pressure gradient, resulting in a deterioration of the uniformity of the outlet flow field; third, at large inclination angles, the extension distance of the negative pressure field in front of the suction inlet is limited, the pressure wave range is reduced, and the effective residence time of garbage particles in the negative pressure zone is shortened, which is not conducive to reliable capture under high-speed conditions. This embodiment reduces the angle of inclination by decreasing the angle of inclination. This allows the intake airflow to converge smoothly over a longer longitudinal distance, enabling the lower-level airflow to gradually accelerate and be smoothly entrained. The adverse pressure gradient decreases, reducing the risk of airflow separation. Simultaneously, the negative pressure field extends significantly forward, effectively expanding the pressure wave's reach. However, Too small a value means that, for a given H1, the exit cross-sectional area is too large and the convergence ratio is insufficient, thus limiting the airflow acceleration effect. Through comparative studies, this embodiment found that when... When the value is selected within the preferred range of approximately 26° to 28°, an optimal balance can be achieved between the smoothness of the inlet airflow and the sufficiency of airflow acceleration. =26.8° is the optimal value.

[0069] (iv) Overall lateral projection width H1 — a parameter that determines the coupling between the operation coverage width and the convergence ratio

[0070] H1 determines the overall outer envelope size of the air intake in the YZ plane, directly controlling the lateral coverage width of the air intake over the working area of ​​the sweeping brush. It is a key parameter affecting the lateral expansion of the pressure wave range. A larger H1 results in a wider lateral air intake coverage area, which is more conducive to forming a uniform negative pressure capture field across the entire working width of the sweeping brush. However, the value of H1 needs to be determined in relation to the inclination angle of the bottom wall plate. Coordination and cooperation: in the same Increasing H1 will correspondingly increase the outlet cross-sectional area of ​​the air intake. If the outlet cross-section is too large, the overall convergence ratio of the flow channel will decrease, the acceleration effect of the throat airflow will be weakened, and the maximum throat velocity will decrease. Conversely, while a small H1 is beneficial for maintaining a large convergence ratio and a high throat velocity, the lateral coverage width is insufficient, and particles stirred up near the edge of the cleaning brush may be outside the effective negative pressure capture range. Comparative studies have found that when H1 is taken within the preferred range of approximately 190mm to 200mm, and combined with a 26° to 28° [missing information - likely a specific angle or value], [missing information - likely a specific angle or value]. At this time, the optimal balance can be achieved between sufficient lateral coverage width and reasonable flow channel convergence ratio. Among them, H1=200mm is the optimal value.

[0071] (v) Inlet section width H3 — inlet air intake area and Coupled parameters

[0072] H3 is the width of the introduced segment in its horizontal projection, and These factors together determine the air intake cross-sectional area and pre-guiding space of the air inlet section. If H3 is too small (e.g., approximately 14mm), even... Even with a sufficiently large inlet and well-directed airflow, an insufficient effective inlet cross-sectional area will become a bottleneck for the entire flow channel's airflow. No matter how well-designed the downstream acceleration section is, the total airflow that can be handled is limited by the inlet, restricting the maximum velocity and pressure wave range at the throat. If H3 is too large (e.g., approximately 32mm), although the inlet area is ample, the excessive proportion of the inlet section in the total width H1 will correspondingly compress the space allocation of the concave arc in the middle section and / or the straight section at the rear, potentially affecting the structural integrity and flow guidance effect of the core acceleration section. Optimization of H3 requires... Tight coupling: when When the value is large (sufficient guidance), H3 can be appropriately moderated, because the airflow can efficiently utilize the limited inlet area under strong guidance; when When the value is small, a larger H3 is needed to provide a more ample intake area to compensate for the potential decrease in intake efficiency due to insufficient guidance. Through comparative studies, this embodiment found that when H3 is preferably within the range of approximately 23mm to 28mm and within the range of 45° to 52°... When used in combination, it achieves optimal coupling between effective intake area and inlet guiding effect. Where H3 = 26.91mm and... The combination with a value of 50.2° is optimal.

[0073] (vi) Extension section width H2—a control parameter for the length of the stable section

[0074] H2 is the width of the straight section at the rear end of the top wall panel in the transverse projection, which determines the length of the stable delivery section after the airflow completes the turning and acceleration of the concave arc section and before entering the transition box (52). After the airflow passes through the concave arc section, it is accelerated, but the velocity distribution (especially in the direction of the flow channel height) is still uneven, requiring a straight section with a basically unchanged cross-section to homogenize the velocity. When H2 is too small (for example, about 95 mm), the length of the stable section is insufficient, and the velocity distribution of the high-speed airflow after acceleration at the throat is not sufficiently homogenized before entering the transition box, resulting in a large velocity gradient at the outlet cross-section, which is not conducive to the uniform distribution of flow between the parallel branches of the subsequent manifold (53). When H2 is too large (for example, about 133 mm), although the stable section is sufficient and the flow field is uniform, it will increase the total outer dimension of the air inlet, which is not conducive to the compactness of the structure. In addition, the influence of H2 on aerodynamic performance is "dependent" - if the front-end parameters ( If the values ​​of parameters such as R1 are unreasonable, and severe eddies or separation already exist in the upstream flow field, then no matter how long H2 is, it cannot compensate for the problems in the upstream section. Therefore, the optimization of H2 requires consideration of the upstream parameters (especially R1 and R2). The reasonable value of H2 is a prerequisite. Through comparative research, this embodiment found that when H2 is taken in the preferred range of approximately 110mm to 125mm, a reasonable balance can be achieved between the speed uniformity effect and the structural compactness. Among them, H2=119.42mm is the optimal value.

[0075] (vii) Height of air intake from the ground —Control parameters for dust trajectory matching and edge detection

[0076] The vertical distance between the bottom edge of the tapered air inlet 51 and the horizontal road surface (i.e., the gap height along the Z-axis) determines the flow area at the bottom where external airflow is drawn in, and directly controls the effective suction intensity and suction time window of the negative pressure physical field for near-ground particles. Considering the high ground clearance requirements for highway operation at cruising speeds (60 km / h) and the large mass flow capture requirements, this embodiment specifies the ground clearance height... A systematic quantitative comparative test was conducted at 120 mm, 100 mm, 80 mm, and 60 mm. The test results show that when... When set to 100 mm, the overall dust collection rate of the vacuum cleaner is basically the same as that at 80 mm, both maintaining a very high capture level; however, when When the size is further increased to 120 mm, the overall absorption rate drops sharply compared to 100 mm.

[0077] The reason for this precipitous drop is that, in actual operation, the front cleaning brush (1) rotates at high speed against the corner of the road surface, giving the stationary garbage particles deposited at the corner of the road surface an initial velocity vector away from the ground. Discrete phase three-dimensional dynamic simulation and experimental quantification show that the highest point of the trajectory (i.e., the trajectory apex) of the particle group flying inward and upward under the combined action of the elastic peeling force of the brush and the inertia of the rise is about 100 mm above the road surface. The height of the tapered air inlet 51 above the ground is... Precisely set to 100 mm, this ensures that the strongest suction airflow at the bottom of the nozzle precisely envelops and receives the particles at the apex of their trajectory, where their upward kinetic energy is exhausted and gravity is about to dominate their settling. This perfectly utilizes the particles' initial upward kinetic energy, achieving a highly efficient coupling of pneumatic suction and mechanical separation. Conversely, if... With the height increased to 120 mm, the nozzle inlet height is too high, deviating from the physical maximum point of particle ejection. This causes a large number of particles to decelerate due to air resistance and settle under gravity before reaching the nozzle boundary, ultimately escaping the negative pressure capture zone.

