DE9004224U1 - Device for treating a soil layer - Google Patents

Description

Device for treating a soil layer

jrjThe invention relates to a device for treating a soil layer by means of a portable steaming hood.

A method is known for treating a soil layer 3! ^/:> by means of water vapor , which is injected between a layer to be treated

Each layer of soil is covered with a covering ^film and the surface of the soil layer is introduced and is sucked out of the surface layer between the soil layer to be treated and the solid subsurface via a pipe system and a vacuum generator, whereby the pipe system is directed onto the surface of the soil layer to be treated.

2gthe soil layer is laid and branches from the pipe system are inserted with their open ends in a predetermined grid up to the boundary layer between the soil layer to be treated and the solid subsoil (cf. DE-PS 35 18 112).

2gBasically, steaming of soil areas to be cultivated is a very beneficial soil treatment, because steaming can kill undesirable bacteria, weeds, soil pests and the like, while at the same time avoiding the introduction of chemical pesticides or the like, or

gQcan at least significantly reduce. However, this previously known method and the device required to carry it out still have significant disadvantages: Firstly, inserting the hose or pipe connectors into the ground is labor-intensive and sometimes also cumbersome. These

„(-Hose or pipe connectors must be fitted into

The soil must first be provided with closure-like plugs to prevent soil from entering these nozzles; then the corresponding closures must be removed from the soil below, which is not only labor-intensive, but usually requires a lot of manual work. Furthermore, to carry out the aforementioned process, a relatively flat and sharp sheet is required, which covers the section of soil to be treated. This sheet must also be covered with ^film on its edges in order to be able to contain and distribute the steam.

¹ C of weighting agents and kept as close to the ground as possible

This is done, for example, with heavy chains or with the help of hoses filled with sand or similar weighting agents. After treating a section of floor, not only the film and its weighting agents but also the hose or pipe connectors must be moved from one application location to the next. In addition to this effort, there is also the risk that the sterilized section of floor will be re-infected by the operating personnel walking on it when dismantling the hose connectors and transporting the film, etc.

A further disadvantage of the known device is that when the pipe or hose connectors are introduced into the ground, openings are created in the immediate vicinity of these hose or pipe connectors, with the result that when the air is extracted , a sufficiently large radial area around these extraction connectors is not extracted as desired, but rather air seeks the path of least resistance along the pipe or hose connector. If this is not sufficiently prevented, the desired disinfection by the steam is not achieved. Only islands in the immediate vicinity of the hose or pipe connectors are then exposed to steam and this is immediately extracted in the immediate vicinity of the pipe or hose connectors. Accordingly, only in the immediate vicinity of the hose or pipe connectors is the air extracted.

U&ogr;de &eegr; is disinfected using steam.

It has already been proposed to create bell-shaped steam hoods made of thin sheet metal with a roughly rectangular outline. These sheet metal steam hoods are intended ^to replace the function of the previously described foil. For transport , handles have been provided on the sheet metal hoods so that they can be carried by several people from one place to another. For reasons of transportability and stability, such sheet metal hoods are limited in their dimensions, which are usually a maximum of around 3 m x 5 m. Further disadvantages of these sheet metal hoods are: The top of these sheet metal hoods cannot be walked on due to their stability; transporting and moving them from place to place is labor-intensive and a combination with a device for the previously described extraction of air from the ground is practically impossible. The work surfaces would also be too small for the air extraction or the entire apparatus would be too complicated and possibly leaky if, for example, two of these sheet metal hoods were to be placed next to one another, where there would then have to be pipes in the transition.

The task is therefore to create a device of the type mentioned at the beginning, avoiding the disadvantages ^{of the} known relevant devices, in which in particular a (25) significantly larger floor area can be covered and the floor covering no longer needs to be moved by hand at its respective locations. If necessary, a good cooperation between the floor covering and the device for sucking up air should also be possible and a quick and, if possible, deeper steaming of the floor should be promoted.

