| 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 number 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 | ||