Storm Water Filter Reservoir Layout to Prevent Debris Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storm water filters often become clogged with debris, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement, and fail to effectively remove small debris, leading to poor filtration efficiency and potential contamination of drainage systems.
Innovation Solution
A storm water filter design comprising a reservoir with dual filtering media and a pipe system that traps debris in the reservoir, preventing it from exiting via the outlet, and includes an overflow outlet to manage excess water, enhancing filtration efficiency by confining debris to specific portions of the reservoir.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical filter such as a sieve is used to separate debris from storm water, then debris can be filtered out, but the filter gets clogged with debris requiring frequent maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful debris from the storm water flow path by using a settling chamber where debris settles to the bottom due to gravity, separating it from the filtered water that continues to flow. This removes the clogging problem from the active filtration system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary settling chamber between the inlet and outlet that acts as a buffer zone. Debris settles in this intermediate chamber while clean water passes through, preventing debris from clogging the main filtration components.
2Reliability
If a mechanical filter with small mesh size is used to capture small debris, then filtration efficiency improves, but the filter clogs even more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtration process into two stages: a settling chamber for large debris removal and a finer mesh filter for small debris. This segmentation allows each stage to handle specific particle sizes, preventing the fine mesh from immediately clogging with all debris types.
Solution Approach 2:
The settling chamber performs preliminary action by removing large debris before the water reaches the fine mesh filter. This pre-treatment step significantly reduces the loading on the fine mesh filter, extending its operational life between maintenance cycles.
3Ease of operation
If debris is allowed to pass through the filter into the drainage system, then the filter remains clear longer, but water quality in water bodies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of debris accumulation into a beneficial settling process. By designing the settling chamber with appropriate geometry and flow patterns, debris naturally settles to the bottom where it can be periodically removed, while clean water exits through the filter.
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 significantly reduces the concentration of debris in exiting storm water, minimizing maintenance needs and improving filtration performance by effectively trapping debris within the reservoir, thus maintaining system integrity and water quality.
Implementation Method 1
The reservoir first filtering medium is configured to filter the storm water surface
Implementation Method 2
The pipe is configured to transfer the storm water accumulated in the reservoir from the first pipe inlet to the reservoir outlet when the storm water level rises above a third level
Implementation Method 3
The first pipe inlet is configured to be completely submerged below the storm water surface at least when the storm water level rises above the third level
Implementation Method 4
The reservoir is configured to accumulate storm water. The reservoir has a reservoir wall and a first side. The storm water accumulated in the reservoir has a storm water surface at a storm water level
Data Source
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AI summary
Storm water (2) often carries debris, such as leaves, pine needles, foliage and other materials. A filter (1) for storm water (2) is herein provided. The filter (1) comprises a reservoir (3) configured to accumulate storm water (2), a reservoir first filtering medium (8), a reservoir inlet (13), a reservoir outlet (14) and a pipe (15). The storm water (2) accumulated in the reservoir (3) has a storm water surface (6) at a storm water level (7), which rises as the storm water (2) is accumulated in the reservoir (3). The reservoir first filtering medium (8) is arranged inside the reservoir (3) and separates the reservoir (3) into a first portion (11) and a second portion (12). The reservoir inlet (13) is arranged in the first portion (11) of the reservoir (3). The reservoir outlet (14) is arranged in the second portion (12) of the reservoir (3). The pipe (15) comprises a first pipe inlet (16), a second pipe inlet (18) and a pipe outlet (14). The pipe outlet (14) is the reservoir outlet (14). The pipe (15) is configured to transfer storm water (2), filtered by the reservoir first filtering medium (8), from the second portion (12) of the reservoir (3) to the reservoir outlet (14). A major fraction of debris passing from the first portion (11) of the reservoir (3) to the second portion (12) of the reservoir (3) does not exit the reservoir (3) via the reservoir outlet (14).