# US 9,435,093 B2 · Engineered roughness elements, arrays thereof, and their method of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,093 B2 - Document ID: US9435093B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/529,894 - Filed: 2014-10-31 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-31 - Assignees: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the Desert Research Institute - Applicants: Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on behalf of the Desert Research Institute - Inventors: Vicken Etyemezian; John Gillies - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435093B2 ## CPC - E02D 3/00: Improving or preserving soil or rock, e.g. preserving permafrost soil (securing of slopes or inclines E02D17/20; damming or interrupting passage of underground water E02D19/12; improving soil for agricultural purposes A01; soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes E01C21/00, E01C23/10; setting rock anchoring bolts E21D) - E01F 7/02: Snow fences or similar devices, e.g. devices affording protection against sand drifts or side-wind effects (fences in general E04H17/00) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - E01F: ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the engineered roughness elements comprises a porous section at a first height of the engineered roughness element and a non-porous section at a second height of the engineered roughness element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the porous section is located substantially at a height where airborne particles interacting with the engineered roughness elements have a maximum kinetic energy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the engineered roughness elements are configured to move when particles accumulated proximate the engineered roughness elements exceed a threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the engineered roughness elements have a height of between about 0.5 meters and about 2 meters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the engineered roughness elements are spaced apart from one another by at least about 5 meters. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements comprise apertures for receiving the blades of a forklift. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements comprise a dust control element coupled to a pivot by an arm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein each of the engineered roughness elements comprises an upper dust control element coupled to a base 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements comprise a dust control element pivotably coupled to a support, the dust control element being rotatable about an axis parallel to the ground. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements comprise a buoyant dust control element coupled to an anchor by a tether. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the individual engineered roughness elements of the array are positioned to cause particles moving through an area to be channeled to a storage location. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of each of the engineered roughness elements has a triangular, circular, semicircular, trapezoidal, rectangular, or square cross-section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements are spaced apart from one another by at least about 5 meters. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements have a height of between about 0.5 meters and about 2 meters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein each of the engineered roughness elements comprises a porous section at a first height of the engineered roughness element and a non-porous section at a second height of the engineered roughness element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the porous section is located substantially at a height where airborne particles interacting with the engineered roughness elements have a maximum kinetic energy. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the engineered roughness elements are configured to move when particles accumulated proximate the engineered roughness elements exceed a threshold. ### Claim 20 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.