WO2020047600A1 - Improvements to large volume first flush diverters - Google Patents
Improvements to large volume first flush diverters Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2020047600A1 WO2020047600A1 PCT/AU2019/050949 AU2019050949W WO2020047600A1 WO 2020047600 A1 WO2020047600 A1 WO 2020047600A1 AU 2019050949 W AU2019050949 W AU 2019050949W WO 2020047600 A1 WO2020047600 A1 WO 2020047600A1
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- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- manifold
- manifold device
- flush
- diversion system
- pipe
- Prior art date
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
- F16K31/12—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices actuated by fluid
- F16K31/18—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices actuated by fluid actuated by a float
- F16K31/20—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices actuated by fluid actuated by a float actuating a lift valve
- F16K31/22—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices actuated by fluid actuated by a float actuating a lift valve with the float rigidly connected to the valve
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03B—INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER
- E03B7/00—Water main or service pipe systems
- E03B7/09—Component parts or accessories
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K15/00—Check valves
- F16K15/02—Check valves with guided rigid valve members
- F16K15/04—Check valves with guided rigid valve members shaped as balls
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03B—INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER
- E03B3/00—Methods or installations for obtaining or collecting drinking water or tap water
- E03B3/02—Methods or installations for obtaining or collecting drinking water or tap water from rain-water
- E03B3/03—Special vessels for collecting or storing rain-water for use in the household, e.g. water-butts
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03F—SEWERS; CESSPOOLS
- E03F2201/00—Details, devices or methods not otherwise provided for
- E03F2201/10—Dividing the first rain flush out of the stormwater flow
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
- E04D2013/0806—Details of lower end of down pipes, e.g. connection to water disposal system
- E04D2013/0813—Water diverters
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
- E04D2013/082—Down pipe branches
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
- E04D2013/0833—Elbow pieces
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
- E04D2013/0853—Valves for controlling the rain water flow
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/08—Down pipes; Special clamping means therefor
- E04D2013/0873—Rain water reservoirs integrated in down pipes
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
- F16K31/02—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
Definitions
- the present invention relates to first flush diverters and first flush diversion systems, and in particular those for which the volume of water to be captured in a“first flush” is large.
- first flush diverters Devices used for diverting the initial flow of water off the roof in a rainfall event away from the tank(s) (or reservoir(s) or the like) are commonly referred to as first flush diverters or first flush diversion systems.
- the general operation of a basic/conventional first flush diverter is explained in Australian Patent No. 692835, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- Figure 1 in the appended drawings is a copy of Figure 1 from Australian Patent No. 692835.
- the initial flow of water off the roof enters the gutter 3 (shown in cross-section) and then runs along the gutter 3 until it reaches an opening in the floor of the gutter 3 leading into piping 2.
- the bottom end of the fall pipe 4 has a slow release or controlled-release valve or device or the like (see below), meaning that water entering the top of the fall pipe 4 (at the start of a rainfall event) does not simply flow straight out of the bottom end of the fall pipe 4 at the same rate (at least, not at that time). Consequently, as water flowing out of the gutter 3 and into piping 2 enters the fall pipe 4, the fall pipe 4 begins to fill.
- the fall pipe 4 also contains/houses a buoyant float 5.
- the float 5 will take the form of a buoyant plastic ball (and hence this particular first flush diverter is a species of ball valve).
- the float 5 (both in Figure 1 and also in the present invention) could technically take a range of different shapes, provided it is buoyant and capable of sealing against the valve seat 9 through which water flows as it enters the fall pipe 4.
- the float 5 rises in the fall pipe with the level of the rising water, and this continues until the float 5 meets the valve seat 9 (i.e. due to the volume of water beneath it forcing it upwards against the valve seat 9), thereby largely sealing the top of the fall pipe 4 and mostly preventing more water from entering the fall pipe 4.
- water flowing off the roof, into the guttering 3 and along the piping continues over the (now mostly sealed) top of the fall pipe 4 and onward into the downpipe 2a, which leads to the storage tank.
- the bottom end of the fall pipe 4 has a slow release or controlled-release valve or device, or the like, so that water entering the top of the fall pipe 4 (at the start of a rainfall event) does not simply flow straight out of the bottom end of the fall pipe 4 at the same rate (at least, not at that time).
- the fall pipe 4 therefore fills up during the initial rainfall at the start of a rainfall event, causing the float 5 to rise and ultimately (mostly) seal the top of the fall pipe 4, as described above.
- a drip irrigator 12 is connected to a nipple 11 in an endcap 10 attached to the end of the fall pipe 4.
- the drip irrigator 12 allows for slow release of water from the fall pipe 4, and basically/in summary, because the rate at which water exits the fall pipe 4 through the drip irrigator 12 is much lower/slower than the rate at which water flows into the top of the fall pipe 4 or across the top of the fall pipe 4 during a rainfall event (or a combination of both of these - after the fall pipe 4 has initially filled, a small amount of the water flowing across the top of the valve seat 9 may continue to, or may from time to time, enter the top of the fall pipe 4, between the valve seat 9 and the float 5, as the rainfall event continues, thereby "topping up” the fall pipe if any water happens to have exited through the drip irrigator 12 at the bottom during the rainfall), therefore the presence of the drip irrigator ultimately results in the fall pipe 4 (after it has filled) remaining full during the remainder of the rainfall event and it only begins to really empty following the cessation of the rainfall (whereupon no further water is entering the top of the fall pipe 4 to fill it or top it up).
- first flush diverters In other first flush diverters, other forms of slow or controlled-release valves, devices, etc, may be provided at the bottom of the fall pipe to allow for a controlled or timed release of the water from the fall pipe. It is to be clearly understood that any suitable form of slow release or controlled-release valve, device, or the like, may potentially be used at the bottom of the first flush diverter, and the same is true where the present invention is employed.
- the amount of water (i.e. the volume of the“first flush”) collected by the first flush diverter in Figure 1 is determined by the internal volume of the fall pipe 4.
- the space or volume inside the fall pipe 4 may therefore be referred to as the first flush diverter’s“collection chamber”.
- the volume of the collection chamber, or more specifically the volume that the collection chamber is required to have i.e. in order to ensure that it captures a sufficient quantity of water during the initial flow at the beginning of a rainfall event)
- the first, and main, factor is the size of the roof.
