EP3665415B1 - Safety system for a pressure vessel - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a security system having the features in the preamble of claim 1.

A safety system of this type is used in various hydraulic supply systems and is known, for example, from the "Storage Technology" product catalogue, No. D 3.553.4/03.16 from HYDAC INTERNATIONAL. The well-known solution is used for filling and testing hydraulic accumulator systems with a so-called back-up version. For this purpose, the known valve block has various fluid connections, in particular for connecting a filling and testing device, a manometer, downstream nitrogen bottles, a pressure accumulator in the form of a hydraulic accumulator and at least one gas safety valve. During operation of the valve block, the hydraulic accumulator, preferably in the form of a piston accumulator, is permanently connected with its gas side to the gas safety valve. The liquid side of the hydraulic accumulator, which is separated from the gas side by a separating element such as a longitudinally movable separating piston in an accumulator housing, is connected to a hydraulic supply system, for example in the form of a conventional hydraulic working circuit. Furthermore, a shut-off valve is present in the valve block, which in its open position the fluid path between the possibly connected, downstream Releases nitrogen bottles and the hydraulic accumulator for a gas-carrying connection with the nitrogen gas and blocks this fluid path in its closed position.

When the respective gas safety valve is removed from the valve block, for example as part of maintenance or repair work, the entire working gas that is under an operating pressure must then always be released from the safety system, with the respectively connected hydraulic accumulator and/or the respectively connected nitrogen bottles being closed and at least Parts of a connected hydraulic system must be depressurized accordingly. When the safety system is subsequently restarted, together with the associated gas safety valve and the correspondingly connected pressure accumulators, the decommissioning steps mentioned above must be reversed.

the EP 2 857 727 A1 describes a safety system with the features in the preamble of claim 1 with a valve block to which at least one gas safety valve is connected in a detachable manner, with at least one controllable valve in or on the valve block and with at least one pressure accumulator accommodating a gaseous pressure medium, which is attached to the valve block in is also connected in a removable manner, with a gas-carrying connection running at least in sections within the valve block between the respectively connected pressure accumulator and the respectively connected gas safety valve being able to be blocked or released by means of the valve.

Other security systems go from the U.S. 4,076,176 and the FR 3 024 204 out.

Proceeding from this state of the art, the object of the invention is to create a security system with improved functionality and for saving resources.

A security system with the features of patent claim 1 in its entirety solves this problem. Advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

According to the characterizing part of claim 1, it is provided that at least two gas safety valves are connected to the valve block, and that a safety device, which includes the controllable valve, ensures that the gas-carrying connection to the respectively connected pressure accumulator is interrupted in order to remove a gas safety valve from the valve block and the connection leading to at least one other gas safety valve is maintained in such a way that a permanent gas-carrying connection is established between this respective pressure accumulator and this respective other gas safety valve during the changing process of the one gas safety valve and its renewed commissioning.

In this way, the operation of a hydraulic, at least partially gas-carrying system can be maintained even if a gas safety valve has been removed from the valve block, since the one gas safety valve remaining on the valve block for safety's sake completely takes over the safety functions mentioned.

Because a gas-carrying connection running at least in sections within the valve block between the respectively connected pressure accumulator and the respectively connected gas safety valve can be blocked or released by means of the valve, a particularly high level of safety is achieved. The respective gas safety valve can be opened if necessary remove from the valve block, provided that the associated valve in or on the valve block is brought into its closed position and to this extent is safely decoupled on the gas side from the respectively connected pressure accumulator, which consists of a hydraulic accumulator or a gas accumulator, such as a nitrogen bottle or another, at least partially gas-carrying pressure vessel, such as a storage tank or the like.

The safety system according to the invention opens up the possibility of shutting off the gas safety valve connected to the valve block of the safety system via an associated, controllable valve, without suffering significant gas losses on the part of the respective pressure accumulator system connected to the valve block and without hydraulic system parts having to be depressurized.

The removal of a gas safety valve from the valve block of the safety system, which is required for repair and/or maintenance work, can be carried out quickly and inexpensively, and time-consuming emptying and filling processes on the gas side of a system connected in this way with the respective pressure accumulator can be eliminated, which is resource-saving in this respect. This has no equivalent in the prior art.

Pressure accumulators within the meaning of the invention include all containers suitable and used for holding a fluid, in particular a gas, such as pressure containers, hydraulic accumulators, gas cylinders, in particular nitrogen cylinders, and the like. It goes without saying that the pressure accumulator used in the safety system according to the invention is not restricted to the language definitions customary in individual areas.

