Semi-Helical Culvert Flow Control for Debris Self-Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional culverts experience flow restrictions and flooding when reaching 98% of their capacity, and debris accumulation further reduces flow capacity, leading to environmental issues and the need for enhanced fluid flow management that accommodates fish passage requirements.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of stationary fluid flow enhancing devices with semi-helical flow control bodies installed upstream of culverts, which transform parabolic flow patterns to rotational flow patterns, increasing culvert capacity and disrupting debris, thereby enhancing flow and providing a self-cleaning mechanism while maintaining wildlife passage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional culverts are used to convey watershed runoff, then the structure provides basic flow capacity, but flow restriction and flooding occur when reaching 98% capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveculvert flow capacityVSAvoidflow reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies rotational flow bodies with curved, helical surfaces to transform the parabolic flow pattern into a rotational flow pattern. The curved surfaces of the rotational flow bodies induce swirling motion in the water, creating a more uniform velocity distribution and reducing boundary layer effects, thereby increasing flow capacity and preventing flooding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the flow regime parameter from parabolic (laminar) flow to rotational (turbulent) flow by introducing rotational flow bodies. This parameter change in flow pattern increases the effective flow capacity of the culvert and maintains reliable flow conditions even at high capacity utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of stationary object

If debris accumulates in the culvert over time, then the culvert structure remains intact, but flow capacity is progressively reduced leading to flooding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveculvert service lifeVSAvoidflow capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of debris accumulation into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism. The rotational flow generated by the flow control bodies creates scouring action that prevents debris from settling and accumulating, thereby maintaining flow capacity throughout the culvert's service life without requiring manual cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The culvert system performs self-cleaning through the rotational flow mechanism. The flow control bodies continuously generate swirling flow that scours the culvert interior, automatically removing debris and sediment without external intervention, thus maintaining flow capacity over the entire service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If flow capacity is increased to prevent flooding, then flood risk is reduced, but fish passage requirements may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveculvert flow capacityVSAvoidfish passage capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating different flow conditions in different regions of the culvert. The rotational flow bodies generate controlled swirling flow in the water column while maintaining a debris-free environment near the bottom, providing both increased flow capacity and suitable conditions for fish passage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively amplifies culvert flow capacity, eliminates back-pooling and flooding, and passively cleans debris, while ensuring compliance with fish passage requirements and environmental considerations.

Implementation Method 1

transform parabolic flow patterns to rotational flow patterns

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotational flow:

Implementation Method 2

semi-helical flow control bodies

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHelical flow control:

Implementation Method 3

disrupting debris, thereby enhancing flow and providing a self-cleaning mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentUS11293464B2Fluid flow enhancing device and culvert comprising same

Publication Date: 2022.04.05 VORTEX PIPE SYSTEMS LLC

AI summary

Fluid flow enhancing devices disclosed herein are adapted to enhance flow of fluid through subsurface watershed conduits, for example, culverts, drainpipe and the like. Such fluid flow enhancing devices advantageously enhance watershed runoff functionality in subsurface watershed conduits by altering watershed flow from a parabolic flow pattern to a rotational flow pattern while still accommodating fish passage requirements. This change in flow pattern beneficially provides turbulence that disrupts and flushes debris out of the subsurface watershed conduits. This disruption and flushing establishes a passive cleaning functionality within the subsurface watershed conduits that serves to clean the subsurface watershed conduits after suitable upstream water delivery event (e.g., heavy rain, controlled water release, etc.). In doing so, these fluid flow enhancing devices overcome one or more shortcomings associated with subsurface watershed conduits in a manner that overcomes drawbacks associated with conventional design and in-use considerations for such subsurface watershed conduits.