FR3020823A1 - A SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING FLUIDS FOR AN INSTALLATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for recovering (1) fluids for an installation which comprises at least one dangerous fluid, comprising at least one sealed fluid fluid receiving volume, characterized in that it comprises a measuring device (18) the value of at least one operating parameter of said sealed volume and a transmission device (19) configured to receive data from the measuring device (18) and to send, by a wireless link, at least a portion of said data to a remote computer server (25).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for recovering hazardous fluids generally in liquid or viscous form such as flammable and / or toxic products. The invention will find many applications particularly in the field of equipment for electricity distribution networks and in particular with respect to pits or oil retention tanks for electrical transformers. Other electrical installations are also targeted including generating sets. Moreover, other equipment, possibly non-electrical, which is likely to receive dangerous products are also targeted. An object of the invention is the protection of the environment. The invention also relates to a security system integrating a server and to a monitoring method. BACKGROUND ART It is well known that electrical transformers, essentially used to change the voltage of a current, produce a large amount of heat which must be dissipated. The cooling of these transformers is ensured by immersing the cores and the windings of the transformers in a coolant and electrical insulator. This fluid consists of a dielectric such as mineral oils or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Given the highly toxic nature of PCBs, PCBs being ubiquitous, bioaccumulative and persistent pollutants whose toxicity varies with their molecular weight (depending on the number of chlorine atoms) and the spatial configuration of their molecules, the power transformers used In the electrical networks are usually installed above a retention pit intended to collect the oil contained in these devices when a leak occurs. Usually, the pits arranged under the electrical transformers are filled with pebbles. In addition, it is recommended not to install a transformer in a place exposed to conditions such as road traffic, corrosive atmosphere or high heat. In addition, on the floor around the transformer there should be no drain to prevent any leakage of fluid is transformed, through the sewer system, into the natural environment. Such pits filled with pebbles do not provide sufficient safety in case of ignition of the oils, the fire can then spread and cause significant damage.

In order to remedy this drawback, it has already been proposed that a pit be placed under the transformer to collect the typical liquid leaks, based on hydrocarbons that may flow from the transformer, the protective cover which covers it comprising , typically, slats close together, sloping, reserving between them a space ensuring the flow product access to the tank or the pit while avoiding a sufficient supply of oxygen to allow maintenance of a combustion of the oils if they were to catch fire. Each slat is made of sheet metal folded so as to form a profile comprising an upper portion bordered on its longitudinal sides of two substantially vertical elements of different heights to create the inclination of the slat. Said vertical elements are folded in their lower part in the same direction to form generally horizontal bearing lugs, the support lug of the uppermost vertical element bearing on the support lug of the vertical element the lower. In order to increase the safety, in particular in the treatment of the flows of dangerous products, the document VVO-A1- 2011/151270 describes an environmental safety device for tank or pit of polluting oil retention, intended for the equipments for networks of distribution of electricity and in particular to oil retention pits for electrical transformers. Said device comprises at least one receiving pit, in particular flammable flowing chemicals placed under a device containing such products, such as an electrical transformer, extinguishing means capping said tank or said pit, means of evacuation of a too full of products in the tank or receiving pit and filtering means of flammable chemicals for the separation of water and flammable chemicals contained in the tray or the receiving pit, said means being connected to a pipe evacuation of water. These filtration means comprise a holding tank for example obtained in sealed reinforced concrete and having a bottom located substantially at the same level as the bottom of the tank or receiving pit. Said tank is supplied with water / oil mixture by a siphon whose free ends open respectively to the bottom of the tank or the receiving pit and in the upper part of the tank. The tank allows, according to this anteriority, a retention of the hazardous product while allowing a flow of water possibly received in the device. The presence of water alone or in combination with the hazardous product and in relatively large quantities is indeed frequent, particularly due to precipitation. The installation described thus ensures the proper operation of the recovery device by avoiding the overflow that could be caused by water. However, it involves having an operational device in all circumstances, especially in performing the fluid / water hazardous separation. For example, a malfunction of the filtration means during a leak of hazardous product in times of heavy rain can be catastrophic insofar as the tank is quickly saturation, unable to evacuate the water properly. This can seriously affect the good retention of hazardous products. Current installations must therefore be checked visually very frequently and the filters are often changed for safety even if their wear is not proven. There is therefore a need to improve the management of fluid recovery systems for electrical installations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of embodiments of the invention, there is described a fluid recovery system for an installation that comprises at least one hazardous fluid, comprising at least one sealed fluid fluid receiving volume. Advantageously, the system comprises a device for measuring the value of at least one operating parameter of said sealed volume and a transmission device configured to receive data from the measuring device and to send, via a wireless link, to the least part of said data to a remote computer server. While the current devices are perceived only as autonomous units, the invention combats this prejudice and forms a system able not only to measure operating parameters but also to communicate with a remote element.

