AU2008201724A1

AU2008201724A1 - Storage system

Info

Publication number: AU2008201724A1
Application number: AU2008201724A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Otto P. Graf
Original assignee: Graf Plastics GmbH
Current assignee: Graf Plastics GmbH
Priority date: 2007-04-19
Filing date: 2008-04-18
Publication date: 2008-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-18
Also published as: FR2917725A1; AU2008201724B2; DE202007005707U1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant/s: Actual Inventor/s: Graf Plastics GmbH Otto P. Graf Address for Service is: SHELSTON IP Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Attorney Code: SW Telephone No: Facsimile No.

(02) 97771111 (02) 9241 4666 Invention Title: STORAGE SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 58250AUP00 501522576 1DOC/5844 00 STORAGE SYSTEM The invention relates to a storage system.

00 Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

The battery water system known from DE-U-94 16 968 comprises several tanks (0 0between which upper and lower open overflow connections are provided. One of the tanks serves as a main tank for the catchment of rainwater. In this case, a filter device may be arranged between the outside of the main tank and the rainwater downpipe in order to withhold contamination. As the battery of water tanks communicate with each other all the tanks contain substantially the same liquid levels. In case of a rainwater supply and/or water removal, e.g. by means of a pump from the main tank, all the levels are evened out permanently in combination with a lively circulation. The filter device cannot completely prevent contamination intruding into the main tank or proliferation for biological reasons, or contamination reaching the secondary tanks via the overflow connections. If the only access for cleaning and maintenance work is through the main tank and when there is no access from above to the secondary underground tanks, cleaning of the secondary tanks is impossible without excavation.

In the storage system known from US-B-6,227,396 several tanks are switched in series and are connected via upper and lower, completely open overflow connections. The connecting fittings of the overflow connections in the main tank are accessible for inspections, cleaning cycles and maintenance work via the manhole in the main tank. However, in the case of underground installations of the storage system contaminated secondary tanks cannot be cleaned.

Due to the relatively rapid contamination in storage systems of this kind for systematic rainwater utilisation and/or rainwater storage purposes the secondary tanks are also provided with an upper shaft, a manhole and a cover lid which is situated at ground level in the case of underground installations, in order to allow cleaning cycles even in the secondary tanks upon demand. This structure, however, increases the costs of the secondary tanks significantly and requires 00 -3-

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costly additional work during underground installation. These drawbacks are even multiplied in the case of particular installation situations, e.g. rocky ground, limited installation depth or a narrow piece of land or a narrow usable piece of land, where 00 a correspondingly large number of underground secondary tanks is needed in order to achieve the total required storage capacity. Frequent maintenance and cleaning cycles of the secondary tanks, which then have to be emptied first, cause significant additional costs. This reduces acceptance of such storage systems by end users, Oalthough systematic rainwater utilisation has an increasing importance for 00 environmental and cost reasons, particularly due to frequently used large building concepts (large roof surfaces and large water impermeable areas).

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

It is an object of the invention in its preferred form to provide a fair cost storage system in which a high quality of the stored water which is available for removal can be assured over long periods.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a storage system, in particular for the utilisation of rainwater in underground installations, comprising a battery of tanks including a main tank having at least one supply and at least one secondary tank, and at least one upper and/or lower overflow connection installed between the main tank and the secondary tank, wherein at least one intermediate fine filter is provided in the overflow connection.

As contamination which enters the main tank via the filtering device and/or contamination created or growing in the main tank are hindered by the intermediate fine filter from reaching the secondary tank, the water quality will remain high in each secondary tank over a long utilisation duration, and despite the abovementioned circulation. On the whole the water quality in the entire storage system remains high due to the intermediate fine filter(s), and the storage system can be run over long utilisation durations without complicated maintenance and cleaning work. The access in the main tank expediently can be used in order to clean the intermediate filter or the intermediate filters, or to service or replace it or them.

