EP2644285B1 - Device for rinsing a pool - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the cleaning of the slab capacity for storing liquids loaded with solid substances such as rainwater, mixed water or wastewater.

The invention relates for example to the cleaning of the storm basin floor, lifting tank or various capacities.

Storm basins are buried or aerial tanks that, in the event of rain, allow the water of a unitary network to be stored for biological treatment in a treatment plant after the rain has stopped.

The emptying of basins can be carried out by pumps located in a pumping pit or by a gravity drain. The set constituting the low point of the basin is also called evacuation zone.

• des compartiments à clapets, dans lesquels on accumule une grande quantité d'eau, avant d'ouvrir brutalement les clapets, selon le document EP 0211058 par exemple
• ou bien encore des augets basculeurs, systèmes dans lesquels on place un important volume d'eau en hauteur, avant de le déverser brutalement sur le radier, selon le document FR2630472 par exemple.

After this emptying, there remains at the bottom of the basin (raft) impurities or sludge. This sludge can be eliminated by automatic flushing systems in particular. This can be done by:

• flap compartments, in which a large quantity of water is accumulated, before opening the flaps suddenly, according to the document EP 0211058 for example
• or else tipping buckets, systems in which a large volume of water is placed in height, before pouring it brutally on the raft, according to the document FR2630472 for example.

These methods are generally effective, but require the use of electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic energy. On the other hand many basins do not have a flushing system because of the high cost of equipment and the adaptation of civil engineering for their implementation. In basins without a rinsing system, sludge accumulates on the raft. They will have to be removed manually; which generates significant costs and risks for stakeholders due to the possible presence of H2S gas and risk of falling due to the depth of these structures.

The document DE 39 15 076 discloses a rinsing system comprising a box that fills each time the basin fills with water, and that empties only when the basin is almost empty, thus causing a rinsing of the bottom. A system of three tubes connects the box to the lower part of the basin, the second tube being much thinner. Moreover, a cover makes it possible to close the first tube, to put it in pressure relation with the second and third tubes, with a counterweight having the effect of opening the lid as soon as the air has been able to penetrate into the first tube. passing through the second and third tubes. So when the basin is almost empty, the air enters through the third tube, then flows to the first tube through the second tube, which causes the opening of the lid, and thus the emptying of the box producing the rinsing of the basin. As soon as the lid is open, there is no longer a risk that the rinsing water is sucked in again by the third tube, which ensures that the rinsing water, loaded with dirt from the bottom of the basin well out of the pool, without risk of being returned to the box.

However, this system is quite complex, with a lid and a counterweight with a float, and therefore has significant risks of malfunction as soon as impurities are introduced into the immediate vicinity of the various moving parts.

We still know the document DE 199 01 993 which proposes a device, according to the preamble of claim 1, for rinsing a pool equipped with an area to be rinsed able to store a quantity of water and an evacuation zone from which the water can be extracted from the basin.

However, this document does not propose a device to simplify and make reliable the flushing.

The present invention proposes to remedy at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks and proposes a system that allows rinsing the floor of a storm basin. Her The design is simple and robust and does not require additional civil engineering work.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a device for rinsing a basin provided with one or more areas to be rinsed called a track, and an evacuation zone from which water can be extracted from said basin, said rinsing device comprising a box provided at the bottom of a siphon, a non-return valve disposed in the upper part of the box, and able to let air out of the box in case of overpressure and to prevent the entry of the air in case of depression, and a pipe comprising a movable part, said pipe being configured to connect the upper part of said box by its upper end to said discharge zone by its lower end. This rinsing device is particular in that the lower end is movable in vertical translation between a low position where it is covered with water as the basin is not almost empty, and a high position where its low end is sufficiently remote from a stream of rinsing water from said box to allow the flow of said rinsing water without it being sucked into said pipe. Thus, at each filling of the basin, said box fills, as well as a portion of said pipe containing the lower end, and each empty basin, the box remains full until the basin is almost empty, in until the bottom end of the pipe is no longer covered with water, and lets out the water contained in the pipe. At that moment the pressure is released in the box, which empties instantly, and thus produces a rinsing effect of the basin track. The vertical mobility of the lower end of the pipe then makes it possible to guarantee that the rinsing water is not sucked by the pipe, which would prevent the evacuation of the rinsing water, and the dirt would be trapped. Thanks to the invention, this can be avoided.

