Flood Restoration System and Method

Abstract

An in and out flood restoration system and method of using the same is provided. The system may include a recovery tank with an internal storage volume to store a recovered flood liquid, one or more air openings, and one or more liquid openings. The recovery tank may be sealed or generally air tight. The system may include a suction/blower assembly, or a suction source and a blower source, to produce a suction (or negative) pressure and a blower (or positive) pressure at the one or more air openings. The system may include a suction hose and discharge hose to retrieve and dispose of the flood liquid to and from the one or more liquid openings of the recovery tank. The system may further include a stationary or rolling frame for use when the system is in an operation mode or a storage mode, and at least one sound suppressor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An in and out flood restoration system for retrieving and disposing of a flood liquid, the in and out flood restoration system comprising:
 a recovery tank configured with an internal storage volume, a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis extending through the internal storage volume, the first end, and the second end, an air opening configured to receive air into and out of the internal storage volume of the recovery tank, an in/out liquid opening configured to receive and discharge the flood liquid into and out of the internal storage volume of the recovery tank, and the recovery tank positioned to reside in an operating position while the in and out flood restoration system is in an operation mode;   a frame configured to support the recovery tank;   at least one sound suppressor positioned in contact with a surface of one of the first end or the second end of the recovery tank to lessen a movement of the surface during operation of the in and out flood restoration system;   a suction/blower assembly that includes a pump and a motor, the suction/blower assembly having a suction opening and a blower opening, wherein the suction/blower assembly is configured to produce a suction pressure at the suction opening and a positive pressure at the blower opening;   a suction/blower valve assembly configured to be in fluid communication with the suction opening and the blower opening of the suction/blower assembly and the air opening of the recovery tank, the suction/blower valve assembly configured to connect at least one of the suction opening of the suction/blower assembly and the blower opening of the suction/blower assembly to the air opening of the recovery tank;   a suction hose having a first end and a second end, and configured to be in fluid communication with the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank through the first end of the suction hose when the in and out flood restoration system is in a suction mode, the suction hose configured to receive the flood liquid at the second end of the suction hose and to deposit the flood liquid through the first end of the suction hose and into the internal storage volume of the recovery tank through the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank when the in and out flood restoration system is in the suction mode;   a discharge hose having a first end and a second end, and configured to be in fluid communication with the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank through the first end of the discharge hose when the in and out flood restoration system is in a discharge mode, the discharge hose configured to receive the flood liquid stored in the internal storage volume of the recovery tank from the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank at the first end of the discharge hose and to deposit the flood liquid at the second end of the discharge hose at a disposal location when the in and out flood restoration system is in the discharge mode; and   a liquid valve assembly in fluid communication with the first end of the suction hose, the first end of the discharge hose, and the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank, the liquid valve assembly configured to connect at least one of the first end of the suction hose to the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank, and the first end of the discharge hose to the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank.   
     
     
         2 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the in and out flood restoration system may be operated in at least a suction mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from a first remote location through the suction hose and to store the flood liquid in the internal volume of the recovery tank, and in a discharge mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from the internal volume of the recovery tank through the discharge hose and to dispose of the flood liquid at a second remote location. 
     
     
         3 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the flood liquid includes water and some solids. 
     
     
         4 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the second remote location is a drain. 
     
     
         5 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the second remote location is remote from the recovery tank. 
     
     
         6 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery tank is a barrel with a generally flat top that is the first end, and a generally flat bottom that is the second end, the longitudinal axis extends from the first end of the barrel, through the internal volume of the barrel, to the second end of the barrel. 
     
     
         7 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 6 , wherein the operating position of the recovery tank includes the barrel positioned with the longitudinal axis of the recovery tank positioned closer to parallel with a flat ground that is supporting the in and out flood restoration system than orthogonal to the flat ground that is supporting the in and out flood restoration system. 
     
     
         8 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the recovery tank while in the operating position is generally parallel with the ground that is supporting the in and out flood restoration system. 
     
     
         9 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery tank further comprises a bottom drain opening that is configured to be closed with a plug, and the bottom drain opening is positioned so that at least some of the flood liquid in the internal volume of the recovery tank may be drained out of the internal volume through the bottom drain opening when the plug of the bottom drain is removed while the recovery tank is in the operating position. 
     
     
         10 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 6 , wherein the air opening of the recovery tank is positioned at a top location of the recovery tank while the recovery tank is in the operating position. 
     
     
         11 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 6 , wherein the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank is positioned at a lower position of the recovery tank while the recovery tank is in the operating position. 
     
     
         12 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the air opening of the recovery tank includes:
 a first air opening of the recovery tank in fluid communication with suction opening of the suction/blower assembly; and   a second air opening of the recovery tank in fluid communication with blower opening of the suction/blower assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , further comprising two or more wheels positioned to support the frame and operable for the in and out flood restoration system to be rolled on a ground when in the operation mode. 
     
