synopsyreport for solar vacuum cleaner
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solar vacuum cleanerTRANSCRIPT
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CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION
1.1. Objective
There are numerous ways to conserve energy. The process of
conserving energy is not only how but also on what to use for it. Solar
energy is one alternative energy source, which can be converted to electricity
by the use of solar panels. Most solar panels use silicon to produce the
panels. The cells that are contained in these solar panels are normally silicon.
These individual cells are shrinking all the time and becoming cheaper to
produce. Solar panels provide users with a source for their work.
Applications of solar panels are presently economical where there is plenty
of sunshine. Further solar panels help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and
other depleting resources used to generate electricity. Solar panel is a source
of clean, cheap, and renewable energy for our homes. Using solar panels can
influence the capacity of our home supplies. This method allows us to
generate additional electricity, which fed into our current power systems,
will have the effect of reducing consumption from the national grid, saving
you money in the process.
This project is aboutfabrication of a dual powered outdoor vacuum
cleaner, in which we will have a suction pump run by a dc motor. The outlet
of the pump will be connected to a bin to hold the litter. The power to the dc
motor will be provided by a battery, which will be charged by the solar
panels mounted on top of the device. Provision is given to charge the battery
in adverse conditions by electricity. The complete unit will be mounted on a
trolley for easy movement. By this technology, the use of engines run by fuel
for the same purpose can be eliminated as fuel is one depleting source of
energy and the price of fuel in the recent years is an increasing curve on the
graph, which is still increasing further. This device can be used in places like
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school, hospital, compounds, railway stations, bus stand and in lawns to
carry away fallen leaves. This project is an attempt to clean the environment
at a faster rate and by cost effective means.
1.2. Product Definitions
Product definition is an important issue because it helps set the scope of
work for this preparatorystudy, which itself will inform the extent of
implementing measures that may be required.
Vacuum cleaners (VCs) are made in a variety of shapes and sizes for
domestic and commercial useand for different applications. Generally, a
vacuum cleaner can be defined as “An electricallyoperated appliance that
removes soiled material (dust, fiber, threads) from the surface to be
cleanedby airflow created by a vacuum developed within the unit by an
electrically powered vacuumgenerator or fan. The material thus removed is
separated and stored in the appliance and the cleanedsuction air is returned to
the ambient.”
1.3. Scope
Multi-use Vacuum For Outdoor Hard Surfaces or Turf
Great for quick clean-up of parking lots, playgrounds, airport ramps
and more.
Ideal For:
Condo/Apartment Complexes
Schools
Hospitals
Shopping Centres/Malls
Athletics Complexes
Stadiums/Arenas
Garages
Campgrounds
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1.3.1 Scope of the study
Key aspects in the considerations of the scope of this study are
• Functionality – the function of a vacuum cleaner is to “remove soiled
material (dust, fiber,threads) from a surface to be cleaned by an airflow
created by a vacuum developed within theunit by an electrically powered
vacuum generator or fan”.
• End use (domestic / commercial) – this study focuses on products designed
fordomestic/household use and similar usage by laymen in a commercial or
institutionalenvironment such as shops, hospitals, offices and hotels, for
removal of settled dust oncarpets and dry hard floors. Because of their
specialist application, it is not sensible to includeindustrial vacuum cleaners
used, for example, on construction sites or in factories.
• Availability of test standards – For example, the definition according to
Standard 60335 is“This International Standard deals with the safety of
electrical appliances for households andsimilar purposes, their rated voltage
being not more than 250 V for single-phase appliancesand 480 V for other
appliances. Appliances not intended for normal household use but which
may be a source of danger to the public, such as appliances intended to be
usedby nonprofessionals in shops, in light industry and on farms, are within
the scope of this standard
1.3.1.1 Products to be considered in scope
Household and similar use vacuum cleaners of all types found in homes,
offices, hospitals, hotels and shops.
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CHAPTER 2LITERATURE SURVEY
2.1. Non-renewable resource
A non-renewable resource is a natural resource, which cannot be
produced, grown, generated or used on a scale, which can sustain its
consumption rate, once depleted there, is no more available for future needs.
Also considered non-renewable are resources that are consumed much
faster than nature can create them. Fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum and
natural gas), nuclear power (uranium) and certain aquifers are examples. In
contrast, resources such as timber (when harvested sustainably) or metals
(which can be recycled) are considered renewable resources.