The innovative solution to this problem in a device of the type mentioned at the beginning consists in particular in that a steam hood consists of several individual elements in different

ly overall size and that these individual elements each have self-supporting ceiling elements. Such a device can be practically assembled as a modular system in the appropriate size, or enlarged or reduced, depending on the size of the floor section to be treated. The self-supporting ceiling elements provide good stability with low weight, so that an area of over 30 square meters of floor can be covered. You can also walk on the top of the steam hood, so that necessary

IQ Hi Ifsarhpitsn can be carried out easily" without, for example, already sterilized sections of floor in the vicinity of the steam hood having to be walked on again. The risk of reinfection is therefore largely avoided. It is practical to provide the steam hood of such a device with side aprons that extend from the top of the steam hood and are open at the bottom. These aprons can easily adapt to uneven floors and largely prevent steam from escaping in an undesirable way from the side between the steam hood and the floor. For this purpose, these aprons are conveniently designed to be flexible. They can, for example, be made of strong, flexible plastic foils that are also heat-resistant.

It is practical to provide connection points for transportation devices, e.g. for a chassis or for guide rails with a suspension and lifting device, on the steam hood. In conjunction with a chassis or with guide rails or the like, there is the advantage that the steam hood does not have to be moved manually to its respective locations.

In the device according to the invention, the steam hood can be designed, for example, as an attachment for a tractor or similar agricultural tractor. However, the steam hood can also be designed as a self-propelled unit or as a trailer for a tractor, whereby the self-propelled unit can be

equipped with its own motor drive.

Another possibility is that guide rails for guiding the steam hood are installed on the ceiling of a greenhouse or similar building and cover the floor sections to be treated underneath.

In this way, the mobility of the steam hood can be realized in different ways, adapted to the respective requirements.

It is advisable for the steam hood of the device to be provided with insulation at least in the area of its upper side. This reduces heat loss during steaming in a simple way.

A particularly advantageous development of the invention, for

which requires independent protection, consists in the fact that suction pipes can be attached to the steam hood, which are rotatable and essentially vertical in the working position, and whose cavity can be connected to a vacuum point via the gas path. Such suction pipes, which are intended to be screwed into the ground, can then be attached in a sealing manner to the top of the suction hood. Such a design is user-friendly and can be installed with comparatively little effort.

handle .
• 25

Another particularly advantageous design of the device is that the suction pipes have a snow-like ground feed spiral in the area of their end close to the ground. With such a ground feed spiral, the suction pipe can be turned into the ground like a thread without the soil adjacent to the suction pipe being displaced too much. This largely prevents unwanted ring channels from forming in the ground, which can form around the suction pipe casing in known ventilation pipes of this type. This and the ground feed spiral then prevent

that the air travels along the suction pipe on the shortest route from the ground surface into the suction opening of the suction pipes and a correspondingly large-scale ventilation, which is aimed for, does not take place or only takes place to a reduced extent.

It is advantageous if the suction pipes of the device have a closed tip at their ends near the ground and above this have approximately radially directed suction openings. This

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The risk of the intake openings becoming blocked is reduced.

Additional developments of the invention are set out in further subclaims. The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing, the details of which each represent the invention individually or in any combination with one another.
20

They show on different scales and in some cases more hematized:

Fig. 1 is a sectional, schematic side view of a steam hood that can be used as an attachment for a

trained agricultural tractor; Fig. 2 shows a damping mechanism slightly different from Fig. 1, which

is designed as a self-propelled unit with its own wheels and is connected to a steam generator via a hose

connection is established;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a slightly modified steam generator similar to Fig. 2, which is designed as a trailer.

Fig. 4 is a partially sectioned side view of a

Steam hood connected to suction pipes and having a steam line ; ■

Fig. 5 is a partially sectioned front view of a % damping structure similar to Fig. 4 and on a larger ^scale

Fig. 6 a detail corresponding to section A in Fig. 4

from the top of a steam hood and a section of a suction pipe,

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a skeleton of the top of a steam hood similar to the front view in Fig. 5, but with omitted insulation, side aprons, etc.,

Fig. 8 a partial longitudinal section through a suction pipe,

Fig. 9. a steam hood guided on a guide rail in a greenhouse for treating a soil bed and

Fig.10 is a view similar to Fig.9, but here for the treatment of a bank bed.

