EP3150277A1 - Device for receiving hazardous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a device for receiving hazardous substances. This is equipped with a safety cabinet (1) and a container (3) accommodated in the safety cabinet (1). In addition, there is a filling device (4, 5) with an outside or wall side of the safety cabinet (1) arranged filling opening (6). The filling device (4, 5) forwards the hazardous substances supplied via the filling opening (6) into the container (3) for storing there. According to the invention, the filling device (4, 5) is equipped with a mechanical positive closure (12) which prevents a further hazardous substance feed via the filling device (4, 5) and / or a hazardous substance outlet via an end ventilation bore (11) when the container (3) is full.

Description

The invention relates to a device for receiving hazardous substances, with a safety cabinet, further comprising at least one container received in the safety cabinet, and with a filling device with an outside or wall side of the safety cabinet arranged filling opening, wherein the filling device supplied via the filling opening hazardous substances in the container stockpiling.

Safety cabinets are typically used to contain hazardous substances such as liquid and combustible chemicals. However, it is also possible, for example, to store gas cylinders or solid hazardous substances in the interior. In order to protect the hazardous substances from any external sources of fire, the safety cabinets have a predetermined fire resistance, which corresponds to different fire resistance periods. In fact, the safety cabinets in question are usually classified according to the regulation DIN EN 14470. A total of four stages of fire resistance duration of 15 min, 30 min, 60 min and finally 90 min are distinguished, as exemplified in the utility model DE 20 2014 101 935 U1 the applicant is described.

The filling opening is located outside or on the wall side of the safety cabinet and is therefore open to the outside or to the outside of the safety cabinet. As a result, the hazardous substances can be fed via the filling opening into the interior of the safety cabinet. The hazardous substances reach the container via the filling device, which connects the filling opening with the container.

In the simplest case, the filling opening is a funnel or a funnel opening, wherein a supply line for the hazardous substances is connected to the funnel in question. The supply line opens into a container closure. Supply line and container closure are the essential components of the filling device. Thus, for example, the procedure is known in practice known from the prior art, namely the DÜPERTHAL system "DISPOSAL UTS ergo line". A comparable device describes the EP 2 878 372 A1 the applicant.

In the known and used in practice devices for receiving hazardous substances often a level is detected in the container and displayed outside the safety cabinet. As a result, operators or users of the device are comprehensively informed about the fill level of the container. In particular, results from the level indicators, when the container is full and must be replaced by an empty container. However, it has been found that the level indicator is often not taken seriously by operators or even completely ignored. Then it can happen that at full or almost full container supplied hazardous substances even emerge from the filling again.

Often, however, the container is additionally vented and is equipped to the container closure with a vent hole. Since the container in question is housed inside the safety cabinet and the safety cabinet is in turn typically connected to a gas vent, in this way gaseous components can leave the container via the vent hole and are sucked out of the interior of the safety cabinet via the gas vent.

If, in this case, the container is full or nearly full, a further supply of hazardous substances causes the hazardous substances to escape to the outside of the container via the vent hole in question. Although the container in question or several such containers is usually placed in a drip pan inside the security cabinet and stored. However, the volume of such a collecting tray is limited, so that overall there is a risk that hazardous substances not only uncontrollably leak inside the safety cabinet, but in principle can even leave the safety cabinet, at the latest when a front door is opened. Here, the invention aims to provide a total remedy.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a device for receiving hazardous substances in such a way that an uncontrolled discharge of the hazardous substances from the container is prevented, even with a filling level sensor present.

To solve this technical problem, a generic device for receiving hazardous substances in the context of the invention is characterized in that the filling device is equipped with a mechanical positive closure, which prevents a full hazardous substance feed through the filling device and / or a hazardous substance outlet via a vent hole at full container.

With the help of the mechanical positive closure according to the invention the filling device or the vent hole is closed with a full container. As a rule, the mechanical positive closure ensures that the vent hole is shut off when the container is full. In contrast, via the filling device can be made unchanged a hazardous substance feed.

