FR2766443A1 - PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR CONTAINMENT CONTAINER OF MATERIALS AND RAILWAY WAGON COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE SUCH DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for protecting a tank or tank for transporting dangerous and / or polluting materials, characterized in that it comprises, arranged in front of one or more zone (s) of the tank or of the tank liable to ( s) being struck by a rigid object, a screen (15) deformable in the direction of impact of a rigid object, a material absorbing the kinetic energy of the collision with said rigid object, and that the screen (15} distributes the bearing forces of the rigid object on an outer wall of an envelope of the tank or of the cistern (7) over a sufficiently large area to prevent perforation of this envelope.

Description

PROTECTION DEVICE FOR CONTAINMENT CONTAINER

  RAILWAY MATERIALS AND WAGON COMPRISING AT LEAST

SUCH A DEVICE

  The present invention relates mainly to a protective device for the containment tank of materials, in particular dangerous and / or polluting and to a railway wagon comprising at

  minus one, typically two, such device (s).

  Dangerous goods, in particular gases such as chlorine, are transported in tanks mounted on

  railroad cars or on truck semi-trailers.

  The envelope of such a tank was not designed to withstand severe shocks likely to occur during an accident. It was therefore proposed to provide the trucks with safety rails, and the ends of the wagons with

  railway with anti-completion devices.

  The Applicant has discovered that the low height anti-tipping device does not provide sufficient protection, particularly in the event of an impact with an empty wagon during the maneuvers carried out at the marshalling yard. An increase in height of the anti-lowering devices does not solve this problem because, in the event of an impact on the upper part of the anti-lowering device, the couple of forces exerted on the anchor points of these devices may exceed the maximum admissible values, with deformation or tearing of the anti-lowering device. The tear-out or deformed anti-lowering device bears violently on the external surface of the shell of the tank or of the tank, with an unacceptable risk of perforation or tearing of this shell and release of dangerous and / or polluting materials. Similarly, the use of truck protection rails constitutes, during a violent impact, a risk of deconfinement of products transported in tanks. Thus, surprisingly, the security devices implemented or currently proposed can

  increase the risk of deconfinement of hazardous materials.

  It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device preventing the perforation of the shell of the tank or of the

  transport tank for dangerous and / or polluting products.

  It is also an object of the present invention to offer such a device capable of adapting to vehicles in service, in particular to

  railroad cars and tanks mounted on trucks, semi

trailers or highway trailers.

  The main object of the invention is a device for protecting a tank or cistern for the transport of dangerous and / or polluting materials, characterized in that it comprises, placed in front of one or more zones of the tank or of the cistern which is susceptible (s) to be struck by a rigid object, a deformable protective screen in the impact direction of a rigid object, made of a material absorbing the kinetic energy of the collision with said rigid object, and that the protective screen distributes the support forces of the rigid object on an external wall of a shell of the tank or the cistern over a surface large enough to avoid perforation of

this envelope.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that it further comprises an anti-lowering device and in that the screen

  of protection is fixed to said anti-completion device.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that the height of the protective screen is greater than the height of the

anti-completion device.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that a protective screen is arranged on the face of the device

  anti-overflow directed towards the tank or the cistern.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that a protective screen is arranged on the face of the device

  opposite the tank or cistern.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that the protective screen is made of a flexible material in the

  direction of impact of said rigid object.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that

  that the protective screen is made of elastomer.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in

  that the protective screen has reinforcements.

  The invention also relates to a device characterized in that

  that the reinforcements have rigid plates.

  The subject of the invention is also a railway wagon comprising a tank for transporting dangerous materials and / or

  pollutants and a device according to the present invention.

  The present invention will be better understood by means of the

  description below and attached figures given as examples

  non-limiting and in which: - Figure 1 is a side view of one end of a chlorine tank wagon of known type; - Figure 2 is a similar view of a wagon provided with a first alternative embodiment of the device according to the present invention; - Figure 3 is a similar view of a wagon provided with a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention; - Figure 4 is a similar view of a wagon provided with a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of a wagon provided with a fourth embodiment of the device according to

present invention.

  In FIGS. 1 to 5, the same references have been used for

designate the same elements.

  In Figure 1, we can see one end of the wagon 1 of known type, comprising, mounted on bogies 3, a platform 5 carrying a tank 7 for transporting dangerous gases, for example chlorine. The improved version of wagon 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises, for safety reasons, on the one hand buffers 9 whose capacity to absorb shocks has been reinforced and, on the other hand, an anti-lowering device 11 forming a metal barrier anchored on the platform 5 capable of stopping the buffers of a wagon, one end of which is placed opposite wagon 1 would have risen (down) due to an impact. Unfortunately, we can

  fear that the anti-completion device 11 will have limited effectiveness.