2.1.1 Fossil fuels
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Fig 2.1a temporary oil drilling rig
Natural resources such as coal, petroleum (crude oil) and natural
gas take thousands of years to form naturally and cannot be replaced as fast
as they are being consumed. Eventually natural resources will become too
costly to harvest and humanity will need to find other sources of energy.
At present, the main energy source used by humans are non-renewable
fossil fuels, as a result of continual use since the first internal combustion
engine in the 17thcentury,the fuel is still in high demand
withconventional infrastructure and transport which are fitted with the
combustion engine. The continual use of fossil fuels at the current rate will
increase global warming and cause more severe climate change.
2.2. Solar energy
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Fig 2.3 Solar Power Plant
Solar energyradiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed
by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies.
Solar energy technologiesinclude solar heating, solar photovoltaic, solar
thermal electricity and solar architecture, which can make considerable
contributions to solving some of the most urgent problems the world now
faces.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive
solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and
distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of
photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy.
Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting
materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties and
designing spaces that naturally circulate air.
In 2011, the International Energy Agency said, "the development of
affordable, inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge
longer-term benefits. It will increase countries energy security through
reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent
resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of
mitigating climate change and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise.
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These advantages are global. Hence the additional costs of the incentives for
early deployment should be considered learning investments; they must be
wisely spent and need to be widely shared".
2.2.1. Energy from the Sun
Fig 2.4 About half the incoming solar energy reaches the Earth's
surface
The Earth receives 174 petawatts (1015 watts) of incoming solar
radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is
reflected back to space while clouds, oceans and landmasses absorb the rest.
The spectrum of solar light at the Earth's surface is mostly spread across
the visible andnear-infrared ranges with a small part in the near ultraviolet.
Earth's land surface, oceans and atmosphere absorb solar radiation,
and this raises their temperature. Warm air containing evaporated water from
the oceans rises, causing atmospheric circulation or convection. When the air
reaches a high altitude, where the temperature is low, water vapor condenses
into clouds, which rain onto the Earth's surface, completing the water cycle.
The latent heat of water condensation amplifies convection, producing
atmospheric phenomena such as wind, cyclones and anti-cyclones. Sunlight
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absorbed by the oceans and landmasses keeps the surface at an average
temperature of 14 °C. By photosynthesis, green plants convert solar energy
into chemical energy, which produces food, wood and the biomass from
which fossil fuels are derived.
Yearly Solar fluxes & Human
Energy Consumption
Energy
Solar 3,850,000 EJ
Wind 2,250 EJ
Biomass 3,000 EJ
Primary energy use (2005) 487 EJ
Electricity (2005) 56.7 EJ
Table 2.1 Yearly Solar fluxes & Human Energy Consumption
The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and
landmasses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year. In 2002, this
was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year. Photosynthesis
captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.The amount of solar
energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about
twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable
resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined. Solar
energy can be harnessed in different levels around the world. Depending on
a geographical location, the closer to the equator the “potential" solar energy
is available.
2.2.2. Advantages of solar energy
Sunlight can be used to directly generate electricity by the use of photovoltaic technology. The use of solar cells or photovoltaic arrays is
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getting more and more acceptable as an alternative and cost efficient means of generating power.
Sunlight concentration is also another way of using solar energy. Heat is also more readily usable than the energy in sunshine. You can use it for heating a building or for cooking or even for generating electricity.
Advantages of Solar Energy / Learn 6 Real-World Ways
There are plenty of excellent reasons that equate to advantages in using solar energy. Here are some advantages in using solar energy.
1. The abundance of Solar Energy. Even in the middle of winter each square meter of land still receives a fair amount of solar radiation. Sunlight is everywhere and the resource is practically inexhaustible. Even during cloudy days we still receive some sunlight and it is this that can be used as a renewable resource.
2. You don’t pay for sunlight.Sunlight is totally free. There is of course the initial investment for the equipment. After the initial capital outlay you won’t be receiving a bill every month for the rest of your life from the electric utility.
3. Solar energy is getting more cost effective.The technology for solar energy is evolving at an increasing rate. At present photovoltaic technology is still relatively expensive but the technology is improving and production is increasing. The result of this is to drive costs down. Payback times for the equipment are getting shorter and in some areas where the cost of electricity is high payback may be as short as five years.