In this case, the invention is based on the recognition that the hazardous substance feed via the filling device is noticed by the operator immediately and at the latest when the hazardous substances exit via the filling opening. Since the filling opening is placed outside the safety cabinet and is located, for example, above or in a laboratory table, the escape of hazardous material can be controlled at this point or hazardous substances are already present in this area since the filling opening is known to be used for the disposal of the hazardous substances. Alternatively, the rising level in the bottler can also be evaluated. Then, for example, the relevant level ensures that a device emitting the hazardous substances is switched off.

On the other hand, the invention reliably prevents hazardous substances from the full container from escaping uncontrollably into the interior of the safety cabinet via the vent hole.

As a rule, the mechanical positive closure is provided in the container closure. Here, the invention takes into account that the filling device is composed regularly of the already mentioned supply line and the container closure. That is, lead and container closure typically define a package. When replacing a full container of the container closure is opened and connected together with the supply line with a new and empty container. The full and disposable container is closed for removal with a separate cap at its container opening.

In any case, the container closure including the supply line as essential components of the filling device are a solid component of the device according to the invention and consequently can not be lost. This is also guarantees a perfect functioning. For as soon as an empty container is coupled with the filling device, the mechanical positive closure can immediately exert its effect, because the container closure is connected to the supply line and the supply line in turn with the filling opening. Here are the main benefits.

In detail, the mechanical positive closure on a floating body, which closes the supply line for the hazardous substances and / or the vent hole when filled or full container. The float is in the simplest case a floating ball made of plastic, for example. But it can also be a hollow metal ball used. The float is regularly slidably received in the vent hole.

In this context, the vent hole is advantageously equipped with a lower-side retaining element and communicates with the rest with a container interior. The retaining element may be a sieve plate which closes the ventilation bore on the underside. In order to ensure a perfect closure of the vent hole, the vent hole is typically divided into a lower-side floating chamber and an adjoining vent line. The floating chamber has a larger diameter than the vent line. In addition, the floating chamber is closed by the retaining element or the screen plate. Inside the swimming chamber is the floating body.

The size or the diameter of the float is designed so that it exceeds the diameter of the vent line. At the same time, the diameter of the floating body is smaller than that of the floating chamber designed so that the float can move freely herein. Thus, as soon as the container equipped with the thus designed container closure is full and further hazardous substances are supplied, this additional quantity of liquid enters via the sieve plate into the floating chamber as part of the ventilation bore. As a result, the floating body floating on the liquid surface is lifted off the retaining member or screen plate and closes the venting passage from a certain level of liquid. As a result, the mechanical positive closure is realized and further inflowing hazardous substances can not penetrate into the vent line and get over this into the interior of the safety cabinet.

In this context, the design is also usually made such that the container with the filling device is airtight except for the vent hole. This prevents that from the interior of the container any hazardous substances can escape via the container closure to the outside.

In addition, a level sensor is usually additionally provided in the container. The fill level sensor can be connected to a control device. The control device may in turn be coupled to an optical / acoustic display so that an operator is informed about the level in the respective container outside the safety cabinet. Thus, despite this optical / acoustic indication of the level in the container in question the escape of hazardous substances from the container into the interior of the safety cabinet is prevented, closes the mechanical forced closure at least the vent hole, regardless of any signals of the level sensor with a full container.

In other words, the mechanical positive lock not only ensures that the vent / bore indicator is reliably closed, even if the signals from the optical / acoustic indicator of the level sensor are ignored by the operator. But this closure is also guaranteed if, for example, the electrically operating control device or the mostly electrically operating level sensor have failed or interrupted the power supply.

In this way, a secure and reliable closure of the vent hole is provided by a purely mechanical system. Consequently, any additionally supplied hazardous substances can not escape into the interior of the safety cabinet in an uncontrolled manner and consequently unnoticed. Rather, in such a case, it is deliberately accepted that the additionally supplied hazardous substances may escape via the filling opening or switch off a connected device. Such an approach makes it immediately clear to the operator that the container inside the safety cabinet must be full.

Moreover, since the container closure is moreover and advantageously equipped with a stopcock, even in such a scenario, the entire container can be disposed of without difficulty. Because the stopcock in the container closure ensures in its closed state that the collected in the filling device hazardous substances are retained in this case.