Fig. 1 shows a more schematic view of a device, designated as a whole by 1, for treating a soil layer 2 using a portable steaming hood 3. Its upper side 4 consists of several self-supporting ceiling elements 5 (cf.

Fig. 7). These ceiling elements 5 consist essentially of

self-supporting, elongated U-profiles 6 with a U-web 7 at the bottom and free legs 8 angled parallel to this U-web at the top. This profile design according to the innovation results in a particularly stable top side 4 of the steam hood 3 with low material content and therefore comparatively

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low weight. The individual U-profiles 6 of the upper side 4 according to Fig. 7 are arranged side by side and connected to one another, e.g. by screws or welding points 9. Insulating elements are inserted into the upper side 4 of the steaming hood 3, which is shown open in Fig. 7, which produce an insulating layer 10 that runs continuously along the upper side 4 (cf. Fig. 4 and ⁵ ). Lateral aprons 11 extend from the upper side 4 on all four sides from the bottom to the base layer ^2. They are expediently made of flexible, heat-resistant plastics and together with the upper side 4 of the steaming hood they form a bell-shaped steaming hood, marked IS (cf. in particular Fig. 1, 4 and 5).

In the design of the device 1 according to Fig. 1, this steaming hood 3 is attached to an agricultural tractor 13 by means of a holder 12, so that the steaming hood 3 can be moved with the aid of this agricultural tractor 13 and can be brought to different sections 2a, 2b of the soil layer 2 and lowered there.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the steam hood 3 is designed as

Self-propelled unit 14. It has a support frame 15 and wheels 16. Depending on requirements, such a self-propelled unit can have its own motor drive (not shown in Fig. 2) or can be used as a trailer for a tractor or the like.

2b must be trained as an all-terrain vehicle.

In Fig. 1, a highly schematic lifting device 17 can be seen at the free end of the bracket 12. With the help of this lifting device 17, the steam hood 3 can be lifted from the soil layer 2 and then moved by means of the agricultural tractor 13.

e.g. from the floor section 2a to the floor section 2b. The steam hood 13 is then set down again there. In Fig. 2, two cubic units 17 (dash-dotted lines) are also shown schematically for the self-propelled unit 14 there between its support frame 15 and the associated steam hood 3. The steam hood 3 there can also be raised using the lifting units 17.

or lowered if, as explained in connection with Fig. 1, it is to be moved from a floor section 2a to a floor section 2b.

In Fig. 2, on the right, one can see, more schematically, a steam generator 18 with a hose reel 19. In the embodiment according to Fig. 2, 4 and 5, this is the hose connection for a suction-collection pipe 21, which is described in more detail below.
In Fig. 3 one can see a steam generator 18 with a hose reel 19a and a hose 20a, through which the steam generated in the steam generator 18 can be led to a steam line 22 (see Fig. 4 and 5). From Fig. ³ it is clearly visible that the steam generator is designed as a single-acting generator 23. Its boiler for steam generation is connected to a vacuum pump 25 in the form of a vacuum pump.

Block diagram representation.

A special development of the device 1 according to the invention can be clearly seen from Figures 4 to 6. In the steam hood 3, suction pipes, designated as a whole by 26, are arranged at predetermined intervals. In the operating position,

These are oriented approximately vertically and their upper end area 27 penetrates the top 4 of the steam hood 3. They are rotatable there, but are mounted in a sealed manner. 28 in Fig. 6 indicates a pivot bearing, 29 and 30 are sealing rings. Arrow 31 ( 25 indicates the rotatability of the suction pipes 26. Their cavity 32 is connected tightly to the suction-collection pipe 21 of the device 1 at the respective upper end of the suction pipes 26 on the gas path. Individual suction pipes can also lead from the rotary bearings 28 for the suction pipes, for example, to a collection suction line. At their lower free end, which protrudes into the soil layer 2, each suction pipe has a tip 33 which closes the cavity 32 of the respective suction pipe 26. The tip 33 not only makes it easier to insert the suction pipe 26 into the soil layer 2, but at the same time prevents the

Soil penetrates into the cavity 3 2. The steam

The ends of the suction pipes 26 protruding from the hood 3 have a gas coupling point (Fig. 4 - 6) by means of which they are connected, for example via the suction manifold 21, to a vacuum generator belonging to the device 1. Such a vacuum generator can be implemented by the vacuum pump 25 indicated in the block diagram in Fig. 3, but can also be attached to the tractor 13, for example: in both cases the vacuum generator can be driven, for example, by the hydraulics of the tractor 13, preferably when the vacuum pump 25 is on the

¹ ^ Agricultural tractor 13 is attached.

