Partitioned separator water treatment system with upflow filter

Abstract

The present invention supplies a series of baffle boxes inserted in the drain water stream with a final box possessing an upflow filter comprising filtration media and filter cartridges. The system can also support a storm flow bypass that directs high-flow storm runoff water directly to the outlet to protect the filter system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A partitioned separator water treatment system, comprised of a box configured for insertion into the flow stream of a drain, the box possessing a ceiling, a floor, two lateral walls, an inflow endwall comprising an inflow opening and an outflow endwall comprising an outflow opening, the inflow end of the box possessing at least one separation chamber weir dividing the box into a plurality of separation chambers, the at least one separation chamber weir in sealing connection with the floor and two lateral walls of the box, but not the ceiling of the box, and having a top below a bottom level of the inflow opening,
 the drain, the box, and the at least one separation chamber weir situated such that water entering the inflow opening is capable of filling the plurality of separation chambers and flowing over the top(s) of the at least one separation chamber weir, allowing sediment and solid pollutants to be trapped in the plurality of separation chambers,   the outflow end of the box possessing a bypass weir in sealing connection with an upflow filter assembly that comprises a media filtration unit and a plurality of filter cartridges,   the bypass weir: i. in sealing connection with the lateral walls of the box, but not the floor or the ceiling of the box, ii. having a top that is above the top of the at least one separation chamber weir, and iii. having a bottom that is above the floor of the box, such that water entering the inflow opening is capable of flowing toward the outflow opening below the bypass weir during low flow periods and above and below the bypass weir during high flow periods,   the media filtration unit in sealing connection with the lateral walls of the box and possessing: i. a top panel that is water permeable and positioned substantially even with a bottom level of the outflow opening, ii. a bottom panel that supports each of the plurality of filter cartridges and that is water impermeable apart from filter cartridge orifices inline with each of the plurality of filter cartridges, iii. side walls that are water impermeable, and iv. Filtration media between the top panel, the bottom panel, and the side walls, such that water is permitted to flow from an area in the box below the upflow filter assembly to the outflow opening only by passing through the plurality of filter cartridges and the filtration media unit,   the filtration media capable of removing, from water that flows therethrough, fine sediment and particulates and dissolved pollutants, and   each of the plurality of filter cartridges capable of removing, from water that flows therethrough, medium to fine sediments and particulates.   
     
     
         2 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydrocarbon filtration unit mounted on a side of the bypass weir that faces the inflow endwall. 
     
     
         3 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass filtration basket mounted on a side of the bypass weir that faces the outflow endwall. 
     
     
         4 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the filtration media is a least one inorganic media selected from the group consisting of a zeolite, an expanded aggregate, a lava rock, an oxide-coated inert material, an alumina, an activated carbon, a perlite, a stonewool, a rockwool, and a pumice. 
     
     
         5 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges comprises a sheet of filter material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a paper, a fiberglass, and a combination thereof folded back and forth into a series of pleats formed into a hollow cylinder, the ends of the cylinder sealed closed by a solid bottom end that is water impermeable and a solid top end that is water impermeable apart from an opening through which water can flow. 
     
     
         6 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges comprises a rigid housing made of metal, plastic, or fiberglass, the housing loaded with a filtration material selected from the group consisting of a fiberglass, a glass wool, and a steel wool and possessing a plurality of screened or grated openings configured to permit water to pass through the filter cartridges and retain the filtration material in the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the inflow opening is on one or more of the three walls on the inflow side of the bypass weir. 
     
     
         8 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the outflow opening is on one or more of the three walls on the outflow side of the bypass weir. 
     
     
         9 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter cartridges are in sealed connection with a coupler that is in sealed connection with the bottom panel and forms a path for water to flow from the orifice of the filtration cartridge to the orifice of the bottom panel of the media filtration unit. 
     
     
         10 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges is reversibly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit. 
     