As soon as a new and empty container has been placed in the interior of the safety cabinet with recourse to the container closure and the supply line filled with the hazardous substances, the stopcock can be (re) opened so that the hazardous substances are received in a controlled manner inside the formerly empty container. At the same time, the mechanical forced closure in operation and ensures that when the container is full another hazardous substance feed via the filling device or the described hazardous substance discharge via the vent hole can be prevented. Here are the main benefits.

Fig. 1

die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer Übersicht und

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt durch die Abfülleinrichtung bzw. den Behälterverschluss mit angeschlossener Zuleitung.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

Fig. 1

the device of the invention in an overview and

Fig. 2

a section through the filling device or the container closure with connected supply line.

In the Fig. 1 is shown in an overview of a device for receiving hazardous substances. The hazardous substances in question are typically liquid chemicals. The device in question has a safety cabinet 1, which is designed in the embodiment as a table cupboard and below a laboratory table 2 place. Of course, this is only an example and is in no way limiting. In the safety cabinet 1 are in the context of the presentation of the Fig. 1 a total of two containers 3 added.

It can be seen that the right-hand container 3 is set up to receive hazardous substances. Because the right container 3 is connected via a filling device 4, 5 with a filling opening 6. The filling opening 6 is connected to the filling device 4, 5. In addition, the filling opening 6 is outside or wall side of the safety cabinet. 1

In fact, in the context of the embodiment, the filling opening 6 is provided in a funnel 7, which in turn is connected to the filling device 4, 5, consisting of a supply line 4 and a container closure 5. Since the funnel 7 in question is received in a table top of the laboratory table 2, hazardous substances can pass through the filling opening 6 through the filling device 4, 5 into the interior of the right-hand container 3. In contrast, the left-hand container 3 serves as a storage container and is used as soon as the right-hand container 3 is full.

Both containers 3 are received in a drawer 8 designed as a collecting tray 8, which can be pulled out of the safety cabinet 1 after opening a door 9 and inserted again. In addition one recognizes in the Fig. 1 nor an optical / acoustic display 10 outside the safety cabinet 1, which includes a control device 10. To the control device 10, a level sensor not expressly shown in the interior of the container 3 is connected. With the help of the level sensor, the level in the interior of the container 3 is measured and displayed on the control device or optical / acoustic display 10 outside the safety cabinet 1. The operation of the level sensor and its design may be comparable, as in the utility model DE 20 2010 008 285 U1 the applicant is described.

Any hazardous substances produced in the laboratory are now forwarded via the filling opening 6 in the hopper 7 and the connected filling device 4, 5 in the right in the embodiment of the container 3 for local storage. The level in the interior of the container in question 3 is displayed with the help of the optical / acoustic display 10 respectively control means an operator. If the operator ignores this display or the display is defective, then according to the invention provides a mechanical positive closure 12th in the filling device 4, 5 ensure that with full container 3 another hazardous substance feed via the filling device 4, 5 and / or a hazardous substance outlet via a vent hole 11 can be prevented.

In the exemplary embodiment, it is evident with the help of the mechanical positive closure 12 of the Fig. 2 only the vent hole 11 closed. In principle, however, the mechanical positive closure 12 can also provide for a closure of the filling device 4, 5 alternatively or additionally, but this is not shown. Rather, the mechanical positive closure 12 is provided only in the vent hole 11 in the container closure 5 as part of the filling device 4, 5 and associated with this.

The vent hole 11 in the container closure 5 typically ensures that in the container 3 evolving vapors are vented through the vent hole 11 into the interior of the safety cabinet 1. Since the safety cabinet 1 is closed during operation, the vapors forming in the interior can be sucked off easily by a suction not explicitly shown, which acts on the interior of the safety cabinet 1 accordingly. As a result, the safety cabinet 1 is forcibly vented, as for example in the utility model DE 82 10 699 U1 the applicant is described in detail.

In any case, according to the invention, the mechanical positive closure 12 ensures that, when the container 3 is full, a further hazardous substance feed corresponds to the fact that the venting bore 11 in question is closed. Consequently, an uncontrolled escape of hazardous material into the interior of the safety cabinet 1 can not be effected via the venting bore 11. Rather, this scenario leads directly to the fact that any further supplied hazardous substances may escape at the filling opening 6 again, thus of the operator immediately detected and inevitably be noticed. As a result, the operator can immediately take countermeasures and ensures that the hazardous substances in question do not leak unchecked and unnoticed inside the safety cabinet 1.

