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A Study of Optimal Operating Parameters on Road Dust Removal by a Flusher

Abstract
This study investigated the optimal operating parameters on road dust removal by a flusher. It aimed at enhancing road flushing efficiency, analyzing particle size range, and establishing a flushing model. This study explored main roads by collecting road dusts in Kaohsiung metropolitan area in October 2001. The roads were classified by road dust loading (RDL) as follows: level A (minor, RDL<1g/m2), level B (normal, RDL=1~5g/m2), level C (abnormal, RDL=5~11g/m2), and level D (serious, RDL= 11~25g/m2). The frequency of road flushing was recommended as follows: Level D roads were flushed every day to maintain RDL≤20g/m2. Level C roads were flushed every day, while level B roads were flushed every two days, to keep RDL≤10g/m2. Level A roads were flushed every week to maintain RDL≤5g/m2.
A pilot-scale road-flush testing field was designed for this particular study to investigate the influence of operating parameters on road flushing efficiency. The findings indicated that flat-fan type nozzle demonstrated higher flushing efficiency than hollow-cone type nozzle, and that the flushing speed and the distance of the nozzle away from the ground were correlated negatively with the road flushing efficiency, whereas the pressure of nozzle and RDL was correlated with the road flushing efficiency. The results suggested that, in the condition of eighty percent of flushing efficiency, the optimal operating parameters were flushing speed of 15km/hr, the pressure of nozzle of 2.0kg/cm2, the distance away from the ground of 30cm, the angle of 40o, and the particle size less than 150£gm.
The results showed that particle size was correlated negatively with the road flushing efficiency under various operating parameters of flushing for different road levels. Beside, the road flushing efficiency was above 80% for silt with particle size less than 75£gm. However, for particle size larger than 850£gm, the road flushing efficiency was up to 40%. It concluded that the road flushing efficiency of fine particles was better than that of coarse particles.
After conducting dimensionless analysis and multiple regression analysis, the model of road flushing efficiency can be shown as follows,
¡]R¡×0.8276¡^
where £b is the road flushing efficiency, U is the flusher speed (m/s), P is the water injecting pressure (N/m2), W is the road dust loading (kg/cm2), H is the distance of nozzle away from the ground (m), q is the amount of water per square meter (m3/m2), and £c is the angle of nozzle spread. In this model, RDL is negatively correlated with U, W and H. Moreover, the road flushing efficiency increases with water injection pressure and flow rate. On the basis of the above model, the average percentage of error was approximately 0.28%.
In this study, the optimal operating parameters of a flusher were that the flushing speed of 10km/hr, water injecting pressure of 2.0kg/cm2, the distance of nozzle away from the ground of 20cm, and the water injecting angle of 45o. However, depending upon the road cleanness levels, the optimal operating parameters could be varied. For instance, the distance of the nozzle away from the ground should be increased up to 30cm in order to prevent the damage from uneven roads or cavities. The experiments showed that 30cm of the height was a better option due to the road flushing efficiency was only 2% lower while compared with that of 20cm.
After the analysis of experimental data, the results can serve as the operation condition for road flushing practice as authorities concerned. The operating parameters proposed in this study could be useful for basic design of a high-efficiency flusher. Moreover, the model of road flushing efficiency can be further applied to predict the road flushing efficiency.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0829102-103707
Date29 August 2002
CreatorsSu-Wen, Cheng
Contributorsnone, none, none, none
PublisherNSYSU
Source SetsNSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive
LanguageCholon
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0829102-103707
Rightswithheld, Copyright information available at source archive

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