  On the one hand, the buffers of a light wagon, especially an empty wagon, risk passing over the anti-lowering device and, on the other hand, in the event of a violent shock (strong impulse and / or recoil of the wagon 1 impossible) the anti-lowering device 11 risks being deformed or torn off and, as symbolized by the arrow 13, striking the envelope at the end of the tank 7. This would result in perforation or tearing of this envelope , with release of the dangerous substance contained in tank 7, which, of course, is not admissible in the case of substances

dangerous and / or polluting.

  In FIG. 2, a first example of the device according to the present invention can be seen comprising a screen 15 of kinetic energy absorbing material placed on the face of the anti-lowering device 11 capable of receiving, during an accident, the buffers of another wagon, that is to say on the face opposite to that facing the tank 7. The material of the screen 15 is flexible or at least deformable in the direction of impact. This material can be a material comprising layers of internal plastic deformations, a cellular material, plastic material or, advantageously, an elastomer. One can for example use an elastomer having a hardness between 45 and 75 Shore A, in particular a polyurethane, a styrene-butadière rubber (SBR) or a

  polychloroprene which, in addition, can improve fire resistance.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the screen 15 extends substantially over the height of the anti-lowering device 11. It is understood that the implementation of a screen 15 whose height is greater than that of the anti-lowering device 11 does not depart from the scope of the present invention. Although anchored to the anti-lowering device 11, the upper part of such a screen 15, while being flexible, exerts a moderate torque on the points

  anchoring the anti-lowering device on the platform 5.

  In FIG. 3, we can see a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention comprising a screen 15 anchored to the anti-lowering device 11 and disposed between said anti-lowering devices and the wall of the tank 7. Advantageously, The screen 15 has a significant thickness and a height greater than that of the anti-lowering device 11. It can be made of the same materials as the device of FIG. 2. However, it may be advantageous to provide it with plates or '' rigid or flexible reinforcement. For example, the fixing of the screen 15 can be facilitated by the incorporation of rigid plates 17 of metal, wood, plastic or other material, while the distribution

  of the forces exerted on the surface of the external wall of the tank 7, that is to say

  say the reduction in local pressure to avoid perforation of the envelope, is improved by the presence of a plate or a profile 19. Similarly, the elongation under stress of the screen 15 can be limited by

  the incorporation of fibers or cables in the thickness of the screen 15.

  In Figure 4, we can see a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention provided with a screen 15

  disposed on each side of the anti-completion device 11.

  The devices of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 have the advantage of being able to be easily adapted to the wagons in service, whatever the shape of the end of the tank 7. However, it may prove advantageous to replace or supplement such a device by a screen 15 'shaped and / or

  attached to the exposed area of tank 7 as shown in Figure 5.

  In FIG. 5, the end of the tank 7 is hemispherical, the screen 15 ′ of vibration absorbing material advantageously exceeding a quarter of a sphere and covering the lower part of the hemisphere. It may be provided with continuous or discontinuous reinforcements or plates to improve the distribution, on the surface of the envelope of the tank 7, of the forces likely to be exerted, in the event of an accident, by the buffers of a car

  colliding with the illustrated car.

  It is understood that it is advantageous to provide each

  end of a wagon with a device according to the present invention.

  It is understood that the present invention is not limited to railway wagons, but applies to all tanks which are liable to receive an impact. In particular, in the case of tanks mounted on trucks, semi-trailers or road trailers, screens 15, 15 ′ can be mounted on one or two side (s) of the safety rails surrounding the tank. It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the transport of chlorine, but extends to the transport of all gases under pressure, in particular flammable, explosive and / or pollutants, to the transport of toxic, corrosive, explosive, combustible liquids and / or pollutants as well as

  transport of radioactive materials, in particular in an armored castle.

Claims (10)

  1. Device for protecting a tank or cistern for transporting dangerous and / or polluting materials, characterized in that it comprises, placed in front of one or more zones of the tank or of the cistern likely to be struck by a rigid object, a protective screen (15,15 ') deformable in the direction of impact of a rigid object, made of a material absorbing the kinetic energy of the collision with said rigid object, and that the protective screen (15,15 ') distributes the support forces of the rigid object on an external wall of a shell of the tank or of the tank (7) over a surface large enough to avoid perforation of this envelope. ", 1 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an anti-lowering device (11) and in that the screen   of protection (15) is fixed to said anti-completion device (11).   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the height of the protective screen (15) is greater than the height of the device (11) anti-completion.   4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a protective screen (15) is arranged on the face of the device   anti-completion (11) directed towards the tank or the tank (7).   5. Device according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that a protective screen (15) is arranged on the face of the device   opposite the tank or the tank (7).   6. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the protective screen (15,15 ') is made   made of a flexible material in the direction of impact of said rigid object.   7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that   the protective screen (15,15 ') is made of elastomer.   8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that   the protective screen (15) includes reinforcements (17,19).   9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that   the frames (17,19) have rigid plates.   10. Railway wagon comprising a tank for transporting dangerous and / or polluting materials and a device according to one   any of the preceding claims.