Storm Water Pretreatment Chamber Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storm water management systems, such as rain gardens, face issues with debris accumulation and sediment buildup, leading to reduced infiltration and filtration capacity, and require frequent maintenance to prevent bypass and flooding.
Innovation Solution
A storm water pretreatment chamber with a base, inlet sidewall, first sidewall, second sidewall, and filter sidewall design that captures both large debris and fine particles, features an overflow mechanism to ensure water entry despite neglect, and allows easy removal and cleaning, preventing stagnant water and extending the life of storm water receiving features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a curb-cut with turf strip or rock inlet is used, then storm water can flow into the rain garden, but debris accumulates and causes bypass before the rain garden is full, reducing treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct components: a pretreatment chamber separated from the rain garden, with separate inlet and outlet structures. This segmentation allows the pretreatment function to be isolated and maintained independently from the main treatment area, preventing debris from compromising the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The pretreatment chamber performs preliminary filtration of storm water before it enters the rain garden. By removing debris and sediment in advance, the system ensures that only pretreated water reaches the main treatment area, maintaining consistent performance throughout the rain garden's capacity cycle.
2Ease of manufacture
If a rain garden is used without pretreatment, then installation is simple, but sediment accumulation smothers plants and reduces infiltration and filtration capacity over time
Solution Approach 1:
The pretreatment chamber is designed as a separate, modular unit that can be installed independently before connecting to the rain garden. This segmentation maintains the relative simplicity of rain garden installation while adding protective functionality, extending the overall system's service life by preventing sediment damage to the main treatment area.
3Reliability
If alternative structures with porous media and underdrains are used, then debris can be filtered, but the structures are cost prohibitive and may fail resulting in flooding with debris requiring extensive clean-up
Solution Approach 1:
The complex porous media and underdrain systems are extracted and replaced with a simpler pretreatment chamber design that uses basic filtration components. This extraction maintains the essential debris filtration function while eliminating the costly and complex internal structures, reducing both initial cost and maintenance complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pretreatment chamber uses simple, easily replaceable components such as screens and filters that can be quickly removed and cleaned or replaced. Rather than designing for long-term durability of complex components, the system uses inexpensive elements that can be maintained frequently with minimal effort, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
4Reliability
If a pretreatment chamber is installed, then debris and sediment are captured, but maintenance is required to prevent clogging and ensure continuous flow
Solution Approach 1:
The filter and screen components are designed to be easily extracted from the pretreatment chamber without disassembling the entire structure. This extraction capability allows maintenance personnel to quickly remove clogged filters and replace them with clean ones, minimizing maintenance effort and time while maintaining reliable debris capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber design allows for easy self-maintenance by property owners or maintenance staff without requiring specialized equipment or expertise. Components can be accessed and cleaned using basic tools, and the structure is designed to facilitate regular maintenance activities, reducing the burden of operation while ensuring continuous effective debris capture.
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 storm water pretreatment chamber effectively prevents premature bypass of untreated storm water, simplifies maintenance, maximizes functional capacity, and ensures continuous water flow into storm water receiving features by capturing debris and sediment, thus maintaining the effectiveness of storm water management systems.
Implementation Method 1
a filter having a first surface, a second surface, a proximal end, a distal end, a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge
Implementation Method 2
the outlet grate enables storm water to flow out of the debris and sediment trap and into the storm water receiving feature when the filter is clogged
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a storm water pretreatment chamber. The storm water pretreatment chamber includes: a base, an inlet sidewall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a filter sidewall, a handle, a first locking mechanism, a second locking mechanism, a first lifting cable, and a second lifting cable. Methods of treating storm water are also provided.