COMBINED WATER STORAGE AND DETENTION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PRECIPITATION HARVESTING AND MANAGEMENT

• US 20110120561A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiRTC, Inc. (Aliaxis SA)
• Original Assignee: Geosyntec Consultants, Inc.
• Inventors: Quigley, Marcus, Reidy, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,591,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/00 Methods, systems, or installations for draining-off sewage or storm water
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 2201/20 Measuring flow in sewer systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/10 Collecting-tanks; Equalising-tanks for regulating the run-off; Laying-up basins
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 7/00 Other installations or implements for operating sewer systems, e.g. for preventing or indicating stoppage; Emptying cesspools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/402 Distribution systems involving geographic features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7287 Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems

Abstract

A combined water storage and detention (CWSD) system for maximizing storm water control and availability for use. The CWSD system includes a plurality of water conduits, remotely controllable water pumps, water storage drain valves, auxiliary bypass discharge valves, and, in pertinent part, a storage/detention system for storing/retaining a first volume of storm and sewer drain water, a sensing device for estimating a second volume of storm and sewer drain water within the storage/detention system, the second volume being less than or equal to the first volume, a precipitation forecast device for forecasting an expected time-dependent volume of water being added to or to be added to the system, and a controller that is structured and arranged to control the operating states of the plurality of controllable water pumps, water storage draining valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves. Preferably, the precipitation forecast device provides weather precipitation parameter data from a network source such as the World Wide Web, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), and a wide area network (WAN) and the sensing device is adapted to determine at least one of whether the second volume is below a pre-established minimum storage volume and whether the second volume is above a pre-established maximum storage volume.

Claims

1. A combined water storage and detention (CWSD) system for maximizing storm water control and availability for use, the system having one or more of pluralities of water conduits, remotely controllable water pumps, water storage drain valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves, the system further comprising:

a storage/detention system for storing/retaining a first volume of storm water;

a sensing device for estimating a second volume of storm water within the storage/detention system, the second volume being less than or equal to the first volume;

a precipitation forecast device for forecasting an expected time-dependent volume of water to be added to the system; and

a controller that is structured and arranged to control the operating states of the one or more pluralities of controllable water pumps, draining valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves.

2. The CWSD system as recited in claim 1, wherein the precipitation forecast device provides weather precipitation data on a network such as the World Wide Web, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and dedicated weather data server.

3. The CWSD system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing device is adapted to determine at least one of whether the second volume is less than or equal to a pre-established minimum storage volume and whether the second volume is greater than a pre-established maximum storage volume.

4. The CWSD system as recited in claim 3, wherein the controller is adapted to close the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve closed when the second volume is less than or equal to the minimum storage volume.

5. The CWSD system as recited in claim 3, wherein the controller is adapted to open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open when the second volume is greater than the maximum storage volume.

6. The CWSD system as recited in claim 5, wherein the controller is further adapted to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps and/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the second volume is greater than the maximum storage volume.

7. The CWSD system as recited in claim 3, wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event to estimate an available volume of the storage/detention system.

8. The CWSD system as recited in claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to close the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is less than the maximum storage volume.

9. The CWSD system as recited in claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

10. The CWSD system as recited in claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps and/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

11. The CWSD system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sensing device to monitor a remote system state, the state being positive when the sensing device is interrogated and negative when the sensing device is not interrogated.

12. The CWSD system as recited in claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event and to estimate an available volume of the storage/detention system;

and

the controller is further adapted to open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open;

to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps; and

/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the remote system state is negative.

13. The CWSD system as recited in claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event and to estimate an available volume of the storage/detention system;

and

the controller is further adapted to close the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the CWSD state is positive.

14. A controller for a combined water storage and detention (CWSD) system having one or more of pluralities of water conduits, remotely controllable water pumps, water storage drain valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves;

a storage/detention system for storing/retaining a first volume of storm water;

a sensing device for estimating a second volume of storm water within the storage/detention system, the second volume being less than or equal to the first volume; and

a precipitation forecast device for forecasting an expected time-dependent volume of water to be added to the system, the controller being structured and arranged to control the operating states of the one or more pluralities of controllable water pumps, drain valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves to maximize storm and sewer drain water use and being adapted to;

close the water storage drain valve or keep said water storage drain valve closed when the second volume is less than or equal to the minimum storage volume; and

open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open when the second volume is greater than the maximum storage volume.

15. The controller as recited in claim 14, wherein the controller is further adapted to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps and/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the second volume is greater than the maximum storage volume.

16. The controller as recited in claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event and to estimate an available volume of the storage/detention system.

17. The controller as recited in claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to close the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is less than or equal to the maximum storage volume.

18. The controller as recited in claim 16, wherein the controller is adapted to open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

19. The controller as recited in claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps and/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

20. The controller as recited in claim 14, wherein the CWSD system further includes a sensing device for monitoring a remote system, the CWSD system state being positive or negative, wherein:

the controller is adapted to estimate a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event and to estimate an available volume of the storage/detention system; and

the controller is further adapted to open the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve open;

to activate at least one of the plurality of water pumps; and

/or to activate at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the CWSD system state is negative;

or

the controller is further adapted to close the water storage drain valve or to keep said water storage drain valve closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the CWSD system state is positive, which is to say a remote system flow rate exceeds a maximum flow rate.

21. A method of maximizing storm water availability for use in a combined water storage and detention (CWSD) system, the system having a plurality of water conduits, remotely controllable water pumps, water storage drain valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves, a storage/detention system for storing/retaining a first volume of storm water, the method comprising:

monitoring a second volume of storm water within the storage/detention system, the second volume being less than or equal to the first volume;

receiving precipitation parameter data regarding ongoing or forecast precipitation;

forecasting an expected time-dependent volume of water to be added to the system based on the second volume and the precipitation parameter data; and

controlling the operating states of the plurality of controllable water pumps, draining valves, and auxiliary bypass discharge valves.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein forecasting includes using weather data from a network source.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the network source is an on-line network selected from the group consisting of the World Wide Web, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or a dedicated weather data server.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein controlling includes closing the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain closed when the second volume is less than or equal to a minimum storage volume and opening the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain open when the second volume is greater than a maximum storage volume.

25. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

estimating a forecast volume of precipitation from a forecast precipitation event; and

estimating an available volume of the storage/detention system to store/detain said forecast volume.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

closing the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is less than or equal to the minimum storage volume; and

opening the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain open when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

activating at least one of the plurality of water pumps and/or at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume.

28. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

estimating a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event;

estimating an available volume of the storage/detention system; and

at least one of;

opening the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain open;

activating at least one of the plurality of water pumps; and

activating at least one of the plurality of auxiliary bypass discharge valves when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the CWSD state is negative, which is to say that the CWSD system is adapted to determine an actual fill rate of the CWSD system during a precipitation event.

29. The method as recited in claim 21 further comprising:

estimating a volume of water of a forecast precipitation event;

estimating an available volume of the storage/detention system; and

closing the water storage drain valve or keeping said water storage drain closed when the summation of the second volume and the forecast volume of water is greater than the maximum storage volume and the CWSD state is positive, which is to say that a remote system flow rate exceeds some maximum fill rate.