WO1994020009A1

WO1994020009A1 - Cleaning

Info

Publication number: WO1994020009A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000098
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter James Mcconnell
Original assignee: Mcconnell Research Enterprises Pty.Ltd.
Priority date: 1993-03-03
Filing date: 1994-03-03
Publication date: 1994-09-15

Abstract

The present invention provides: a cleaning installation comprising a first plant area provided with a vacuum pump, a second plant area provided with a water heater, a third plant area provided with a water pump for pumping water heated by the water heater, a vacuum trunk line for carrying vacuum from the vacuum pump, a water trunk line for carrying water from the water pump, and connection means spaced along the vacuum trunk line and the water trunk line adapted to connect a vacuum line and a water line for cleaning adjacent to the connection means.

Description

TITLE : CLEANING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to cleaning.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is necessary to clean certain large structures to remove dirt and litter. By large structures is meant any structure having a floor area in excess of 1000 sq metres to remove dirt and litter.

Particular large structures of interest to applicant include hospitals, hotels, airports, railway terminals, bus terminals, department stores, large buildings, railway trains, trams and shopping malls.

Taking as a typical case an airport terminal building, it is common to use wheeled carts which can be pushed by a cleaner or which may be motorised and which have a tank for holding hot water and also carry various washing, sweeping and vacuuming apparatus.

It is usual to fill the tank with hot water from a hot water service at a temperature which is rarely in excess of 60^βC and thus by the time the hot water is actually used it is often at a temperature very much below 60°C and does not have a very good cleaning effect and, because it is cool, does not readily evaporate to return the area to a dry state to be ready for use.

Further, while it might be possible to provide such carts with heaters, it is usual to connect them to power points which have a maximum rating of 10 amps and this does not provide for a sufficiently large heater to be useful and this is particularly so if the cart is to be provided with electrically operated means such as a vacuum cleaner, a floor sweeper or a floor polisher.

As a result, airport terminals are often not particularly well cleaned but are nevertheless very expensive to clean. Indeed, one well known airport terminal is said to cost 6 million Australian dollars per annum to clean.

Further, the use of water in the vicinity of electrical means is inherently dangerous and not desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides:-

a cleaning installation comprising

a first plant area provided with a vacuum pump,

a second plant area provided with a water heater,

a third plant area provided with a water pump for pumping water heated by the water heater,

a vacuum trunk line for carrying vacuum from the vacuum pump,

a water trunk line for carrying water from the water pump, and

connection means spaced along the vacuum trunk line and the water trunk line adapted to connect a vacuum line and a water line for cleaning adjacent to the connection means.

PREFERRED FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

In this specification, the word "vacuum" is used as a -

- 3 - matter of convenience as if a vacuum were a positive thing rather than, as it correctly is, a negative thing. This enables reference to supply of vacuum to a remote point rather than sucking air from a remote point.

Preferably said vacuum line comprises a flexible line.

Preferably said water line comprises a flexible line.

The three plant areas may be separate from one another but it is preferred that they are adjacent one another.

It is further preferred that the three plant areas are housed in a single plant room or in a single casing, housing, mounting or frame.

The cleaning installation preferably comprises one or more of the preferred features set out below.

The vacuum pump and water pump are preferably mounted to a single frame.

Preferably in the installation there is a plurality of such vacuum pumps and a plurality of such water pumps.

Preferably vacuum sensor means is provided to sense vacuum produced and control means is provided to increase or decrease the number of vacuum pumps operating at any one time so as to maintain a desired level of vacuum.

Preferably delay means is provided such that more vacuum pumps will come into operation or cease operation only after the vacuum has been reduced or increased for a predetermined period of time.

Preferably water pressure sensor means is provided to sense water pressure produced and control means is provided to increase or decrease the number of water pumps operating at any one time so as to maintain a desired level of water pressure.

Preferably delay means is provided such that more water pumps will come into operation or cease operation only after the water pressure has been reduced or increased for a predetermined period of time.

The installation preferably comprises a water holding tank which is located on the inlet side of the water pumps.

The water trunk preferably comprises recirculation means to recirculate water in the water trunk to the water pumps.

That recirculation means preferably comprises a ring main.

Preferably the recirculation means comprises a water return trunk.

