EP2776762A1

EP2776762A1 - Device for lifting condensates, implementing a bactericidal metal

Info

Publication number: EP2776762A1
Application number: EP12784584.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antoine David Chauvin; Olivier DE GEA; Jean-Pierre CHENARD
Original assignee: Sauermann Industrie SA
Current assignee: Sauermann Industrie SA
Priority date: 2011-11-08
Filing date: 2012-11-08
Publication date: 2014-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2032-11-08
Also published as: FR2982354A1; US20140326015A1; US9739522B2; RU2014123340A; RU2619023C2; WO2013068510A1; FR2982354B1; EP2776762B1; CA2853726A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for lifting condensates, comprising a container (1) in which condensates are collected and a lift pump for discharging the condensates present in said container, said container (1) being covered, on at least one portion of the submerged inner walls thereof with a biocidal surface treatment, and containing at least one wire element (4) made from a bactericidal metal material, having a diameter of between 0.01 mm and 1 mm, and a length chosen in such a way as to provide a contact surface greater than the surface area of said container (1) in contact with said condensates.

Description

Device for lifting condensate, using a bactericidal metal.

The field of the invention is that of condensate lifting devices, intended to be implemented in particular in air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems, ventilation systems or heating systems.

In these different systems, or installations, the condensates, which result from the condensation of the water vapor present in the ambient air that is cooled, are generally recovered in a tank, or more generally in a recovery receptacle, which can be in some cases a simple collection panel. It is therefore necessary to evacuate the recovered condensate, in particular to avoid the overflow of the recovery receptacle. This can be done by gravity, for example using a rigid or semi-rigid pipe connected to a sewage system, or by pumping condensate collected in the recovery receptacle.

The invention applies more particularly to the latter case.

More specifically, the invention relates to the fight against the formation of biofilm in such a pump, and in particular in the tank or tank, condensate recovery.

A biofilm is a more than 95% aqueous matrix, gelatinous, and secreted by bacteria in water, to promote their proliferation.

It has been found that the formation of biofilm is related in particular to the following four parameters:

- the temperature, which proves to be ideal for the development of the biofilm between 15 and 45 ° C;

stagnation or movement in the fluid;

the receptivity of the support, that is to say in particular its surface state, the presence of scale or corrosion, ...;

- the presence of favorable foods (mainly residues organic).

In the condensate recovery tanks, there is often a significant development of biofilm. This biofilm can also develop in gravity pipes, intended to bring the condensates into the tank, especially when the section and the slope are too weak. This causes clogging of the pipes, which can be filled entirely or largely by the biofilm.

In the same way, in a tank, the presence of biofilm limits the volume available for the condensates, and can disturb or even prevent the proper functioning of a lifting pump.

On the other hand, of course, in terms of hygiene and health, it is undesirable to let such biofilm develop, favorable to bacteria. For example, there is often a biofilm in the recovery pump recovery tanks associated with refrigerated display cases, for example for supermarkets.

It is known, to delay the formation of biofilm in the tanks, to place in these reservoirs anti-bacterial agents. Such methods are for example described in EP 1 840 475, US 2007 119 503, EP 2,085,711. In general, the effectiveness of these methods against the appearance of biofilm is only temporary. Moreover, these methods are expensive because they require a regular addition of chemicals in the tanks. As a result, they are also not very respectful of the environment.

Other documents, such as EP 1 835 236, mention the implementation of biocidal surface treatment on the walls of a tank to prevent the formation of biofilm. In the same way, the effectiveness of such a treatment is only temporary, the surfaces eventually still being colonized by biofilm.

Some metals, such as copper or silver, are often considered to be toxic to bacteria. However, their effectiveness remains controversial. Thus, the website www.girpi.fr indicates that: "all materials including copper, however wrongly considered as bactericidal, can be colonized by micro organisms. It has indeed been found that the use of copper pipes does not prevent the formation of biofilm.