Other aspects of the invention relate to a method and system for environmental safety of an installation that comprises at least one hazardous fluid, comprising a recovery system according to the invention and a computer server, said computer server receiving data. from the wireless link of the transmission device.

A more global system is thus formed, with a remote monitoring and processing part relative to the fluid recovery system. Centralization of information and decisions is ensured. For example, for the management of the filters, a detection of a need for on-site intervention or exchange of filter cartridges can be produced remotely. The filters are then effectively monitored and are changed only wisely. Preferably, it is indirectly, by measurement of the fluid levels, that this monitoring takes place.

The invention also relates to an installation, such as an electrical transformer integrating one of the systems of the invention. The invention also relates to a method for monitoring a fluid recovery system for an electrical installation that comprises at least one hazardous fluid, said system comprising at least one sealed fluid-receptive volume, comprising the following steps: the value of at least one operating parameter of said sealed volume; - sending, by a wireless link, at least a portion of said data from the measurement to a remote computer server; - triggering a corrective action if at least one operating parameter is outside a range of predetermined values. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of indicative embodiments of the invention, illustrated by the appended drawings which comprise: FIG. 1 which shows an example of structure recovery system comprising a pit and a holding tank; FIG. 2 which shows an example of wireless transmission between two remote parts of a security system according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before going into the details of embodiments of the invention, various optional features which the invention may optionally comprise are briefly set out below. These options can be implemented individually or in any combination between them: the recovery system according to the invention comprises a recovery pit suitable for being placed under the installation, the pit comprising a primary reception chamber for dangerous fluids; the primary reception chamber is connected to an upstream chamber of a holding tank; - A sealed receiving volume is formed by the upstream chamber of the holding tank; - A fluid separator is configured to retain the dangerous fluid and to allow the passage of water in the downstream chamber; - The holding tank comprises a downstream chamber connected to the upstream chamber by the fluid separator, said fluid separator being configured to retain the dangerous fluid in the upstream chamber and to allow the passage of water in the downstream chamber; the separator comprises at least one filter; the measuring device is configured to determine a flow of water in the filter; the measuring device is configured to measure at least one operating parameter of the separator; the at least one operating parameter of the separator comprises a minimum fluid height e / or a presence of an unwanted fluid in the separator; a sealed reception volume is formed by the primary reception chamber; the measuring device is configured to measure at least one fluid characterization parameter; the at least one parameter is chosen from: density, viscosity, electrical conductivity, the presence of a chemical species; the measuring device comprises at least one of: a liquid level sensor in the sealed volume, a predetermined liquid level sensor, a water level sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor ; the system comprises at least one monitoring data storage element formed from data received from the transmission device; the monitoring data comprise time evolution information of at least one operating parameter of the sealed volume; the system comprises at least one processor and program instructions configured to: - determine the temporal variation of the monitoring data, - trigger a corrective action if the monitoring data is outside a predetermined range of values; the system comprises a recovery system and program instructions configured to: determine the temporal variation of the water level and / or the water flow rate; - trigger a corrective action if the variation of the water flow is outside a predetermined range of values; the corrective action includes issuing an alert message. The method comprises: - determining the temporal variation of water flow; - the triggering of a corrective action if the flow of water is outside a predetermined range of values. In this method, a plurality of different rules are used to be applied depending on the value of the at least one operating parameter.

