Dynamic Bladder Tank Assembly for Clean and Dirty Water Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard fluid tanks for surface cleaning systems require cleaning between switching from clean to dirty water, limiting their ability to store both simultaneously and efficiently manage water usage and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A holding tank with an internal dynamic bladder that separates clean and contaminated fluids, allowing for simultaneous storage and use without intermixing, utilizing a pump to increase pressure and a vacuum system to return contaminants for filtration and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard fluid tank is used to store water, then the tank can contain water for cleaning operations, but the tank cannot simultaneously store both clean and contaminated water without requiring cleaning between uses
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is divided into separate compartments using flexible bladders. The first bladder stores clean water while the second bladder stores contaminated water, allowing simultaneous storage of both fluids without mixing. This segmentation eliminates the need to clean the entire tank when switching between storing clean and contaminated water.
Solution Approach 2:
Flexible bladders are nested within the tank structure, with each bladder containing specific fluids. The bladders can be positioned inside the tank volume, effectively creating nested storage spaces where clean and contaminated water are separated within the same external tank boundaries.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a standard fluid tank is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the tank cannot dynamically separate and manage different fluid capacities
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible bladders made of elastic materials are used to create dynamic separation within the tank. These thin-film structures can expand and contract based on fluid volume requirements, allowing adaptive capacity management for clean and contaminated water storage without rigid internal partitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder system provides dynamic adaptability where the volume allocation between clean and contaminated water storage can be adjusted during operation. The flexible bladders respond to pressure changes and volume requirements, enabling real-time capacity management rather than fixed compartmentalization.
3Productivity
If clean water is continuously used for high pressure cleaning, then effective cleaning is maintained, but water consumption increases and contaminants enter storm drains
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discharging contaminated water into storm drains, the system captures and stores contaminated water in the second bladder. This recovered water can be retained for potential reuse after treatment or for non-critical cleaning applications, reducing overall water consumption and environmental discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum system creates negative pressure that actively draws contaminated water from the cleaning area back into the tank's second bladder. This feedback mechanism ensures continuous capture of contaminated water, preventing it from entering storm drains and maintaining high productivity by keeping the cleaning area dry.
4Loss of substance
If a vacuum system is added to recover contaminated water, then water reuse is improved, but system complexity and initial contamination risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
A filter acts as an intermediary component between the vacuum system and the water storage bladder. The filter captures contaminants from the contaminated water before it enters the second bladder, preventing initial contamination of the stored water while allowing the vacuum system to efficiently recover and store water for potential reuse.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Minimizes water usage and prevents contaminants from entering storm drains, enabling efficient and environmentally friendly surface cleaning by maintaining clean water quality and reusing treated fluid.
Implementation Method 1
increasing the pressure of the fluid with a pump
Implementation Method 2
vacuuming the blasted fluid into the system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates generally to an environmentally sensitive mobile cleaning system; and more specifically relates to a holding tank that includes at least one internal bladder for high or ultra-high pressure mobile cleaning apparatus. The holding tank with internal bladder works in combination with a mobile pressure cleaning apparatus for cleaning surfaces while minimizing water usage and containing contaminants before they enter a storm water drain system.