Some lift pump manufacturers also incorporate copper elements, which have no success against biofilm formation: it is indeed necessary to clean the filters periodically, and to use a biocidal product, which must be replaced regularly.

The invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a technique for effectively combating the formation of biofilm, especially in the condensate receiving trays, avoiding their appearance for a longer period than techniques known in the art prior.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a technique, which is simple and inexpensive to implement.

The invention also aims to provide such a technique, which eliminates or at least greatly reduces the need and maintenance costs, particularly for the removal of biofilm.

The invention finally aims to provide such a technique that causes an impact on the minimal environment.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear more clearly later, are achieved according to the invention by means of a condensate recovery device, comprising a reservoir in which condensates are collected and a lift pump, ensuring the evacuation of the condensates present in said tank.

According to the invention, said reservoir is covered, on at least a part of its immersed inner walls with a biocidal surface treatment, and contains at least one wire element made of a bactericidal metal material, having a diameter of between 0.01 mm and 1 mm, and a length chosen to provide a contact surface greater than half the surface of said tank in contact with said condensate. The inventor has indeed found that the use of copper pipes, or pieces of copper, is inoperative, and that biofilms develop in the tank in the same way and in the same proportions as in the absence of this metal. As an indication, it is specified that such a copper tube, has a contact surface of the order of 0.5 dm ² for a length of 50 mm and a diameter of 14x16 mm.

On the other hand, when the contact surface exceeds a critical value, depending on the volume of liquid (condensais) to be treated, it appears that the development of biofilm in the reservoir decreases sharply, even after a period of use of one or more months .

Thus, it is desirable that the contact surface is at least greater than half the surface of said tank in contact with said condensate. It is even desirable, although not essential, that this contact surface is at least greater than the surface of said tank in contact with said condensate. Furthermore, it is desirable that this metal surface is well distributed in the liquid.

The use of metal in wire form allows, in a relatively small space, to maximize a contact surface, moreover, the easy folding of the metal son advantageously distributes this metal in a large part of the tank. In addition, the presence of these filaments, because of their small diameter, ensures effective contact without risk of damaging the flow, entering and leaving the tank.

Finally, the implementation of a biocidal surface treatment on part of the submerged internal walls of the tank, and preferably on all of these immersed inner walls, allows, in combination with the use of bactericidal metal son, to delay very effectively the appearance of biofilm.

Advantageously, said filament element is in the form of a coil, a ball, wool, a brush and / or a grid.

Advantageously, said wire elements are in the form of multi-strand cables. Again, this approach provides a large surface contact with the liquid.

Said metal may in particular belong to the group comprising copper, silver and any alloy containing at least one of these two metals. Copper, in particular, has the advantage of a reasonable cost for this application.

Thus, for example, the metal may be made of copper electrical cables.

Advantageously, the filaments used are brass or brass wires plated with silver. These son have in fact a good efficiency to avoid the formation of biofilm.

According to a particular embodiment, means are provided for activating and / or accelerating the bactericidal action of said metal, in particular being able to belong to the group comprising:

means ensuring an acid attack;

- Means ensuring thermal attack;

means providing an oxido-reducing action; means ensuring a current flow.

Preferably, said biocidal surface treatment comprises the application of a biocidal paint diffusing copper salts.

Advantageously, this biocidal surface treatment is also applied to the immersed parts present inside said tank. It thus advantageously allows all the surfaces of the device which are in contact with the condensate to be covered by this surface treatment.

According to another advantageous embodiment, said biocidal surface treatment comprises an in-mass treatment, for example with the aid of special additives for plastics and / or by surface structuring, for example using a nanostructure or a nanocomposite.

Advantageously, this treatment in the mass is also applied to the immersed parts present inside said tank. It allows, advantageously, all the surfaces of the device which are in contact with the condensate are protected by this treatment in the mass.

The invention also relates to installations, including refrigeration, heating and / or air conditioning systems comprising at least one condensate lifting device as described above.

These characteristics will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment, given as a simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended figures among which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a possible embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of another possible embodiment of the invention.

