Foam Configured to Suppress Dust on a Surface to be Worked
In one aspect of the invention, a system for removing aggregate from a natural or man-made surface includes a vehicle with a frame and a conveyor. The conveyor has an intake end and an output end. An excavation drum is connected to an underside of the frame and is enclosed within an excavation chamber, which is defined by a front plate, side plates, and a moldboard. The intake end of the conveyor that protrudes into the excavation chamber is configured to remove the aggregate from the excavation chamber, and a dust suppressant nozzle is configured to apply a foamed dust suppressant to the natural or man-made surface prior to being degraded by the excavation drum.
1 . A system for cleaning a paved surface, comprising:
a vehicle comprising a rotary brush that is configured to direct debris on the paved surface towards a storage compartment located on the vehicle;
a dust suppressant nozzle connected to the vehicle is configured to apply a foamed dust suppressant to the paved surface prior to being cleaned by the rotary brush; and
wherein the dust suppressant nozzle is configured to apply the foamed dust suppressant to form a foam blanket on the paved surface configured to expand until it is removed by the brush.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the dust suppressant nozzle is connected to the underside of the vehicle.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the dust suppressant nozzle is configured to move independent of the rotary brush.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotary brush is configured to rotate about an axis substantially normal to the paved surface.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotary brush is configured to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the paved surface.
6 . (canceled)
7 . (canceled)
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a control system that is configured to adjust the position of the rotary brush and the dust suppressant nozzle is configured to move with the brush.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the dust suppressant nozzle is disposed at an angle to dispense the foamed dust suppressant in a direction away from the rotary brush.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a mechanism for applying the foamed dust suppressant that comprises the dust suppressant nozzle, at least one fluid line, a fluid tank, an air compressor, and a pump.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an air compressor is configured to mix air with a liquid dust suppressant to form the foamed dust suppressant.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the liquid dust suppressant comprises water and a foaming agent.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein a pump is configured to pressurize the water that is mixed with the foaming agent to form the foamed dust suppressant.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an air compressor is configured to mix air with a liquid dust suppressant to form the foamed dust suppressant before the foamed dust suppressant exits the dust suppressant nozzle.
15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of dust suppressant nozzles each comprising a valve, wherein each valve may be adjusted individually across a span of the vehicle.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a street sweeper.