Vacuum truck
Encyclopedia
A vacuum truck is a truck
mounted, heavy duty industrial vacuum loader designed to pneumatically convey solids, liquids, sludge or slurry through suction lines typically 2-4" in diameter with 3" being the norm. The typical pump used in the industry is the rotary vane vacuum pump
. The truck can be configured to be a direct PTO/belt or a PTO/hydraulic drive system. There are two different ways to mount the pump either directly on the truck with PTO drive or on the trailer with a pony motor. Each application has different handling characteristics.
The trucks are often used by towns and municipalities for street cleanup, sewers
, individual septic systems and can also be used for cleanup of contaminated soil
. The trucks are mostly used in the petroleum industry
, for cleaning of storage tanks and spills. They are also a important part of drilling oil and natural gas wells
, as they are located at the drilling site. Vacuum trucks are used to remove drilling mud, drilling cuttings, cement, spills, and for removal of brine
water from production tanks. They dispose of this in sump pits, treatment plants or if within safe levels may be spread out in a farmer's field.
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
mounted, heavy duty industrial vacuum loader designed to pneumatically convey solids, liquids, sludge or slurry through suction lines typically 2-4" in diameter with 3" being the norm. The typical pump used in the industry is the rotary vane vacuum pump
Rotary vane pump
A rotary vane pump is a positive-displacement pump that consists of vanes mounted to a rotor that rotates inside of a cavity. In some cases these vanes can be variable length and/or tensioned to maintain contact with the walls as the pump rotates. It was invented by Charles C...
. The truck can be configured to be a direct PTO/belt or a PTO/hydraulic drive system. There are two different ways to mount the pump either directly on the truck with PTO drive or on the trailer with a pony motor. Each application has different handling characteristics.
The trucks are often used by towns and municipalities for street cleanup, sewers
Sewerage
Sewerage refers to the infrastructure that conveys sewage. It encompasses receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, screening chambers, etc. of the sanitary sewer...
, individual septic systems and can also be used for cleanup of contaminated soil
Soil contamination
Soil contamination or soil pollution is caused by the presence of xenobiotic chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment....
. The trucks are mostly used in the petroleum industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
, for cleaning of storage tanks and spills. They are also a important part of drilling oil and natural gas wells
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
, as they are located at the drilling site. Vacuum trucks are used to remove drilling mud, drilling cuttings, cement, spills, and for removal of brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
water from production tanks. They dispose of this in sump pits, treatment plants or if within safe levels may be spread out in a farmer's field.