In a preferred embodiment of the security system according to the invention, the respective accumulator is a pressure vessel that exclusively is filled or can be filled with the gaseous pressure medium, such as a nitrogen cylinder or a hydraulic accumulator, in particular in the form of a bellows, membrane, accumulator or piston, the separating element of which, accommodated in an accumulator housing, separates a gas side from a liquid side. In this way, different types of pressure accumulators that are only connected to one valve block can also be safely controlled with just one safety system, which is regularly the case when at least one hydraulic accumulator is connected as a pressure accumulator to a hydraulic system on one side of the valve block and on the same or another side of the valve block, additional nitrogen cylinders are connected as storage or back-up cylinders, which can reload the hydraulic accumulator on its gas side even during operation of the hydraulic accumulator when the fluid supply is established or increase its preload on its gas side during operation.

The safety system according to the invention ensures in particular that during commissioning and continuous operation of a hydraulic supply system, the gas safety valve, which is set to a maximum response pressure, is permanently in contact with the gas side of the pressure accumulator connected from its liquid side to a hydraulic system or plant, for example in the form of a hydraulic accumulator remains connected. In particular in the case of gas safety valves used several times on the valve block, such a gas safety valve can be removed from the valve block for cleaning and/or maintenance purposes, while the other gas safety valve remaining on the valve block continues to perform the described safety function for the hydraulic supply system and its system parts. Such gas safety valves are regularly formed from pressure-limiting valves whose gas outlet side leading to the environment is covered by a mesh grid or a sieve in order to possibly in the In the event of safety, people in the vicinity are to be protected from the high-pressure discharged compressed gas.

In a preferred embodiment of the safety system according to the invention, the safety device is based on a mechanical locking concept, a mechanical control concept, an electrical monitoring concept or a chip-controlled actuation concept for the controllable valve in each case. Due to the design of the safety device that meets the requirements and is adapted to the respective application, a safe shut-off of the pressure accumulator is ensured during operation with little susceptibility to faults and errors, for example before removing an associated gas safety valve. Mechanical concepts for locking or valve control offer the advantage of high robustness and low maintenance. An electrical or chip-controlled concept for the monitoring or the actuation offers the advantage of a small installation space requirement and the possibility of remote monitoring when using a corresponding data transmission.

In a further preferred embodiment of the safety system according to the invention, two ball valves, which can preferably be actuated by hand, are provided for the implementation of the mechanical locking concept, which are each connected to an assignable gas safety valve and carry the control discs, which in the mutually locked state ensure that a ball valve its open position connects the associated gas safety valve to the pressure accumulator via a gas-carrying connection and the other ball valve in its blocking position for removing the associated gas safety valve from the valve block, for example for replacement or maintenance purposes, blocks another associated connection to the respective pressure accumulator.

The control discs are an integral part of a mechanical locking mechanism for the actuation elements of the ball valves and are preferably arranged on an outside of the valve block. As soon as a ball valve is blocked to remove the associated gas safety valve, the associated control disk is locked with at least one control disk of another gas safety valve in such a way that the other gas safety valve is blocked and securely held in the open, operationally safe position. Thus, when a gas safety valve is removed and removed, at least one functional additional gas safety valve is connected to the valve block in its open position, which then exclusively performs the safety function.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, two hand levers of the ball valves, starting from a common opening direction, can be used to actuate one of the control disks in the direction of a closed position of the ball valve, which has a cutout on the outer circumference which corresponds to a correspondingly designed cutout on the outer circumference of the other control disc cooperates in that a rotational movement of the respective ball valve is enabled or blocked by means of the associated hand lever. The respective section particularly preferably has an arcuate contour with a curvature comparable to the outer circumference of the control disk. The respective other control disk engages in such a shaped cutout in such a way that the associated hand lever is blocked in the selected position and an unintentional or intentional changing of this position is not possible.

The gas safety valves have a cylindrical basic shape and are arranged on the underside of the valve block. The hand levers for actuating the associated ball valves are preferably arranged on a side of the valve block that is accessible to an operator, with a vertical direction generally being the open position and a horizontal one being the open position Direction indicates the closed position of the associated ball valve. The cutouts in adjacent hand levers are particularly preferably arranged in such a way that when the two hand levers are in the open position, the cutouts are arranged adjacent and opposite one another in such a way that when one hand lever is moved into the closed position, the associated control disk fits into the cutout on the other control disk of the other hand lever is moved in and thereby also blocking their movement into the closed position.

Two or more gas safety valves are preferably arranged next to one another, forming a row, on the valve block. Accordingly, two or more hand levers with associated control disks are arranged next to one another, forming a row, on the side of the valve block.

It is also advantageous that the control disc interacts with a limit stop on the valve block in such a way that the hand lever can be pivoted from an opening direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the respective gas safety valve by 90° into a blocking position transverse to this longitudinal alignment and vice versa. This results in the advantage of error-free operation when pivoting the respective hand lever into one of its positions.

