Proposal for Pneumatic Trash Pipes in Mount Vernon
Mahdi Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan,
Michael Mastrocola, Stephen Sackey
Writing for Engineering ENGL 21007 D3[58070]
Professor Elisabeth von Uhl
5/08/2023
Table of Contents
- Press release
- Introduction
- Summary
- History
- Technical description of pneumatic trash chute system
- Technical description of automated sorting system
- Reference page
Mahdi Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan
Michael Mastrocola, Stephen Sackey
For Immediate release 4/27/2023
Trash to Cash LLC
555-555-5555
[email protected]
Trash to Cash LLC Informs you of their newest Idea
The Trash to Cash company wants to put pneumatic trash tubes in Mount Vernon
Harlem, NY: Today, Trash to Cash, an architecture and home improvement company, puts forward the idea to put pneumatic trash tubes like in Roosevelt Island in the area of Mount Vernon, Manhattan NY. Due to the resounding success and positive feedback of the Roosevelt Islandpipes, Trash to Cash proposes to place the same pipes in Mount Vernon. The area has had severe sewage mismanagement for two decades which can also be repaired during pipe installation.
From the business and advisory teams at Trash to Cash this was a clear choice as our next project. The head of one such team even claimed that “It’s best if we can solve existing problems and make life easier at the same time, two birds with one stone right?”. The few of us here at the company that live in Mount Vernon currently are also all for this project as we have no intention to proceed without the consent of people from the town
- To proceed with this project several ideas have been put forward, Trash to Cash plans to use the following strategies.
- Expand and lower existing sewage tunnels so as to not spill into homes or basements.
- Run Pneumatic trash tubes above new sewage tunnels where old ones used to be so as to not waste space.
- Use new durable and flexible materials such as PPSU which is resistant to heat, waterproof, plastic (so as to not rust or decompose), and durable enough to stop bullets.
About Trash to Cash LLC: is a state-assisted architectural company based in Harlem, NY. Founded in 1974, Trash to Cash exists to make life and specifically waste management easier than it ever has been before. Trash to Cash has installed over 8 Miles of pipe all over Manhattan alone so far and much more all over the state, hopefully soon the entire country.
Introduction
The Pneumatic trash pipe is an already existing system but it isn’t commonly known and the only place it really is known would be Roosevelt Island, NY. Despite their rarity, these pipes seem like an incredible idea as they could streamline waste management throughout the country, this could make it so every home, business, and skyscraper has to recycle without even having to think about it. The Pneumatic tube itself was invented in the late 1850s by William Murdoch though it only was put into use for trash in 1975. This inventor William Murdoch a Scotsman born in August of 1754 had made these pipes initially to transport mail and although he is credited with the invention he unfortunately passed away just over a decade before they were finished and ready for use. Murdoch also has other incredible accomplishments under his name such as being a key figure in the application of gas lighting, the steam-powered locomotive, and a number of chemical breakthroughs. Another set of key names in the history of Pneumatic pipes is Philip Johnson and his partner John Burgee who developed the plan to have these pipes installed on Roosevelt Island in the first place. The possible applications of these pipes are as vast as we are capable of applying them, realistically we could even transport people after further testing like something from the Jetsons. But for now, the Pneumatic pipes have only been applied in mail delivery and trash transport which is reasonable for how large the systems can get.
Summary
Trash to Cash LLC regardless of how we are received, be excavating and remodeling the public sewage system and installing trash pipes to all government-owned facilities in the area. We will also be offering this piping to any privately owned home, business, and any other form of property besides mobile homes all at a 30% discount on our normal prices if taken while we are doing the primary public excavation and laying of pipes. Trash to Cash LLC is a well-accomplished business with almost fifty years of work supporting it. This company has mostly been used for government facilities but after all these years we are finally ready and willing to work with public and private installations. Slowly the owner who has a Degree in business administration has been building up to be able to support the city he grew up and studied in. Almost all of the employees here at Trash to Cash have been with us for about five years and for those who haven’t had to work with a master engineer who has at least twice that, safe to say we don’t have many quitters and work satisfaction is at an all-time high now that we can install these pipes in our own homes. The owner has amassed company equipment, supplies, and vehicles equaling about 25,000,000$, and the more work the people of America give us the more we can expand. As mentioned in the press release we are also fully certified and experienced in working on other city projects like sewage piping, Septic pool management, basic plumbing, and excavation to get to all said underground issues.
