Storm Water Drain Filter Basket for Nutrient Pollution Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storm water drain systems accumulate organic debris like grass clippings, leaves, and tree stems, which decay and release soluble nutrients like nitrates and phosphates into water bodies, causing pollution. Existing solutions do not effectively remove these organic materials before they enter lakes and retention ponds.
Innovation Solution
A nutrient separating filter basket is installed within storm water drain pipes, featuring a rigid frame with screen sides and doors that allow organic debris to be collected and dried, while allowing sand and grit to pass through, enabling easy in situ cleaning and preventing nutrient buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If organic debris is collected in water, then debris removal is achieved, but soluble nutrients accumulate in water bodies causing pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts organic debris from the water stream by collecting it in a separate chamber above the water line, preventing contact between debris and water. This eliminates the harmful effect of nutrient leaching while maintaining effective debris removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a debris collection chamber above the water line and a sediment collection chamber below the water line. This segmentation allows organic debris to be separated from water, preventing nutrient pollution while maintaining effective removal.
2Reliability
If traditional filter systems are used, then debris collection is achieved, but cleaning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is divided into modular chambers (debris chamber and sediment chamber) that can be independently accessed and cleaned. This segmentation simplifies maintenance by allowing targeted cleaning of specific components without dismantling the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for easy self-cleaning through accessible chambers that can be opened and emptied without specialized equipment or complex disassembly, enabling routine maintenance to be performed quickly and easily.
3Quantity of substance
If debris remains in water for extended periods, then collection is achieved, but decay and nutrient release occur
Solution Approach 1:
Organic debris is extracted from the water environment and placed in an above-water collection chamber. This physical separation prevents water contact and subsequent decay processes, eliminating nutrient release while maintaining high debris collection capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary separation of organic debris from water at the point of collection, preventing the subsequent decay process before it can occur. This proactive approach eliminates the harmful effect of nutrient release.
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 filter basket effectively removes organic debris from storm water, preventing the accumulation of soluble nutrients in water bodies and allowing for rapid cleaning of the system, thereby reducing pollution in lakes and retention ponds.
Implementation Method 1
A filter basket having a rigid frame and a plurality of screen sides and a top and bottom
Implementation Method 2
An inlet feed chute is attached to the filter basket open front end and is positioned in front of the storm water housing inlet for directing entering storm water into the filter basket
Data Source
AI summary
An in-line storm water drain system and a filter basket for a storm water drain system are provided in which the storm water drain system has a housing having an inlet and outlet thereinto and interior walls forming a plurality of chambers therein. The filter basket has a rigid frame and a plurality of screened sides and is attached to the interior walls. The filter basket has a pair of top screen filter doors and a pair of bottom screen filter doors to allow entry into the filter basket and on through to the bottom of the filter basket for cleaning the chambers. An inlet feed chute is attached to the filter basket open end and also has a screen bottom door and directs water from the housing inlet to and through the filter basket while collecting debris in the basket.