In a further preferred embodiment of the safety system according to the invention, a 3-way ball valve is used as a controllable valve for the implementation of the mechanical control concept, which in its one switching position connects a gas safety valve via a connection to the pressure accumulator in a gas-carrying manner and another gas safety valve by blocking an associated other Connection decoupled from the accumulator, in a further switching position the other gas safety valve connected via the other connection to the accumulator gas-carrying and a gas safety valve through Lock the one connection is decoupled. By using only one 3-way ball valve, two separate ball valves for the two gas safety valves can be omitted. Regardless of the switching position of the 3-way ball valve, a gas safety valve is then connected to the pressure accumulator and a gas safety valve is separated from it, so that at least one gas safety valve always assumes the safety function for the pressure accumulator.

In a further preferred embodiment of the safety system according to the invention, for the implementation of the electrical monitoring concept, the position of the controllable valve is monitored by means of a sensor system with regard to its open and/or closed position, and operation of the hydraulic supply system is only made possible by a higher-level controller if when the sensors determine and transmit to the controller that the respective gas-carrying connection between the gas safety valve and the pressure accumulator is actually released via the controllable valve. This results in the advantage that an opening or blocking of the gas-carrying connection can be detected "automatically". By means of an additional optical display, for example attached to an outside of the valve block, an operator can be shown the release to remove the gas safety valve when the other gas safety valve performs the safety function.

In a further preferred embodiment of the safety system according to the invention, a control chip is provided for the realization of the chip-controlled actuation concept, which is used on the control of the hydraulic supply system and enables its operation in the first place, but when it is removed the supply system is shut down and when it is used on the controllable valve the assignable gas safety valve then on the gas side from the pressure accumulator by blocking the associated connection decoupled. Conversely, operation of the hydraulic supply system is only possible if the control chip releases the gas safety valve back into its open position after removal and this chip is reinserted in the control system to enable operation of the connected hydraulic system again.

It is also advantageous that the valve block has at least one additional supply connection, via which at least one additional pressure accumulator, preferably a gas pressure accumulator, can be connected, which, in its open position, is connected to the respective pressure accumulator to carry gas, preferably to the gas side, via a check valve arranged within the valve block connected to a hydraulic accumulator. In particular, gas can then be taken from the gas supply of the storage bottle via the additional supply connection and routed to the gas side of the hydraulic accumulator in order to increase the working capacity of this hydraulic accumulator in this way.

It is also advantageous that the valve block has at least one additional connection point to which a filling and testing device can be connected, which is connected directly to the pressure accumulator via a filling and testing connection in the valve block, preferably connected to the gas side of a hydraulic accumulator in the form of a piston accumulator , Is, and that this filling and testing connection is connected to a further connection between the respective further pressure accumulator and the pressure accumulator via a non-return valve which opens in the direction of the respective controllable valve. Properties of the gas, such as temperature and pressure of the gas volume, can be monitored and recorded via the filling and testing device.

If a hydraulic supply system is connected to the fluid side of the hydraulic accumulator described above in the usual way, With the safety system according to the invention, it is ensured that in the event of a malfunction, such as can be caused by a fire, there cannot be an unintentional increase in pressure on the gas side of the hydraulic accumulator, since this is ensured by the open valve device or the ball valve in the open position is that if a maximum pressure to which the respective gas safety valve is set is exceeded, gas with a higher pressure on the hydraulic accumulator side can escape directly into the environment. In this way, too high a pressure on the liquid side of the hydraulic accumulator and on the side of the supply system, which could lead to the bursting of parts of the system, is reduced immediately, so that there is no danger to operators on the parts of the supply system. The safety system also ensures that incorrect manual operation, which could lead to an unintentional shutdown of the function of the gas safety valve, is ruled out.

Fig. 1a bis 1c

jeweils eine Seitenansicht auf ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines Ventilblocks eines Sicherheitssystems mit unterschiedlichen Betätigungsstellungen von einzelnen Gassicherheitsventilen zugeordneten Handhebeln;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Ventilblocks aus Fig. 1b;

Fig. 3a und 3b

jeweils einen Schaltplan für ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitssystems;

Fig. 4

einen Schaltplan für ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitssystems;

Fig. 5

einen Schaltplan für ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitssystems;

Fig. 6

einen Schaltplan für ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines weiteren Sicherheitssystems; und

Fig. 7a und 7b

jeweils eine perspektivische Ansicht eines weiterem Sicherheitssystems.

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the figures and the following description of the drawing. According to the invention, the features mentioned above and those listed below can each be implemented individually or in any combination on a security system according to the invention. The features shown in the figures are purely schematic and should not be understood to be to scale. Show it:

Figures 1a to 1c

each a side view of an embodiment of a valve block of a safety system with different operating positions of individual gas safety valves associated hand levers;

2

a perspective view of the valve block Fig. 1b ;

Figures 3a and 3b

each a circuit diagram for a first embodiment of the security system according to the invention;

4

a circuit diagram for a second embodiment of the security system according to the invention;

figure 5

a circuit diagram for a third embodiment of the security system according to the invention;

6

a circuit diagram for an embodiment of another security system; and

Figures 7a and 7b

each a perspective view of another security system.