- the larger the area of the roof the greater the total amount of dust, pollutants and other contaminants that may collect on the roof during dry spells between periods of rainfall.
- the amount of water that should be diverted in a“first flush” to ensure that the majority of pollutants are captured in the first flush system and do not enter the storage tank is about 0.5 litres per square metre (0.5L/m 2 ) of roof area.
- the amount of water to be captured in a“first flush” may need to be up to around 2 litres per square metre (2.0L/m 2 ) of roof area.
- the greater the volume of water captured in a "first flush” i.e. the greater the volume of the collection chamber of the first flush diverter
- the more pollutants are likely to be diverted and thereby prevented from entering the water storage tank/reservoir, and hence the greater the quality of the water collected in the tank/reservoir.
- tank/reservoir in a "first flush" captured by a first flush diverter consequently does not enter the storage tank at all. Therefore, there is often a trade-off between quantity and quality of water to be collected and stored in the tank.
- the fall pipe in traditional first flush diverters, the fall pipe, and hence the collection chamber inside the fall pipe, is formed from a simple straight piece of piping, often conventional 100 mm PVC pipe. Where conventional 100 mm PVC pipe is used, the volume of the collection chamber inside the fall pipe is around 9 L per lineal metre (9L/m) of pipe.
- the fall pipe which is typically mounted to an outside wall of the house or building, may need to extend for many metres up the outside of the wall of the house/building in order to provide a sufficient collection volume for the size of the roof.
- the dwelling is only a single story dwelling built on generally flat ground (as is very common), it is unlikely that there will be a wall (or any location on the dwelling) where the vertical distance between the roof guttering and the ground is even close to 10 m in height. It will therefore be appreciated that there is often a problem that the required minimum collection volume of the first flush diverter means that the required length of fall pipe (if the fall pipe is made from conventional 100 mm PVC pipe) is longer than can be conveniently installed or accommodated on an exterior wall of the dwelling/building.
- 300 mm PVC pipe is normally only produced and sold for civil engineering and major construction purposes, and therefore normally only in large quantities/lengths, so individuals wanting to use such pipe to create the fall pipe/collection chamber for a first flush diverter system may simply be unable to buy the required (small) quantities or a single length of the pipe.
- the invention resides in a manifold device for use in creating a containment volume of a first flush diversion system, the manifold device having a first portion which has one or more openings, and a second portion which is operable to be connected to two or more collection pipes or conduits, wherein the collection pipes or conduits can be used to form at least part of the containment volume.
- the first portion and the second portion of the manifold device may be formed separately from one another and then joined or connected together to form the manifold device.
- the manifold device could also be formed as a single (or unitary or one-piece) part (e.g. by blow moulding or the like) and the first and second portions may be different portions of that single part.
- the manifold device could be formed from multiple, separately-formed parts that are then joined or connected together to form the manifold device, and the first portion may be part of one, or two, or more of these parts when the parts are assembled to form the manifold device, and the second portion may also be part of one, or two, or more of these parts when the parts are assembled to form the manifold device.
- one or more of the openings in the first portion may be operable to be connected to a pipe or conduit or other plumbing fitting (such as a T piece).
- the pipe or other plumbing fitting or conduit to which one or more of the openings in the first portion is/are operable to be connected may be, or may include, a pipe section or portion formed from conventional pipe, such as e.g. conventional four inch or 100 mm diameter PVC pipe.
- the two or more collection pipes or conduits to which the second portion of the manifold device is operable to be connected may be formed from (or at least each may include a section or portion formed from) conventional pipe, such as e.g. conventional four inch or 100 mm diameter PVC pipe.
- the first portion of the manifold device may have a single cylindrical opening operable to be connected to a pipe or conduit or other plumbing fitting.
- the second portion of the manifold has a single cylindrical opening for each one of the two or more collection pipes or conduits to which it is operable to connect.
- an inner portion thereof in one or more of the single cylindrical openings, may have an internal diameter which is smaller than an outer portion thereof, such that said opening(s) can receive therein pipes or conduits of external (outer) diameters corresponding to either the internal diameter of the outer portion or the inner portion.
- each of the single cylindrical openings may include means or features to prevent over-insertion of a pipe or conduit therein.
- the single cylindrical opening in the first portion of the manifold device may include a ridge or other feature(s) with which a valve seat (e.g. of the kind which is engageable and sealable by a ball-like float) can engage when installed in the said cylindrical opening.
- the second portion of the manifold device may be operable to be connected to six collection pipes or conduits.
- a first manifold device being a manifold device as described above
- a second manifold device also being a manifold as described above, wherein the second manifold device is positioned (at least slightly) lower than the first manifold device when the first flush diversion system is in use;
- the first flushed diversion system above may be wall-mounted. If so, a pair of wall mounting brackets may be provided, wherein, in use, each wall mounting bracket extends around a portion of one of the manifold devices and attaches to the wall to thereby secure the manifold devices to the wall.
- the first flushed diversion system above may include a stand extending between a portion of the first flush diversion system and the ground and operable to support at least a portion of the weight of the first flush diversion system.
- the first flush diversion system may be operable to be installed or buried beneath the ground.
- the first flush diversion system may include a valve seat which is installed in the single cylindrical opening in the first manifold device, and the first flush diversion system may also include a single ball float which engages with the valve seat when the containment volume of the first flush diversion system is full.
- the first flush diversion system may also include a ball cage mounted to or near the valve seat, wherein the ball float is located inside the ball cage, and the ball cage permits movement of the ball float into and out of engagement with the valve seat but also contains the ball float in the vicinity of the valve seat.
- the slow or controlled-release device or mechanism connected to the first portion of the second manifold device may comprise an electronically controllable release assembly for controlling the timing and/or duration of release(s)/purge(s) of water from the containment volume of the first flushed aversion system.
- the invention resides in a method for creating a first flush diversion system, comprising providing a first manifold device, being a manifold device as described above, providing a second manifold device, being a manifold device as described above, providing two or more collection pipes,
- Connecting the two or more collection pipes so that each extends between the second portions of the respective first and second manifold devices may involve using one or more alignment brackets to help hold the collection pipes in position relative to one another.
