Floatable Skimmer for Storm Water Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional storm water treatment systems face challenges in balancing headloss and water conveyance, leading to inadequate detention time for capturing contaminants and potentially causing flooding, as they struggle to effectively treat storm water flows without significant reduction in flow rate.
Innovation Solution
A floatable skimmer on tracks above a shelf in storm water treatment vaults and chambers that constricts and restricts water during low and medium flows for maximum detention time, while automatically adjusting to allow greater conveyance during high flows, minimizing headloss and preventing flooding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the opening under a skimmer is relatively large, then water conveyance is improved, but treatment potential deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer is designed with a floatable mechanism that automatically adjusts the opening size under the skimmer based on water flow conditions. During low flow periods, the float mechanism maintains a smaller opening to maximize treatment potential and detention time. During high flow events, the float rises to increase the opening size, allowing greater water conveyance capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between treatment effectiveness and conveyance capability.
2Reliability
If the opening under a skimmer is relatively small, then treatment potential is improved, but water conveyance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floatable skimmer mechanism dynamically adjusts the opening size based on water flow conditions. During low flow periods, the float mechanism maintains a smaller opening to maximize treatment potential and detention time. During high flow events, the float rises to increase the opening size, allowing greater water conveyance capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between treatment effectiveness and conveyance capability.
3Reliability
If treatment systems maximize detention time, then contaminant capture is improved, but headloss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer automatically adjusts its opening size in response to flow conditions, maintaining optimal detention time for contaminant capture during low flow while reducing headloss during high flow events. The float mechanism ensures the opening expands as flow increases, preventing excessive energy loss.
4Reliability
If treatment systems reduce flow rate significantly, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but flooding risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floatable skimmer mechanism dynamically adjusts the opening size based on water flow conditions. During low flow periods, the float mechanism maintains a smaller opening to maximize treatment potential and detention time. During high flow events, the float rises to increase the opening size, allowing greater water conveyance capacity and preventing upstream flooding.
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 achieves enhanced contamin capture and reduced flooding by maximizing detention time during low to medium flows and ensuring efficient water conveyance during high flows, thereby improving storm water treatment efficiency and preventing pollutant downstream conveyance.
Implementation Method 1
a floatable skimmer on tracks above a shelf that constricts and restricts water during low and medium flows
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for retrofitting or providing new water treatment vaults and chambers, with a floatable skimmer on tracks above a solid shelf that constricts and restricts water during low and medium flows for maximum detention time to allow for greater storm water treatment, and for high flows allows for the skimmer to automatically adjust to allow for greater conveyance of storm water flow. The skimmer can have float(s) across an upper edge with side edges having both centering and load bearing wheels that slide up and down within tracks that are mounted to side walls of storm water treatment chambers and vaults. Additional embodiments include multi-chamber vaults and chambers with baffles separating sediment chambers. Additionally screen treatment systems can be used with the chambers and vaults. Additionally, the skimmer panels can be positioned so that lower edges can sit on top of outer edges of the shelfs, or form a gap between the top of the outer edge of the shelf and the lower edge of the moveable panel, or have a gap between a hanging down skimmer panel and a front edge of the shelf.