From Fig. 6 it is clearly visible that a mechanical coupling 35 is provided at the upper end of the suction pipe 26 for attaching a rotating device for this suction pipe 26. This mechanical coupling is shown schematically in Fig. 6 and without the gas-tight coupling 34. A hand lever (not shown in detail in Fig. 6 for the sake of clarity) can be attached to the mechanical coupling 35, with the help of which the suction pipe 26 can be screwed into the soil layer 2 until it has the desired penetration depth (Fig. 4 and 5). This desired penetration depth can easily be achieved evenly if the previously mentioned pivot bearing 28 (Fig. 6) determines the lowest position of the suction pipe 26 within the steaming hood 3.
Instead of a hand lever, a twisting device (not shown in detail) can also serve as the twisting element for one or more suction pipes 26, which has, for example, a motor and preferably several twist coupling connections for several suction pipes 6. When the device 1 is equipped with mechanical twisting devices in this way, not only is manual work saved, but the installation time for the device for treating a soil layer 2 is shortened.

Above the closed tip 33, this suction pipe 26 has suction passages 37 directed radially outwards at its end near the ground, as can be clearly seen schematically in Fig. 8.

3&ogr; can be seen. Fig. 8 shows a partial longitudinal section of a

*■ Suction pipe ?6 above the tip 33 near the ground. A particularly advantageous design for such suction passages is obtained by providing a ^sealed section 38 in each suction pipe 26, which consists of a sintered, gas-permeable pipe section 39. This sintered pipe section 39 has the desired gas permeability, but at the same time is sufficiently rotationally stable.

As can be clearly seen from Fig. 4, 5 and 8, each suction pipe has a snow-like ground feed spiral 36 above the suction openings or above the sintered, sieve-like section 39. This feed spiral 36 forms a thread with a large radial extension in relation to the suction pipe diameter. This inventive development has several advantages: firstly, it can screw the respective suction pipe 26 deeper into the ground when it is rotated, for example, by means of the mechanical coupling 35, due to the thread effect of this feed spiral 36. The axial feed forces therefore do not need to be applied, or not only, by hand during the screwing-in process or by a mechanical twisting device. This applies

especially when "unscrewing" the suction pipe 26. On the other hand, the soil feed spiral 36 also covers an annular gap that normally forms in the soil (25) when the suction pipe 26 is inserted, directly around this suction pipe. Since the feed spiral 36 is located above, preferably directly above the suction openings or directly above the sintered pipe section 39, the following advantage also arises: During suction, air is prevented from penetrating directly along the suction pipe 26 via the shortest and "most convenient" route from the soil layer surface 40 into the suction openings 37 or into the sintered pipe section. The soil layer to be worked on can be ventilated over a large area and with a large effective radius around the respective suction pipe 26, as can be seen with the help of the dot-dash lines.

Arrows 41 in Fig. 4 are indicated. If one achieves such a

By means of a ventilation system which surrounds the individual suction pipes over a large area, a similar, large-scale damping of the soil layer 2 is also achieved, which is desirable for good soil treatment in the sense of the task mentioned at the beginning. The suction pipes 26 described above can also be easily inserted into the soil layer 2 with the desired penetration depth.

In conjunction with the already mentioned axial bearing,

The feed spirals 36 perform an additional, advantageous function during operation thanks to the pivot bearings 28 formed: With the help of the feed spirals 36 of the suction pipes 26, the steam hood 3 is held in its position on the surface of the earth during steaming. Even if the excess pressure of the steam increases, it cannot raise the steam hood, or at least not significantly, which means that undesirable escape of steam from the sides of the steam hood 3 can be kept to a minimum. For this reason, it is also possible to work well with somewhat higher steam pressures, which speeds up the working speed.