The embodiments of 6 and 7a are intended only to explain the background of the invention and are not the subject of any claim.

Figures 1a to 1c each show a side view of a valve block 10, on the underside of which a first gas safety valve 12 and a second gas safety valve 14 are arranged. The gas safety valves 12, 14 are each fitted with a plug of a ball valve 50, 52 (see Fig. Figure 3a , b) assigned. The chicks of the ball valves 50, 52 are arranged separately from one another via a first hand lever 16 and a second hand lever 18 between an open switch position and a closed switch position and can be switched back and forth. in the in Fig. 1a shown switching position of the two hand levers 16, 18, these are each in the vertical direction, parallel to the cylindrical gas safety valves 12, 14, aligned and therefore shown in their open switching position. In the closed switch position, the associated hand lever 16 or 18 is aligned horizontally, as in Fig. 1b for the second hand lever 18 and in 1c shown for the first hand lever 16. While the hand lever 16 is designed to run straight, the other hand lever 18 is cranked so that it can be swiveled over the hand lever 16 if necessary (see Fig. 2 ). In the closed switch or closed position, the connection to the gas side 45 is one in the Figures 1a to 1c not shown pressure accumulator 42 (see Figure 3a and 3b ) separated via the associated ball valve 50 or 52 and the removal of the associated gas safety valve 12 or 14 is possible in a safe manner, which will be explained in more detail below.

At a distance from the hand levers 16, 18 arranged next to one another, a third hand lever 20 is arranged on the outside of the valve block 10, via which a plug of a further third ball valve 54 (see Fig. Figure 3a , b) is operable. The connection 22 is in the direction of the Figures 1a, b , c and 2 arranged on the underside of the cuboid valve block 10. In one in the Figures 1a to 1c On the side surface of the valve block 10 shown on the right is a filling and testing connection point 24 for a gas-side filling and testing device not shown in detail, and on the upper side of the valve block 10 there is a pressure connection 26 for a connection of the pressure accumulator 42. A measuring device 28 in the form of an electrical pressure transducer is also provided on the upper side of the valve block 10 . At the in the Figures 1a to 1c The side surface of the valve block 10 shown on the right is a pressure gauge connection 34 for a pressure gauge 44 (see Fig. 3a to 6 ) educated. The first and the second hand lever 16, 18 are each connected to a circular control disk 30a, 30b, which are each arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation of the associated hand lever 16, 18 on the front face of the valve block 10. The third hand lever 20 has a conventional disk 30c for rotation limitation.

The ring-shaped control discs 30a, 30b for the hand levers 16, 18 each have a segmented and concave cutout 32a, 32b with an arcuate contour. in the in Fig. 1a shown open switching position of the two hand levers 16, 18, the two cutouts 32a, 32b are arranged opposite one another. The design and arrangement of the cutouts 32a, 32b is selected such that when the second hand lever 18 is moved clockwise into the closed switch position, comparable to the representation according to FIG Fig. 1b , the second control disk 30b is positively moved on the outer circumference with its outer contour, which is convex to this extent, into the first, concave recess 32a on the first control disk 30a of the first hand lever 16 . As a result, the first hand lever 16 is mechanically locked in the open, vertical switch position shown by the control disks 30a, 30b. In a comparable manner, the first control disk 30a with its convex or arcuate outer circumference is moved clockwise into the closed switch position when the first hand lever 16 is moved, as in FIG 1c shown, moved into the second, concave cutout 32b on the second control disk 30b and accordingly the second hand lever 18 in the 1c securely locked in the open, vertical switching position shown.

Two stop limits 15a, 15b protruding like pins are also provided on the valve block 10, each of which defines the rotational movement of the associated hand lever 16, 18 by 90° into the open and the closed switching position and are formed adjacent to the cutout 32a, 32b of the respective control disk 30a, 30b Stop lugs interact. The pertinent limit stop is common with ball valves, so that this is not discussed in detail; in particular, individual details have been omitted from the figures for the sake of clarity. In 2 a stop limiter 15c for a lug formed on the control disk 30c is also shown, which limits the corresponding rotational movement of the third hand lever 20.

