Sediment control

• US 7,544,016 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environmental Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Environmental Systems LLC
• Inventors: McGinn, John H., Morris, Vincent P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAGMAN, FREDERICK LYNDON
• Application Number:
  US11/333,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 405/302.7, 405/302.6, 405/302.4, 405/15, 405/16, 405/19, 405/17, 405/32, 210/170.03, 210/489, 210/499, 428/357, 428/372
• US Class Current: 405/302.6
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0012 Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/02 Settling tanks with single outlets for the separated liquid
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 3/04 Structures or apparatus for, or methods of, protecting banks, coasts, or harbours E02B1/003 takes precedence; sealing or joints E02B3/16

Abstract

Sediment collection devices (SCDs) which can be used to collect sediment from sediment-bearing liquid, for example runoff from construction sites, and which have improved durability, particularly when wheeled vehicles pass over them. The SCDs include a horizontal location member; and a generally vertical member comprising (1) a filter which has relatively small apertures therethrough, and (2) threshold and outflow members each of which have relatively large apertures therethrough and which together provide a sediment control chamber (SCC) between them. The height of the SCC is at least 1.5 times its width; and/or the SCC is shaped so that a vehicle wheel approaching the SCD contacts the SCD at a defined height and angle; and/or one or both of the threshold member and the outflow member has a bending or stiffening line such that different parts of the SCD respond differently to bending forces. Precursors and methods for making such SCDs are described.

Claims

1. A sediment control device (SCD) comprisingan elongate threshold member having a multiplicity of relatively large threshold apertures therethrough;

2) an elongate outflow member having a multiplicity of relatively large outflow apertures therethrough;

3) an elongate filter which has a multiplicity of relatively small filter apertures therethrough, and

4) a location member;

the threshold member, outflow member, filter and location member being secured together so that, when the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate,

(a) an upright member comprising the threshold member, the filter and the outflow member extends upwards from the substrate, and

(b) liquid flowing over the location member towards the upright member passes through the threshold member, the filter and the outflow member;

the upright member including an elongate sediment collection chamber (SCC) between the threshold member and the outflow member, the SCC having (i) a cross-section whose height is p times its maximum width, where p is at least 1.5, and (ii) an unobstructed volume which is at least 5% of the total volume of the SCD.

2. An SCD according to claim 1 wherein the height of the SCC is at least 4 inches and p is at least 4.

3. An SCD according to claim 1 wherein the height of the SCC is 7-10 inches and p is 4-15.

4. An SCD according to claim 1 wherein the shape of the outflow member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is, position so that its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the substrate towards the outflow member and at right angles thereto, without passing over the location member,

(a1) the first point of contact between the disc and the outflow member is at a height of at least 5 in. above the substrate, and

(a2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the outflow member and the substrate, is at least 65°

.

5. An SCD according to claim 4 wherein the shape of the threshold member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is, positioned so that its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the location member towards the threshold member and at right angles thereto,

(b1) the first point of contact between the disc and the threshold member is at a height of at least 5 in., and

(b2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the threshold member and the location member, is at least 65°

.

6. An SCD according to claim 5 wherein the first point of contact between the disk and the outflow member is at a height of 5-12 inches above the substrate, and the first point of contact between the disk and the threshold member is at a height of 5-12 inches above the substrate.

7. An SCD according to claim 6 wherein the response line is a bending line in which the minimum thickness is at most 0.8 times the thickness of the adjacent portion of the member.

8. An SCD according to claim 7 wherein the bending line has a width of 0.12 to 0.35 inch.

9. An SCD according to claim 1 wherein one or both of the outflow member and the threshold member includes an elongate response line which is either more or less responsive to bending forces than the areas adjacent to the response line.

10. An SCD according to claim 1 wherein the base of the threshold member has a reentrant cross-section formed by (i) a first portion which extends upwards away from the location member, (ii) a second portion which extends over the location member, and (iii) a reentrant angle between the first and second portions.

11. A method of controlling sediment which comprises passing a sediment-containing liquid through an SCD as defined in claim 1.

12. A method of making an SCD as defined in claim 1, the method comprising

(A) providing a precursor which comprises an apertured polymeric sheet material which

(i) has relatively large apertures therethrough,

(ii) has first and second surfaces, and

(iii) has a first configuration;

(B) heating a selected area of the sheet so that polymeric material in the selected area is at a temperature above its softening point;

(C) while the polymeric material in the selected area is above its softening point, bending the selected area so that the precursor has a second configuration;

(D) allowing the heated polymeric material to cool while the precursor is in a third configuration, the third configuration being different from the first configuration and being the same as or different from the second configuration;

(E) after step (D), bending the precursor so that it undergoes elastic deformation into a fourth configuration in which selected parts of the precursor are in contact with each other; and

(F) securing the selected parts to each other.