[0078] This trajectory-matching effect is particularly pronounced under extreme conditions at the furthest lateral end of the suction inlet. Test data shows that at the furthest edge, 950 mm laterally from the center of the tapered suction inlet 51, the airflow momentum has drastically decreased due to the radial expansion of the three-dimensional flow field. At this location, the local waste absorption rate is only 12% at a height of 120 mm above the ground; while when... When optimized and fixed at 100 mm, relying on precise aerodynamic capture of the highest point of the particle's trajectory, the local absorption rate of the farthest edge region significantly increased to 43%. Comparative studies in this embodiment revealed that when... When the value is selected within the preferred range of approximately 75 mm to 85 mm, an optimal balance can be achieved between chassis handling safety (anti-bottom-out collision) and dynamic capture rate of high-speed airflow under complex and variable road conditions on highways. = 80 mm is the optimal value.

[0079] Based on the system analysis of the independent influence and coupling relationship of the above parameters, this embodiment determines the effective working range and optimal range of each key parameter of the tapered air intake 51, and selects the parameter combination with the best overall performance as the preferred embodiment of this embodiment, namely: H1=200mm, H2=119.42mm, H3=26.91mm. =26.8° =50.2°, R1=42.6mm, =80mm.

[0080] Among the seven design parameters mentioned above, R1 and α2 are the two core parameters with the highest influence. R1 directly determines the wall adhesion quality and vortex suppression capability of the airflow within the flow channel. It is the primary parameter for eliminating the low-speed backflow vortex zone of traditional suction nozzles at its source, and has the highest influence on the "maximum throat velocity." α2 directly determines the guiding quality and initial wall adhesion state of the inlet airflow. It is the primary parameter for ensuring the flow stability of the entire flow channel from the source, and has the highest influence on the "pressure wave range." When designing the suction port, priority should be given to ensuring that R1 and α2 fall within their respective preferred ranges (R1 is 38mm~55mm, α2 is 45°~52°), and then the specific values ​​of these two parameters should be considered before proceeding. H1, H2 and H3 are coordinated and matched.

[0081] Comparative Example 1

[0082] A side-suction garbage sweeper, the difference between this comparative example and Example 1 is that: a uniform-width air intake is used instead of the tapered air intake 51 in Example 1. The upper and lower walls of the uniform-width air intake are parallel inclined flat plates.

[0083] The following simulation analysis of the dust collection performance at the road edge is conducted for Example 1 and Comparative Example 1:

[0084] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, a comparative analysis of the aerodynamic performance of the air intake before and after optimization was conducted. It should be clarified that the "baseline model" in the figure refers to the equal-width air intake in Comparative Example 1; while the "optimized model" refers to the tapered air intake 51 proposed in Example 1, which employs a convergent streamline design. Under the same boundary conditions (operating speed 60 km / h, ground clearance 80 mm, axial fan inlet negative pressure -10000 Pa), the baseline model in the comparative example, due to abrupt changes in its internal cavity structure and the lack of a convergent streamline design, generated a large-scale and stable low-speed backflow vortex region near the upper wall. This vortex region occupied a significant proportion of the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the throat, resulting in a substantial decrease in the suction velocity of the core throat region. Simultaneously, the dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy within the vortex caused a large amount of negative pressure energy to be ineffectively consumed, severely limiting the pressure wave range.

[0085] In contrast, the optimized model in Example 1 (retractable air intake 51), through the introduction section (H3=26.91mm, =50.2°) imparts a sufficient normal velocity component to the inlet airflow, ensuring the airflow adheres tightly to the top wall plate from the inlet; a reasonable centripetal guiding force is applied to the airflow through the concave transition arc in the middle section (R1=42.6mm), allowing the airflow to continuously adhere to the wall and prevent boundary layer separation during the turning process, completely eliminating the low-speed backflow vortex phenomenon on the upper wall surface present in traditional suction nozzles; then through the bottom wall plate ( The continuous acceleration channel formed by the gentle convergence at 26.8° allows the airflow to reach its maximum velocity in the throat region, while simultaneously extending the negative pressure influence zone fully forward of the air intake.

