Liquid movement and/or collection apparatus and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the provision of apparatus which includes a panel, and the panel itself for the at least partial collection and/or movement of liquid across a surface thereof typically the surface on which the liquid impacts, said panel formed by a series of members which are respectfully located and formed so as to define a plurality of slots and/or apertures in the said panel whilst the same are provided in a form to ensure that a significant proportion of the liquid passes along the surface on which the same impacts to be collected and/or dispensed from the panel rather than passing through the said slots and/or apertures.

1 : Apparatus for the at least partial collection and/or movement of liquid, said apparatus including at least one panel formed by a series of members which are respectively located and formed so as to define a plurality of slots and/or apertures in the said panel. 
     
     
         2 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the said members are formed as an integral, unitary, panel. 
     
     
         3 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel includes a first group of members which are spaced apart and arranged substantially in parallel and a second group of members which are spaced apart and arranged substantially in parallel and at an angle offset to the members of the first group. 
     
     
         4 : Apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein a third group of members are provided which are spaced apart and arranged substantially parallel at an angle offset to the members of the first group and at an angle substantially equal to but opposing that of the members of the second group. 
     
     
         5 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the members are provided so as to form a mesh with a repeating pattern across the panel which is formed. 
     
     
         6 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the said members are arranged so as to form a series of substantially diamond, parallelogram or polygon shaped apertures across the panel. 
     
     
         7 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel parameters which are controlled for the said panel include any, or any combination, of the size of the aperture defined by the respective members, the shape of the aperture, the angle of offset of the respective members, the arrangement of the mesh pattern with respect to the direction or directions from which the liquid will impact on the panel in use, the arrangements of the mesh pattern with respect to the direction or directions from which the liquid will collect and/or the tilt angle of the panel. 
     
     
         8 : Apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the panel is formed with a substantially uniform mesh pattern. 
     
     
         9 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel is provided with, or is part of, a support structure. 
     
     
         10 : Apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the position of the structure in use is determined and controlled such that the incident liquid stream which contacts with the structure will contact with the panel within a predetermined angle range in order to allow the water movement and/or collection performance of the panel to be achieved within a predetermined efficiency range. 
     
     
         11 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the flow of liquid across the contact surface of the panel rather than through the apertures is achieved by providing the panel in a position such that said surface is at an angle which is greater than 10 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
         12 : Apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the panel is tilted by 20° or more from the horizontal (ϕ=70°). 
     
     
         13 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the surface wettability of the panel is controlled in order to control an increase in the value of ϕ at which the panel will start to allow liquid to pass through the apertures in the panel. 
     
     
         14 : Apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the orientation of the panel with respect to the incident water flow is controlled in order to define the efficiency of water collection and/or movement. 
     
     
         15 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel has formations provided thereon which encourage the flow of liquid thereacross to one or more predefined locations. 
     
     
         16 : Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the said formations act as means to encourage the drainage of the liquid from the panel into liquid collection means and thereby minimise uncontrolled flow of liquid from the panel. 
     
     
         17 : Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the panel is formed with a plurality of substantially V or U shaped channels at least adjacent the edge of the panel from which the liquid leaves the same so as to encourage the liquid to flow along said channels as it leaves the said surface of the panel. 
     
     
         18 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel which is formed is substantially planer. 
     
     
         19 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a panel formed as a breathable mesh structure which is used for the diversion of the liquid which impacts the surface of the same. 
     
     
         20 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein at least the surface of the panel on which the liquid impacts, is subjected to one or more surface treatments. 
     
     
         21 : Apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the treatment is plasma treatment. 
     
     
         22 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein at least the surface of the panel on which the liquid impacts is provided so as to act as a switching surface by being oleophobic, oleophilic, hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic and having a breathable mesh structure for liquid diversion. 
     
     
         23 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the panel acts as a filtration means to allow separation of solids from a liquid which impact onto the surface of the panel or to allow the separation of different liquids which impact onto the panel. 
     
     
         24 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the members are surface formed so as to be puckered. 
     
     
         25 : Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein at least two of said panels are provided substantially in parallel and spaced apart by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         26 : Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein the said panels are provided with mesh patterns of different configurations. 
     
     
         27 : Apparatus which includes at least one panel having a surface located so as to be impacted by a liquid and to allow the majority of the liquid to be moved along the surface and be collected wherein the said at least one panel is formed as a mesh by a series of members defining apertures there between. 
     
     
         28 : A panel, said panel having first and second opposing surfaces, said panel formed by a series of members which are respectfully located and formed so as to define a plurality of slots and/or apertures in the said panel and said panel is selectively oriented with respect to the incident flow of a liquid such that the majority of the liquid which is impacted onto one of the said surfaces of the said panels flows across the surface rather than through the said slots and/or apertures. 
     
     
         29 : A panel according to  claim 28  wherein the panel is formed by a first group of members which are spaced apart and arranged substantially in parallel and a second group of members which are spaced apart and arranged substantially in parallel and at an angle offset to the members of the first group. 
     
     
         30 : Apparatus according to  claim 28  wherein a third group of members are provided which are spaced apart and arranged substantially parallel at an angle offset to the members of the first group and at an angle substantially equal to but opposing that of the members of the second group.