Harnessing Vehicle Induced Roadway Airflow to Capture Trash / Dust / Debris

[David R 123]

I'm wondering if it's possible to harness vehicle induced airflow to capture, congregate, or gather dust, trash and debris on a highway.

What type of design could be considered and how would a design be implemented

 

[IRstuff]

Sounds impractical; the airflow is all turbulent. Trying to make it laminar-ish will cost gas-mileage and result in collecting low-quality energy; it would be more efficient to use the gas directly, while it's still high-quality energy.[pre][/pre]

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[3DDave]

" it would be more efficient to use the gas directly, while it's still high-quality energy."

Flame throwers, for example.

 

[LittleInch]

I'm wondering if it's possible to harness vehicle induced airflow to capture, congregate, or gather dust, trash and debris on a highway.

It's not possible.

Far too many variables. Vehicle speed, air flow around it, density and type of stuff on the road, width of road, collateral dust spreading, etc etc

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[David R 123]

"What we have here a failure to communicate."

https://www.researchgate.net/public...Around_a_Moving_Vehicle_as_a_Source_of_Energy

https://www.cnn.com/world/small-tur...-passing-cars-scn-climate-spc-intl/index.html

If engineers can harness airflow to generate energy as show in the above above articles then certainly airflow can be used to congregate trash on a highway.

A simple crested wall shape will encourage trash to be collected in the wave shallows where perhaps some wind driven sweep can further more it towards collection bins.

 

[Compositepro]

The OP's question is silly in some ways and intriguing in others. Bottom line is that dirt and debris generally go downhill with any type of agitation (rain, wind, tires). Gutters and drains work. But then you require grates so people and cars are not also collected. Just looking at the draft due to cars is silly.

 

[ChorasDen]

If engineers can harness airflow to generate energy as show in the above above articles then certainly airflow can be used to congregate trash on a highway.

How is this energy corralled and redirected? Are we pulling energy away from the vehicle directly (causing loss in vehicle efficiency due to burning fuel to directly power these 'roadside vortexes'). This is why it does not make sense to put an air turbine onto a vehicle, you burn more energy getting up and maintaining speed for the turbine than you get returned to the system by the turbine due to system losses. Or are you trying to collect what is assumed as waste energy beyond the influence of the vehicle and redirect somehow to drive trash to a desired location? How will the system accommodate various vehicle sizes?

What happens if I get a flat tire and I need to pull over to the side of the road to replace the tire, are the winds deafening and unsafe to work in? What about wildlife crossing the road, will this interfere?

 

[David R 123]

Oh there are many questions indeed. I would expect a solution to be implemented in highly urban settings with high trash loads and where many highways have existing sound walls. Implementing in a more natural setting would not make sense as trash loads are typically much lower.

Stating that a solution is not energy efficient was not part of the question and a small loss in vehicle efficiency is certainly acceptable as for the most part its trash from vehicles that we are dealing with.

The problem with the use of rain or water is that trash, and especially dust, oils and other toxic elements are then directly introduced into wastewater system and in some cases directly into our oceans, bays, and waterway. This question as proposed in response to this problem and to look for potential solutions.

 

[SWComposites]

Maybe we should just insist people don’t throw trash onto the road.

Or its probably a lot cheaper to just run a vacuum truck down the shoulder every week or so.

 

[ChorasDen]

OP, who are you, are you an engineer? Where is this question going? Do you have a design or concept that you would like feedback on, or are you just asking obtuse questions for fun?

 

[BridgeSmith]

Assuming that the air movement from passing vehicles is cyclic as you've shown (which it's not), you still have air movement from the wind that is essentially random, with the draft from vehicles adding to or taking a away from whatever the wind is doing at any given moment. All the vehicles do is another level of chaos to an already unpredictable system of forces.

 

[IRstuff]

If engineers can harness airflow to generate energy as show in the above above articles then certainly airflow can be used to congregate trash on a highway.

This is a nonsensical "If A, then B"; might as well say:

If engineers can harness airflow to generate energy as show in the above above articles then certainly faster than light travel can be accomplished.

Since a single generator can generate 9kW from the airflow, THAT should be the point of usage.

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[swazimatt]

sports cars increase traction by creating low pressure under their spoilers, so by the ame means i am sure that you could use something like this to lift dirt off the road. just drive a van or hatch-back down a dusty road and you will see there is dust collected at the back of the vehicle. However i believe most manufacturers are trying hard to reduce drag and be more efficient.
Even if you could lift trash this way, it is bulky and would probably increase drag and reduce fuel efficiency. you would also require a place to dump it and another truck to take it to the landfill. It makes more sense as mentioned to improve fuel efficiency of vehicles and then have a roadsweeper truck travel the road picking up dirt in a much more efficient way, or (and) improve stormwater treatment to collect trash

with regards the turbines, there are a few around here that power safety signs. with it being a turbine it is probably not that influenced by the prevailing winds

 

[IRstuff]

Since a single generator can generate 9kW from the airflow, THAT should be the point of usage.

On second thought, one needs to trade off THAT vs. solar panels generating the electricity to have some sort of Roomba going down the sides of the highway collecting trash.

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[David R 123]

My apologies for the lack of information prevously.

Using a street sweeper to collect trash seems like reasonable solution but they operate at a low speed are considered unsafe for widespread highway use.

Currently highway trash in California is collected via rain water and filtered down to 5mm or about the size of a cigarette butt. This presents many problems including:
- Critters get swept into the filtration devices (sometimes even the endangered species trash collection was aiming to protect)
- Particles smaller than 5mm are not collected and introduced into our waterways (6PPD-quinone from tire wear for example has been shown to be deadly to salmon, steelhead trout and other aquatic wildlife)
- Trash capture devices are often large bulky concrete structures and not suitable for sensitive habitats
- Collection only happens during the rainy season
- Trash collection devices need to be emptied by maintenance personnel
- Bioswales are extremely expensive to maintain and remediate

For these reasons I'm exploring alternatives to rain water collection of trash in hopes of finding solutions. The target area for installation would be more urban environments which have " Significant Trash Generating Areas".

My initial sketch for my first idea did not contain enough information. The basic idea was to use scalloped sound walls to congregate trash and then use some type of wind driven or solar powered sorting and conveyance method.

Thank you for those who have posted ideas and suggestion!