[0086] The aforementioned qualitative improvement based on geometric parameter optimization, in Figure 5 The quantization velocity distribution curve provides conclusive data confirmation. Specifically, Figure 5 (a) shows the local transverse velocity profile extracted along the vertical sampling line at the central section of the air intake. In the baseline model, a severe velocity deficit (distinct troughs in the velocity curve) is observed near the upper wall, with the local velocity dropping sharply to approximately 16 m / s, which precisely corresponds to the core region of the aforementioned large-scale low-velocity recirculation vortex. In contrast, the optimized model completely compensates for this velocity deficit, resulting in a smooth and fully developed wall-attached velocity distribution, with its throat peak velocity jumping significantly to approximately 145 m / s, providing conclusive data evidence that boundary layer separation is effectively suppressed.

[0087] refer to Figure 7 This invention constructs a discrete-phase three-dimensional dynamic simulation model (DPM) for sweeping-suction synergy to quantitatively evaluate the suction nozzle's ability to capture gas-solid two-phase flow under high ground clearance conditions. To realistically simulate the spatial relative positions between the front-mounted sweeping device and the side-mounted suction system in a real vehicle physical architecture, this model introduces a crucial spatial span control: the particle injection array, representing the equivalent mechanical sweeping action, is positioned 2 m upstream of the inlet front edge of the tapered suction port 51 (i.e., along the X-axis in the vehicle's forward direction). This 2 m spatial span accurately simulates the actual physical distance between the rear edge of the sweeping brush 1 and the front inlet of the tapered suction port 51 under real vehicle operating conditions. By introducing this large-span longitudinal displacement, the true trajectory of the debris particles after being lifted by the brush, undergoing long-distance air resistance kinetic energy attenuation, and gravitational settling, before entering the rear side negative pressure field, can be realistically reproduced, thus providing rigorous physical boundary conditions for the "sweeping-suction synergy" mechanism.

[0088] In this simulation model, in order to accurately reproduce the mechanical energy transfer and dust emission effect of the sweeping brush (1) bristles on solid particles within the Euler-Lagrange framework under a high-speed driving scenario of 60 km / h, this invention adopts an innovative "sweeping brush equivalent emission strategy". Specifically, in order to systematically quantify and evaluate the effective capture range of the dust collection device in the lateral direction, this model discretizes the particle injection area in space in front of the tapered air inlet 51 as a linear array composed of 10 continuous local injection surfaces. The geometric dimensions of a single injection surface are 100 mm × 50 mm, and the total lateral width of the arrangement is exactly 1000 mm, thereby achieving seamless and non-physically overlapping particle emission coverage within a 1-meter wide test area in the simulation calculation.

[0089] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 As shown in the velocity vector decomposition diagram, to simulate the ballistic projectile dynamics of waste particles after being mechanically propelled, the particles released from the injection surface are not initialized from a static state, but are given an initial projectile velocity vector V of magnitude 3.5 m / s. This initial velocity is calibrated based on a typical inelastic collision model between gravity and the flexible bristles of a brush, combined with the typical rotational linear velocity of the brush edge (the theoretical linear velocity corresponding to a rotational speed of 150 RPM and an outer diameter of 0.8 m is approximately 6.3 m / s) and considering sliding friction losses (the momentum transfer efficiency coefficient is preferably taken as 0.55).

[0090] To perfectly match the combined inward and upward motion trajectory of particles during the rotating operation of the cleaning brush, the initial ejection velocity of 3.5 m / s was precisely decoupled and decomposed into two normal velocity components in the model injection settings: a liftoff velocity component along the vertical direction (Z-axis upward). = 2.5 m / s, and the propulsion velocity component along the longitudinal direction (forward and backward along the X-axis). = 2.4 m / s. By meticulously constructing these 10 sets of velocity vectors with composite initial kinetic energy, and combining them with the aforementioned 2 m longitudinal distance span of a real vehicle, this model can verify the optimal ground clearance parameter of 80 mm. The bottom layer of the tapered air intake 51 provides comprehensive capture efficiency for garbage particles exhibiting a kinetic energy decay trajectory.