13. A precursor for an SCD as defined in claim 1 which comprises

(a) an apertured polymeric sheet which

(i) has relatively large apertures therethrough, and

(ii) has first and second surfaces;

and

(b) a sheet of filter material secured to the first surface of the apertured polymeric sheet;

the apertured polymeric sheet including a response line which is either more or less responsive to bending forces than the areas adjacent to the response line.

14. A sediment control device (SCD) comprisingan elongate threshold member having a multiplicity of threshold apertures therethrough, each of the threshold apertures having an area of 0.01 to 1.0 in.²;

2) an elongate outflow member having a multiplicity of relatively large outflow apertures therethrough, each of the outflow apertures having an area of 0.01 to 1.0 in.²;

3) an elongate outflow filter which has a multiplicity of relatively small filter apertures therethrough, and which is supported by the outflow member, and

4) a location member;

the threshold member, outflow member, outflow filter and location member being secured together so that, when the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate,

(a) an upright member comprising the threshold member, the outflow filter and the outflow member extends upwards from the substrate, and

(b) liquid flowing over the location member towards the upright member passes through the threshold member, the filter and the outflow member;

the upright member including an elongate sediment collection chamber (SCC) between the threshold member and the outflow member, the SCC having (i) a cross-section whose height is at least 7 inches and whose height is p times its maximum width, where p is at least 4, and (ii) an unobstructed volume which is at least 10% of the total volume of the SCD.

15. An SCD according to claim 14 wherein the cross-section of the SCC has a height of 7-10 inches and p is 7-14.

16. An SCD according to claim 14 wherein the shape of the outflow member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is position so that its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the substrate towards the outflow member and at right angles thereto, without passing over the location member,

(a1) the first point of contact between the disk and the outflow member is at a height 5-12 inch above the substrate, and

(a2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the outflow member and the substrate, is at least 70°

.

17. An SCD according to claim 14 wherein the shape of the threshold member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is position so that its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the location member towards the threshold member and at right angles thereto,

(b1) the first point of contact between the disk and the threshold member is at a height 6-12 inch above the location member, and

(b2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the threshold member and the location member, is at least 70°

.

18. An SCD according to claim 14 wherein one or both of the outflow member and the threshold member includes an elongate bending line which is more responsive to bending forces than the areas adjacent to the ending line, in which the minimum thickness is at most at most 0.6 times, the thickness of the adjacent portion of the member, and which has a width of 0.12 to 0.35 inch.

19. An SCD according to claim 14 wherein the base of the threshold member has a reentrant cross-section formed by (i) a first portion which extends upwards away from the location member, (ii) a second portion which extends over the location member, and (iii) a reentrant angle between the first and second portions.

20. A sediment control device (SCD) comprisingan elongate threshold member having a multiplicity of relatively large threshold apertures therethrough;

2) an elongate outflow member having a multiplicity of relatively large outflow apertures therethrough;

3) an elongate filter which has a multiplicity of relatively small filter apertures therethrough, and

4) a location member;

the threshold, outflow and location members being secured together so that, when the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate,

(a) an upright member comprising the threshold member, the outflow filter and the outflow member extends upwards from the substrate, and

(b) liquid flowing over the location member towards the upright member passes through the threshold member, the filter and the outflow member;

the SCD having one or both of the following characteristics

(a) the shape of the outflow member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is, if necessary, bent so its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the substrate towards the outflow member and at right angles thereto, without passing over the location member,

(a1) the first point of contact between the disk and the outflow member is at a height of at least 5 in. above the substrate, and

(a2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the outflow member and the substrate, is at least 70°

; and

(b) the shape of the threshold member is such that, if (i) the location member is placed on a horizontal substrate, (ii) the upright member is position so that its highest point is vertically above the point at which the outflow member contacts the substrate, and (iii) a vertical disk having an outer diameter of 28 inches is rolled over the location member towards the threshold member and at right angles thereto,

(b1) the first point of contact between the disk and the threshold member is at a height of at least 5 in. above the location member, and

(b2) the angle between (i) the horizontal and (ii) a line joining said first point of contact and the closest point of contact between the threshold member and the location member, is at least 70°

.