Patent Publication Number: US-11639600-B2

Title: Storm water retention or detention system and module therefore

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to storm water retention and detention systems often utilized in urban settings such as Nashville, Tenn., and more particularly to modular pre-cast concrete storm water retention and detention systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Storm water retention and detention systems are used in urban settings where the cost of land is high, and other systems for diverting and retaining storm water such as ponds, reservoirs, and the like which require land resources are less desirable. These systems are typically made of concrete, and have one or more inlets and outlets to take in water and hold it for a period of time before releasing it back into the environment in a controlled manner to a desired location. This decreases pooling of water around buildings and other structures, and the system can be set up under or adjacent to a building and therefore requires less land resources than traditional ponds and reservoirs. 
     Storm water retention and detention systems can be custom designed to fit any land use space. However, a number of companies have developed modular systems which enable adaptively setting up a system for virtually any space. Examples of modular systems are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,991,401, 7,160,058, and 7,344,335, each of which are herein incorporated by reference. Alternative modular designs are commercially available from Old Castle Infrastructure. Despite the recent advances in modular storm water retention and detention systems, there is a need for improved and more robust systems which allow for more flexible adaptability to land spaces, easier installation, improved storm and run off water handling, and the like. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect of the invention a substantially square module is constructed for use in a storm water retention an detention system which can be configured for use with a plurality of similar modules to adaptively fit into multiple land space configurations. 
     It is another aspect of the invention to provide a module with more wall space for water containment and detention than currently available modules. 
     It is yet another aspect of the invention to provide storm water retention and detention systems comprised of a plurality of square modules. 
     It is still another aspect of the invention to provide storm water retention and detention systems comprised of a plurality of modules with improved air handling features. 
     It is another aspect of the invention to provide methods for installing storm water retention and detention systems. 
     According to the invention, a storm water retention or detention system is constructed to fit a desired land area from square shaped concrete modules. Each of the modules has at least one water passage and one air passage, and the water passages and air passages of adjacent concrete modules are in alignment to allow the free flow of water and air therebetween. The water passage may be circular, have a cross-sectional area less than 60% of the total area of a side of module, and be slightly above the bottom inside surface of the modules. The top of only one or the tops of only a few of the modules include ports such as access ports above the surface of the storm water retention or detention system. The external surface, formed from the walls of a plurality of concrete modules, do not include the water passages which allow water flow between adjacent modules, except that one or more of the concrete modules have water inlet ports and one or more different concrete modules include water outlet ports to allow water to flow into and out of the storm water retention and detention system. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  are side and top views of a concrete module used in a storm retention and detention system where water passage openings are on two adjacent side walls; 
         FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  are side and top views of a concrete module where water passage openings are on opposite side walls; 
         FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  are side and top views of a concrete module where water passage openings are on three of the four side walls; 
         FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  are side and top views of a concrete module where water passage openings are on all four side walls; 
         FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  are side and top views of a concrete module where a water passage opening is on only one of the four side walls; 
         FIG.  6 A  is a top view of a five module storm retention and detention system; 
         FIG.  6 B  is a cut away side view of a portion of a storm retention and detention system; and 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic top view of a fifty eight module storm retention and detention system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  there is shown an example of a concrete module  10  for use in assembling a storm retention or detention system. The thicknesses and heights presented in the drawings are for exemplary purposes and can be varied considerably within the practice of the invention.  FIG.  1 A  shows the module  10  has a bottom floor  12  and a top  14 , and  FIG.  1 B  shows the module  10  has four side walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 . 
     The module  10  is a square shape. The square shape allows for a more robust ability to adapt to the shape of a variety of different land areas. Rectangular configurations can put impediments on the final lay out storm retention and detention system, and can be more difficult to align and connect. 
       FIG.  1 A  and  FIG.  1 B  show the thickness of the floor  12  and side walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  to be approximately six inches. However, the thickness of the concrete may very depending on the application, with four to ten inches being suitable for most applications.  FIG.  1 B  shows the module being approximately eleven feet on a side, which, given a six inch wall thickness produces a module  10  with an interior ten feet on a side. The length of the side may vary depending on the application, and a square shape ranging from six to fifteen feet on each of the four sides being suitable for most applications.  FIG.  1 A  shows that the bottom  12  is integral with the side walls. This provides for better water handling capabilities; however, in some applications the walls might simply be joined to the bottom and the joints would be sealed with caulk, grout, or other suitable materials.  FIG.  1 B  shows the top  14  resting on the top edges of the side walls. This configuration allows for easy set up and sealing within the modules with the tops being lifted into place with a crane or other device when the storm retention or detention system is assembled. However, in some applications the top  14  may be formed integrally with the side walls  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 , and bottom  12 . In  FIG.  1 A  the top is shown as being approximately seven inches thick; however, this thickness may range from four to twelve inches depending on the application. As will be discussed in more detail below, not every module  10  requires an access port (not shown) extending through the top with the inventive storm water retention and detention system. 
       FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  show two large water passage holes  24  and  26  in side walls  16  and  22  respectively. These passage holes  24  and  26  extend wholly through the side walls and allow water to pass freely between the module and an adjacent module. In a preferred design the water passage holes  24  and  26  are circular in shape and may be, for example, four feet in diameter. Preferably, the opening of the water passage holes  24  and  26  are well less than, for example, 60%, 50%, or even 40%, the total area of the wall in which it is located. For example, in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  the inside wall as a total area of 50 square feet while the four foot diameter water passage is less than 13 square feet. This extra surface area helps with water containment within each of the modules  10  in a storm retention or detention system and makes the entire assembly stronger. Depending on the application, the shape of the holes need not be circular (e.g., rectangular, triangular, or other polygonal are suitable), however, the circular design provides for more structural stiffness, and makes alignment of adjacent modules  10  easier when assembling the storm retention and detention system from a plurality of modules. In addition, in some applications and/or for some modules, the opening in the side wall for allowing water passage may be greater than 60% of the total area of the wall. 
       FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  also show six inch diameter air holes  28  and  30  positioned above the water passage openings  26  and  24  respectively. The air holes  28  and  30  need not be circular and could be larger or smaller, and in some applications there could be more than one air hole in a wall. The air holes allow air to be move from one module to another, and eventually out of the storm retention or detention system through a port in a side wall of a module at the side of the system or ports in a top of one of the modules in the system. When water begins to fill up the storm retention or detention system during a heavy storm for example, air present within the system will begin to compress and will need to exit the system as modules fill with water. When the storm retention or detention system is assembled, the air holes  28  and  30  of adjacent modules  10  are aligned in the same manner as the water passage openings  24  and  26 . 
       FIG.  1 A  also shows the water passage opening  26  is located slight above the top surface of the floor  12  of the module, for example, two inches above. The height above the bottom surface can vary, and in some applications is not required. The slight elevation of the water passage opening  26  can provide some benefits in the manufacturing of the module, as well as structural integrity advantages. 
     A variety of modules similar to those depicted in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  are possible.  FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  show an example of a concrete module  32  for a storm water retention or detention system which has water passage openings  34  and  36  and air passages  38  and  40  on opposing walls.  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  show an example of a concrete module  42  where three of the walls include water passages  44 ,  45 , and  46 , and air passages  48 ,  49 , and  50 .  FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  show an example of a concrete module  52  where each of the four walls include water passages  54 ,  55 ,  56 , and  57 , and air passages  58 ,  59 ,  60 , and  61 .  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  show an example of a concrete module  62  which has only a water passage  64  and air passage  65  on a single wall. The concrete module may be used around the exterior of the storm water retention or detention system to provide extra storage capacity, and might also be equipped with a rain water inlet or outlet pipe (not shown; discussed below). 
       FIG.  6 A  shows storm water retention and detention system  70  comprised of five concrete modules  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 , and  80 . It can be seen that concrete module  72  has a single water passage  82 , like that shown in  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B , which is aligned with water passage  84  of concrete module  74 . Concrete module  74  has three water passages  84 ,  86 , and  88 , similar to the concrete module depicted in  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B . Concrete modules  76 ,  78 , and  80  are similar to the concrete module depicted in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  with water passages  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98 , and  100  on two of the adjacent side walls of the respective module. Each of the water passages  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 , and  98  are aligned with a water passage of a neighboring module. When the storm water retention and detention system  70  is constructed, after the modules  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78  and  80  are positioned next to one another, caulk, grout or other materials may be applied at the line between the aligned, adjacent water passages to provide for water tightness. 
       FIG.  6 A  shows a water inlet port  102  passing through the side wall of concrete module  72 , and a water outlet port  104  passing through the side wall of the concrete module  80 . The water inlet port  102  and water outlet port  104  may be installed before or after assembly of the storm water retention and detention system  70 . The water inlet port  102  and water outlet port  104  may be installed anywhere on the wall (e.g., in the center as in concrete module  72 , or toward an edge as in concrete module  80 ). Preferably, all of the exterior walls of the storm water detention and retention system are solid, without a water passage, except for inlet and outlet ports on some of the exterior walls. This enables storm water to be directed to the storm water retention and detention system  70 , and fill up and flow between the modules  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 , and  80 , before being discharged in a controlled manner and direction by water outlet port  104 .  FIG.  6 A  shows that only a few of the modules, e.g.,  72  and  80 , can include access holes  106  and  108 , and this will still allow access to the entire storm water retention or detention system structure. While not shown, the access holes  106  and  108  can provide air venting, and other holes (not shown) may be provided in the tops of some of the modules  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 , and  80  for air venting. 
       FIG.  6 B  shows a three module  110 ,  112 , and  114 , portion of a storm water retention or detention system  116 . Notably, the access ports  118  and  120  may include a set of steps or ladder elements  122  or  124  to allow a person to descend inside of the storm water retention or detention structure for servicing, maintenance, etc.  FIG.  6 B  also shows water inlet port  126  and water outlet port  128  located high on the outer walls of concrete modules  110  and  114 , above the top level of the water passages  130 ,  132 , and  134  between adjacent modules. The location of the water inlet port  126  and  128  in terms of height above the floor of the storm water retention or detention system  116  can vary depending on the application, and need not be at the same height as shown in  FIG.  6 B  or necessarily well above the top of the water passages  130   132 , and  134 . 
       FIG.  7    shows that the storm water retention or detention systems  136  can be extremely large and can adapt to the shape of virtually any land space area. For example,  FIG.  7    shows a storm water retention or detention system  136  constructed from fifty eight individual concrete modules, where the structure varies from one module wide to four modules wide, and from twenty modules long to nine modules long.  FIG.  7   , like  FIG.  6 A , shows that the water inlet  138  and the water outlet  140  need not be in alignment. While not shown, storm water retention or detention systems like that depicted as  136  in  FIG.  7    may have more than one water inlet and/or more than one water outlet. In addition, structures, such as a pond outlet (not shown) may be constructed on top of one or more selected modules  142 . 
     While the invention has been described in terms of its preferred embodiments, those of skill in the art will recognize that the invention may be practiced with variation within the scope of the appended claims.