Nutrient removal filtration system and method

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for providing nutrient removals in an up flow filtration storm water system for treating water to very high clean levels using filtration media. A filtration media can be supported by a screen above a floor in a vault allows for incoming storm water to pass into a void space above the floor into the screen and filtration media and then out an outlet to the vault. The filtration media can include recyclable and/or natural particles. Layers of river rocks can be placed on top of and below the filtration media. The captured debris can drop to the floor. The long lasting filtration media can be cleaned by being backwashed.

Claims

1. A nutrient removal filtration system, comprising: a generally horizontal lower metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch, supported above a bottom of an in-flow vault, with a void space formed between the bottom and the screen; a lower layer of loose rocks on the lower metal screen; a filtration media of particles resting on the lower layer of loose rocks, the filtration media of particles includes a combination of loose recyclable particles and loose natural particles, wherein storm water flowing into the vault through an inlet passes into the void space and up through the screen and filtration media and out the vault through an outlet, so that contaminants, metals, nutrients and solids are removed from the storm water by the filtration system.

2. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, further comprising; an upper layer of loose rocks above the filtration media of particles.

3. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 2 further comprising: a top metal screen having openings of approximately ¼″ on top of the second layer of loose rocks.

4. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 2, wherein the upper layer of loose rocks include river rocks.

5. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 2, wherein each of the lower layer of rocks and each of the upper layer of rocks is up to approximately twice the size of filtration media particles.

6. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, further comprising: a top metal screen having openings of approximately ¼″ above the filtration media.

7. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, wherein the lower layer of loose rocks include river rocks.

8. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, wherein the loose recyclable particles are selected from a group comprising tire crumb, sawdust, orange peel, coconut husks, leaf compost, crushed oyster shell, soy bean hulls, tree bark, wood chips, paper, alfalfa, corn, mulch, cotton and wheat straw, and the loose natural particles are selected from another group comprising peat, sand, zeolites, limestone, sulfur and clay mixed with the one or more recycled materials.

9. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, wherein the filtration media of particles is approximately 2 inches to approximately 4 inches deep.

10. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, wherein the filtration media of particles includes particle sizes of between approximately ⅛ of an inch to approximately ½ inch in size.

11. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 1, wherein each of the lower layer of rocks is up to approximately twice the size of filtration media particles.

12. A nutrient removal filtration system, comprising: a generally horizontal lower metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch supported above a bottom of a treatment vault, with a void space formed between the bottom and the screen; a filtration media of particles resting on the lower metal screen, the filtration media of particles includes a combination of loose recyclable particles and loose natural particle, wherein storm water flowing into the vault through an inlet passes into the void space and up through the screen and filtration media and out the vault through an outlet, so that contaminants, metals, nutrients and solids are removed from the storm water by the filtration system; a floor on the bottom of the vault wherein sediment and debris from the screen and media falls and slides to the floor.

13. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 12 further comprising: a generally horizontal top metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch on top of the filtration media of particles.

14. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 12, wherein the loose recyclable particles are selected from a group comprising tire crumb, sawdust, orange peel, coconut husks, leaf compost, crushed oyster shell, soy bean hulls, tree bark, wood chips, paper, alfalfa, corn, mulch, cotton and wheat straw, and the loose natural particles are selected from another group comprising peat, sand, zeolites, limestone, sulfur and clay mixed with the one or more recycled materials.

15. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 12, further comprising: a first layer of a combination of loose rocks and a first limestone layer above the filtration media of particles, and a generally horizontal top metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inches on top of the filtration media of particles.

16. The nutrient removal filtration system of claim 15, further comprising: a second layer selected from another combination of additional loose rocks and a second limestone layer, between the filtration media and the generally horizontal top metal screen.

17. A nutrient removal filtration system, consisting of: a generally horizontal lower metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch, supported above a bottom of an in-flow vault, with a void space formed between the bottom and the screen; a lower layer of loose river rocks on the lower metal screen; a filtration media of particles resting on the lower layer of loose rocks, the filtration media of particles includes a combination of loose recyclable particles and loose natural particles, wherein storm water flowing into the vault through an inlet passes into the void space and up through the screen and filtration media and out the vault through an outlet, so that contaminants, metals, nutrients and solids are removed from the storm water by the filtration system, wherein the filtration media of particles includes particle sizes of between approximately ⅛ of an inch to approximately ½ inch in size, and wherein each of the lower layer of rocks is up to approximately twice the size of filtration media particles.

