Reservoir management system

Abstract

A reservoir management system for a water reservoir having inlet and outlet piping and means for adding chemicals in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir. One or more eductors are positioned within the water reservoir to mix and circulate water within the reservoir. A recirculating pump is located externally to the reservoir and has an inlet line that taps into the outlet piping from the reservoir. One or more sample lines remove test streams of water from the reservoir which are analyzed to determine the level of at least one of chemical in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal. A controller receives the signal and compares the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of chemical added to the water within the reservoir in controlled amounts. A flow meter monitors the rate of flow into the reservoir and retention time of water and generates one or more signals to the controller as the rate of flow varies from a set point.

Description

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is one embodiment of the reservoir management system showing a pump on one side of a reservoir tank.

FIG. 2 illustrates the reservoir management system having a pump on top of a reservoir cover.

FIG. 3 illustrates the reservoir management system having a pump floating on top of a reservoir.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the reservoir management system having a flow meter.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are embodiments of the invention showing various positions of the flow meter in the reservoir management system.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the various embodiments of the inlet/outlet piping and flow meter.

Claims

1. A reservoir management system for a water reservoir, the water reservoir comprising an inlet piping and an outlet piping, the reservoir management system comprising: a means for adding chemicals in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir;one or more eductors positioned within the water reservoir, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir;a recirculating pump located externally to the reservoir, the recirculating pump comprising an inlet line, the inlet line adapted to tap into the outlet piping from the reservoir;a sample line for removing a test stream of water from the reservoir;an analyzer for determining the level of at least one of chemical in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal; anda controller for receiving the signal and for comparing the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir, the controller designed to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of chemical added to the water within the reservoir in controlled amounts.

2. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the external recirculating pump is located adjacent one side of the reservoir, on top of a cover of the reservoir or on a floatation device floating on top of the water within the reservoir.

3. The reservoir management system of claim 2 wherein the recirculating pump is located adjacent the base of the reservoir.

4. The reservoir management system of claim 2 wherein the recirculating pump is located at ground level.

5. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the eductor is adapted to be located adjacent the inlet piping within the reservoir.

6. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the eductor is movable within the reservoir.

7. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the chemicals added to the reservoir are at least one of ammonia, hypochlorite, and chlorine.

8. The reservoir management system of claim 1 further comprising a chemical dosing system to provide a controlled source of required chemical for addition to the reservoir according to a signal emitted by the controller.

9. The reservoir management system of claim 8 further comprising one or more chemical dosing lines to transport the one or more chemicals to the reservoir.

10. The reservoir management system of claim 9 further comprising an outlet line from the recirculating pump to the reservoir wherein the chemical dosing line is tapped into the outlet line.

11. The reservoir management system of claim 10 wherein one or more chemical dosing lines transport one or more chemicals from the chemical dosing system to the outlet line from the recirculating pump to the reservoir.

12. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the sample line taps into the recirculating pump outlet line to carry the test stream of water to the analyzer.

13. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the sample line connects the analyzer to the reservoir to carry the test stream of water from the reservoir to the analyzer.

14. The reservoir management system of claim 1 further comprising a flow meter to monitor the rate of flow into the reservoir and retention time of water within the reservoir, the flow meter generating one or more signals to the controller as the rate of flow varies from a set point.

15. The reservoir management system of claim 1 further comprising a securable housing for enclosing the recirculating pump, the sample line, the inlet and outlet piping system, the analyzer and the controller.

16. The reservoir management system of claim 1 wherein the chemicals added to the reservoir further comprise pH control additives, disinfectants, fluorides and phosphates.

17. A reservoir management system for a water reservoir, the reservoir comprising an inlet piping and an outlet piping, the reservoir management system comprising: comprising: a means for adding chemicals in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir;one or more eductors positioned within the water reservoir adjacent the inlet piping, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir;a recirculating pump located externally to the reservoir, the recirculating pump comprising an inlet line adapted to tap into the outlet piping from the reservoir and an outlet line, the outlet line leading from the recirculating pump to a position approximate the eductor;a sample line for removing a test stream of water from the reservoir;an analyzer for determining the level of at least one of chemical in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal, the sample line leading from the outlet line of the recirculating pump to the analyzer;a controller for receiving the signal and for comparing the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir, the controller designed to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of chemical added to the water within the reservoir in controlled amounts;a chemical dosing system to provide a controlled source of required chemicals for addition to the reservoir in response to the signal emitted by the controller;one or more chemical dosing lines to transport chemical from the chemical dosing system, the one or more chemical dosing lines tapping into the outlet line of the recirculating pump; anda flow meter to monitor a rate of flow into the reservoir and a retention time of water within the reservoir, the flow meter generating one or more signals to the controller as the rate of flow varies from a set point.

18. The reservoir management system of claim 17 further comprising a securable housing for enclosing the recirculating pump, the sample line, the inlet and outlet piping system, the analyzer and the controller.

