ES1187083U - Surge suppressor device. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Wave suppression device, for a fluid conduit; characterized in that the device comprises at least one structure fixed to the conduit and extending along a section of said conduit; the structure constituted by a packing of at least one panel; each panel having a plurality of openings; the periphery of the openings forming walls projecting transversely to said panel; so that the device allows to brake the expansion of waves in the fluid. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

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DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

Title

Wave suppressor device

DESCRIPTION

Object and technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to devices for suppressing, reducing or dissipating all types of waves, such as mechanical, calorific, sound or electromagnetic, around or inside bodies such as conduits and fluid reservoirs (liquids or gases. The invention especially relates to conduits and deposits of flammable or explosive fluids (Liquids or gases), such as fuels and LPG ("Liquid Petroleum Gas"), including varnishes, paints, solvents, organic and inorganic by-products, alcohols, ketones , toluene, ethers, gasoline, waste, military fuels, aviation fuels, bio-fuels, hydrogen, etc.

The invention is conceived in particular, but without limitation, to suppress or delay the ignition, combustion, deflagration, detonation or explosion of a flammable or explosive fluid confined in a duct or reservoir.

The term "conduit" includes in the present specification the concepts of "conduction", "tube", "pipe", "canalization" and in general any means of confining a fluid through which the fluid can move. Also herein, the term "deposit" includes the concepts of "container", "tank", "bottle", "container" and in general any means of confining a fluid in which the fluid can be stored.

The invention is particularly conceived, but not limited, for use in fuel supply systems of gas stations and refueling stations, such as discharge, suction and fuel vent lines. Likewise, the invention is conceived for its application to any type of deposit and conduit, such as for example deposits of aircraft and ships, pipelines, gas pipelines, etc.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Multiple forms of filling masses consisting of three-dimensional metal structures with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, are known in the state of the art. These filling masses are inserted into the tank with the function of suppressing or delaying explosions confined therein of flammable or explosive fluids, so that the metal structures act in a way that prevents local overheating of the fluid by providing rapid heat diffusion by thermal conduction through the walls of the structure in contact with the fluid. In addition, if ignition occurs at a hot spot in the tank, the rate of advance of combustion is mechanically reduced by the walls of the structure itself, which prevents the expansion of combustion. Additionally, metal structures allow suppressing electrostatic ignition by Faraday effect.

Traditionally, the structures are configured by means of a compact packing or grouping of multiple layers or panels, usually of expanded metal. For the packing of the panels of the structure, various techniques have been developed in general to avoid the effects of caking and delamination between the layers. This is important when the deposit is susceptible to being subjected to vibrations or movements, taking into account that the deformation of the structure, caking or delamination between layers, can lead to losses in the conductivity properties.

Examples of mentioned structures suppressing structures confined in tanks can be found in patent documents: ES-2259509, US-5000336, WO-0071798, US-4925053, ES-2319067, WO-8504128, EP-0256239, US-4566589, EP-0003657 and US-4149649.

Fuel tanks installed at gas stations and fuel refueling stations are generally unprotected because they are buried and therefore away from hot spots or risk of ignition. However, the discharge, aspiration and venting pipes of the tank are exposed to the risk of ignition when communicated with the outside. Even if the underground fuel tanks have the aforementioned protection, these discharge, aspiration and vent pipes continue to present a risk of ignition. Also, deposits of vehicles, aircraft, ships, tankers, etc. An explosion suppression device like the one mentioned

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applied to deposits can be expensive or unfeasible resulting in reduced protection.

It would therefore be desirable to have a wave or explosion suppression device suitable for application to the discharge, aspiration and venting pipes of the application to any type of deposit and conduit, such as for example deposits of vehicles, aircraft and ships, pipelines , gas pipelines, etc.

The present invention addresses the technical problem of providing an explosion suppression system, and in general of waves, suitable for application in fluid conduits.

In general, it would be desirable to have a wave suppressor device that allows its application not only to ducts but to any bodies, so as to provide a suppression of waves emitted from outside or from inside the bodies, including heat emitting bodies . Considering all of the foregoing in relation to the known state of the art, the present invention tries to provide a solution to the technical problem indicated and presenting improvements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the noted technical problem and achieve improvements in known explosion suppression devices, the proposed invention provides the technical characteristics and effects described below.

A first embodiment of the wave suppressor device of the invention is intended to be installed in a fluid conduit. The device is characterized in that it comprises a structure fixed to the conduit and extending along a section of said conduit.

The structure is constituted by a packing of panels having a plurality of openings, in which the periphery of the openings forms walls that project transversely to the respective panels. In this way the device allows to stop the expansion of waves in the fluid. Thus, the walls of the structure offer a mechanical barrier that prevents the increase in the speed of expansion of the waves and therefore the pressure on the walls of the duct.