Furthermore, contamination present in the main tank can be removed regularly and comfortably. The respective secondary tank does not need to have access from

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above resulting in reduced manufacturing costs, and, in particular, in case of an underground installation allows to decrease the efforts for the installation.

Expediently, water is even or exclusively removed from a clean secondary tank.

00 Although basically the intermediate fine filter could be placed at each location of the overflow connection, in an expedient embodiment the intermediate fine filter is N arranged within the main tank and there at the end of the respective overflow Sconnection. This simplifies maintenance and cleaning of the intermediate fine filter N when using the access provided in the main tank, e.g. a manhole. With the 00 Oinvention each secondary tank of the battery of tanks is kept clean and only has a S 10 storage function, and is isolated by the intermediate fine filter from the main tank in order to maintain the water quality in each secondary tank or to avoid contamination in each secondary tank over a long utilisation duration. This is also expedient when at least one secondary tank is connected via a spillway to a canalisation system in order to bleed water in case too much water is supplied, or in the case that water is removed from a secondary tank. In these cases it is important that each secondary tank contains only clean water as long as possible and does not need cleaning or maintenance which, in particular in case of underground installation, is very costly and time consuming and requires each secondary tank to have its own access possibility.

Expediently, the respective intermediate fine filter is removably installed in the main tank which has an access opening. This simplifies cleaning work and maintenance, e.g. by dismantling the intermediate fine filter and by cleaning it outside of the main tank, or by replacing the used intermediate fine filter by a new one.

Expediently, the intermediate filter is a sieve, a cartridge, or a membrane or a combination of such filter components. The intermediate fine filter may be trimmed to the expected quality of the supplied rainwater or of the amount of contamination in the rainwater with such as micro-organisms or the like, in order to achieve an optimal removal even of small amount of contamination over a utilisation duration which is as long as possible, or to suppress the propagation of contamination as much as possible into the respective secondary tank.

00 In a further embodiment at least the intermediate fine filter in the lower overflow connection is designed as an intermediate fine filter which can be flushed clean in flow direction into the main tank. As water flows back e.g. via the lower overflow 00 connection during removal of water from the main tank this backflow is used to flush the intermediate fine filter at least partially from deposited contamination or the like.

The sieve, the cartridge, or the membrane may be designed and arranged such that deposited contamination can be flushed out in particular in backflow direction Sefficiently. This prolongs the utilisation time of the intermediate fine filter. In the 00 simplest case this effect e.g. is assured when the sieve or filter apertures are 0 0 10 narrowing in flow direction from the main tank to the secondary tank and expand in backflow direction. Another possibility is to direct water which is supplied into the main tank intentionally on the intermediate fine filter or the intermediate fine filters in order to flush it or them permanently and actively.

In an embodiment the overflow connection comprises a tube, e.g. made from plastic material, which penetrates the tank wall of the main tank in sealed fashion. The end of the tube is placed in the main tank. The intermediate fine filter is mounted at or in the end. In this fashion, an extremely large filtering surface can be used.

Mounting or dismantling of the intermediate fine filter can be carried out easily.

The intermediate fine filter can be secured by means of a clip collar, a tensioning band or a pressure sleeve, or even is simply plugged in, e.g. by means of an O-ring used as a positioning means. This fixation allows to remove the intermediate fine filter comfortably at any time.

At least the main tank should have a tank dome and, in some cases, a top piece in the tank dome, such that in case of underground installation the tank dome and top piece bridge the height difference to the upper ground level. The tank dome allows access to the interior of the main tank. Furthermore, the supplied rainwater expediently is in introduced there by piping sidewardly. In case that it is planned to remove rainwater from the main thank, also the take-off pipe may be installed sidewardly there. Alternatively, a take-off pipe could be introduced at another location of the main tank into the interior of the main tank. Alternatively or additively even the removal of water could be made from one of the secondary tanks.

