Methods and systems for operation of a vacuum transport system
AssigneeTrans-Vac Systems LLC
InventorsSayon Chandrakanthan, Michael Boyd, Eric Pollock, Greg Arbour
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and system for waste collection and transport systems are provided. Systems of the present disclosure comprise at least one of a loading station and a chute providing a point of ingress for materials into a larger system. A plurality of vertical risers or branches are provided. The system and related methods generate a priority order of emptying loading stations based at least in part on loading stations that are provided on the same riser.
Claims18
A method of operating a transport system comprising a plurality of risers and transport piping connecting the risers to a central collection point, and wherein at least one of the plurality of risers comprises a plurality of loading stations:
- identifying a number of loading stations that comprise materials to be conveyed to the central collection point;
- determining whether at least one loading stations on a first riser comprises materials to be conveyed;
- determining whether at least one additional loading station provided on a second riser comprises materials to be conveyed;
- generating an order in which the loading stations that comprise materials to be conveyed are to be emptied, and wherein the order comprises grouping loading stations on the first riser prior to loading stations on the second riser when the first riser comprises a plurality of loading stations to be emptied;
- activating conveyance features of the first riser;
- opening inner doors of the loading stations of the first riser in a sequence until the at least one loading station of the first riser is cleared;
- deactivating the conveyance features of the first riser;
- activating conveyance features of the second riser;
- and
- deactivating the conveyance features of the second riser upon confirming that the loading station of the second riser has been cleared.
A collection and transport system comprising:
- a plurality of vertically extending risers;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of risers comprises an air mover;
- transport piping connecting the risers and a central collection point;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of risers comprises a plurality of loading stations;
- a processor operable to receive information and determine loading stations that comprise materials to be conveyed to the central collection point and generate an order in which the plurality of loading stations are to be emptied;
- a controller operable to communicate with the air mover and a plurality of loading stations;
- wherein the processor and the controller are configured to generate and send the order in which a plurality of loading stations are to be emptied and the order comprises grouping loading stations on a single riser.
A method of operating a transport system, wherein the system comprises a plurality of loading stations, transport piping, and a collection point, the method comprising:
- determining whether at least one loading station comprises materials to be conveyed;
- determining whether at least one additional loading station comprises materials to be conveyed;
- generating an order in which the loading stations are to be emptied, and wherein the step of generating the order is based on at least one of fill level, a user-input, a user-type, a predetermined station type, frequency of use, and a type of material;
- activating conveyance features;
- emptying the loading stations in sequence based on the order;
- and
- deactivating the conveyance features upon confirming that the loading stations have been cleared.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.