AU729096B2

AU729096B2 - Improved catch basin

Info

Publication number: AU729096B2
Application number: AU63621/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Joseph Gordon Monteith
Original assignee: CEPTOR INTERNAT Inc X
Current assignee: X-CEPTOR INTERNATIONAL Ltd
Priority date: 1997-05-28
Filing date: 1998-04-27
Publication date: 2001-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-27
Also published as: CA2206338A1; AU6362198A; CA2206338C

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: 0 *0 0 0 6**0 00 0 0 0* Name of Applicant: X-Ceptor International Inc.

Actual Inventor(s): Joseph Gordon Monteith Address for Service: 0* 0 ~0 0* PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: IMPROVED CATCH BASIN Our Ref 527685 POF Code: 1649/288438 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 2 IMPROVED CATCH BASIN This invention relates generally to separator tanks or catch basins, sometimes called interceptors, adapted to receive primarily rainwater from a storm sewer or drain, and additionally to perform the function of separating and entrapping any oil- or gasoline-based materials and suspended solids that may enter, allowing the water fraction to discharge into municipal receiving sewers.

We have developed a design for a catch basin intended to separate inflowing liquid into an aqueous fraction, a floatable fraction above the aqueous fraction, and precipitating sediments, solids, etc., but which under high flow rates of entering liquid (as may occur during a rainstorm) permits entering liquid to pass directly to the outlet with only a very small fraction entering the lower treatment chamber. This design enables the catch basin to be compact, inexpensive and effective.

Due to the design, any portion of the high-velocity entering liquid which does enter the lower treatment compartment is able to do so at a controlled rate of speed which allows the separated fractions to remain separated.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION nuMore particularly, this invention provides an improved catch basin, including: a hollow container having a bottom wall, a side wall and a top wall which together define an internal volume, an inlet in said top wall, W:AmarytRNCNODEL\63621.98.doc an outlet in said side wall, partition means dividing the internal volume into a lower compartment and an upper compartment, the partition means including: an intake region disposed so as to directly receive at least a portion of the liquid entering through said inlet, an outlet region disposed adjacent said outlet in the side wall, and positioned so as to substantially prevent it from directly receiving any liquid entering through said inlet, an intake opening in said intake region, an outlet opening in said outlet region, e*el.

directing means adjacent said intake region so disposed that the intake region and the directing means, between them, receive '00 substantially all of the liquid entering through said inlet, the 20 directing means being configured to direct liquid impinging thereon toward said intake opening, but so as to allow liquid entering in :large quantity to pass directly to the outlet region; an intake conduit connected to said intake opening, and extending downward into the lower compartment to an intermediate location therein, where it communicates with the lower compartment, W:maryRNCNODEL\63621-98.doc an outlet conduit connected to said outlet opening, and extending downward into the lower compartment to an intermediate location therein, where it communicates with the lower compartment, whereby, under conditions of low liquid flow into the catch basin, substantially all entering liquid will be directed to said intake region, will descend along the intake conduit into the lower compartment, and will separate into floatables on top, an aqueous phase under the floatables, and solids collecting on the bottom wall; and whereby, under conditions of high liquid flow into the catch basin, a portion of the liquid will overrun the directing means, gain direct access to the outlet region, and exit from the catch basin through the outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Two embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views, and 15 in which: Figure 1 is a vertical, axial sectional view taken axially through a first embodiment of a catch basin according to the present invention; *-**Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken at the line 2-2 in Figure 1; and Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a second embodiment of a catch basin according to the present invention, and correspond to Figures 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS o* Attention is first directed to Figure 1, which shows a first embodiment of a catch basin generally at the numeral 10, the catch basin 10 having the shape of a hollow container 12 with a substantially circular bottom wall 14, a cylindrical side wall 16, and a circular top wall 18.

There is an inlet 20 in the top wall 18, and an outlet 22 in the side wall 16.

The inlet 20 is an open grate 23, typically of cast iron. It will be noted that the 3 0 inlet 20 is eccentrically located with respect to the circular top wall 18, and that its direction of displacement is opposite that of the outlet 22.

A partition shown generally at the numeral 24 has a substantially circular outer perimeter 26 which is sized to fit snugly within the cylindrical side wall 16.

The partition 24 has its mid-region shaped to define an obliquely inclined sloping ramp 28 extending leftwardly and downwardly from a substantially horizontal upper edge 30 to a horizontal lower edge 32. A substantially vertical wall 34, rectangular in configuration, extends downwardly from the upper edge 30 to a lower edge 36 defining a rectilinear internal limit of an outlet region 38 having the shape of a circular segment. There is an outlet opening 40 located substantially centrally of the outlet region 38, the outlet opening constituting the upper end of an outlet conduit 42 which extends substantially vertically downward adjacent the cylindrical side wall 16, the outlet conduit 42 terminating at an open bottom end 44.

The partition 24 further defines an intake region 46 which is disposed diametrically opposite the outlet platform 38, and which likewise has the form of a circular segment including a rectilinear inner edge defined by the lower, leftward limit of the ramp 28. Provided in the intake region 46 is an intake opening 48 15 communicating with the top of an intake conduit 50 which has a bottom end in communication with a T-fitting 52 shaped so as to direct liquid which descends along the intake conduit 50 in tangential directions around the inside of the circular side wall 16, thus promoting laminar flow rather than turbulence.

By suppressing turbulence, the floatable fraction of the incoming material can 20 separate from the aqueous fraction and float upwardly to collect under the partition 24, trapped in that location by the vertical extent of the conduits 42 and 50. At the same time, solids will tend to precipitate and collect against the bottom wall 14.

