Liquid purification or separation – Structural installation – Grated inlet surface drain
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2003-09-23
Prince, Fred G. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Structural installation
Grated inlet surface drain
C210S282000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06623633
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTION MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
This application is in the field of storm water pollution prevention and regulatory compliance with new storm water requirements. The application is specifically designed for a catch basin that has a bottom, walls rising from the bottom, a frames mounted on the walls for supporting a catch basin cover and a cover. The cover has a plurality of openings or a grate form to allow water to enter the catch basin and travel down to the bottom of the catch basin where piping exists to carry water to a natural drainage area such as a river or stream. These catch basins are customarily used for storm water drainage along roads and in parking lots. These catch basins come in many sizes and shapes; including circular, rectangular and square catch basins. The apparatus is specifically designed to accommodate the flow characteristics, space limitation, and variability of design associated with these catch basins with a specialized support and flow diversion device located inside the catch basin along the peripheral edge of the catch basin opening. The support and flow diversion device is a trough apparatus that directs the flow of water into at least one sump or bag. In most cases a plurality of sumps or bags will be employed along with a plurality of troughs, especially for rectangular and square catch basins where the preferred arrangement would be to have 2 troughs on opposing sides of the catch basin opening and 2 sumps or bags on the other opposing sides of the catch basin opening, such that troughs and sumps or bags would take up the entire peripheral edge of the catch basin and the sumps or bags would take up the space between the openings in the troughs. The openings from the trough leading into each sump or bag would preferentially be located on the wall of the trough, which is not adjacent to the catch basin frame and closest to the center of the catch basin opening. The openings in the trough being located towards the interior of the catch basin opening would be preferable since the flow of water and debris would be directed towards the sump, whereas an opening on the interior wall adjacent to the edges of the catch basin would cause additional turbulence and potential short-circuiting since the water would be directed towards a wall section. Each trough has at least two openings and although these openings could be at the ends as in McDermott (U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,691), it is envisioned that these openings would be on the wall nearest the center of the catch basin opening when bags are employed and either on the ends or the wall of the trough nearest the center of the catch basin opening when a rigid sump is used so as to avoid a conflict with the aforementioned patent by McDermott. The trough or plurality of troughs, as the case may be, would have a bottom and two sides defining the trough until there is a break in the trough by an opening in either the wall or bottom of the trough or simply an end to the trough section. The top of the trough would be open and unoccupied, except for the grate sitting above the trough and possibly some appurtenances associated with the apparatus, which could include a supporting member or a screen, either way the top of the trough would allow water to fall into the trough from above. The open and unobstructed trough would allow storm water and debris to enter the trough from the peripheral edge of the storm sewer system without being deflected or subject to increased turbulence by passing through fines screens or a perforated cover, although a small portion of the top of the trough could be obstructed by supported or miscellaneous hardware, the majority of the top of the trough would be unencumbered to allow unrestricted flow of water from the grate into the trough. The design of the top of the trough would be such that the majority of water and debris entering the catch basin from above the trough would fall into the trough and be directed towards a sump or bag. If the openings are in the wall of the trough located nearest the center of the catch basin then the ends would be unopened such that flow is directed towards the openings. The apparatus also allows for a supporting mechanism to hold the sump or bag, which makes up the treatment system. The support mechanism would be by direct attachment of the sump or bag to the support and flow diversion device in a manner that would mimic applicant's issued patent. A sump or a bag would extend from an opening in a trough to another opening in a trough. The sump or bag would be removeably supported by the trough system and allow for quick and easy maintenance. By removeably supported I am referring to an attachment of the sump or bag to the trough, whereby it can be readily removed from the trough apparatus. The trough apparatus is located on the inside peripheral edge of the storm sewer catch basin opening with the highest point of the support and flow diversion apparatus being at or below the point of entry of storm water into the catch basin opening. This will enable storm water to flow freely without encumbering storm water flow or the purpose of the storm sewer system. The preferred location is positioning the top of the trough at a fraction of an inch below the elevation of the point where the water begins to discharge down into the storm sewer to facilitate dumping and to ensure less turbulent flow to facilitate sedimentation and removal of liquid contaminants by the absorbent. The location of the sump or the bag would preferably be on the peripheral edge of the catch basin opening as well; however, it could also be away from the edge and bisecting the catch basin opening by extending from one side to another side. In any event the trough(s) and sump(s) or bag(s) would not take up the entire catch basin opening and leave a portion of the catch basin open and unoccupied. Furthermore, it would be required in the design that the inner wall of the trough nearest the center of the catch basin would not be continuous around the entire peripheral edge of said catch basin opening to allow a place for the sump to be installed. Therefore, the water entering into the apparatus would fall into both the sump and the trough from above and water and debris that entered the trough would be directed to a plurality of openings that discharge to a sump or bag or a plurality of sumps and bags. Furthermore, the entire peripheral area of the catch basin opening near the top of the catch basin would be occupied in a manner that would allow all or virtually all of the water entering the storm sewer to contact the trough or combination of trough(s), sump(s) or bag(s). If storm water flows are low or there is a spill of a contaminant, the apparatus can treat the entire flow and at high flows the apparatus would overflow allowing storm water to cascade over the unit into the unoccupied space within the catch basin opening and into the storm sewer system. This would allow the storm sewer system not to cause flooding while treating the critical initial flow of storm water.
The invention removes particulate matter as the primary treatment method through the use of a bag(s) or sumps with a secondary stage of treatment of dissolved and liquid phase storm water contaminants through the use of absorbent materials. The sump or bag can accommodate an absorbent material within the lining or through the placement of absorbent socks or pillows. These absorbents are generally oil only absorbents meaning that they repel water, but capture oils and greases. These absorbents are widely available commercially. Additionally an absorbent material can be used that is treated with special resins to retain other contaminants such as soaps and nitrates. The apparatus could also accommodate an absorbent sock within the troughs as with applicant's issued patent; however, the preferred embodiment would be incorporating the absorbent into the sump or bag. A rigid sump employed in this devi
McDermott Holly Susan
McDermott Randy Scott
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