Technical Innovation Proposal

 

 

 

Technical Innovation Proposal

ENGL 217

 

Professor Julian Davidow

 

Group Members: Chico, Delano, Yazdaan, Joseph

 

 

12/19/23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction:

                        The threat of global warming, rising sea levels, adverse weather, and cities flooding are getting more common around the world. This goes especially for coastal cities like New York – which has dealt with a slew of record-breaking floods and hurricanes within the past few decades. The current stormwater management system already in place in New York is outdated and is no match for the extreme weather patterns New York has recently dealt with, on top of the already large population that these sewage lines already must support. Meaning flooding is only going to be a bigger problem as time progresses. Current sewer lines in New York are too narrow to be considered effective at preventing sewage back-ups and flooding during rainstorms, due to its large population and recent intense rainstorms. Hence New York deals with billions in property damage and dozens of lives lost due to basement apartments and streets flooding when these intense storms do come. This is why we propose a new stormwater management system called “pressure-controlled-tanks” (PCTs) modeled after the Tokyo Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge Channel – a system that will be more effective at pumping out excess water. Pictured to the right demonstrates how this technology brings water from flood-prone regions, and brings the water to be discharged into a larger body of water to prevent flooding.  The implementation of this technology has led to Tokyo no longer dealing with its rivers overflowing and posing threats to life and property in the areas near those rivers. This already existing technology will prevent street-flooding as the tanks are able to store and pump out large amounts of water straight into a larger body of water – or for New York’s case, The Atlantic Ocean. Implementing this technology will help flood-zone neighborhoods pump out excess water and prevent flooding. It will also bring along an upgrade to the existing sewage system, which requires sewer lines to be widened and upgraded for the PCTs to be effective. This proposal will add many jobs to NYC to manage and construct it. While also protecting property and preventing any more future flood related deaths, a win-win situation where New York city will benefit from the construction of PCTs. New York desperately needs an effective stormwater management system for the vast size and population, implementing PCTs like those in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge channel will be beneficial to the New York region as it is proven to be effective at combating the negative effects of global warming and preventing floods in low-elevation areas.

 

The Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel:

 

 

The Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge Channel, a remarkable engineering feat constructed between 1993 and 2006, stands as a testament to human ingenuity in the face of natural challenges. This subterranean infrastructure, located 50 meters below ground level and spanning 6.3 kilometers, plays a critical role in mitigating flood risks in the Tokyo metropolitan area. In this essay, we will delve into the intricacies of its design and functionality, focusing on the cylindrical shafts, the pressure-controlled tank, and the engineering marvel that ensures the efficient discharge of water.

At the heart of the Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge Channel are five cylindrical shafts strategically positioned beneath the Ootooshifurutone, Koumatsu, Kuramatsu, Nakagawa, and Edogawa rivers. Each shaft, measuring 70 meters in height and 30 meters in diameter, serves as a containment point for water during periods of intense rainfall. The tunnels and chambers connecting these shafts facilitate the movement of water, creating a network that guides the flow towards the Pressure-controlled tank.

The Pressure-controlled tank, a pivotal component of the system, is a colossal structure measuring 177 meters in length, 78 meters in width, and situated 22 meters below the ground surface. Its primary function is to regulate water pressure and control the discharge into the Edogawa River. Between the years of 2006-2019, the discharge channel averaged a containment and discharge capacity of 14,500,000 cubic meters, the PCT acts as a crucial reservoir during periods of heavy rainfall.

The construction of the Pressure-controlled tank is a marvel of structural engineering. Supported by 59 pillars, each measuring 18 meters in length and weighing a staggering 500 tons, the PCT’s ceiling withstands immense pressure fluctuations. These pillars not only provide structural support but also contribute to the overall stability and resilience of the entire system.

The functionality of the PCT relies on its ability to manage water pressure effectively. As water flows into the cylindrical shafts and through the connecting tunnels, the PCT intervenes by adjusting the pressure to ensure a controlled and efficient discharge. The system is designed to deposit water into the Edogawa River at a rate of 200 cubic meters per second, effectively preventing flooding in vulnerable areas.

The Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge Channel stands as a testament to human innovation and resilience in the face of nature’s unpredictability. Its intricate design, featuring cylindrical shafts, connecting tunnels, and the Pressure-controlled tank, showcases the meticulous planning and engineering expertise invested in flood control. As urban areas grapple with the increasing threat of extreme weather events, the channel stands ready to protect the Tokyo metropolitan area, serving as a beacon of effective infrastructure designed to safeguard communities from the devastating impacts of flooding.

 

Technical Description

 

 

Location-

 

            The most important and crucial part of our system is where it will be located. As you know by certain parts of New York especially coastal areas suffer from increased flooding due to adverse weather patterns and global warming. For the implementation of our system instead of revamping the entire New York City plumbing and flood system we decided to choose specific areas to implement it in. Specifically, communities that are costal and near large bodies of water or are known to have flooding problems when large storms cover the five boroughs.  This reduces not only the cost of the project but saves time and goes to the source of the problem without interfering with majority of New Yorkers lives. Here is a map of the proposed layout of our system.

