Vacuum sewer system
AssigneeEnvironmental Resources Management, Inc.
InventorAlan F. Hassett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum sewer system and a method of operating such system is disclosed. The system includes a sewage holding tank and a lateral flow line and a vacuum valve associated with the holding tank for permitting a quantity of wastewater to be drawn out of the holding tank by a vacuum environment. The wastewater is drawn through the lateral flow line and a main pipeline to a desired collection location. A plurality of air inlet valves are arranged at spaced locations along the main pipeline for facilitating the flow of wastewater through the lateral flow line so that a large volume of the wastewater can flow through the lateral flow line in a given time.
Claims33
A method of operating a vacuum sewer system for withdrawing wastewater from a sewage holding tank through a lateral flow line into a main pipeline, said method comprising the steps of:
- creating a vacuum environment in said main pipeline and said lateral flow line;
- selectively subjecting wastewater retained within said sewage holding tank to said vacuum environment for a period of time sufficient to force substantially only wastewater to flow out of said sewage holding tank and into said lateral flow line but insufficient to permit an appreciable amount of air to flow from said sewage holding tank;
- and selectively admitting air directly into said main pipeline thereby enhancing the flow of the wastewater flowing within said lateral flow line.
A vacuum sewer system comprising:
- a sewage holding tank;
- vacuum valve means normally arranged in a closed position and being selectively actuatable to an open position for permitting substantially only wastewater stored within said sewage holding tank to flow therefrom while preventing an appreciable amount of air from flowing out of said sewage holding tank;
- lateral flow line means for transporting wastewater out of said sewage holding tank, said vacuum valve means being connected to said lateral flow line means;
- a main pipeline connected to said lateral flow line means to receive wastewater flowing therefrom;
- vacuum generating means for generating a vacuum environment within said main pipeline and said lateral flow line means;
- and a plurality of air inlet valve means arranged at spaced locations along said main pipeline and being selectively actuatable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa for selectively permitting ambient air to be drawn into said main pipeline by said vacuum environment therein whereby the flow of wastewater flowing within said lateral flow line means is enhanced.
A vacuum sewer system comprising:
- a sewage holding tank;
- vacuum valve means normally arranged in a closed position and being selectively actuatable to an open position and being operatively connected to said sewage holding tank for selectively permitting substantially only wastewater stored within said sewage holding tank to flow therefrom while preventing any appreciable amount of air from flowing out of said sewage holding tank, said vacuum valve means having a receiving end and a discharge end arranged downstream from said receiving end;
- a lateral flow line arranged to receive wastewater flowing through said vacuum valve means when actuated to said open position, said lateral flow line having a first end connected to said discharge end of said vacuum valve means and a second end arranged downstream of said first end;
- a main pipeline connected to said second end of said lateral flow line;
- vacuum generating means for generating a vacuum environment within said main pipeline and at least a portion of said lateral flow line;
- and a plurality of air inlet valve means arranged at spaced locations along said main pipeline and being selectively actuatable from a closed to an open position and vice versa for selectively permitting ambient air to be drawn into said main pipeline by said vacuum environment therein whereby the flow of wastewater flowing within said lateral flow line is enhanced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.