Engineered roughness elements, arrays thereof, and their method of use
AssigneeBoard of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the Desert Research Institute
InventorsVicken Etyemezian, John Gillies
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an engineered roughness element. In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides an array of engineered roughness elements. The engineered roughness elements are configured to reduce sand movement and accompanying dust generation.
Claims20
A method of reducing airborne particles in an area, comprising placing a plurality of engineered roughness elements in or proximate the area in an array, the plurality of engineered roughness elements being spaced apart from one another by at least about 1.7 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a height of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a width of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a depth of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, each of the engineered roughness elements comprising an upper dust control element coupled to a buse by an arm, the base comprising a bottom portion curved to allow the engineered roughness elements to tilt when the upper dust control element is contacted by wind having a sufficient velocity, and the array configured to provide a reduction in airborne particles of at least about 50% by reducing sand movement in, or proximate to, the array.
A method of reducing airborne particles in an area, comprising placing a plurality of engineered roughness elements in or proximate the area in an array, at least a portion of each of the plurality of engineered roughness elements having a height of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the plurality of engineered roughness elements having a width of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the plurality of engineered roughness elements having a depth of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, the engineered roughness elements being spaced apart from one another by at least about 1.7 meters, the array having a roughness density, λ, of about 0.03 or less, and the array configured to provide a reduction in airborne particles of at least about 50% by reducing sand movement in, or proximate to, the array.
A method of reducing airborne particles in an area, comprising placing a plurality of engineered roughness elements in or proximate the area in an array, the plurality of engineered roughness elements being spaced apart from one another by at least about 1.7 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a height of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a width of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements having a depth of between about 0.05 meters and about 10 meters, each of the engineered roughness elements comprising an air filled bladder disposed within a concrete block, and the array configured to provide a reduction in airborne particles of at least about 50% by reducing sand movement in, or proximate to, the array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.