[0091] refer to Figure 8 This invention uses the Rosin-Rammle R distribution model to simulate actual road surface waste particle groups. The particle size distribution range is set to 1 μm to 425 μm, with an average particle size of 160 μm, a distribution parameter of 1.478, and a particle density of 2500 kg / m³. 3Based on the above parameter configuration, the device's ability to capture road debris of different particle sizes can be systematically evaluated.

[0092] like Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 The image shows a three-dimensional motion trajectory distribution cloud map of waste particle groups of different sizes, tracked based on the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), within a 1.0-meter operating width in Example 1. The image extracts the motion trajectories of particle groups released from different discrete injection points (representative positions such as 150 mm, 350 mm, 550 mm, 750 mm, and 950 mm) along the transverse (Y-axis direction). All particle trajectories are color-mapped according to their equivalent physical particle size to intuitively and quantitatively reveal the particle size-selective capture and escape dynamics mechanism within the vacuum device.

[0093] from Figure 9 The trajectory distribution characteristics can be clearly observed, showing that the solid particle group exhibits a significant particle size sorting effect after entering the negative pressure capture physical field. As the equivalent particle size of the waste particles increases, their aerodynamic capture efficiency shows a clear gradient decreasing trend. The physical mechanism of this phenomenon lies in the difference in the force scale between the gravitational field and the aerodynamic negative pressure field when driving particle suspension: the vertical (Z-axis) gravity acting on the particles is proportional to the cube of their equivalent diameter, while the aerodynamic drag, which is the core suction driving force, is only proportional to the square of their diameter. Therefore, as the particle size increases, the critical suspension velocity required for steady-state aerodynamic transport increases significantly, causing the particle trajectory lines in the large-diameter range to be dominated by gravity and inertia, gradually deviating towards the ground.

[0094] Specifically, for small and medium-sized particles with an equivalent particle size of less than 150 μm, due to their small mass, they exhibit extremely high aerodynamic compliance and can move in strict accordance with the streamlines of the continuous phase airflow. Figure 9 Simulation results show that even in the far-out outer region where the flow field expands laterally and the negative pressure weakens (such as at the edge with a lateral distance of 950 mm), such small and medium-sized particles can still maintain 100% local complete capture. After entering the tapered suction inlet 51, these particles can be rapidly guided and accelerated by the highly organized central core rising airflow, smoothly and efficiently passing through the throat in the vertical direction, without any obvious inner wall collision interference.

[0095] In contrast, for coarse particles larger than 150 μm, their trajectories exhibit drastically different spatial attenuation characteristics on the lateral outer side. In the central near-field core region (Y-axis between 50 mm and 450 mm), thanks to the high-speed, vortex-free strong negative pressure field maintained by the optimized tapered suction inlet 51, particles of all sizes can successfully overcome their own gravity and longitudinal (X-axis) flight inertia, achieving complete capture. However, when the lateral projection distance crosses 550 mm and extends to the 950 mm edge transition zone, the trajectories of large-diameter particles show significant horizontal deviation and sinking due to the attenuation of radial suction kinetic energy. At the outermost 950 mm launch point, the particle size sorting effect of the flow field is most evident: the trajectories of coarse particles larger than 300 μm show significant gravitational settling, and the local capture rate decreases significantly.

[0096] Combination Figure 9 The microscopic trajectory evolution mechanism reveals that, due to insufficient upward kinetic energy, the larger particles at the far end violently collide with the inclined inner wall of the air intake during their journey, resulting in inelastic collisions and severe dissipation of upward kinetic energy. The particles, after rebounding from the collision, fall into the peripheral area with lower flow velocity. Here, the weak aerodynamic drag is insufficient to overcome the particles' own gravity, causing the large particles to settle under gravity and accelerate downwards, ultimately escaping unconstrained into the external environment. This process... Figure 9 The quantified trajectory escape characteristics demonstrate the technical necessity of setting the ground clearance of the tapered suction inlet 51 to 80 mm in Example 1: only by setting the gap to 80 mm can the particle be accurately caught at the highest point of its trajectory before its upward kinetic energy is exhausted, thereby maximizing the overall capture efficiency of the system within the 1000 mm effective lateral working width.

