The present application relates to de-using an apparatus, system or method of dispersing an air quality control fluid over a refuse pile or other transitory source of air contaminants, for example, dust or undesired odors.
Refuse piles and similar transitory sources of unpleasant odors and dust are a problem in urban and suburban areas, especially where development encroaches on formerly remote processing facilities. Operators may improve air quality impacts by dispersing an air quality control fluid in a fine mist over the operating area. Air quality control fluids may have one or more targeted effects, for example for odor control, dust control, chemical contaminant control, or any combination of these. Dispersed as a fine mist, the air quality control fluid reacts with the targeted contaminant, rendering it inoffensive by chemical reaction or by removing it from the air, for example by absorption and precipitation.
For example, odor control fluids may use enzymes to break down odoriferous organic compounds into odorless molecules as known in the art. Dust control fluids may include surfactants that help trap dust in the fluid particle that drops to the ground, precipitating dust out of the air. Chemical control fluids may include reactants for the targeted contaminant, that react when dissolved in the air or in the carrier fluid. Air quality control fluids may be dispensed onto or over the source of the undesired odors where they can be most effective. In other applications, contaminated air can be suctioned away for charcoal filtration, enzyme application, or other treatment.
Where the contaminant source is fixed, as in a processing plant, an air quality control system can be made part of the physical facility and customized for the processing application. In many outdoor applications, however, the contaminated air is uncontained while the source of the contamination does not have a fixed location. In refuse piles, for example, most odor and dust comes from fresh piles of refuse before the piles are covered, incinerated, or otherwise processed. In landfill applications, for example, the air contamination source moves continually as fresh refuse is deposited and older refuse is buried.
For such outdoor, non-static odor sources, air quality management often includes blowing a mist of air quality control fluid over the contaminant source, such as a fresh refuse pile. The blower and spray system are compact and easily moved around. However, is it difficult to evenly cover any area using a blower, because wind conditions and the position of the blower change frequency. Much of the air quality control fluid blows away without performing its intended function. On the other hand, a more permanent installation is not feasible because the source of odor moves frequently.
It would be desirable, therefore, to develop new methods and other new technologies for air quality control over outdoor sources that are not in a fixed location, or that frequently change depending on use and weather conditions, that overcomes these and other limitations of the prior art.
This summary and the following detailed description should be interpreted as complementary parts of an integrated disclosure, which parts may include redundant subject matter and/or supplemental subject matter. An omission in either section does not indicate priority or relative importance of any element described in the integrated application. Differences between the sections may include supplemental disclosures of alternative embodiments, additional details, or alternative descriptions of identical embodiments using different terminology, as should be apparent from the respective disclosures.
In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for dispensing an air quality control fluid over refuse, the apparatus may include a base supporting a vertical mast and a boom coupled to the mast by a pivoting connector configured to allow the boom to move between a folded position against the mast and a horizontally extended position. The apparatus may further include a fluid container for holding an air quality control fluid coupled to the base; a fluid pump coupled to the container and to an output fluid line disposed for directing air quality control fluid along the boom and an array of fluid dispensing nozzles extending along a length of the boom. The fluid container may be a plastic container mounted to the base. The array of nozzles is coupled to receive the air quality control fluid from the output fluid line. The array of fluid dispensing nozzles may be oriented to emit the air quality control fluid downwards, or in any other desired direction, for example, horizontally or upwards, depending on the air quality control application.
The apparatus may further include a piston-driven actuator, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, interposed between the boom and at least one of the base or the mast, configured for moving the boom between the horizontally extended position and the folded position. The boom can be lowered and folded to facilitate relocating the apparatus as the odor source moves. The apparatus may further include a hinge that couples segments of the boom together, enabling the boom to be folded. In an aspect, the hinge is spring-loaded to assist manual folding of the boom when lowered. The boom may be, or may include, a truss.
In some embodiments, the piston driven actuator may be a hydraulic cylinder. Accordingly, the apparatus my further include a hydraulic system coupled to the hydraulic cylinder.