In the embodiment illustrated, the catch basin provides a clean-out access means in the form of an upstanding pipe 54 with a closure 56 for the top the part 54, the closure 56 allowing air to escape from the lower compartment as the latter fills with liquid, but substantially preventing the entry, into the lower compartment, of liquid that directly arrives from the inlet 20 in the top wall 18.

It will also be noted that the inlet region 46 and the adjacent part of the ramp 28 support two vertical guide plates 58 which extend leftwardly from the pipe 54 and enclose the intake opening 48 on two sides thereof. The purpose of the two vertical guide plates 58 is to create a vortex which draws floatables into the intake opening 48.

It will be noted that the outlet region 38 has a slightly lower vertical position than does said intake region 46. This difference in height (of approximately one inch) will tend to promote outflow through the outlet conduit 42 and the outlet 22.

It will thus be appreciated that, under conditions of low liquid flow into the catch basin 10 (the liquid descending directly from the grate 23 in the top wall 18), substantially all of the entering liquid will be directed to the intake region 46, will descend along the intake conduit 50 into the lower compartment, and will tend to separate into floatables on top, an aqueous phase under the floatables, and solids collecting on the bottom wall 14. Entering liquid which impinges directly on the closure 56 will run off the closure 56 and down along the outside of the pipe 54, eventually finding its way to the intake opening 48. The remaining water entering through the grate 23 will end up going through the intake opening 48, due to the action of the ramp 28 and the guide plates 58.

p However, under conditions of a high liquid flow into the catch basin 10, a •portion of the entering liquid will build up (due to the restriction represented by the 15 opening 48) and eventually overrun the ramp 28, thereby gaining direct access to the outlet region 38 from which it can leave the catch basin through the outlet 22.

Attention is now directed to Figures 3 and 4, showing the second embodiment of this invention. The primary difference between the first and second embodiments illustrated in the Figures relates to the configuration of the ramp, identified by the 20 number 28 in Figure 1, and by the number 28a in Figure 3. It will be noted that the ramp 28a in Figure 3 defines a smaller angle with respect to the horizontal than does the ramp 28 in Figure 1. This places the leftward edge 32a of the ramp 28a at a higher vertical position than the edge 32. Leftwardly from the edge 32a, the partition 24a incorporates a downwardly converging throat portion 61 which communicates with the top of the intake conduit 50a. The downwardly converging throat portion 61 promotes the creation of a vortex which allows floatables such as oil to enter the lower treatment chamber through the intake conduit The remaining components of the second embodiment of this invention correspond in configuration and function to the equivalent components discussed above with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

While two embodiments of this invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove, it will be evident to those skilled

C

7 in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An improved catch basin, iincluding: a hollow container having a bottom wall, a side wall and a top wall which together define an internal volume, an inlet in said top wall, an outlet in said side wall, partition means dividing the internal volume into a lower compartment and an upper compartment, the partition means including: an intake region disposed so as to directly receive at least a portion of the liquid entering through said inlet, an outlet region disposed adjacent said outlet in the side wall, and positioned so as to substantially prevent it from directly receiving any liquid entering through said inlet, an intake opening in said intake region, an outlet opening in said outlet region, directing means adjacent said intake region so disposed that the intake region and the directing means, between them, receive substantially all of the liquid entering through said inlet, the directing means being configured to direct liquid impinging thereon toward said intake opening, but so as to allow liquid entering in large quantity to pass directly to the outlet region; an intake conduit connected to said intake opening, and extending downward into the lower compartment to an intermediate location therein, where it communicates with the lower compartment, an outlet conduit connected to said outlet opening, and extending downward into the lower compartment to an intermediate location therein, where it communicates with the lower compartment, whereby, under conditions of low liquid flow into the catch basin, substantially all entering liquid will be directed to said intake region, will descend along the intake conduit into the lower compartment, and will separate into floatables on top, an *aqueous phase under the floatables, and solids collecting on the bottom wall; •0 .:0 15 and whereby, under conditions of high liquid flow into the catch basin, a portion of the liquid will overrun the directing means, gain direct access to the outlet region, and exit from the catch basin through the outlet.

2. The catch basin claimed in claim 1, in which the directing means has the form 2 0 of a sloping ramp obliquely inclined downward toward the intake region, the catch basin further having a clean-out access means opening through the sloping ramp.

3. The catch basin claimed in claim 2, in which the clean-out access means has the form of a pipe extending upward from the sloping ramp, with a closure for the top of the pipe, the closure allowing air to escape from the lower compartment as it fills with liquid, but substantially preventing the entry, into the lower compartment, of liquid that directly arrives from the inlet in the top wall.

4. The catch basin claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, in which the inlet region includes two vertical guide plates, one on either side of said intake opening, for the purpose of creating a vortex which draws floatables into the intake opening.

The catch basin claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim3, in which the inlet region includes a downwardly converging throat portion communicating with said intake conduit.

6. The catch basin claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the outlet region has a slightly lower vertical position than does said intake region.

7. The catch basin claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, in which the directing means has the form of a sloping ramp obliquely inclined downward toward the intake region from a substantially horizontal upper edge, the partition means further defining a substantially vertical wall extending downward from said horizontal upper edge to said outlet region.

8. The catch basin claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said sloping 15 ramp is inclined downward from a substantially horizontal upper edge, the partition means further defining a substantially vertical wall extending downward from said horizontal upper edge to said outlet region.

9. The catch basin claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. DATED: 4 August 2000 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent Attorneys for: X-CEPTOR INTERNATIONAL INC.