[0097] like Figure 10 As shown, in order to further quantify and evaluate the comprehensive capture capability of the suction system provided in Example 1 in the lateral working span, based on the analysis results of the discrete phase model (DPM), the overall aerodynamic capture rate (Trap efficiency) of the tapered air inlet 51 under different discrete injection positions within a 1000 mm lateral test width was extracted, and a line graph of the overall capture rate as a function of lateral projection distance was plotted.

[0098] Combination Figure 10The zigzag trend and underlying statistical data for each particle size range clearly delineate two key aerodynamic capture zones for the device. The first is the central near-field core zone (lateral distance from 50 mm to 450 mm). Within this zone, the device exhibits exceptional airflow envelopment and capture efficiency. Due to the high-speed, stable negative pressure field maintained by the tapered suction port 51, all debris particles ranging from 0 μm to 450 μm in size are completely guided by the strong upward airflow and overcome their own gravity and inertia, resulting in a consistently 100% overall capture rate. This quantitative data fully confirms that at the optimal ground clearance of 80 mm, the nozzle can accurately catch and absorb all particles raised directly below and in the near-field region.

[0099] Secondly, there is the edge expansion zone (lateral distance 550 mm to 950 mm). As the launch distance increases, the negative pressure airflow undergoes radial expansion and momentum decay in the lateral direction, and the overall capture rate begins to show a gradual downward trend. Within the 550 mm to 850 mm distance range, the overall capture rate of the system remains at a high level of 92.08% to 95.70%. In-depth analysis of the particle size distribution data in this range shows that fine particles with a large mass proportion of 0 μm to 150 μm can still maintain 100% local complete capture. The reduction in the overall capture rate only comes from the local escape of some coarse particles larger than 200 μm due to increased flight drag and gravitational settling.

[0100] When the lateral projection distance reaches 950 mm (approaching the boundary of a 1000 mm test width on one side), some coarse particles escape the negative pressure field, and the overall capture rate of the system drops to 80.87%. At this edge position, the particle size sorting effect of the flow field is particularly evident: small and medium-sized particles from 0 μm to 150 μm still maintain an absolute capture rate of 100%; however, for coarse particles larger than 150 μm, as the particle size increases, the dominant effect of gravitational torque becomes more pronounced, leading to a significant decrease in local capture rate (for example, it drops to 36.27% in the 200 μm to 250 μm range, and to below 10% in the range above 300 μm).

[0101] comprehensive Figure 10 Test data shows that the suction system provided in Example 1, on a 1000 mm wide single-sided working surface, not only achieves full-range, no-dead-angle interception of dust and fine particulate matter (0 μm to 150 μm), which are highly likely to cause secondary pollution, but also ensures efficient recovery of the vast majority of medium and coarse particles. The effective suction range and capture intensity of the system fully meet the actual needs of cleaning large-volume garbage in the median strip under highway conditions without road closures.

[0102] Test data shows that, based on the high-speed and stable airflow at the throat, this system possesses stable lateral capture performance. Within a range of 500mm from the air inlet, particles of various sizes with an initial kinetic energy of 3.5m / s can be guided by the negative pressure airflow and overcome their own gravity and inertia. The overall capture rate in this range reaches 100%, achieving comprehensive capture of particles within this range.

[0103] As the longitudinal throwing distance of the particles further increases, in the range of 500mm to 900mm, the kinetic energy of the particles decreases due to air resistance, and the overall capture rate of the system remains between 92% and 95.7%. At a longitudinal distance of 950mm, some particles with a diameter greater than 300μm escape from the negative pressure field due to gravity, but the overall capture rate of the system still reaches 80.87%. The above test results show that the suction structure provided in Example 1 can form a negative pressure field that effectively covers the working area of ​​the cleaning brush, thereby meeting the requirements for dust and particulate matter capture under high-speed conditions.

[0104] Example 2

[0105] A method for cleaning the edge of a highway, using the side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper provided in Example 1.