History
Garbage is one of the things that people tend to not really pay much attention to; however, garbage actually has a quite complex and interesting history in which it went through many changes in the ways that people dealt with it. That is why we built many new innovations for us to take care of these garbage problems such as the highly advanced pneumatic trash system. However, things weren’t always like this. In ancient times people used to throw their garbage out on the floor. For example the solid waste authority states “In early civilizations, there was no garbage collection. The people left garbage on the floor of their home. Sometimes it was even thrown in the roadway or in rivers”. This shows how there weren’t many places to dispose of garbage in ancient times therefore people resorted to leaving their trash in public areas which could lead to disease exposure. This changed in 500 BC when “the Greek city of Athens devised one of the first-known regulations regarding trash—residents were forbidden from throwing waste in the street. Instead, the law stated garbage must be transported and dumped one mile from the city to maintain its aesthetic and prevent disease”. Eventually, people decided that a good solution to the problem of garbage overflow was to dump some garbage into the ocean; some even went to the extent of burning garbage. These solutions had many problems with it, since dumping garbage into the oceans polluted the oceans very much; also this resulted in contaminating civilizations’ main water source as people in ancient times and even today are heavily dependent on rivers. Also burning garbage could lead to danger because some objects which are extra flammable could pose deadly risks to the people burning the garbage.
Example of one of the early forms of garbage disposal
Technology had some major revolutions in the 20th century. Sanitation was becoming more and more important to societies and there were many revolutions to help American society to develop more sanitary policies, we see some examples such as the meat inspection laws. Even things like garbage disposal took major changes, “In 1927, John J. Hammes, an architect from Wisconsin, devised what he called the InSinkErator, or more generally a “garbage disposer.” So in 1927 is when the modern form of garbage disposal was introduced. From here on sanitation began making big strides across the board. With John J Hammes’s invention, homes started regularly implementing modern garbage disposals into their homes which allowed for a more efficient and cleaner system across America. We now see garbage trucks regularly collect trash and dispose of them in locations designated for garbage. However, the system was still slow and not productive enough. With this, developers invented the pneumatic trash system which itself is still in development however we see examples of it on Roosevelt Island. These pneumatic trash systems don’t require garbage men to come door to door to every location to pick up trash. Instead, people can dump their trash from their apartments at houses and it could all be collected in one area for the entire neighborhood. This is a huge development as it saves time, and space, and is much more effective.
Location and why
So why did we choose Mount Vernon as a location to implement these trash pipes? Well, firstly the reason why we are trying to build such a device is to more effectively and more easily be able to dispose of garbage. With these new pneumatic trash pipes, this will be more effective in clearing out waste. This could be of massive importance to regions in which garbage is a key problem. Mount Vernon is located within Yonkers which is just north of New York City. Yonkers ranks 10th among the dirtiest cities within the states according to lawnstater.com. Also since another form of pneumatic trash pipes has been tested in urban locations such as Roosevelt Island in NYC usually in high-rise skyscrapers. We wanted to test our new product in a more residential terrain with much shorter buildings and in 2-3 story apartments. Mount Vernon’s location is also a unique terrain in which it is much higher than its surroundings being located in a mountainous terrain. This also helps test our product on unique grounds rather than the flat island surface of Roosevelt Island which helps us implement these new pipes in a vastly new terrain.
Technical Description | Pneumatic Trash Chute
1.0 | Introduction
The pneumatic trash pipe system is a complex garbage chute system designed to decrease the amount of waste on the streets through the utilization of underground pneumatic tubes. These tubes are operated under air pressure, which transports waste through the tubes to a collection station where the trash is collected for disposal. This whole process is automatic, proving more efficient than other means of garbage disposal.
1.1 | The System
There are many components involved in making this system work. From the homes of the residents to the site of trash collection, the waste pipe would be connected between the two and transport garbage. This is one of the many things involved, and the rest of the components will be as well.
1.2 | Waste Pipe
Waste pipes are used to provide compressed air in order for the pneumatic trash chute to transport the trash elsewhere. They are ideally made from ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and hold up pretty well against various types of waste so that the pipe functions as needed to.
1.3 | Air Pumps
These are used for the purpose of pumping waste from Destination A to B, which would be from the residential areas to the waste facilities in this case. They can be made from cast iron or steel, which are the preferred materials for this matter as they’ll be able to divert waste in a good manner, much like the waste pipe.
1.4 | Air Filter
Air filters are used to filter out unnecessary things like gasses, dust, and other particles that would render the system either unstable or malfunctioning. The material would be made from mesh panels, which are a type of material that filters out dust and other particles.
1.5 | Diverter Valve
The diverter valve diverts the flow of waste to either of the containers for trash pickup. It is usually constructed from many materials like brass or aluminum for the purpose of pneumatic conveying lines.
1.6 Compactor
A mechanic focused on compressing waste so that it would be easy to dispose of. The compactor makes it so that the trash would take up less volume, making it better for trash to be disposed of and fit into areas it would not have fitted in otherwise. Can be compacted from things like a hydraulic press or broken up into pieces from razors.
Technical Description of Automated Sorting System
An automated sorting system is a technological solution that can optimize the waste sorting process by using various types of sensors, conveyors, and computer-controlled systems to identify, sort, and categorize different types of waste based on specified standards. This system can be implemented in waste management facilities to streamline the sorting and disposal of various materials, such as plastics, metals, glass, and organic waste, and facilitate their proper disposal or recycling. With the help of an automated sorting system, the waste sorting process can be made more efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, thereby reducing the stress on manual labor and improving the overall quality of waste management.