- the invention resides in a valve assembly for use in a first flush diversion system, the valve assembly comprising a ball float, a valve seat and a ball cage, wherein the valve seat is operable to be installed in an upper opening of a collection chamber or containment volume of the first flush diversion system, the ball float is operable in the use of the valve assembly to engage and seal against the valve seat when the collection chamber or containment volume is full, the ball cage is mounted to or near the valve seat, the ball float is located inside the ball cage, and the ball cage permits movement of the ball float into and out of engagement with the valve seat but also contains the ball float in the vicinity of the valve seat.
- Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a basic/conventional first flush diverter of the type described in Australian Patent No. 692835. In fact, Figure 1 is a reproduction of Figure 1 from Australian Patent No. 692835.
- FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a wall-mounted first flush diversion system in which one or more possible embodiments of the present invention are used.
- wall-mounted here it is meant that the system is connected only to (and its weight is supported mostly, if not entirely, by its fixation to) a wall or post or other structure.
- Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the wall-mounted first flush diversion system in Figure 2.
- Figure 4 Figure 5 and Figure 6 are front, side and rear views, respectively, of the wall- mounted first flush diversion system in Figure 2.
- Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pipe support/alignment bracket used for holding the parallel sections of pipe in the first flush diversion system in Figure 2 (and also the first flush diversion systems in Figure 30 and Figure 34) in position relative to one another.
- Figure 9 is a top perspective view of the manifold component used in one particular embodiment of the present invention described herein.
- Figure 10 is a perspective view of the manifold component in Figure 9 from underneath.
- Figure 11 Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14 and Figure 15 are front, rear, side, bottom and top views, respectively, of the manifold component in Figure 9.
- Figure 16 is similar to Figure 15 in that it is a top view of the manifold component; however Figure 16 differs in that it also shows a ball cage and valve seat installed on the manifold component.
- Figure 17 is similar to Figure 16 in that it is, again, a top view of the manifold component with the ball cage and valve seat installed; however Figure 17 differs in that it also shows a float/bail captive in the ball cage, beneath the valve seat.
- Figure 18 is similar to Figure 9 in that it is a top perspective view of the manifold component; however in Figure 18 the first (in this view upper) portion of the manifold component is represented as transparent so the shape of certain of the manifold’s internal portions can be seen.
- Figure 21 is a perspective view of the ball cage assembly, which includes the ball cage and the valve seat. This Figure also shows the valve ball/float captive (as it is in use) in the ball cage beneath the valve seat.
- Figure 22 is a side view of the ball cage assembly (including the valve ball/float) in Figure 21.
- Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the ball cage assembly in Figure 21.
- Figure 24 is a top view of the ball cage assembly (including the valve ball/float) in Figure 21.
- Figure 25 is similar to Figure 24 in that it is a top view of the ball cage assembly
- Figure 25 therefore shows the ball cage assembly in the form that it appears in Figure 16 (i.e. with the valve ball/float omitted), whereas Figure 24 shows the ball cage assembly in the form that it appears in Figure 17 (with the valve ball/float shown).
- Figure 26 and Figure 27 are perspective and front views, respectively, of the controller used for controlling release of water from the first flush diversion system and also the parts and fittings used to connect the controller to the first flush diversion system’s lower manifold.
- Figure 28 is a partially exploded perspective view of the first flush diversion system illustrating its overall manner of assembly.
- Figure 29 is a partially cross-sectional view of the first flush diversion system taken in the plane marked 29-29 in Figure 5.
- Figure 30, Figure 31, Figure 32 and Figure 33 are perspective, front, side and rear views, respectively, of a first flush diversion system in which one or more embodiments of the present invention are used.
- the first flush diversion system in these Figures is mostly the same as the first flush diversion system in Figure 2 to Figure 6; however whereas the first flush diversion system in Figure 2 to Figure 6 is wall-mounted, the first flush diversion system in Figure 30 to Figure 33 is mounted on a stand, i.e. it is stand-mounted.
- stand-mounted here it is meant that the system sits on a stand so that the majority of its weight is borne by the stand.
- the stand may in turn rest on the ground or on some other pedestal or support. Whilst the majority of the weight of this stand-mounted system is borne by the stand, the system may also be (and it is in this case) also attached at its upper end to a wall or post or the like for stability.
- Figure 34 and Figure 35 are side and perspective views, respectively, of first flush diversion system in which one or more embodiments of the present invention are used.
- the first flush diversion system in these Figures is, again, mostly the same as the first flush diversion system in Figure 2 to Figure 6; however the first flush diversion system in Figure 34 and Figure 35 is for“horizontal” installation.
- the term“horizontal” is used here to differentiate the orientation in which this system is installed from the generally (or much more) vertical orientations of the systems in Figure 2 and Figure 30.
- use of the word“horizontal” is not intended to, and it does not, imply that this system is installed perfectly horizontally.
- Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a wall-mounted first flush diversion system 100.
- Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6 are rear perspective, front, side and rear views, respectively, of the same wall-mounted first flush diversion system 100.
- the main components that make up this first flush diversion system 100 are: a pair of manifolds 200, namely an upper manifold and a lower manifold.
- the upper and lower manifolds are identical to each other and therefore both may be indicated by the same reference numeral 200.
- manifold 200 the upper manifold
- manifold 200 the lower manifold
- manifold 200 the design and configuration of the upper manifold may be different to that of the lower manifold.
- an upper linking pipe 101 the lower end of which inserts into and is sealingly connected in an opening in the upper-facing side (first portion) of the upper manifold 200', and the upper end of which connects into piping running between the roof guttering and the water storage collection tank/reservoir (like e.g. the piping 2 depicted in Figure 1).
- the first flush diversion system 100 depicted in Figure 2 through Figure 6 includes an upper link pipe 101, the use of such an upper link pipe is by no means essential to the invention.
- the purpose of the upper link pipe is simply to extend the vertical distance between the piping (which runs from the roof guttering to the water storage collection tank/reservoir) and the top of the upper manifold 200'.
- the upper link pipe 101 could be much shorter than shown, or the upper manifold 200' could potentially connect to the said piping above (which runs from the roof guttering to the water storage collection tank/reservoir) by way of a simple T-piece, similar to the way the fall pipe 4 connects to that piping in the conventional first flush diverter shown in Figure 1.
