Automated vacuum waste handling system

• US 20050005968A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Berry, Kurtis B., Hodder, Peter S., Kolodin, D. Garrett, Cassaday, Jason A.
• Application Number:
  US10/881,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005968A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/205
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0283 specially adapted for transferring liquids of high purity
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/78 Arrangements of storage tanks, reservoirs or pipe-lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3109 Liquid filling by evacuating container

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated vacuum liquid waste handling system having two or more waste vessels, with a liquid-level sensor, a means for filling the waste vessels with waste, a means for switching from the first waste vessel, once full, to one or more other waste vessels that are not full, and a means for simultaneously removing said waste from the first full waste vessel to output holding stations and filling another waste vessel so that waste collection is not interrupted.

Claims

1. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system comprising:

a plurality of waste vessels, each having a liquid-level sensor and three openings,

a means for filling a first waste vessel with liquid waste,

a means for switching from the first waste vessel, once full, to a second waste vessel that is not full, and

a means for simultaneously removing said waste from the first full waste vessel to an output holding station and filling the second waste vessel;

said automated vacuum waste handling system being able to switch back and forth, as needed, to two or more waste vessels as each becomes full or is emptied.

2. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 1, wherein the means for filling the first waste vessel comprises:

(1) a liquid waste production source,

(2) a vacuum pump,

(3) a first waste supply line having a first 2-way control valve,

(4) a first waste output line having a second 2-way control valve,

(5) a first vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve, and

(6) at least one T-joint;

said first waste supply line for providing access to or isolating the first waste vessel from the liquid waste production source, and being connected to the liquid waste production source by a first T-joint;

said first waste supply line connected to the first liquid waste vessel through a first opening in said first liquid waste vessel;

said first waste output line, being connected through a second opening in the first liquid waste vessel for retaining or releasing the liquid waste in the first liquid waste vessel;

said first vacuum source line for providing or releasing vacuum to the first liquid waste vessel and being connected to the first liquid waste vessel through a third opening in the first liquid waste vessel;

said vacuum pump connected to the first vacuum source line, having the 3-way control valve, by a third T-joint for pumping liquid waste from the liquid waste production source to the liquid waste vessels; and

said first T-joint for connecting the liquid waste production source to the second waste vessel.

3. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 1, wherein said switching means comprises:

(1) a liquid-level sensor located within each of the liquid waste vessel(s), and

(2) an electronic system controller,

said liquid-level sensor signals the electronic system controller that the liquid waste vessel is full or empty;

said electronic system controller engages the appropriate control valves so that the liquid waste vessels are emptied when full and filled when emptied.

4. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 1, wherein the means for simultaneously removing said waste from the first full waste vessel to an output holding station and filling the second liquid waste vessel comprises:

(1) a first liquid waste output line having a second 2-way control valve,

(2) one or more T-joints

(3) a removal pump,

(4) a liquid waste production source,

(5) a vacuum pump,

(6) a second liquid waste supply line having a third 2-way control valve,

(7) a second liquid waste output line having a fourth 2-way control valve,

(8) a second vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve,

said first liquid waste output line having the ssecond 2-way control valve, being connected to the removal pump by a second T-joint through a dump line;

said removal pump for removing the liquid waste from a first liquid waste vessel through the liquid waste output line through the dump line to the output holding station;

said second 2-way control valve for retaining or releasing the liquid waste in a first liquid waste vessel;

said second T-joint further connected to the second liquid waste output line having the fourth 2-way control valve for retaining or releasing the liquid waste in the second liquid waste vessel, and being connected to the second liquid waste vessel through a second opening in the second liquid waste vessel;

said second liquid waste supply line having the third 2-way control valve for providing access to or isolating the second waste vessel from the liquid waste production source, and being connected to the liquid waste production source by a first T-joint;

said second liquid waste vessel being connected to the second waste supply line through a first opening in the second liquid waste vessel;

said second vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve, the 3-way control valve for providing or releasing vacuum to the second liquid waste vessel and being connected to the second liquid waste vessel through a third opening in the second liquid waste vessel;

said vacuum pump connected to the second vacuum source line by a third T-joint for pumping liquid waste from the liquid waste production source to the second liquid waste vessel; and

said first T-joint for connecting the liquid waste production source to a first liquid waste vessel and the second liquid waste vessel.

7. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 2 wherein the 2-way and 3-way control valves are independently selected from the group consisting of solenoid valve, ball valve, elliptical valve, diaphragm valve, and needle valve.

8. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 3 wherein the liquid level capacity sensor means is selected from the group consisting of 2 point float switch, ultrasonic sensor, magnetostrictive sensor or any continuous liquid level measurement sensor.

5. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system comprising:

(1) a liquid waste production source,

(2) vacuum pump,

(3) a first waste supply line having a first 2-way control valve,

(4) a first waste output line having a second 2-way control valve,

(5) a first vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve, and

(6) at least one T-joint;

(7) a plurality of liquid waste vessels each having a liquid level sensor,

(8) an electronic system controller,

(9) a second liquid waste supply line having a third 2-way control valve,

(10)a second liquid waste output line having a fourth 2-way control valve, and

(11)a second vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve,

said first waste supply line having the first 2-way control valve for providing access to or isolating the first waste vessel from the liquid waste production source, and being connected to the liquid waste production source by a first T-joint;

said first waste supply line connected to the first liquid waste vessel having the liquid level sensor through a first opening in said first liquid waste vessel;

said first waste output line having the second 2-way control valve, for retaining or releasing the liquid waste in the first liquid waste vessel, and being connected through a second opening in the first liquid waste vessel;

said first vacuum source line having the 3-way control valve for providing or releasing vacuum to the first liquid waste vessel and being connected to the first liquid waste vessel through a third opening in the first liquid waste vessel;

said vacuum pump connected to the first vacuum source line by a third T-joint for pumping liquid waste from the liquid waste production source to the liquid waste vessels;

said first T-joint for connecting the liquid waste production source to the second of waste vessel, having a liquid level sensor;

said second liquid waste supply line for providing access to or isolating the second liquid waste vessel from the liquid waste production source through use of the third 2-way control valve, and being connected to the liquid waste production source by the first T-joint;

said second waste supply line connected to the second liquid waste vessel through a first opening in said second liquid waste vessel;

said second waste output line having the fourth 2-way control valve, for retaining or releasing the liquid waste in the second liquid waste vessel, and being connected to the second liquid waste vessel through a second opening in the second liquid waste vessel;

said second vacuum source line having the second 3-way control valve for providing or releasing vacuum to the second liquid waste vessel and being connected to the second liquid waste vessel through a third opening in the second liquid waste vessel;

said vacuum pump connected to the second vacuum source line by a third T-joint for pumping liquid waste from the liquid waste production source to the second liquid waste vessel;

said first T-joint for connecting the liquid waste production source to the first and second liquid waste vessels, said liquid-level sensor for signalling the electronic system controller that the liquid waste vessel is full or empty; and

said electronic system controller for engaging appropriate control valves so that the liquid waste vessels are emptied when full or filled when emptied.

6. An automated vacuum liquid waste handling system according to claim 5 wherein the liquid-level sensor in the first liquid waste vessel signals the electronic system controller, when the first waste vessel is full, to close the first 2-way control valve, switch the first 3-way control valve so that it releases vacuum from the first liquid waste vessel, switch the second 3-way control valve to provide vacuum to the second liquid waste vessel, open the third 2-way control valve so that liquid waste from the liquid waste production source goes into the second liquid waste vessel and begins filling it, open the second 2-way control valve to release the liquid waste from the first liquid waste vessel into a liquid waste output holding station;

said second 2-way control valve closing once liquid-level sensor in the first liquid waste vessel signals the electronic system controller that first liquid waste vessel is empty, when the second liquid waste vessel is full the liquid-level sensor in the second liquid waste vessel signals the electronic system controller to close the third 2-way control valve, switch the second 3-way control valve so that it releases vacuum from the second liquid waste vessel, switch the first 3-way control valve to provide vacuum to the first liquid waste vessel, open the first 2-say control valve so that liquid waste from the liquid waste production source goes into the first liquid waste vessel and begins filling it, open the fourth 2-way control valve to release the liquid waste from the second liquid waste vessel into a liquid waste output holding station thereby starting the process over again;

said fourth 2-way control valve closing once liquid-level sensor in the second liquid waste vessel signals the electronic system controller that second liquid waste vessel is empty.

9. A process for handling liquid waste automatically comprising

(1) pumping liquid waste from a liquid waste production source through a first liquid waste supply line to a first liquid waste vessel having a liquid-level sensor, a first waste output line and a first vacuum source line, said first liquid waste supply line and waste output line having a first 2-way and second 2-way control valve, respectively and said first vacuum source line having a 3-way control valve;

(2) collecting the liquid waste in the first waste vessel until it is full;

(3) switching to a second liquid waste vessel thereby stopping the collection of liquid waste in the first waste vessel;

(4) collecting the liquid waste in a second liquid waste vessel until it is full;

(5) emptying the first liquid waste vessel while liquid waste is collecting in the second liquid waste vessel,

wherein the switching to a second waste vessel is controlled by an electronic system controller activated by the liquid-level sensor, said liquid-level sensor for detecting when the first waste vessel is empty or full, said electronic system controller closing the first 2-way control valve to prevent liquid waste from entering the first full liquid waste vessel, opening the second 2-way control valve that is linked to a removal pump and switching the first 3-way control valve to release vacuum on the first liquid waste vessel so that it is emptied to a liquid waste output holding station, said electronic system controller at the same time closes the first 2-way control valve, opens a third 2-way control valve and switches a second 3-way control valve to supply vacuum to the second liquid waste vessel so that it begins to fill with liquid waste, once the second liquid waste vessel is full the liquid-level sensor in the second waste vessel causes the electronic system controller to close the third 2-way control valve to prevent liquid from entering the second liquid waste vessel, open a fourth 2-way control valve that is linked to the removal pump and switch a second 3-way control valve to release vacuum on the second liquid waste vessel so that it is emptied to a liquid waste output holding station;

said electronic system controller signaling the first 2-way control valve and third 3-way control valve to begin filling the first empty waste vessel and thereby providing a continuous liquid waste handling system.

10. A process according to claim 9 which contains two or more liquid waste vessels, four or more 2-way control valves and two or more 3-way control valves.