     
         14 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 13 , wherein the frame includes a base frame to support the recovery tank and wherein the two or more wheels are positioned at least partially below the base frame, and wherein the frame further comprises one or more supports that extend at least partially away from the base frame and include two or more storage wheels for use in rolling the in and out flood restoration system when in a storage mode position with the two or more storage wheels positioned to roll on a ground. 
     
     
         15 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 14 , wherein the in and out flood restoration system may be positioned in the storage mode position with the two or more storage wheels in contact with the ground, and wherein the storage wheels may be used to roll the in and out flood restoration system on the ground while in the storage mode position. 
     
     
         16 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 1 , wherein the in and out flood restoration system may be operated in at least the suction mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from a first remote location through the suction hose and to store the flood liquid in the internal volume of the recovery tank, and in the discharge mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from the internal volume of the recovery tank through the discharge hose and to dispose of the flood liquid at a second remote location. 
     
     
         17 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one sound suppressor positioned in contact with an outer surface of one of the first end or the second end of the recovery tank to lessen a movement of the outer surface during operation of the in and out flood restoration system includes:
 a first sound suppressor positioned in contact with the surface of the first end of the recovery tank when the in and out flood restoration system transitions between the suction mode and the discharge mode; and   a second sound suppressor positioned in contact with the surface of the second end of the recovery tank when the in and out flood restoration system transitions between the suction mode and the discharge mode.   
     
     
         18 . The in and out flood restoration system of  claim 16 , further comprising a first hose rack in mechanical linkage with the frame and configured to support at least one of the suction hose and the discharge hose. 
     
     
         19 . An in and out flood restoration system for retrieving and disposing of a flood liquid, the in and out flood restoration system comprising:
 a recovery tank configured with an internal storage volume, one or more air openings configured to provide an air path that extends from outside the recovery tank to the internal storage volume of the recovery tank, and one or more in/out liquid openings configured to receive and discharge the flood liquid into and out of the internal storage volume of the recovery tank;   a rolling frame configured to support the recovery tank and roll the in and out flood restoration system while provided in an operation mode position, and the rolling frame further configured to roll the in and out flood restoration system while provided in a storage mode position;   a suction source having a suction opening and configured to produce a suction pressure at the suction opening, wherein the suction source is configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more air openings of the recovery tank through the suction opening to provide the suction pressure to the recovery tank;   a blower source having a blower opening and configured to produce a blower pressure at the blower opening, wherein the blower source is configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more air openings of the recovery tank through the blower opening to provide the blower pressure to the recovery tank;   a suction hose having a first end and a second end, and in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more in/out liquid openings of the recovery tank through the first end of the suction hose when the in and out flood restoration system is operating in a suction mode, the suction hose configured to receive the flood liquid at the second end of the suction hose and to deposit the flood liquid through the first end of the suction hose and into the internal storage volume of the recovery tank through the at least one of the one or more in/out liquid openings of the recovery tank;   a discharge hose having a first end and a second end, and in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more in/out liquid openings of the recovery tank through the first end of the discharge hose when the in and out flood restoration system is operating in a discharge mode, the discharge hose configured to receive the flood liquid stored in the internal storage volume of the recovery tank from the in/out liquid opening of the recovery tank at the first end of the discharge hose and to deposit the flood liquid at the second end of the discharge hose at a disposal location; and   wherein the in and out flood restoration system may be operated in at least the suction mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from a first remote location through the suction hose and to store the flood liquid in the internal volume of the recovery tank, and in the discharge mode to retrieve and move the flood liquid from the internal volume of the recovery tank through the discharge hose and to dispose of the flood liquid at a second remote location.   
     
     
         20 . A method for using an in and out flood restoration system to retrieve a flood liquid from a first location, transport the flood liquid to a recovery tank, transport the flood liquid from the recovery tank, and dispose of the flood liquid at a second location, the method comprising:
 providing a recovery tank with at least one portion of one surface of the recovery tank of the in and out flood restoration system secured to decrease noise generation by reducing a movement of the at least one portion of the one surface of the recovery tank when the in and out flood restoration system transitions to and from a suction mode state and to and from a discharge mode state;   placing the in and out flood restoration system in the suction mode state to generate a negative pressure at an internal volume of the recovery tank and a negative pressure at a suction hose;   using the suction hose having a first end in fluid communication with the recovery tank and a second end positioned adjacent the flood liquid at the first location to retrieve the flood liquid at the first location and transport the retrieved flood liquid to the recovery tank;   placing the in and out flood restoration system in the discharge mode state to generate a positive pressure at the internal volume of the recovery tank and a positive pressure at a discharge hose; and   using the discharge hose having a first end in fluid communication with the recovery tank and a second end positioned adjacent the second location to transport the flood liquid in the recovery tank to the second location to dispose of the flood liquid.