Equipment and method for cleaning large concrete, stone, brick and similar surfaces, in particular railway and road tunnel walls

Abstract

Equipment (1) and method for cleaning surfaces (2) such as building façades or railway or road tunnel walls (3), wherein a plurality of focusing optical heads (8) connected by means of optical fiber (10) to a laser generator (11) strike a surface (2) to be cleaned with high-frequency laser photon beams (12), so as to detach and render inert through geosynthesis from the surface to be cleaned respective dusts (5) deposited on it in an adhesive manner; and wherein, simultaneously, a suction device (16) provided with a hopper (19) arranged in a position immediately adjacent to said focusing optical heads ((88)) sucks in and collects inerted dusts (50) detached from the surface (2) to be cleaned; a LIDAR scanning device (13) being used beforehand to determine the shape of the surface ((22)) to be cleaned and to maintain the focusing optical heads (8) at a constant distance (d) from it.

Description

[0001] "EQUIPMENT AND METHOD FOR CLEANING LARGE CONCRETE , STONE , BRICK AND SIMILAR SURFACES , IN PARTICULAR RAILWAY AND ROAD TUNNEL WALLS"

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No . 102023000006066 filed on March 29 , 2023 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

[0004] Technical Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to an equipment or system and to an associated method for ef ficiently and rapidly performing the cleaning of large concrete, stone , brick and similar surfaces , in particular railway and road tunnel walls .

[0006] Prior Art

[0007] As is known, the continual passage of means of transport inside tunnels , whether they are railway, motorway or metropolitan railway tunnels , causes a continual release of fine dusts and heavy metal oxides , which can create maj or problems for the airways of operators and passengers . These dusts tend to adhere to the walls of the tunnels , but then can subsequently be released, in unpredictable ways and times .

[0008] Currently, the only known technology for at least reducing the release of fine dusts from tunnel walls consists of a device or system of mechanical brushing of the tunnels , with subsequent washing of them with pressuri zed water j ets , possibly containing solvents or other additives . This system is adopted mainly for railway tunnels , where it can be implemented through the use of a dedicated rail convoy, also due to the considerable dimensions of the system itsel f .

[0009] The practical result of this technology is fairly unsatis factory, since the fine dusts are not definitely removed in the necessary quantity by brushing and not even by subsequent washing with water, which, among other things , is then dispersed with the solvents or other processing residues into the surrounding ground, creating further and entirely undesired pollution .

[0010] More generally, it is also often necessary to clean the faqades of buildings begrimed by smog and, more generally, for the cleaning of cement , stone , brick or similar surfaces , it is known mainly to use medium-pressure water j ets , with or without detergents , or, alternatively, with sand or dry ice added . All these cleaning methods require the use of raw materials that produce residues that are polluting to a greater or lesser extent , hard to recover and therefore , in this case as well , dispersed into the environment most of the time .

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] The obj ect of the present invention is to provide an equipment for cleaning large concrete , stone , brick and similar surfaces , such as building faqades , and, in particular, railway and road tunnel walls , as well as an associated method, which do not have the problems of the prior art .

[0013] In particular, an obj ect of the invention is to provide an equipment for cleaning large surfaces , as defined above, and, in particular, for cleaning road or railway tunnel walls , without producing secondary pollution and that is easy and rapid to use and with relatively limited dimensions , in order also to be mountable on any movable vehicle . Another obj ect of the invention is to provide an associated cleaning method that is highly ef fective and relatively rapid and easy to perform .

[0014] Based on the invention, therefore , an equipment is provided for cleaning large concrete , stone , brick and similar surfaces , such as building faqades , and, above all , railway and road tunnel walls , as well as an associated cleaning method, having the characteristics stated in the appended claims .

[0015] The solution at the basis of the above technical problems , and on which the present invention is based, is the use of a movable roboti zed system provided with optical fiber laser technology using high- frequency pulsed laser as the source of generation of the electromagnetic radiation ( light ) necessary, so that the equipment and the cleaning method of the invention do not require the use of raw materials , such as detergents or solvents , nor water, thanks to the fact that the laser beams used cause the fine dust particles present on the surfaces treated to "explode" , rendering them inert by means of a geosynthesis process , said particles then being removed after detachment , through simple suction .

[0016] The invention therefore comprises a movable system for the cleaning of medium and large cement , stone , brick and similar surfaces , through the use of pul sed laser . The system can be mounted on road vehicles , railway vehicles , bimodal road / rail vehicles or rested on road or railway surfaces .

