Suction Head Geometry for Low-Turbidity Sediment Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dredging apparatuses face limitations in efficiently removing sediments with high solid content, especially at greater depths, and are not environmentally friendly, as they create water turbidity and cannot operate in sensitive areas like SCI or SNI sites without causing environmental imbalance.
Innovation Solution
A dredging apparatus and method that uses a submersible pump with a suction head designed to create a strong depression for fluid dynamics-driven sediment removal, eliminating the need for agitating/disgregating devices and allowing high solid content suction without turbidity, suitable for use in environmentally sensitive areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If agitating/disgregating devices are used to suspend sediments, then sediment removal efficiency is improved, but water turbidity increases causing environmental harm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful agitating/disgregating devices from the dredging system, retaining only the suction pump and suction head. This removal eliminates the source of water turbidity while maintaining sediment removal capability through optimized fluid dynamics in the suction head
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by optimizing the suction head geometry and pump operation to achieve high-velocity suction that can lift and remove sediments directly without requiring mechanical agitation or water jet disgregation, thereby preventing turbidity generation
2Productivity
If high flow rates of water are used to suspend and remove sediments, then sediment removal capability is improved, but pump size and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by optimizing the suction head geometry and pump operation to achieve high-velocity suction that can lift and remove sediments directly without requiring mechanical agitation or water jet disgregation, thereby preventing turbidity generation
3Device complexity
If conventional suction openings are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but suction speed is insufficient for effective sediment removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific geometric configuration in the suction head with a restricted suction opening area relative to the pump inlet, generating localized high velocity and depression at the suction opening to enable effective sediment lifting
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the suction head, specifically the ratio between suction opening area and pump inlet area, to achieve the desired suction velocity and depression without increasing overall device complexity
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 solution enables efficient sediment removal with high solid content, reduces environmental impact, and allows operation in sensitive areas, minimizing water turbidity and pollutant dispersion, thus enhancing productivity and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
suction head designed to create a strong depression for fluid dynamics-driven sediment removal
Implementation Method 2
a submersible pump with a suction head designed to create a strong depression
Data Source
AI summary
A dredging apparatus for removing sediments from a bed of an expanse of water, includes: a suction apparatus including a) a submersible pump including: a housing body provided with an inlet mouth and with a discharge opening and an impeller rotatably supported in the body between the inlet mouth and the discharge opening and rotatably driven by a respective driving device; and b) a suction head associated to the inlet mouth of the housing body of the pump and provided at the bottom with a suction opening of the sediments; wherein the suction opening of the head has a value of the cross-section area dimensioned to achieve in the working range of the pump a suction speed capable of removing the sediments by means of the fluid dynamics removal action carried out by the water sucked into the head.