Ventilation Shaft Panel Closure for Underground Flood Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underground ventilation systems, such as subway tunnels and chambers, face flooding issues due to surface storm waters entering through ventilation ducts, overwhelming existing drainage systems and causing flooding, with current solutions like raising gratings or using sandbags being costly, labor-intensive, and ineffective.
Innovation Solution
A manual closure assembly for ventilation shafts that includes rotatable panels with a support system and seals, allowing normal ventilation when not flooding but automatically closing to prevent water entry during flooding threats, adaptable to various shapes and sizes of openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ventilation gratings are raised above sidewalk level to prevent flooding, then flooding protection is improved, but sidewalk area availability deteriorates and implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation grating is designed with movable panels that can dynamically change position between open and closed states. The panels are hinged and can be manually or automatically closed during flooding events, allowing the grating to adapt its configuration based on environmental conditions without permanently altering sidewalk availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation grating is divided into multiple removable panels that can be independently closed. This segmentation allows selective closure of specific panels during flooding events while maintaining access to other panels for ventilation purposes, thereby preserving sidewalk area availability when flooding is not present.
2Reliability
If sandbags and plywood covers are used to block ventilation gratings, then flooding protection is improved, but labor intensity and implementation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation grating incorporates automatic closure mechanisms that detect water presence or flooding conditions and automatically close the panels without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability eliminates the need for rapid manual deployment of protective measures during flooding events, significantly reducing implementation time while maintaining effective protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors or detection mechanisms that monitor environmental conditions and trigger automatic closure of ventilation panels when flooding is detected. This feedback loop ensures timely response to flooding events without requiring human observation or manual operation, thereby reducing implementation time and improving reliability.
3Productivity
If existing drainage systems are used to handle storm water, then water management is maintained, but system capacity deteriorates during heavy rains causing street flooding
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the water blocking function from the existing drainage system by implementing separate closure mechanisms on ventilation gratings. Instead of relying solely on drainage infrastructure to handle storm water, the system actively prevents water entry through automated or manual closure of ventilation panels, thereby protecting the drainage system from being overwhelmed during heavy rains.
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
Effectively prevents flooding in underground ventilation systems by automatically closing panels to block water entry during heavy rains or storm surges, reducing the need for costly infrastructure changes and labor-intensive measures, while maintaining normal ventilation operations.
Implementation Method 1
A panel assembly for blocking a passage in a ventilation shaft includes a plurality of panels that are rotatable from an open position to a closed position solely by gravitational impetus of the panels themselves
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the underground ventilation duct includes one or more hinged panels closing a ventilation passage between the top and bottom of a support fitting in the shaft to prevent flooding. The panels have handles on their topside and pivotable arms on their underside and are liftable to an upright home position allowing ventilation, using tools to reach through grating covering openings on the shaft and lift the panel handles and after the panels are partially lifted, using reach tools to engage and lift the arms to press them again support sidewalls to exert lateral force on underside of the panels to complete upward rotation to the home position.