Buried Water Tank with Triangular Projections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Micro-purification stations using activated sludge treatment face challenges such as complex and costly civil engineering requirements for installation, potential sludge loss, and insufficient treatment quality due to factors like prolonged absence of water flow or household cleaning products, which can neutralize bacteria or disrupt aeration cycles.

Innovation Solution

A water treatment tank with an outer wall featuring triangular-section projecting elements that provide downward thrust and reinforcement, combined with a siphoid partition and filtering material in the clarification chamber to enhance stability and treatment efficiency, reducing the need for extensive civil engineering and ensuring effective sludge retention and treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If conventional concrete ballast slabs and securing straps are used to prevent tank lifting, then tank stability is improved, but installation complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetank stabilityVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the concrete ballast slab and securing strap components from the traditional installation system. Instead, it uses projecting elements integrated into the tank wall that work with backfill material to provide downward thrust, eliminating the need for separate stabilization components and simplifying installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The tank structure itself provides stabilization through its own projecting elements that interact with the backfill material. The system becomes self-sufficient for stability without requiring external concrete slabs or securing straps, reducing both complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Strength

If lateral, horizontal or vertical reinforcements are added to the tank, then tank strength is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetank strengthVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tank wall is segmented with periodic projecting elements that create localized reinforcement zones. These discrete elements provide structural strength without requiring continuous reinforcement layers, maintaining simplicity while improving tank strength against ground pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If extensive civil engineering operations are performed for installation, then tank stability is improved, but installation time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetank stabilityVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the need for concrete ballast slabs, decompression wells, and extensive securing operations. The simplified system uses only backfill material with the projecting elements, dramatically reducing installation time and civil engineering requirements while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Manufacturing precision

If filtering material is added in the siphoid zone, then treatment quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment qualityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the siphoid partition structure with filtering material in a single integrated zone. The filtering material is placed within the siphoid zone created by the partition, merging separation and filtration functions into one compact structure that improves treatment quality without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution simplifies and accelerates the installation of micro-treatment plants, maintains tank stability, and produces treated water of higher quality by utilizing the siphoid partition and filtering material to optimize aeration and clarification processes, minimizing sludge loss and maintaining treatment effectiveness across various conditions.

Implementation Method 1

each having an essentially planar bearing surface against which a filling material is capable of exerting a force directed towards the bottom of the tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForce: Force

Implementation Method 2

the latter implementing a siphoid partition... a siphoid zone delimited by a siphoid partition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSiphon: Syphon

Implementation Method 3

a filtering material is placed in the siphoid zone in such a way that the water passes through the material filter, the latter being intended to fix the matter in suspension in the water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFilter: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 4

aeration, according to which the 'sludge' in suspension undergoes a treatment of purification, this by creating in a sequential way aerobic periods and periods of anoxia, which will make it possible to generate a phenomenon of digestion of the organic matters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAeration: Aeration

Implementation Method 5

decantation, aimed at retaining the heaviest materials at the bottom of the tank and bringing the lighter ones to the surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSedimentation: Sedimentation

Data Source

PatentEP2743209B1Water treatment vessel intended for being buried, including an outer wall having projecting elements
Publication Date: 2016.04.27 INNOCLAIR
  • EP2743209B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4

AI summary

The tank (1) has an outer wall defining a treatment chamber and a filter material, where the outer wall is provided with a set of projections (4). Each of the set of projections is provided with a support surface (40) against which a planar back-filling material is capable of exerting a force directed towards a bottom of the tank. The projections are provided with a triangular cross-section. The support surface is allowed to overhang a lower surface (41). A slope of the support surface with regard to a horizontal line is of specific value.