Cyclonic fugitive dust sampler
First Claim
1. A dust sampling system, comprising:
- a discrete portable dust sampler, comprising;
a suction unit to draw in air containing dust particles,a cyclone to centrifugally separate the dust particles from the drawn-in air, the cyclone having an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit by a suction hose,an enclosed dust collection container positioned underneath the cyclone to only receive and store the separated dust particles from the cyclone, andan air intake conduit having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone; and
the dust sampler is configured to operate being mounted on an external part of a vehicle on which the dust sampler is placed,wherein the suction unit draws in the air containing the dust particles into the air inlet of the air intake conduit while the vehicle moves to collect samples of fugitive dust from a road;
whereby the dust collection container is positioned between the suction unit and the air intake conduit;
a frame on which the dust sampler is mounted, the frame comprising;
a base having a first end and a second end;
a suction unit support member having an opening to receive the suction unit, the suction unit support member being attached to the first end of the base at a height sufficient to support the suction unit;
a conduit support member having a first leg, a second leg, and a conduit arm, the first leg and the second leg being attached to the second end of the base and the conduit arm being attached to top ends of the first leg and second leg and extending out and away from the second end of the base, the conduit support member supporting the air intake conduit and extending over an end of the vehicle;
a cap mount having an opening to receive the particle discharge end of the cyclone; and
a container support member having an opening to receive the dust collection container,the container support member being attached to the base between the first leg and the second leg at a height sufficient to support the dust collection container,wherein the frame holds the dust collection container, the cyclone, the air intake conduit,and the suction unit in place while the vehicle is moving and the samples are being collected.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dust sampling system including a dust sampler and a vehicle on which the dust sampler is placed. The dust sampler has a suction unit, a cyclone, a dust collection container, and an air intake conduit. The suction unit draws in air containing dust particles. The cyclone centrifugally separates the dust particles from the drawn-in air. The cyclone has an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit. A dust collection container is positioned underneath the cyclone to receive the separated dust particles from the cyclone. The air intake conduit has an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone. The suction unit draws in the air containing the dust particles into the air inlet of the air intake conduit while the vehicle moves to collect samples of fugitive dust from a road.
19 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A dust sampling system, comprising:
- a discrete portable dust sampler, comprising;
a suction unit to draw in air containing dust particles, a cyclone to centrifugally separate the dust particles from the drawn-in air, the cyclone having an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit by a suction hose, an enclosed dust collection container positioned underneath the cyclone to only receive and store the separated dust particles from the cyclone, and an air intake conduit having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone; and
the dust sampler is configured to operate being mounted on an external part of a vehicle on which the dust sampler is placed,wherein the suction unit draws in the air containing the dust particles into the air inlet of the air intake conduit while the vehicle moves to collect samples of fugitive dust from a road;
whereby the dust collection container is positioned between the suction unit and the air intake conduit;a frame on which the dust sampler is mounted, the frame comprising; a base having a first end and a second end; a suction unit support member having an opening to receive the suction unit, the suction unit support member being attached to the first end of the base at a height sufficient to support the suction unit; a conduit support member having a first leg, a second leg, and a conduit arm, the first leg and the second leg being attached to the second end of the base and the conduit arm being attached to top ends of the first leg and second leg and extending out and away from the second end of the base, the conduit support member supporting the air intake conduit and extending over an end of the vehicle; a cap mount having an opening to receive the particle discharge end of the cyclone; and
a container support member having an opening to receive the dust collection container,the container support member being attached to the base between the first leg and the second leg at a height sufficient to support the dust collection container, wherein the frame holds the dust collection container, the cyclone, the air intake conduit, and the suction unit in place while the vehicle is moving and the samples are being collected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a discrete portable dust sampler, comprising;
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9. A cyclonic dust sampler, comprising:
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a suction unit to draw in air containing dust particles; a cyclone that centrifugally separate the dust particles from the drawn-in air, the cyclone having an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit by a suction hose with a width narrower than the cyclone; a discrete enclosed dust collection container positioned underneath the cyclone to only receive and store the separated dust particles from the cyclone; and an air intake conduit having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone, a height of the air inlet above a surface to be sampled being adjustable; a frame on which the dust sampler is mounted, the frame comprising; a base having a first end and a second end; a suction unit support member having an opening to receive the suction unit, the suction unit support member being attached to the first end of the base at a height sufficient to support the suction unit; a conduit support member having a first leg, a second leg, and a conduit arm, the first leg and the second leg being attached to the second end of the base and the conduit arm being attached to top ends of the first leg and second leg and extending out and away from the second end of the base, the conduit support member supporting the air intake conduit and extending over an end of the vehicle; a cap mount having an opening to receive the particle discharge end of the cyclone; and a container support member having an opening to receive the dust collection container, the container support member being attached to the base between the first leg and the second leg at a height sufficient to support the dust collection container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of collecting samples of fugitive dust, comprising:
- providing a discrete portable dust sampler having;
a suction unit to draw in air containing dust particles, a cyclone to centrifugally separate the dust particles from the drawn-in air, the cyclone having an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit, an enclosed dust collection container positioned underneath the cyclone to only receive and store the separated dust particles from the cyclone, and an air intake conduit having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone; providing a vehicle and placing the dust sampler on an external part of the vehicle; positioning a height of the air inlet of the air intake conduit to a desired height above a road surface; turning on the suction unit to draw air containing the dust particles into the air inlet of the air intake conduit while the vehicle moves to collect samples of fugitive dust from the road; driving the vehicle along the road for a predefined distance at a predefined speed while tracking a position of the dust sampler as the vehicle moves using a data logger of a Geospatial Positioning System unit; and removing the dust collection container containing the sample and storing it for subsequent analysis, and before collecting another sampler dismantling the entire dust sampler for washing or replacing with pre-cleaned components of the same specification. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
- providing a discrete portable dust sampler having;
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17. A dust sampling system,
comprising: - a discrete portable dust sampler, comprising;
a suction unit to draw in air containing dust particles, a cyclone to centrifugally separate the dust particles from the drawn-in air, the cyclone having an air input port, a particle discharge end, and an air output port connected to the suction unit by a suction hose, an enclosed dust collection container positioned underneath the cyclone to only receive and store the separated dust particles from the cyclone, and an air intake conduit having an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the air input port of the cyclone; and
the dust sampler is configured to operate being mounted on an external part of a vehicle on which the dust sampler is placed,wherein the suction unit draws in the air containing the dust particles into the air inlet of the air intake conduit while the vehicle moves to collect samples of fugitive dust from a road;
whereby the dust collection container is positioned between the suction unit and the air intake conduit;
whereby the vehicle includes a bed, a tailgate, rear tires, and an exhaust pipe and the dust sampler is positioned in the truck bed so that the air inlet of the air intake conduit reaches over the tailgate behind the rear tires and on an opposite side of the exhaust pipe, the dust sampler being positioned at a 45-degree angle from a longitudinal axis of the tailgate so that the dust sampler collects suspended dust rather than fine sand to granule-sized particles thrown by the rear tires.
- a discrete portable dust sampler, comprising;
Specification