Density-Adjustable Floater for Wastewater Drainage Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preventing the drainage of wastewater containing critical concentrations of substances like urea into standard drainage systems are complex and not cost-efficient, as they rely on volume-based mechanisms rather than substance-specific controls.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize a floater to automatically block the drainage outlet when a specific concentration of dissolved materials, such as urea, is reached, allowing for controlled drainage through a secondary outlet when the primary outlet is blocked, ensuring contaminated wastewater is not discharged into the usual drainage system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a volume-based floater mechanism is used to block drainage, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect and respond to specific substance concentrations is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidsubstance concentration detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the floater's density rather than its volume response. The floater contains a substance whose density changes in response to specific substances in wastewater (e.g., urea), causing it to sink or float based on chemical concentration rather than fluid volume. This resolves the contradiction by enabling substance-specific detection while maintaining mechanical simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If a control system with distributor is used to manage waste water drainage, then the precision of substance concentration control is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstance concentration controlVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by using the floater's automatic density-based response to control drainage without external power or complex control systems. The floater passively reacts to substance concentrations in the wastewater, automatically sinking to block the outlet when critical concentrations are detected, thereby achieving precise concentration control through self-acting behavior rather than active control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If a floater responds to volume of fluid collected, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of preventing harmful substance discharge is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidprevention of harmful substance discharge
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the response parameter from volume to substance concentration by using density-changing materials in the floater. This ensures reliability by specifically targeting harmful substance concentrations (e.g., urea thresholds) while maintaining ease of operation through the passive, automatic nature of the density-based response mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 prevents the discharge of wastewater with critical concentrations of dissolved materials into standard drainage systems, providing a cost-efficient and self-acting mechanism for managing wastewater contamination, ensuring safe disposal through a secondary outlet when the primary outlet is blocked by the floating floater.

Implementation Method 1

a floater (40) which begins to float at the specific concentration of dissolved material such that the first outlet (30) can be blocked

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

the specific concentration of dissolved material, causes the waste water to be heavier or lighter than water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDensity change: Density Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3686364B1Method for blocking drainage of waste water comprising dissolved material, device and use of a floater
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 ACO BV
  • EP3686364B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3686364B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for blocking drainage of waste water (2) comprising a specific concentration of dissolved material. The method comprises the steps of supplying waste water into a housing (10) through an inlet (20), collecting the waste water within the housing and draining the waste water from the housing through a first outlet (30), in particular when at least a minimum volume of waste water is collected, whereby the drainage of waste water through the first outlet is automatically blocked when the waste water collected inside the housing comprises the specific concentration of dissolved material. Further, the invention relates to a device (1) and a use of the floater (40).