4. Solar energy is non-polluting.Solar energy is an excellent alternative for fossil fuels like coal and petroleum because solar energy is practically emission free while generating electricity. With solar energy the danger of further damage to the environment is minimized. The generation of electricity through solar power produces no noise. So noise pollution is also reduced.
5. Accessibility of solar power in remote locations.Solar power can generate electricity no matter how remote the area as long as the sun shines there. Even in areas that are inaccessible to power cables solar power can produce electricity.
6. Solar energy systems are virtually maintenance free.Once a photovoltaic array is setup it can last for decades. Once they are installed and setup there are practically zero recurring costs. If needs increase solar panels can be added with ease and with no major revamp
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2.2.3. Applications of solar technology
Solar energy refers primarily to the use of solar radiation for practical
ends. However, all renewable energies, other than geothermal and tidal,
derive their energy from the sun.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive or active
depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active
solar techniques use photovoltaic panels, pumps, and fans to convert sunlight
into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include selecting materials with
favorable thermal properties, designing spaces that naturally circulate air,
and referencing the position of a building to the Sun. Active solar
technologies increase the supply of energy and are considered supply
side technologies, while passive solar technologies reduce the need for
alternate resources and are generally considered demand side technologies
Solar power
Fig 2.10The PS10 concentrates sunlight from a field on a
central tower
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Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either
directly using photovoltaic (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar
power (CSP). CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to
focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. PV converts light into
electric current using the photoelectric.
Commercial CSP plants were first developed in the 1980s and the 354
MW SEGS CSP installations is the largest solar power plant in the world and
are located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants
include the Solnova Solar Power Stationand the Andasol solar power station
(100 MW), both in Spain. 214MW Charanka Solar Park in India, is
the world’s largest photovoltaic plant.
Photovoltaic
Fig 2.1180 MW Okhotnykovo Solar Park
A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell (PV), is a device that converts light into
electric current using the photoelectric effect. The first solar cell was
constructed by Charles Fritts in the 1880s. In 1931, a German engineer, Dr
Bruno Lange, developed a photocell using silver selenide in place of copper
oxide.Although the prototype selenium cells converted less than 1% of
incident light into electricity, both Ernst Werner von Siemens and James
Clerk Maxwell recognized the importance of this discovery.Following the
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work of Russell Ohl in the 1940s, researchers Gerald Pearson, Calvin
Fuller and Daryl Chapin created the silicon solar cell in 1954. These early
solar cells cost 286 USD/watt and reached efficiencies of 4.5–6%.
2.3. Vacuum cleaner
The vacuum cleaner evolved from the carpet sweeper via manual
vacuum cleaners. The first manual models, using bellows, came in the
1860s, and the first motorized models came in the beginning of the 20th
century.
2.3.1 Evolution of vacuum cleaner
Daniel Hess
Daniel Hess of West Union, Iowa invented a vacuum cleaner in 1860,
calling it a carpet sweeper instead of a vacuum cleaner. His machine did, in
fact, have a rotating brush like a traditional carpet sweeperand possessed an
elaborate bellows mechanism on top of the body to generate suction of dust
and dirt. Hess received a patent (US No. 29.077) for his invention of the
vacuum cleaner on July 10, 1860.
Ives W. McGaffey
The first manually powered cleaner using vacuum principle was the
"Whirlwind", invented in Chicago in 1868 by Ives W. McGaffey. The
machine was lightweight and compact, but was difficult to operate because
of the need to turn a hand crank at the same time as pushing it across the
floor. McGaffey enlisted the help of The American Carpet Cleaning Co. of
Boston to market it to the public. It was sold for $25. It is hard to determine
how successful the Whirlwind was, as most of them were sold in Chicago
and Boston, and it is likely that many were lost in the Great Chicago Fire of
1871. Only two are known to have survived, one of which can be found in
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the Hoover Historical Center. McGaffey was but one of many 19th-century
inventors in the United States and Europe who devised manual vacuum
cleaners. He obtained a patent (US No. 91,145) on June 8, 1869.
