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choice, that of multi-use options.
So far we have spoken about vehicles serving the drainage sector on a more or less individual function basis. What has been touched on however is the growing nature of what might be termed multi-functionality.
What are we speaking of? In particular in the pipeline cleaning sector there is an increasing demand to be able to more than just clean pipes by forcing clean water in to the pipe to dislodge build-ups of fat, oils and grease or whatever else may be causing a blockage and flushing the resultant dirty water out of a pipe section into the network beyond.
Now contractors and clients are looking to understand more why the blockage occurs in the first place – therefore requiring perhaps a CCTV survey to be undertaken at the same time as the cleaning operation, recording the results of the survey and transferring then to the central management office at the same time. This means that multiple equipment types have to be fitted to the one vehicle at the same time. This of
course pushes the weight limitation even further.
This may be problematic for the smaller van systems as they may already be pushing the weight limits with just the one cleaning system however increasingly there is a need to be able to survey any pipe anywhere at any time as well as being able to clean it either before the survey is done or after the CCTV has discovered what it is that is causing the blockage problem.
Whilst not so common on smaller vehicles there is also the environmental aspect that is coming to the fore, with the requirement to remove slits and sludge from the cleaned section rather than simply let it pass further downstream into the pipe network. This then requires a vacuum recovery system, yes more weight!
Whilst it is possible to add or bring in a vacuum recovery system for use on/with smaller vehicles the fully fitted CCTV/clean/vacuum systems still tend to be aimed at the larger HGV type vehicles which can also then be utilised as the transport tanker for the waste materials produced.
Again it the introduction of modern materials in both the vehicle design and the on-board equipment design that is allowing these multi-function units to operate effectively within a reasonable weight. Many of these are now or probably will soon be fitted with sensors that can feedback data immediately to a central control room that will show not just fuel consumption or total weight of the unit but also individual axle weights and other relevant information. This not only means efficient use of the vehicle both onsite and on the road but it will enable the control centre and the
20 drain TRADER | October 2017 |
www.draintraderltd.com
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