18. A nutrient removal filtration system, consisting of: a generally horizontal lower metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch, supported above a bottom of an in-flow vault, with a void space formed between the bottom and the screen; a lower layer of loose river rocks on the lower metal screen; a filtration media of particles resting on the lower layer of loose rocks, the filtration media of particles includes a combination of loose recyclable particles and loose natural particles, wherein storm water flowing into the vault through an inlet passes into the void space and up through the screen and filtration media and out the vault through an outlet, so that contaminants, metals, nutrients and solids are removed from the storm water by the filtration system, wherein the filtration media of particles includes particle sizes of between approximately ⅛ of an inch to approximately ½ inch in size, wherein each of the lower layer of rocks is up to approximately twice the size of filtration media particles; and a generally horizontal top metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inches on top of the filtration media of particles.

19. A nutrient removal filtration system, consisting of: a generally horizontal lower metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch, supported above a bottom of an in-flow vault, with a void space formed between the bottom and the screen; a lower layer of loose river rocks on the lower metal screen; a filtration media of particles resting on the lower layer of loose rocks, the filtration media of particles includes a combination of loose recyclable particles and loose natural particles, wherein storm water flowing into the vault through an inlet passes into the void space and up through the screen and filtration media and out the vault through an outlet, so that contaminants, metals, nutrients and solids are removed from the storm water by the filtration system, wherein the filtration media of particles includes particle sizes of between approximately ⅛ of an inch to approximately ½ inch in size; and an upper layer of loose river rocks on top of the filtration media of particles, wherein each of the lower layer of rocks and each of the upper layer of loose river rocks is up to approximately twice the size of filtration media particle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1A is an upper front right perspective with partial front right cut-away view of the nutrient removing filtration system with floating skimmer and baffle wall.

(2) FIG. 1B is a front right perspective view of the filtration system of FIG. 1A.

(3) FIG. 2A is another upper front right perspective view of the filtration system of FIG. 1A without the floating skimmer.

(4) FIG. 2B is a front right perspective view of the filtration system of FIG. 2A.

(5) FIG. 3A if a front side view of the filtration system of FIG. 1A.

(6) FIG. 3B is an inlet end view of the filtration system of FIG. 3A along arrow 3B.

(7) FIG. 3C is a bottom view of the filtration system of FIG. 3A along arrow 3C.

(8) FIG. 4A is another front side view of the filtration system of FIG. 1A showing the sloped floor without the floating skimmer, baffle wall, screen, filtration media and rock layers,

(9) FIG. 4B is an inlet end view of the filtration system of FIG. 4A along arrow 4B.

(10) FIG. 4C is a top view of the filtration system of FIG. 4A along arrow 4C.

(11) FIG. 5 is an upper front right perspective view partial cut-away of the FIG. 1A filtration system showing the baffle wall and screen and sloped floor without the filtration media.

(12) FIG. 6A is a front side view of a second embodiment of the nutrient removal filtration system with a first slope floor and second sloped floor.

(13) FIG. 6B is a top view of the filtration system of FIG. 6A along arrow 6B.

(14) FIG. 6C is an inlet end view of the filtration system of FIG. 6A along arrow 6C.

(15) FIG. 6D is an outlet end view of the filtration system of FIG. 6A along arrow 6D.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(16) Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

(17) In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification does not include all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.

(18) In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.

(19) A list of components will now be described.

(20) 1 first embodiment filtration removal system

(21) 2 vault front end

(22) 3 inlet/inflow pipe

(23) 4 vault sides

(24) 5 access hatches

(25) 6 vault floor

(26) 8 vault rear end

(27) 9 outlet/outflow pipe

(28) 10 floating skimmer

(29) 15 baffle wall

(30) 17 baffle support

(31) 19 support angle

(32) 20 screen panel

(33) 30 first rock layer or screen

(34) 35 limestone layer

(35) 40 filtration media

(36) 50 second rock layer

(37) 55 limestone layer

(38) 60 sloped floor

(39) 65 slope support(s) for sloped floor

(40) 70 sprayers

(41) 80 water lines

(42) 100 second embodiment filtration removal system

(43) 110 first side sloped floor

(44) 120 second side sloped floor

(45) 130 left sloped floor

(46) 140 right sloped floor

(47) 150 middle baffle

(48) FIG. 1A is an upper front right perspective with partial front right cut-away view of the nutrient removing filtration system 1 with floating skimmer 10 and baffle wall 15. FIG. 1B is a front right perspective view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 1A. FIG. 2A is another upper front right perspective view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 1A without the floating skimmer 10. FIG. 2B is a front right perspective view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 2A.