Figure 3a shows a hydraulic circuit diagram for a first exemplary embodiment of the valve block 10 with a first valve connection 36 (see Fig. 1a ) for the first gas safety valve 12 and a second valve connection 38 (see Fig. 1b ) for the second gas safety valve 14. Two additional pressure accumulators 40a, 40b, designed as gas accumulators in the form of conventional nitrogen refill bottles, are connected to the valve block 10 at the supply connection 22, for example. Also connected to the pressure port 26 is a pressure reservoir 42 , designed as a pressure vessel in the form of a nitrogen bottle that is filled exclusively with a gaseous pressure medium. The manometer 44 is connected to the manometer connection 34 and the measuring device 28 is connected to a measuring connection 48 . The pressure gauge 44 and the measuring device 28 of conventional design are connected to the associated connections 34 and 48 on the valve block 10 via quick-acting couplings 46a, 46b to carry fluid and pressure. With the solution after Figure 3a among other things, the pressure accumulator 42 can be filled with nitrogen from the reloading cylinders 40a, 40b. The filled reservoir 42 can then be removed from the valve block 10 and a new reservoir 42 can be filled again. In this respect, a supply network (not shown) could also take the place of the individual storage bottles 40a, 40b, from which the storage 42 can then be filled. Instead of a pressure accumulator 42 in the form of a gas storage bottle, shown as an example, a large number of such gas-carrying storage systems can also be connected to the connection 26 of the valve block 10 (not shown).

In the valve block 10 are several interconnected fluid connections between the first valve port 36, the second valve port 38, the supply port 22, the pressure port 26, the Filling and test connection point 24, the measuring connection 48 and the pressure gauge connection 34 are formed. Typically, the connections are made as bores in the valve block 10 made of a metal material. A first connecting section 21 leads from the first valve port 36 to a first crossing point 23, and a second connecting section 25 leads from the second valve port 38 to a second crossing point 27. The first crossing point 23 and the second crossing point 27 are arranged in a third connecting section 29, which extends from the measuring port 48 runs to a third crossing point 31 inside the valve block 10 .

A fourth connection section 33 runs from the supply connection 22 to the pressure connection 26. In the fourth connection section 33, the third crossing point 31 and a fourth crossing point 35 are arranged. The fourth crossing point 35 is the end of a filling and testing connection 37 beginning at the filling and testing connection point 24. A fifth crossing point 39 is arranged in the filling and testing connection 37, which represents the end of a fifth connection section 41 beginning at the first crossing point 23. A sixth crossing point 43 is arranged in the first connecting section 21 between the first valve connection 36 and the first crossing point 22 , which represents the end of a sixth connecting section 45 beginning at the manometer connection 34 .

There is also a first line section 47 between the first gas safety valve 12 and the first valve port 36, a second line section 49 between the second gas safety valve 14 and the second valve port 38, third line sections 51, 51a, 51b between the other pressure accumulators 40a, 40b and the supply port 22 , a fourth line section 53 between the pressure accumulator or gas storage bottle 42 and the pressure connection 26, fifth line sections 55a, 55b, 55c between the measuring device 28 and the measuring connection 48 and continuing from the measuring device 28 and sixth line sections 57a, 57b between the pressure gauge 44 and the pressure gauge connection 34 are present.

In the connections leading from the gas safety valves 12, 14 to the pressure accumulator 42, the first ball valve 50 is arranged in the first connecting section 21 and the second ball valve 52 is arranged in the second connecting section 25. In the fourth connecting section 33 leading to the pressure accumulator 42, the third ball valve 54 is arranged between the third 31 and fourth crossing point 35, and a check valve 56 is connected parallel to this in the fifth connecting section 41 between the first 23 and fifth crossing point 39, which valve opens in the direction of the first crossing point 23 . The individual ball valves 50, 52, 54 are actuated individually by hand via the associated hand levers 16, 18, 20. From the fourth crossing point 35 arranged adjacent to the pressure connection 26, the filling and testing connection 37 leads directly to the filling and testing connection point 24.

Figure 3b is essentially identical to Figure 3a and differs from this solution shown in that instead of a gas storage bottle 42 designed as a pressure container, a pressure accumulator 42 designed as a hydraulic accumulator in the form of a piston accumulator is connected to the pressure connection 26 of the valve block 10 . On the hydraulic or liquid side 47 of the pressure accumulator 42 designed as a piston accumulator is shown in FIG Figure 3b A hydraulic supply system 43 is connected as an example, regularly consisting of a hydraulic working circuit, such as a motor-pump unit, a storage tank, hydraulic consumers, control and monitoring devices, etc. (not shown).

