FR3078083A1 - SYSTEM FOR RELEASING SEDIMENTS THAT ARE AT THE SUBSTANCE OF WATER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a release system (100) for releasing sediments deposited on a floor (10) at the bottom of the water (20), said release system (100) comprising: - an air compressor (106) supplying compressed air; - a vibratory system (102) intended to be arranged in water (20) and which generates vibrations when it is fed with compressed air; - a blowing system (104); ) having a hollow recess tube (112) in the soil (10) having an air inlet (114) at the top of the pipe (112) and an air outlet (116) at the bottom of the tube (112), - a supply pipe (108) connected between a compressed air outlet of the air compressor (106) and an air inlet of the vibratory system (102), and - a transfer pipe ( 110) connected between an air outlet of the vibratory system (102) and the air inlet (114) of the blower system (104).

Description

SYSTEM FOR RELEASING SEDIMENTS THAT ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF WATER

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a system for releasing the sediments which are agglomerated at the bottom of the water, a combined system comprising a plurality of such systems and a method of implementing such a combined system.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

It often happens that a channel which connects a port to the sea receives sediments, such as for example sand and / or mud, and that these sediments agglomerate together at the bottom of the water, which reduces the depth of the channel and therefore accessibility to the port for boats with a large draft.

To remove the sediment, it is known to use dredging systems which scrape the bottom of the water to remove the sediment. The sediments thus removed are discharged into the open sea and may eventually be brought ashore to be stored or reused there.

Dredging systems require significant investments and are very energy intensive, which makes them expensive to use. In addition, when sediment storage is implemented, this will cause environmental problems.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a system which makes it possible to release the sediments which are deposited at the bottom of the water.

To this end, a release system is proposed for releasing sediments deposited on a soil at the bottom of the water, said release system comprising:

- an air compressor which delivers compressed air,

- a vibratory system intended to be placed in water and which generates vibrations when it is supplied with compressed air,

- a blowing system comprising a hollow tube intended to be driven into the ground which comprises an air inlet which is in the upper part of the tube and an air outlet in the lower part of the tube,

- a supply pipe connected between a compressed air outlet of the air compressor and an air inlet of the vibration system, and

- a transfer pipe connected between an air outlet of the vibration system and the air inlet of the blowing system.

Advantageously, the blowing system comprises at the level of the air outlet of the tube, a non-return valve which authorizes the circulation of the air inlet towards the air outlet and which prevents the circulation of the outlet. air to the air inlet.

Advantageously, the vibratory system includes a float.

Advantageously, the vibration system comprises a plurality of fins which are integral with the body of the vibration system and which extend outside the body.

The invention also provides a combined system comprising at least two release systems according to one of the preceding variants, where the air compressor is common to all the release systems.

Advantageously, the combined system comprises a valve system arranged to ensure, on the one hand, the supply of only one assembly at a time, and, on the other hand, the supply of the various assemblies one after the other. others where each set includes a vibration system and a blowing system.

The invention also provides a method of implementing a combined system according to the preceding variant in a channel connecting the sea to a closed area and subjected to a current of water going from said closed area to the sea, where the assemblies are arranged along said channel and where the assemblies are supplied successively from that most upstream to that most downstream from the current, then to start again.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a sediment delivery system according to the invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the vibratory system of the release system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, the terms relating to a position are taken with reference to a release system as shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a release system 100 implanted in an aquatic environment which may be a channel connecting a port to the sea or a port or any other place where sediments are deposited. Fig. 2 shows the release system 100 in top view.

The release system 100 includes a vibration system 102, a blowing system 104 and an air compressor 106 which delivers compressed air. The release system 100 removes sediment and suspends it in water.

The blowing system 104 is driven into the soil 10 which consists in particular of the sediments which have settled and which have to be removed.

The vibrating system 102 is placed in the water 20 which is above the ground 10. The vibrating system 102 is a system which generates vibrations when it is supplied with compressed air.

The vibratory system 102 comprises a body 101 and a mass 103 which is driven back and forth in the body 101 and which generates vibrations when it strikes the walls of the body 101. The movement of the mass 103 is generated by the compressed air which feeds the vibration system 102.

The release system 100 includes a supply pipe 108 which is connected between a compressed air outlet of the air compressor 106 and an air inlet of the vibration system 102 to supply compressed air to the vibration system 102.

The blowing system 104 comprises a tube 112 which is hollow and rigid and which is sunk into the ground 10 and which comprises an air inlet 114 which is in the upper part of the tube 112 and an air outlet 116 in the lower part of the tube 112. The tube 112 is thus supplied with compressed air by the air inlet 114 and the compressed air leaves the tube 112 by the air outlet 116.

The release system 100 includes a transfer pipe 110 which is connected between an air outlet of the vibrating system 102 and the air inlet 114 of the blowing system 104 to supply compressed air to the blowing system 104.

The compressed air from the air compressor 106 thus successively feeds the vibration system 102 to vibrate the vibration system 102 and then the blowing system 104 to expel compressed air through the air outlet 116.

The vibratory system 102 thus creates vibrations which degrade the soil surface 10 to break the mud layer and the blowing system 104 aerates the soil to suspend the sediments in the water 20, which makes it possible to evacuate them.

