초록 ▼

A density baffle assembly for use in a water treatment system is disclosed. The density baffle assembly includes a plurality of density baffles where each density baffle comprises a corrugated panel member having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, with a co

A density baffle assembly for use in a water treatment system is disclosed. The density baffle assembly includes a plurality of density baffles where each density baffle comprises a corrugated panel member having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, with a corrugated pattern running across the corrugated panel member. Each density baffle also comprises a support flange integrally connected to the upper edge of the corrugated panel member. The support flange may be affixed to a wall of the water treatment system using a fastening means. Adjacent corrugated panel members may be nested together at their lateral sides and secured to each other using a fastening means.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. In a water treatment system to gravitationally separate solids suspended in a liquid contained in said water treatment system, the water treatment system having a containment vessel bottom and a substantially vertical wall bounding the liquid, the improvement comprising densi

What is claimed is: 1. In a water treatment system to gravitationally separate solids suspended in a liquid contained in said water treatment system, the water treatment system having a containment vessel bottom and a substantially vertical wall bounding the liquid, the improvement comprising density baffle comprising: a first corrugated panel member having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, with a corrugated pattern running laterally across said first corrugated panel member from said first lateral side to said second lateral side; and a support flange integrally connected to said upper edge of said first corrugated panel member, and wherein said support flange is affixed to a substantially vertical wall of a water treatment system such that said first corrugated panel member slopes downward at an angle away from said substantially vertical wall toward an interior of a containment vessel and a containment vessel bottom of said water treatment system terminating at said lower edge and disposed in space relation to said containment vessel bottom, and wherein said first lateral side of said first corrugated panel member terminates at a first location along said corrugated pattern and said second lateral side of said first corrugated panel member terminates at a second location along said corrugated pattern such that a second lateral side of a second corrugated panel member of similar design is overlapped in a nested manner with said first lateral side of said first corrugated panel member and is directly affixed thereto without use of an additional support bracket, and such that a first lateral side of a third corrugated panel member of similar design is overlapped in a nested manner with said second lateral side of said first corrugated panel member and is directly affixed thereto without use of an additional joining structure. 2. The density baffle of claim 1 wherein said first corrugated panel member and said support flange are unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 3. The density baffle of claim 1 further comprising a fastening means to affix said support flange to a substantially vertical wall. 4. The density baffle of claim 1 further comprising a fastening means to affix said first lateral side of said first corrugated panel member to a second lateral side of said second corrugated panel member. 5. The density baffle of claim 1 further comprising a fastening means to affix a second lateral side of said first corrugated panel member to a first lateral side of said third corrugated panel member. 6. The density baffle of claim 1 wherein said upper edge of said first corrugated panel member has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of a substantially vertical wall of the water treatment system. 7. The density baffle of claim 1 wherein said support flange has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of a substantially vertical wall of the water treatment system. 8. The density baffle of claim 1 further comprising a rigidizing flange integrally connected to said lower edge of said first corrugated panel member. 9. The density baffle of claim 8 wherein said first corrugated panel member, said support flange, and said rigidizing flange are unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 10. The density baffle of claim 1 wherein said downward slope of said first corrugated panel member forms an angle of about 45 degrees with horizontal. 11. In a water treatment system to gravitationally separate solids suspended in a liquid contained in said water treatment system, the water treatment system having a containment vessel bottom and a substantially vertical wall bounding the liquid, the improvement comprising density baffle assembly comprising: a plurality of baffles mounted on the peripheral wall of the water treatment system, each said baffle comprising: a corrugated panel member having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, with a corrugated pattern running laterally across said corrugated panel member from said first lateral side to said second lateral side, wherein said first lateral side of said corrugated panel member terminates at a first location along said corrugated pattern and said second lateral side of said corrugated panel member terminates at a second location along said corrugated pattern; and a support flange integrally connected to said upper edge of said corrugated panel member, and wherein said support flange is affixed to a substantially vertical wall of a water treatment system such that said corrugated panel member slopes downward at an angle away from said substantially vertical wall toward an interior of a containment vessel and a containment vessel bottom of said water treatment system terminating at said lower edge and disposed in space relation to said containment vessel bottom; said plurality of baffles able to be secured together in end-to-end relation such that a first lateral side of any one corrugated panel member is overlapped in a nested manner with a second lateral side of a first adjacent corrugated panel member and is directly affixed thereto without use of an additional support bracket, and such that a second lateral side of said any one corrugated panel member is overlapped in a nested manner with a first lateral side of a second adjacent corrugated panel member and is directly affixed thereto without use of an additional support bracket. 12. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 wherein each said baffle of said plurality of baffles are unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 13. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 further comprising a fastening means to affix said support flange to said a substantially vertical wall. 14. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 further comprising a fastening means to affix said first lateral side of said any one corrugated panel member to a second lateral side of said first adjacent corrugated panel member. 15. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 further comprising a fastening means to affix said second lateral side of said any one corrugated panel member to a first lateral side of said second adjacent corrugated panel member. 16. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 wherein said upper edge of said corrugated panel member has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of a substantially vertical wall of the water treatment system. 17. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 wherein said support flange has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of a substantially vertical wall of the water treatment system. 18. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 wherein each said baffle of said plurality of baffles further comprises a rigidizing flange integrally connected to said tower edge of said corrugated panel member. 19. The density baffle assembly of claim 18 wherein said corrugated panel member, said support flange, and said rigidizing flange are unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 20. The density baffle assembly of claim 11 wherein said downward slope of said corrugated panel member forms an angle of about 45 degrees with horizontal. 21. A method of installing a density baffle assembly in a water treatment system to gravitationally separate solids suspended in a liquid contained in said water treatment system, the water treatment system having a containment vessel bottom and a substantially vertical wall bounding the liquid, said method comprising: securing to the substantially vertical wall a first baffle having a corrugated panel member including an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, with a corrugated pattern running laterally across said corrugated panel member from said first lateral side to said second lateral side, and wherein said first lateral side of said corrugated panel member terminates at a first location along said corrugated pattern and said second lateral side of said corrugated panel member terminates at a second location along said corrugated pattern, and a support flange integrally connected to said upper edge of said corrugated panel member for securing said corrugated panel member to said substantially vertical wall such that said corrugated panel member slopes downward at an angle away from said substantially vertical wall toward an interior of a containment vessel and a containment vessel bottom of said water treatment system terminating at said lower edge and disposed in space relation to said containment vessel bottom; and securing a second baffle to said substantially vertical wall and, in end-to-end immediately-adjacent nested relation therewith, to said first baffle wherein said second baffle is similar in design to said first baffle, and wherein a second lateral side of a corrugated panel member of said second baffle is overlapped in a nested manner with said first lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said first baffle and is directly affixed thereto without the use of an additional support bracket, and wherein a support flange of said second baffle is integrally connected to an upper edge of said corrugated panel member of said second baffle for securing said corrugated panel member of said second baffle to said substantially vertical wall such that said corrugated panel member of said second baffle slopes downward at an angle away from said substantially vertical peripheral wall toward said interior of said containment vessel and said containment vessel bottom of said water treatment system terminating at a lower edge of said corrugated panel member of said second baffle and disposed in space relation to said containment vessel bottom. 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising securing a third baffle to said substantially vertical wall and, in end-to-end immediately-adjacent nested relation therewith, to said second baffle wherein said third baffle is similar in design to said first baffle and said second baffle, and wherein a second lateral side of a corrugated panel member of said third baffle is overlapped in a nested manner with a first lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said second baffle and is directly affixed thereto without the use of an additional support bracket, and wherein a support flange of said third baffle is integrally connected to an upper edge of said corrugated panel member of said third baffle for securing said corrugated panel member of said third baffle to said substantially vertical wall such that said corrugated panel member of said third baffle slopes downward at an angle away from said substantially vertical wall toward said interior of said containment vessel and said containment vessel bottom of said water treatment system terminating at a lower edge of said corrugated panel member of said third baffle and disposed in space relation to said containment vessel bottom. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein each of said baffles is unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 24. The method of claim 22 wherein a fastening means is provided for each of said baffles to secure said support flange of each of said baffles to said substantially vertical wall. 25. The method of claim 22 wherein a fastening means is provided to affix a first lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said second baffle to a second lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said third baffle. 26. The method of claim 22 wherein an upper edge of said corrugated panel member of each of said baffles has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of said substantially vertical wall. 27. The method of claim 22 wherein said support flange of each of said baffles has a radius of curvature which matches a radius of curvature of said substantially vertical wall. 28. The method of claim 22 wherein each of said baffles further comprises a rigidizing flange integrally connected to said lower edge of said corrugated panel member of each of said baffles. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said corrugated panel member, said support flange, and said rigidizing flange of each of said baffles are unitarily molded of a fiber glass composite material. 30. The method of claim 22 wherein said containment vessel comprises one of a tank, a trough, and a launder of said water treatment system. 31. The method of claim 22 wherein said downward slope of said corrugated panel member of each of said baffles forms an angle of about 45 degrees with horizontal. 32. The method of claim 21 wherein a fastening means is provided to affix said first lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said first baffle to a second lateral side of said corrugated panel member of said second baffle.