[0017] Therefore , operating with the equipment and the associated method according to the invention implies that chemical , acoustic or atmospheric pollution no longer exists , so the technology according to the invention can be included in the category of green technologies .

[0018] A high economic benefit is also obtained with respect to the cleaning systems of the prior art , accompanied by a more ef ficient cleaning .

[0019] Brief description of the drawings

[0020] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings , which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof , wherein :

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic frontal rear view of an equipment for cleaning according to the invention, during its use to clean the walls of a road tunnel ;

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic view, on an enlarged scale , of part of the cleaning equipment of Figure 1 in a basic configuration according to the invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic view of the main components of the cleaning equipment of Figure 1 ;

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic view, on an enlarged scale , of several components of the cleaning equipment of Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic view, on an even more enlarged scale , of the main components of the cleaning equipment of Figure 1 in a usage configuration;

[0026] Figure 6 is a schematic view, on an even more enlarged scale , of part of the cleaning equipment according to the invention, during the main steps of the cleaning method according to the invention;

[0027] Figure 7 is a schematic foreword front view of the cleaning equipment of Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 8 is a detailed schematic view of a component of the cleaning equipment of the invention; and

[0029] Figure 9 is a block diagram (with illustrative wording) representing the architecture of the cleaning equipment of the invention and the main steps of the cleaning method of the invention .

[0030] Detailed Description

[0031] With reference to Figures 1 to 8 , the number 1 denotes , in its entirety, an equipment for cleaning large concrete , stone , brick and similar surfaces , such as building faqades , or, in the nonlimiting but preferred embodiment of the invention, walls 2 of railway or road tunnels 3 .

[0032] These surfaces 2 are begrimed by the passage of vehicles and by smog with polluting dusts 5 , shown in a purely pictorial way and not to scale in Figure 6 .

[0033] The polluting dusts 5 , formed primarily of the so-called fine dusts , deposit in an adhesive way on the surfaces 2 , from which they may then be partially released in an unpredictable manner, for example by the air displacement caused by the passage of vehicles in the tunnel 3 , and be breathed in by users and / or operators , for example maintenance operators .

[0034] The equipment 1 , like cleaning equipment of the known type , comprises a cleaning device 4 configured to interact with the surface 2 to be cleaned and a device 6 for supporting and moving the cleaning device 4 configured to move the cleaning device 4 in front of said surface 2 to be cleaned, facing said surface .

[0035] Contrary to the known cleaning equipment , in which the cleaning device comprises a rotating brush and / or a noz zle for emission of a washing liquid (water and detergents or solvents ) , in the cleaning equipment 1 according to the invention the cleaning device 4 comprises a plurality o f focusing optical heads 8 or galvo-scanners , known in themselves ( Figures 2 , 5 and 6 ) , which are connected via optical fiber 10 to at least one laser power generator 11 , so as to emit , each, a pulsing high- frequency photon laser beam 12 .

[0036] Furthermore , according to the invention, the cleaning equipment 1 comprises , in combination with the optical heads or galvo- scanners 8 and with the at least one laser power generator 11 powering them, a scanning device 13 of the surface 2 to be cleaned, which i s interfaced with said supporting and moving device 6 through an electronic control unit 14 ( Figures 3 and 9 ) , for example comprising even only a PLC, configured to determine the conformation of the surface 2 to be cleaned and the distance present in use between the latter and the cleaning device 4 .

[0037] Again according to an aspect of the invention, the equipment 1 also comprises , again in combination with what has already been described, a suction device 16 ( see , in particular, Figures 3 and 8 ) comprising, in turn, a hydraulic vacuum generator 18 , a hopper 19 presenting a suction port 20 arranged in a position immediately adj acent to the focusing optical heads 8 , a suction pipe 22 hydraulically connected ( in an obvious way for people skilled in the art and therefore not described in detail for simplicity) with the hydraulic vacuum generator 18 and with the hopper 19 , on the side opposite to the suction port 20 of the hopper, and at least one container 23 sealed fluid-tight and hydraulically connected with the suction pipe 22 .

[0038] The hydraulic vacuum generator 18 preferably comprises a soundproofed cartridge motor fan, known in itsel f , equipped with a basket 24 for collecting what is sucked in, protective filters 25 , and a compressed air reservoir assembly with solenoid valves 25b ( known and not shown for simplicity) for automatic cleaning of the filters 25 .