As soon as the pressure on the gas side 45 of the pressure accumulator 42 rises due to an impermissible increase in pressure, for example caused by a technical fault in the hydraulic supply system 43, such as a fire, when a maximum pressure on the gas side 45 of the pressure accumulator 42 is exceeded, which is determined by the response pressure of the gas safety valves 12, 14 is specified, causing them to be triggered and gas can flow out from the gas side 45 of the pressure accumulator 42 when the valves in the form of the ball valves 50, 52 are open via the gas safety valves 12, 14 until their response pressure of 330 bar, for example, is reached again or respectively is below. This safety function is also implemented when the other pressure accumulators 40a, 40b are separated on the gas side from the gas side 45 of the pressure accumulator 42 by closing the other third ball valve 54. In this case, the pressure is equalized via the non-return valve 56, which opens in the direction of the two gas safety valves 12, 14 and to this extent the associated, working gas regularly leading in the form of nitrogen gas, releases connections in the valve block 10 for the purpose of pressure reduction. For the sake of completeness, it should also be mentioned that the piston 49 of the pressure accumulator 42 designed as a piston accumulator separates the gas side 45 from the liquid side 47, which leads to the supply system 43. At the in Figure 3a , 3b Each embodiment of the safety system shown is ensured by the ball valves 50, 52, which can be operated and switched separately from one another, that one of the gas safety valves 12 or 14 is always connected to the pressure accumulator 42 via the associated connection for gas, which, as explained, leads to the desired safety gain.

the inside 4 shown circuit diagram for a second embodiment of the security system differs from that in the Figure 3a and 3b shown first embodiment in that instead of the two ball valves 50, 52 only a 3-way ball valve 58 in the connections from the gas safety valves 12, 14 to the respective pressure accumulator 42 is arranged is. Due to the arrangement of the 3-way ball valve 58, the wiring of the connections in the valve block 10 is modified in such a way that the first connection section 21 and the second connection section 25 each end at the ball valve 58 and from this a common connection section 59 to a common crossing point 61 in the third Connecting section 29 leads. The pressure gauge 44 is also connected to the third connection portion 29 via the sixth connection portion 45 . The wiring of the fourth connection section 33, the fifth connection section 41 and the filling and test connection 37 are unchanged. The pressure accumulators 40a, 40b, 42 are in 4 not shown for the sake of simplicity. The bottles 40a, 40b also do not necessarily have to be connected to the connection 22, which then has to be closed if it is unoccupied. The safety functions with the two gas safety valves 12, 14 and the associated ball valves 50, 52 are also reduced if only one corresponding pressure accumulator 42 is connected to the connection 26 of the valve block 10. With the 3-way ball valve solution, regardless of the rotational position of the plug of the ball valve 58, it is always ensured that a gas safety valve 12 or 14 is always connected to the pressure accumulator 42 to carry gas. As with the previously described solutions, dangerous operating errors are excluded.

At the in figure 5 The circuit diagram shown in the form of a hydraulic circuit diagram for a third exemplary embodiment of the safety system includes a first monitoring device 60 in the first connecting section 21 for electrically or electronically monitoring one connection from the first gas safety valve 12 to the pressure accumulator 42 and a second comparable monitoring device 62 in the second connecting section 25 for monitoring the other connection from the second gas safety valve 14 to the pressure accumulator 42 at connections 3, 2 of the 3-way ball valve 58 is formed. Otherwise, the representation corresponds to figure 5 essentially the representation according to the 4 .

At the in 6 shown circuit diagram for an embodiment of a safety system, which is not part of the invention, only one gas safety valve 12 is provided and only one monitoring device 60, as presented above, in the first connection section 21 for monitoring the one connection from the gas safety valve 12 to the pressure accumulator 42 on the associated ball valve 50 present. This monitoring device 60 can optionally monitor the open and/or closed position of the ball valve 50 electrically or electronically. The representation of 6 differs from that in the Figure 3a and 3b shown first embodiment in particular that the second gas safety valve 14, the second line section 49, the second valve port 38, the second connecting portion 25 together with the second crossing point 27 and the second ball valve 52 are omitted.

At the in the Figure 3a , 3b and 4 A redundant mechanical locking or valve control concept is implemented in the exemplary embodiments of the safety system shown. In the mechanical locking concept according to the Figure 3a and 3b the two associated 2-way ball valves 50, 52 can be mutually blocked in the direction of their respective horizontal closed position via the control disks 30a, 30b, so that only one ball valve 50 or 52 can reach its blocked position at a time, which means that the gas-carrying safety function is always only one of the two connected gas safety valves 12 or 14 overrides. In the valve control concept according to the 4 operator guidance is achieved in the sense that, regardless of the operator's will, at least as seen from the valve position of the valve 58, a gas safety valve 12, 14 is always kept in its safety function.

At the in the Figures 5 and 6 In the exemplary embodiments shown, an electrical or electronic monitoring concept is implemented via at least one monitoring device 60, 62 on the 3-way ball valve 58 or on a ball valve 50. It is understood that combinations of such a monitoring concept according to the Figures 5 and 6 with a mechanical locking or valve control concept according to the Figure 3a , 3b and 4 can be combined with one another on the valve block 10 for reasons of redundancy.