Preferably pressure reducing means is provided to reduce the water pressure in the water return trunk as compared to the water trunk and preferably there is connection means spaced along the water return trunk adapted to connect a water line thereto for cleaning adjacent to that connection means with water of reduced pressure. Thus, a user can have a choice of low or high pressure water.

The recirculation means is preferably associated with means for reheating recirculated water.

In a preferred construction the water heater is adapted to pass water in heat exchange relation with water in the holding tank. For this purpose a circulating pump and heat exchanger may be provided.

Preferably valve means is provided to enable the water heater to maintain the holding tank with a predetermined level of water therein.

Preferably the recirculation means feeds return water to the holding tank.

Preferably a dispenser for detergent and/or other cleaning means is provided so as to dispense detergent and/or other cleaning means to the water.

The dispenser preferably is associated with an inlet to the holding tank.

The dispenser preferably includes a venturi feed device.

Each water pump is preferably provided with an isolation valve in a water inlet thereto.

Each water pump is preferably provided with a strainer or filter in a water inlet thereto.

Each water pump is preferably provided with a pressure control valve at an outlet thereto. The pressure control valves may act as said water pressure sensor or may be additional thereto. In some instances a single pressure control valve may be used for all pumps.

The water circulating in the water trunking preferably is at a temperature of at least 50°C more preferably at least 60"C, still more preferably at least 70°C and most preferably at least 80°C.

The water in the water trunk may be at any pressure desired but pressures in the range of 150 - 1000 psig are preferred. Pressures above 500 psig are most preferred.

It is preferred that water pressure in the water trunk be at least as high as any pressure as may be desired in use in cleaning but as some cleaning operations might desirably have a lower pressure than others it is preferred that at least some of the connection means or said water line have associated pressure reducing valves or that the water return trunk with reduced water pressure be utilised.

The pressure reducing valves are preferably individually manually operable.

The vacuum pumps are preferably associated with a dirt collection chamber.

The dirt collection chamber preferably has a water drain for voiding water collected therein. The drain may be opened manually or automatically or at predetermined time intervals or under predetermined conditions.

The dirt collection chamber preferably has an outlet connected to the inlets of the vacuum pumps.

The dirt collection chamber preferably has an inlet connected to the vacuum trunking.

The dirt collection chamber preferably slows air flow to promote deposition of dirt.

The dirt collection chamber preferably has removable bags to contain dirt. The bags may be disposable or reusable.

The vacuum pumps preferably have outlets connected to a water-air separator.

The vacuum pumps may be provided with a water inlet for purposes of flushing dirt out of the vacuum pumps and/or for lubrication by water. The vacuum lines and water lines are preferably flexible.

The vacuum lines and water lines may be mounted on booms.

The vacuum lines and water lines may include manually operable valves. Those valves may be simple on-off valves or regulatable valves.

The connection means preferably include quick connection means.

Collections of collection means may be individually connectable or collectively connectable.

The connection means may be associated with manually controllable on-off valves or the simple making of a connection to the connection means may result in supply of water or vacuum or water return as the case may be.

The individual connection means are preferably as pairs each pair being comprised of one water connection means and one vacuum connection means. In the case where the return water trunk is provided, the connection means are preferably as trebles with the additional one being one water return connection means.

The pairs or trebles are preferably spaced a distance apart to suit the length of the vacuum lines and water lines and are preferably located in appropriate places such as toilets, lobbies, rooms, along concourses and etc. In general, a spacing of less than twice the length of the vacuum lines and water lines is preferred in those regions intended to be cleaned.

Each pair is preferably located in an enclosure to which access is restricted to reduce damage, tampering, pilfering and unauthorised use. The enclosure is preferably provided with an access door with a lock. A key for the lock may be provided and the lock and key are preferably such that when the door is open the key cannot be removed and the key can only be removed from the lock when the door is closed.

Heads for the vacuum and water lines may be provided as is appropriate for vacuuming, hosing and extraction cleaning (so called steam cleaning) of hard floors, carpets, upholstery, drapes and walls.

The vacuum trunking and water trunking may include risers between floors of buildings.

The water pumps and vacuum pumps are best if located generally centrally of the trunking rather than adjacent one end.

Manual override means may be provided to turn individual vacuum pumps and water pumps on and off.