The device 1 can be used as follows: After a device 1, e.g. B. with a tractor 13 and a steam generator 18, has been transported close to a soil layer 2 to be treated, the steam hood 3 of the ( 25 device 1 is set down, e.g. with the help of the tractor 13, on the soil section 2a where the treatment of the soil layer 2 is to be started (Fig. 1). Then the suction pipes 26 can be inserted into the corresponding insertion points 43 (Fig. 4 to 6) of the top 4 of the steam hood 3. The insertion points 43 are distributed on the top 4 of the steam hood 3 in such a way that corresponds to the grid for inserting the suction pipes in the soil layer 2. Individual suction pipes 26 can be inserted into the soil layer by hand at the intended depth, for example, with the

Feed spiral 36 the penetration of the suction pipe 26 into the

■ 1 dense layer 2 facilitated. If necessary, one or

several suction pipes 26 are inserted into the soil layer 2 using a mechanical twisting device. The stable, large-area and generally easily accessible upper side 4 of the

, 5 Steaming hood 3 facilitates this work. The upper end of the

! Suction pipes 26 are then connected to a single or, as shown in the drawing, to a suction-collection pipe 21 by gas-tight couplings 34 and the suction-collection pipe is connected, for example, via a gas hose 20 to a vacuum pump 25.

: iO den. This can receive its energy from the tractor. Z. 8. The vacuum pump 25 can be mounted on the tractor and

j whose hydraulics are driven.

{ In each steam hood 3 there are steam lines 22, which can be permanently installed there and led out to the outside.

■ 15 as shown in Fig. 4. A hose 20a connected to the boiler 24 of the steam generator 18 is then connected to the

\ Steam line 22, if necessary also with several steam lines of this type, and the device 1 is then ready for operation. As a rule, air is first sucked out of the floor section 2a, above which the steam hood 3 is located, via the suction pipes 26 and then steam is brought under the steam hood 3. Usually, the aforementioned suction process continues while steam (see arrows 44) continues to flow out, through the soil according to arrows 41 (Fig. 4) and is partially or completely removed via the suction pipes 26 from the area of the suction hood 3 and the soil section 2a underneath. In this way, the soil section 2a to be treated can be steamed with great safety and good spatial and temporal uniformity. Usually, when extracting air, a negative pressure of about 0.03 bar (3000 Pa) is used. Under the hood, a steam pressure of about 0.2 bar (2000 Pa) can be used.

After the end of this operation, the steam line 22 can be closed using the shut-off valve 45 and the suction

^ Remove the pipe(s) 21 above the steaming hood. The ability to walk on the top side 4 ^of the steaming hood and the feed spiral 36 then proves to be particularly practical: You can walk on the top side 4 of the steaming hood and, either by hand or by machine, unscrew the individual suction pipes from the soil layer, the feed spiral 36 making it easier to remove the suction pipes 26 from the soil. All of this can be done without having to walk on the sterilized soil section 2a. If necessary, the steaming hood 32 can be moved from a soil section 2a to a sod section 2b by moving the tractor 13 and the previously described operation repeated.

Figures 9 and 10 also show devices 1a which are designed in a greenhouse 5 for treating a ground bed 51 (Fig. 9) or a bench bed 52 (Fig. 10). If the steam hood 3 is still of a manageable size, it could be moved by hand from one section of the bed to be treated to the next.
In the embodiments shown in Fig. 9 and 10, however, suspension and lifting devices 5 j are provided for this purpose. These devices have movable guide rails 54 on which the steaming hood is suspended so as to be movable along the rail. In the course of the suspension between the steaming hood 3 and the guide rail 54, lifting devices 55, for example in the form of electric spindles, are expediently used, with which the steaming hood 3 can be moved. j can be lifted, then moved along the rail 54 and set down again at another location.