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In particular, the device makes it possible to suppress explosions in the event that the fluid is flammable or explosive, preventing the increase in the rate of combustion, slowing the propagation of combustion from hot spots. By "structure" means any means disposed within a conduit that allows the passage of fluid from the conduit through it. The structure of the device can be extended by completely or partially filling the section of the duct, but always being in contact with the inner surface thereof. By "packing" is meant a grouping of panels connected between sL

Preferably, the structure of the device of the invention is made of thermally conductive material, so that the device additionally allows heat to be evacuated rapidly by thermal conduction. Due to the thermal conductivity of the structure material, the activation energy necessary for the endothermic reaction of a combustion of the fluid dissipates rapidly by evacuating along the structure and the conduit. In this way, the invention provides a retention barrier to the advance of deflagration, thermal wave or flame along ducts as! as the inhibition of the beginning of the combustion reaction in case of an accident.

The structure can be chemically inert to the passage of the fluid, not altering its chemical properties. Another important aspect of the invention results from another technical effect that it provides, based on the fact that the presence of the structure in the duct allows the dynamic properties of the fluid to be modified as may be required. In particular, the invention contemplates that the structure can provide an increase in the fluid flow rate with respect to the fluid flow rate in the conduit under the same conditions but without the presence of the device. The increase in the flow is caused by the effect of depression in the region of the structure by decreasing the apparent area of the section of the duct therein, equivalent to a narrowing of the convergent divergent duct or nozzle. This effect of increasing the flow of the fluid is especially useful when the device of the invention is applied to fuel loading / unloading pipes of deposits, since it leads to a decrease in the filling time thereof, a decrease that can become considerable in the case of high capacity deposits, such as gas station deposits. In these cases the device can be arranged in the tank loading / unloading pipe, being formed by a sleeve coupled to the pipe. He

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Once installed as a sleeve in the loading / unloading pipe, the device guarantees the inaccessibility of waves, in particular of any flame or fire, which eliminates the risk of explosion.

Additionally, it is also contemplated that the structure generates some turbulence in the fluid flow through it, which contributes to provide an additional or alternative heat dissipation effect. It can also be used as a ram shock absorber, which can be especially beneficial in ducts with fluid that can move, such as fuel tanks from vehicles, aircraft and ships.

Particularly, the device of the invention is also applied to tank vent pipes, which has the utility of reducing evaporation of vapors from the tank, due to the rapid cooling capacity of the device structure, which returns the vapors to the tank in the liquid phase, allowing to protect the environment and save the product of the tank, for example fuel.

Conventionally, the discharge, aspiration and vent pipes are the only means of communication outside the tanks, as for example in the case of underground fuel tanks of the gas stations, so the incorporation of the device of the invention in such Pipes represent a significant and effective reduction of ignition risk. It is estimated that the device of the invention applied to gas stations and stations

refueling allows to reach a safety level of ten raised to six (106)

Another additional application of the device of the described invention relates to LPG tank safety valves, considering that the structure of the device can facilitate the discharge of the fluid by the valve in case of overpressure opening in the tank.

In short, the incorporation of the device of the invention into explosive fluid conduits allows eliminating the risk of explosion directly or in a chain along the conduit, creating a thermal break that prevents the spread of combustion.

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Preferably, the structure of the device is made of metallic material (including alloys). Advantageously, being the structure of electrical conductive material, it prevents static electricity from Faraday effect, which can cause both electrostatic ignition (in the event that the conduit fluid is flammable or explosive) and corrosion. The concentration of static electricity may be due, for example, to the use of GSM and G3 high frequency mobile telephony. The structure can be in principle of any metal (or alloy) depending on the application, such as: aluminum, magnesium, copper, gold, titanium, chrome, silver, stainless steel. Preferably the selected metal should have high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum and copper. It is also contemplated that the metallic material of the structure be combined with other materials. Materials suitable for the application for which its use is intended are known in the art.

The panels of the structure can be constituted in multiple ways, such as honeycomb panels, plate laminates, corrugated sheets, stamped sheets, etc. Very preferably each panel of the structure is obtained from an expanded metal sheet. The expanded metal sheets are obtained from perforated solid metal sheets that are uniformly stretched to create structures with diamond-shaped openings or other polygonal shapes. The sheet expanded and pierced as! Suitable panels for the structure of the device of the invention are manufactured in a known manner.

The structure is constituted by packing the different panels to be inserted in the duct. For this, the panels can be arranged for example: rolled up, folded overlapping each other, etc. The panels may, for example, overlap longitudinally, that is to say in planes parallel to the axis of the duct, or transversely, that is in planes perpendicular to the axis of the duct.