Melville Bissell
In 1876, Melville R. Bissell of Grand Rapids, Michigan created a
push-powered carpet sweeper for his wife, Anna Sutherland Bissell, to clean
up sawdust in carpeting. Shortly after, Bissell Carpet Sweepers were born.
After Melville died unexpectedly in 1889, Anna took control of the company
and became one of the most powerful business-women of the day. The
company later added portable vacuum cleaners to its line of cleaning tools.
John S. Thurman
On November 14, 1898, John S. Thurman of St. Louis, Missouri,
submitted a patent (US No. 634,042) for a "pneumatic carpet renovator". It
was issued on October 3, 1899. Thurman created a gasoline-powered carpet
cleaner for the General Compressed Air Company. In a newspaper
advertisement from the St. Louis Dispatch, Thurman offered his invention of
the horse drawn (which went door to door) motorized cleaning system in St.
Louis. He offered cleaning services at $4 per visit. By 1906, Thurman was
offering built-in central cleaning systems that used compressed air, yet
featured no dust collection. Thurman's machine is sometimes considered the
first vacuum cleaner. However, the dust was blown into a receptacle rather
than being sucked in, as in the machine now used. In later patent litigation,
Judge Augustus Hand ruled that Thurman "does not appear to have
attempted to design a vacuum cleaner or to have understood the process of
vacuum cleaning".
H. Cecil Booth
Hubert Cecil Booth has the strongest claim to inventing the motorized
vacuum cleaner, in 1901. As Booth recalled decades later, that year he
attended “a demonstration of an American machine by its inventor” at the
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Empire Music Hall in London. The inventor is not named, but Booth’s
description of the machine conforms closely to Thurman’s design, as
modified in later patents. Booth watched a demonstration of the device,
which blew dust off the chairs, and thought it would be much more useful to
have one that sucked dust. He tested the idea by laying a handkerchief on the
seat of a restaurant chair, putting his mouth to the handkerchief, and then
trying to suck up as much dust as he could onto the handkerchief. Upon
seeing the dust and dirt collected on the underside of the handkerchief, he
realized the idea could work.
Booth created a large device, driven first by an oil engine, and later by
an electric motor. Nicknamed the "Puffing Billy", Booth's first petrol-
powered, horse-drawn vacuum cleaner relied upon air drawn by a piston
pump through a cloth filter. It did not contain any brushes; all the cleaning
was done by suction through long tubes with nozzles on the ends.
Booth initially did not attempt to sell his machine, but rather sold cleaning
services. The vans of the British Vacuum Cleaning Company (BVCC) were
bright red; uniformed operators would haul hose off the van and route it
through the windows of a building to reach all the rooms inside. Booth was
harassed by complaints about the noise of his vacuum machines and was
even fined for frightening horses.Gaining the royal seal of approval, Booth's
motorized vacuum cleaner was used to clean the carpets of Westminster
Abbey prior to Edward VII's coronation in 1901.
Booth received his first patents on February 18 and August 30, 1901. Booth
started the British Vacuum Cleaner Company, and refined his invention over
the next several decades. Though his "Goblin" model lost out to competition
from Hoover in the household vacuum market, his company successfully
turned its focus to the industrial market, building ever-larger models for
factories and warehouses. Booth's company, now BVC, lives on today as a
unit of pneumatic tube system maker Quire pace Ltd.
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David T. Kenney
Nine patents granted to the New Jersey inventor David T.
Kenney between 1903 and 1913 established the foundation for the American
vacuum cleaner industry. Membership in the Vacuum Cleaner
Manufacturers' Association, formed in 1919, was limited to licensees under
his patents.
Walter Griffiths
In 1905, "Griffith's Improved Vacuum Apparatus for Removing Dust from
Carpets" was another manually operated cleaner, patented by Walter
Griffiths Manufacturer, Birmingham, England. It was portable, easy to store,
and powered by "any one person (such as the ordinary domestic servant)",
who would have the task of compressing a bellows-like contraption to suck
up dust through a removable, flexible pipe, to which a variety of shaped
nozzles could be attached. This was arguably the first domestic vacuum-
cleaning device to resemble the modern vacuum cleaner.
Hermann Bogenschild
German immigrant engineer Hermann Bogenschild filed a patent in
1906 for a mechanical "dust removing apparatus". He had emigrated from
Berlin to Milwaukee in 1892. Bogenschild's device was mounted on wheels
for portability and its motor was connected to a hose and filter system.
