Rotatable Ventilation Shaft Panels for Flood Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underground ventilation systems in urban areas, such as subway tunnels, face flooding issues due to surface storm waters entering through ventilation ducts, overwhelming existing drainage systems and causing street flooding, with current solutions like raising gratings or using sandbags being costly, labor-intensive, and inadequate.
Innovation Solution
A manual, operable closure assembly for ventilation shafts that includes rotatable panels with hinges and restraints, allowing for easy installation in existing ventilation systems to prevent surface water from entering underground ducts during flooding threats, featuring a support structure with horizontal flanges and seals to ensure effective closure.
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 construction cost and loss of sidewalk area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by installing movable closure assemblies in the ventilation gratings that can dynamically open during normal ventilation operation and automatically close when flooding is detected. This dynamic mechanism provides flooding protection without requiring permanent elevation of the gratings, thus avoiding the construction costs and sidewalk area loss associated with raising fixed gratings above sidewalk level.
2Reliability
If sandbags and plywood covers are used to block ventilation gratings, then flooding protection is improved, but labor intensity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle through automatic closure assemblies that detect flooding conditions and close the ventilation gratings without human intervention. The system uses water-level sensors or other detection mechanisms to automatically deploy closure elements, eliminating the need for manual placement of sandbags or plywood covers, thus dramatically reducing labor intensity and response time during flooding events.
3Productivity
If existing drainage systems are used to handle storm water, then water management is maintained, but system capacity is overwhelmed during heavy rains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing storm water from the ventilation system before it can enter the underground tunnels. The closure assemblies block the ventilation gratings during flooding events, preventing water ingress at the source rather than relying on downstream drainage systems to handle the water. This extraction approach protects the ventilation system from flooding without overloading the city's drainage infrastructure.
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 provides a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient means to prevent flooding in underground ventilation systems by allowing panels to automatically close during flooding events, reducing water ingress and alleviating pressure on drainage systems, thus protecting infrastructure and maintaining operational functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a seal (221, 222, 223) at a lower opening (228) of the support to prevent passage of water
Implementation Method 2
A pair of panels (234, 236) may be rotated about horizontal axes (pins 243c) formed by hinge members (243)
Implementation Method 3
Rotation of the panels downwardly (one clockwise, the other counterclockwise) is by gravity acting solely on the mass of the panel
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 support sidewalls fitting in the shaft providing a ventilation passage between support top and bottom openings and a suspension member supported on opposed lateral sidewalls unobstructively horizontally spanning the passage proximate the top opening and holding one or more hinge connected panels in the passage that manually release to rotationally close the passage and prevent flooding and are manually rotationally liftable to a home position allowing ventilation. The suspension member is liftingly removable from the support and may include end keys received in keyed supports to allow the suspension member to fit in the supports so a specific panel closes to a specific sidewall.