[0039] Furthermore , according to the invention, the electronic control unit 14 is configured to maintain in real time , in use , each focusing optical head 8 at a constant and predetermined distance "d" from the surface to be cleaned 2 .

[0040] According to a highly preferred configuration, especially when the surface 2 to be cleaned is a tunnel wall 3 , the laser focusing optical heads 8 are arranged side by side and parallel to each other, aligned side by side along a predetermined direction P ( Figure 5 ) to form a linear comb-like laser battery or array 26 . For example , the number of focusing optical heads 8 may be equal to ten . In combination, the hopper 19 is configured so that the suction port 20 is arranged longitudinal ly below ( i . e . underneath) all the focusing optical heads 8 , to cover an entire longitudinal extent of the laser battery 26 along said predetermined direction P .

[0041] According to a non-secondary aspect of the invention, the focusing optical heads 8 are each mounted on a motori zed slide 27 ( Figures 5 and 6 ) movable perpendicularly to the predetermined direction P of longitudinal extension of the laser battery or array 26 .

[0042] Each motori zed sl ide 27 is control led by the electronic control unit 14 , as will be seen, so as to arrange and maintain in real time each focusing optical head 8 at the predetermined distance "d" from the surface 2 to be cleaned, even when the surface 2 to be cleaned has an irregular shape .

[0043] For this purpose ( Figure 6 ) , each focusing optical head 8 is equipped with a laser rangefinder 28 communicating with the electronic control unit 14 , which is configured to process ( Figure 9 ) input data 29 received from each laser rangefinder 28 on the basis of a mapping of the surface 2 to be cleaned, processed according to an input 30 received from the scanning device 13 .

[0044] According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the supporting and moving device 6 comprises a robotic arm 31 of the known type , having at least five , preferably six plus one, numerically controlled axes . The robotic arm 31 is carried by a base 32 , preferably rotating, and provided with a head 33 , preferably carried by a wrist 34 rotating around an axis A ( Figure 6 ) perpendicular to the predetermined direction P .

[0045] A steel container 35 is constrained to the head 33 of the robotic arm 31 , for example comprising a parallelepiped box open at the front , i . e . on the part opposite to the robotic arm 31 , having longitudinal extension and arranged substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. The container 35 , shown in Figures 3 and 5 ( transparent in the latter figure ) and, in part , in Figure 2 , houses inside it the laser battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 and supports the hopper 19 underneath the laser battery 26 .

[0046] According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the scanning device 13 consists of a rotating head 3D laser scanner or LIDAR, preferably of the type with triangulation by cameras , known in its entirety and therefore not described in detail for simplicity, which is shown only schematically in the figures of the appended drawings as a simple block . As known, LIDAR ( Ligh t Detecti on and Ranging) functions in a similar manner to a radar, but uses laser technology to measure the distances and the depth .

[0047] The detection angle of the scanning device 13 may be reduced to the sole portion of the surface 2 to be cleaned or perform a complete scanning, which, in the case of cleaning of tunnels 3 , is 270 ° .

[0048] The scanning device 13 is watertight with rating IP65 and can be mechanically protected with a removable protection during measurement inactivity .

[0049] In any case , the scanning device 13 is chosen provided with a motor and precision mechanics , which performs rotation of a laser beam 36 ( Figures 1 and 7 ) by moving it like a pen for fan scanning ( as schematically shown in Figures 1 and 7 ) of the entire surface 2 , particularly in the case of a tunnel 3 and therefore curvilinear . By means of speci fic software , it also synchroni zes the measurements with the ef fective position in which the equipment 1 is located, at any time , as will be seen . This allows precision recreation of a cloud of points that represent , in shape , position and depth, the precise morphology of the surface 2 to be cleaned, or rather a broad portion or "slice" thereof , along the direction P, for the length of the laser array 26 . The cloud of points is analyzed and the profile of the surface 2 to be treated is detected, also recogni zing any obstacles 37 ( Figure 1 ) present . An operator in control of the equipment 1 can intervene for any restrictions of speci fic parts , such as the obstacle 37 , for example .

[0050] This information is used to produce the data 30 and the control unit 14 consequently processes the movement traj ectories for the robotic arm 31 , creating a processing program for each section of tunnel 3 as deep as the longitudinal extension of the laser array 26 . Each laser focusing optical head 8 may be activated / deactivated during motion of the robotic arm 31 to prevent cleaning of defined areas .

