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Vacuum Flushing of Sewer Solids (Slides)
Citation:
STINSON, M. K. Vacuum Flushing of Sewer Solids (Slides). Presented at EPA Science Forum 2008, Washington D.C., DC, May 20 - 22, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
Slide Presentation
Description:
The vacuum sewer and tank cleaning (flushing) technology removes sewer solids from urban drainage systems, such as storage tanks and pipes. This technology is both effective and inexpensive. In addition, it can be considered a true green technology. It operates under atmospheric pressure and hydrostatic buildup and does not require complex control instrumentation or an extramural source of water for flushing. Urban drainage systems include combined sewer, sanitary sewer, and stormwater sewer systems. All components of the network, storage tanks and pipes, accumulate solids that need to be periodically removed. Cleaning of sewer systems optimizes their performance, maintains their structural integrity and substantially minimizes pollution of receiving waters. Commercial cleaning (flushing) methods use energy for moving parts and require a large amount of water to create high-speed hydraulic waves to re-suspend deposited solids, which are washed to a storage sump and later transported to the wastewater treatment plant. Vacuum flushing technology creates hydraulic waves without the use of an outside energy source, without any moving parts, and with the use of no other water than from the storm event itself. Use of this flushing system would provide the municipalities and districts with a reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly technology. The technology was tested in a hydraulic laboratory set-up at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of Rutgers University, NJ. However, a full-scale (field) demonstration of this invention is recommended to further confirm its advantages. Such a demonstration could be done under a Cooperative Research and Demonstration Agreement (CRADA).