- the manifolds 200 are all configured to receive six collection pipes 102, and there are consequently six collection pipes 102 used to form the collection chamber (containment volume) of the first flush diversion system.
- the upper and lower manifolds, or the manifold parts/components used to create the upper and lower manifolds could be configured to receive a different number of collection pipes 102 (other than six), and in such cases the number of collection pipes 102 extending between the upper and lower manifolds to form the collection chamber of the first flush diversion system would be different (not six).
- one or more of the openings in the second portion of one or both manifolds could be closed or sealed off rather than receiving a collection pipe, and this may allow a first flush containment volume to be created using a different number of collection pipes than the maximum number of collection pipes that the manifold(s) are designed to receive.
- the upper manifold 200' and the lower manifold 200" are the same and both are able to receive six collection pipes.
- a water release assembly 300 which (in this embodiment) includes a valve, which is controlled by an associated electronically controllable timer, for controlling the release of water captured in the collection chamber (namely the containment volume formed by the collection pipes 102 etc) during the "first flush" at the beginning of a rainfall event. It is important to note, however, that, whilst embodiments of the invention are described which operate using an electronically controllable water release assembly 300, nevertheless this is not crucial to the invention and any means for achieving slow release of water from the first flush diversion collection chamber could potentially be used.
- the collection pipes 102, and also the upper link pipe 101 can be (and in this embodiment they are) made from conventional 100 mm PVC pipe.
- conventional 100 mm PVC pipe despite being known and referred to as such, actually has an outer diameter of 110 mm.
- the exact diameter of the pipes used in the present invention to form the collection pipes 102 etc is not critical, and the invention is by no means limited to the use of 100 mm PVC pipe specifically. Therefore, for the avoidance of doubt, pipes of diameters other than exactly 110 mm (and pipes made of materials other than PVC) could potentially be used as well.
- the pipes used should have a diameter which is considerably less than, say, the large diameter 300 mm pipes referred to above, which create a number of difficulties. Therefore, the diameter of the pipes used should be around or roughly 110 mm (somewhat larger or somewhat smaller may also be fine), but not drastically different to this. Nevertheless, because conventional 100 mm PVC pipe is extremely common and widely used for plumbing purposes, further explanations will be given (mostly) with reference to this particular size and material of conventional pipe. But, for the reasons that have just been mentioned, no limitation is to be implied as to the exact diameter(s) that the pipe should have.
- the overall operation of the first flush diversion system 100 is mostly similar to that of a conventional first flush diversion system e.g. like the one depicted in Figure 1. That is, at the start of a rainfall event, the initial flow of water off the roof (not shown) enters the guttering (not shown) of the roof and it then runs along the guttering until it reaches an opening (not shown) in the floor of the guttering leading to intermediate piping that in turn connects to the downpipe (not shown). Hence, the intermediate piping, and the downpipe, together lead from the guttering to the tank (not shown) in which water is to be stored. However, the upper link pipe 101 (if present) joins to the intermediate piping at a location in between the outlet of the guttering and the downpipe.
- the upper link pipe 101 (or T-piece if a T-piece is used instead) joins into the intermediate piping in a similar manner to the way in which the fall pipe 4 joins to the pipe 2 in Figure 1.) Therefore, the initial flow of water off the roof that occurs at the start of a rainfall event (and which contains the bulk of contaminants washed from the roof and the guttering) does not reach the downpipe to flow directly into the tank. Instead, the initial flow of water (containing the contaminants) flows/falls into the upper link pipe 101. The bottom end of the upper link pipe 101 connects into the (first portion of) upper manifold 200'.
- the internal volumes of the multiple (in this case six) hollow collection pipes 102 which extend between the upper manifold 200' and the lower manifold 200", along with part of the internal volume of each of the manifolds 200 themselves, forms a collection chamber/containment volume for receiving the "first flush” of water.
- the initial "first flush” of water off the roof that occurs at the start of a rainfall event flows/falls initially into the upper link pipe 101 and then down through the upper manifold 200' to begin filling the collection chamber formed by the collective internal volumes of the collection pipes 102 and the manifolds 200.
- water which enters the upper manifold 200' from the upper link pipe 101 will generally then mostly flow down through the single collection pipe 102 which is (in this embodiment) located directly beneath the upper link pipe 101, although some of the water entering the manifold 200’ may also flow or splash across and then continue down one or more of the other collection pipes 102.
- the lower manifold 200" in the lower manifold 200" (and it is the same in the upper manifold 200' too) there is an open space 203 within the manifold, beyond the ends of the collection pipes 102, which permits water to flow freely beneath the ends of the collection pipes 102.
- a float ball (which is depicted in Figure 21 to Figure 25 and discussed further below) will be floated up into sealing engagement with a valve seat which is located inside the single pipe connection portion 201 on the (first portion of the) upper manifold 200', just below where the upper link pipe 101 is received into the top of the same connecting portion 201. Accordingly, like in the conventional first flush diverter described with reference to Figure 1, this buoyancy-driven contact between the float ball and the valve seat causes the opening in the top of the collection chamber (beneath the valve seat which is engaged by the ball float) to become sealed.
- the release assembly 300 includes a valve, controlled by an electronically controllable timer, for controlling the release of water from the collection chamber. The operation of the release assembly 300 will be discussed further below.
- Figure 7(i) depicts one possible form of a mounting bracket 105 which can be used for attaching the first flush diversion system 100 in Figure 2 (and also the first flush diversion system in Figure 30) to a wall or post or other support structure.
- the mounting bracket 105 is essentially in the shape of the Greek capital letter "omega" (i.e. it is effectively“W” shaped) when viewed from above.
- the bracket has a main circular portion 106 which is not quite a closed circle - i.e. there are two ends of the circular portion 106 which do not quite meet - and a flat tab 107 is formed on each of the two said non-meeting ends of the circular portion 106.
- the two tabs 107 are coplanar with one another, and the plane of the tabs 107 is parallel to the principal/central axis extending through the centre of the circular portion 106.
- the circular portion 106 is sized (i.e. it has a diameter) to fit around the single pipe connection fitting portion 201 extending from one side of a manifold 200.
