Enhanced separator tank

Claim 1

A tank interceptor for rainwater and waste-water, comprising: a container including a bottom wall, a side wall and a top wall, said walls defining an internal chamber, a partition dividing the chamber into a by-pass compartment above the partition and a treatment compartment below the partition, the partition having an upper surface, an inlet through the side wall adjacently above said upper surface of the partition, the inlet being adapted to permit liquid to flow into the by-pass compartment, an outlet through the side wall adjacently above the upper surface of the partition, the outlet being adapted to permit liquid to flow out of said by-pass compartment, the upper surface of the partition being configured to include a raised portion which isolates the inlet from the outlet, while being spaced from the top wall of the container, the raised portion requiring that liquid entering through the inlet and seeking to reach the outlet through the by-pass compartment must overflow the raised portion in order to do so, first and second openings through the partition on the inlet side and the outlet side, respectively, of the raised portion, a first pipe commencing substantially at said first opening, extending downward therefrom, and opening into said treatment compartment at an intermediate vertical location therein, a second pipe commencing substantially at said second opening, extending downward therefrom, and opening into said treatment compartment at an intermediate vertical location therein, whereby said openings and pipes communicate the by-pass compartment with the treatment compartment, the openings and corresponding pipes being such that liquid, without having to overflow said raised portion, can travel from the inlet to the outlet by passing through the first opening into the treatment compartment, thence through the treatment compartment, thence through the second opening into the by-pass compartment, thence to the outlet, one of said openings and the corresponding pipe having an internal diameter large enough to allow passage of a maintenance worker from said by-pass compartment into said treatment compartment, an access opening through the top wall of the container, positioned such that maintenance personnel can, without having to enter the container, pass a snorkel through the access opening and said one of the openings in the partition, in order to pump out the contents of the treatment compartment.