The control means will preferably initially start one water pump and one vacuum pump and the pumps selected to be initially operated are desirably different ones each day, shift or at convenient intervals.

The water heater is preferably run continuously although preferably under ther ostatic control except during maintenance or repair of it. In this last respect, the water heater is preferably run substantially 24 hours a day. There is an exception to the last in that a convenient electrical supply may have a maximum current draw allowed which is less than the installation might draw if the water heater and all of the vacuum pumps and water pumps were operating simultaneously. In such circumstances, the water heater may be switched off. In a specific instance using 8 vacuum pumps and 8 water pumps it was found that with a total hot water volume in excess of 1000 litres the water heater could be switched off for a period of up to 3 hours during which all pumps operated continuously before the water temperature decreased to an unacceptable level.

Thus, preferably there is control means to switch off the water heater if the current draw of the remainder of the installation would exceed a predetermined magnitude.

Preferably there is control means which will disable one or more pumps from operating if the water temperature is below a predetermined value and the current draw would exceed a predetermined magnitude.

Preferably the control means gives preference of operation to the pumps over the water heater given an adequacy of hot water and preference of operation to the water heater over the pumps given an inadequacy of hot water.

There may be bleed at the connection means or at a work head of water into vacuum and this may be selected or de¬ selected as desired. This will enable a wet vacuum to be produced which is helpful in laying dust and reduces the size of dust collection means.

The present invention may be readily installed on board railway trains, railway carriages, tram cars, buses, aircraft, ships and boats.

In some cases such as railway trains and railway carriages it may only be necessary to install thereon the vacuum trunk and connection means therefor in instances in which the train or carriage is already provided with a source of hot water under pressure but it may be additionally necessary to install connection means for hot water. If appropriate, the vacuum pump, water heater and water pump can be carried by the train or one or more carriages. This last will be the usual approach where a train or carriage is to be cleaned at both ends of a long track.

Having regard to economics of plant usage and weight to be transported, it may be more convenient to provide a different installation such as for a railway train, railway carriage, tram car, bus, aeroplane, ship or boat with appropriate vacuum trunking and water trunking and connection means therefor and to bring the train, carriage, car, bus, aeroplane, ship or boat to a plant area or to bring a plant area to the train, carriage, car, bus, aeroplane, ship or boat; which plant area being provided with a vacuum pump, a water heater and a water pump and coupling means for coupling the vacuum pump and water pump to the vacuum trunking and water trunking on the train, carriage, car, bus, aeroplane, ship or boat.

Soft start means is preferably provided for all electric motors of over 5.5 kw load.

The control means is preferably such as to inhibit two motors starting at once so as to reduce peak loading.

The present invention also provides a method of cleaning comprising using such a cleaning installation.

Pin installation in accordance with this invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of the installation, and

Figure 2 is a pipeline legend.

INTEGER LIST 1. Isolating valve

2. In line strainer

3. High pressure pump

4. Pressure control valve 5. Heat exchanger

6. Solenoid valve and mixing venturi

7. Circulating pump

8. Water heater

9. Hot water holding tank 10. Ring mains valve

11. Remote outlets vacuum and high pressure hot water

12. Manifold pipes for reticulation

13. Vacuum recovery tank

14. Filter bag 15. Vacuum manifold

16. Vacuum pump

17. Discharge manifold

18. Water air separator

19. Vacuum pump water reserve tank 20. Feed manifold for vacuum pumps

21. Water feed to vacuum pump

22. Control unit

31. Cleaning installation

33. Cold water inlet 34. Line

36. Line

37. Line

38. Line

39. Common outlet 41. High pressure hot water trunk

42. Mains water inlet

43. Inlet line

44. Upwardly directed portion 46. Cover 47. Vacuum trunk

51. Vacuum sensor

52. Water pressure sensor. 53. Check valves

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWING

The cleaning installation is generally indicated by reference numeral 31 and comprises a water heater 8 which is a 3-phase water heater which has a cold water inlet 33 and which, via lines 34 and 36 and circulating pump 7, circulates hot water to a heat exchanger 5 located within a hot water holding tank 9.

In consequence, water in the tank 9 will be heated.

A solenoid valve and mixing venturi 6 are provided for topping up the tank 9 when required and the mixing venturi operates to add detergent to water from water heater 8 to go into tank 9.

