Submersible Circulation System with Planar Outlet for Enclosed Tank Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enclosed water tanks with small access openings require complex and costly procedures for maintenance and repair of circulation systems, necessitating worker entry and potential system disassembly, which is hazardous and costly, and can lead to prolonged tank downtime.
Innovation Solution
A submersible water circulation system that can fit through a small access opening in a completely assembled condition, automatically assume operating orientation on the tank floor without worker entry, and be raised without requiring workers to enter the tank, utilizing a driving unit with a pump and a thin, elongated outlet for efficient water circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If workers enter the tank to assemble or repair the circulation system, then the system can be installed or maintained, but safety risks and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system is divided into modular components (pump assembly, motor assembly, support structure) that can be assembled outside the tank and then lowered as complete modules through the access opening, eliminating the need for workers to enter the tank for assembly operations
Solution Approach 2:
A lowering apparatus with winch and guide ropes serves as an intermediary mechanism to transfer the circulation system from the tank exterior to the interior through the access opening, enabling installation without worker entry while maintaining safety
2Length of moving object
If the circulation system is disassembled for entry through the access opening, then it can fit through the small opening, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates collapsible or articulating elements that allow the circulation system to be compacted for passage through the access opening, then expanded or positioned into its operational configuration once inside the tank, maintaining structural integrity while adapting to spatial constraints
Solution Approach 2:
Components such as the motor assembly and pump assembly are nested or integrated within each other or with the support structure, allowing the entire circulation system to be packaged in a compact form factor that fits through the access opening while maintaining functional separation when deployed
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the circulation system is designed to fit through the small access opening, then installation becomes safer, but the system size and water circulation capacity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly utilizes high-efficiency hydraulic design with optimized impeller geometry and casing configuration to maximize water circulation volume and pressure within the constraints of the compact form factor required for access opening passage
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation system is designed with universal mounting capabilities and adjustable flow distribution to effectively serve large tank volumes despite the compact size imposed by access opening constraints, achieving adequate circulation through strategic placement and multi-directional flow paths
4Ease of repair
If workers must enter the tank for repairs, then the circulation system can be maintained, but downtime and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system incorporates self-diagnostic capabilities and remotely accessible monitoring that enable detection and initial troubleshooting of issues without worker entry, allowing many maintenance tasks to be performed or assessed from outside the tank
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design allows specific components (pump assembly, motor assembly) to be independently removed and replaced through the access opening using the lowering apparatus, enabling rapid component-level repairs without requiring complete system disassembly or worker entry into the tank interior
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
Enables efficient and safe mixing of water in large tanks without worker entry, reducing downtime and safety risks, while ensuring thorough mixing and disinfectant distribution, with a circulation pattern that induces a large volume of water flow in a laminar manner.
Implementation Method 1
a pump supported within the shell. The shell has at least one inlet and at least one outlet and is positionable on the floor of the tank with the outlet facing upwardly. In operation, the pump continuously draws an incoming flow of water from outside of the driving unit adjacent the tank floor through the inlet of the driving unit
Implementation Method 2
The upwardly facing outlet is preferably a thin, elongated slot extending along the shell of the driving unit and creates a thin, substantially planar discharge of water therethrough that is directed upwardly toward the surface of the body of water. The substantially planar discharge induces water adjacent the outside of the shell of the driving unit to move upwardly with it toward the surface of the body of water
Implementation Method 3
In doing so, this primary circulation pattern in turn induces secondary flow patterns within the body of water to thereby thoroughly mix the water in the entire tank and to do so in a substantially laminar manner
Data Source
AI summary
A submersible, water circulation system for enclosed tanks such as used by municipalities, fire districts, and industries. The system includes a driving unit having a shell extending along an axis with a pump supported within the shell. The shell has at least one inlet and at least one outlet and is positionable on the floor of the tank with the outlet facing upwardly. The upwardly facing outlet is preferably a thin, upwardly facing, elongated slot and creates a thin, substantially planar discharge of water therethrough that is directed upwardly toward the surface of the body of water. The substantially planar discharge presents a very large surface area for its volume and induces water adjacent the outside of the shell of the driving unit to move upwardly with it toward the surface of the body of water.