AU2008212045A1

AU2008212045A1 - A filtration device

Info

Publication number: AU2008212045A1
Application number: AU2008212045A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert John May
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-06
Filing date: 2008-09-08
Publication date: 2009-03-26
Also published as: NZ571101A

Description

00 00 0 (N

C^/

c^ P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "A FILTRATION DEVICE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 00 1 K ~TITLE a "A FILTRATION DEVICE" o00 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a filtration device. In particular, the device relates to the filtration of pollutants from water runoff from car parks and therefore will be described in this context. However, it should be appreciated that the filtration system can be used in other applications.

o00 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Multilevel and rooftop car parks are located in most cities throughout the world. They provide a valuable piece of infrastructure in order to allow a large number of cars to be located in a relatively small area.

However, multilevel car parks and rooftop car parks suffer from some inherent problems.

Most car parks cover a large area and have an impermeable surface, such as concrete. Therefore, when it rains, virtually all of the water that falls on the car park turns into water runoff. In order to cater for this large water runoff, down pipes are typically located at the side of car parks to transport water from the car parks into storm water drains.

Unfortunately, people in today's society litter and one place in which they litter is in a car park. Further, many cars expel pollutants, such as oil and rust particles, on to car park floors. Therefore, any litter or pollutants that are located within that car park typically end up in storm water drains which ultimately pollute our waterways.

Retention basins have been developed for car parks which act as a temporary storage reservoir to allow pollutants to settle to the bottom of the reservoir. However, these reservoirs are difficult to fit after a car park has been built. Further, they are expensive and difficult to clean. Lastly, they accommodate valuable space which can be used for other purposes, such as car parking.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to overcome and/or alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or 00 2 commercial choice.

e( SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 00 In one form, although not necessarily the broadest or only form, the invention resides in a filtration system able to be used in a car park, the filtration system comprising: a reservoir for holding water; _an inlet to allow water to pass into the reservoir; 00oO an outlet to allow water to flow from the reservoir; a filter located within the reservoir such that the filter filters water prior to the water passing through the outlet; and a diverter to divert water that passes through the inlet into the reservoir so that it is able to pass through the filter.

The filter may extend outwardly from the outlet. The filter may be made from a steel mesh. The filter may be cylindrical in shape.

The diverter may be located adjacent a top of the filter. An overflow space may be located between a top of the filter and the diverter.

The diverter may be in the form of a cap.

An absorbent material may be located within the reservoir.

In yet another form, the invention resides in a method of installing a filtration system, the method including the steps of: removing a section of existing down pipe to form; and fitting a filtration system to the respective ends of the down pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, will be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which: FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a filtration system according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a reservoir; FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a filer and diverter; and FIG. 3 shows a side sectional view of the filtration system of FIG. 1 in use.

00 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a filtration system 10 for use in a multilevel car 00 park in order to assist in the removal of pollutants in the water that flows from the car park. The filtration system 10 includes a reservoir 20, an inlet 30, an n 5 outlet 40, a filter 50 and a diverter The reservoir 20 is formed from a cylindrical side wall 21 which is enclosed by a top cover 22 and a bottom cover 23. A top end of the side 00oo wall 21 and a bottom end of the side wall 21 are externally threaded. Both the top cover 22 and bottom cover 23 have an internal thread. The top cover 22 is screwed on to the top end of the side wall 21 and the bottom cover 23 is screwed on to the bottom end of the sidewall 21. It should be appreciated that the top cover and bottom cover may be attached by other methods such as press fitting.

An inspection port 24 is located adjacent a bottom end of the reservoir 20. A removable inspection port cover 25 covers the inspection port 24. Typically, the inspection port cover 25 has an internal thread which is used to screw the inspection port cover 25 on to an external thread located on the inspection port 14. An absorbent material 26 is located within the reservoir 20. The absorbent material 26 is able to absorb any petro-chemical substance such as oil.

The inlet 30 is located within the top cover 22. Similarly, the outlet 40 is located within the bottom cover 23. An inlet pipe 31 is attached to the top cover 22 and feeds water through the inlet 30. Similarly, an outlet pipe 41 is attached to the bottom cover 23 to allow water to flow from the outlet The filter 50 is made from steel mesh and is cylindrical in shape. The filter 50 is located within the reservoir 20 and is attached to the bottom cover 23 adjacent the outlet 40. The filter 50 is in alignment with the outlet 40 and extends upwardly from adjacent the outlet The diverter 60 is located above the filter 50 and is held in position by two posts 61 that extend upwardly from an end of the filter The diverter 60 is in the form of a circular cap. The diameter of the cap is 00 D 4

O

larger than the diameter of the outlet 40. It should be appreciated that the shape and size of the cap may be varied. An overflow space 70 is located 00 between the diverter 60 and the filter 0 In order to install the filtration system 10, a section of an existing down pipe is removed. The inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 41 are then connected to the respective ends of the down pipe. Alternatively, the ends of the down pipe form the inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 41. Standard plumbing OO connections are used to ensure an adequate seal.

OIn use, water containing pollutants flows through the inlet pipe 31 and through the inlet 30 into the reservoir 20. After the water containing pollutants passes through the inlet 40, the water contacts the diverter which is in alignment with the inlet 40. The water containing pollutants flows around the filter 50 into the reservoir 20. Water passes through the filter and out of the outlet 40 leaving behind any pollutants. These pollutants can be easily removed on a periodic basis by removing the inspection port cover from the inspection port 24 and manually removing the pollutants. Any oil and/or diesel and/or petrol located within the reservoir 20 that flows with the water is trapped by the absorbent material 26.

In unusual circumstances, such as very heavy rainfall or a lack of cleaning of pollutants from the reservoir 20, the reservoir 20 may fill with water. In this instance, water is permitted to flow through the overflow space and into the outlet 40 to prevent water flowing back through the down pipe and into the car park.

The filtration system 10 disclosed above is a simple and cost effective. The filtration system 10 can easily be fitted in existing multilevel car parks. Maintenance of the filtration system is low and can be conducted quickly.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications made be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A filtration system able to be used in a car park, the filtration system 00oo comprising: a reservoir for holding water; n 5 an inlet to allow water to pass into the reservoir; an outlet to allow water to flow from the reservoir; a filter located within the reservoir such that the filter filters 00oo water prior to the water passing through the outlet; and Sa diverter to divert water that passes through the inlet into the reservoir so that it is able to pass through the filter.

2. The filtration system of claim 1 wherein the filter extends outwardly from the outlet.

3. The filtration system of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the filter is made from a mesh.

4. The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the filter is cylindrical in shape.

The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the diverter is located adjacent a top of the filter.

6. The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein an overflow space is located between a top of the filter and the diverter.

7. The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the diverter is in the form of a cap.

8. The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein an absorbent material is located within the reservoir.

9. The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir includes a top cover and a bottom cover.

The filtration system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir includes and inspection port.

11. The filtration system of any on of the preceding claims wherein the filter is in alignment with the outlet.

12. A method of installing a filtration system, the method including the steps of: 00 6 removing a section of existing down pipe to form; and fitting a filtration system of any one of the claims of 1 to 11 to 00 the respective ends of the down pipe.

13. A filtration system as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of installing a filtration system as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 00