Faircloth Skimmer Improves Sediment Basin Performance

摘要

During the 1980s, while still an erosion control technician for Orange County, NC, J. Warren Faircloth began the process that would eventually lead to his developing the Faircloth Skimmer. Warren's goal was to create a simple device that would skim the best quality water from the surface of a sediment basin. He started with a 5-gallon bucket as the float. Later he upgraded to a float, made from PVC pipe, that held the water inlet pipe just below the water surface. Later, he added an inflow orifice to control the skimmer's outflow rate. I became involved with Mr. Faircloth and his skimmer in 1995, after he had seen an article my graduate student had written, and called me to ask if I would be interested in a research project that would test his skimmer. Over the next seven years my graduate students and I, at Penn State University, conducted a wide variety of experiments designed to evaluate the skimmer and compare it to other sediment-basin dewatering control devices. I encouraged Warren to apply for a patent that would protect his unique invention. Our research, confirmed that the Faircloth Skimmer would effectively control the dewatering of sediment basins and in so doing improve the sediment capture ability of the basin from 80% of the fines, which we typically see from other devices to 90% of the fines with the skimmer, based on a 24-hour dewatering time.rnHis skimmer making business has grown from a part-time job in his garage to a full-time job in a warehouse, where he directs several employees in the construction of his skimmers. He started small, using 2-, 3- and 4-inch PVC pipe. He has expanded his skimmer line to include 5- and 6-inch skimmers and has recently added an 8-inch skimmer. The first large-scale adoption of the Faircloth Skimmer was in Pennsylvania where skimmers are required on all sediment basins in High- or Exceptional-Quality watersheds.