What needs to be taken into account during planning?
To date, infiltration and retention systems are only monitored manually, if at all. Often, the system is only reacted to when it continuously overflows. Usually, by this time, the system is already so polluted that renewed earthworks become necessary if flushing is no longer possible.
In order to enable and carry out maintenance during active use of the system, it is necessary to optimise the composition of the system components. Therefore, possible maintenance scenarios should be discussed during the planning stage. For systems with our DRAINMAX tunnel trench, there are both digital and system maintenance options, such as the flushable floor.
Digital monitoring system - anytime & anywhere
For the first time worldwide, rainwater infiltration systems can now be reliably monitored remotely. This is made possible by the innovative I-CONNECT technology, which informs system operators about sludge levels, filter flow and discharge performance on a daily basis.
In order to be able to remotely maintain the vault systems, they are equipped with sensors that deliver the data to a central control unit. From there, the data is transferred to the INTEWA cloud server via a secure internet connection. Via the I-CONNECT application, the system operators can now view all data online and are informed of any maintenance requirements.
In this way, perfect operation of the system can be guaranteed and the system pays for itself in just a few years.
Cleaning and maintenance - flushable floor
In contrast to classic box fillers, the open structure of the DRAINMAX tunnel trench makes it possible to effectively flush the entire interior area. This is particularly effective if dirt gets into the infiltration chamber despite pre-cleaning. The walls and floors, which are decisive for the infiltration performance, can still be completely cleaned. The black geotextile fabric on which the tunnel elements are placed is particularly suitable for this procedure, among other things, due to its robust durability.
With conventional infiltration trenches, only the flushing channels can be cleaned afterwards, if at all. However, the fine dirt particles get through the slots of the flushing channels and then gradually clog the floors and walls of such infiltration trenches. If they have lost their infiltration capacity due to this, they can ultimately only be completely excavated.
With the DRAINMAX tunnel infiltration trench, the critical walls and soils can be completely flushed out via corresponding connection shafts. This means that only here can a constant infiltration performance be guaranteed in the long term.
Our maintenance recommendations
Any stormwater management system must be regularly monitored and maintained without monitoring. This includes the following measures:
- Check manholes twice a year for contamination
- Remove the filter basket from the immersion pipe of the manhole overflow and flush if necessary
- Check the sludge content in the chamber once a year.
- Measure the sludge level by means of a dipstick with a plate.
- first immerse the dipstick without the plate to the bottom of the tank
- measure the part protruding from the tank
- Repeat the process with the dipstick
- The difference between the measurements gives the thickness of the sludge layer.
- From a limit height of 0.5 m from the bottom of the chamber, commission a specialist company to extract the sludge.
- The DRAINMAX tunnel can be flushed at the same time.
The disadvantages are obvious: regardless of the need for maintenance, the personnel and material costs regularly generate costs.
In order to solve this problem and to carry out targeted maintenance of the infiltration ditch only when necessary, we have developed the new INTEWA CONNECT technology, which can now monitor these systems remotely.
Conclusion
Valuable time and costs can be optimised by the possibility of remote monitoring. Remote monitoring and the ability to optimise inspection and cleaning work help save time and costs. An additional added value for the operator is the certainty that the system will work efficiently over its service life and deliver the required operational reliability.
More about DRAINMAX tunnel trenches
Specialist article on the topic of stormwater management 4.0