What Is a Vacuum Truck? 5 Ways to Utilize This Industrial Equipment
Employees and managers of industrial plants and factories know all to well the labor and procedure involved in keeping factories clean. One of the most heavily relied upon tools for industrial cleaning of all types is vacuum trucks. This post explains the incredible versatility of a vacuum truck and how they can be utilized in industrial settings to help companies exceed cleanliness requirements.
To get started, what is a vacuum truck? In short, it is a large industrial truck with a tank on the back and a powerful pump. It is designed to suck up liquid or dry material into the truck’s tank and then drive it to another location, where it will likely be disposed of. They are also referred to as pump trucks, and suction trucks, due to the nature of their work.
Types of Vacuum Trucks
Vac-trucks are built to varying sizes and specifications depending on the job they do. Some tanks are designed exclusively for liquid storage, while others are capable of also holding dry, or powdered material. More often than not, industrial vac-trucks are able to transport wet and dry materials because they use a strong, pump that aggressively sucks up material into the tank. When the truck is capable of sucking up wet material, it’s referred to as a hydro-excavator. Some trucks that suck up dry material only, are often used in outdoor projects to pick up material such as rocks, dirt, leaves, etc.
Let’s jump into 5 ways to utilize a Vac-Truck
1) Liquid Storage
If your plant needs to be shut down for a planned cleaning, or perhaps an unplanned equipment repair, you can rely on vac-trucks for liquid storage while the plant is closed. Just how big are vac-trucks? Some of them are capable of holding between 10-55 cubic meters of liquid which translates to between 2,000-8,000 gallons of liquid. The next time you are planning your plant shutdown procedure, rely on New Age Cryo as a safe and reliable liquid storage option. When your shutdown procedures are complete, our skilled technicians will empty the liquid back where it belongs inside your production line so you can resume production.
2) Cleaning Factory Spills
Despite best intentions, spills do happen. If your plant has had an unplanned spill and needs a thorough cleaning, vac-trucks are a great solution. Vacuum Trucks use industrial pumps to forcefully suck material into their pumps and into the holding tank. When you need large quantities of liquid material removed, vac trucks are by far the safest and most effective option. The truck’s powerful pump, operated by an expert, minimizes the potential employee injury, contamination or additional spillage.
3) Cleaning Silos, Separators, Boiler Houses and Other Niche Equipment
Specialized equipment deserves specialized maintenance. Highly specific equipment like silos and separators need to be cleaned often, but require a commitment to safety and detail to be done well. Silos that store granular, powdered or liquid substances respond very well to vacuum trucks. Furthermore, using a vac-truck for the cleaning process minimizes potential health and safety concerns because no one is actually entering the silo during the cleaning process.
Separators, boiler houses and large sumps also benefit from the same safe and thorough cleanings that a vacuum truck offers. It is important to use a company with well trained technicians to ensure safety and sanitation for these types of cleanings.
4) Cleaning and Maintaining Ethanol Plants
Ethanol Plants often rely on a combination of different methods to meet cleanliness standards. This typically involves both wet and dry cleaning procedures. Dry methods like sponge blasting, and wet methods like hydro blasting, can then be followed by a thorough vacuum cleaning with a vac-truck. The vac-truck ensures that any remaining dust or debris is removed from the production area.
Similarly, if an ethanol plant finds itself in the unfortunate situation where there is a spill, vacuum trucks are exceptional at cleaning up a spill quickly. Prior to entering an ethanol plant for a clean-up job, crews are typically briefed on the layout and priority of a job to ensure safety and also to get the job done quickly.
5) Sewage Clean Up
A very common use for vac-trucks is sewage transport. Nearly all municipalities, and even some large companies and construction projects rely on vac-trucks to suck up sludge and transport it to a disposal site. The vacuum pump can also clean sewer lines, clean storm drains, and clean out pit latrines. Finally, vac-trucks are used in the maintenance of septic systems to clean out contents and confirm the system is functioning properly.
Beyond what is highlighted in this post, vacuum trucks are also helpful in hazardous spills, rescue efforts, exposing underground utilities, cleaning out water in the oil production process and more. It is clear that they are a crucial part of the industrial cleaning system and can be relied upon for a multitude of jobs.
New Age Cryo has a fleet of specialized vacuum trucks throughout our service area. Our team is available for scheduled plant shutdown and emergency services; contact us today!