In a preferred case, the invention comprises two remote parts but connected by a communication network of which at least one portion is non-wired. One of the parts comprises a recovery system 1 of which a typical configuration is visible in Figure 1 and is described later. The other part comprises a computer device 24 and in particular a server 25. These two connected parts are detailed in Figure 2. The part operating as a recovery system 1 preferably comprises one or more supports 6 adapted to receive an electrical equipment. Such equipment is for example a voltage transformer or a generator. The introductory part of the present description gave examples of dangerous products, such as oils, that could contain such equipment. The configuration of a recovery system of FIG. 1 is of a conventional type with a pit 2 providing a space for receiving fluid that can escape from the electrical installation. The pit 2 is configured to receive, by gravity, flows of such fluids. It can cover at least one surface equivalent to the frame of the installation preferably but not limitatively electrical. The present invention makes no assumption as to the methods and materials of manufacture of the invention and in particular of the pit 2. It may especially be waterproof concrete. As mentioned in the introduction, the pit 2 may be provided with a cover, for example lamellae, for the trapping without oxygen of the fluids. The pit 2 can be self-sufficient and have means for receiving and separating hazardous fluid, in particular to ensure a flow of water outside while retaining the dangerous fluid in the pit 2. In Other situations, it is preferred to add a retention tank 3 seen in perspective in Figure 1 and in vertical section in Figure 2. The vessel 3 is fluidly connected to the pit 2 by one (or more) connecting pipe 4. This link is configured to allow a transfer of fluid, advantageously by flow alone, from the pit 2. The fluids are then received in an upstream chamber 7 of the tank 3. Thus, as in the case of Figure 2, the upstream chamber 7 forms a first space in the tank 3, with an upstream mouth 9 on which the connecting pipe 4 is mounted. Advantageously located below ground level 17, at least in part, the tank 3 may also be accessible by any means such as a ladder 16 that can be reached after removal of a blanket. Another zone of the tank 3 is a downstream chamber 8 distinct from the upstream chamber 7 by a partition wall 11. In FIG. 2, the wall 11 is inclined and comprises one or more holes 13 each receiving a filtering member, such as a cartridge filter 12. The filtration is preferably configured to retain the hazardous fluid (s) in the upstream chamber (7) and to pass other fluids, in particular water, to the downstream chamber (8).

Optionally, an overflow chamber 14 connected by a hole 15 advantageously associated with a filtration system, to the downstream chamber 8, is integrated in the tank 3. The configuration of the tank 3 shown is not limited to the 'invention. In particular, the upstream 7 and downstream 8 chambers can be formed separately and connected by a passage at which filtration takes place. Any structural embodiment offering retention of the dangerous fluid by retention is within the scope of the invention. At the outlet of the tank 3, the water can be discharged via a pipe 5 connected to the mouth 10 of the downstream chamber 8.

It is understood from the above that access to a pit and / or tank recovery system is not easy. It should also be noted that such systems are generally present in number and are scattered geographically according to the needs dictated by the electrical installations. This makes their maintenance all the more expensive and delicate even though their reliability is crucial in terms of environmental safety. Until now purely mechanical, the recovery system is made communicating, thanks to the invention. The invention indeed incorporates both a measuring device 18 and a data transmission device 19; these devices are associated with at least one sealed volume for receiving dangerous fluid. There may be several of these volumes which can then each have a portion of the measuring device 18, connected to a single transmission device 19 (in one piece). The transmission device 19 can also be in several parts, each dedicated to a part of the measuring device 18. For example, data transmissions can be produced parallel to the remote server even if it is preferred to centralize this transmission by only one channel.

In the case of the recovery system structure described above, the sealed volume may be an interior space of the pit 2 and / or a chamber of the tank 3. In the case of FIG. 2, the sealed volume equipped with the 18 and the transmission device 19 is the upstream chamber 7. A housing 20 is mounted on the wall of the vessel 3 and contains all or part of the devices 18 and 19. About measuring devices, it may be one or more sensors housed in the housing or directly dipping into the upstream chamber 7. The sensors make it possible to measure the operating parameters of the equipped sealed volume. It may be: at least one temperature sensor, it is thus possible to detect abnormal heating generally synonymous with a leakage of dangerous fluid; at least one vibration sensor; at least one fluid level sensor in the volume. For example, a sensor measures the level of water in the chamber while another sensor measures the level of hazardous fluid. In some cases, it is necessary to ensure that the water level is at least equal to a predefined threshold to ensure proper operation of the separation. Furthermore, the measuring device may allow identification of the nature of the fluid or fluids present in the receiving volume, for example by determining one or more physical properties (density, viscosity, chemical species, electrical conductivity. ..). In particular, many hazardous fluid recovery facilities allow a flow of water within them. The water can also be used for the separation step, by playing on a density delta with the hazardous fluid to be treated and therefore always be present in the receiving volume. In this particular case, it is useful to be able to differentiate the dangerous fluid and the water. Advantageously, the measurement acquisition frequency is sufficient to follow a change in the value of the parameters in real time. The measuring device 18 may also include self-diagnostic means for detecting a malfunction of a sensor.

