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US 6,277,274 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for treating stormwater runoff
OwnerLarry Steven Coffmaninventor
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OwnerLarry Steven Coffmaninventor
Estimating the term…
A water treatment system, method and apparatus for removing sediment, chemical pollutants and debris from contaminated stormwater runoff using physical, chemical and biological processes by passing runoff water preferably through a two-stage filtering and treatment system. The apparatus includes a first stage chamber filter system comprising a water storage area, a mulch layer, a soil mixture of aggregate, organic material, soil, and live woody and/or herbaceous plants. The second stage treatment system is a water-filled lower chamber with baffles to increase the flow path of treated runoff through the chamber. Contaminated stormwater runoff or wastewater effluent is directed to and passes through the first stage chamber by gravity where the contaminated water is filtered and treated by the mulch, soil and plant filter media under aerobic conditions. The treated water from the first stage is directed to the second stage water-filled chamber where it is further treated through physical means (sedimentation) and anaerobic biological processes and discharged to the receiving waters or drainage system. The first stage chamber can be used without the second stage chamber when conditions warrant.
A contaminated water treatment apparatus for treating contaminated water such as stormwater and wastewater, the apparatus comprising a substantially water impermeable treatment chamber having an open top, a sidewall, and defining a bottom surface, said chamber positionable below ground level with the open top extending above ground level in communication with the atmosphere and for receiving the contaminated water to be treated, said treatment chamber including a filter media comprising a layer ofmulch overlying a soil mixture that includes (a) a non-organic matrix material comprising at least one of sand and aggregate and (b) a material that includes organic matter, wherein said non-organic matrix material is substantially 50% to 70% (by volume) of the soil mixture and said material that includes organic matter is the remaining portion of the soil mixture, the apparatus further comprising live plant material growing in the filter media.
A two-stage water treatment system for treating contaminated water such as stormwater and wastewater, each stage comprising a substantially water impermeable treatment chamber with one stage positionable above the other stage, each of said two stages positionable below ground such that the bottommost treatment chamber is an anaerobic treatment chamber and the upper treatment chamber is an aerobic treatment chamber, the upper treatment chamber having sidewalls that extend above ground level with an open top in communication with the atmosphere and for receiving the contaminated water to be treated, wherein the upper treatment chamber includes a bottom wall defming an opening to communicate with the lower treatment chamber, said upper treatment chamber including a filter media therein comiprising a soil mixture that includes a non-organic matrix material and a material that includes organic matter wherein water treated by the upper chamber passes into the lower chamber for treatment within the lower chamber, said lower chamber further comprising an opening to enable the treated water to flow out ofthe lower treatment chamber after treatment.
A contaminated water treatment apparatus for treating contaminated water such as stormwater and wastewater, the apparatus comprising a substantially water impermeable treatment chamber having an open top, a sidewall, and defining a bottom surface, said chamber positionable below ground level with the open top extending above ground level in communication with the atmosphere and for receiving the contaminated water to be treated, said treatment chamber including a filter media comprising a layer of mulch overlying a soil mixture that includes (a) a non-organic matrix material comprising at least one of sand and aggregate and (b) a material that includes organic matter, further comprising live plant material growing in the filter media, and wherein the ratio between the water treatment chamber cross-sectional area and its depth is approximately 10-40 to 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.