Drain inlet vault and method of assembly

A drain inlet vault comprising

• a plurality of preformed vault sections stacked one upon the other to form the vault,
• each said vault section having (a) essentially the same cross-sectional configuration as the other vault sections, (b) walls of substantially uniform predetermined thickness and substantially all the vault walls being of substantially the same thickness, and (c) at least one perimeter edge that upon stacking the vault sections one on top of the other the perimeter edges of adjacent vault sections engage,
• a sealant along the perimeter edges that is pressed tightly between the perimeter edges upon stacking of the vault sections to form a seal that prevents leakage between the stacked together vault sections and provides a small gap between the perimeter edges and inward of the seal, said gap and seal being offset with respect to each other, and
• at least one support element for water treatment equipment or components thereof, said support element including a outer edge portion and an inner edge portion, said outer edge portion being inserted into the gap and having predetermined dimensions to fit within the gap to avoid interfering with the seal and the inner edge extends inward into an interior of the vault and defines an open area slightly less than the cross-sectional area of said interior, said inner edge portion being sufficiently rigid to provide support for water treatment equipment or components thereof,
• said open structure support element being a frame that has essentially the same cross-sectional configuration as the vault sections and an outside perimeter that is greater than the cross-sectional dimensions of the interior of the vault.

A drain inlet vault comprising

• a plurality of vault sections vertically stacked together in substantial registration to form the vault,
• each said vault section having a predetermined configuration to enable stacking one vault section upon another in concentric alignment along a longitudinal centerline of the vault and each vault section having at least one perimeter edge that upon stacking the vault sections said edges of adjacent vault sections abut each other,
• an upper most stacked vault section having an open top enabling water treatment equipment or components thereof to be inserted into an interior of the vault formed upon stacking of the vault section through the open top of said upper most stacked vault section,
• a sealant between the perimeter edges of adjacent stacked together vault sections that forms a seal, and
• at least one support element for water treatment equipment or components thereof positioned between stacked together vault sections and including a first portion positioned between the mating edges of the assembled adjacent vault sections that avoids interfering with the function of the sealant along the mating edges and a second portion extending inward into the interior that provides support for water treatment equipment, or components thereof.