Also, the panel winding can be spiral or circular. The stacking can be configured with a single bent panel (for example in zigzag) or rolled up (for example spirally or circularly). Additionally, different forms of packaging can be combined with each other.

In one example corrugated panels can be alternated with flat panels to shape the structure of the device of the invention.

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In structures formed with perforated and expanded sheet panels, the openings are preferably introduced with random irregularity to improve the caking resistance of the structure. The irregularity can also occur in other ways, for example with openings that are in the form of polygons with different numbers of sides, or with polygonal openings with different lengths of the sides. In this way, it is not possible to align the polygonal openings of adjacent or facing panels and fit into others, thus avoiding! the caking problem and therefore increasing the compressive strength of the structure.

The packing of the structure can be complemented by means of joining between the panels that integrate it in a known manner, for example by adhesive bonding.

Finally, the structure may include conventional fixing means thereof to the inner surface of the duct. For this purpose, a fixing by adhesive and / or by a stop can be used. The butt fixation may comprise projections or reliefs on the inner surface of the conduit in correspondence with the structure so that the structure is retained in its position in the conduit.

The concept of "waves" includes waves of any kind such as mechanical, sound, thermal and electromagnetic (including RADAR).

The panels of the structure can be made of expanded metal sheets. Preferably, the openings of the panels of each structure are irregular, so as to reduce or prevent caking between facing panels of said structure.

Some applications of the wave suppressor device of the invention are described below.

In short, as described above, the present invention provides a wave suppressor device with various useful applications, both in fluid conduits, as well! as in body covers. In addition, the device of the invention such

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As can be seen from the previous description, it is simple and easy to install, which implies a reduced cost and maintenance, presenting additional technical advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the explanation of the invention and in order to help a better understanding of its technical characteristics, reference is made in the rest of this specification to the drawings that accompany it, in which it has been represented, as a practical example not limiting, some examples of realization of the invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 shows a structure inserted in a fluid conduit.

1: structure 10: conduit 11: flow direction

Figure 2 illustrates a portion of structure panel formed with an expanded metal sheet. This figure shows the openings and transverse walls of the panel.

2: panel 4: opening 5: transverse wall

Figures 3a and 3b illustrate the process of obtaining an expanded and perforated metal panel with irregular polygonal openings. Figure 3a shows a metal sheet prior to stretching to form the expanded and perforated metal sheet with irregular openings shown in Figure 3b.

2: panel

3: lamina

4: opening

5: transverse wall

6: stretch direction

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Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a first example of realization of the structure of the device inserted in the fluid conduit. In this embodiment, the structure is constituted by longitudinal superposition of panels.

2: panel 10: duct

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of the device inserted in the fluid conduit. In this exemplary embodiment, the structure is constituted by longitudinal overlap of a zigzag bent panel.

2: panel 10: duct

Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of the device inserted in the fluid conduit. In this exemplary embodiment, the structure is constituted by spiral winding of a zigzag bent panel.

Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of the device inserted in the fluid conduit.

2: panel 10: duct

The structure is constituted by circular winding of two panels filling the duct section only partially.

Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention applied to helmets, clothing, gloves and the like.

1: structure 20: garment 21: helmet

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

A first embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 7.

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A perspective view of an example of the embodiment of the device according to the invention comprising a metal structure (1) wound and inserted inside a conduit (10) of flammable or explosive fluid is shown in Figure 1. The conduit is shown sectioned in the section in which the structure (1) extends in contact with the interior surface of the conduit (10). The fixing of the structure (1) to the inner surface of the duct (10) can be carried out in a conventional manner, for example by adhesive or by stop of an element projected from the inner surface of the duct into the interior thereof (not shown). With reference 11 the direction of the fluid flow in the conduction through the structure (1) is indicated.

The structure (1) is obtained by longitudinal winding of metal panels formed with expanded metal sheets. A portion of metal panel (3) formed in this way is shown in Figure 2. The panel comprises a plurality of openings (5) and walls (6) that project transversely from the periphery of the openings (5).

The procedure for obtaining these panels is known in the art. The metal material selected is aluminum alloy, for example with the composition included in patent application EP-026239. In any case, the material of the structure (3) is chosen identical or similar to the material of the conduit to avoid corrosion by difference of cathode potential. In addition, the material used is chemically inert to organic derivatives of liquid or gaseous fuels.

In a preferred embodiment, the metal panels (3) formed with expanded metal sheets comprise openings with irregularities, that is for example openings of different sizes or polygonal openings with different number or length of sides.

