Key functionality, limitations, and examples of street sweeping equipment Key functionality, limitations, and examples of street sweeping equipment

Key functionality, limitations, and examples of street sweeping equipment. Modified from Kuehl et al, 2008
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Sweeper type	Sub-type	Functionality	Limitations	Hopper capacity (cubic yards)	Dump style	Addresses
						Water quality	Air quality	Appearance	Safety	Road maintenance
Mechanical	Chain-and-paddle	Effective for wet/matted leaves and digging/ sweeping packed dirt; Able to sweep millings and coarse sand better than belt sweepers (no “inside” areas of buildup); Compared to belt sweepers, less daily build up; Requires less power than regenerative air and vacuum sweepers	Paddles limit debris size to 6” diameter or smaller; Compared to the belt, chain-and paddle needs to be replaced more often; Does not pick up fine materials as well as other sweepers; Particles that do not get picked up are spread across the street surface sometimes making the street look dirty or streaked	4.5-7.5	Side Multi-Level Rear Mid-Level	Small Particles (Poor) Large Particles (Fair)		X	X	X
	Belt	Able to pick up large debris (plastic bottles, cans, branches); Able to pick up wet/matted and large amount of leaves better than other sweepers; Effective at “digging into” and removing packed dirt from roadway; Requires less power than regenerative air and vacuum sweepers	Conveyor must be cleaned daily to prevent buildup of debris; Chip seal aggregate and winter abrasive (sand) can build up inside belt; Does not pick up fine materials as well as other sweepers; Particles that do not get picked up spread across the street surface sometimes making the street look dirty or streaked	3.5-4.5	Side Multi-Level Rear Mid-Level	Small Particles (Poor) Large Particles (Fair)		X	X	X
Vacuum	NA	Removes fine sand and silt, but surface must be dry; Best for situations with most debris in gutter; Will vacuum material directly from gutter; Ability to pick up entrained material within cracks under vacuum head; Can have vacuum hose attachment (i.e. for catch basins)	Difficulty picking up wet/matted leaves; Cannot pick up tree brush; Water must be used in the hopper for dust suppression (prevents dust from being blown out via the fan exhaust); Debris is limited to 3-inch diameter or smaller; Requires more power than mechanical broom sweepers; noise may be a consideration; Water should be used or excessive fan wear will occur; More efficient operation on flat pavement surface; Should be used in above freezing temperatures only	8.0-8.5	Rear tilt	Small Particles (Fair) Large Particles (Fair)		X	X
Regenerative air	NA	Can remove fine sand and silt, but surface must be dry; Ability to pick-up materials entrained within cracks; Can have a larger than average hopper; Can have vacuum hose attachment (i.e. for catch basins); Regenerative head reaches up to eight feet in width	Debris is limited to diameter of air out hose; Difficulty in picking up wet/matted leaves; Particles that do not get picked-up are spread across the street surface sometimes making the street look dirty or streaked; Requires more power than mechanical broom sweepers; noise may be a consideration; Should be used in above freezing temperatures only; More efficient operation on flat pavement surface	4.0-9.6	Rear tilt	Small Particles (Good) Large Particles (Fair)	X	X	X
High Efficiency / Newer Technology	Mechanical/ Vacuum	Removes fine sand and silt; Able to pick up wet, matted vegetation; Able to pick up large debris (plastic bottles, cans, small branches); Wet operation with skirts removed; Can use dry vacuum or water to suppress dust; Year round operation	Broom skirting limits ingestion of large amounts of leaves in the fall; More skirting parts that are prone to wear	3.5-4.5	Front Multi-Level Side Mid-Level	Small Particles (Good) Large Particles (Good)	X	X	X	X
	Regenerative air	Removes fine sand and silt; Year round operation	Should be used on flat surface to seal sweeper head; Debris is limited to diameter of vacuum hose; Difficulty in picking up wet, matted vegetation	4.5-7.3	Rear tilt	Small Particles (Good) Large Particles (Fair)	X	X	X