Such a release system 100 is thus easy to produce and implement and does not require significant resources.

When the air compressor 106 is running, the air is expelled by the air outlet 116 from the tube 112 which prevents the ascent of sediment by the tube 112. When the air compressor 106 stops, this creates a air in the tube 112 which then tends to fill with sediment entering the tube 112 through the air outlet 116 which can clog the tube 112.

To avoid such behavior, the blowing system 104 includes, at the air outlet 116 of the tube 112, a non-return valve 120 which allows the circulation (here the air) of the air inlet 114 towards the air outlet 116 and which prevents the circulation (here the sediments) of the air outlet 116 towards the air inlet 114.

In the embodiment of the invention presented in FIG. 1, the non-return valve 120 consists of a flap mounted to move in rotation inside the tube 112 at its air outlet 116, between an open position and a closed position.

In the open position, the flap 120 does not close the tube 112 and this open position is taken when the air flows from the air inlet 114 to the air outlet 116. In the closed position, the flap 120 closes the tube 112 and this closed position is taken when the sediments try to circulate from the air outlet 116 to the air inlet 114.

In the embodiment of the invention presented in FIG. 1, in the open position, the flap 120 is lowered and in the closed position, the flap 120 is raised and abuts against a stop 122 fixed inside the tube 112.

To promote the floating of the vibrating system 102 in water, the vibrating system 102 includes a float 124, which can be a buoy or any other device ensuring buoyancy.

To allow a diffusion over a greater distance of the vibrations, the vibratory system 102 comprises a plurality of fins 126 which are integral with the body 101 and which extend outside the body 101.

In the embodiment of the invention presented in FIG. 2, there are eight fins 126 distributed uniformly around the body 101.

The process for releasing the sediments which are agglomerated at the bottom of the water therefore consists in supplying compressed air to the vibratory system 102 and the blowing system 104 and to allow better dispersion of the sediments which are raised, the release is carried out at the time where water currents carry sediment to the high seas.

The frequency of vibrations, the depth of burial of the tube 112, the pressure of the compressed air and its flow rate can vary from one site to another depending on the quantity and type of sediment to be evacuated.

Depending on its power, the air compressor 106 can supply several assemblies, each comprising a vibration system 102 and a blowing system 104. A combined system then comprises at least two release systems 100 according to the invention, where the compressor air 106 is common to all the release systems 100.

It is then possible to supply all of the assemblies simultaneously, or, in order to maintain maximum efficiency, it is possible to set up a valve system which is arranged to supply, on the one hand, a single assembly at the same time, and, on the other hand, the feeding of the different sets one after the other. The valve system includes for example a time delay system which allows the valves to be opened and closed according to the assembly to be supplied.

The valve system can be arranged at the level of the air compressor 106 or at the level of each assembly.

It is possible to place these different sets along the same channel when one is not enough to ensure good release of sediment. In this case, it is possible to successively supply the assemblies starting from the one most upstream to the one most downstream relative to the current, then to start again.

A method of implementing such a combined system in a channel connecting the sea to a closed zone and subjected to a current of water going from said closed zone to the sea, thus consists when the assemblies are arranged along said channel to successively supply the assemblies starting from the one most upstream to the one most downstream relative to the current, then to start again.

Each set can thus be supplied for example for 30 seconds to one minute before moving on to the next.

Claims (7)

1) Release system (100) intended to release sediments deposited on a soil (10) at the bottom of the water (20), said release system (100) comprising: - an air compressor (106) which delivers compressed air, - a vibratory system (102) intended to be placed in the water (20) and which generates vibrations when it is supplied with compressed air, - a blowing system (104) comprising a hollow tube (112) intended to be driven into the ground (10) which comprises an air inlet (114) which is in the upper part of the tube (112) and an outlet air (116) in the lower part of the tube (112), - a supply pipe (108) connected between a compressed air outlet of the air compressor (106) and an air inlet of the vibration system (102), and - a transfer pipe (110) connected between an air outlet of the vibration system (102) and the air inlet (114) of the blowing system (104). 2) release system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the blowing system (104) comprises at the air outlet (116) of the tube (112), a non-return valve (120) which allows circulation of the air inlet (114) to the air outlet (116) and which prevents the circulation of the air outlet (116) to the air inlet (114). 3) Release system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration system (102) comprises a float (124). 4) release system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration system (102) comprises a plurality of fins (126) which are integral with the body (101) of the vibration system (102) and which extend outside the body (101). 5) Combined system comprising at least two release systems (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the air compressor (106) is common to all the release systems (100). 6) Combined system according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a valve system arranged to ensure, on the one hand, the supply of a single assembly at a time, and, on the other hand, the feeding of the different sets one after the other where each set comprises a vibratory system (102) and a 5 blowing (104). 7) A method of implementing a combined system according to claim 6 in a channel connecting the sea to a closed area and subjected to a stream of water from said closed area to the sea, where the assemblies are arranged along of said channel and where the assemblies are supplied successively starting from the one most upstream 10 to the one furthest downstream from the current, then start again.