As soon as a gas safety valve 12, 14 is to be removed from the valve block 10, it must first be ensured that the respective gas-carrying connection from the gas safety valve 12, 14 via the valve connections 36, 38 and the respectively assigned ball valve 50, 52 or 58 as well as the pressure connection 26 to Pressure accumulator 42 is separated or shut off. This is achieved by actuating the associated hand lever 16, 18 and an associated mechanical locking of the control discs 30a, 30b formed on the hand levers 16, 18 or by setting one of the two switching positions of the 3-way ball valve 58 accordingly. In the case of the valve solution with a ball valve 58, an externally actuated control would also be conceivable, for example in the form of an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic motor control. Alternatively or additionally, the blocking of the gas connection from the gas safety valve 12, 14 to the respective pressure accumulator 42 can be monitored via at least one monitoring device 60, 62, with the monitoring device 60, 62 generating a corresponding control and/or monitoring signal for a higher-level control device (not shown). can. In a corresponding manner, the active replacement of a gas safety valve 12, 14 can be monitored manually on the valve block 10 and the valves 50, 52, 58 can be brought into the open or closed switching position as required.

As soon as the fourth connection section 33 from the pressure accumulator 42 to the gas safety valves 12, 14 is shut off via the third ball valve 54, the gas side 45 of the respective pressure accumulator 42 can be checked via a filling and testing device 28 (not shown) to be connected to the filling and testing connection point 24 and optionally refillable. Should it be necessary to top up or switch on working gas from the gas supply of the other pressure accumulators 40a, 40b, the third ball valve 54 remains open so that the working gas from the gas supply of the other pressure accumulators 40a, 40b can flow via the third line sections 51, 51a, 51b to can flow to the supply port 22, further via the fourth connecting section 33 to the pressure port 26 and further via the fourth line section 53 to the pressure accumulator 42 if necessary. The associated pressure profile can be monitored via the pressure gauge 44 connected to the pressure gauge connection 34 .

Furthermore, the pressure in the safety system can be monitored electrically via the pressure transducer 28 . If the gas supply in the respective additional pressure accumulator 40a, 40b also has to be filled up, assuming that the additional pressure accumulators 40a, 40b are also connected to the valve block 10 via the connection point 22, this happens simultaneously with the gas side 45 of the respective pressure accumulator when the ball valve 54 is open 42 and, if necessary, with the ball valve 54 closed via the non-return valve 56. The relevant filling via the connection point 24 then continues until the pressure equilibrium established between the further pressure accumulators 40a, 40b, the refilling device at the connection point 24 and the respective pressure accumulator 42 the check valve 56 increasingly reaches its closed position.

An alternative embodiment of the security system is in the Figure 7a and 7b shown, the system according to Figure 7a is not part of the invention. The valve block 10 is compared to that in the Figures 1a to 1c shown embodiment designed comparatively small and encloses one in the perspective view of Figure 7a and 7b not shown 3-way ball valve. The ball valve can be actuated between its switch positions via a hand lever 16 rotatably arranged on the valve block 10 . The valve block 10 with the components arranged thereon forms a separate structural unit which is arranged on an end face 64 of a pressure accumulator 42 . For this purpose, a connecting piece 66 bent at right angles is inserted into a passage opening on the end face 64 , the valve block 10 being firmly connected to the connecting piece 66 .

in the in Figure 7a illustrated first variant of the safety system, which is not part of the invention, a gas safety valve 12 and a bursting disk 68 are arranged on the valve block 10 . Here, the gas safety valve 12 and the bursting disc 68 are aligned horizontally and are arranged on opposite sides of the valve block 10 . The bursting disk 68 has the function that when the gas safety valve 12 is connected, this is kept free from damage in the event of excessive pressure loads due to the rupturing of the bursting disk 68 . A gas-carrying connection between the gas safety valve 12 and the pressure accumulator 42 can be blocked or released via the 3-way ball valve arranged in the valve block 10 . The 3-way ball valve has an L or T bore, with the central connection leading to the pressure accumulator 42 and the gas safety valve 12 and/or the bursting disc 68 being attached to the other connections.

In the Figure 7b The second variant of the safety system shown differs from that in Figure 7a The first variant shown is that instead of the bursting disc 68 a second gas safety valve 14 is arranged on the valve block 10 . This has the advantage that when removing one of the two gas safety valves 12, 14 by the respective other gas safety valves 14, 12 remaining on the valve block 10 ensure a continuous safety function.