     
         11 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges is fixedly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit, and wherein the filter cartridge fixedly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit comprises an access hatch on the ceiling. 
     
     
         12 . A partitioned separator water treatment system, comprised of a box inserted in the flow stream of a drain, the box possessing a ceiling, a floor, two lateral walls, an inflow endwall comprising an inflow opening and an outflow endwall comprising an outflow opening,
 the inflow end of the box possessing at least one separation chamber weir dividing the box into a plurality of separation chambers, the at least one separation chamber weir in sealing connection with the floor and two lateral walls of the box, but not the ceiling of the box, and having a top below a bottom level of the inflow opening,   the drain, the box, and the at least one separation chamber weir situated such that water entering the inflow opening is capable of filling the plurality of separation chambers and flowing over the top(s) of the at least one separation chamber weir, allowing sediment and solid pollutants to be trapped in the plurality of separation chambers,   the outflow end of the box possessing a bypass weir in sealing connection with an upflow filter assembly that comprises a media filtration unit, a plurality of filter cartridges, and a filter drain cartridge,   the bypass weir: i. in sealing connection with the lateral walls of the box, but not the floor or the ceiling of the box, ii. having a top that is above the top of the at least on separation chamber weir, and iii. having a bottom that is above the floor of the box, such that water entering the inflow opening is capable of flowing toward the outflow opening below the bypass weir during low flow periods and above and below the bypass weir during storm flow period,   the media filtration unit in sealing connection with the lateral walls of the box and possessing: i. a top panel that is water permeable, ii. a bottom panel that is positioned substantially even with a bottom level of the outflow opening and that supports each of the plurality of filter cartridges and the filter drain cartridge and that is water impermeable apart from filter cartridge orifices inline with each of the plurality of filter cartridges and the plurality of filter drain cartridges, iii. side walls that are water impermeable, and iii. filtration media between the top panel, the bottom panel, and the side walls, such that water is permitted to flow from an area in the box below the upflow filtration assembly to the outflow opening only by passing through the plurality of filter cartridges and the filtration media unit or the filter drain cartridge,   the filter drain cartridge positioned between the outflow opening of the box and the side wall of the media filtration unit that faces the endwall of the box, such that water in the media filtration unit, during no flow periods, is capable of flowing from the filtration media into the area of the box below upflow filter assembly and then to the outflow opening through the filter drain cartridge,   the filtration media capable of removing, from water that flows therethrough, fine sediment and particulates and dissolved pollutants, and   each of the plurality of filter cartridges capable of removing, from water that flows therethrough, medium to fine sediments and particulates.   
     
     
         13 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , further comprising a hydrocarbon filtration unit mounted on a side of the bypass weir that faces the inflow endwall. 
     
     
         14 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , further comprising a bypass filtration basket mounted on a side of the bypass weir that faces the outflow endwall. 
     
     
         15 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , wherein the filtration media is a least one inorganic media selected from the group consisting of a zeolite, an expanded aggregate, a lava rock, an oxide-coated inert material, an activated carbon, a perlite, a stonewool, a rockwook, and a pumice. 
     
     
         16 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges comprises a sheet of filter material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a paper, a fiberglass, and a combination thereof folded back and forth into a series of pleats formed into a hollow cylinder, the ends of the cylinder sealed closed by a solid bottom end that is water impermeable and a solid top end that is water impermeable apart from an opening through which water can flow. 
     
     
         17 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges comprises a rigid housing made of metal, plastic, or fiberglass, the housing loaded with a filtration material selected from the group consisting of a fiberglass, a glass wool, and a steel wool and possessing a plurality of screened or grated openings configured to permit water to pass through the filter cartridges and retain the filtration material in the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges is reversibly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit. 
     
     
         19 . The partitioned separator water treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of filter cartridges is fixedly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit, and wherein the filter cartridge fixedly mounted on the bottom panel of the media filtration unit comprises an access hatch on the ceiling.