The measurement data are provided, for example by a wired link, to the transmission device 19. The latter has transmitting means, and possibly reception, wirelessly. To this end, it will be possible to implement a technique of the GSM type (acronym for Global System for Mobile Communications). The transmitter can be equipped with a SIM card (acronym for Suscriber Identity Module). It can not be ruled out that data storage takes place locally, for example transiently, between periodic communications to a remote party. The primary purpose of the transmission device 19 lies in the wireless communication from the data recovery system from the measurements, to a computing device 24. This device is said to be "remote" in that it is far from the site of the device. electrical installation, for example several tens of meters and usually kilometers. The wireless link 22 from the transmission device 19 can be routed via any communication network 21, including telephony and / or internet. In the direction of the computing device 24, part of the link 23 may be wired. It is essential that the link 22 from the recovery system is wireless.

The computing device 24 can be grouped on one or more implantations, the data being able for example to be the subject of a remote storage of the known type of the English word "Cloud". The illustration of Figure 2 shows a server 25 receiving data from the transmission device 19 and allowing storage in one or more units 26 containing databases.

The server is any computer system with at least one processor, memory elements, and may include at least one computer program having instructions for executing data processing instructions. An advantage of the invention is indeed to be able to exploit the data from the recovery system 1, and possibly to associate with data from other sources (weather for example), to monitor the evolution of the state of the system recovery 1. One can thus predefine standard situations deserving actions (maintenance, repair, urgent intervention ...) depending on the value of a measurement data or a combination of values of several measurement data. These situations may also take into account temporal variations in measured values, for example a sudden increase in fluid level in the upstream chamber 7 and / or a too slow decrease in said level signifying a filtration problem. In general, one or more rules stored in the system and associating each of the parameters (in particular among the values measured by the measuring device) and forming a combination of conditions (in particular on the value of the parameters) to check that the operation of the installation is deemed normal. Rules can for example be expressed as follows: if the volume of fluid in the receiving volume is less than a minimum value A, then triggering a corrective action such as sending a message to a maintenance unit to recharge in water reception volume; - If flow velocity in a filter is less than a value V then triggering a corrective action such as sending a message to a maintenance unit to change the filter; if the volume of fluid in the receiving volume is greater than a minimum value A and the fluid temperature is greater than a maximum value T, then initiating a corrective action such as an emergency response alert; if the volume of fluid in the reception volume exceeds a minimum value A and the density of an upper layer of the fluid is less than 1 (meaning that a fluid other than water is present), then triggering of corrective action such as an emergency response alert. The examples above are only indicative but reveal that the corrective actions can be of variable nature and / or that the rules to be verified can integrate several parameters. The use of several rules makes it possible either to propose several schemes for detecting the same problem or to differentiate the detectable problems (for example from different emergencies such as maintenance operations or immediate danger alerts). In a preferred case, the invention serves at least in part to monitor the integrity of the filters 12. For this purpose, rather than relying on the age of these filters or performing systematic visual checks, the The invention exploits the fluid level data measured by the measuring device 18. For example, a filter clogging problem can be detected by the server 25 in the form of a too slow drop in the water level in the sealed volume. monitored, revealing that the flow of water in the filters is insufficient. It is finally possible to implement a two-way communication between the recovery system 1 and the computing device 24, for example to operate remote commands modifying the operation of the system 1.

