초록 ▼

A buoyant material trap having a treatment tank with a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall, a feed pipe to introduce fluid at a first location in the tank, and an exit pipe to remove at least a portion of the fluid from a second location in the tank. One or more wall structures form a circ

A buoyant material trap having a treatment tank with a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall, a feed pipe to introduce fluid at a first location in the tank, and an exit pipe to remove at least a portion of the fluid from a second location in the tank. One or more wall structures form a circuitous passage between the first location and the second location. The wall structures are open at the top and substantially prevent fluid from passing below the passage, but allow buoyant material to rise above the passage. The walls may extend to the bottom of the tank to prevent fluid from passing beneath them, and may be removably installed in the tank to facilitate cleaning. An overflow chamber may be provided to receive buoyant material. The sidewall may have a spout and be adapted to empty the tank by tilting.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A trap for removing buoyant material from fluid, the trap comprising: a treatment tank comprising a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall; a feed pipe adapted to introduce a fluid flow at a first location in the treatment tank; an exit pipe adapted to remove at

The invention claimed is: 1. A trap for removing buoyant material from fluid, the trap comprising: a treatment tank comprising a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall; a feed pipe adapted to introduce a fluid flow at a first location in the treatment tank; an exit pipe adapted to remove at least a portion of the fluid flow from a second location in the treatment tank; and one or more wall structures adapted to form a circuitous passage, with respect to a horizontal plane, between the first location and the second location, the one or more wall structures extending from the base wall to a point below the sidewall and being open at a top end thereof, thereby substantially preventing the fluid flow from passing below the circuitous passage, but allowing buoyant material in the fluid flow to rise above the circuitous passage, wherein the circuitous passage has a generally constant width from the first location to the second location, the width being approximately equal to a width of the feed pipe; wherein the one or more wall structures are removably installed in the treatment tank such that the one or more wall structures can be lifted out of the treatment tank to facilitate cleaning. 2. The trap of claim 1, wherein the one or more wall structures comprises at least two wall structures that are identical to one another and interchangeably positionable in multiple locations within the treatment tank. 3. The trap of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more wall structures comprises a main wall having two or more cross-walls extending from one side thereof. 4. The trap of claim 3, wherein the two or more cross-walls extend from one side of the main wall at an angle of about 90 degrees. 5. The trap of claim 3, wherein the two or more cross-walls extend from the main wall to form an F-shaped structure having two or more cross-walls. 6. The trap of claim 3, wherein the two or more cross-walls comprise two cross-walls extending from respective ends of the main wall to form a C-shape. 7. The trap of claim 1, wherein the one or more wall structures comprises a plurality of wall structures that are all identical to one another and interchangeably positionable in multiple locations within the treatment tank. 8. The trap of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sidewall and base wall comprises one or more slots into which the one or more wall structures fit. 9. The trap of claim 1, further comprising an open channel spout located near an upper end of the sidewall and adapted to funnel the buoyant material out of the treatment tank when the treatment tank is tipped towards the spout. 10. The trap of claim 1, further comprising a level indicator adapted to indicate the fluid level in the treatment chamber. 11. The trap of claim 1, further comprising a mesh net adapted to be installed between the one or more wall structures and the base wall and sidewall. 12. The trap of claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are located vertically between the base wall and the top of the circuitous passage. 13. The trap of claim 1, wherein the exit pipe comprises a downwardly-extending standpipe. 14. The trap of claim 1, wherein the treatment tank is mounted on wheels. 15. The trap of claim 1, further comprising a skimmer adapted to move across the treatment chamber above the circuitous passage to thereby direct the buoyant material towards a treatment tank outlet. 16. The trap of claim 1, wherein the treatment tank further comprises a treatment chamber in which the circuitous passage is positioned, an overflow chamber adjacent the treatment chamber, the overflow chamber being fluidly connected to the treatment chamber such that at least a portion of the buoyant material that rises above the circuitous passage can flow into the overflow chamber. 17. A trap for removing buoyant material from fluid, the trap comprising: a treatment tank comprising a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall; a feed pipe adapted to introduce a fluid flow at a first location in the treatment tank, the first location being located generally at a single vertical position between the base wall and a top of the vertically-extending sidewall; an exit pipe adapted to remove at least a portion of the fluid flow from a second location in the treatment tank; and one or more wall structures adapted to form a circuitous passage, with respect to a horizontal plane, between the first location and the second location that causes the fluid flow to fully reverse direction at least twice in opposite directions along adjacent portions of the circuitous passage before reaching the second location, the one or more wall structures being open at a top end thereof to allow buoyant material in the fluid flow to rise above the circuitous passage, wherein the circuitous passage has a generally constant width from the first location to the second location, the width being approximately equal to a width of the feed pipe; wherein the treatment tank further comprises a treatment chamber in which the circuitous passage is positioned, an overflow chamber adjacent the treatment chamber, the overflow chamber being fluidly connected to the treatment chamber such that at least a portion of the buoyant material that rises above the circuitous passage can flow into the overflow chamber. 18. The trap of claim 17, wherein the one or more wall structures extend from the base wall to a point below the sidewall to thereby substantially prevent the fluid flow from passing below the circuitous passage. 19. The trap of claim 17, wherein the one or more wall structures are removably installed in the treatment tank such that the one or more wall structures can be lifted out of the treatment tank to facilitate cleaning. 20. The trap of claim 17, further comprising a bucket adapted to be installed in the overflow chamber to receive at least a portion of the buoyant material, and removed from the overflow chamber to empty the bucket. 21. The trap of claim 20, wherein the overflow chamber is fluidly connected to the treatment chamber by a spillway, and the bucket is adapted to be installed at least partially below the spillway. 22. The trap of claim 17, wherein the overflow chamber comprises a valve located proximal to a bottom end of the overflow chamber and selectively openable to drain the overflow chamber. 23. The trap of claim 17, wherein the overflow chamber surrounds the treatment chamber. 24. The trap of claim 17, further comprising a level indicator adapted to indicate the fluid level in the overflow chamber. 25. A trap for removing buoyant material from fluid, the trap comprising: a treatment tank comprising a base wall and a vertically-extending sidewall; a feed pipe adapted to introduce a fluid flow at a first location in the treatment tank; an exit pipe adapted to remove at least a portion of the fluid flow from a second location in the treatment tank; one or more wall structures adapted to form a circuitous passage, with respect to a horizontal plane, between the first location and the second location, the one or more wall structures extending from the base wall to a point below the sidewall and being open at a top end thereof, thereby substantially preventing the fluid flow from passing below the circuitous passage, but allowing buoyant material in the fluid flow to rise above the circuitous passage wherein the circuitous passage has a generally constant width from the first location to the second location, the width being approximately equal to a width of the feed pipe ; and an opening located near an upper end of the sidewall through which the buoyant material can be emptied from the treatment tank when the treatment tank is tipped towards the opening; wherein a lower edge of the sidewall below the opening is adapted to contact at least two points on a floor when the treatment tank is tipped towards the opening to thereby provide a tilting axis about which the trap can rotate. 26. The trap of claim 25, wherein the one or more wall structures are removably installed in the treatment tank such that the one or more wall structures can be lifted out of the treatment tank to facilitate cleaning. 27. The trap of claim 25, wherein the one or more wall structures comprises at least two wall structures that are identical to one another and positionable in multiple locations within the treatment tank. 28. The trap of claim 25, wherein the one or more wall structures comprises a plurality of wall structures that are all identical to one another and positionable in multiple locations within the treatment tank. 29. The trap of claim 25, wherein the opening comprises an open channel spout.