James Murray Spangler
In 1907, James Murray Spangler, a janitor from Canton, Ohio,
invented the first practical, portable vacuum cleaner. Crucially, in addition to
suction that used an electric fan, a box, and one of his wife's pillowcases,
Spangler's design incorporated a rotating brush to loosen debris. Unable to
produce the design himself due to lack of funding, he sold the patent in 1908
to William Henry Hoover who had Spangler's machine redesigned with a
steel casing, casters, and attachments. Subsequent innovations included the
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first disposal filter bags in the 1920s and the first upright vacuum cleaner in
1926.
Hoover
Spangler patented his rotating-brush design June 2, 1908, and
eventually sold the idea to his cousin's husband, Hoover. He was looking for
a new product to sell, as the leather goods produced by his 'Hoover Harness
and Leather Goods' company were becoming obsolete, because of the
invention of the automobile. In the United States and other countries, the
Hoover Company remains one of the leading manufacturers of household
goods, including vacuum cleaners; and Hoover became very wealthy from
the invention. Indeed, in Britain the name Hoover became synonymous with
the vacuum cleaner so much, so that one "hoovers one's carpets". Initially
called 'The Electric Suction Sweeper Company' - their first vacuum was the
1908 Model O, which sold for $60.
Constellation
Fig 2.14Hoover Constellation of 1960
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Hoover is also notable for an unusual vacuum cleaner, the
Hoover Constellation, which is a cylinder type but lacks wheels. Instead, the
vacuum cleaner floats on its exhaust, operating as a hovercraft, although this
is not true of the earliest models. They had a swivel top hose with the
intention being that the user would place the unit in the center of the room,
and work around the cleaner. Introduced in 1952, they are collectible, and
are easily identified by the spherical shape of the housing. They tended to be
loud, had poor cleaning power, and could not float over carpets. However,
they remain an interesting machine; restored, they work well in homes with
lots of hardwood floors.
The Constellations were changed and updated over the years until
discontinued in 1975. These Constellations route all of the exhaust under the
vacuum using a different airfoil. The updated design is quiet even by modern
standards, particularly on carpet as it muffles the sound. These models float
on carpet or bare floor—although on hard flooring, the exhaust air tends to
scatter any fluff or debris around.
Hoover has now re-released an updated version of this later model
Constellation in the US (model # S3341 in Pearl White and # S3345 in
stainless steel). Changes include a HEPA filtration bag, a 12 amp motor; a
suction turbine powered rotating brush floor head, and a redesigned version
of the handle, which tended to break. This same model was marketed in the
UK under the Maytag brand as the Satellite because of licensing restrictions.
The 5.2 amp motor on older US units provides respectable suction but
they all lack a motorized brush head. Therefore, they generally work better
on hard floors or short pile rugs. Old units take Hoover type J paper bags but
the slightly smaller type S allergen filtration bags can be easily trimmed to
fit the retaining notches on the old vacuums. Replacement motors are still
available from Hoover US for some models.
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Hoover made another hovering vacuum cleaner model called
the Celebrity in 1973. It has a flattened "flying saucer" shape. Hoover added
wheels to it to make it a conventional cylinder model after a brief run as a
hovering vacuum. It uses "Type H" bags.
Nilfisk
In 1910, P.A. Fisker patented a vacuum cleaner using a name based on
the company’s telegram address—Nilfisk. It was the first electric vacuum
cleaner in Europe. His design weighed just 17.5 kg and could be operated by
a single person. The company Fisker and Nielsen was formed just a few
years before. Today the Nilfisk vacuums are delivered by Nilfisk-Advance.
Electrolux Model V
The first vacuum cleaners were bulky stand-up units and not easily
portable. However, in 1921 Electrolux launched the Model V, which was
designed to lie on the floor on two thin metal runners. This innovation,
conceived by Electrolux founder Axel Wenner-Gren, became a standard
feature on generations of future vacuum cleaners.
There is a recorded example of a 1930s Electrolux vacuum cleaner surviving
in use for over 70 years, finally breaking in 2008.