REFERENCES 1. Recovery system 2. Pit 3. Tank 4. Connection pipe 5. Evacuation pipe 6. Support 7. Upstream chamber 8. Downstream chamber 9. Upstream mouth 10. Downstream mouth 11. Separation wall 12. Filter 13. Hole 14. Overflow chamber 15. Hole 16. Scale 17. Soil level 18. Measuring device 19. Transmission device 20. Enclosure 21. Communication network 22. Link 23. Link 24. Computer device 25 Server 26. Data storage element

Claims (23)

REVENDICATIONS1. System for recovering (1) fluids for an installation which comprises at least one dangerous fluid, comprising at least one sealed volume for receiving dangerous fluids, characterized in that it comprises a device (18) for measuring the value of at least one operating parameter of said sealed volume and a transmission device (19) configured to receive data from the measurement device (18) and to wirelessly send at least a portion of said data to a computer server ( 25) distant. 2. Recovery system (1) according to the preceding claim comprising a recovery pit (2) adapted to be placed under the installation, the pit (2) having a primary chamber for receiving dangerous fluids. 3. Recovery system according to the preceding claim wherein the primary receiving chamber is connected to an upstream chamber (7) of a holding tank (3). 4. Recovery system according to the preceding claim wherein a sealed receiving volume is formed by the upstream chamber (7) of the tank (3) of retention. 5. System according to one of claims 2 to 4 comprising a fluid separator configured to retain the hazardous fluid and to allow the passage of water in the downstream chamber (8). 6. Recovery system (1) according to the two preceding claims in combination wherein the holding tank (3) comprises a downstream chamber (8) connected to the upstream chamber (7) by the fluid separator, said fluid separator being configured to retain the hazardous fluid in the upstream chamber (7) and to allow the passage of water in the downstream chamber (8). 7. Recovery system (1) according to one of the two preceding claims wherein the separator comprises at least one filter (12). 8. Recovery system according to the preceding claim wherein the measuring device (18) is configured to determine a flow of water in the filter (12). 9. Recovery system according to one of the four preceding claims wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least one operating parameter of the separator. 10. System according to the preceding claim wherein the at least one operating parameter of the separator comprises a minimum fluid height and / or the presence of an unwanted fluid in the separator. 11. Recovery system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 10 wherein a sealed receiving volume is formed by the primary receiving chamber. 12. Recovery system (1) according to one of the preceding claims wherein the measuring device (18) is configured to measure at least one fluid characterization parameter. 13. Recovery system according to the preceding claim wherein the at least one parameter is selected from: density, viscosity, electrical conductivity, the presence of a chemical species. 14. Recovery system according to one of the preceding claims wherein the measuring device comprises at least one of: a liquid level sensor in the sealed volume, a level sensor of a predetermined hazardous liquid, a level sensor of water, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor. 15. System for environmental safety of an electrical installation which comprises at least one hazardous fluid, comprising a recovery system (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a computer server (25), said computer server (25) receiving data from the wireless link of the transmission device (19). 16. System according to the preceding claim, comprising at least one surveillance data storage element (26) formed from data received from the transmission device (19). 17. System according to the preceding claim wherein the monitoring data comprises time evolution information of at least one operating parameter of the sealed volume. 18. System according to the preceding claim comprising at least one process and program instructions configured to: - determine the temporal variation of the monitoring data; - trigger corrective action if the monitoring data is outside a range of predetermined values. 19. System according to the preceding claim comprising a recovery system (1) according to claim 8 and program instructions configured to: - determine the temporal variation of the height of water and / or water flow; - trigger a corrective action if the variation of the water level and / or the water flow is outside a predetermined range of values. 20. A method for monitoring a system for recovering (1) fluids for an electrical installation that comprises at least one hazardous fluid, said system comprising at least one sealed volume for receiving dangerous fluids, comprising the following steps: the value of at least one operating parameter of said sealed volume; - sending, by a wireless link, at least a portion of said data from the measurement to a remote computer server; - triggering a corrective action if at least one operating parameter is outside a range of predetermined values. 21. Method according to the preceding claim wherein the corrective action comprises issuing an alert message. 22. Method according to the preceding claim for monitoring a system according to claim 8 comprising: - the determination of the temporal variation of water flow rate; - the triggering of a corrective action if the flow of water is outside a predetermined range of values. 23. Method according to one of claims 20 to 22 wherein a plurality of different rules to be applied according to the value of the at least one operating parameter.