During experiments, the inventor has found that a mass of copper, even large, for example of the order of 30 grams, placed in the tank of a lifting pump having a conventional liquid volume (between 0 Eg 1 and 0.40 1) has almost no effect on biofilm formation. Indeed, the copper surface in contact with the water is insufficient to completely prevent the formation of biofilm, it can form especially on the copper surface itself, which annihilates its effectiveness to prevent the formation of more of biofilm. Thus, substantially the same amount of biofilm occurs, with or without the presence of this mass of copper.

On the other hand, he found that, surprisingly, biofilm formation is significantly retarded if a similar amount, by weight, of copper is disposed in the reservoir in the form of son or filament. More specifically, the inventors have found that it was necessary to place the bactericidal metal, for example copper, so as to maximize a contact surface between the metal and the water, to exceed a critical threshold above which the metal becomes effective, and therefore bactericidal.

Indeed, the wire form of the metal allows it to offer a very important contact surface with water. Moreover, the structure of a metal wire allows to be easily folded in a chosen form, and to keep this form. The use of a wire makes it very easy to place in the tank, in contact with water, a large contact surface distributed throughout the tank, even in the case where the tank has an unusual shape.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the tank, or tank 1, collects the condensates delivered by the pipe 2. A filter 3 may be provided to stop any element of excessive size which could block or damage the pump. The filter 3 may also be at least partly of bactericidal metal, and participate in the contact surface.

This pump, not shown, can be of any type known in the field of condensate lifting. It comes to take place in or on the tray 1, to which it can be secured. Its shape may in particular be adapted to completely cover the tray, and reversible securing means thereon may be provided.

According to a simple and inexpensive embodiment, the copper may be in the form of electrical son 4, preferably multi-strand. In the latter case, it may be interesting to separate the strands ("untwist" the wire), to increase the contact area. It should be noted that, if the electric wires are only represented in a part of the tank, they can be placed in the greater part of this tank. The ease with which such son can be folded makes it possible to distribute them in the tank bypassing the pump introduced into the tank.

According to another possible embodiment of the invention, represented by FIG. 2, the condensates are brought by a pipe 7 into a basket 6 placed in the tank 5. This basket 6 may for example be formed into a grid to allow the 5. In this embodiment, the bactericidal metal wire 8 is wrapped around the basket 6. Thus, all of the liquid flowing from the basket 6 into the tank 5 flows through windings of bactericidal metal wires. In this embodiment, the son 8 wound around the basket 6 take the role of filter. In general, the wire presentation of metals being very conventional and very inexpensive to manufacture, the implementation of such son in a tank can be performed for a much lower cost than the solutions of the prior art.

Depending on the diameter and arrangement of the metal wires placed in the tank, they may have a shape approximating wool, fiber or metal knit, or metal cloth, as used in some sieves or filter.

The dimensions of the wire to be arranged in the tank vary greatly, in particular according to the dimensions of the tank. However, in general, this wire has a diameter of between 0.01 mm and 1 mm, and a length chosen so as to provide a contact surface greater than half the surface of the reservoir in contact with the condensates. Preferably, this surface is even greater than the surface of the reservoir in contact with the condensates.

In a possible embodiment, for a tank of the order of 1.5 liters, a contact area of the order of 6.9 dm ² , provided by 220 meters of silver-plated copper wire, is provided. of diameter 0.1 mm ,.

In another particular embodiment, for a tank having a floor area of the order of 2.2 dm ² , and a volume of between 0.26 1 (at the pump stop) and 0.40 1 (At start of the pump), a contact area of the order of 5 to 10 dm ^{2 is provided} .

In another embodiment, for a reservoir of the order of a few milliliters (for example 10 to 30 ml), it is possible to use a length less than 1 meter of a wire of a diameter of the order 0.01 mm.

It is understood that the minimum contact area is a function of the volume of liquid to be treated.

In general, and as an indication, the various applications for which the implementation of the invention is envisaged using tanks that can have a volume of between 0.005 and 20 liters, can be used. consider using a length between 0.1 and 5000 meters of a wire whose diameter is between 0.01 and 1 mm.