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In a further embodiment a pump e.g. could be arranged within the tank dome or the top piece of the main tank or only could be connected to the interior of the main tank via piping or a hose. A floating removal just below the water surface is expedient in 00 order to have water as clean as possible.

In a specific embodiment an incoming rainwater high duty filter could be installed, N e.g. in the tank dome, additionally and/or alternatively to the external filter device.

SThis high duty filter may be designed such that it can be flushed and has a spillway.

N The high duty filter has direct access from above and, for this reason, can be 00 Ocleaned easily. The tank dome, basically, may be installed rotatably in order to N 10 allow an easy adaptation and connection to pipings which are directed sidewardly to the tank dome and laid in the ground as straight as possible. In any case an intensive purification of supplied water is important because this prolongs the utilisation duration of the storage system in combination with the respective intermediate fine filter for the secondary tank or secondary tanks.

The tanks of the battery of tanks either are monolithic or separable joined plastic material, concrete or steel tanks. A monolithic construction e.g. can be chosen when the plastic tanks are made by rotation moulding. Also feasible are tank parts which are made by injection moulding, blow moulding, deep drawing or injection moulding and pressing. Such tank parts then are welded to each other or are clamped or screwed to each other.

Since the intermediate fine filters in the overflow connections maintain the water quality in each connected secondary tank for a long utilisation duration, the entire storage system can be run for a long time without disturbance and can comprise a relatively large number of tanks which are combined in the battery of tanks, either in order to achieve a very large total storage volume, or to distribute the storage volume in adaptation to the installation conditions over as many smaller tanks as possible without the necessity of installing them too deeply in the ground.

Two different methods for the arrangement of the tanks in the battery of tanks are expedient. Either a series of tanks switched in series is installed with the main tank supplying and having all the intermediate fine filters for all following secondary tanks, i.e. a first, a second, a third, etc. secondary tank in series, or a parallel arrangement is chosen within which several secondary tanks are associated parallel 00 -7-

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to a single main tank such that each secondary tank is directly supplied from the main tank and such that for each secondary tank the intermediate fine filter or the intermediate fine filters are accommodated in the main tank. Of course, mixed 00 forms of these two concepts are possible as well. It only has to be assured that each intermediate fine filter is provided for access in the main tank such that contamination from the main tank does not propagate into the directly connected secondary tank and also not into further secondary tanks which are connected to Sthis first secondary tank. For example, several secondary tanks are connected to a 00 single main tank on one or several parallel sides of the main tank.

N 10 Embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail with the help of the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 a vertical section of a underground installation storage system (first embodiment), wherein two different arrangement concepts are indicated, Fig. 2 a vertical section of another embodiment, and Fig. 3 two different examples of storage system concepts.

A storage system S in an underground installation, in particular for rainwater, comprises in Fig. 1 of a battery of tanks at least one main tank H and at least one secondary tank N which communicates with the main tank H. The tanks may have the same design or even may be identical. Expediently, the tanks are made from plastic material, concrete or steel. Fig. 1 e.g. shows plastic material tanks 2. Each tank can be designed monolithically (one piece or welded) or can be designed separable (screwed or clamped). The secondary tanks N could be larger or smaller and different from the main tank H, e.g. very simple containers.

A tank dome 4 is formed in an upper side 4 of the main tank H into which a top piece 17 is inserted which bridges the height difference up to ground level 1. This is a storage system S which is installed in the ground or in the soil, although the storage system S also could be placed on the ground or in a building.

The tank dome 5 of the secondary tank N, which in this case has the same structure as the main tank H, is closed. A cover lid 18 is provided in the top piece 17 of the main tank H. A supply to the main tank H e.g. is a piping 3 with an associated in 00 O this case external filter device F, e.g. a schematically indicated filter device between a rain downpipe and the main tank H. The piping 3 is introduced either into the top piece 17, or the tank dome 5, or into the side of the main tank H itself.

00 In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a rainwater high duty filter 8 may be installed in the top piece 17 or the tank dome 5 additionally or alternatively to the filter device F.

