Storm Water Pretreatment Chamber with Filter Sidewalls and Overflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current stormwater management systems, such as rain gardens, often fail due to debris and sediment accumulation, leading to premature bypass of untreated water and increased maintenance needs, as traditional solutions like curb-cuts and rock inlets are ineffective and costly.

Innovation Solution

A stormwater pretreatment chamber with filter sidewalls, optional water-impermeable sidewalls, chamber grates, and catch rails that trap debris and sediment, allowing easy removal and maintenance, ensuring treated water enters stormwater receiving features even with neglected maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional stormwater treatment structures (curb-cuts, rock inlets) are used, then stormwater can be directed to receiving features, but debris and sediment accumulate causing premature bypass and increased maintenance needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestormwater treatment effectivenessVSAvoidmaintenance requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber is divided into distinct functional zones: an overflow zone with a first opening for immediate water passage during high flow, and a treatment zone with a second opening for filtered water discharge during normal flow. This segmentation allows the system to handle different flow conditions separately, maintaining reliability while reducing maintenance needs through the overflow safety mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber pre-treats stormwater by capturing debris and sediment before the water enters the receiving feature. The treatment chamber acts as a preliminary filtration stage, removing contaminants in advance to prevent accumulation problems in the final receiving feature, thereby extending its operational life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If treatment chambers are designed to capture all debris and sediment, then treatment effectiveness improves, but device complexity and construction cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedebris and sediment capture efficiencyVSAvoidchamber structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the chamber have different functional qualities: the overflow opening provides unfiltered rapid discharge for high-flow events, while the treatment opening provides filtered discharge for normal flow conditions. This local differentiation of quality allows the system to achieve comprehensive debris capture without requiring the entire structure to be complex treatment infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment chamber serves as an intermediary structure between the stormwater source and the final receiving feature. It mediates the flow by performing preliminary treatment, capturing debris and sediment before water reaches the final destination, thereby simplifying the overall system design while maintaining high treatment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If overflow features are added to ensure treatment during neglected maintenance, then system reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment continuity under neglected maintenanceVSAvoidoverflow feature complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The overflow opening acts as a pre-established safety mechanism that activates when the chamber becomes clogged or maintenance is neglected. It provides a backup pathway that cushions against system failure, ensuring treatment continuity without requiring complex monitoring or control systems. The overflow feature is simple in design but critical for maintaining reliability under adverse conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 stormwater pretreatment chamber effectively captures both large debris and fine particles, simplifies maintenance, extends the life of stormwater receiving features, and ensures continuous treatment by allowing overflow, making it easy to install and affordable.

Implementation Method 1

one or more filter sidewalls; wherein the one or more filter sidewalls and the one or more optional water-impermeable sidewalls form a debris and sediment trap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

one or more optional chamber grates each having a first surface and a second surface, wherein each second surface of the one or more optional chamber grates is on or connected with the one or more filter sidewalls

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical interception: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS8858804B2Storm water pretreatment chamber

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 ANOKA CONSERVATION DISTRICT

AI summary

A storm water pretreatment chamber is provided. The storm water pretreatment chamber includes; one or more filter sidewalls; one or more optional water-impermeable sidewalls; one or more optional chamber grates; and one or more catch rails. Methods of treating storm water are also provided.