Other bactericidal metals known to those skilled in the art, may be used, instead of copper or silver, or combination thereof. It is in particular possible to use any other metal or metal support or not capable of receiving a plating of silver or copper or alloys containing at least one of these two metals.

Furthermore, one can provide means for activating and / or accelerating the bactericidal action of the metal, in particular by activating the oxidation thereof. Thus, the metal may be subjected, for example, to acid attack, thermal attack, redox action, current flow, etc.

To complete the action of the bactericidal metal in wired form, the reservoir walls which are in contact with the liquid are subjected to a biocidal surface treatment. Thus, the inner wall 10 of the tank 1 or the inner wall 50 of the tank 5 can be subjected to a biocidal treatment. These walls may for example be covered with a resin coating in which biocidal agents are inserted.

According to another possible embodiment, the walls can be treated in the mass, a special biocidal adjuvant being inserted into the plastic forming the walls and diffusing through this plastic. According to yet another possible embodiment, the surface treatment can be carried out by surface structuring, for example using a nanostructure or a nanocomposite.

Preferably, the entire immersed inner surface is thus treated. However, it is possible, although less effective, that the treatment be limited to a part of this surface, for example to the parts of this surface which are most likely to be colonized by the biofilm.

The implementation of such a treatment is known per se to prevent the formation of biofilm. However, these treatments only delayed the appearance of biofilm for a limited time.

The combination of this surface treatment and the implementation of a The filament element of great length and small diameter makes it possible to obtain an effective result over a long period, contrary to the prior art.

Indeed, surface treatments and the presence of biocide in the tank were previously considered as alternatives to fight against the appearance of biofilms. Both allowed to avoid the appearance of biofilm in a reservoir for a limited period, usually of the order of three months. The person skilled in the art was not at all led to think that the combined use of these known methods, which functionally oppose each other (the surface treatment generally having a function of facilitating and accelerating the flow, whereas the presence of a biocide in the reservoir tends to disturb and slow down this flow) would prevent the appearance of the biofilm for a period well beyond the period of effectiveness of the different methods taken individually.

However, it has been found that the combination of a biocidal surface treatment with the presence of a wire-bonded biocidal metal allowing a large contact surface with water makes it possible to effectively retard the appearance of biofilm for a much longer period of time. the duration during which a biocidal surface treatment alone, or the implementation of a biocidal metal alone, are effective.

Thus, the following table shows operating test results that have been conducted by the inventors on condensate lift devices, including a tank in which condensates are collected and a lift pump. These devices, on which different methods to fight against the appearance of biofilm, were observed regularly, to determine after how long a biofilm developed there.

It thus appears (column "test 1") that the biofilm appears very rapidly (in about 5 weeks) in the device when no method to avoid its formation is implemented. The use of copper in the tank ("test 2" column) slightly delays the appearance of this biofilm (at about 7 weeks).

Other known solutions in themselves (columns "test 3" to "test 5") can delay the appearance of this biofilm until about three months.

The person skilled in the art thus had no indication that certain combinations of these same methods (columns "te st 6" and "test 7") would make it possible to delay the appearance of this biofilm for a much longer time.

(up to more than 6 months, without particular optimization), as discovered by the inventors. He had all the less indication in this sense that these techniques have a priori a mode of action opposite (the ones putting obstacles to the circulation of the liquid, and the others aiming to facilitate the sliding of the fluids on the walls) .

It also appeared later (columns "test 8" and "test 9") that the optimization of these methods, in particular by the surface treatment of all the immersed parts rather than the single tank, still made it possible to improve these results.

It may be noted that, under these conditions, the duration (of the order of 12 months) is not only greater than the duration corresponding to only one of the means (approximately 3 months - tests 3 to 5), but still greater than the sum of these durations (approximately 6 months), whereas nothing suggested that these durations could cumulate integrally, on the contrary.

