Bus Vacuum System Upgrades

Robertson Air Systems has been designing, installing, and servicing bus vacuum systems for over 17 years and continues to be on the cutting edge of new bus vacuum system technology. The new advances, in most instances can be added to existing systems as upgrades. These upgrades improve performance and production efficiency. Click on the links below to view each upgrade as follows:

• New Bellows
• Stack Dampers
• Floating Trash Bin Lids
• Trash Container Guilds
• Double Skinned Bellows Louvers
• Cyclone Mounted High Level Detectors
• Atomizing Spray Nozzles
• Pull Though Blowers

Stack Dampers:

Stack dampers are mounted on each cyclone discharge opening and shut off the air flow during bellows retraction to accomplish the following:

1. An almost 1/2 full load amp reduction for a total power savings of 25%.
2. A 3 to 9 DBA sound pressure reduction while closed.
3. A removal of twirling trash from inside the cyclones in between each bus vacuuming procedure.
4. The elimination of discharge air into the area while closed.

Floating Trash Container Lids:

The original style trash container lids were hinged in back and rotated radially when lifted to allow trash bin removal. New trash container lids move upward vertically or "float" when unclamped. The new design provides the following:

1. Greater clearance for easier trash container removal.
2. Easier alignment between the lid and container during reclamping.
3. A better seal during vacuuming.

Trash Container Guides:

Two steel trash container guides mounted to the cyclone assembly structure to assist in trash container repositioning after dumping.

Double Skinned Bellows Louvers:

The bellows louvers are the two hinged vertical seals that make contact with the bus during bellows extension. The louvers leading edge is lined with a spring loaded rubber seal that bends when pressed against the bus's contour. The original bellows louver was a single piece of sheet steel with the rubber seal on the outside leading edge. The new louvers are two pieces of sheet steel ("double skinned") with the rubber seal sandwiched between them. The new design offers advantages as follows:

1. A better seal against bus door openings.
2. A more durable louver.
3. Better vertical and horizontal support of the rubber seal.

Cyclone Mounted High Level Detectors:

Occasionally the trash containers are not dumped on time and trash backs up into the cyclones. When left unattended the cyclones can pack full of trash. High level detectors mounted approximately 18" above the cyclone bottom discharge opening shut the system down and turn on a "cyclone plugged" indicating pilot light when back-ups occur.

The high level detectors are sound frequency sensitive (photocell devises are not advisable) and are equipped with a transmitter and receiver that are mounted on either side of the cyclone. Sound sensitive high level detectors are not affected by dust build ups and rarely give false alarms when properly adjusted.

Atomizing Spray Nozzles:

Extensive tests were made at the Seattle Metro North Base Facility using a Staplex sampler. Samples were taken before and after a Robertson Air Systems atomizing spray nozzle dust suppression system was installed. The result was as follows:

• 76% of all dust emissions were removed from the cyclone discharge air.
• Almost all dust emitted by the Twin Cyclone Bus Vacuum System is bus exhaust soot.
• The total water emitted did not create problems. The collected trash was damp but not saturated.

The atomizing spray nozzles produce micro sized water droplets (10 - 50 micros in size) that attach to dust particles during vacuuming. The dust particles separate and drop out of the air stream much easier when dampened.

Pull Through Blowers:

Pull through blowers "pull" clean discharge air instead of "push" trash laden air into the cyclones and are the most significant new development in Twin Cyclone Bus Vacuum System technology. Pull through blowers are more aerodynamically designed (efficient) blowers and produce more air flow at less horsepower, noise, and cost while also providing more equipment layout versatility.

Pull through blowers can only be provided with new equipment.

Patent Pending © 2003 Robertson Air Systems

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