Figure 1: Input conveyor (Hytrol TH Trash Handling Belt Conveyor, 2013)
The input conveyor is typically located at the beginning of the sorting process and is designed to handle a wide range of items with varying shapes, sizes, and weights. The conveyor may include features such as adjustable speed and direction control to ensure efficient and accurate sorting.
Figure 2: Scanning system (Hatzfeld, 2018)
The scanning system is responsible for capturing important data about each item, such as its dimensions, weight, and other relevant characteristics. Depending on the specific application, the scanning system may use a variety of technologies, including cameras, lasers, and sensors, to gather this information.
Figure 3: Processing software (Oladapo et al., 2022)
The processing software is a critical component of any sorting system, as it is responsible for analyzing the data collected by the scanning system and determining the appropriate sorting destination for each item. The software may use sophisticated algorithms and decision-making logic to make these determinations and can be customized to meet the specific needs of the sorting application.
Figure 4: Robotic arms (Lei, 2019)
The robotic arms are designed to quickly and accurately divert items to the appropriate output conveyor based on the instructions provided by the processing software. The arms may be configured in a variety of ways, including fixed or movable designs, and may use various types of gripping mechanisms to handle different types of items.
Figure 5: Output conveyors (Hytrol TH Trash Handling Belt Conveyor 2013)
The output conveyors are responsible for transporting the sorted items to their designated location, whether it be a storage area, packaging station, or shipping dock. These conveyors may include features such as adjustable speed control and automatic diverters to ensure efficient and reliable operation. Additionally, the output conveyors may be integrated with other systems, such as barcode readers or automated storage and retrieval systems, to further streamline the sorting process.
There are plenty of benefits to implementing an automated sorting system in various ways, including:
- Improved efficiency: Automated sorting systems are capable of processing a high volume of items with greater speed and accuracy than manual sorting, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined process. This can help organizations to meet tight deadlines and improve order fulfillment rates, which can increase customer satisfaction. (Frąckiewicz, 2023)
- Environmental sustainability: Automated sorting systems can promote environmental sustainability by ensuring that waste materials are properly sorted and recycled. This can help to reduce waste sent to landfill, conserve natural resources, and promote a circular economy by reusing valuable materials. Additionally, an automated sorting system can reduce the carbon footprint associated with waste management by reducing the need for transportation and manual sorting. (Frąckiewicz, 2023)
- Flexibility: Automated sorting systems can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different industries and applications, making them a flexible solution for a wide range of sorting requirements. This can include sorting items based on size, weight, shape, color, or barcode, and can be easily adapted to accommodate new or changing requirements. (Prabakar, 2023)
- Scalability: Automated sorting systems can be scaled up or down to meet changing demands, without the need for significant changes to the system. This makes them a cost-effective solution for organizations that need to adapt to fluctuating volumes or new markets, as they can adjust the system to match the required capacity. (Prabakar, 2023)
- Improved safety: Automated sorting systems can improve workplace safety by reducing the need for manual handling and sorting of items, which can be physically demanding and prone to injury. By automating the sorting process, organizations can minimize the risk of workplace accidents and improve employee well-being. (Frąckiewicz, 2023)
- Reduced errors: Automated sorting systems are less prone to errors than manual sorting, as they use sensors and software to accurately identify and sort items based on pre-determined criteria. This can help to minimize the risk of lost or misplaced items and reduce the need for manual intervention and rework. (Willis, 2022)
Overall, an automated sorting system is an effective and efficient solution that can enhance waste management operations and promote environmental sustainability by ensuring accurate and timely sorting and separation of various types of waste.
Hasan (2023), (Google Earth n.d.)
The plan is to implement a pneumatic trash chute system in the center of the building, starting from the top floor. This system will be easily accessible for the tenants as it will be located close to the stairs. The idea is to have the chute system transport the trash underground, through a pipe that will be constructed to reach a vacant area on the right side of the building, approximately 50 meters away.
To support this system, a new building will be constructed, which will house an automated sorting system. The pneumatic pipe system will be connected to this automated sorting system, ensuring that all trash that enters the chute is effectively sorted and managed. The process of managing this trash will begin with the installation of a conveyor belt that will run through the center of the building.
The conveyor belt will transport the trash to the sorting area, where it will be processed. This area will be equipped with scanning software, which will identify the materials that need to be sorted. The processing software will then take over, identifying the appropriate sorting method required for each item.
To facilitate the sorting process, robotic arms will be installed on either side of the conveyor belt. These arms will be responsible for separating the materials that are identified by the scanning and processing software. Once the sorting is complete, the sorted items will be moved to additional conveyor belts that will be placed next to the robotic arms.
The conveyor belts next to the robotic arms will direct the sorted items to their respective locations, with each belt leading to a specific location for landfill or recycling. After the trash has been sorted and processed, trucks will be able to come in and transport the waste to their designated locations.
Overall, this plan provides a comprehensive solution for managing the waste produced by the tenants in the building. The pneumatic trash chute system, in combination with the automated sorting system, provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly way of managing waste.
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