Suction trucks have come a long way over the years. However, despite the improvements and recent innovations, they have stayed true to their core technology – negative pressure.
There are many modern versions today but the core remains, it sucks out water waste and sludge using negative pressure.
Let’s take a look at the various parts of suction trucks, how they work and what role they play in the overall dynamics of the suction truck.
Tank Can
The tank can is the centre cylinder of the tank body. It is made of rolled sheets of steel or stainless steel that is usually about a quarter of an inch thick.
Tank Head
The tank head is the end cap of the tank body that usually has a flange and a dish process. It is made of the same material as the tank can. The tank head is found at the back end of the tank body.
Discharge Port
The discharge port is where you connect the hose when the tank needs to be emptied. It is usually a 3 to 6 inch pipe that is connected to a lever, butterfly or ball valve.
The discharge port is usually found at the bottom part of the tank body and at the back.
Inlet Port
The inlet port is a 2 to 6 inch pipe connected to a lever, butterfly or a valve. It is usually smaller than the discharge port also located at the bottom part of the back of the tank body.
Sight Eyes
The sight eyes allow the users to view the load level of the tank. It is usually made of glass or plastic and is removable for easy cleaning.
Small and medium-sized tanks have one set of sight eyes while the larger ones can have up to three five-inch sight eyes. It is located in the upper part of the back of the tank body.
Pressure Gauge
This is a simple gauge that keeps track and indicates the level of vacuum or pressure inside the tank. It is usually located at the end of the tank body and at the top.
Access Port
Also known as the hatch is the access port of the tank. Its diameter ranges from 12 inches to 36 inches depending on how big the tank is. It is typically located on the tip of the tank body or at the rear end.
Vacuum Relief Valve
The vacuum relief valve is an important safety feature that is used to regulate the maximum vacuum level in the tank to reduce long term tank fatigue and the risk of tank collapse.
It also allows air to circulate inside the tank to cool the vacuum pump. It is typically mounted as close to the vacuum pump as possible.
Pressure Relief Valve
The pressure relief valve is another safety feature that is used to regulate the maximum pressure level in the suction tank.
Like the vacuum relief valve, it also reduces the risk of long term tank fatigue and tank collapse. It is mounted beside the vacuum relief valve.
Primary Shutoff
This is usually located at the top of the tank and serves as the first defence that prevents the tank contents from entering the pump and basically leak out.
The primary shutoff comes in different shapes and sizes and is paired appropriately with the vacuum pump.
Float Ball
The float ball floats on top of the content and floats up to the top of the tank when it is full. It is an indicator of the tank content. It is usually made of stainless steel or rubber-coated plastic.
Ball Seat
The ball seat is a gasket-like ring above the float ball that creates a seal when the tank reaches its full capacity.
Secondary Shutoff
A second component that also prevents the tank contents from entering the pump. Also made in different styles and sizes and is paired appropriately with the vacuum pump. It is usually located at the front end of the tank body.
Vacuum Pump
This is typically made of rotary vane vacuum pumps that create a vacuum in the tank. The vacuum pumps usually use 2 to 8 replaceable sliding vanes to move the air.
Oil Cath Muffler or Oil Separator
The oil separator reduces pump exhaust noise level and separates the blow-by-pump oil for disposal. It is appropriately sized to match the vacuum pump and prevent oil from blowing out of the exhaust.
Tank Rails
These rails are usually either straight or tapered or sloped and support the bottom of the tank. They are mostly made of steel or iron.
Summary
Negative pressure is a simple technology but gets the work done. Today, we can see so many different versions of suction trucks – different innovations for different uses.
At Pressure Works, we have a wide range of suction trucks ready to serve Melbourne and surrounding areas.