Post-World War II
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Fig 2.15Dyson DC07 upright cyclonic vacuum cleaner
For many years after their introduction, vacuum cleaners remained a
luxury item, but after World War II, they became common among the middle
classes.Vacuums tend to be more common in Western countries because, in
most other parts of the world wall-to-wall carpeting is uncommon and homes
have tile or hardwood floors, which are easily swept, wiped, or mopped
manually without power assist.The last decades of the twentieth century saw
the more widespread use of technologies developed earlier, including filter
less cyclonic dirt separation, central vacuum systems, and rechargeable
hand-held vacuums. In addition, miniaturized computer technology and
improved batteries allowed the development of a new type of machine — the
autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner.
2.3.2. Recent developments
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In 2004, a British company released Airider, a hovering vacuum
cleaner that floats on a cushion of air. It has claimed to be lightweight and
easier to maneuver (compared to using wheels), although it is not the first
vacuum cleaner to do this, the Hoover Constellation predated it by at least 35
years.
A British inventor has developed a new cleaning technology known as Air
Recycling Technology, which instead of using a vacuum uses an air stream
to collect dust from the carpet. This technology was tested by the Market
Transformation Program (MTP) and shown to be more energy efficient than
the vacuum method. Although working prototypes exist, Air Recycling
Technology is not currently used in any production cleaner.
Modern configurations
A wide variety of technologies, designs, and configurations are
available for both domestic and commercial cleaning jobs.
Upright
Upright vacuum cleaners are common in the US, Britain and several
Commonwealth countries, but very unusual in Continental Europe. They
take the form of a cleaning head, onto which a handle and bag are attached.
Upright designs usually employ a rotating brushroll or beater bar, which
removes dirt through a combination of sweeping and vibration. There are
two types of upright vacuums; dirty-air/direct fan (found mostly on
commercial vacuums), or clean-air/fan-bypass (found on most of today's
domestic vacuums).
The older of the two designs, direct-fan cleaners have a large impeller (fan)
mounted close to the suction opening, through which the dirt passes directly,
before being blown into a bag. A separate cooling fan often cools the motor.
Because of their large-bladed fans, and comparatively short air paths, direct-
fan cleaners create a very efficient airflow from a low amount of power, and
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make great carpet cleaners. Their "above-floor" cleaning power is less
efficient, since the airflow is lost when it passes through a long hose, and the
fan has been optimized for airflow volume and not suction.
Fan-bypass uprights have their motor mounted after the filter bag. Dust is
removed from the airstream by the bag, and usually a filter, before it passes
through the fan. The fans are smaller, and are usually a combination of
several moving and stationary turbines working in sequence to boost power.
The motor is cooled by the airstream passing through it. Fan-bypass
vacuums are good for both carpet and above-floor cleaning, since their
suction does not significantly diminish over the distance of a hose, as it does
in direct-fan cleaners. However, their air-paths are much less efficient, and
can require more than twice as much power as direct-fan cleaners to achieve
the same results. The most common upright vacuum cleaners use a drive-belt
powered by the suction motor to rotate the brush-roll. However, a more
common design of dual motor upright is available. In these cleaners, the
suction is provided via a large motor, while a separate, smaller motor, which
does not create any suction, powers the brush roll. The brush-roll motor can
sometimes be switched off, so hard floors can be cleaned without the brush-
roll scattering the dirt. It may also have an automatic cut-off feature, which
shuts the motor off if the brush-roll becomes jammed, protecting it from
damage.
Cylinder
Cylinder models (in the US also often called canister models) dominate
the European market. They have the motor and dust collector (using a bag or
bag less) in a separate unit, usually mounted on wheels, which is connected
to the vacuum head by a flexible hose. Their main advantage is flexibility, as
you can attach different heads for different tasks, and maneuverability (the
head can reach under furniture and makes it very easy to vacuum stairs and
vertical surfaces. Many cylinder models have power heads, as standard or
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add-on equipment, which contain the same sort of mechanical beaters as in
upright units, making them as efficient on carpets as upright models. A
separate electric motor or a turbine, which uses the suction power to spin the
brush roll via a drive belt, drives such beaters.
Drum
Fig 2.16Wet/dry shop vacuum for home use
Drum or shop vacuum models are essentially heavy-duty industrial
versions of cylinder vacuum cleaners, where the cylinder consists of a large
vertically positioned drum, which can be stationary or on wheels. Smaller
versions, for use in garages or small workshops, are usually electrically
powered. Larger models, which can store over 200 litres,are often hooked up
to compressed air, utilizing the Venturi effect to produce a partial vacuum.