The locations of our facilities are the Lower East Side, Financial District, Gowanus, Canarsie, Midland Beach, The Rockaways and Coney Island.

 

PCT(Pressure Controlled Tank)-

 

            The purpose of this tank is to store excess water from cylindrical shaft. It alters the water pressure coming from the cylindrical shaft and then distributes it back into large bodies of water. This tank is 177 meters long and 78 meters wide. Depending on which site is in question, how far underground the tank is may vary. This is due to the change in landscape when it comes to each site. The tank supported by 59 pillars each 15 meters long and weighing 500 tons, It can in total hold 26 million cubic meters of water. It can expel this totality at over 200 cubic meters per second. Below you can see what this tank looks like.

(Edogawa River Office,2013)

Cylindrical Shaft-

 

            Each site will contain a cylindrical shaft located under the large body of water near that site. The purpose of the cylindrical shaft is to simultaneously intake excess water from rain but also water from the rivers as the total amount of water rises due to rain. Connected to these shafts will be piping that is connected to NYC drains around and near the site. The shafts are 70 meters long and 30 meters in diameter. They can hold up to 16 million cube meters of water. These shafts are connected to the PCT’s. Below you can see what these shafts look like.

(Edogawa River Office,2013)

Drainage Pumps-

 

            For the PCT’s to be able to discharge the water at such an unprecedented rate on site there are special pump stations that allow this. Each pump has a special impeller that gives the water flowing energy. This impeller is special in the sense that it uses a gas turbine engine. Specifically, a modified version of the engines used in jetliners. The impeller is also very compact and makes less sound with less vibration as well. Below you can see this engineering marvel (not very appealing to the eye)

(Edogawa River Office,2013)

Cost Analysis:

NYC’s aging storm drain infrastructure is the most limiting factor in the system’s design. The pipes within the system aren’t wide enough in diameter; they’re incapable of handling the loads faced under worsening floods. Some suggest upgrading the entire system completely, however doing so would lead to $100 billion in construction costs and a decades-long project (McGeehan, 2023). Alternatively, our solution focuses on replacing the most vital storm drain pipes that would maximize the system’s efficiency. The most recent storm drain projects within NYC charged an average of $3,900 per linear foot to upgrade the pipes, which will be the unit cost for this analysis (NYC DEP, 2021). Our proposal suggests upgrading 120,000 linear feet of the storm drain system across the boroughs, which would come at an estimated cost of $468 million Instead of taking decades, the construction would also come at a reduced time, projecting to last only 4 to 5 years. 

Additionally, it cost Japan $3 billion by 2006 to build 5 PCT’s, a network of connecting pipes, and a discharge station (Blackburn-Dwyer, 2016). The proposal will only need to be 75% the size of Japan’s system to meet NYC precipitation expectations and extreme weather loads. Adjusting the project estimate costs to the correct size and current inflation rates, it would cost about $3.5 billion to build the PCT’s, storage tank, and discharge facilities. The project in Japan ran for 14 years since 1992, and it’s expected to take a similar amount of time to be built in NYC. The upside is that this system can be constructed simultaneously with the storm drain upgrades. In conclusion, the proposal would cost $4 billion and take 14 years to construct.

 

 Conclusion:

            NYC will end up in a situation where floods will be more common due to global warming; resulting in rising sea levels, dangerous weather conditions, and property damages. As it stands out, the NYC Flood Prevention System will be a crucial innovation for the boroughs of New York City. Implementing this project into our water system will significantly reduce the neighborhoods’ water levels during stormy weather and prevent property damage. Think about it, Japan and Manhattan are both islands but Japan is more vulnerable to hurricanes and tsunamis due to its location, yet they managed to control these disasters using their Metropolitan Area Underground Discharge Channel. And when there’s a minor hurricane in NYC, the streets turn chaotic because we have nothing to control these floods. So NYC, we urge you to not hesitate and protect your civilians and neighborhoods before it is too late. Because a flood-free zone is a zone that everyone wants to live in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

 

 

  1. World-class underground discharge channel: Tech & life: Trends in Japan: Web Japan. World-Class Underground Discharge Channel | Tech & Life | Trends in Japan | Web Japan. (n.d.). https://web-japan.org/trends/11_tech-life/tec130312.html
  2. Ito, Shingo. “The Underground ‘Parthenon’ Protecting Tokyo from Floods.”Org, Phys.org, 12 Oct. 2020, phys.org/news/2020-10-underground-parthenon-tokyo.html. 
  3. Japan: Smart Water Drainage Facility Reduces Cost of Damage Caused By …, www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/japan-smart-water-drainage-facility-reduces-cost-damage-caused-floods-90-60645. Accessed 29 Oct. 2023.
  4. :https://www.theneweconomy.com/strategy/japan-fights-flooding-from-below-the-surface
  5. 土木工事電子書類スリム化ガイド （2.0）. (n.d.). https://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/ktr_content/content/000862450.pdf
  6. Monday, C. G. |. (n.d.). Japan fights flooding from below the surface. The New Economy. https://www.theneweconomy.com/strategy/japan-fights-flooding-from-below-the-surface