Rotating Cup Underwater Cleaning Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater surface cleaning methods fail to effectively collect and treat fouling material, often releasing it back into the water, causing biological pollution and harming marine environments.
Innovation Solution
A method using a rotating cup with integrated spraying nozzles and a central suction outlet to loosen and collect fouling material, where the ratio of sprayed fluid to sucked-in water is controlled, ensuring the material is directed towards the center for further treatment, and the collected water is treated with UV radiation before release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high pressure flushing is used to loosen fouling material from underwater surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but fouling material is released into the surrounding water causing pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the loosened fouling material from the surrounding water using a suction device with a suction opening. The suction device creates a pressure difference that draws the fouling material and cleaning fluid mixture into a collection container, preventing it from being released back into the marine environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary system consisting of the suction device and collection container. This intermediary captures the fouling material between the cleaning action and the marine environment, allowing for proper disposal or treatment rather than direct release into water.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If fouling material is collected and treated with UV radiation, then marine environment protection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical treatment systems with UV radiation treatment. The UV sterilization unit provides effective disinfection and fouling material treatment through electromagnetic radiation rather than complex mechanical processing, simplifying the overall system while achieving environmental protection goals.
3Quantity of substance
If a cup with integrated spraying nozzles and central suction outlet is used, then fouling material collection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single integrated cup structure. The cup combines spraying nozzles for cleaning, a suction opening for collection, and a connection to the collection container. This integration reduces the number of separate components while improving fouling material collection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a spray chamber for applying cleaning fluid, a suction chamber for collecting loosened fouling material, and a connection point for the collection system. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite the enhanced collection capability.
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
The method effectively removes fouling material from underwater surfaces without releasing it into the water, ensuring the marine environment's protection and allowing treated water to be safely returned.
Implementation Method 1
a suction, i.e. a fluid dynamic underpresssure, is established in the outlets of the cups, said suction contributing to pull water from the surroundings under the rim edge of the cups towards the inside of the cups and up through the outlets
Implementation Method 2
fluid is sprayed out through the nozzles which makes the cups rotate and loosens fouling material from the surface
Implementation Method 3
fluid is sprayed out through the nozzles... loosens fouling material from the surface
Implementation Method 4
the sucked up fluid is treated with UV radiation so that the microorganisms are killed and the water can be let back into the sea
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is described for loosening and removing fouling material from surfaces lying under water with a washing tool in the form of a frame construction with a number of washing apparatus that are brought to the surface and which is made to spray out a watery cleaning fluid to loosen fouling material and clean the surface, at the same time as each washing apparatus rotates and a mixture of fluid and fouling material is transported away for further treatment, and it is characterised in that a washing tool is applied where each washing apparatus is in the form of a cup with integrated channels for supply of fluid to integrated spraying nozzles (60) for the fluid around the rim edge (41) of the cup, and with a central outlet at the top of the cup for removal of fluid and fouling material, and the cleaning is carried out as follows: the construction is brought to the surface with the rim edge of the cup(s) a distance (A) from the surface (10), - a suction (a fluid dynamic under pressure) is established in the outlet (43) from the cup(s), said suction contributes to pull water (68) from outside the cup, in under the rim (41) of the cup, into the cup and up through the outlet (43), - fluid is sprayed out through the nozzles (60) which make the cup(s) rotate and loosen fouling material from the surface, and the mixture of fouling material and water flows into the already established stream of water in towards the centre of the cup and up towards the top of the cup where the established suction is strongest, and - the mixture of fouling material and water is transported away for said further treatment (220). Furthermore, two embodiments of a washing apparatus are described for carrying out the cleaning, and also different applications of these.