Wet/Dry
Wet or wet/dry vacuum cleaners are a specialized form of the
cylinder/drum models that can be used to clean up wet or liquid spills. They
commonly can accommodate both wet and dry soil age; some are also
equipped with a switch or exhaust port for reversing the airflow, a useful
function for everything from clearing a clogged hose to blowing dust into a
corner for easy collection.
Pneumatic
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Pneumatic or pneumatic wet/dry vacuum cleaners are a specialized
form of wet/dry models that hook up to compressed air. They commonly can
accommodate both wet and dry soil age, a useful feature in industrial plants
and manufacturing facilities.
Backpack
Backpack vacuum cleaners are commonly used for commercial cleaning:
they allow the user to move rapidly about a large area. They are essentially
cylinder vacuum cleaners strapped on the user's back.
Hand-held
Fig2.17USB-powered hand-held vacuum cleaner
Lightweight hand-held vacuum cleaners, either powered
from rechargeable batteries or mains power, are also popular for cleaning up
smaller spills. Frequently seen examples include the Black & Decker
DustBuster, introduced in 1979, and the various hand-held models from Dirt
Devil, first introduced in 1984. Some battery-powered handheld vacuums are
wet/dry rated; the appliance must be partially disassembled and cleaned after
picking up wet materials, to avoid developing unpleasant odors.
Robotic
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Fig 2.18The Electrolux Trilobite robotic vacuum cleaner
In early 1999/2000, several companies developed robotic vacuum
cleaners, a form of carpet sweeper, usually equipped with limited suction
power. Some examples
are Roomba, Robomaxx, Intellibot, Trilobite, FloorBot and Dyson. These
machines move autonomously, usually in a mostly chaotic pattern ("random
bounce") across a floor, collecting surface dust and debris into a dustbin.
They usually can navigate around furniture and come back to a docking
station to charge their batteries, and a few are able to empty their dust
containers into the dock as well.
Most robotic vacuum cleaners are designed for home use, although there
are more capable models for operation in offices, hotels, hospitals,
woodshops, etc. Most models are equipped with motorized brushes that
sweep debris from the floor into a collection bin. Additionally, some such as
the Roomba are equipped with an impeller motor to create an actual vacuum,
to collect finer dust particles.By the end of 2003, about 570,000 units were
sold worldwide.The Dyson robotic vacuum cleaner (DC06) was too
expensive for home use due to its high technical specifications. Thus, it was
never released, although it is claimed that it would have been the first robotic
vacuum cleaner sold.
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Cyclonic
Portable vacuum cleaners working on the cyclonic separation principle
became popular in the 1990s. This dirt separation principle was well known
and often used in central vacuum systems. Cleveland's P.A. Geier Company
had obtained a patent on a cyclonic vacuum cleaner as early as 1928, which
was later sold to Health-Mor in 1939, introducing the Filter Queen cyclonic
canister vacuum cleaner.
In 1979, James Dyson introduced a portable unit with cyclonic
separation, adapting this design from industrial sawmills.He launched his
cyclone cleaner first in Japan in the 1980s at a cost of about US$1800 and in
1993 brought out the Dyson DC01 upright in the UK for £200. Critics
expected that people would not buy a vacuum cleaner at twice the price of a
conventional unit, but the Dyson design later became the most popular
cleaner in the UK.
Cyclonic cleaners do not use filtration bags. Instead, the dust is separated
in a detachable cylindrical collection vessel or bin. Air and dust are sucked at
high speed into the collection vessel at a direction tangential to the vessel
wall, creating a fast-spinning vortex. The dust particles and other debris
move to the outside of the vessel by centrifugal force, where they fall due to
gravity.
In fixed-installation central vacuum cleaners, the cleaned air may be
exhausted directly outside without need for further filtration. A well-
designed cyclonic filtration system does not lose suction power due to
airflow restriction, until the collection vessel is almost full. This is in marked
contrast to filter bag systems, which lose suction as pores in the filter
become clogged as dirt and dust are collected.
