Curved Settling Tank Bottom with Tangential Jetting Vortex
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing settling tanks face inefficiencies due to solids buildup at the bottom, which reduces their capacity and requires labor-intensive manual removal, and often necessitate the use of mechanical rake systems that increase costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A settling tank design with a downwardly extending uniformly curved bottom, such as frusto-conical, hemispherical, or torispherical profiles, and a jetting fluid source that creates a rotational vortex to entrain and remove solids during drainage, eliminating the need for mechanical rakes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rectangular compartments with dividers are used in settling tanks, then fluid velocity is restricted and settling areas are created, but right angle corners become trapping mechanisms that reduce working volume and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved surfaces instead of rectangular corners to eliminate trapping mechanisms. Specifically, the inlet and outlet chambers use curved surfaces to direct fluid flow smoothly, preventing solids accumulation at corners while maintaining effective settling areas in the rectangular compartments.
2Ease of operation
If mechanical rake systems are added to remove solids, then solids removal capability is improved, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service principles by using the natural vortex generated during drainage to automatically remove solids. The curved bottom surface and vortex flow create a self-cleaning effect that eliminates the need for external mechanical rake systems, reducing complexity while maintaining solids removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical solids removal systems with a fluid-based vortex mechanism. The vortex flow generated by drainage through the curved bottom surface substitutes for mechanical rakes, using fluid dynamics instead of mechanical components to achieve solids removal.
3Reliability
If solids accumulate at the bottom of the tank, then clarification function is maintained, but tank capacity is reduced and continuous operation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous operation by designing the curved bottom surface and vortex drainage system to continuously remove solids during the clarification process. This eliminates the need to stop operation for solids removal, maintaining both tank capacity and continuous clarification function without interruption.
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
This design effectively prevents solids buildup and enhances the removal of settled solids, maintaining tank efficiency and reducing operational costs by allowing continuous clarification without mechanical aids.
Implementation Method 1
a jetting fluid source, situated in a lower region of the tank but above the solids outlet, for directing a jetting fluid in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tank and in a direction substantially tangential to a curved interior surface of the tank, to thereby introduce or augment rotational swirl of fluid in the bottom of the tank about a longitudinal axis of the tank when solids are drained from the tank via the solids outlet
Implementation Method 2
The so-formed rotational vortex, due to the increased speed of the fluid within the so-formed vortex, tends to entrain within it some (but not all) of the precipitated solids lying on the bottom of the vessel proximate the drain
Data Source
AI summary
A settling tank apparatus for removing solids from a solids-containing fluid, having a vertical cylindrical portion and a bottom portion having a downwardly-extending substantially torispherical, ellipsoidal, hemispherical or frusto-conical shaped curved interior surface. A jetting fluid source is provided in a lower region of the tank, preferably in the bottom of the tank, which directs a jetting fluid in a tangential direction in a plane substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of the tank, to enhance rotational swirling of a created vortex in the bottom of tank when solids are drained therefrom, to thereby reduce deposition and build up of settled solids on the curved interior of the bottom of the tank. A system incorporating a plurality of tanks of such design and a method for removing solids from a solids-containing fluid using a tank of such design, is further disclosed.