Recovery Tank Airpath Layout for Wet Cleaner Liquid Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface cleaners face challenges in effectively separating air and liquid within the recovery tank, leading to inefficient liquid collection and potential liquid leakage during the cleaning process.
Innovation Solution
The surface cleaner incorporates a recovery tank with a removably connected cover and an outlet duct configuration that forces air to travel along an indirect path, preventing liquid from entering the outlet duct, and includes features like ribs and baffle walls to manage debris and turbulence, ensuring effective separation and collection of dirt water and debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional recovery tank design is used, then the structure is simple, but air and liquid separation is ineffective leading to liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The recovery tank is divided into distinct functional zones: a liquid collection chamber at the bottom, a foam separation chamber in the middle with baffle walls, and an air outlet chamber at the top. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function, improving air-liquid separation effectiveness while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Baffle walls are introduced to create a three-dimensional flow path that forces air to travel horizontally and vertically through different chambers. This dimensional approach to flow management enhances separation effectiveness by preventing direct liquid-carrier air contact, without significantly increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If the outlet duct is positioned directly in the recovery tank, then liquid can enter the outlet duct causing leakage, but relocating it increases turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet duct is extracted from the liquid collection zone and positioned in the upper air outlet chamber, separated from liquid by the baffle walls and foam separation chamber. This extraction prevents liquid from entering the outlet duct, ensuring reliable leakage prevention while the baffle design maintains efficient air flow for cleaning productivity.
3Ease of repair
If the cover is permanently fixed, then assembly is simple, but maintenance and cleaning are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cover connection mechanism transitions from a fixed permanent attachment to a removable dynamic connection. The cover can be detached for maintenance and cleaning operations, then reattached during operation. This dynamic capability improves ease of repair and cleaning without significantly increasing the complexity of the connection mechanism.
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
This design enhances air and water separation, reduces turbulence and foaming, and prevents liquid leakage, resulting in improved efficiency and effectiveness in collecting dirt water and debris during the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
a suction source configured to generate a suction airflow along an airpath between a suction inlet and an air exhaust
Implementation Method 2
The outlet duct extends from the lower portion toward the upper portion. The cover forms an outlet chamber adjacent the outlet duct when the cover is connected to the recovery tank... forces air to travel along a path through the recovery tank in order to reach the outlet duct
Implementation Method 3
enhances air and water separation... ensuring effective separation and collection of dirt water and debris
Data Source
AI summary
A wet surface cleaner operable to draw liquid and debris from a surface to be cleaned into a recovery tank. The recovery tank includes a cover that is removable from the recovery tank. where the cover is capable of surrounding at least a portion of a tank outlet.