Waste Liquid Sedimentation with Horizontal Zigzag Channels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sedimentation tanks with vertically zigzag channels struggle to effectively settle debris due to the liquid's tendency to lift sediment while flowing, resulting in inefficient debris removal.
Innovation Solution
A waste liquid treating apparatus with a sedimentation tank featuring horizontally extending partition plates that create a zigzag channel, allowing debris to settle on the bottom plate, and removable boxes for easy debris collection, reducing worker burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a vertically zigzag channel is used in the sedimentation tank, then the liquid flows upwardly and downwardly repeatedly, but the liquid tends to fling up the sediment while flowing, making it difficult for debris to settle effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical zigzag channel design by using horizontal partition plates that extend vertically across the flow direction. This inversion changes the flow pattern from vertical up-and-down movement to horizontal flow with parabolic settling, eliminating the harmful effect of liquid flinging up sediment while maintaining the zigzag channel functionality for extended settling time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a vertical dimension-based zigzag channel to a horizontal dimension-based design. By placing partition plates horizontally and extending them vertically, the liquid flows horizontally through the zigzag channel while debris settles downward onto the bottom plate, separating the flow direction from the settling direction and preventing sediment resuspension
2Ease of operation
If sediment is removed from a conventional sedimentation tank, then manual intervention is required which increases operational burden on workers
Solution Approach 1:
The sedimentation tank is segmented into multiple independent boxes that can be individually removed. Each box contains partition plates and can be extracted separately from the tank, allowing workers to remove sediment from one box at a time without disrupting the entire structure or ongoing operations in other boxes
Solution Approach 2:
The partition plates are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing the boxes to be easily inserted and removed from the sedimentation tank. This dynamic design enables flexible maintenance and cleaning operations while maintaining the structural integrity of the overall system
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 horizontally zigzag channel design ensures reliable debris settlement and simplifies debris removal by allowing debris to settle on the bottom plate, reducing operational burdens on workers by enabling easy extraction of sedimented debris through removable boxes.
Implementation Method 1
While the debris is flowing through the zigzag channel, the debris flows parabolically and settles onto the bottom plate of the sedimentation tank
Implementation Method 2
sedimenting means disposed between the inlet and the outlet, for sedimenting debris contained in the processed waste liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A sedimenting assembly for sedimenting debris contained in a processed waste liquid in a sedimentation tank includes a plurality of partition plates extending vertically across a direction in which the processed waste liquid flows and disposed at spaced intervals in the direction, thereby defining a zigzag channel through which the processed waste liquid flows horizontally. The zigzag channel ensures a time during which to sediment the debris against a time during which the processed waste liquid flows through the zigzag channel, allowing the debris to settle reliably.