[0051] The applicant has performed trials to test the ef ficacy of the equipment 1 , using a robot 31 of the Kawasaki BX200X type , on which an extension equipped with the steel container 35 was installed . The hopper ( or final suction terminal ) 19 of the suction device 16 was installed inside said container 35 .

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 and 7 , the cleaning equipment 1 is speci fically configured for cleaning walls 2 of railway and road tunnels 3 .

[0053] The equipment 1 , in this case , also comprises a flatbed 37 ( Figure 3 ) configured to be moved in use inside a railway or road tunnel 3 parallel to a direction of longitudinal development of the tunnel 3 , perpendicular to the plane of the sheet in Figures 1 and 7 .

[0054] The flatbed 37 integrally supports , for moving them therewith, along said direction of longitudinal development of the tunnel , the cleaning device 4 , the supporting and handling device 5 for the same , the scanning device 13 and the suction device 16 ; in this case , the scanning device 13 is arranged upstream of the supporting and handling device 6 , with reference to said direction of longitudinal development of the tunnel 3 , so that at least one " slice" of the surface 2 to be cleaned of the tunnel 3 is scanned by the LIDAR device 13 before being reached by the robotic arm 31 and "processed" by the laser battery or array 26 .

[0055] The flatbed 37 is mounted on a road or rail vehicle 38 with autonomous movement , such as a truck 38 , as shown in the figures , or a rail road cart or carriage .

[0056] Here and below, "autonomous movement" means that the vehicle 38 is not constrained to a fixed structure (with the exception of the rails in the case of a railway application) , but can move freely . In any case , it is possible to use a vehicle 38 with autonomous driving, i . e . driverless , particularly i f the precise layout of the tunnel 3 , which can be stored in the control unit 14 , is known .

[0057] Each focusing optical head 8 must be capable of emitting, according to the invention, a pulsing photon beam at a high frequency, where , here and below, "high frequency" means a frequency of the order of thousands or tens of thousands of Hertz .

[0058] For this purpose , each laser focusing optical head 8 is provided ( Figure 6 ) with at least one vibrating lens and / or mirror 40 , configured to generate a photon beam 12 pulsing at a frequency of the order of tens of thousands of Hertz , preferably about 50 , 000 Hertz .

[0059] Furthermore , according to an aspect of the invention, the laser generator 11 must have suf ficient power to supply each laser focusing optical head 8 with a minimum power of 50 watts and, preferably, a power up to 2 , 000 watts .

[0060] The laser generator 11 , of the known type and only shown schematically and from the outside in the figures , is provided with a cooling device , for example an external chill er si zed according to the power of the laser generator 11 .

[0061] Preferably, the focusing optical heads 8 are also refrigerated, for example insofar as positioned in a speci fic container, such as the container 35 , refrigerated by means of a "pire" conditioning unit carried on board the flatbed 37 .

[0062] Thanks to the structure described, the entire system comprising the cleaning equipment 1 is designed to maintain the broadest profile of environmental sustainability . In addition to the absence of use of cleaning materials (water or detergents ) , used in the known cleaning equipment , the entire equipment 1 can be powered electrically by means of battery packs with inverters , housed in a watertight and refrigerated container 41 ( Figure 3 ) , even positioned on the flatbed 37 .

[0063] Based on what is described, it is also clear that the invention extends to a method for cleaning large concrete , stone , brick and similar surfaces 2 , such as building faqades or railway and road tunnel walls 3 , from dusts 5 deposited in an adhesive manner on them .

[0064] The method according to the invention comprises the following steps .

[0065] A first step consists of scanning a surface 2 to be cleaned by means of a LIDAR with 3D triangulation with cameras , indicated in its entirety with the number 13 , and providing an electronic control unit , such as 14 , with a mapping, complete or by successive portions , of the surface 2 to be cleaned .

[0066] A second step, to be performed in immediate succession with ( i . e . after ) the first step, consists of striking the surface 2 to be cleaned with a plurality of pulsing high- frequency laser photon beams 12 , of the order of thousands or tens of thousands of Hertz , generated by a battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 fed via optical fiber 10 by at least one laser generator 11 , maintaining in real time each focusing optical head 8 at a constant and predetermined distance "d" from the surface to be cleaned .

[0067] During said second step, the power of the laser generator 11 is chosen so that the laser photon beams 12 carry out a geosynthesis process on the adhesively deposited dusts 5 , producing their chemical inerting and detachment from the surface 2 to be cleaned, in order to obtain a plurality of substantially inert dusts 50 ( Figure 6 ) proj ected by the "explosion" produced by the laser beams 12 in the layer of adhesive dirt formed by the dusts 5.