In portable cyclonic models, the cleaned air from the center of the vortex
is expelled from the machine after passing through a number of successively
finer filters at the top of the container. The first filter is intended to trap
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particles, which could damage the subsequent filters that remove fine dust
particles. The filters must regularly be cleaned or replaced to ensure that the
machine continues to perform efficiently.Since Dyson's success in raising
public awareness of cyclonic separation, several other companies have
introduced cyclone models. Competing manufacturers include Hoover,
Bissell, Eureka, Electrolux, Filter Queen, etc., and the cheapest models are
no more expensive than a conventional cleaner is.
Central
Fig 2.19Power unit of a typical central vacuum cleaner
Central vacuum cleaners, also known as built-in or ducted, are a type
of cylinder model which has the motor and dirt filtration unit located in a
central location in a building, and connected by pipes to fixed vacuum inlets
installed throughout the building. Only the hose and cleaning head need be
carried from room to room, and the hose is commonly 8 m (25 ft) long,
allowing a large range of movement without changing vacuum inlets. Plastic
or metal piping connects the inlets to the central unit. The vacuum head may
be unpowered, or have beaters operated by an electric motor or by an air-
driven turbine.
The dirt bag or collection bin in a central vacuum system is usually so
large that emptying or changing needs to be done less often, perhaps a few
times per year for an ordinary household. The central unit usually stays in
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stand-by, and is turned on by a switch on the handle of the hose. Alternately,
the unit powers up when the hose is plugged into the wall inlet, when the
metal hose connector makes contact with two prongs in the wall inlet and
control current is transmitted through low voltage wires to the main unit.
A central vacuum typically produces greater suction than common
portable vacuum cleaners, because a larger fan and more powerful motor can
be used when they are not required to be portable. A cyclonic separation
system, if used, does not lose suction as the collection container fills up, until
the container is nearly full. This is in marked contrast to filter bag designs,
which start losing suction immediately as pores in the filter become clogged
by accumulated dirt and dust.
A benefit to allergy sufferers is that unlike a standard vacuum cleaner,
which must blow some of the dirt collected back into the room being cleaned
(no matter how efficient its filtration), a central vacuum removes all the dirt
collected to the central unit. Since this central unit is usually located outside
the living area, no dust is re-circulated back into the room being cleaned. In
addition, it is possible on most new models to vent the exhaust entirely
outside, even with the unit inside the living quarters.
In addition, because of the remote location of the motor unit, there is
much less noise in the room being cleaned than with a standard vacuum
cleaner.
Other variations
Some vacuum cleaners include an electric mop in the same machine: for a
dry and a later wet clean.
The iRobot company developed the Scooba, a robotic wet vacuum
cleaner that carries its own cleaning solution, applies it and scrubs the floor,
and vacuums the dirty water into a collection tank.
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Attachments
Most vacuum cleaners are supplied with various specialized attachments,
such as tools, brushes and extension wands, which allow them to reach
otherwise inaccessible places or to be used for cleaning a variety of surfaces.
The most common of these tools are:
Hard floor brush (for non-upright models)
Carpeted floor brush (for non-upright models)
Dusting brush
Crevice tool
Upholstery tool
Specifications
The performance of a vacuum cleaner can be measured by several
parameters:
Airflow, in litres per second [l/s] or cubic feet per minute (CFM or
ft³/min)
Air speed, in meters per second [m/s] or miles per hour [mph]
Suction, vacuum, or water lift, in Pascal’s [Pa] or inches of water
Other specifications of a vacuum cleaner are:
Weight, in kilograms [kg] or pounds [lb]
Noise, in decibels [dB]
PROPOSED MODEL
In this project,a dc motor will run suction pump; the outlet of the pump
will be connected to a bin, which will hold the litter. The power to the dc
motor will be provided by a battery, which will be charged by the solar
panels mounted on top of the device. Provision is done to charge the battery
in adverse conditions by electricity. The complete unit will be mounted on a
trolley for easy movement. By this technology, the use of engines run by fuel
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for the same purpose can be eliminated as fuel is one depleting source of
energy and the price of fuel in the recent years is an increasing curve on the
graph, which is still increasing further. This device can be used in places like
school, hospital, compounds, railway stations, bus stand, where people tend
to throw litter wastes and this device can be used in lawns to carry away
fallen leaves. This project is an attempt to clean the environment at a faster
rate and by cost effective means.