• ladite partie mobile de la conduite peut être soutenue par l'intermédiaire d'un ressort disposé en un point d'attache de la partie mobile de la conduite, et configuré pour céder au poids de la partie mobile de la conduite contenant de l'eau et entourée d'air, de sorte que celle-ci est en position basse, et pour rappeler ladite conduite vers sa position haute dès que ladite conduite est vidée de son eau ; on obtient ainsi un mécanisme particulièrement simple et fiable,
• ladite conduite peut comprendre une manchette souple de mobilité disposée entre la partie mobile de la conduite et une partie fixe, de sorte à permettre un mouvement de rotation d'au moins une partie de la partie mobile de la conduite sensiblement autour de ladite manchette souple de mobilité, se traduisant au niveau de l'extrémité basse de la conduite par au moins un mouvement de translation verticale, conférant ainsi une mobilité sans pièce mécanique comme un axe ou une rotule,
• ladite partie mobile de la conduite peut comprendre une manchette souple de verticalité configurée pour limiter le mouvement de la partie de la conduite située entre ladite manchette souple de verticalité et l'extrémité basse de la conduite à un mouvement de translation sensiblement vertical ; une telle disposition permet d'éviter un mouvement horizontal de l'extrémité basse de la conduite induite par ledit mouvement de rotation, et de plus de libérer le mouvement horizontal de ladite extrémité basse, et de réduire ainsi les contraintes et difficultés à effectuer le mouvement de translation vertical,
• ladite conduite peut présenter une forme de U renversé, avec une première partie verticale partant de la partie haute du caisson, une deuxième partie sensiblement horizontale ou légèrement inclinée, et enfin une troisième partie verticale se terminant par l'extrémité basse, proposant ainsi une solution très simple,
• ladite manchette souple de mobilité peut être disposée dans ladite deuxième partie, par exemple à environ un mètre du point d'attache, ce qui confère une bonne mobilité verticale à l'extrémité basse de la conduite,
• ladite manchette souple de verticalité peut être située dans ladite troisième partie proche de l'extrémité supérieure de ladite troisième partie de sorte à limiter les mouvements latéraux, induits par ledit mouvement de rotation, de ladite troisième partie,
• ledit dispositif de rinçage peut comprendre deux butées conçues pour limiter le mouvement de translation vertical de la partie mobile de la conduite,
• ladite zone d'évacuation peut être une fosse de pompage dans laquelle est disposée une pompe apte à pomper l'eau vers une sortie du bassin, et l'extrémité basse de la conduite située dans ladite fosse de pompage ; une telle disposition permet d'enterrer le bassin, ce qui le rend plus discret, et facilite la collecte de l'eau de pluie,
• le volume dudit caisson peut être inferieur au volume de ladite fosse de pompage ; ainsi toute l'eau de rinçage se retrouve immédiatement dans la zone de réception.

According to other characteristics:

• said moving part of the pipe can be supported by means of a spring disposed at a point attaching the movable portion of the pipe, and configured to yield to the weight of the movable portion of the pipe containing water and surrounded by air, so that the latter is in the lower position, and to recall said driving to its high position as soon as said pipe is emptied of its water; this gives a particularly simple and reliable mechanism,
• said pipe may comprise a flexible sleeve of mobility disposed between the movable portion of the pipe and a fixed portion, so as to allow a rotational movement of at least a portion of the movable portion of the pipe substantially around said flexible sleeve of mobility, resulting in at the lower end of the pipe by at least one vertical translation movement, thus conferring a mobility without a mechanical part such as an axis or a ball joint,
• said movable portion of the conduit may comprise a flexible verticality sleeve configured to limit the movement of the portion of the conduit between said flexible verticality sleeve and the lower end of the conduit to a substantially vertical translational motion; such an arrangement makes it possible to prevent horizontal movement of the lower end of the pipe induced by said rotational movement, and moreover to release the horizontal movement of said lower end, and thus to reduce the constraints and difficulties in making the movement vertical translation,
• said pipe may have an inverted U shape, with a first vertical part starting from the upper part of the box, a second part substantially horizontal or slightly inclined, and finally a third vertical part ending in the bottom end, thus providing a solution very simple,
• said flexible sleeve of mobility can be disposed in said second part, for example about one meter from the point of attachment, which gives a good vertical mobility to the lower end of the pipe,
• said flexible verticality sleeve may be located in said third portion near the upper end of said third portion so as to limit the lateral movements, induced by said rotational movement, of said third portion,
• said rinsing device may comprise two stops designed to limit the vertical translation movement of the mobile part of the pipe,
• said evacuation zone may be a pumping pit in which is disposed a pump capable of pumping water to an outlet of the basin, and the lower end of the pipe located in said pumping pit; such an arrangement allows to bury the basin, which makes it more discreet, and facilitates the collection of rainwater,
• the volume of said box may be smaller than the volume of said pumping pit; thus all the rinse water is immediately found in the reception area.

The advantage of the present invention lies in particular in that it allows to rinse the raft automatically after each emptying, by a robust and reliable solution, without any seal to open or close, and without axis of rotation. This gives a rinsing device easy to manufacture and implement, and the risk of failure are minimized.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description relating to an exemplary embodiment given by way of indication and not limitation.

• la figure 1 représente une vue schématique de côté d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un dispositif de rinçage selon l'invention,
• les figures 2 à 5 illustrent un second mode de réalisation d'un dispositif de rinçage selon l'invention, lors de quatre étapes successives de son remplissage et de sa vidange.

The understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawing:

• the figure 1 represents a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a rinsing device according to the invention,
• the Figures 2 to 5 illustrate a second embodiment of a rinsing device according to the invention, in four successive stages of its filling and emptying.

As shown in the figure 1 the present invention relates to a flushing device 1 of a basin.

The basin includes an area for rinsing called track 2 to store the water collected, and a pumping pit 3 located in the lower part of the basin. At least one submerged pump 4 is disposed in the pumping pit 3, associated with a pumping line 5, for discharging the collected water to an outlet 6.

The rinsing device 1 according to the invention comprises a box 7 disposed at the end of the track 2, a volume smaller than that of the pumping pit 3 in which the pumps 4 are housed. The volume of the box 7 is ideally slightly less than the volume of the pumping pit 3. In the upper part this box 7 is equipped with a non-return valve 8, and in the lower part of a siphon 9. There may be several boxes 7 that can operate simultaneously.

A pipe 10, in the form of a large diameter pipe, connects the top of the box 7 to the pumping pit 3, located at the lowest point of the basin.

The upper end 11 of the pipe 10 is connected to the top of the box 7. A first portion 12 of the pipe 10 from its upper end 11 is vertical upward. The nonreturn valve 8 can be arranged on the pipe 10 in the vicinity of the upper end of this first part 12, so as to be located at the highest part of the pipe 10. It is followed by a second part 13 substantially horizontal, or slightly inclined, for example upwards as shown in the Fig. 1 . Line 10 ends with a third descending vertical portion 14, to the lower end 15 of line 10.

The inclination of the part 13 makes it possible to avoid the deposits, and must be more or less important, according to the dimensions of the basin. In some cases, the portion 13 is arranged with an upward portion, followed by a descending portion, in the form of inverted V, to give it a steeper slope, without increasing the height required for installation.

At the connection between the parts 13 and 14, the pipe 10 is suspended by an attachment point 24 to a fixed structure 16 by means of a rinsing device 1 comprising a spring 17.