[0068] During a third step, which is performed simultaneously ( i . e . together ) with performance of the second step, an air suction process is performed in the immediate vicinity of the battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 , so as to suck in and remove the dusts 50 detached from the surface 2 to be cleaned and inerted by the action of the pulsing high- frequency photon laser beams 12 , collecting said inerted dusts 50 in a fluid- tight sealed tank 23 , preferably equipped with removable collection cartridges comprising the collection basket 24 .

[0069] According to said method, furthermore , the following steps are also performed :

[0070] - mounting the LIDAR 13 with 3D camera triangulation, the battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 , the laser generator 11 , the robotic arm 31 supporting the battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 , and the suction device 16 equipped with a suction hopper 19 carried by the robotic arm 31 in the immediate vicinity of the battery or array 26 of focusing optical heads 8 , on a flatbed 37 of a vehicle ( 38 ) ; and

[0071] - moving the vehicle parallel to the surface to be cleaned along a predetermined direction, taking care to place the LIDAR 13 on the flatbed 37 upstream of the robotic arm 31 with respect to the direction of advancement of the vehicle 38 in a parallel predetermined direction to the longitudinal development of the tunnel 3 .

[0072] The advantages of the invention are clear from what is described .

[0073] Laser cleaning, by means of high- frequency pulse laser, can be used to clean various surfaces , al lowing separation of the dirt from the surface by means of a process of gasi fication, combustion, stripping and similar, so as to allow its cleaning, also producing residual free particles that are substantially inert from a chemical viewpoint . Any gases / vapors produced by the process are themselves suctioned by the suction device 16 and can be treated, when present , inside the tank 23 in a known manner .

[0074] What is definitively obtained, in a relatively simple and relatively rapid manner, is precise cleaning of the surface 2 to be cleaned without the use of cleaning materials (water or detergents ) and without causing secondary pollution of the environment surrounding the location of the cleaning operations .

[0075] It is estimated that such a result is obtained by advancing the vehicle 38 along a tunnel 3 at a speed of around 500 m / h, moving the laser array 26 in a manner to cover 270 ° in around 10 seconds , using a laser array 26 capable of covering around 1 . 5 m in length of the tunnel 3 at a time, which allows cleaning of around 2,500 m2 / h of surface 2.

[0076] All the objects of the invention are therefore achieved.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Equipment (1) for cleaning large concrete, stone, brick and similar surfaces, e.g., building faqades or railway or road tunnel walls (3) , comprising a cleaning device (4) configured to interact with a surface (2) to be cleaned and a device (6) for supporting and moving the cleaning device (4) configured to move the cleaning device in front of said surface (2) to be cleaned; characterized in that the cleaning device (4) comprises a plurality of focusing optical heads (8) , which are connected via optical fiber (10) to at least a laser generator (11) so as to emit a pulsing photon beam (12) at a high frequency; and in that, in combination, the cleaning equipment further comprises: i)- a scanning device (13) of the surface (2) to be cleaned interfaced with said supporting and moving device (6) through an electronic control unit (14) configured to determine the conformation of the surface (2) to be cleaned and the distance present in use between the latter and the cleaning device; ii)- a suction device (16) comprising a hydraulic vacuum generator (18) , a hopper (19) presenting a suction port (20) arranged in a position immediately adjacent to said focusing optical heads (8) , a suction pipe (22) hydraulically connected with the hopper (19) , on the side opposite to the suction port (20) of the hopper, and with the hydraulic vacuum generator (18) , and at least one container (23) sealed fluid-tight and hydraulically connected with the suction pipe (22) ; iii)- said electronic control unit (14) being configured to maintain in real time each focusing optical head (8) at a predetermined and constant distance (d) from the surface to be cleaned .

2. Cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that said focusing optical heads (8) are arranged side by side and parallel to each other, aligned side by side along a predetermined direction (P) to form a linear comb-like laserbattery or array (26) , said hopper (19) being configured so that said suction port (20) is arranged longitudinally below all said focusing optical heads (8) , to cover an entire longitudinal extent of said laser battery (26) along said predetermined direction (P) .

3. Cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that said focusing optical heads (8) are each mounted on a motorized slide (27) movable perpendicularly to said predetermined direction (P) of longitudinal extension of the laser battery or array (26) ; each motorized slide (27) being controlled by said electronic control unit (14) so as to arrange and maintain in real time each focusing optical head (8) at said predetermined distance (d) from the surface (2) to be cleaned.

