Insulated removable pond cover

Abstract

An insulated removeable pond cover for settling ponds. The pond cover comprises a plurality of sealed panel units containing insulation. The panel units are linked together by means of a system of cables which pass through grommets in the panel units.

1. A pond cover comprising a plurality of panel units linked together; means for insulating said pond cover, said insulating means comprising a generally rectangular layer of insulation wherein each of said panel units is filled internally with said layer of insulation and is sealed at either end and along either side by welding; and
 means for linking said panel units together and securing said pond cover in position on a pond, said linking means comprising grommets disposed along said sealed end of each of said panel units, and each of said panel units is linked in vertical spaced relationship to an adjacent panel unit by at least one cable disposed through said vertical spaced grommets and formed into a loop projecting above said panel units, and said securing means including a second cable which is disposed through the  an entire row of said loops and is anchored at either of its end to an anchoring means.  
 
     
     
       2. The pond cover of  claim 1 , where the loops disposed through the grommets project both above and below the panel units. 
     
     
       3. The pond cover of  claim 1 , where the loops disposed about the second cable are disposed through said grommets. 
     
     
       4. A pond cover comprising:
   a plurality of panel units linked together;        means for insulating the pond cover, the insulating means comprising a generally rectangular layer of insulation where each of the panel units is filled internally with the layer of insulation and is sealed at either end and along either side by welding; and        means for linking the panel units together and securing the pond cover in position on a pond, the linking means comprising grommets disposed along the sealed end of each of the panel units, and each of the panel units is linked in vertical spaced relationship to an adjacent panel unit by at least one cable disposed through the vertical spaced grommets and formed into a loop projecting above the panel units, and the securing means including a second cable which is disposed through a row of the loops and is anchored at either of its end to an anchoring means.     
     
     
       5. A cover and wastewater combination comprising:
   wastewater that includes sewage and/or industrial waste;        at least two sealed panels positioned over the wastewater, each panel having a side characterized by an edge and a plurality of openings spaced apart from the edge; and        the openings in one of the panels being positioned above the openings in the other panel, and a fastener being disposed through at least two adjacent openings.     
     
     
       6. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 5 , where the panels are rectangular. 
     
     
       7. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 5 , where the panels comprise a geomembrane. 
     
     
       8. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 5 , where the panels are approximately seven and one- half feet wide and approximately forty feet long.   
     
     
       9. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 5 , where each panel includes insulation material sealed inside, but not completely filling, a void in the panel. 
     
     
       10. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 9 , where the insulation material is sealed inside each panel by a weld. 
     
     
       11. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 9 , where the insulation material is rectangular. 
     
     
       12. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 5 , where the panels further comprises a grommet circumscribing each opening. 
     
     
       13. A cover and wastewater combination comprising:
   wastewater that includes sewage and/or industrial waste; and        at least two sealed panels removably linked to each other, the panels being positioned over and in direct contact with the wastewater;        where each panel contains, but is not completely filled with, an insulation material.     
     
     
       14. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 13 , where each panel comprises a geomembrane. 
     
     
       15. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 13 , where the insulation material is sealed inside each panel by a weld. 
     
     
       16. The cover and wastewater combination of  claim 13 , where each panel includes multiple openings, the panels overlap, and the panels are removably linked to each other with fasteners. 
     
     
       17. A cover and wastewater combination comprising:
   wastewater that includes sewage and/or industrial waste;        at least two sealed panels removably linked together in overlapping relationship over the wastewater; and        means for removably linking the panels in overlapping relationship, the means comprising fasteners and openings defined in each of the panels;        where the openings in one of the panels are positioned above the openings in another of the panels to form pairs of openings of different panels, and one of the fasteners is disposed through each pair of overlapping openings so as to removably link the overlapping panels.     
     
     
       18. A cover comprising:
   a plurality of panels removably linked together, each panel comprising high density polyethylene material; and        insulation material sealed inside each panel;        where the insulation material inside each panel does not completely fill the panel.     
     
     
       19. The cover of  claim 18 , where each panel includes multiple openings, the panels overlap, and the panels are removably linked together with fasteners. 
     
     
       20. A cover comprising:
   a plurality of panels configured for use over wastewater, the panels being removably linked together with fasteners disposed through overlapping openings of adjacent panel portions;        where each panel includes insulation material sealed inside, but not completely filling, a void in the panel.     
     
     
       21. The cover of  claim 20 , where each panel comprises geomembrane. 
     
     
       22. The cover of  claim 21 , where each panel includes multiple openings, the panels overlap, and the panels are removably linked together with fasteners. 
     
     
       23. A method of manipulating a cover comprising:
   linking at least two panels such that the panels are adjacent to each other, where each panel includes insulation material that is sealed inside, but that does not completely fill, a void in the panel; and        disposing the panels over wastewater that includes sewage and/or industrial waste.     
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , where each panel comprises geomembrane. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , where the insulation material is rectangular. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 23 , where each panel comprises openings, and the linking includes placing a fastener through at least one pair of adjacent openings. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , where the openings in each panel are adjacent to at least one edge of one side of the panel. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26 , where the linking includes orienting the panels in an overlapping relationship. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
   anchoring the linked panels over the wastewater.     
     
     
       30. A method of covering wastewater, comprising:
   disposing at least two panels over wastewater that includes sewage and/or industrial waste, where the at least two panels are linked to each other and each contains, but is not completely filled with, insulation material sealed inside it.     
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , where each panel comprises geomembrane. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30 , where the insulation material is rectangular. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 30 , where each panel comprises openings, and the linking includes placing a fastener through at least one pair of adjacent openings. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33 , where the openings in each panel are adjacent to at least one edge of one side of the panel. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33 , where the linking includes orienting the panels in an overlapping relationship. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
   anchoring the linked panels over the wastewater.