Airport & Racetrack Applications of Street Sweepers

Airport Runways

Many airports maintain sweepers for their high-speed runway sweeping and other airport sweeping to keep runways free of foreign object debris (FOD). The most important features of these sweepers are the ability to sweep large, flat surfaces at high speed and be capable of picking up the typical material found on runways, like pea gravel, sand, small metal objects, and vegetation. Airport runway sweepers must also be configured in a way that best suits their environment. This includes using poly broom bristles for safety consideration when working near jet intakes, exhaust and tires. The removal of foreign debris is crucial for airport safety. The FAA has grants and funds available for airports to purchase street sweepers and debris removal equipment.

General Tarmac and Grounds Maintenance

Typical airport sweepers would need to handle general maintenance sweeping of roads, gate areas, and the tarmac. Material found at airports is usually gravel, sand, small debris or litter.

Recommendations for high speed runway sweeping: Elgin regenerative air machines can be equipped with an FSX option. It’s an excellent option for runway sweeping with the large regenerative air pick up head ideally suited for flat surfaces.  The FSX option is equipped with a specially designed head for fast, flat surface sweeping applications.  This sweeper package is equipped with poly side brooms, and a powerful side air blast to blow material off a runway and away from any runway lighting.

Glycol Recovery

Many airports have requirements for picking up de-icing fluid (glycol). This fluid may run off onto the gate area surface or runway waiting, requiring special airport sweepers to clean up. Environmental regulations generally require this to be cleaned up before the material can flow into the storm drain system and mix with storm water runoff.

Recommendations for glycol recovery applications: Elgin Sweeper’s GRS (Glycol Recovery Sweeper) package for our regenerative air sweepers, is specifically designed for this application.  If an airport wishes to have a multi-purpose machine that can collect and remove glycol during a snow event but also be used for basic maintenance sweeping as well, the GRS package is equipped with options that allow for effective capture and removal as well as pump off or decanting of the fluid without compromise to sweeping capability.

Racetracks

Many of the same considerations/features of sweeping an airport runway also apply to a racetrack. Gravel, sand, small bits of plastic, rubber, and metal debris, all need to be cleared off -- and quickly. The Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper was designed exclusively for racetrack sweeping. It features a powerful fan, poly side brooms, a softwall hand vacuum, and a powerful side air blast. The track sweeper has passed the most rigorous tilt tests required and has been extensively used during race events across the country for high-speed sweeping on highly banked tracks, removing oil-absorbent material, and assisting in the drying of wet track areas.

The Elgin Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper is specially suited for steeply banked race tracks in need of routine maintenance as well as race event sweeping and emergency response cleanup.