(49) FIG. 3A if a front side view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 1A. FIG. 3B is an inlet end view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 3A along arrow 3B. FIG. 3C is a bottom view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 3A along arrow 3C.

(50) FIG. 4A is another front side view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 1A showing the sloped floor 60 without the floating skimmer 10, baffle wall 15, screen panel 20, filtration media 40 and rock layers 30, 50, FIG. 4B is an inlet end view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 4A along arrow 4B. FIG. 4C is a top view of the filtration system 1 of FIG. 4A along arrow 4C.

(51) FIG. 5 is an upper front right perspective view partial cut-away of the FIG. 1A filtration system 1 showing the baffle wall 15 and screen panel 20 and sloped floor 60 without the filtration media 40.

(52) Referring to FIGS. 1A to 5, the filtration system 1 can be located inside a vault having a vault front end wall 2 having an inlet (inflow pipe) 3, vault sides 4, vault floor 6 and vault rear end wall 8 having an outlet (outflow pipe) 9, and access hatches 5 on top of the vault. Storm water can pass into the vault through inlet (inflow pipe) 3 and out the vault through outlet (outflow pipe) 9.

(53) A fixed baffle wall 5 supported by baffle wall support(s) 17 can direct the storm water into a void space between a raised screen panel 20 and the vault floor 6. Attached to an upper end of the baffle wall 5 can be a floating skimmer 10, such as but not limited to the floating skimmer shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,231,780 to Happel, who is the same inventor of the subject application, and which is incorporated by reference. The floating skimmer 10 can rise with the level of storm water in the vault to further prevent incoming storm water from spilling over the top of the upper rock layer 30. The invention is used where incoming storm water is directed down the baffle 15 to pass into the void space between vault floor 6 and screen panel 20 and move upward into the screen panel 20 and rock layers 30 and 50 which sandwich filtration media 40.

(54) The screen panel 20 can be supported above vault floor 6 by support angle(s) 19. The screen panel 20 can be a metal screen having openings of approximately ¼ inch. On top of the screen panel 20 can be a lower layer of rocks 50, such as but not limited to river rocks, such as #57 stone, and the like, followed by filtration media 40 with an upper layer of rocks 30, such as but not limited to river rocks, such as #57 stone, on top of the filtration media layer 40. The filtration media can be approximately 2 inches to approximately 4 inches deep, with individual particles sizes of approximately ⅛ inch to approximately inch in size. Each of the rocks in the upper rock layer 30 and lower rock layer 50 can be up to approximately twice the size of the particles used in the filtration media.

(55) The filtration media can include particles described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,955,507 and 8,002,984 both to Wanielista et al., which are both incorporated by reference.

(56) The filtration media can include a sorption media composition consisting of: at least two of a recycled material and a naturally occurring material. The recycled material can be selected from a group consisting of tire crumb, wood sawdust and compost. The naturally occurring material can be selected from a group consisting of sand, limestone, sandy clay, expanded clay, and peat

(57) The filtration media can include the combination of one or more recycled materials in combination with one or more naturally occurring materials. The one or more recycled materials can be selected from a group consisting of selected from a group consisting of tire crumb, sawdust, orange peel, coconut husks, leaf compost, crushed oyster shell, soy bean hulls, tree bark, wood chips, paper, alfalfa, mulch, cotton and wheat straw. The one or more of a naturally occurring materials can be selected from a group consisting of peat, sand, zeolites, limestone, sulfur and clay mixed with the one or more recycled materials.

(58) The filtration media can include other types of material such as but not limited to zeolite, corn cob, wood chips, expansion shale, perlite and combinations thereof.

(59) The rocks used in the rock layers 30, 50 can provide a horizontal conveyance for water passing upward. The top rock layer 30 can be primarily used as a weight to hold down the loose particles in the filtration media layer 40. A second screen panel can be used instead of the top rock layer 30. The bottom rock layer 50 can support the particles of filter media 40 from falling through.

(60) The flow of storm water through the filtration system can function similarly the Floating Skimmer Apparatus with Up-Flow Filter shown and described in reference to U.S. Pat. No. 8,034,234 to Happel, which is the same inventor as in the subject invention, which is incorporate by reference.

(61) The subject invention incorporates a novel sloped floor 60 supported from the vault floor 6 by slope supports 65, with the raised screen panel 20, and rock layers 30, 50 which sandwich a filtration media 40 therebetween. Water lines 80 can direct pressurized water from outside the vault to sprayers 70 that can be located under the screen panel 20 at the low point of the sloped floor 60 and at different positions above and the sloped floor between the vault front end 2 and the vault rear end 8. The lines of sprayers 70 can include

(62) The novel invention allows for the void space between the screen panel 20 and the vault floor 6 to be more easily serviced.

