System and method for securing cover over retention pond using negative pressure

Abstract

A system comprises a negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more fans, at least one manifold pipe coupled to the fan, and one or more a suction pipes coupled to and extending from the manifold pipe down a wall of the retention pond, each suction pipes including one or more structures for drawing air into an interior of the suction pipe. A flexible cover is positionable over at least a portion of the suction pipes and over at least a portion of a material in the retention pond. The fans draw air from the suction pipe interiors through the manifold pipe to create a negative pressure at the wall proximate to each suction pipe to hold the flexible cover to the wall when the one or more fans are activated.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . A system to cover a retention pond, the system comprising:
 a negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more fans, at least one manifold pipe coupled to the one or more fans, and one or more a suction pipes coupled to and extending from the at least one manifold pipe down a wall of the retention pond, each of the one or more suction pipes including one or more structures for drawing air into an interior of the suction pipe; and   a flexible cover positionable over the one or more suction pipes and over a material in the retention pond,   wherein the one or more fans draw air from the interiors of the one or more suction pipes through the at least one manifold pipe to create a negative pressure at the wall proximate to each of the one or more suction pipes to hold the flexible cover to the wall proximate to each of the one or more suction pipes when the one or more fans are activated.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fans are placed on a first side of the retention pond, and the at least one manifold pipe extends generally parallel to an edge of the retention pond. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more structures for drawing air into the interior of each suction pipe includes one or more apertures in a wall of the suction pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one manifold pipe comprises one or more second structures for drawing air into an interior of the at least one manifold pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible cover comprises polyethylene with a polyester reinforcement. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible cover includes a central portion generally positionable over the material in the retention pond and one or more side portions generally positionable over the wall of the retention pond, wherein the one or more side portions include at least one void between adjacent side portions to prevent slack buildup when the one or more fans are activated. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the negative-pressure apparatus comprises a plurality of fans, each of the plurality of fans coupled to the at least one manifold pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-woven material positioned around one or more of the suction pipes. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more second fans, at least one second manifold pipe coupled to the one or more second fans, and one or more second suction pipes coupled to and extending from the at least one second manifold pipe down the wall of the retention pond. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one first manifold pipe extends generally parallel to a first portion of an edge of the retention pond and the second manifold pipe extends generally parallel to a second portion of the edge of the retention pond. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible cover comprises at least one elongated porous strip connecting two non-porous portions of the flexible cover, wherein the at least one elongated porous strip enables drainage of liquid from on top of the flexible cover into the retention pond. 
     
     
         12 . A method for covering a retention pond, comprising:
 providing or receiving at least one negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more fans, at least one manifold pipe coupled to the one or more fans, and one or more suction pipes coupled to and extending from the at least one manifold pipe down a wan of a retention pond,   positioning a flexible cover over a material in the retention pond and at least a portion of the one or more suction pipes of the negative-pressure apparatus, and   activating the one or more fans to create a negative pressure under the flexible cover and draw the flexible cover at least to a portion of the wall of the retention pond proximate to the one or more suction pipes.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising draining liquid from on top of the flexible cover into the retention pond. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing or receiving the at least one negative-pressure apparatus comprise providing or receiving at least two negative-pressure apparatuses, each positioning on a differing portion of an edge of the retention pond. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the at least two negative-pressure apparatuses are independent of each of the others of the at least two negative-pressure apparatuses. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the negative pressure is created by the one or more fans drawing air through one or more structures in each of the one or more suction pipe and the at least one manifold pipe. 
     
     
         17 . A system to securely cover a retention pond, the system comprising:
 a first negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more first fans and at least, one first manifold pipe coupled to the one or more first fans, wherein the at least one the manifold pipe comprises one or more first structures for drawing air into the at least one first manifold pipe;   a second negative-pressure apparatus comprising one or more second fans and at least one second manifold pipe coupled to the one or more second fans, wherein the at least one second manifold pipe comprises one or more second structures for drawing air into the at least one second manifold pipe; and   a flexible cover positioned over a material in the retention pond, at least a portion of the at least one first manifold pipe, and at least a portion of the at least one second manifold pipe,   wherein the one or more first fans draw air through the at least one first manifold pipe and the one or more second fans draw air through the at least one second manifold pipe to create a negative pressure that holds the flexible cover to portions of a wall of the retention pond when the one or more first fans and the one or more second fans are activated.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first negative-pressure apparatus further comprises one or more first suction pipes coupled to and extending from the at least one first manifold pipe down a first portion of the wall and the second negative-pressure apparatus comprises one or more second suction pipes coupled to and extending from the at least one second manifold pipe down a second portion of the wall. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more first suctions pipes includes one or more apertures or perforations for drawing air into the one or more first suction pipes when the one or more first fans are activated. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more second suction pipes includes one or more apertures or perforations for drawing air into the one or more second suction pipes when the one or more second fans are activated.