Sewage fluid interface barrier

Abstract

A sewer comprising a barrier disposed to prevent or reduce the flow of air in the headspace, oppose the escape of gases and/or liquid droplets from within the liquid into the headspace of the sewer, and also oppose the drawing in and entrainment of headspace air and gases into the liquid contained within the sewer. The sewer comprises a conduit and a barrier fixed within the interior of the sewer, which extends longitudinally along the sewer conduit so as to separate the sewer conduit into a liquid conductive channel disposed below the barrier and a gas conductive channel disposed above the barrier. The barrier may move up and down within the sewer responsively with varying water flow within the sewer. The barrier may comprise an elastomeric sheet. The barrier may be tubular at areas of steep plunge.

1 . A sewer construction provided with a barrier to prevent or reduce the dragging of the air within the sewer headspace by the flowing liquids thereby preventing or reducing the flow of air in the headspace, opposing the escape of dissolves gases and/or liquid droplets from the liquids into the headspace of the sewer, and also opposing the drawing in and entrainment of headspace air and gases into the liquid contained within the sewer, comprising:
 a sewer conduit having a circumferential wall for confining liquids within the sewer and a longitudinal axis, and comprising at least one entry opening which opens the interior of the circumferential wall to the environment, for allowing access to the interior of the sewer for maintenance, enabling inflow or outflow of air, or enabling collection of liquids to be discharged, and a discharge opening for discharging collected liquids contained within the sewer conduit to the exterior of the sewer conduit; and   a barrier fixed to the sewer conduit within the interior of the sewer conduit, wherein the barrier is disposed to extend longitudinally along the sewer conduit and to separate the sewer conduit into a liquid conductive channel disposed below the barrier for conducting liquids and a gas conductive channel disposed above the barrier, wherein the barrier is disposed to move radially with respect to the longitudinal axis so as to vary the respective volumes of the liquid conductive channel and the gas conductive channel.   
     
     
         2 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is disposed to move radially with respect to the longitudinal axis so as to vary the respective volumes of the liquid conductive channel and the gas conductive channel spontaneously responsive to the volume of liquid contained within the liquid conductive channel. 
     
     
         3 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         4 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is partially liquid impermeable. 
     
     
         5 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is fully liquid impermeable. 
     
     
         6 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is partially gas impermeable. 
     
     
         7 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier is fully gas impermeable. 
     
     
         8 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The sewer construction of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a sheet along some of the length of the sewer conduit and a tube along other portions of the length of the sewer conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The sewer construction of  claim 9 , wherein the barrier comprises a sheet along its entire length. 
     
     
         11 . The sewer construction of  claim 9 , wherein the barrier comprises a tube along its entire length. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a sewer which contains both liquid and also air within a headspace located above the liquid, comprising the steps of:
 providing a barrier within the sewer along at least a portion of the length of the sewer, which barrier extends longitudinally along the sewer and is interposed between the liquid and the air of the headspace.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising the further step of anchoring a first end of the barrier at a point within the sewer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising the further step of anchoring a second end of the barrier at a second point within the sewer 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising the further step of enabling the barrier to move radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sewer so as to vary the respective volumes of the sewer above the barrier and below the barrier. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising the step of causing the barrier to move radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sewer spontaneously responsive to the volume of liquid contained within the liquid conductive channel.