Distributed control system for a vacuum sewer system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for a vacuum sewer system comprised of a suction pipe having a first end that is connected to a sewage sump and a second end that is connectable to a vacuum source via a vacuum valve, the apparatus comprising:
- sensors comprising at least one vacuum sensor to measure a vacuum in the suction pipe, the vacuum in the suction pipe being based, at least in part, on a height of sewage in the suction pipe;
at least one processor to determine an air-to-liquid ratio through the vacuum valve by performing operations that comprise;
determining a liquid flow through the vacuum valve based on a duration that a vacuum in the suction pipe is greater than a threshold; and
determining a an air flow through the vacuum valve based on a duration following the vacuum in the suction pipe being below the threshold; and
a solenoid valve for controlling application of vacuum or pressure to the vacuum valve based on the air-to-liquid ratio.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed control system for a vacuum sewer system comprising a suction pipe which is communicated with a vacuum source via a transport conduit (520) by opening a vacuum valve (530) using a solenoid valve is disclosed. The transport conduit is connected between the vacuum valve and a collection tank, with the collection tank having a vacuum source relative to atmospheric pressure applied thereto. The suction pipe is connected between the vacuum valve and a sewage sump, with the sewage sump have a source of sewage maintained at atmospheric pressure. Sewage (551) in the sump is sucked through the suction pipe and sent to the collection tank via the transport conduit by opening the vacuum valve. A transport conduit section is laid out in a sawtooth fashion, having in series transport conduit portions comprising a low-point conduit portion (522), a riser conduit portion (521), and a down-slope conduit portion (523). A valve pit apparatus (500) for control and monitoring the valve pit operations is provided with a battery powered electronic computer, a plurality of sensors, and a solenoid valve. A transport conduit apparatus for monitoring the transport conduit conditions is provided with a riser conduit sensor (550) capable of detecting sewage conditions within the riser and communicating the conditions to a computer (551) for processing.
When the vacuum valve (530) is intermittently opened by control of the valve pit apparatus (500), sewage (551) in the sump is intermittently injected under the influence of atmospheric pressure into the transport conduit (520) for transportation to the collection tank, which passes through the transport conduit riser (521) and detected by the transport conduit apparatus for processing. The results of the valve pit apparatus and the transport conduit apparatus processing are stored in computer memory as operating parameters and then wirelessly communicated to devices external of the valve pit apparatus and transport conduit apparatus. The distributed control system provides an apparatus and method for control and monitoring of the vacuum sewer system, which is complex in sensor placement operating parameters processing but simple in structure, easy to maintain and capable of stable operation.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for a vacuum sewer system comprised of a suction pipe having a first end that is connected to a sewage sump and a second end that is connectable to a vacuum source via a vacuum valve, the apparatus comprising:
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sensors comprising at least one vacuum sensor to measure a vacuum in the suction pipe, the vacuum in the suction pipe being based, at least in part, on a height of sewage in the suction pipe; at least one processor to determine an air-to-liquid ratio through the vacuum valve by performing operations that comprise; determining a liquid flow through the vacuum valve based on a duration that a vacuum in the suction pipe is greater than a threshold; and determining a an air flow through the vacuum valve based on a duration following the vacuum in the suction pipe being below the threshold; and a solenoid valve for controlling application of vacuum or pressure to the vacuum valve based on the air-to-liquid ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification