Rainwater collector
A rainwater collector is in the rainwater downpipe inserted component which to derive as well as filtering of rainwater in cisterns or rain barrel is used. As part of rainwater harvesting , it serves an important purpose between roof drainage and water storage.
Form and function
The collectors can be very different in form and function and made of metal or plastic.
The oldest design and best-known method of working is that of a rainwater flap . A semicircular, elongated "sheet" adapted to the diameter of the downpipe, which is mounted in the downpipe so that it can be folded down at two horizontal fastening points. When closed, the rainwater runs unhindered past the inside of the flap. By opening a piece of the flap is rotated into the downpipe and diverts the rainwater flow from the downpipe or out; z. B. in an erected rain barrel.
variants
Newer rainwater collectors, also known as rainwater switches, have sieves or filters and are inserted into the downpipe. The water is drained through an outlet, dirt particles are filtered out or, depending on the design, further flushed into the sewerage system via the standpipe below .
Downpipe sieve
A downpipe screen is a filter in the downpipe, usually made of metal mesh. It mechanically holds back leaves, moss and other debris or foreign bodies. It is used to protect the subsequent pipelines from clogging or to clean the water before rainwater is used (e.g. for flushing toilets ).
The downpipe sieve should be easily accessible for regular cleaning. For maintenance or for removal of the debris is easily attached usually an openable flap on Fallrohrsieb. Without maintenance, there is a risk of the downpipe clogged and the water leaking above the downpipe screen, in extreme cases even high above the rain gutter. A downpipe sieve is not appropriate even with a heavily soiled roof covering, as even a cleaned downpipe sieve can clog itself in heavy rain and lead to a backwater during the same rain event .
Downpipe filter
Downpipe filters are used for the first rough cleaning of the rainwater and, in contrast to downpipe sieves, in which leaves and the like are only retained in a sieve that has to be cleaned regularly, separate the water into two fractions. One fraction contains a lot of leaves and the like, relatively little water and is discharged into the sewer system. The second fraction is relatively clean water that is diverted for further use and usually stored. Since downpipe filters divert the rubbish into the sewer system, they are low-maintenance compared to downpipe filters.
technology
Although the term downpipe suggests that the water flows off there in free fall, it actually runs along the inner wall of the pipe. Leaves, moss and other debris, however, fall inside the tube lumen . Downpipe filters take advantage of this effect by diverting the water from the inner wall of the pipe and draining it off to the side.
further explanation
Another pre-filter can be connected downstream of the downpipe filter or combined with it. Depending on the design, these different filters are referred to as inline, cone, cartridge, pipe, backwash , sine, gap , volume, vortex fine, central or centrifuge filters .
Alternatives
Even before the entry into the inlet funnel or downspout leaves and other debris can fastened to the gutter gutter guard be held.
A float can be used to control the automated filling of cisterns or rain barrels without causing flooding , as happens with manually operated flaps.
See also
- Rainwater management
- Gray water and black water (wastewater)
- IBC containers ... rain storage tanks
Web links
- Leaflet on rainwater use in Luxembourg PDF file, see in particular pages 8–10
- Downpipe filter
- Rainwater collector
- Install rain separator yourself
- Building instructions for do-it-yourselfers
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.hohenlohekreis.de/Bauherrenfibel.pdf ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. A primer on building and renovation , information from the Mulfingen community , page 40
- ↑ http://www.max-taut-schule.de/projekte/RWNA.pdf Documentation of the project "Rainwater Use" of the Max-Taut-Schule Berlin, pages 19–22
- ↑ Pre-filter for rainwater (PDF; 3.1 MB) Rainwater switch ( Memento of the original from October 24, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. with " raft float control" PDF
- ↑ Example of a float-operated rainwater switch in a downpipe