This avoids the caking of adjacent panels in the structure. This is illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b. Figure 3a represents a metal sheet (4) prior to stretching to form the expanded metal sheet (4) of Figure 3b with irregular openings (5). The arrows referenced with 7 represent the stretch direction of the sheet. The thickness of the sheets is preferably between approximately 0.01 mm and 0.1 mm and more preferably between 0.02 mm and approximately 0.75 mm. Preferably, the length of the openings in the sheet (4) to be stretched, illustrated in Figure 3a, is approximately between 10 mm and 15 mm, and more preferably between approximately 13 to 15 mm, the width of each rectangular opening being from

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approximately 0.01 mm to 0.07 mm. The preferable separation between openings s of 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm approximately. Additionally, in the patent documents ES-2259509, US-50003336, WO-0071798 and US-4925053 there are alternative and complementary embodiments for obtaining expanded metal sheets and panels suitable for the present invention as will be understood by the person skilled in the art. matter.

Figures 4 to 7 represent different examples of alternative realization with various packing configurations of the structure (1) in the fluid conduit (10). Figure 4 shows a packing by superposition of panels (2) longitudinally.

In Figure 5, the panels (2) overlap longitudinally bent in zigzag. In Figure 6, the structure (1) is formed by a single panel (2) spirally wound. And in Figure 7, the structure (1) is constituted by two different panels (2), rolled in a circle and also covering only partially the area of the fluid flow section in the conduit (10).

The device of this embodiment of the invention can be applied to the discharge, venting or aspiration pipes of tanks, for example to gas station tanks and fuel refueling stations in which the fuel tanks are buried.

These pipes are the only routes of communication of the fluid with the outside, so that the installation of the device in them guarantees the inaccessibility of any flame or fire, suppressing the risk of explosion.

For the device applied to a tank discharge pipe, it has been found that the filling speed is significantly higher with the presence of the device, providing the desired effect of increasing the filling flow rate and therefore decreasing the discharge time required to fill the deposit, which can be critical at gas stations and refueling stations.

With reference to Figure 8, several examples of the second embodiment of the invention are illustrated therein, this is a wave suppressor device for roofs or the like.

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It is not considered necessary to make this description more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands the scope of the invention and the advantages derived from it. Particularly, for the manufacture of the different components the manufacturing processes and necessary materials are known in the technical field and fully accessible. In general, the materials, shape, size and disposition of the elements will be susceptible of variation as long as this does not imply an alteration to the essentiality of the invention.

Claims (11)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, for a fluid conduit; characterized because the device comprises at least one structure fixed to the conduit and extending along a section of said conduit; the structure constituted by a packing of at least one panel; each panel having a plurality of openings; the periphery of the openings forming walls that project transversely to said panel; so that the device allows to stop the expansion of waves in the fluid. 2. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, for a fluid conduit, according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure is made of thermal conductive material; so that the device also allows heat to be evacuated quickly by thermal conduction 3. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, for a fluid conduit, according to one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the apparent area of the section of the conduit in the structure is reduced with respect to the area of the section of the conduit outside the structure ; so that the device additionally allows to increase the fluid flow rate with respect to the flow rate in the conduit without the device. 4. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to one of claims 1-3; characterized in that the at least one structure is made of metallic material; in a way that neutralizes a possible electrostatic ignition of the fluid by Faraday effect. 5. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to claim 4; characterized because the at least one panel is constituted by an expanded metal sheet. 6. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to claim 5; characterized in that the openings of the panels of each structure are irregular; in a way that reduces or prevents caking between facing panels of said structure. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 7. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, for a cover or the like of a body, characterized in that the device comprises at least one structure fixed to the cover and constituted by a packing of at least one panel; each panel has a plurality of openings; the periphery of the openings forming walls that project transversely to said panel; the space between the roof and each structure occupied by air or a filling material; so that the device allows to stop the expansion of waves between the body and the outside of the body and cover. 8. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to claim 7, characterized because at least one structure is made of thermal conductive material; so that the device allows to evacuate the heat between the body and the outside of the body and cover quickly by thermal conduction. 9. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to one of claims 7-8, characterized in that the at least one structure is made of metallic material; so that the device provides electromagnetic isolation between the body and the outside of the body and covered by Faraday effect. 10. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to claim 9; characterized because the at least one panel is constituted by an expanded metal sheet. 11. - WAVE SUPPRESSOR DEVICE, according to claim 10; characterized because the openings of the panels of each structure are irregular; in a way that reduces or prevents caking between facing panels of said structure. image 1 Figure 1 image2 image3 Figure 3a image4 image5 Figure 4 image6 image7 Figure 6 image8 image9