AUTOMATIC VACUUM SEWERAGE SOLIDS CLEANING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140261735A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qizhong Guo, Yunjie Li
• Original Assignee: Qizhong Guo, Yunjie Li
• Inventors: Guo, Qizhong, Li, Yunjie
• Granted Patent: US 9,566,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/15.05
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0856 Cleaning of water-treatment installations
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/108 Cleaning devices providing a flushing surge
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 9/007 Devices providing a flushing surge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 Liquid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4245 Cleaning or steam sterilizing

Abstract

This application discloses novel vacuum break devices useful in automatic vacuum flushing systems. The vacuum break devices are capable of rapidly breaking the vacuum in a storage tank of a sewer line, thus enabling efficient flushing of sediments and cleaning of the sewer system. The invention also provides automatic vacuum flushing systems comprising these novel rapid vacuum break devices and methods thereof for sewer or storage tank sediment cleaning in urban drainage systems.

Claims

1. An automatic vacuum flushing system for flushing or cleaning sewer or storage tank sediment in a drainage system, comprising a flush water chamber, an air release valve on the top of the flush water chamber, and a vacuum-break device connected to the top of the flush water chamber through a pipe,

wherein the flush water chamber comprises an opening in its lower part on the drainage downstream side and is in fluid communication with the drainage system through the opening;

wherein the vacuum-break device is connected to said pipe on the top of the water chamber through an elbow;

wherein the flush water chamber substantially fills up with water from the drainage through the opening when the water level in the storage tank or sewer rises;

a vacuum is created in the headspace of the flush water chamber when water in the sewer or storage tank is drained; and

when water in the storage tank or sewer falls below a level, the vacuum-break device rapidly breaks the vacuum, thereby discharging the water in the flush water chamber in a surge to flush the sewer or storage tank.

2. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum break device comprises:

a chamber formed by an outside screen wall, a bottom plate and a top plate;

a plurality of bars installed vertically connecting the top and bottom plates of the chamber to form a frame;

a positioning tube installed vertically on the bottom plate of the chamber;

a plurality of floatable parts, each comprising a central hole, placed along the positioning tube, the floatable parts optionally mounted on the bars of the frame through holes;

a weight positioned above one of the floatable parts; and

a rubber sheet above the top of the floatable parts and directly beneath the bottom opening of the pipe coming from the top of the chamber, the rubber sheet capable of tightly sealing the pipe opening when in position;

wherein the rubber sheet, the floatable parts, and the weight are arranged so that the rubber sheet can seal the pipe opening when water level rises in the sewer or storage tank and during the formation of vacuum when the water in the sewer or storage tank is drained until a predetermined level.

3. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 2, wherein the floatable parts comprise:

a floating plate at the bottom directly beneath the weight;

a rubber sheet holder on the top to hold the rubber sheet, the holder comprising a plate fixed on the top of a rod, the rod inserted downwardly into said positioning tube so that the bottom floating plate, the weight, the rubber sheet holder, and the rubber sheet are aligned along the positioning tube from bottom to the top, and can freely move up and down along the positioning tube;

wherein the rubber sheet is connected to the weight by two or more strings or chains; and

wherein the rubber sheet moves upward to seal the opening of the pipe when water level rises to move the floatable parts upward;

a vacuum is created when the water level falls; and

when the water level falls to a predetermined level, the weight applies a force to the rubber sheet through the strings or chains to rapidly break the vacuum.

4. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 3, wherein the floatable parts further comprise a positioning part placed between the weight and the rubber sheet holder;

wherein the positioning part has freedom to move upward and downward along the positioning tube and, when water level rises to a predetermined level, applies a lift force to the rubber sheet holder to force the rubber sheet to seal the opening of the pipe; and

wherein the bottom floatable part and the weight have holes traversed through by said plurality of bars.

5. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum break device comprises:

a mechanical part fixed on the top of the flush water chamber encompassing the air release valve; and

a floatable part connected to the mechanical part through a lever system,

wherein the floatable part, through the lever system, causes the mechanical part to suddenly open the air release valve and break the vacuum in the headspace of the flush water chamber, when water level in the sewer or storage tank falls to a predetermined level.

6. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 5, wherein said mechanical part comprises:

a shooting part connected to a lever arm of said lever system through a connecting means and capable of moving up and down along a positioning rod, the shooting part connected to the top of the flush water chamber through a spring wrapping around the positioning rod, both the spring and positioning rod fixed on the top of the flush water chamber, optionally through a positioning plate, and

a handle fixed on the shooting part, the handle connected to the air release valve through a string or chain,

wherein the shooting part is capable of opening and closing the air release valve through the string or chain connecting the handle and the valve.

7. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 6, wherein said mechanical part further comprises a supporting structure to hold the pivot of the lever system, and a positioning structure to hold the shooting part in place when the air release valve is closed.

8. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein velocity of the flushing water surge is at least at a level sufficient to suspend and flush out the sediment, said level of velocity being dependent on sizes and specific gravity of the sediment or field deposits.

9. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 8, wherein said level of the velocity of the flushing water surge is at least about 1 m/s, at least about 2 m/s, at least about 3 m/s, or at least about 4 m/s.

10. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein said opening in the lower part of the flush water chamber is at least about one inch above the historical height of the sewer or storage tank sediment layer immediately downstream of the flush water chamber.

11. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein said water level in the sewer or storage tank for vacuum-break is located at the level immediately above the top of the opening.

12. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein said water level in the sewer or storage tank for vacuum-break is located within about one inch, about two inches, or about three inches above the top of the opening.

13. The automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1, wherein the volume of the flush water chamber is at least about 5-10%, at least about 10-15%, about 15-20%, or about 20-25% of the volume of the storage tank to be flushed or at least about 10-20%, about 20-30%, about 30-40%, about 40-50%, or about 50-60% of the volume of the total length of the sewer line to be flushed.

20. A method of flushing or cleaning sewer or storage tank sediment in a drainage system, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one of the automatic vacuum flushing system of claim 1; and

placing said at least one of the automatic vacuum flushing systems in an upstream portion of the drainage system.

14. A vacuum break device for an automatic vacuum flushing system, comprising:

a chamber formed by an outside screen wall, a bottom plate and a top plate;

a plurality of bars installed vertically connecting the top and bottom plates of the chamber to form a frame;

a positioning tube installed vertically on the bottom plate of the chamber;

a plurality of floatable parts, each comprising a central hole, placed along the positioning tube, the floatable parts optionally mounted on the bars of the frame through holes;

a weight positioned above one of the floatable parts; and

a rubber sheet above the top of the floatable parts and directly beneath the bottom opening of the pipe coming from the top of the chamber, the rubber sheet capable of tightly sealing the pipe opening when in position;

wherein the rubber sheet, the floatable parts, and the weight are arranged so that the rubber sheet can seal the pipe opening when water level rises in the sewer or storage tank and during the formation of vacuum when the water in the sewer or storage tank is drained until a predetermined level.

15. The vacuum break device of claim 14, wherein said plurality floatable parts comprise:

a floating plate at the bottom directly beneath the weight;

a rubber sheet holder on the top to hold the rubber sheet, the holder comprising a plate fixed on the top of a rod, the rod inserted downwardly into said positioning tube so that the bottom floating plate, the weight, the rubber sheet holder, and the rubber sheet are aligned along the positioning tube from bottom to the top, and can freely move up and down along the positioning tube;

a positioning part placed between the weight and the top place of the rubber sheet holder;

wherein the bottom floatable part and the weight have holes traversed through said plurality of bars;

wherein the rubber sheet is connected to the weight by two or more strings or chains; and

wherein the rubber sheet moves upward to seal the opening of the pipe when water level rises to move the floatable parts upward;

a vacuum is created when the water level falls; and

make the; and

when the water level falls to a predetermined level, the weight applies a force to the rubber sheet through the strings or chains to rapidly break the vacuum.

18. An automatic vacuum flushing system for flushing or cleaning sewer or storage tank sediment in a drainage system, comprising a vacuum break device of claim 14.

16. A vacuum break device for automatic vacuum flushing systems, comprising:

a mechanical part fixed on the top of a flush water chamber enclosing an air release valve, and

a floatable part located at the upstream or side of the flush water chamber and connected to the mechanical part through pivot of a lever system, wherein the floatable part, through the lever system, causes the mechanical part to suddenly open the air release valve and break the vacuum in the headspace of the flush water chamber, when water level in the sewer or storage tank falls to a predetermined level.

17. The vacuum break device of claim 16, wherein said mechanical part comprises:

a shooting part connected to a lever arm of said lever system through a connecting means and capable of moving up and down along a positioning rod, the shooting part connected to the top of the flush water chamber through a spring wrapping around the positioning rod, both the spring and positioning rod fixed on the top of the flush water chamber, optionally through a positioning plate, and

a handle fixed on the shooting part, the handle connected to the air release valve through a string or chain,

wherein said mechanical part comprises a supporting structure to hold the pivot of said lever system and a positioning structure to hold the shooting part in place when the air release valve is closed; and

wherein the shooting part is capable of opening and closing the air release valve through the string or chain connecting the handle and the valve.

19. An automatic vacuum flushing system for flushing or cleaning sewer or storage tank sediment in a drainage system, comprising a vacuum break device of claim 16.