In another aspect, the apparatus may include at least one skid supporting the base. For example, the skid may be, or may include, a steel plate.
The apparatus may further include an electrical system coupled to the fluid pump. The electrical system may include a control panel coupled to the electrical system, an electrical port for connecting a source of electric power to the electrical system, or both. The system may include a portable generator coupled to the electrical system via the port.
In another aspect, a method for dispensing an air quality control fluid over a refuse pile may include placing an apparatus on or adjacent to a refuse pile, the apparatus including a base supporting a vertical mast, wherein a boom is coupled to the mast by a pivoting connector configured to allow the boom to move between a folded position against the mast and a horizontally extended position. The method may further include providing the air quality control fluid in a container coupled to the base. The method may include powering a fluid pump coupled to the container and to an output fluid line disposed for directing air quality control fluid along the boom. The method may include dispensing the air quality control fluid through an array of fluid dispensing nozzles extending along a length of the boom and coupled to receive the air quality control fluid from the output fluid line. The method may include folding segments of the boom to place the boom in the folded position.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, one or more examples comprise the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects and are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the examples may be employed. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings and the disclosed examples, which encompass all such aspects and their equivalents.
The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify like elements correspondingly throughout the specification and drawings.
Various aspects are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. It may be evident, however, that the various aspects may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate describing these aspects.
Referring to
The apparatus 100 may further include a fluid container 136 for holding any suitable air quality control fluid 137 (see
The fluid line 118 may comprise branches as shown in
The apparatus 100 may further include a piston-driven actuator, for example, a hydraulic cylinder 122, interposed between the boom 106 and at least one of the base 102 or the mast 104, configured for moving the boom 106 between the horizontally extended position and the folded position. The cylinder 122 may be arranged to drive a pivoting armature 120, comprising a pivoting double-ended clevis 120 connected to a rod 126, which is coupled to the boom 106 by a bracket 128. Extending the cylinder 122 causes the distal end of the pivoting clevis to rotate downward, lowering the boom 106. Other actuators and armatures may also be suitable for lowering and raising the boom.
The boom 106 may be divided into two or more segments 108, 110, for example, a proximal segment 108 coupled to a distal segment 110 by a hinge 112 enabling the boom to be folded when lowered. In an aspect, the hinge 112 may be spring-loaded to assist manual folding of the boom when lowered. In an alternative, or in addition, a power-assist mechanism may be provided to ease the manual effort required to fold or unfold the boom. An example of a power-assist mechanism 400 is described below in conjunction with
Additionally, a distal end of the distal segment 110 may be equipped with wheels to facilitate lowering the boom. As the proximal segment 108 is lowered toward the mast 104, the wheels 114 on the distal segment 110 allow it to roll across the ground toward the base 102. When the proximal segment 108 is lowered near the base 102, a worker may with assistance from the spring-loaded hinge 112 and/or power-assist mechanism 400 lift the distal segment 110 against the proximal segment 108, as shown in
In some embodiments, the piston driven actuator 122 may be a hydraulic cylinder. Accordingly, the apparatus 100 may further include a hydraulic system comprising a fluid reservoir 212 and hydraulic pump 152 coupled to the hydraulic cylinder 122 (
The apparatus may include at least one skid 130 supporting the base 102. For example, the skid 130 may be, or may include, a steel plate. The skid allows the apparatus 100 to be readily dragged into position when the boom 106 is lowered and folded. In the alternative to a skid, the base 106 may be configured as a trailer with wheels as shown in
A first horizontal dimension L1 of the apparatus 100, shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Unfolding the boom 406 is the reverse of folding. Any clamps securing the segments 408, 410 together are released and the winch 440 is unwound, causing the distal segment 410 to pivot downward around the hinge 412 to the position shown in
Referring to
Other aspects of the method 500 may include, for example folding segments of the boom to place the boom in the folded position, dragging the apparatus on a skid, and/or generating a mist of the air quality control fluid.
The previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be clear to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/324,300 filed Mar. 28, 2022, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63324300 | Mar 2022 | US |