- the tabs 107 also have a number of holes formed therein, which are used for receiving fasteners.
- the way in which the mounting bracket 105 is used is that, one of the mounting brackets 105 is installed around the single pipe connection fitting portion 201 on each of the manifolds 200’ and 200” (hence there are two brackets 105 used for securing the system 100 in place), and once the first flush diversion system 100 has been assembled, and when it is being finally installed on the wall, the system 100 is positioned correctly on the wall and fasteners are then inserted through the holes in the tabs 107 and into the wall to thereby secure the system 100 to the wall.
- the way in which the mounting bracket 105 is used will be readily appreciated from Figure 2 to Figure 6.
- the mounting bracket l05a shown in Figure 7(ii) operates in the same way.
- bracket 105 in Figure 7(i) The only real difference between the bracket 105 in Figure 7(i) and the bracket 105a in Figure 7(ii) is that the mounting bracket 105a in Figure 7(ii) is made from plastic (like the other parts such as the manifolds, the various pipes, etc), whereas the bracket 105 in Figure 7(i) is made from metal, and this accounts for the various apparent design differences between the brackets 105 and l05a.
- the purpose and function of the brackets 105 and l05a are the same.
- the designs of the brackets 105 and l05a are given as examples; however it will be appreciated that a range of other bracket designs could be used, including brackets which fully encircle the pipe connection fitting portion 201 on the manifold and also being securable to the wall.
- Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pipe support/alignment bracket 130.
- the pipe support/alignment bracket 130 is also visible in Figure 2 to Figure 6, and as may be inferred from these Figures, one of the purposes of the bracket 130 is to help hold the collection pipes 102 in position relative to one another.
- the pipe supports/alignment bracket 130 it is useful to consider the general process by which the first flush diversion system 100 is assembled. Referring to Figure 28, it can be seen that one possible way in which the system 100 could initially be assembled is to first connect each of the collection pipes 102 to the respective connection points on (the second portion of) one of the manifolds 200. In Figure 28, it is the lower manifold 200" to which the collection pipes 102 have been connected first; however it could equally have been the upper manifold 200'.
- bracket like bracket 130 helps to hold the collection pipes 102 in place relative to one another, which is particularly important when connecting the pipes to the second of the manifold (a task which would be made considerably more difficult without a bracket like bracket 130 to hold the collection pipes 102 in position relative to one another).
- the collection pipes 102 are particularly long, there may be a need to use multiple of the brackets 130 at spaced distances along the pipes to properly hold the pipes in position relative to one another.
- a single bracket 130 should be sufficient.
- several of the brackets may be required at spaced distances along the collection pipes.
- the brackets 130 can also serve an additional purpose even after both of the manifolds have been installed on the ends of the collection pipes (and indeed after the first flush diversion system has been assembled completely), and this is particularly so in embodiments like those depicted in Figure 34 and Figure 35 where the first flush diversion system (or at least the collection pipes and manifolds thereof) are buried beneath the ground.
- the collection pipes 102 will be oriented so that they effectively "lie on their side” at only a slight angle of inclination, as shown in Figure 34 and Figure 35, rather than being oriented vertically as in the other "above-ground” installations depicted in other Figures.
- the first flush diversion system (or at least the collection pipes and manifolds thereof) are buried beneath the ground, a pit or trench will typically first be dug, into which at least the collection pipes and manifolds of the first flush diversion system is then placed, and thereafter soil, gravel and the like will typically be poured back over on top of the collection pipes in order to fill in the pit/trench and bury the diverter therein.
- the brackets 130 can play an important role in helping to maintain the separation (and the correct relative positioning) of the pipes 102 (and to help support them and prevent them from bending or cracking etc) once there is a weight of soil and gravel heaped on top of them, and as this compacts.
- Figure 9 Figure 10, Figure 11, Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14 and Figure 15 are perspective upper, perspective lower, front, rear, side, underside and top views, respectively, of the manifold 200.
- Figure 16 is similar to Figure 15 in that it is a top view of the manifold;
- Figure 16 also shows the ball cage 410 and valve seat 490 installed in the single pipe connection portion 201.
- Figure 17 is similar to Figure 16 in that it is, again, a top view of the manifold with the ball cage 410 and valve seat 490 installed; however Figure 17 also shows the float/ball 405 captive in the ball cage 410, beneath the valve seat 490 (the ball float 405 is omitted in Figure 16 so that the cage 490 can be seen).
- Figure 19 and Figure 20 show that the manifold 200 is itself made up of two separate parts, namely a first portion 210 and a second portion 260.
- Figure 19 and Figure 20 show these respective portions/components separated from one another.
- the first portion 210 and second portion 260 are initially formed separately from one another, as suggested by Figure 19 and Figure 20. However they are then connected together to form a single manifold component 200, as shown in Figure 9 etc.
- Figure 18 is similar to Figure 9 in that it is a top perspective view of the manifold; however in Figure 18, the first portion 210 is represented as transparent so the shape of certain of the manifold’s internal parts and portions can be seen.
- the first portion 210 is in the nature of (and it might perhaps be described as) a lid of the manifold 200. That is (at least in the orientation shown in Figure 19 and Figure 20) the first portion 210 is placed on top of the second portion 260 to generally cover the top side of the second portion 260 and thereby define the space/volume 203 inside the manifold 200.
- the first portion 210 includes a cover 212 which effectively covers most of the inside of the second portion 260 when the first portion 210 and second portion 260 are joined.
- the single connection portion 201 (which receives the upper link pipe lOlor T-piece) is formed in (and it extends through) the cover 212 in the first portion 210.
- the shape of the outer perimeter wall 214 on the first portion 210 matches the shape of a corresponding outer perimeter wall 264 of the second portion 260, so that those two respective perimeter walls 214 and 264 join seamlessly (as shown in the other Figures depicting the manifold 200) when the first portion 210 and the second portion 260 are joined.
- the second portion 260 also includes a floor 262 and a number of (in this embodiment six) collection pipe connection (or receiving) points 270.
- Each of the collection pipe connection points 270 is formed as a cylinder which opens through, and also extends downward from, the floor 262.
