System and method for vacuum flushing sewer solids
AssigneeU.S. Environmental Protection Agency
InventorChi-Yuan Fan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flushing system and method are provided for substantially reducing sewer solid accumulation in urban drainage systems such that their performance is optimized, their structural integrity is substantially maintained, and pollution of receiving waters is substantially minimized. The flushing system includes at least one flush reservoir that fluidly communicates with the urban drainage system and discharges wet weather flow to flush accumulated sewer solids therefrom. An air release valve on the at least one flush reservoir closes when it is substantially full to create a vacuum that is broken by drawing air through an air intake conduit in the at least one flush reservoir when the urban drainage system is drained to a predetermined level.
Claims21
A flushing system for substantially reducing sewer solid accumulation in an urban drainage system, comprising:
- at least one flush reservoir having an ingress and egress port in fluid communication with the urban drainage system for receiving and discharging wet weather flow;
- an air intake conduit for providing air into the at least one flush reservoir;
- and
- an air release check valve for the at least one flush reservoir that closes when the at least one flush reservoir is substantially full of wet weather flow to create a vacuum on draining of the urban drainage system, the vacuum broken by the intake of air when the urban drainage system is drained to a predetermined level thereby discharging the wet weather flow in a surge from the at least one flush reservoir to flush accumulated sewer solids from the urban drainage system.
A flush reservoir, comprising:
- a receptacle having a top and sidewalls and an ingress and egress port through at least one of the sidewalls;
- an air intake conduit connected through another of the sidewalls of the receptacle;
- and
- an air release check valve connected to the flush reservoir.
A method for substantially reducing sewer solid accumulation in an urban drainage system, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one flush reservoir in an upstream portion of the urban drainage system, the at least one flush reservoir having an ingress and egress port in fluid communication with the urban drainage system and an air release valve that closes when the at least one flush reservoir is substantially full of wet weather flow to create a vacuum therein;
- providing air to the at least one flush reservoir;
- and
- draining the urban drainage system to a level to permit the intake of air that breaks the vacuum causing the wet weather flow to surge out the ingress and egress port to flush accumulated sewer solids from the urban drainage system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.