Abstract: A pipe for connecting to a similar adjacent pipe. The pipe has a male end with a plurality of rigid fingers extending from within and out of at least one exterior circumferential groove disposed on its exterior surface. On the female end is at least one interior circumferential groove sized and positioned to receive the plurality of rigid fingers from a corresponding exterior circumferential groove on the male end of an adjacent pipe. The number of exterior circumferential grooves on the male end typically corresponds to the number of interior circumferential grooves on the female end. When the male end of the pipe inserts into the female end of a similar adjacent pipe, the plurality of rigid fingers is received within a corresponding interior circumferential groove on the female end, thereby preventing the male end of the pipe from being withdrawn from the female end of the similar adjacent pipe.

Abstract: Systems and related methods for purging air burst supply piping of accumulated water prior to delivering pulses of pressurized air to an interior of a screen intake through the air burst supply piping. The systems and methods can include a purge compressor delivering a purging air supply at a head pressure slightly above a head pressure of water in the air burst supply piping, wherein the head pressure of the water is equivalent to a depth at which the intake screen. The system and methods can also include a purge line arranged in a parallel orientation to an air burst supply line, wherein both the purge line and the air burst supply line are operably coupled to a pressurized air tank.

Abstract: A screen intake apparatus has a concrete platform resting on a water source floor. A screen intake anchors on the platform and forms a half cylinder thereon. A barrier at one end of the platform in divides the flow of water. The screen intake has a half-cylindrical body and half-cylindrical screens. Transition walls in the screen intake divide the body's hollow and the screens' interiors, and at least one flow modifier communicates the interior with the hollow. These flow modifiers also form a half cylinder with the platform. A manifold in the screens receives a supply of air to clear debris. Forming a half-cylinder, the screen intake on the platform can have a much lower profile for the water source than the normal cylindrical screens, which require half of its diameter in clearance above and below.

Abstract: A screen filter fabrication machine configured to produce a screen filter having a controlled slot width between wires. The screen filter fabrication machine can include a frame, a tooling head configured to rotate relative to the frame and retain a plurality of support rods, a wire feed wheel operably coupled to the frame and configured to dispense wire as it is wound around the plurality of support rods, and a control system configured to monitor one or more parameters concerning the slot width, and implement one or more process control adjustments configured to enable the winding of the wire around the plurality of support rods in such a manner that at least 99.7% of a measured slot width during screen filter fabrication falls within three standard deviations of a mean slot width measured during screen filter fabrication.

Abstract: A vacuum sewage system includes a sump pit for receiving sewage, a valve pit, a valve, a sensor-controller, a first sensor pipe, a sump breather and a second sensor pipe. The sensor-controller activates the valve so as to discharge sewage from the sump pit. The first sensor pipe communicates pressure to the sensor-controller as the level of sewage rises within the sump pit. The second sensor pipe communicates pressure to the sump breather to move the sump breather from a first state to a second state to prevent sewage from entering the sensor-controller and valve. Alternatively, the system may be provided with a single sensor pipe that communicates pressure to both the sensor-controller and to the sump breather.

Abstract: A batch centrifuge having a filter screen that can be expeditiously removed and replaced and that is more rigid and more durable than filter screens that are typically employed in current practice. The batch centrifuge may include a centrifuge basket and a cylindrical filter screen disposed within the centrifuge basket, wherein the filter screen is formed of a plurality of curved panels that fit together at adjoining edges. In some embodiments, each of the curved panels may be small enough to fit through an opening in the top of the centrifuge basket without being bent or otherwise deformed.

Abstract: A continuous belt screen assembly and system used for filtering fluid for various municipal and industrial purposes. The assembly includes a pair of spaced, endless belts, lifters, and screen panels. Each lifter is operably mounted to the pair of belts for lifting of solid waste out of the fluid in the channel. Each of the screen panels can be interposed between lifters and secured in place by opposing slots defined by the lifters. The endless belts can include toothed drive links, with the ends of the teeth extending with the ends of the drive links to define an involute profile. The lifters can include a sleeve portion for receiving a pivot shaft and a paddle portion extending from the sleeve portion, terminating at a free end that can be contoured to have teeth. The lifters can be a flexible material configured to deflect.