19. A reservoir management system for a water reservoir, the reservoir comprising an inlet piping and an outlet piping, the reservoir management system comprising: comprising: a means for adding chemicals in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir;one or more movable eductors within the water reservoir, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir;a recirculating pump located externally to the reservoir, the recirculating pump comprising an inlet line adapted to tap into the outlet piping from the reservoir and an outlet line leading to the reservoir;a sample line for removing a test stream of water from the reservoir;an analyzer for determining the level of at least one of chemical in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal, the sample line connected from a position above the one or more eductors within the reservoir to the analyzer;a controller for receiving the signal and for comparing the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir, the controller designed to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of chemical added to the water within the reservoir in controlled amounts;a chemical dosing system to provide a controlled source of required chemical for addition to the reservoir in response to the signal emitted by the controller; andone or more chemical dosing lines to transport chemical from the chemical dosing system to a position approximate the eductor.

20. The reservoir management system of claim 19 further comprising a securable housing for enclosing the recirculating pump, the sample line, the inlet and outlet piping system, the analyzer, the chemical dosing system and the controller.

21. A reservoir management system for a water reservoir, the reservoir comprising an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the reservoir management system comprising: a means for adding at least one of ammonia, hypochlorite, and chlorine in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir, the means for adding ammonia, hypochlorite and chlorine comprising means for producing ammonia, hypochlorite, or chlorine and means for storing ammonia, hypochlorite, or chlorine, the means of producing and means for storing located adjacent the reservoir;one or more eductors positioned within the water reservoir, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir;a recirculating pump located externally to the reservoir, the recirculating pump comprising an inlet line and an outlet line, the inlet line adapted to tap into the outlet pipe from the reservoir;a sample line for removing a test stream of water from the reservoir;an analyzer connected to the sample line for determining the level of at least one of chlorine and chloramine in the test stream to provide a chlorine or chloroamine related signal;a controller for receiving the signal and for comparing the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chlorine or chloroamine desired within the reservoir, the controller designed to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of ammonia, hypochlorite or chlorine added to the water within the reservoir;a chemical dosing system to provide a controlled source of ammonia, hypochlorite and chlorine for addition to the reservoir according to a signal emitted by the controller; anda securable housing for enclosing the recirculating pump, the sample line, the inlet and outlet piping system, the analyzer, the chemical dosing system and the controller.

22. The reservoir management system of claim 21 further comprising a flow meter to monitor the rate of flow of additional water into the reservoir and retention time of water within the reservoir, the flow meter providing one or more signals to the controller as the rate of flow varies from a set point.

23. The reservoir management system of claim 21 wherein the eductor is positioned at the inlet piping coming from the recirculating pump so that the reservoir water dosed by the chemical dosing system is mixed and circulated throughout the reservoir.

24. A reservoir management system for a water reservoir, the reservoir comprising an inlet piping and an outlet piping, the reservoir management system comprising: comprising: a means for adding chemicals in controlled amounts to the water within the reservoir;one or more eductors positioned within the water reservoir, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir;a recirculating pump for discharging a jet of water and ingesting water at a point remote from the discharging, the ejector positioned within the jet of water discharged from the pump;a sample line for removing a test stream of water from the reservoir;an analyzer for determining the level of at least one of chemical in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal; anda controller for receiving the signal and for comparing the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir, the controller designed to maintain, increase, or decrease the amount of chemical added to the water within the reservoir in controlled amounts;means for producing and storing the chemicals required to treat the reservoir water, the means for producing and storing the chemicals adjacent the reservoir.

25. The reservoir management system of claim 17 wherein the means for producing and storing the chemicals required to treat the reservoir water comprises an ammonia storage tank, a hypochlorite generator and hypochlorite storage tank.

26. A method for managing a water reservoir comprising: (a) treating the water within the reservoir by adding chemicals in controlled amounts, the reservoir adapted to comprise inlet and outlet piping;(b) positioning one or more eductors within the water reservoir, the one or more eductors designed to mix and circulate water within the reservoir to disperse the chemicals and avoid temperature gradients;(c) recirculating the water throughout the reservoir by means of a recirculating pump located external to the reservoir, an inlet line to the recirculating pump tapped into the outlet pipe of the reservoir, the outlet line from the recirculating pump transporting high pressure water from the pump to a location approximate the ejector;(d) sampling a test stream of water from the reservoir by removing a test sample through a sample line;(e) analyzing the level of at least one of the chemicals in the test stream to provide a chemical-related signal; and(f) sending the chemical-related signal to a controller to compare the signal to a set point indicative of the level of chemical desired within the reservoir;(g) determining the type and amount of chemical required to be added to the reservoir;(h) adding one or more chemicals as determined in step (g) to the reservoir; and(i) controlling the level of the one or more chemicals within the reservoir by maintaining, increasing, or decreasing the amount of chemical added to the chemical dosing line.

27 The method of claim 26 further comprising monitoring the rate of flow of additional water into the reservoir and retention time of water within the reservoir and generating one or more signals to the controller as the rate of flow varies from a set point.