Surface Containment Liner With Gravity Filtration for Leak Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containment systems for equipment leaks, such as those in electric power distribution and generating facilities, face challenges with mechanical failures of pumps and clogging valves, leading to potential environmental contamination, especially in areas where power is not available and excavation is hazardous.
Innovation Solution
A surface containment system featuring an impermeable barrier liner and modular perimeter wall with integrated filtering systems, allowing water to pass while retaining hydrocarbons, and utilizing ground-engaging anchors for stability, enabling effective containment without excavation and power dependency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pumps and valves are used in containment systems, then liquid can be pumped out of the containment area, but mechanical failures and clogging occur leading to potential environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the unreliable mechanical components (pumps and valves) from the containment system. Instead of using active mechanical devices to remove liquid, the system relies on passive gravitational flow through filter walls, eliminating the sources of mechanical failure and clogging while maintaining liquid removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment system performs liquid removal automatically through gravity-driven flow through the filter walls, without requiring external mechanical intervention. The system self-regulates liquid levels and prevents contamination through passive filtration, eliminating the need for powered pumps and valves that are prone to failure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If excavation is performed to install containment systems, then stable installation is achieved, but hazardous conditions arise especially in areas where power is not available
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a flexible impermeable barrier liner that can be deployed without excavation. The liner is supported by a perimeter wall structure that creates a containment reservoir, providing stability through the structural support system rather than through excavated foundations, thereby eliminating excavation hazards while maintaining installation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional horizontal excavation-based installation to a vertical dimension approach. The perimeter wall extends vertically from the barrier liner, creating a three-dimensional containment structure that achieves stability through vertical support rather than horizontal excavation, avoiding hazardous working conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional containment systems are used, then equipment leaks can be contained, but mechanical failures lead to potential environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes unreliable mechanical components (pumps and valves) from the containment system and replaces them with passive gravitational flow and filter wall mechanisms. This extraction of mechanical failure points maintains leak containment capability while eliminating the risk of mechanical failures causing environmental contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter wall acts as an intermediary element between the containment reservoir and the environment. It passively filters liquids through gravity-driven flow, allowing water to pass while retaining hydrocarbons, providing reliable containment without mechanical components that could fail.
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 system effectively contains and filters leaks, preventing environmental contamination by allowing water to flow while retaining harmful fluids, and is stable and easy to install without excavation or power, reducing the risk of mechanical failures.
Implementation Method 1
allow water to pass by way of gravity from the reservoir through the impermeable barrier
Implementation Method 2
the fluid conduit comprising a capsule filter or filter wall to allow water to pass by way of gravity from the reservoir through the impermeable barrier
Data Source
AI summary
A surface containment system to contain liquid contaminates escaping from a vessel, the containment system having in one example: a water and oil impermeable barrier liner positioned below the vessel; a perimeter wall surrounding the vessel, the perimeter wall extending vertically from the ground surface and supporting a portion of the barrier liner so as to form a containment reservoir; at least one fluid conduit through the barrier liner, the fluid conduit having a filter configured to retain contaminates and configured to allow water to pass by way of gravity from the reservoir through the impermeable barrier; the perimeter wall formed of a plurality of wall panels connected by way of struts each having a vertical component, a base component anchored to ground.