Adjustable Water Inlet Protection System with Porous Foam Filtration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current erosion and sediment control systems, such as silt fences, sandbag barriers, and storm drain inlet protections, are inadequate in effectively filtering out sediment and contaminants from water, and they often result in poor performance and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A water inlet protection system comprising a frame with adjustable tabs that securely fit over storm drain grates, combined with a water-permeable filtration material that can be removably attached using magnets or s-clips, allowing for efficient filtration and sediment removal while maintaining a high water flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silt fence fabric is used to filter sediment, then sediment trapping effectiveness is improved, but water flow rate decreases due to fabric clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a rigid porous foam material instead of fabric to filter sediment. The foam's open-cell structure allows water to flow through while trapping sediment particles, maintaining high flow rates without clogging. The material's rigidity prevents deformation under flow pressure, ensuring consistent filtration performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines rigid foam material with a fabric cover to create a composite filtration system. The foam provides structural support and primary filtration, while the fabric layer captures finer particles. This composite structure maintains both high flow rates and effective sediment trapping.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sandbag barriers are used to prevent water flow, then erosion control is improved, but water flow rate decreases and filtration is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid porous foam material allows water to pass through while trapping sediment, unlike sandbags that block flow. The material's porosity enables simultaneous erosion control and maintained water flow, eliminating the need for sediment basins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the filtration function from the flow-blocking structure. Instead of using sandbags that block water and require separate sediment basins, the foam material provides both flow control and filtration in a single device, removing the need for additional sediment storage infrastructure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If storm drain inlet protection with large opening grate is used, then large item prevention is improved, but sediment and contaminant filtration is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the rigid foam filtration material inside or beneath the existing storm drain grate structure. The grate continues to prevent large items while the nested foam material provides sediment filtration, creating a multi-functional layered protection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of large item prevention (grate) and sediment filtration (foam material) into a single integrated inlet protection system. Both functions operate simultaneously without requiring separate structures.
4Reliability
If fiber rolls are used for filtration, then basic filtration is provided, but flow rates are extremely slow and material is not reusable
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid porous foam material provides open-cell structure that maintains high porosity and flow rates unlike dense fiber rolls. The foam's rigid structure prevents compression under flow pressure, ensuring consistent high flow rates while maintaining filtration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses reusable rigid foam material that can be removed, cleaned of accumulated sediment, and reinstalled for continued use. This eliminates the need to discard single-use fiber rolls after saturation, providing both environmental and economic benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively filters out sediment and contaminants from water, achieving a filtering efficiency of approximately 90% and a water flow rate of up to 240 gpm/ft², while being reusable and adaptable to various storm drain sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a water-permeable filtration material that can be removably attached using magnets or s-clips, allowing for efficient filtration and sediment removal
Implementation Method 2
a water-permeable filtration material that can be removably attached using magnets
Data Source
AI summary
A water inlet protection system is provided. The system may an adjustable frame defining an interior cavity, the adjustable frame including a plurality of rigid base members, a plurality of slidable corner members, a plurality of nut-and-bolt fasteners, and one or more tabs extending from one or more of the corner members. Each of the slidable corner members includes one or more slots, and each of the nut-and-bolt fasteners includes a bolt that extends through one of the one or more slots and one of the rigid base members. When the respective bolt is loosened, the respective slidable corner member is slidable along the respective slot atop the respective rigid base member, thereby altering a boundary of the interior cavity. When the respective bolt is tightened, the respective slidable corner member is fixed in place atop the respective rigid base member, thereby fixing the boundary of the interior cavity.