In the example described, the operator can close a stopcock 13 in the container closure 5 for the container 3, so that the hazardous substances in the interior of the filling device 4, 5 or the supply line 4 collect and could not escape, even if the full container 3 is removed. As a result, the full container 3 can be exchanged for an empty container 3. As soon as the stopcock 13 (again) is opened thereafter, the hazardous substances previously collected in the filling device 4, 5 can be easily collected in the empty container 3.

Based on the sectional view in the Fig. 2 it can be seen that the mechanical positive closure 12 is provided in the container closure 5 in question. In fact, the mechanical positive closure 12 has a floating body 12, which closes the feed line 4 for the hazardous substances and / or the venting bore 11 when the container 3 is filled. In the illustrated example, only the vent hole 11 is closed, although in addition or alternatively, the supply line 4 can be shut off. This is not shown.

The float 12 is slidably received in the vent hole 11. In fact, the vent hole 11 is equipped with a lower-side retaining member 14 and communicates with a container interior, so the interior of the connected right container 3. The retaining member 14 is shown in the Fig. 2 formed as the vent hole 11 underside closing sieve plate 14, so at full Container 3 any further inflowing hazardous substances enter directly into the vent hole 11 and can lift the float 12.

One recognizes by the representation in the Fig. 2 in that the venting bore 11 is composed of a lower-side floating chamber 11a and an adjoining venting line 11b. The floating chamber 11a has a larger diameter than the vent line 11b. In addition, the diameter of the float 12 is larger than the inner diameter of the vent line 11 b dimensioned so that when floating the float 12 on the surface of the supplied in the full container 3 hazardous substances of the float 12 of his dash-dotted initial position in contact with the restraining element or the Sieve plate 14 merges into its closed position shown by closure. In the closed position of the floating body 12 ensures that the vent line 11 b is closed and any incoming hazardous substances can not escape via the vent hole 11 into the interior of the safety cabinet 1.

The container 3 is airtightly coupled with the filling device 4, 5 except for the vent hole 11 so that any further and at full container 3 incoming hazardous materials neither via the vent hole 11 or otherwise from the container 3 and the container closure 5 uncontrolled inside the safety cabinet. 1 can escape. Rather, a further hazardous substance feed in this case directly leads to the filling device 4, 5 or the supply line 4 is increasingly filled, until the incoming hazardous substances escape at the filling opening 6 or the inlet switches off a connected device. This may be a chromatography unit as described in the EP 2 878 372 A1 is described. This process must be noticed by the operator inevitably.

It can be seen that the mechanical positive closure 12 closes at least the vent hole 11, regardless of any signals of the level sensor with a full container. That is, even if an operator ignores the display 10, the display 10 is defective, or otherwise such impairments are observed, the invention reliably ensures that incoming hazardous materials can not escape uncontrollably into the interior of the safety cabinet 1. Here are the main benefits.

Claims (10)

Device for holding hazardous substances, with a safety cabinet (1), furthermore with at least one container (3) accommodated in the safety cabinet (1), and with a filling device (4, 5) with a filling opening arranged outside or on the wall side of the safety cabinet (1) ( 6), wherein the filling device (4, 5) forwards the hazardous substances introduced via the filling opening (6) into the container (3), characterized in that the filling device (4, 5) is equipped with a mechanical positive closure (12) is, which prevents full container (3) a further hazardous substance feed via the filling device (4, 5) and / or a hazardous substance outlet via a vent hole (11). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical positive closure (12) in a container closure (5) is provided. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mechanical positive closure (12) has a floating body (12) which closes a supply line (4) for the hazardous substances and / or the venting bore (11) when the container (3) is filled. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the floating body (12) is slidably received in the vent hole (11). Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the vent hole (11) with a lower-side retaining element (14) for the Float (12) is equipped and communicates with a container interior. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the retaining element (14) is designed as the vent hole (11) on the underside closing screen plate (14). Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the container (3) with the filling device (4, 5) is airtight coupled to the vent hole (11). Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the container (3) is additionally provided a level sensor. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the level sensor is connected to a control device (10). Device according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the mechanical positive closure (12) closes at least the vent hole (11) regardless of any signals of the level sensor with a full container (3).

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