At a distance, for example of the order of one meter, from this connection along the horizontal portion 13, is disposed a flexible sleeve of mobility 18, defining a movable portion 19 of the pipe 10 relative to a fixed part 20. The mobile part 19 is thus rotatable about a point situated at the level of this flexible sleeve of mobility 18. Such a rotational movement produces at the connection between the parts 13 and 14 a substantially vertical movement, between a high position in which the spring 17 is compressed, and a low position, in which it is stretched. At the lower end 15 of the pipe 10, this movement results in a combination of two movements: on the one hand a vertical translation movement between a low position in which the lower end 15 is immersed in the water as the basin is not nearly empty, and a high position, in which the end 15 is out of a flow of rinsing water. In addition, there is a component of substantially horizontal movement. To avoid the horizontal component of the movement, a flexible verticality cuff 21 has been introduced in the third part 14 of the pipe 10, just under the connection between the parts 13 and 14. In this way, the end 15 is free in the horizontal plane, which avoids many constraints imposed horizontal displacement induce. This end 15 is mobile in vertical translation with no particular constraint on its horizontal positioning.

Finally, an upper stop 22 and a lower stop 23 limit the displacement of the mobile part 19.

It is also possible to arrange a circular abutment (not shown) around the vertical part 14 to limit the lateral movement of this part, in particular to prevent it from coming into contact with the pump 4 or the pumping line 5.

The pump 4 can also be replaced by a set of several pumps, or a gravity drain.

When filling the basin, the boxes 7 are filled simultaneously (see Fig. 2 ). The air which is in the upper part is discharged by the non-return valves 8. As soon as the water reaches the level of the air intake under the non-return valve 8, the level of the box 7 does not rise any more ( Fig. 3 ).

This volume of water then contained in the box 7 represents the volume of the rinsing wave.

When emptying the basin, the water remains inside the boxes 7 because the air can not enter because of the closing of the nonreturn valves 8 ( Fig. 4 ). A depression is created in the tube 25, which may be PVC. As soon as the level of the water of the pit reaches the level of the end 15 of the pipe 10 it empties instantly. It then rises a few centimeters by the straightening of the tension spring 17 and allows the air to be introduced. During the hunts, the pumps 4 continue to operate up to the low level of the pumping zone 3.

The water column of the box 7 empties very quickly thanks to the large passage section of the pipe 10 which is for example 300mm for rectangular boxes 7 and 250 mm for a cylindrical box 7. This rapid emptying causes a powerful wave that drives the sludge to the pumping zone 3 where the pumps are located.

During a storm or heavy rain, you can open the access to the pool, and it fills up. As and when, water enters the pipe 10 and the box 7, filling at least partially. The overpressurized air of the pipe 10 and the box 7 is evacuated by the non-return valve 8. When after the rain the tank is drained, the water begins to drop in the basin, but the tightness of the valve 8 prevents that creates a depression in the top of the pipe 10 and the box 7, preventing the water of the box 7 to flow through the siphon 9. The water in the pipe 10 can not not to flow through the lower end 15, as it is immersed in water.

As long as the level in the reception zone is sufficiently high, it is irrelevant whether the mobile part 19 of the pipe is in the up position or in the low position.

On the other hand, when the level approaches the ground, the basin does not contain much water. Under these conditions, the weight of the movable portion 19 of the pipe with its water content at least in the vertical portion 14 stretches the spring 17 so that the end 15 is in the low position.

When the basin is almost empty, in this case when the water level approaches the bottom of the evacuation pit 3 and passes under the lower end 15, the air can enter the pipe 10, which allows the water contained in the pipe 10 to flow through the lower end 15, which causes the movable part 19 to become much lighter, so that the spring 17 compresses and drives the moving part 19, and therefore the lower end 15 towards its high position against the abutment 22.

The casing 7 then empties quickly by its siphon 9. This produces a rinsing effect of the track 2, all the rinsing water quickly passing on the bottom of this area and causing all the dirt by a mechanical effect. This rinsing water loaded with dirt arrives in the pumping pit 3, where it is taken up by the pump 4, to be evacuated.

