Method and apparatus for preventing stagnation in fluid reservoirs

An apparatus for preventing stagnation in a fluid reservoir, which contains a fluid, comprising:

• (a) an inlet/outlet conduit;
• (b) a manifold which sequentially conveys the fluid to and from the inlet/outlet conduit;
• (c) a plurality of inlet duckbill check valves;
• and
• (d) a plurality of outlet duckbill check valves, wherein the inlet duckbill check valves are positioned on the manifold and are oriented such that the fluid will flow from the manifold through the inlet duckbill check valves to the reservoir during reservoir filling and fluid flow is prevented through the inlet duckbill check valves during reservoir draining;
• and wherein the outlet duckbill check valves are positioned on the manifold and spaced from the inlet duckbill check valves to provide fluid flow within the reservoir in the general direction from the inlet duckbill check valves to the outlet duckbill check valves, the outlet duckbill check valves are oriented such that fluid flows from the reservoir through the outlet duckbill check valves into the manifold during reservoir draining, and fluid flow through the outlet duckbill check valves is prevented during reservoir filling.

A method of preventing stagnation in a fluid reservoir for storing liquids comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing an influent liquid through an inlet/outlet conduit to a filling area of the reservoir through a manifold, which introduces the liquid to the reservoir through a plurality of inlet check valves;
• (b) withdrawing the liquid from a draining area of the reservoir through a plurality of outlet check valves on the manifold, wherein the draining area is remotely located from the filling area, such that the influent liquid mixes with the liquid in the reservoir, and the liquid in the reservoir generally flows from the filling area to the draining area;
• and
• (c) expelling the liquid from the draining area through the manifold and the inlet/outlet conduit.