(Ni Furthermore, a piping or hose pipe 11 may be installed in the main tank H, containing a feed pump 19, e.g. situated in the top piece 17, in order to allow CN removal of water from the main tank H. Alternatively or additively removal of the 00 Swater could also be made via the piping 11 from a secondary tank N. The feed CN 10 pump even may be arranged externally and could be connected to a piping 6, 11.

A further piping 7, introduced at the side into the top piece 17 or the tank dome could be a spillway e.g. of the rainwater high duty filter 8, while a further, sidewardly entering piping could be connected to a drinking water feeding module (is not shown). The pipings at least predominantly are installed within the ground.

The at least one secondary tank N communicates with the main tank H via at least one lower overflow connection Vu, preferably also even via an upper overflow connection Vo. The respective overflow connection Vo, Vu expediently is a plastic tube 23 which extends through a sealed entrance 12 in the tank wall into the interior of the main tank H and protrudes there with end 13. An intermediate fine filter 15 is mounted into or at the end 13 which intermediate fine filter 15 e.g. is detachably secured by an tension band, a clamping collar or a pressure collar 16. The intermediate fine filter 15 in some cases could be screwed into the end 13 of the tube 23, or could be plugged in only. In this case at least one O-ring can be used as a positioning means and for sealing purposes. In some cases the respectively supplied water, e.g. from the rainwater high duty filter 8 or the pipings 3 or 9, is directed onto the intermediate fine filter 15 or the intermediate fine filters 15 for flushing it or them. The other end of the tube 23 is situated in the secondary tank N, where no intermediate fine filter 15 is provided. Any intermediate fine filter 15 is only arranged in the main tank H because access is possible to the interior of the main tank H, e.g. through the tank dome 5, such that each intermediate fine filter can be replaced, serviced or cleaned upon demand. When the tanks in the battery of tanks in the storage system S are switched in series at least one further secondary tank Ns would be connected to the secondary tank N shown in Fig. 1, 00 -9- O expediently via an upper and/or a lower overflow connection Vo, Vu, in this case, however, without an intermediate fine filter 15 in the secondary tank N or the respective overflow connection Vo, Vu.

00 In the case that the tanks in the battery of tanks in the storage systems S are switched in parallel, further secondary tanks Np are directly connected to the main ri tank H in Fig. 1 in addition to the secondary tank N. The respective further secondary tanks NT then would be connected at least via a lower overflow ri connection Vu. In such a parallel arrangement a respective intermediate fine filter 00 is installed in the interior of the main tank H in each overflow connection Vo Vu ri 10 leading to a parallel secondary tank Np and such that it is accessible in the interior of the main tank H.

The intermediate fine filter 15 may be a sieve, a cartridge or a membrane or may consist of a combination of such filter elements. Expediently, the intermediate fine filter 15 installed in the respective lower overflow connection Vu, such that whenever water is removed from the main tank H water which then flows back from the secondary tank N into the main tank will flush the intermediate fine filter The main tank H and the secondary tank N or each secondary tank are constructed in one embodiment in the same way and are designed with ribs 21, 22 increasing the stability. A tank dome boss 5' of the main tank H is cut open and is provided with a tank dome 5, which e.g. is equipped with the rainwater high duty filter 8. The top piece 17 bridges the height difference to the ground level 1. The second tank dome boss 5' of the main tank H is closed by a top plate 20, as is each tank dome boss 5' of a secondary tank N. In some cases, the piping or hose 11 for removing water is installed sidewardly into the second tank dome boss 5' of the main tank H or at another location, as well as the pipings 3, 9. The tank dome 5 has not shown connection fittings and expediently can be rotated. An intermediate fine filter 15 is installed in each overflow connection Vo, Vu in the main tank H, as shown in Fig. 1.