In fact, it surprisingly appears that the results obtained are still much better: the effects of the two means are combined and amplified, and that their synergy makes it possible to multiply at least by 4 the duration associated with each of them. , to reach at least 12 months.

Test number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Duration of the test

(weeks) 5 7 14 14 14 19 29 32 to 56 56

Number of

tested devices 25 7 5 6 1 3 6 3 3

Copper in

pieces or wire X

XXXXX plated copper silver

Biocide paint

on the tank X X X

Biocide paint

on all

submerged pieces X

Treatment in the

mass of plastic

of the tank X X X

Treatment in the

mass of all

submerged pieces X

Efficiency 3 months 0 0 ++ ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++

Efficiency 6 months 0 0 0 0 0 ++ ++ +++ +++

Efficiency 12 months 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++ +++

Biofilm Thread Combinations Effective 7

The

very poses of months solutions in

so lutio tis

quickly copper work better the worst of Effac

unique care

Conclusion problem is only the case solutions, 13 e 12 effective 3

the absence of unique steps. month in month month

sufficient means 4 to 6.5 the majority

maximum

treatment health month cases

Thus, for example, the application on the tank walls of a biocide paint diffusing copper salts, and the presence in the tank of a large amount of silver-plated copper wire avoids in a sustainable way (about 12 months) the appearance of biocides. It should be noted that the simultaneous implementation of different biocidal agents (copper and silver) in the surface treatment and in the wire present in the reservoir could partly explain the effectiveness of this solution.

The method proposed by the invention therefore makes it possible to postpone the appearance of biofilm in a reservoir for at least 12 months, whereas the techniques previously known from the prior art did not allow this appearance to be delayed until 3 months later. The solution of the invention therefore makes it possible to substantially reduce the frequency of the maintenance operations to be performed to remove the biofilm from the tanks.

In some embodiments, it is also possible to provide means for generating a movement of the condensates inside the tank, for example using a propeller placed in the tank.

Such a lift pump finds applications particularly in the field of refrigeration systems, for example for supermarket windows, but also in any installation using a condensate lift device in which biofilms are likely to develop.

Claims

1. Condensate lifting device, comprising a reservoir (1, 5) in which condensates are collected and a lifting pump, ensuring the evacuation of the condensates present in said reservoir,

characterized in that said reservoir (1, 5) is covered, on at least a portion of its immersed inner walls with a biocidal surface treatment, and contains at least one wire element (4, 8) made of a bactericidal metal material , having a diameter of between 0.01 mm and 1 mm, and a length chosen to provide a greater contact area to the surface of said tank (1, 5) in contact with said condensate.

2. Condensate lifting device according to claim 1, characterized in that said wire element is in the form of a coil, a ball, wool, a brush and / or a grid.

3. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wire elements (4, 8) are in the form of multi-strand cables.

4. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said material belongs to the group comprising copper, silver, and alloys comprising at least one of these metals.

5. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wire elements (4) consist of copper electrical cables.

6. Condensate lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said filaments (8) consist of silver plated metal son.

7. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elementary elements are prepared by means of activation and / or acceleration of the bactericidal action of said metal.

8. Condensate lifting device according to claim 7, characterized in that said activation and / or acceleration means comprise at least one of the elements belonging to the group comprising:

means ensuring an acid attack;

- Means ensuring thermal attack;

means providing an oxido-reducing action; means ensuring a current flow.

9. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said biocidal surface treatment comprises the application of a biocidal paint diffusing salts of copper, silver, or an alloy comprising at least one of these two metals.

10. Condensate lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said biocidal surface treatment is also applied to the immersed parts present inside said tank.

Condensate lift device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said biocidal surface treatment comprises an in-mass treatment, for example with the aid of special additives for plastics and / or structuring. surface, for example using a nanostructure or a nanocomposite.

12. Condensate lifting device according to claim 11, characterized in that said treatment in the mass is also applied to the immersed parts present inside said tank.

Cooling, heating and / or air-conditioning installation comprising at least one condensation lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.