[0106] like Figure 11 As shown, the highway edge cleaning method includes the following operational stages:

[0107] I. Sweeping and Dust Control Stage:

[0108] (1) The vehicle travels along the edge of the highway: The main body of the sweeper 3 travels along the edge of the highway, for example, along the edge of the central divider;

[0109] (2) Adjusting the position of the sweeping brush with the robotic arm: The control system adjusts the robotic arm 2 and drives the sweeping brush 1 to extend into the area along the edge of the highway, the edge of the central divider, or below the guardrail.

[0110] (3) High-speed rotation of the sweeping brush: The sweeping brush 1 contacts the road surface and generates rotational motion under power drive;

[0111] (4) Road debris and particles are lifted: The particles and debris deposited on the road surface are lifted off the ground by the rotating action of the sweeping brush 1;

[0112] (5) Particles gain initial velocity: The particles and garbage that are lifted off the ground gain an initial velocity (e.g., 3.5 m / s) and move toward the converging air inlet 51.

[0113] II. Negative Pressure Capture Stage:

[0114] (1) Particles enter the negative pressure capture area: Particles and garbage with initial velocity enter the negative pressure physical field below the gradually narrowing air inlet 51 under the combined action of their inertia and negative pressure suction force;

[0115] (2) Accelerating airflow through the converging air inlet: External airflow and particulate matter enter the converging air inlet 51; the airflow is guided and accelerated by the converging streamline structure inside the converging air inlet 51, so as to reduce the airflow separation phenomenon in the flow channel and make the particulate matter move stably along the airflow direction.

[0116] III. Conveying and Separation Stage:

[0117] (1) Waste transported through manifold: The dust-laden airflow and waste enter the manifold 53 through the tapered air inlet 51 and are dispersed into the parallel pneumatic transport channel through the multi-branch pipe structure.

[0118] (2) Waste enters the waste separation bin: After the dust-laden airflow and waste flow through the manifold 53, they are discharged into the internal space of the waste separation bin 54;

[0119] (3) Large particles are intercepted by the filter screen: The airflow passes through the filter screen 56 set at the outlet of the garbage separation box 54. The solid garbage particles carried in the airflow are physically intercepted by the filter screen 56 and retained in the garbage separation box 54.

[0120] (4) Air enters the axial flow fan: After being separated by the filter screen 56, the air enters the air inlet of the axial flow fan 55 and is discharged through the axial flow fan 55, completing the garbage cleaning and gas-solid separation process.

[0121] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper, comprising a sweeper body (3), a sweeping mechanism, and a suction system (5); the sweeping mechanism includes a rotatable sweeping brush (1), characterized in that, The cleaning mechanism also includes a robotic arm (2) for adjusting the position of the cleaning brush (1); The robotic arm (2) is configured to adjust the lateral position of the sweeping brush (1) relative to the sweeper body (3) so that at least part of the sweeping range of the sweeping brush (1) extends beyond the side profile of the sweeper body (3) and covers the edge of the highway. The suction system (5) includes a side-mounted suction channel assembly, a garbage separation box (54), and an axial flow fan (55); the side-mounted suction channel assembly includes a tapered air inlet (51), a transition box (52), and a manifold (53); the transition box (52) is located on the side of the sweeper body (3) and extends along the length of the sweeper body (3); the tapered air inlet (51) is located on the side of the transition box (52) away from the sweeper body (3) and communicates with the inner cavity of the transition box (52); the transition box (52) and the garbage separation box (54) are connected through the manifold (53); The tapered air intake (51) includes a bottom wall plate and a top wall plate located above the bottom wall plate; the top wall plate includes an inlet section, an arc transition section and an internal extension section connected in sequence along the airflow inlet direction; along the direction that gradually approaches the sweeper body (3), the bottom wall plate gradually rises, the inlet section gradually decreases, and the internal extension section gradually rises; The axial flow fan (55) is configured to provide negative pressure to the interior of the waste separation box (54); During operation, the cleaning brush (1) and the tapered air inlet (51) work together to allow the garbage particles raised by the cleaning brush (1) to enter the negative pressure capture area of ​​the tapered air inlet (51).

2. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The key geometric parameters of the tapered air inlet (51) include the arc radius R1 of the arc transition section, the inclination angle α1 of the bottom wall plate, the inclination angle α2 of the inlet section, the overall transverse projection width H1, the extension section width H2, and the inlet section width H3. The key geometric parameters are determined in the following way: a parameterized model of the tapered air inlet (51) is established with the optimization objectives of eliminating internal low-speed eddies, increasing throat velocity, and expanding the negative pressure wave range. The velocity field, pressure field, mass flow rate, and particle capture rate under different combinations of key geometric parameters are compared, and the combination of key geometric parameters is determined based on the comparison results.

3. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 2, characterized in that, The key geometric parameters of the tapered air inlet (51) also include the air inlet height V1 above the ground; the air inlet height V1 above the ground is set according to the height of the garbage particles raised by the cleaning brush (1), so that the garbage particles can enter the range of the tapered air inlet (51) and approach the lower edge of the tapered air inlet (51).

4. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air intake is 75mm to 85mm above the ground.

5. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 2, characterized in that, The radius R1 of the arc transition section is 38mm to 55mm, and the inclination angle α2 of the introduction section is 45° to 52°.

6. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 2 or 5, characterized in that, The bottom wall plate has an inclination angle α1 of 26° to 28°; the overall lateral projection width H1 is 190mm to 200mm; the extension section width H2 is 110mm to 125mm; and the introduction section width H3 is 23mm to 28mm.

7. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm (2) is configured to adjust the spatial tilt angle of the sweeping brush (1) relative to the road surface so that the sweeping range of the sweeping brush (1) covers the inner corner area between the ground and the vertical plane of the highway edge and / or the area below the guardrail.

8. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 7, characterized in that, The robotic arm (2) includes a connecting bracket, a first adjusting arm, a second adjusting arm, a tilt adjustment seat, a first motor, a second motor, and a tilt adjustment motor; the connecting bracket is fixed to the front end of the sweeper body (3); The first adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the connecting bracket about a vertical axis, and the first motor is used to drive the first adjusting arm to swing. The second adjusting arm is rotatably connected to the outer end of the first adjusting arm about a vertical axis, and the second motor is used to drive the second adjusting arm to swing. The tilt adjustment seat is rotatably connected to the outer end of the second adjusting arm about a horizontal axis, and the tilt adjustment motor is used to drive the tilt adjustment seat to rotate so as to adjust the tilt angle of the sweeping brush (1) relative to the road surface. The sweeping brush (1) is mounted on the tilt adjustment seat.

9. The side-suction highway edge garbage sweeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The manifold (53) includes multiple bent pipe branches arranged at intervals along the length direction of the tapered air inlet (51); the multiple bent pipe branches are connected in parallel between the waste separation box (54) and the transition box (52) to distribute the dust-laden airflow entering along the length direction of the tapered air inlet (51) to multiple pneumatic conveying channels; a filter screen (56) is provided between the waste separation box (54) and the axial flow fan (55).

10. A method for cleaning the edges of a highway, characterized in that, Using the side-suction highway edge sweeper according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the highway edge sweeping method includes: Control the main body of the sweeper (3) to drive along the edge of the highway; The sweeping brush (1) is adjusted by the robotic arm (2) to the lateral position of the sweeper body (3) so that at least part of the sweeping range of the sweeping brush (1) extends beyond the side profile of the sweeper body (3) and covers the edge of the highway. Drive the cleaning brush (1) to rotate, so that the garbage particles at the edge of the highway are lifted off the ground and move toward the negative pressure capture area of ​​the tapered air inlet (51); The axial flow fan (55) provides negative pressure to the inner cavity of the waste separation box (54), so that negative pressure airflow is formed in the waste separation box (54), manifold (53), transition box (52) and tapered air inlet (51); The raised garbage particles are carried by the dust-laden airflow into the tapered air inlet (51), and then through the transition box (52) and manifold (53) into the garbage separation box (54).

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