Also in the storage system S in Fig. 2 further secondary tanks N may be provided either in series or parallel to the main tank H. In case of a parallel arrangement intermediate fine filters 15 are provided in each overflow connection to a parallel secondary tank. The respective secondary tank, of course, does not need to be constructed in the same way as the main tank H, since there are other requirements for the secondary tank, such that it can be designed as cheaply as possible.

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Since due to the contamination withholding influence of the intermediate fine filter (and, in some cases, also the rainwater high duty filter 8) no access from above is needed to a secondary tank N, the secondary tanks could even be very simple 00 and fair cost containers which are different from the main tank but could be larger or smaller than the main tank. Water can also be removed from a secondary tank N, or can be removed exclusively from one of the secondary tanks N.

SIn the storage system S according to Figs 1 and 2 firstly as little contamination as N possible should intrude into the main tank H which is accessible from the exterior.

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OSecondly, no contamination should reach the respective secondary tank N which is not accessible from the exterior, although all tanks communicate with each other.

However, each intermediate fine filter 15 within the main tank H which isolates one or (in series) several secondary tanks from the main tank H should be accessible upon demand.

In Fig. 1 closure elements 24 are expediently provided in the overflow connections Vo. Vu and in the main tank H, which are indicated by small crosses, in order that during maintenance or a cleaning cycle in the main tank H the secondary tank or the secondary tanks N, Ns, Np need not to be emptied when e.g. the main tank H is emptied.

Fig. 3 shows two different storage system concepts constituting non-limiting examples.

Either a series of several secondary tanks Ns is connected to a single main tank, or several series of respectively several secondary tanks N. Ns, Np are connected in parallel. Intermediate fine filters 15 are only mounted in the main tank H.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

Claims

1. A storage system, in particular for the utilisation of rainwater in underground installations, comprising a battery of tanks including a main tank having at 00 least one supply and at least one secondary tank, and at least one upper and/or lower overflow connection installed between the main tank and the secondary tank, wherein at least one intermediate fine filter is provided in the overflow connection. OO 2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate fine filter is located in the main tank and there at an end of the overflow connection.

3. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the main tank has an access opening, and wherein the intermediate fine filter is detachably installed in the main tank.

4. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate find filter comprises at least one sieve, a cartridge, a membrane or a combination of such filter elements. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate fine filter situated at least in the lower overflow connection is designed to be flushed clean in flow direction back into the main tank.

6. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the overflow connection is a tube, preferably made from plastic material, which penetrates in sealed fashion the tank wall of the main tank, and wherein the intermediate fine filter is mounted within the interior of the main tank within an end of the tube.

7. A storage system according to claim 6, wherein the intermediate fine filter is either secured by means of a tensioning band, a clamping collar or a pressure collar, or only is plugged in, preferably by means of at least one O- ring as a positioning means.

8. A storage system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main tank comprises a tank dome, preferably a tank dome which can be rotated to register with exteriorly installed pipings, and, in some cases, a top piece within the tank dome. 00 -12- O

9. A storage system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein either a feed pump is accommodated in the main tank or can be connected via a piping to the interior of the main tank or of a secondary tank. 00 A storage system according to claim 1, wherein a rainwater high duty filter is installed within the tank dome or within the top piece of the main tank in Ni addition and/or as an alternative to an exterior filter device which is associated to the main tank. 00 11. A storage system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main tank and each secondary tank either is manufactured monolithically or separable and consists of plastic material, concrete or steel.

12. A storage system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein several secondary tanks are switched in series with the main tank, and wherein an intermediate fine filter is provided exclusively in the at least one overflow connection from the main tank to the first secondary tank of the series.

13. A storage system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein several secondary tanks are switched in parallel with the main tank, and wherein an intermediate fine filter is provided in the at least one overflow connection from the main tank to each parallel secondary tank.

14. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein three or more secondary tanks are switched in series with a single main tank. A storage system according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein two or several series each consisting of respectively at least two secondary tanks are connected to a single main tank.

16. A storage system substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.