- the internal diameter at the outer end of each of the collection pipe connection points 270 (and also the internal diameter at the outer end of the singular connection portion 201 on the first portion 210) is actually sized to receive a conventional 4 inch PVC pipe therein (conventional four- inch PVC pipe has an outer pipe diameter of about 114 mm).
- the six collection pipe connection points 270 are arranged in a 2 x 3 arrangement (i.e. in two parallel rows of three). It will be noted that, in other embodiments, other arrangements are possible. For example, for other embodiments operable with six collection pipes, the second portion 260 could be configured so that the collection pipe connection points 270 are be arranged in a single line or row of six, rather than in a 2 x 3 arrangement. Thus, embodiments in which the manifold is operable with different numbers of collection pipes, and arranged in a variety of different geometric arrangements, are possible.
- the singular connection portion 201 on the first portion 210 becomes aligned (coaxial) with one of the collection pipe connection points 270 which is in the middle of one of the two rows of the collection pipe connection points 270.
- the first portion 210 includes a number of alignment tabs 218 formed on the inside of the perimeter wall 214. These alignment tabs 218 also project beyond the perimeter wall 214.
- the alignment tabs 218 correspond to and cooperate with a number of alignment tabs 268 formed on the inside of the perimeter wall 264 of the second portion 260.
- the alignment tabs 268 formed on the inside of the perimeter wall 264 of the second portion 260 also projects beyond the perimeter wall 264.
- the alignment tabs 218 on the first portion 210 cooperate and engage with the alignment tabs 268 on the second portion 260, as shown in Figure 18, to help correctly aligned the first portion 210 relative to the second portion 260 when these two parts are brought together and joined.
- these alignment tabs or alignment means of any kind
- the tabs are not the only possible means by which the respective components may be aligned when being joined either.
- the perimeter wall 214 on the first portion 210 may be formed so as to insert into and slide down the inside of the perimeter wall 264 of the second portion 260, and in this way the two components may be aligned when joined without the need for distinct alignment tabs.
- a range of other means for aligning the two components may also be used, although as mentioned above, alignment means are not essential.
- each of the collection pipe connection points 270 are sized to receive a conventional four inch PVC pipe therein (with an outer diameter approximately 114 mm).
- a conventional four inch PVC pipe therein with an outer diameter approximately 114 mm.
- the internal diameter of the collection pipe connections 270 reduces or“steps-down” slightly to about 110 mm.
- each of the collection pipe connection points 270 on the outside of the step 271, is sized to receive a conventional four inch PVC pipe; however the internal diameter on the inner end of each of these collection pipe connection points 270 (i.e. inwards of the step 271) is slightly smaller and therefore too small to receive a four inch PVC pipe but still large enough to receive a conventional 100 mm PVC pipe (having an outer diameter of 110 mm).
- a series of "stoppers" 272 are provided on the very inner end of each of the collection pipe connections 270. The steps 271, and the stoppers 272, perform a similar function.
- each connection point 270 prevents a four inch PVC pipe (where four inch PVC pipe is used to form the collection pipe 102 received therein) from being inserted into the connection point 270 any further than the step 271.
- the stoppers 272 on the very inner end of each connection point 270 prevent a lOOmm PVC pipe (where 100 mm PVC pipe is used to form the collection pipe 102 received therein) from being inserted into the connection point 270 any further than the stoppers.
- the steps 271 and stoppers 272 therefore prevent the sections of pipe used to form the respective collection pipes 102 from being inserted too far into the manifold 200.
- step 211 and stoppers (not shown) on the inside of the single pipe connection 201 on the first portion 210. That is, in the single pipe connection 201 of each manifold 200, there is a small step 211 where the internal diameter of the single pipe connection 201 reduces or“steps-down” from approximately 114 mm (the outer diameter of conventional four inch PVC pipe) to approximately 110 mm (the outer diameter of conventional 100 mm PVC pipe).
- the internal diameter on the outer end of the single pipe connection 201, on the outside of the step 211 is sized to receive a conventional four inch PVC pipe; however the internal diameter on the inner end of the single pipe connection 201 (i.e. inwards of the step 211) is slightly smaller and therefore too small to receive a four inch PVC pipe but still large enough to receive a conventional 100 mm PVC pipe.
- the step 211 or stoppers prevent a four inch or 100 mm PVC pipe, whichever is used to form the upper link pipe 101 (if present), from being inserted into the single pipe connection 201 too far. This prevents the section of PVC pipe used to form the upper link pipe 101 (if present) from being inserted too far into the manifold 200.
- Figure 19 shows that there is also an additional ridge 240 formed on the inside of the single pipe connection 201, near (or just above) where the single pipe connection 201 opens through the cover 212 of the first portion 210.
- the purpose of the ridge 240 is to facilitate mounting of the ball (float) and cage assembly 400.
- the ball (float) and cage assembly 400 includes a ball cage 410, a buoyant float or ball 405 and a valve seat 490.
- the way in which the overall ball cage assembly 400 itself is assembled is shown in Figure 23. Basically, the ball 405 is first inserted into the cage 410, and the valve seat 490 is then inserted into the top of the ball cage (where it is received in a snap-fit - see below). The valve seat 490 therefore traps the ball 405 within the ball cage 410.
- the valve seat 490 includes an inner (slightly conical) annular portion 492.
- the annular portion 492 inserts into and through the top of the cage 410 when the assembly 400 is brought together.
- the lower circular rim of the annular portion 492 forms the actual edge or "seat” against which the ball 405 engages to seal/close the first flush diversion system.
- the valve seat 490 also includes a rim portion 494 which extends outwardly from the top of the annular portion 492.
- There are a number of (in this case four) snap fit tabs 496 formed in the rim 494. The snap fit tabs 496 project downward from the underside of the rim 494.
- the snap fit tabs 496 correspond to and engage (in a snap fit arrangement) with a number of slots 416 which are formed on the inside of a rim portion 412 at the top of the ball cage 410.
- the engagement of the snap fit tabs 496 with the slots 416 helps to secure (snap-fit) the valve seat 490 to the ball cage 410, thereby also trapping the ball 405 within the ball cage 410.
