Leaching chamber having high leaching area to weight ratio

A corrugated arch shape cross section plastic leaching chamber, for burial within soil during use, to receive and contain waste water and to provide chamber leaching area for flow of waste water into the soil surrounding the chamber, which comprises:

• a base, for supporting the chamber on soil during use, comprised of opposing sides running lengthwise along the chamber, wherein the space therebetween defines an open bottom of the chamber;
• a top, for supporting soil above the chamber when the chamber is buried for use;
• and,
• opposing sidewalls, running upwardly from the opposing sides of the base to the top, for supporting the top and for providing regions where water can flow from the interior to the exterior of the chamber;
• the sidewalls and top shaped so that the chamber has a continuous curve arch shape cross section;
• wherein the chamber has a multiplicity of corrugations comprised of alternating peaks and valleys running transversely across the arch of the chamber cross section;
• wherein, the chamber is substantially free of strengthening ribs;
• and
• wherein the center-to-center pitch of peak corrugations is substantially less than 12 inches;
• the chamber having an interior cavity extending upwardly from the base to the top and along the length of the chamber;
• the chamber having a total chamber leaching area, for infiltrating waste water received within the interior cavity into soil surrounding the chamber;
• wherein the total leaching area is comprised of a first fraction and a second fraction;
• and wherein said first fraction is provided by said open bottom;
• said sidewalls having portions with a plurality of upwardly spaced apart and horizontally-extending slots, for flow of water from the interior of the chamber and through the thickness of the walls and into the surrounding soil during use;
• each of said slots having a slot leaching area, wherein the summation of said individual slot leaching areas is said second fraction of said chamber leaching area;
• said chamber having a basic thickness which is the average thickness of (a) any other portions of the sidewall where there are no slots and (b) the top;
• wherein the plastic of the chamber is a thermoplastic;
• wherein the chamber has (a) a leaching area to weight ratio of greater than about 90 square inches per pound and (b) an interior cavity volume per unit length of at least about 1.5 cubic feet per foot.

A corrugated arch shape cross section plastic leaching chamber for burial within soil during use, to receive and contain waste water and to provide chamber leaching area for flow of waste water into the soil surrounding the chamber, which comprises:

• a base, for supporting the chamber on soil during use, comprised of opposing sides running lengthwise along the chamber, wherein the space therebetween defines an open bottom of the chamber;
• a top, for supporting soil above the chamber when the chamber is buried for use;
• and,
• opposing sidewalls, running upwardly from opposing sides of the base to the top, for supporting the top and for providing regions where water can flow from the interior to the exterior of the chamber;
• the sidewalls and top shaped so that the chamber has a continuous curve arch shape cross section;
• wherein the chamber has a multiplicity of corrugations comprised of alternating peaks and valleys running transversely across the arch of the chamber cross section;
• wherein, the chamber is substantially free of strengthening ribs;
• and
• wherein the center-to-center pitch of peak corrugations is substantially less than 12 inches;
• the chamber having an interior cavity extending upwardly from the base to the top and along the length of the chamber;
• the chamber having a total chamber leaching area, for infiltrating waste water received within the interior cavity into soil surrounding the chamber;
• wherein the total leaching area is comprised of a first fraction and a second fraction;
• and wherein said first fraction is provided by said open bottom;
• said sidewalls having portions with a plurality of vertically spaced and horizontally-extending slots, for flow of water from the interior of the chamber and through the thickness of the walls and into the surrounding soil during use;
• each of said slots having a slot leaching area, wherein the summation of said individual slot leaching areas is said second fraction of said chamber leaching area;
• the chamber having a basic thickness which is the average thickness of (a) any other portions of the sidewall where there are no slots and (b) the top;
• wherein the plastic of the chamber is a thermoplastic;
• wherein the chamber has (a) an interior volume per foot of length of at least about 1.5 cubic feet per foot and (b) a weight per linear foot of about 4 pounds or less.