Abstract: A screen for intake of fluid. The screen includes parallel and spaced rods, filtration material, a fitting, and structural members. The rods may be distributed in a cylindrical configuration. The filtration material, which can be spirally wrapped wire, is disposed around the rods to define an interior volume. The fitting is disposed at an end of the rods and adjacent to the filtration material. Each structural member, which can be elongated bars, is interposed between adjacent rods. The structural members are welded to the adjacent rods, and the adjacent rods and the structural members are welded to the fitting to increase the effective weld area, the tensile strength of the connection, and potentially the overall strength of the screen. The screen may be used for a variety of fluids and installations, and is particularly suited to use in water wells.

Abstract: An intake screen assembly including an intake member, a screen support member, and a screen member coupled to the screen support member. The screen member may be formed from a material, such as copper-nickel, that is different from a material, such as stainless steel, used to form the intake member and/or the screen support member. The intake screen assembly may include corrosion protection members for preventing contact between the components of the screen assembly that are formed from dissimilar materials. The assembly may be formed by coupling the screen support member to the intake member, and coupling the screen member to the screen support member.

Abstract: A vacuum sewage system includes a collection station, a vacuum pump, a sewage pump, a collection tank, a control system, a valve pit, a first conduit extending from the collection station to the valve pit, a second conduit extending from the valve pit and terminating in a closed end, a valve located in the valve pit for selectively permitting sewage and waste water to flow from the valve pit toward the collection station upon activation of the valve, an electric air admission controller or a solenoid for selectively opening and closing the valve, a first sensor associated with the electronic air admission controller or the solenoid and a second sensor located adjacent the closed end of the second conduit. The system may be utilized to monitor and remedy various undesirable operating conditions in the system and to perform routines to increase operating efficiency of the system.

Abstract: A pipe coupling for connecting adjacent pipes. The pipe coupling has a connection type at each end that may be male or female. A female end may have an interior surface defining a receiving chamber. An interior circumferential groove is formed in the interior surface in which a band is seated. A plurality of rigid fingers is extends from the band into the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber receives a male end of an adjacent pipe, the male end having an exterior surface. An exterior circumferential groove is defined on the exterior surface to receive the plurality of rigid fingers. A variety of connection types and combinations are possible. The female end may define a sight window to permit viewing of the position of a male end of an adjacent pipe. The receiving chamber may have a reduced diameter proximate to the middle of the coupling to improve sealing.

Abstract: A screen intake has a central body with two screens attached on either end. Each of the screens has an interior that communicates with a hollow of the body via flow modifiers. These flow modifiers include one or more pipes disposed in the interior of the screens and through passages in ends of the body. A flow control support device disposed within the body supports the body's sidewall and divides the hollow into at least two portions—each communicating with flow from one of the flow modifiers. The device can include one or more plates disposed adjacent one another within the internal hollow with a peripheral edge attached to an inside of the body's sidewall. At least one of the one or more plates can be solid, or one or more of the plates can define openings therein allowing passage of at least some fluid therethrough.

Abstract: An underdrain assembly for filtering particulates from a fluid having an upper structure connected to a bottom plate. At least one flow control vane is positioned between the upper structure and the bottom plate for directing and managing fluid flow through the assembly. The upper structure can have first and second filtration members, the second filtration member positioned between the first filtration member and the bottom plate. The second filtration member can have a shape that restricts fluid flow within the underdrain. The underdrain can have air and water inlets. The water inlet can have an end with a plate covering an upper portion thereof. The end can also include an opening having an angular cut forming an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the water inlet. Thus arranged, air is prevented from migrating out the water line. A resilient mounting arrangement for the underdrain is also disclosed.