Water from tank 9 is drawn via line 37 via isolating valves 1 and inline strainers 2 to high pressure pumps 3 which then pump via lines 38 and pressure control valves 4 to a common outlet line 39 which feeds to a high pressure hot water trunk 41.

A pressure control valve 4, is provided.

A water pressure sensor 52 is connected to a control unit 22 which is operative in use to turn on or off more or less of the pumps 3 so as to maintain a desired pressure within a high pressure hot water trunk 41.

The control unit 22 functions to turn pumps on or off after a 20 second delay after detecting a pressure increase or decrease in excess of predetermined levels so as to avoid hunting.

The high pressure hot water trunk 41 is provided with a plurality of connectors 11 along its length for connection of cleaning apparatus and there is also a ring mains manifold pipe 12 for recirculation of water in the high pressure hot water trunk 41 to the hot water holding tank 9. As a result, water in the high pressure hot water trunk is continuously circulating and is being reheated at the hot water holding tank 9.

A valve 10 may be used to stop re-circulation if desired such as when temperature is adequate and reheating is not necessary.

The cleaning installation 31 also includes a number of vacuum pumps 16 which are fed with lubricating water via mains inlet 42, water reserve tank 19 and a feed manifold 20 via waterfeed inlets 21. The vacuum pumps 16 have check valves 53 to control direction of flow.

The reserve tank 19 can also be used for flushing the vacuum pumps 16 when required. Solenoid valves (not shown) may be provided to control inlet of flushing water and outlet of flushing water to drain.

In addition, each vacuum pump 16 may have a solenoid, not shown, which will release vacuum inside a respective one of the vacuum pumps when that vacuum pump is not operating. This should avoid water being sucked from tank 19 via line 19 into that pump which is not operating and should thus avoid the problem of a later start up of that pump which would be under water load.

The vacuum pumps 16 have outlets which are connected to a discharge manifold 17 which in turn is connected to a water-air separator 18.

The inlets to the vacuum pumps 16 are connected to a vacuum manifold 15 which is connected to a vacuum recovery tank 13 within which is located a number of filter bags 14.

An inlet line 43 is connected to the vacuum recovery tank 13 and terminates in an upwardly directed portion 44 adjacent to cover 46 of the vacuum recovery tank 13. In use, air and dirt entering tank 13 will slow and particles will impinge upon the cover 46 and thereafter the particles will fall and be collected in the filter bags 14.

The line 43 is connected to a vacuum trunk 47.

The vacuum trunk 47 has a plurality of remote cleaning outlets 11 located and prepared with the cleaning outlets of the high pressure hot water trunk 41.

A vacuum sensor 51 is provided and it and the vacuum pumps 16 are connected to the control unit 22 which operates to turn on and off more and less of the vacuum pumps 16 in response to demand or lack of demand at the remote cleaning outlets 11.

The control unit, when initially activated, will turn on a single one of the pumps 3 and vacuum pumps 16 but is arranged to select a different one each day at start up so as to attempt to equilibrate wear.

A preferred manner of operation of the cleaning installation 31 will now be described.

The heater 8 is run continuously 24 hours a day excepting at times of maintenance and for cleaning of the heater 8. Notwithstanding that the heater 8 is run continuously, it is nevertheless under thermostatic control to maintain a predetermined temperature.

At start up each day, the control unit 22 causes one of the pumps 3 and one of the vacuum pumps 16 to commence operation to circulate water via common outlet 39, trunk 41, manifold 12 and ring mains device valve 10 to holding tank 9 and therefrom via line 37.

After a delay, the water in the trunk 41 will become heated to about 75°C and be maintained at a pressure of about 500 psig.

As necessary, the valve and mixing venturi 6 operates to top up the tank 9 with water and to add detergent.

The vacuum pump 16 which has been started serves to produce a vacuum in the vacuum trunk 47.

In use, cleaners will connect vacuum and high pressure water lines to the remote cleaning outlets 11 and as more cleaners commence cleaning operations pressure in the hot water trunk 41 and vacuum trunk 47 will fall. On sensing that fall by sensors 51 and 52 and extending over a period of greater that 20 seconds, the control unit 22 will cause more of the pumps 3 and/or more of the vacuum pumps 16 to commence operation.