Claims (11)

1. Safety system having a valve block (10), to which at least one gas safety valve (12, 14) is detachably connected, having at least one controllable valve (50, 52, 58) in or on the valve block (10) and having at least one pressure accumulator (42) receiving a gaseous pressure medium, said accumulator being connected to the valve block (10) in a similarly detachable manner, a gas-conveying connection between the respective connected pressure accumulator (42) and the respective connected gas safety valve (12, 14), said connection at least partially running inside the valve block (10), being able to be blocked or released by means of the valve (50, 52, 58), characterised in that at least two gas safety valves (12, 14) are connected to the valve block (10), and in that, by means of a safety apparatus that surrounds the controllable valve (50, 52, 58), it is guaranteed that, in order to remove a gas safety valve (12, 14) from the valve block (10), the gas-conveying connection to the respective connected pressure accumulator (42) is interrupted and the connection leading to at least one other gas safety valve (12, 14) is maintained such that a permanent gas-conveying connection is established between said respective pressure accumulator (42) and said respective other gas safety valve (12, 14) during the procedure to change one gas safety valve (12, 14) and returning this to service again.
2. Safety system according to claim 1, characterised in that the respective pressure accumulator (42) is a pressure vessel that is solely filled or can be filled with the gaseous pressure medium, or a hydraulic accumulator having a separating element (49) that is received in an accumulator housing and separates a gas side (45) from a liquid side (47).
3. Safety system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the safety apparatus is based on

   - a mechanical interlocking concept,

   - a mechanical control concept,

   - an electrical monitoring concept, or

   - a chip-controlled actuating concept

   for the respective controllable valve (50, 52, 58).
4. Safety system according to claim 3, characterised in that two preferably manually actuatable ball valves (50, 52) are provided to implement the mechanical interlocking concept, said valves each being connected in a gas-conveying manner to an assignable gas safety valve (12, 14) and bearing control discs (30a, 30b), which, in the mutually interlocked state, ensure that a ball valve (50), in its opened position, connects the corresponding gas safety valve (12) to the pressure accumulator (42) in a gas-conveying manner via one connection and the other ball valve (52), in its blocked position, blocks another corresponding connection to the respective pressure accumulator (40a, 40b, 42) for removal of the corresponding gas safety valve (14) from the valve block.
5. Safety system according to claim 4, characterised in that, by means of two hand levers (16, 18) of the ball valves (50, 52), starting from a common opening direction, one of the control discs (30a, 30b) in each case can be actuated in the direction of a closed position of the ball valve (50, 52), said control disc comprising a cut-out (33a, 32b) on the outer circumference thereof, said cut-out interacting with a correspondingly shaped cut-out (32a, 32b) on the outer circumference of the other control disc (30a, 30b) such that a rotational movement of the respective ball valve (50, 52) is enabled or blocked by means of the assigned hand lever (16, 18).
6. Safety system according to claim 5, characterised in that the respective control disc (30a. 30B) interacts with a stop limiter (35a, 35b) on the valve block (10) such that the hand lever (16, 18) can be swivelled through 90° from an opening direction parallel with the longitudinal orientation of the respective gas safety valve (12, 14) into a blocked position transverse to this longitudinal orientation and vice versa.
7. Safety system according to claim 3, characterised in that, in order to implement the mechanical control concept, a three-way ball valve (58) is used as a controllable valve, said valve, in one of its switching positions, connecting a gas safety valve (12) in a gas-conveying manner to the pressure accumulator (42) by means of one connection and disconnecting another gas safety valve (14) from the pressure accumulator (42) by blocking another corresponding connection, and in that, in a further switching position, the other gas safety valve (14) is connected in a gas-conveying manner to the pressure accumulator (42) by the other connection and one gas safety valve (12) is disconnected by blocking one connection.
8. Safety system according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that, to implement the electrical monitoring concept by means of a sensor device (60, 62), the position of the respective actuatable valve (50, 58) is monitored to ascertain its open and/or closed position, and in that operation of the hydraulic supply system by a higherlevel controller is only possible when the sensor device (60, 62) detects and informs the controller that the respective gas-conveying connection between the gas safety valve (12, 14) and the pressure accumulator (42) has been released by the controllable valve (50, 58).
9. Safety system according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that, to implement the chip-controlled actuating concept, a control chip is provided which, when inserted in the controller of the hydraulic supply system, enables said controller to operate, when removed, shuts down the supply system, and, when inserted in the controllable valve (50, 52, 58), the respective assignable gas safety valve (12, 14) is disconnected from the pressure accumulator (42) on the gas side by blocking the corresponding connection.
10. Safety system according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve block (10) comprises at least one further supply port (22), via which the at least one further pressure accumulator (40a, 40b), preferably a gas pressure accumulator, can be connected, which, by means of a stop valve (54) arranged inside the valve block (10), is connected, in its open position, in a gas conveying manner to the respective pressure accumulator (42), preferably connected to the gas side (45) of a hydraulic accumulator.
11. Safety system according to claim 10, characterised in that the valve block (10) comprises at least one further connection point (24), to which a filling and test device (28) can be connected, which is connected in a gas-conveying manner via a filling and test connection in the valve block (10) directly to the respective pressure accumulator (42), and in that this filling and test connection is connected via a nonreturn valve (56), which opens in the direction of the respective controllable valve (50, 52, 58), to a further connection between the respective further pressure accumulator (40a, 40b) and the respective pressure accumulator (42).

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