AU643126B2 - Safety enclosure for foaming of resins giving off hazardous gases, in particular phenolic and urea-formaldehyde resins - Google Patents

Description

OPI DATE 27/09/92 AOJP DATE 01/10/92 APPLN. I D 12591 92D PCT NUMBER PCT/FR92/00046 DEMANDE IN DE BREVETS (PCT) (51) Classification internationale des brevets B29C 67/22, B08B 17/00 E21F 17/00 Al (11) Numt~ro, de publication internationaIe: (43) Date de publication internationale: WO 92/12849 6 aot~t 1992 (06.08.92) (21) Numnro de la demande Internationale: PCT/FR92/00046 (22) Date de dipfit international: 20janvier 1992 (20.01.92) Donn~es relatives Ai ]n priorit6: 91/00823 18 janvier 1991 (18.01.9 1) FR (71) Dbposant (pour tous les Etats d~sign&s sauf US): A. WEB ER, S.A. 'PR/FR]; 94, avenue de la Paix, F-57520 Rouhling

(FR).

(72) Inventeur; et 1'JS) Inventeur/Diposont (US seulement) :WEBER, Adolphe [FR/FR]; 79, avenue de la Paix, F-57520 Rouhling (FR).

(74) Mandataire: CABINET NUSS; 10, rue Jacques-Kab16, F- 67000 Strasbourg (FR).

(81) Etats disignis: AU, PL, RU, US.

Publi~e Avec rapport de recherchze intern alionale.

(54)Title: SAFETY ENCLOSURIE FOR FOAMING OF RESINS GIVING OFF HAZARDOUS GASES, IN PARTICULAR PHENOLIC AND UREA-FORMALDEI.YDE RESINS (54) Titre: ENVELOPPE DE SECURITE POUR LE MOUSSAGE DE RESINES DEGAGEANT DES GAZ DANGEREUX, EN PARTICULIER DE RESINES PHENOLIQUES ET UREE-FORMALDEHYDES (57) Abstract The invention describes a safety enclosure for foaming of resins giving off hazardous gases, in particular phenolic and urea-formaldehyde resins, in which the foam components are mixed, with a view to making supporting, blanking or blocking elements in particular. A safety device is provided, preferably at the top, for filtering and fixing the toxic gases given off during the foaming reaction.

(57) Abr~g6 La pr~sente invention concerne une enveloppe de s~curit6 pour le moussage de r~sines d~gageant des gaz dangereux, en particulier de r~sines ph~noliques et ur~e-formald~hydes, dans laquelle les composants de la mousse sont m~lang~s, en particulier pour la r~alisation de dispositifs de calage, d'obturation ou de barrages. Enveloppe caract~ris~e en ce qu'elte est pourvue, de pr~f6rence dans sa partie sup~rieure, d'un dispositif de s~curit6 r~alisant le f iltrage et la fixation des gaz toxiques d&gag~s, lors de la reaction de moussage.

13 -1A- The present invention relates to the fields of mining and civil engineering, in particular to fillings by foamed resins and has for its object a safety envelope for the foaming of resins liberating dangerous gases, in particular phenolic resins and urea-formaldehydes.

During implementation of the work, in mining and in civil engineering, with krge quantities of phenolic resins, polyurethanes and urea-formaldehydes, in particular for fillings and/or falsework, there is very substantial liberation of toxic gases, such as phenols, formaldehyde and diisocyanates.

This liberation is particularly dangerous in the case of the utilisation of these foams in mines or in a confined atmosphere, where their putting into practice necessitates the use of filter masks, as well as ample ventilation with the objective of increasing the degree of dilution of the gases.

To achieve such fillings, it is known that it is possible to pump the foaming products directly into the cavities to be filled, where the gases are liberated directly into the atmosphere.

The present invention has the objective of overcoming these disadvantages.

S: In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided an envelope for the foaming of resins liberating dangerous gases, in which the components of said foam are mixtures, wherein there is provided a safety device a a: for achieving filtering and fixation of toxic or dangerous gases liberated during the foaming reaction.

The invention will be better understood from the following description which relates to a form of embodiment, given by way of a non-limitative *0 -2example, with reference to the accompanying diagram, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an envelope in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the envelope in accordance with Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an envelope of large capacity.

