Floating Skimmer with Adjustable Weir for Pellet Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to prevent polymer resin pellets from entering waterways during extreme rain events or floods, leading to potential environmental contamination.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a moveable floating skimmer device with an adjustable weir and debris separator, connected by a discharge pipe and pump, which captures and separates debris from water, with a recycle line returning cleaned water to the reservoir, ensuring minimal pellet loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional basin systems with weirs and screens are used to contain polymer pellets, then normal debris removal is achieved, but during extreme rain events the water flow overwhelms the system and pushes pellets into waterways
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer device is designed to be moveable and floating rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically respond to varying water levels and flow conditions. The adjustable weir can be repositioned to maintain effectiveness under different hydraulic conditions, ensuring reliable pellet containment whether water flow is low or high.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of debris removal by using a floating skimmer that operates at the water surface rather than a fixed basin system. The adjustable weir allows modification of the capture parameters to match varying flow conditions, maintaining containment reliability across different productivity levels.
2Device complexity
If fixed basin systems with screens are used to prevent pellet loss, then structure simplicity is maintained, but the system cannot adapt to extreme weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The skimmer device transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic floating system with moveable components. The adjustable weir can be repositioned along the skimmer body to adapt to different water levels and flow conditions, providing versatility without requiring an entirely complex system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating skimmer system serves multiple functions: it acts as both a debris capture device and a flow adaptation mechanism. The same basic structure handles both normal operating conditions and extreme weather events by adjusting the weir position, eliminating the need for separate specialized systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional screens and booms are used to keep pellets in basins, then initial debris capture is achieved, but pellets can still be pushed over weirs and screens during flood events
Solution Approach 1:
The floating skimmer device is self-propelled or easily moved to actively track and follow the water surface where pellets accumulate. Rather than relying on fixed structures to passively contain pellets, the skimmer actively services the debris removal function by positioning itself where pellets are present, ensuring more reliable capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable weir acts as an intermediary mechanism between the floating skimmer and the collected debris. It provides a controlled barrier that can be adjusted to different positions, mediating between the need to capture pellets and the need to accommodate varying water levels and flow conditions during different weather events.
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
Effectively removes polymer resin pellets and other debris from water reservoirs, preventing their entry into waterways during floods and maintaining a zero pellet loss goal.
Implementation Method 1
a moveable floating skimmer device positioned within the water reservoir and configured to receive floating debris
Implementation Method 2
a pump positioned between the discharge pipe and the debris separator and configured to transport the debris and the first portion of water in the discharge pipe to the debris separator
Implementation Method 3
a debris separator fluidly connected to the discharge pipe and configured to receive the debris and the first portion of water from the discharge pipe, the debris separator further configured to separate the debris from the first portion of water
Data Source
AI summary
Systems for removing debris from a water reservoir include a moveable floating skimmer device positioned within the water reservoir and configured to receive floating debris, the skimmer device comprising an adjustable weir for capturing the debris and a receptacle for containing the debris; a discharge pipe connected to the skimmer device, the discharge pipe configured to receive the debris and a first portion of water from the receptacle in the skimmer device; a debris separator fluidly connected to the discharge pipe and configured to receive the debris and the first portion of water from the discharge pipe, the debris separator further configured to separate the debris from the first portion of water; a pump positioned between the discharge pipe and the debris separator and configured to transport the debris and the first portion of water in the discharge pipe to the debris separator via a pump outlet; and a recycle line connected to the debris separator and configured to return a second portion of water that exits the debris separator back to the water reservoir.