Not applicable
Not applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to preventing of flood, when there is a gradual but rapid rise of water level in water channels such as creeks, canals and rivers. The rapid rise in water level is generally due to excessive drainage into water channels, due to melting of snow, and due to heavy rainfall on an already saturated ground.
2. Prior Art
When the water level in a water channel is rapidly rising and threatening to overflow, the available remedies are generally limited to building levees of various types. These levees may be temporary or permanent. A temporary levee made up of sand bags is a very common way of a community dealing with an impending flood from a water channel passing through its community. Levees are also built with readily available heavy earthen materials, without bagging them. If they are built with pebbles and stones, these ridges may be covered with waterproof fabric.
3. Limitations of Prior Art
With prior art's focus being on construction of levees of various types, the following are the disadvantages:
Accordingly, the objects and advantages of invention presented in this application are explained below:
The strategy of preventing flood in a subject region due to rapidly rising water level in a subject water channel flowing through the region consists of:
The combination of the above actions or a single action will sufficiently lower the water level in the subject water channel to eliminate the threat of flooding. In addition, levees will not be needed.
Certain equipment specifically built will be needed to achieve the actions of pushing and blocking water at the various locations.
In accordance with my invention, using certain specifically built equipment, flooding danger in a water channel may be eliminated by partially and temporarily blocking water flow in certain upstream and downstream locations, and pushing downstream, sufficient amounts of water in a downstream location.
The preferred embodiment to prevent flood is explained by describing first, an impending flood region as shown in
Water Channel A, 22 and Water Channel B, 24 have rapidly rising water levels in the region 20, at locations 32 and 34 respectively of 22 and 24.
Presently there is no imminent danger at Water Channel C, 26, which carries the combined flow of A and B.
Water Channels C, 26 and D, 28 combine to become Water Channel E, 30 which is also presently flowing below flood level at all its locations.
The dark bands 36 at 22, 38 at 24 and 40 at 28 represent temporary and partial dams, slowing down sufficiently the quantity of water going downstream.
The hatched bands 42 at 26 and 44 at 30 represent water pushing areas where the upstream water is pushed downstream in sufficiently large quantities. The result will be sufficient lowering of water levels, in time, at 32 and 34
For water pushing,
52 is a typical paddle with large surface area.
The Power Float is held stationary as the wheel formed of paddles is rotated to push water downstream.
Paddle Frame, 80, can contain a varying number of Paddle Planks, 83. The planks are easily added or removed to adjust the pushing area.
Paddle immersion depth is adjusted by adjusting the height of Support Columns, 58, as shown in
Plank Retainer Pins, 84 are easily removed and replaced back.
82 represents the level of water, to which the upper edge of top plank is adjusted to.
Arrow 57 represents the downstream direction, and arrow 56 shows the required paddle motion direction to push water downstream,
51 is a typical hull portion of the vessel. It will contain the powering machinery as well as fuel needed for long continuous operation of the paddles.
54 is a typical connector bar between the hulls of a Power Float. They can also serve as conduits for fuel and control lines between hulls.
53 is a Cable Anchor on a hull, serving also as a housing for Connector, 64, as shown in
55 serves as the Power Sprocket to rotate the paddles.
Its telescoping legs, 61 can extend as needed to dig into the channel's bed. They can retract into housings, 60, and leave the bottoms of the hulls flush for navigation to a future location.
The ends of these cables can be tensioned by Cable Anchoring Mechanisms located on the channel banks, as depicted in
74 is one such bank, on which exists a Solid Ground Base, 75. 77 is a typical cable coming into a Cable Tensioning Housing, 76.
It is expected that such anchoring structures will be constructed at many strategically chosen locations in relation to communities and fields along channels.
One of its paddles, 71, positioned vertically down is prevented from rotating by the water pressure on it. This is achieved by positioning the Locking Bar 70 fixed to Support Column 58.
It is envisioned that the Support Columns will be adjusted to their required position and the required number of planks, 83, inserted in 71.
In this arrangement a paddle will push with its entire immersed face area for the entire linear stroke.
The tilting forces on the paddle plank are resisted by the Torque Arm 87, within Lower Track 90 and its mirror counter part. When a paddle returns to the Upper Track 91 and its mirror counter part, there is no water force on the plank. Hence, the Pivot Roller 86 is sufficient. Arrow 92 represents the motion of the paddles in lower tracks, as well as the downstream direction.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the invention presented here need not be used just to prevent floods, but also to control water flow as explained below. Diverting channels of brief length may be constructed at desired locations away from communities and prime fields, thereby when flooding is threatened, water may be pushed to flood the fields so designated, near the constructed channels rather than be pushed downstream, which might have required controlling any excess water flow in downstream regions. After flooding the fields, water may be let back into the channel in a controlled fashion.
Since, with the present day information gathering techniques, water flow levels are predictable at an earlier time than was possible, pushing and blocking techniques presented here may be employed sooner than later, as a control means to prevent reaching ever, the danger point.
Propeller machinery may also be used as water pushers.
In certain channels, where feasible, paddle equipment to push water may be permanently anchored underneath bridge structures.
To temporarily and partially block water flow, retractable and immerseable paddle type equipment may be permanently installed at strategic locations of certain water channels.
All these described ideas may lead to fine-tuning of water flow into large rivers on a continuous basis.