According to the invention, and as depicted in the accompanying Figs. 1 to 3, the envelope 1 for the foaming of resins liberating dangerous gases, in particular phenolic resins and urea-formaldehydes, in which the components of the foam are mixtures, is provided, preferably in the upper part, with a safety device for achieving the filtering and fixation of the toxic gases liberated during the foaming reaction.

The resins utilised are generally phenolic resins of the resol type with the addition of a porogenous liquid or solid, as well as other additives mixed with an acid catalyst or even urea-formoi resins with the addition of an acid catalyst.

According to a characteristic feature of the invention, the envelope advantageously possesses the shape of a self-inflating cushion in which the components, resin 2 and catalyst 3, of the foam are disposed in separate packagings and are mixed manually during the putting the foaming operation into effect, after rupturing of their packagings, with the gases liberated during the foaming being filtered and fixed in the safety device 4.

At the moment of expansion of the resin, the toxic gases liberated by the reaction are fixed in the filtering device 4, so that pollution of the surrounding atmosphere, especially the confined atmosphere in mines, is avoided.

In the form of embodiment depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, the resin 1 and the catalyst 3 are advantageously disposed in separate packagings, which are burst open during the putting into operation of the envelope 1, so that is possible for the components to be mixed and start the foaming reaction.

It is equally well possible, as shown in Fig. 3, in particular in the case of -3utilisation of envelopes having large or very large capacities, to supply these envelopes directly with foamning mixtures by way of pipeline 5 connected to a mixing and transport device (not depicted).

The safety device 4 which effects the filtration of the gas liberated from the foaming reaction is constructed, preferably, from a cartridge containing activated charcoal or a cellulose support impregnated with sodium bisulphite, as well as absorbers of moisture such as silica gel.

This safety device 4 is advantageously located in a higher position in relation to the envelope 1 during the putting into place of this latter and held there manually until the start of the foaming reaction in the case of small cushions (Figs. 1 and or else placed and held in a higher position by preliminary inflation of the envelope 1 in the case of an envelope of large volume (Fig. this preliminary inflation being carried out by way of the pipeline 5, which is used to introduce the foaming reaction mibture, before the introduction of said foamir- mixture.

The envelope 1 is advantageously fabricated from a flexible material which may, or may not, be antistatic. Thus, it is possible to avoid the formation of sparks by static electricity which could cause ignition or explosion of the gases liberated during the foaming reaction.

By virtue of this present invention, it is possible to carry out the operations of blocking, of shuttering or of damming, especially in the field of civil engineering and mining, the putting into practice being effected by the expansion of foams, in particular phenolic resins and ureaformaldehydes, without liberating any pollutant and/or toxic gases into 'the atmosphere, so that it is possible to guarantee optimal working conditions for the operatives.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the forms of embodiment described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Modifications are possible, especially from the point of view of the constitution -4of the various elements or by substitution of equivalent techniques, without going outside the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims (11)

1. An envelope for the foaming of resins liberating dangerous gases, in which the components of said foam are mixtures, wherein there is provided a safety device for achieving filtering and fixation of toxic or dangerous gases 6 liberated during the foaming reaction.

2. The envelope according to claim 1, wherein said safety device is provided in an upper part of said envelope.

3. The envelope according to claim 1 or claim 2, having the shape of a self-inflating cushion in which the components, resin and catalyst of the foam are disposed in separate packagings and are mixed manually during the putting of the foaming operation into effect, after bursting open their packagings, with gases liberated during the foaming being filtered and fixed in said safety device.

4. The envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said envelope is supplied with said resin and catalyst components of the foam, directly in the form of foaming mixtures, by way of a pipeline connected to a mixing and transport device. s.

5. The envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said safety device which effects the filtration of the gases liberated from the foaming reaction is constructed from a cartridge containing activated charcoal or a cellulose support impregnated with sodium bisulphite, as well as absorbers of mc'sture such as silica gel. I

6. The envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, fabricated from a flexible material.

7. The envelope according to claim 6, wherein said flexible material is 25 anti-static.

8. The envelope according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said resins are phenolic resins and/or urea-formaldehydes.

9. The envelope according to any one of the preceding claims, for the realization of devices for blocking, for shuttering or for damming. So

10. An envelope for the foaming of resins liberating dangerous gases, -6- substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. .The e nvc.Wopz as lic in any one of thce prcccding ekAim ha4- -aeapaeity of frem 1Q fitrcD to 140 etbie metrop.v DATED this 6 day of July 1993. A. WEBER S.A. By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIJE to so**