Abstract: A screen intake system has a body with an open end and a chamber. A flat screen is disposed at the open end of the body. To keep the screen clear of debris, an airburst system has pipes disposed in the chamber. The pipes dispose parallel to one another adjacent the flat screen, and each of the pipes has orifices in a side facing the flat screen. Directors are disposed along the backs of the pipes in a lattice, and each of the directors has a channel in which the pipe disposes. Compressed air released by valves from a tank dispersed from the pipe's orifices. Each of the directors directs the resulting water/airburst from the orifices toward the adjacent flat screen to clear it of debris.

Abstract: A batch centrifuge having a filter screen that can be expeditiously removed and replaced and that is more rigid and more durable than filter screens that are typically employed in current practice. The batch centrifuge may include a centrifuge basket and a cylindrical filter screen disposed within the centrifuge basket, wherein the filter screen is formed of a plurality of curved panels that fit together at adjoining edges. In some embodiments, each of the curved panels may be small enough to fit through an opening in the top of the centrifuge basket without being bent or otherwise deformed.

Abstract: A rotating clamp assembly and related methods of use for coupling one or more filter screens to a trommel frame. The rotating clamp assembly includes a pair of roller members that rotate relative to the trommel frame. The rotating clamp assembly can be coupled to the trommel frame by attaching a pair of clamp support members to an axial frame member. Each of the clamp support members and the roller members can comprise a central bore for slidably receiving a roller axle such that the roller members are rotatable relative to the clamp support members and the axial frame. Each roller member can rotatably interact with the axial frame member or alternatively, to the corresponding clamp support member to retain the filter screen. Each roller member can include a fastener that can be tightened to retain filter screen to the axial frame member.

Abstract: A controller for a vacuum sewage system includes a housing having multiple chambers. Certain chambers are maintained under atmospheric pressure or vacuum prior to activation of the controller. Ports, valves, orifices and air flow paths located in the housing control the rate of air flow between groups of the chambers during activation of the controller.

Abstract: Corrugated screen filters and related method of fabrication whereby an available filter surface is increased so as to allow an increase a flow capacity of the corrugated screen filter. The corrugated screen filter can comprise a plurality of rods forming a series of alternate and angular ridges and grooves on a surface of the filter screen. The filter screen can be configured to have longitudinal corrugations only on an exterior surface of the filter screen or alternatively, the filter screen can be configured to have longitudinal corrugations only on an interior surface of the filter screen. The alternate angular ridges and grooves can form corrugations in a variety of configurations including, but not limited to, a sinusoidal wave structure, a triangular wave structure, a rectangular wave structure, a trapezoidal wave structure, or the like.

Abstract: A screen intake apparatus for a water intake system uses a cleaning system to clean one or more screen intakes. To clean debris from a screen, pipes in the interior of the screen receive pumped liquid (e.g., water or incompressible liquid) from a pump. Outlets, such as apertures or nozzles, on the pipes then direct the pumped liquid into the interior of the screen. One or more valves can vary, agitate, or pulse the flow of pumped fluid and/or can selectively deliver the pumped liquid to the pipes to remove collected debris from the exterior of the screen. A heater of the system can also heat the pumped liquid for delivery to the pipes to remove or prevent ice formation on the screen.

Abstract: An adjustable nozzle assembly for a sieve box and a sieve box including same, including a support assembly and nozzles. A pair of elongated support members may be received through openings in support collars. Nozzles may be operatively connected to the collars. The support assembly, which may include collars and rods, are configured to provide at least one of lateral movement and rotational movement of the nozzles. At least one of the first elongated support member and the second elongated support member may be configured to move when coupled to the sieve box to adjust a spray angle of the nozzles. Pivoting of the one rod about the other rod adjusts the angle at which the nozzles are disposed. The rods may be externally threaded, and the collars may be internally threaded, such that when the rods are rotated, the collars translate laterally along the rods to move the nozzles.