- the use of snap fits between the valve seat 490 and the cage 410 is only one of the possible ways in which these may be held together. Other possibilities include gluing, screwing, friction/interference fit, ultrasonic welding, or indeed any other means for securing or maintaining these two
- clip tabs 498 formed in and extending down from the outside of the rim 494 of the valve seat. These clip tabs 498 insert through corresponding slots 418 that are formed in the outer perimeter edge of the rim 412 of the ball cage 410.
- the clip tabs 498 help to mount the ball cage assembly 400 inside the upper manifold 200'.
- the assembled ball cage assembly 400 is inserted (with the cage 410 pointing down) through the top of the singular pipe connection 201.
- the outer perimeter of the rims 494 and 412 of the valve seat 490 and ball cage 410 just fit within the inner internal diameter of the singular pipe connection 201 (i.e. on the inside of the step 211).
- the rims 494 and 412 of the valve seat 490 and ball cage 410 are too wide and are unable to pass the ridge 240.
- the clip tabs 498 initially contact the upper side of the ridge 240, and when a slight force is applied to continue forcing the assembly 400 into the manifold, the clip tabs 498 flex, ride over and clip onto (under) the ridge 240, thereby securing the ball cage 400 inside the upper manifold 200' in a snap-fit arrangement.
- the use of a snap fit between the valve seat 490 and the manifold is only one of the possible ways in which these may be held together.
- Figure 26 and Figure 27 illustrate a water release assembly 300 for connection to and use on the lower/outlet end of the first flush diversion system.
- the location of the outlet of the first flush diversion system is, and the release assembly 300 is connected to, the singular connection portion 201 of the lower manifold 200".
- a short length of conventional 100 mm PVC pipe 301 is provided which is inserted into and sealingly received within the singular connection portion 201 of the lower manifold 200", and the water release assembly 300 connects to the other end of the pipe section 301.
- the water release assembly 300 comprises an inlet 310 for receiving water from the lower manifold 200" (and the collection chamber formed by the collection pipes 102 etc above) via connecting pipe 301, an outlet 320 for dispensing water and a conduit (not shown) connecting the inlet 310 to the outlet 320.
- a substantially cylindrical housing 330 which houses an electronic controller (not shown) for controlling the flow of fluid from the inlet 310, through the conduit, and out through the outlet 320.
- This electronic controller can be either battery operated or may be connected to a mains or other electricity source. It could e.g. be solar powered (as by one or more solar cells - not shown).
- the controller may be programmable e.g. to allow the release/purge of water from the first flush diverter collection chamber/containment volume after a controllably adjustable time interval, 24 hours or a week for example, has elapsed since the last purge.
- This controllable time interval between "purges” will be referred to as the "time interval”.
- the controller may also be programmable to allow water to travel/purge from the collection chamber and out of the outlet 320 for a controllably adjustable time period.
- This controllably adjustable length of time during which the controller causes the outlet 320 to be open (so that the water can purge from the first flush diverter collection chamber) will be referred to as the "time period".
- the time period may be 15 minutes but could conceivably be any amount of time.
- Allowing adjustment of the time period for which the first flush diverter collection chamber can discharge water therefrom, and also adjustment of the time interval between discharges, may be advantageous due to the large variation in the size of roofs on different properties and the different environments the roofs are located in. Indeed the ability to make these adjustments may provide the user with additional means (i.e. in addition to choosing the appropriate volume of the first flush diverter collection chamber) for achieving their desired balance in the trade-off between quantity and quality of water collected and stored in the tank.
- roofs in dry areas with infrequent rainfall and/or low pollution levels may wish to set a greater time interval (i.e. between purges) to collect as much rain as possible (by maintaining the outlet 320 closed and (hopefully) the first flush diversion system full for longer thereby ensuring that any rain that falls on the roof while the first flush diversion system remains full flows through and into the tank), despite the possibility that some (or a slightly higher amount of) dirty water or impurities may consequently be directed to the water tank.
- a greater time interval i.e. between purges
- the time interval can be increased resulting in a higher yield (i.e. more water collected and less lost to the first flush diverter) but potentially also slightly lower quality of the collected water (due to potentially increased levels of impurities in the collected water).
- a reasonably short time interval i.e.
- Adjusting the time period to increase the time that fluid is allowed to travel (purge) from the first flush diverter collection chamber and out of the outlet 320 may be desirable for buildings with larger roofs, and consequently larger (higher volume) first flush diverter collection chambers, which may take longer to fully drain/purge. Conversely, it may be desirable to decrease the time period that fluid is allowed to travel/purge from the first flush diverter collection chamber and out of the outlet for buildings with smaller roofs. It may be desirable to approximately match the time period to the time it takes to empty the first flush diverter collection chamber completely from when it is full (this will often depend on the size of the collection chamber/containment volume).
- the reservoir is“open” for long enough to completely empty from full, and so that no standing water remains inside the collection chamber, but so that the collection chamber does not remain open (open and empty) for much longer.
- the outlet of the release device is still open when it starts raining, water will not be caught in the first flush reservoir and this will result in a reduction in the amount of water collected.
- the amount of water lost can be minimised by having the time period matched approximately to the emptying time.
- the housing 330 in the illustrated embodiment includes two dials 332a, 332b and a clear dial cover 334 covering the dials.
- the first dial 332a allows for adjusting the emptying intervals (time interval) and the second dial 332b allows for adjusting the drain time (time period).
- housing 330 shown includes two dials 332a, 332b for input, it will be appreciated that the housing (and the controller therein) 330 may instead (or in addition) include other input devices, such as buttons.
- the housing 330 may also include light emitting diodes (LEDs), or other indicators, e.g. to show that the water release assembly 300 has sufficient power from the batteries, or to indicate the currently set time interval and time period, etc.
- LEDs light emitting diodes
- valve located within the conduit which is operationally linked to the controller.
- the controller opens and closes the valve at (and for) the predefined times programmed into the controller to control the purging of water from the first flush diverter collection chamber.
- the inlet 310 there is a connector 302 for connecting the water release assembly 300 to a funnel 350.
- the inlet 310, inside connector 302, is internally threaded for receiving the externally threaded lower end (not shown) of the funnel 350.
- the outlet 320 there is a standard male hose fitting 322 for connecting the outlet 320 to a hose, such as a garden hose, to allow the captured water and impurities to be hosed onto a garden or lawn, or dispensed into a bucket, or conveyed to a garden irrigation system, etc.