(63) Debris passing into the vault can easily become captured in this space. In addition pollutants and nutrients can be prevented from rising upward through the screen panel 20, lower rock layer 50, filtration media layer 40 and top rock layer 30. The sloped floor 60 allows for sediment and debris and other pollutants to drop from the screen panel 20, rock layers 30, 50 and filtration media 40 to land on the sloped floor 60 and slide downward toward the lower end of the sloped floor 60. The sprayers 70 can further move the debris and pollutants to slide down the sloped floor 60. The sprayers 70 can have pressures of approximately 300 PSI and up.

(64) The sprayers 70 can liquefy the captured debris which will also allow it to easily slide down the sloped floor 60. A vacuum truck with vacuum line having a lower end positioned adjacent the low point of the sloped floor 60 so that the small and liquefied debris can be easily vacuumed out of the vault.

(65) The sprayers 70 can be attached to sidewalls of the vault, as well as to the floor. The sprayers 70 that can be single pipes with holes, and connected to water lines 80. The locations and positions of the sprayers 70 can be arranged in various configurations and arrangements, as shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/288,455 filed May 28, 2014, to the same inventor of the subject application, which is incorporated by reference.

(66) The filtration media 40 and rock layers 30, 50 can be periodically cleaned by backwashing water through the vault, which can include running water from above the top layer of rocks 30 through the filtration media 40 and bottom rock layer 50.

(67) The novel filtration system 1 avoids technology that avoids typical head losses during high flow events. This enables the placement of filtration media in line with existing pipes without a significant impact on flow. The filtration media bed is in an up flow fluidized configuration which enables the system to be resistant to clogging.

(68) In no flow states, which are between rain events, the filtration media and rock layers remain stable. Typically for nutrient specific granular media, biological activity on the surface of the media and water begin to consume contaminants captured by the media, and over time the denitrification process accelerates. Every time the rain event begins and ends the media can shift and break apart any clogs that may have begun to form in the media

(69) During low to medium flows, all the water flow is directed to force water up through the filtration media and rock layers. Sediments and other solids will settle into the lower void space below the filtration media and rock layers.

(70) During high flows the float skimmer rises and water can flow over the top of the filtration media and rock layers to the outlet of the vault.

(71) FIG. 6A is a front side view of a second embodiment of the nutrient removal filtration system 100 with a first slope floor 110 and second sloped floor 120. FIG. 6B is a top view of the filtration system 100 of FIG. 6A along arrow 6B. FIG. 6C is an inlet end view of the filtration system 100 of FIG. 6A along arrow 6C. FIG. 6D is an outlet end view of the filtration system 100 of FIG. 6A along arrow 6D.

(72) Referring to FIGS. 6A to 6D, the second embodiment filtration system 100 can include similar components to the previous embodiment. Here, the floor can include a first side sloped floor 110 and a second side sloped floor 120, as well as a left sloped floor 130 and a right sloped floor 140.

(73) The first side sloped floor 110 on the bottom of the vault can have an upper end adjacent to one side of the vault and a lower end adjacent to a middle portion of the vault. The second side sloped floor 120 on the bottom of the vault can have an upper end adjacent to another side of the vault and a lower end adjacent to the middle portion of the vault. A left sloped floor 130 can have a low end adjacent to the inlet to the vault and a high end adjacent to a center of the vault supported by a middle baffle 150. A right sloped floor 140 can have a low end adjacent to the outlet to the vault and a high end adjacent to the center of the vault supported by the middle baffle 150.

(74) Sediment and debris from the screen and media can fall and slide downward toward the lower end of the first side sloped floor 110 and downward to the lower end of the left sloped floor 130 in a downward funnel configuration. Sediment and debris from the screen and media can also fall and slides downward toward the lower end of the second sloped floor 120 and downward to the lower end of the right sloped floor 149 also in a downward funnel configuration.

(75) Although not shown, sprayers 80 can be positioned to both liquefy and direct the debris and pollutants to the front inlet end 2 and rear inlet end 8 of the vault for pickup by vacuum lines similar to the previous embodiment.

(76) In addition the rock layers 30, 50 can be replaced with limestone layers 35, 55. In addition a screened panel 20 can also be used in a similar configuration to the previous embodiment.

(77) The storm water treatment vaults can be retrofitted with slope floors (subfloors. Additionally, the floors of the storm water treatment vaults can be concrete poured into sloped surfaces when the vaults are built.

(78) While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.