4. Cleaning equipment according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that each focusing optical head (8) is equipped with a laser rangefinder (28) communicating with said electronic control unit (14) , which is configured to process input data (29) received from each laser rangefinder (28) on the basis of a mapping of the surface to be cleaned processed according to an input (30) received from the scanning device (13) .

5. Cleaning Equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said supporting and moving device (6) comprises a robotic arm (31) having at least five, preferably six plus one, numerically controlled axes, carried by a base(32) , preferably rotating, and provided with a head (33) , preferably carried by a wrist (34) rotating about an axis (A) perpendicular to said predetermined direction (P) ; to said head(33) of the robotic arm being constrained a container (35) having longitudinal development and arranged substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation (A) , housing within it the laser battery (26) of focusing optical heads (8) and supporting below the laser battery said hopper (19) .

6. Cleaning equipment according to one of the previous claims, characterized by the fact that said scanning device (13) consists of a rotating head 3D laser scanner or LIDAR, preferably of the type with triangulation by cameras.

7. Cleaning equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, specifically configured for cleaning railway and road tunnel walls, characterized in that it further comprises a flatbed (37) configured to be moved in use within a railway or road tunnel (3) parallel to a longitudinal development direction of the tunnel; said flatbed (37) integrally supporting, for moving them therewith along said direction of longitudinal development of the tunnel, said cleaning device (4) , the supporting and handling device (6) for the same, the scanning device (13) and the suction device (16) ; the scanning device (13) being arranged upstream of the supporting and handling device (6) with reference to said direction of longitudinal development of the tunnel.

8. Cleaning equipment according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that said flatbed (37) is mounted on a road or rail vehicle (38) with autonomous movement, such as a truck or a railroad cart or carriage.

9. Cleaning equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each said focusing optical head (8) is provided with at least one vibrating lens and / or mirror (40) configured to generate a photon beam (12) pulsing at a frequency of the order of tens of thousands of Hertz, preferably about 50,000 Hertz; said at least one laser generator (11) having sufficient power to supply each laser focusing optical head (8) with a power between 50 watts and 2,000 watts and being provided with a cooling device.

10. Cleaning equipment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said vacuum device (16) comprises a soundproofed cartridge motor fan (18) equipped with a basket (24) for collecting what is sucked in, protective filters (25) , and a compressed air reservoir assembly (25b) with solenoid valves for automatic filter cleaning.

11. Method for carrying out the cleaning of large concrete, stone, brick and similar surfaces, such as building facades or walls of rail or road tunnels (3) , from dust (5) deposited in an adhesive manner on them, characterized by comprising the following steps: a) scan a surface (2) to be cleaned using a LIDAR (13) with 3D camera triangulation, and provide an electronic control unit (14) with a mapping, complete or by successive portions, of said surface to be cleaned; b) subsequent to step a) striking the surface (2) to be cleaned with a plurality of laser photon beams (12) at a high-frequency of the order of thousands or tens of thousands of Hertz, generated by a battery or array (26) of focusing optical heads (8) fed via optical fiber (10) by at least one laser generator(11) , maintaining in real time each focusing optical head (8) at a constant and predetermined distance (d) from the surface to be cleaned; the power of the laser generator (11) being chosen so that the laser photon beams (12) carry out a geosynthesis process on said adhesively deposited dusts (5) , producing their inerting and detachment from the surface to be cleaned; c) simultaneously with the execution of step b) perform an air suction process in the immediate vicinity of the battery or array (26) of focusing optical heads, so as to suck in and remove dust (50) detached from the surface (2) to be cleaned and inerted by the action of the pulsing high-frequency photon laser beams(12) , collecting said inerted dust (50) in a fluid-tight sealed tank (23) , preferably equipped with removable collection cartridges (24) .

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized by additionally comprising the steps of: mounting the LIDAR (13) with 3D camera triangulation, said battery or array (26) of focusing optical heads (8) with said at least one laser generator (11) , a robotic arm (31) supporting the battery or array of focusing optical heads, and a suction device (16) equipped with a suction hopper (19) carried by the robotic arm (31) in the immediate vicinity of said battery or array of focusing optical heads, on a flatbed (37) of a vehicle (38) ; and- move the vehicle (38) parallel to the surface (2) to be cleaned along a predetermined direction, taking care to place the LIDAR (13) on said flatbed (37) upstream of the robotic arm (31) with respect to said predetermined direction.

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