- This fitting 322 can be omitted or replaced with another fitting for connecting to other devices, if necessary.
- the funnel 350 has an internally threaded substantially cylindrical connector 352 which is adapted to be connected to the bottom of a plumbing fitting that in turn connects to pipe section 301 (and recall that pipe section 301 is sealingly connected into the lower manifold 200") ⁇ Extending from the connector 352 is a conical funnel portion 360, which feeds into the inlet of the water release assembly 300.
- the funnel 350 is made from a clear or transparent material to allow a user to see how much, if any, sediment has built up above the inlet 310 in the funnel (such sediment may become settled or compacted and hence trapped in the funnel and therefore may not always flow out when water is flowing through - this is why it is important that it is transparent, so that a user can see if there is any such trapped sediment, which could block or obstruct flow through the funnel, and manually clean it out). .
- Figure 30 through Figure 33 illustrate a wall-mounted the version of the first flush diversion system.
- This wall-mountain version is identical to the system 100 described above with reference to Figure 2 though Figure 6, except that in the wall-mounted version the weight of the system is borne at least in part by the stand shown (which engages directly with the ground or floor or other footing) rather than the full weight of the system being born solely by the brackets 105 which secure the system to the wall.
- Figure 34 and Figure 35 are side and perspective views, respectively, of a first flush diversion system which is mostly the same as the first flush diversion system in Figure 2 and Figure 30.
- the first flush diversion system in Figure 34 and Figure 35 is for“horizontal” installation.
- the term“horizontal” is used here to differentiate the orientation in which this system is installed from the generally (or much more) vertical orientations of the systems in Figure 2 and Figure 30.
- use of the word“horizontal” is not intended to, and it does not, mean that this system is installed perfectly horizontally.
- a pipe (not shown, but similar to upper link pipe 101) will typically join (via a T-piece or the like, not shown) to the piping (not shown) which runs from the roof guttering to the water storage collection
- the fall pipe 4 instead of being a straight vertical pipe, is instead a pipe incorporating one or more bends or angles or elbows or the like, possibly such that there may be horizontal sections of the fall pipe located between vertical sections of the pipe (with the horizontal section(s) connected to the vertical section(s) by the bend(s)).
- a problem that these bends or angles or elbows in the fall pipe might create is that, during the initial period of rainfall at the start of a rainfall event, when the water begins to fill within the fall pipe, the float 5 may be floated from the bottom upwards in/through the fall pipe with the rising level of the water; however there may be a possibility that the float could then become caught or jammed on or in one of the bends in the fall pipe (or in a horizontal section between other vertical sections of the fall pipe) thereby preventing the float 5 from rising to the top and sealing against the valve seat 9.
- the float may remain stuck somewhere down in the fall pipe, meaning that water (contaminated first flush water) may continue to flow up past the float and possibly all the way up through the valve seat and continue to the tank (which is undesirable as the purpose of the first flush diverter is to prevent such contaminants from reaching the tank).
- the ball and cage assembly 400 could be used to overcome this problem. Indeed, if the ball and cage assembly 400 were used in such a conventional first flush diverter (e.g.
- the ball and cage assembly 400 at the location of, or in place of, the valve seat 9, the ball float could not then fall all the way to the bottom of the fall pipe when the chamber is empty (it is contained in the cage), and consequently when the chamber is filling at the beginning of a rainfall event the ball could not become caught on one of the angles or bends or horizontal sections in the fall pipe. Rather, the float would be held captive within the ball cage near the valve seat at the top of the fall pipe/collection chamber, and would therefore be present to be pressed into engagement to seal against the valve seat when the collection chamber becomes full.
- the fall pipe can have any shape without the risk that the ball will become jammed lower in the fall pipe and prevent the ball from reaching the top to seal the collection chamber when the required first flush volume has been collected.
- the terms‘comprises’,‘comprising’,‘includes’,‘including’, or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method, system or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.
Abstract
Description
Claims
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AU2019336268A AU2019336268A1 (en) | 2018-09-06 | 2019-09-05 | Improvements to large volume first flush diverters |
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AU2018903321 | 2018-09-06 | ||
AU2018903321A AU2018903321A0 (en) | 2018-09-06 | Improvements to large volume first flush diverters |
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Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AU597081B2 (en) * | 1986-07-04 | 1990-05-24 | Bowes, Kaylene Louisa | Roof and gutter pollution retainer |
JP2000303507A (en) * | 1999-04-23 | 2000-10-31 | Takiron Co Ltd | Rain water collecting device |
AU2005202689A1 (en) * | 2004-07-02 | 2006-01-19 | Gerard Anthony Connaughton | Water handling assembly |
GB2457695A (en) * | 2008-02-21 | 2009-08-26 | E Van Johnson | Rainwater storage system |
AU2016100792A4 (en) * | 2016-05-31 | 2016-06-30 | Codac Engineering Pty. Ltd. | 3-Way Junction with Inspection Opening and Integral Plug Seat and Compatible Plug |
US20180230687A1 (en) * | 2017-02-15 | 2018-08-16 | Arturo J. Villanueva | Tilt Diverter to Control Storm-Water |
-
2019
- 2019-09-05 AU AU2019336268A patent/AU2019336268A1/en active Pending
- 2019-09-05 WO PCT/AU2019/050949 patent/WO2020047600A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AU597081B2 (en) * | 1986-07-04 | 1990-05-24 | Bowes, Kaylene Louisa | Roof and gutter pollution retainer |
JP2000303507A (en) * | 1999-04-23 | 2000-10-31 | Takiron Co Ltd | Rain water collecting device |
AU2005202689A1 (en) * | 2004-07-02 | 2006-01-19 | Gerard Anthony Connaughton | Water handling assembly |
GB2457695A (en) * | 2008-02-21 | 2009-08-26 | E Van Johnson | Rainwater storage system |
AU2016100792A4 (en) * | 2016-05-31 | 2016-06-30 | Codac Engineering Pty. Ltd. | 3-Way Junction with Inspection Opening and Integral Plug Seat and Compatible Plug |
US20180230687A1 (en) * | 2017-02-15 | 2018-08-16 | Arturo J. Villanueva | Tilt Diverter to Control Storm-Water |
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