_{In order to} lock and seal the edge of the steam hood 3, sealing strips 56 (see Fig. 10), e.g. angle rails with sealing inserts, can be provided on the bed 51, 52 to be treated. On the other hand, it is often sufficient for adequate sealing if the edge of the steam hood 3 is pressed slightly into the ground.

In Fig. 10, the fastening brackets 57 which span the steam hood 3 in the working position and reach under the bench bed 52 can also be seen, with which the steam hood 3 can be pressed against the bench bed or the like for better sealing.

ALL individual features described above and/or listed in the claims can be essential to the invention either individually or in any combination with one another.

Expectations

Claims (21)

Expectations 15 Device for treating a soil layer by means of a portable steaming hood, characterized in that the steaming hood (3) is made up of several individual elements of different overall sizes and that these individual elements each have self-supporting ceiling elements (5). 20 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the steaming hood (3) has lateral aprons (11) projecting downwards from its upper side (4), which are expediently flexible. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that connection points for transport means, e.g. for a chassis or for running rails (54) with a suspension and lifting device (53) are provided on the steam housing (3). 4. Device according to at least one of claims ? to 3, characterized in that the steam hood (3) is designed as an attachment for a tractor or similar agricultural tractor (13). 5. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the steaming hood (3) is designed as trailer-like self-propelled unit (14). 6. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the steaming hood (3) is designed as a self-propelled unit (14) with its own motor drive. 7. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a lifting device (17) or is connected to a lifting device (If) of an agricultural tractor (13) or the like. 8. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, " characterized in that the damping cover (3) is covered with an insulating layer (10) at least in the region of its upper surface (4). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the insulating layer (10) is accommodated between preferably vertical legs of the self-supporting ceiling elements (5). 10. Device for treating a soil layer by means of a transportable steaming hood, in particular according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that rotatable suction pipes (26) which are oriented essentially vertically in the operating position and are intended for screwing into a soil layer (2) and which are hollow at least in their upper section can be sealingly attached in the steaming hood (3), the cavity (32) of which is connected to a vacuum source (21; 25) of the Device (1) can be connected. 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that each suction pipe (26) is connected to an intermediate pipe or a collecting pipe (21) via a rotatable sealing connection (34, 35). 3Fi, which in turn is connected to a vacuum pump (25) ■ &Iacgr;&igr;&eacgr;: .: i'l· * :: : ^ or similar vacuum generator can be connected. 12. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, r characterized in that the steam hood (3) at least- ii c 2 g ° has a covering area of about 5 m. % 13. Device according to at least r\-.im of claims 9 to 12, &psgr;- characterized in that at least a number of their p suction pipes C?^), preferably all their suction pipes (26) ^O mechanical coupling (35) for the attachment of a twisting element, which may be designed as a hand lever. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that it has a motor-driven twisting device which has at least one, preferably several coupling connections for engagement with one or more suction pipes (26) to be twisted. 15. Device according to at least one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that at least a number, preferably all, of the suction pipes (26) have a worm-plate-like ground feed spiral (36) in the region of their end near the ground. ) 25 16, Device according to at least one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the suction pipes (26) have a closed tip (33) at their end near the ground and approximately radially directed suction through holes (37) above it. 17. Device according to at least one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the suction openings (37) or similar suction openings of the suction pipes (26) are formed by a sieve-like section (38), preferably by an air-permeable, sintered pipe section (39). 18. Device according to at least one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the bottom pre-screws (36) are located near the upper radial openings (37), preferably directly above the sieve-like b sintered pipe section (39) of the suction pipe (26). 19. Device according to at least one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the suction pipes (26) have axial bearings (28) and the damping hood (3) have abutments (28a) therefor. 20. Device according to at least one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the guide rails (54) for guiding the steaming hood (3) can be attached to the ceiling of a greenhouse or similar building and cover the sections of soil to be treated located underneath. 21. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the suspension and lifting device (53) connected on the one hand to the guide rail (5A) and on the other hand to the connection points of the steaming hood (3) has one or more lifting drives (55), preferably electric spindles I η. Patent Attorney (H. Schmitt·, Patents &eegr;\ngr;&egr; t Uh