Sump System With Horizontal Storage Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sump systems with small cross-sectional areas at the bottom of catch basins experience frequent pump activation and deactivation during rainfall, leading to reduced pump lifespan and increased power consumption due to continuous water filling.
Innovation Solution
A sump system design with a larger volume at the bottom portion of the catch basin relative to the upper portion, incorporating a vertical chamber and a horizontal chamber with perforated caps, which reduces the frequency of pump transitions between on and off states by increasing water storage capacity near the bottom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the catch basin has a small cross-sectional area at the bottom, then the overall structure is compact and easier to install, but the pump experiences frequent activation and deactivation cycles during rainfall
Solution Approach 1:
The catch basin is divided into two distinct chambers: a vertical chamber for receiving runoff water and a horizontal chamber for storing water. This segmentation allows the system to separate the functions of water intake and water storage, enabling the horizontal chamber to act as a buffer that reduces pump cycling frequency while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional single vertical chamber design to a two-chamber design that extends in the horizontal dimension. The horizontal chamber protrudes outwardly from the vertical chamber, utilizing horizontal space to increase water storage capacity without significantly increasing the vertical footprint, thus maintaining compactness while improving pump reliability.
2Volume of moving object
If the catch basin has a small cross-sectional area at the bottom, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but power consumption increases due to continuous pump operation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the catch basin into vertical and horizontal chambers, the system creates a dedicated storage zone that accumulates water during rainfall events. This reduces the frequency of pump activation cycles, thereby lowering energy consumption associated with repeated pump start-stop operations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the catch basin by introducing a horizontal chamber with specific dimensions (width, height, and length) that optimize water storage capacity. This parameter change enables the system to hold more water locally, reducing pump cycling and associated energy consumption without complicating the manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If the catch basin has a larger volume at the bottom portion, then pump activation frequency is reduced, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catch basin is segmented into two functional chambers with distinct purposes: the vertical chamber for water reception and the horizontal chamber for water storage. This segmentation achieves the goal of reducing pump activation frequency through increased storage capacity while maintaining relatively simple construction by using modular chamber designs that can be built using standard techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
A catch basin that configured to receive runoff water includes a first tube, a second tube, and a perforated cap. The first tube extends downward from an upper end to a lower end of the catch basin. The first tube has a first cross-sectional area that is defined along a first plane that extends horizontally though the first tube. The second tube extends horizontally outward from the lower end of the first tube at position that is below the upper end. The second tube is in fluid communication with the first tube and has a second cross-sectional area that is defined along a second plane that extends horizontally though the second tube, wherein the second cross-sectional area is greater than the first cross-sectional area. The perforated cap is secured to a horizontal end of the second tube.