The movable portion 19, the flexible mobility sleeve 18 and the upper stop 22 are designed so that the high position of the low end 15 is above the flow of the rinse water.

It can thus be ensured that all the rinsing water is taken up by the pump or discharged through the evacuation zone 4 to the outlet 6 of the basin. The low end 15 is high enough not to suck some of this rinsing water.

Thus the box 7 fills automatically each time the basin fills, and it retains its water column as the evacuation zone is not nearly empty.

When the evacuation zone 3 is almost empty, the air entering through the pipe releases the vacuum in the casing 7, and the water column contained in the casing 7 pours suddenly on the raft 26 of the receiving zone 2 , causing the residual sludge in the evacuation zone 3.

The evacuation zone makes it possible to eliminate the sludge that is diluted because of the hunt that put them back in suspension. The operation is repeated each time there is a draining of the basin.

The advantage of the present invention lies in particular in that it allows to rinse the track 2 of the basin automatically after each emptying, by a robust and reliable solution, without any seal to open or close, without axis of rotation . This gives a rinsing device 1 easy to manufacture and implement, and the risk of failure are reduced to a minimum.

Claims (10)

1. Device for rinsing (1) a pool provided with a zone to be rinsed called a track (2) able to store a quantity of water, and a draining zone (3) from which the water can be extracted from said pool, said device for rinsing (1) comprising a box (7) provided with in the bottom part a siphon (9), a non-return valve (8) arranged at the top part of the box (7), and able to allow air to exit from the box (7) in the case of over-pressure and to prevent the entry of air in the case of a vacuum, and a duct (10) comprising a movable part (19), said duct (10) being configured to connect the top part of said box (7) through its top end (11) to said draining zone (3) through its bottom end (15), characterised in that the bottom end (15) is mobile in vertical translation between a low position wherein it is covered with water as long as the pool is not almost empty, and a high position wherein its bottom end (15) is sufficiently remote from a flow of rinsing water coming from said box (7) in order to allow for the flow of said rinsing water without the latter being sucked in said duct (10).
2. Device for rinsing (1) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein said movable part (19) of the duct is supported by the intermediary of a spring (17) arranged at a fastening point (24) of the movable part (19) of the duct, and configured to yield to the weight of the movable part (19) of the duct containing water and surrounded by air, in such a way that the latter is in low position, and to recall said duct (10) to its high position as soon as said duct (10) is emptied of its water.
3. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said duct (10) comprises a flexible sleeve for mobility (18) arranged between the movable part (19) of the duct and a fixed part (20), in such a way as to allow for a movement of rotation of at least one portion of the movable part (19) of the duct substantially around said flexible sleeve for mobility (18), resulting at the level of the bottom end (15) of the duct (10) in at least one vertical translation movement.
4. Device for rinsing (1) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein said movable part (19) of the duct comprises a flexible sleeve for verticality (21) configured to limit the movement of the portion of the duct (10) located between said flexible sleeve for verticality (21) and the bottom end (15) of the duct (10) to a substantially vertical translation movement.
5. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said duct (10) has an inverted-U shape, with a first vertical portion (12) starting from the top part of the box (7), a second substantially horizontal or slightly inclined portion (13), and finally a third vertical portion (14) ending with the bottom end (15).
6. Device for rinsing (1) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein said flexible sleeve for mobility (18) is arranged in said second portion (13).
7. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein said flexible sleeve for verticality (21) is located in said third portion (14) close to the upper end of said third portion (14) in such a way as to limit the lateral movements, induced by said movement of rotation, of said third portion (14).
8. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising two stops (22, 23) designed to limit the vertical translation movement of the movable part (19) of the duct.
9. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said draining zone (3) is a pumping pit (3) wherein is arranged a pump (4) able to pump water to an outlet (6) of the pool, and the bottom end (15) of the duct (10) is located in said pumping pit (3).
10. Device for rinsing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the volume of said box (7) is less than the volume of said draining zone (3).

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