Conversely, if pressure rises in hot water trunk 41 or vacuum increases in the vacuum trunk 47 the control unit 22, after a delay of about 20 seconds, will operate to switch off some of the pumps 3 and/or vacuum pumps 16.

The remote cleaning outlets can be used for simple vacuuming and washing and, in the last respect, the remote cleaning outlets 11 for hot water are preferably such as to deliver a selected pressure of water so that instances in which high pressure water is required can be met and instances in which lower pressure water is required can also be met.

In modifications of the above the return line 12 is provided at its ends with pressure reducing valves so that the return line 12 will be under a lower water pressure, say, 100-150 psig.

While high pressure washing is generally desirable, on hard floors there may be an unacceptable amount of splash and thus low pressure washing may be desirable in some circumstances. Such low pressure washing may be achieved by supplying connection means in the return line 12 adjacent the vacuum and high pressure trunks. Operators might selectively connect to the high or low pressure or may be provided with equipment capable of being connected to both.

Applicant has found that it is reasonably possible to maintain a vacuum of in excess of 15 inches of mercury, often 20 inches of mercury and up to 23 inches of mercury and this should be compared with powerful industrial vacuum cleaners which rarely exceed 7 inches of mercury and domestic vacuum cleaners which rarely exceed 4 inches of mercury.

In one installation, applicant has utilised 3 water pumps and 6 vacuum pumps, in another 2 water pumps and 4 vacuum pumps and in another 8 water pumps and 8 vacuum pumps while maintaining a maximum continuous loading of 30 kw with a maximum discontinuous loading of 68 kw by the careful use of control means utilising thermostatic control of water temperature, giving preference to pumps over water heating when water temperature is adequate, giving preference to water heating over pumps when water temperature is inadequate, soft starting of motors, not starting a large number of motors at once, starting motors in unsubstantially unloaded condition and environmental monitoring. In another instance 4 water pumps and 8 vacuum pumps were used for a maximum continuous loading of 83 kw. Thus, less than generous power supplies may be used.

The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record thereof.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A cleaning installation comprising

a first plant area provided with a vacuum pump,

a second plant area provided with a water heater,

a vacuum trunk line for carrying vacuum from the vacuum pump,

a water trunk line for carrying water from the water pump, and

2. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of such vacuum pumps and a plurality of such water pumps, vacuum sensor means is provided to sense vacuum produced and control means is provided to increase or decrease the number of vacuum pumps operating at any one time so as to maintain a desired level of vacuum, delay means is provided such that more vacuum pumps will come into operation or cease operation only after the vacuum has been reduced or increased for a predetermined period of time, water pressure sensor means is provided to sense water pressure produced and control means is provided to increase or decrease the number of water pumps operating at any one time so as to maintain a desired level of water pressure, and delay means is provided such that more water pumps will come into operation or cease operation only after the water pressure has been reduced or increased for a predetermined period of time.

3. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the water trunk lines comprises recirculation means to recirculate water in the water trunking to the water pumps via a return trunk.

4. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the return trunk is maintained as a lower water pressure than in said water trunk line and connection means is provided at spaced intervals along the return trunk line to enable that lower pressure water to be utilised.

5. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the water heater is adapted to pass water in heat exchange relation with water in the holding tank and a circulating pump and heat exchanger are provided.

6. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a dispenser for detergent and/or other cleaning means is provided so as to dispense detergent and/or other cleaning means to the water.

7. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the individual connection means are as pairs, each pair being comprised of one water connection means and one vacuum connection means, and the pairs are spaced a distance apart to suit the length of the vacuum lines and water lines and are located in places selected from toilets, lobbies, rooms, along concourses, along platforms, at cleaning stations and at other convenient places.

8. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each pair is located in an enclosure to which access is restricted to reduce damage, tampering, pilfering and unauthorised use.

9. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the control means is such as to initially start one water pump and one vacuum pump and is such that the pumps selected to be initially operated are different ones each day, shift or at convenient intervals.

10. A cleaning installation as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the control means is such as to give preference to operating the pumps over the water heater when the water temperature is adequate and to give preference to operating the water heater over the pumps when the water temperature is inadequate.

SUBSITTUTE SHEET(Rule 26)