Liquid Filtration System

Abstract

In some embodiments, a filtration system may include one or more of the following features: (a) a housing having a bottom portion, a middle portion coupled to the bottom portion and all upper portions and a cap coupled to the upper portion, (b) a sediment storage area within the bottom portion, (c) a separator area within the middle portion, (d) a porous filter within the upper portion, (e) an access hatch within the cap, (f) an inlet pipe for allowing storm water within a middle chamber, (g) an outlet pipe for allowing filtered water to be discharged from the filtration system, and (h) a central pipe being a passageway through the porous filter.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A stormwater treatment apparatus comprising:
 (a) a shaft having a bottom, at least one sidewall and a top spaced from the bottom by the at least one sidewall, and a stormwater inlet port formed through the at least one sidewall at a predetermined distance above the bottom;   (b) an inlet pipe disposed in the inlet port and oriented to produce a circular flow of stormwater within a portion of the shaft located below the inlet port for facilitating sedimentation of solid contaminants present in the stormwater;   (c) a pervious concrete filter dimensioned to abut the at least one sidewall and is horizontally disposed within the shaft at a location above the stormwater inlet port, the filter being modular and porous; and   (d) an outlet in the at least one sidewall located above the level of the pervious concrete filter whereby stormwater exiting the shaft must first pass through the filter.   
     
     
         36 . The stormwater treatment apparatus as in  claim 35  wherein the shaft is cylindrical and the bottom includes a frusto-conically shaped recess. 
     
     
         37 . The stormwater treatment apparatus as in  claim 35  wherein the porous concrete filter contains at least one chemical additive for adsorbing or precipitating a dissolved pollutant that may be present in the stormwater. 
     
     
         38 . The stormwater treatment apparatus as in  claim 37  wherein the chemical additive is selected from a group consisting of ferric oxide, hydroxides and zeolite. 
     
     
         39 . The stormwater treatment apparatus as in  claim 35  wherein the filter comprises first and second layers of pervious concrete sandwiching at least one of an ion exchange or an ion adsorbing medium therebetween. 
     
     
         40 . The stormwater treatment apparatus as in  claim 39  wherein the ion adsorbing medium is selected from a group consisting of limestone, expanded clay, or recycled concrete intermixed with iron oxides, iron hydroxides and zeolite. 
     
     
         41 . A filtration system, comprising:
 a modular housing having a bottom portion, a middle portion stacked upon the bottom portion and an upper portion stacked upon the middle portion, and a cap coupled to the upper portion;   a sediment storage area within the bottom portion;   a separator area within the middle portion;   a molded filter of porous concrete within the upper portion; and   an access hatch within the cap.   
     
     
         42 . The filtration system of  claim 41 , wherein the porosity of the filter becomes finer as water travels from a middle chamber to an upper chamber. 
     
     
         43 . A modular filter, comprising:
 a single layer of a plurality of multi-shaped filter elements made of a porous concrete, pores decrease in size in a flow direction in a continuous manner; and   a sealant to seal together the plurality of multi-shaped filter elements.   
     
     
         44 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein the filter elements are a combination of substantially shaped rectangular filter elements and substantially sector shaped filter elements. 
     
     
         45 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein the filter elements include an iron compound. 
     
     
         46 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein pores of the filter elements absorb hydrocarbons and dissolved heavy metals. 
     
     
         47 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein the filter elements are retained within a filtration system. 
     
     
         48 . The modular filter of  claim 47 , wherein the filter elements are retained in an upper portion of the filtration system. 
     
     
         49 . The modular filter of  claim 48 , wherein the filter elements are supported by supports. 
     
     
         50 . The modular filter of  claim 49 , wherein at least one of the supports is a beam support which extends across the upper portion of the filtration system anchored into a wall. 
     
     
         51 . The modular filter of  claim 50 , wherein at least one support is a channel support which supports the filter elements. 
     
     
         52 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , further comprising a handle coupled to at least one of the filter elements. 
     
     
         53 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein pores of the filter elements absorb dissolved heavy metals. 
     
     
         54 . The modular filter of  claim 43 , wherein pores of the filter elements absorb phosphates.