Supertruck – Automated Used Oil and Wastewater Collection Truck
ENGraphted Engineering Solutions was approached to turn a far reached concept into a reality. The concept was to automate used oil collection and introduce technology into the collection process, never before attempted in this industry. The objective was to enable a sufficiently maneuverable tanker truck to arrive at a car repair shop and collect used oil, radiator fluid (coolant/antifreeze), and oily water in an automated process that continuously monitors and separates the different fluids to their intended compartments on the truck. All to enable these fluids to be properly recycled: used oil turned to fuel, waste radiator fluid distilled back to having usable glycol properties, and oily wastewater cleaned and properly discharged.
The automated system on the truck included pumping, inline detection of the fluid phases and automatic separation of the different fluids into their designated compartments on the truck. All this is done with a simple user interface and accurate tracking of each of the fluids as they are being separated, and while preventing overflow. At the end of the pumping transaction, the system automatically generates a report that is uploaded to dispatch and to corporate accounting for invoicing. All this is done with minimal operator intervention. While this concept truck successfully showcased the technology, it was deemed cost prohibitive to have a fleet of trucks with this capability. The truck has remained on the road since it became operational in 2014 and portions of this technology were employed to other collection trucks on the fleet.
The technology was featured in an international technology magazine.
