GB2120745A

GB2120745A - Effluent discharge tube

Info

Publication number: GB2120745A
Application number: GB08213199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Gordon Oldham
Original assignee: OLDHAM SEALS Ltd
Current assignee: OLDHAM SEALS Ltd
Priority date: 1982-05-07
Filing date: 1982-05-07
Publication date: 1983-12-07
Also published as: GB2120745B

Abstract

The invention is concerned with effluent discharge tubes or risers (12) each having a flange (14) at one end by which it can be attached to flanged outlets (18) on a main effluent discharge pipe (10) designed to extend out to sea. In order to prevent the tubes or risers from being damaged by fishing nets or other tackle used by trawlers or fishermen, each tube is made of a nitrile rubber or equivalent material with a fabric reinforcement so that it can yield or flex when fishing nets or other tackle which have become hooked on them are pulled away. Alternatively, each tube or riser can be provided with flexible bellows (30) at its flanged end, the bellows being provided with a flange for attachment to the flanged outlet (18) on the main effluent discharge pipe (10). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Effluent discharge tube This invention relates to an effluent discharge tube having a flange at one end which is adapted to be releasably connected to a main effluent discharge pipe which extends out to sea.

Among the proposals which have been made to prevent effluent being discharged near beaches or other coastlines is one which involves taking a main effluent discharge pipe a long way out to sea and, at its outer end portion, to provide it with means for the controlled discharge of effluent. The present invention is concerned with the discharge means provided on the pipe, such means being in the form of tubes or risers which are releasably connected to the pipe at spacedapart points near its outer end.

According to the invention, an effluent discharge tube or riser has a flange at one end which is adapted to be releasably connected to a main effluent discharge pipe extending out to sea, the other end of the tube being closed and at least one effluent discharge hole being provided in the tube at a location between its ends, in which the material of the tube and/or its connection to the main effluent discharge pipe is such as to permit the tube to bend or flex with respect to the pipe.

The reason why the tube needs to bend or flex is that fishing nets or other tackle used by trawlers or fishermen could easily become "hooked" on to the tubes or risers were the latter to project upwards in a rigid way from the main effluent discharge pipe. If fishing nets do become entangled with the tubes or risers of the present invention, they can be freed without damage to the risers and probably without damage to the netc simply because the risers are able to bend or flex as the nets are pulled away from them.

Preferably each tube or riser has two discharge holes which lie on opposite sides of the tube and at the same height as each other so that they can be blocked by having a closefitting tube passed through the holes. The purpose of this arrangement is that, with all the risers having their discharge holes blocked in this fashion, a pig can then be passed through the main pipe to clean it.

Examples of effluent discharge tubes or risers in accordance with the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which~ Figure 1 shows a small section of a main effluent discharge pipe having a number of risers in accordance with the invention attached to it; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the risers; Figure 3 is a side view of one of the risers taken at right-angles to the section shown in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of one of the risers to illustrate the flange provided on its lower end; and Figure 5 shows a small section of a main effluent discharge pipe having alternative means for connecting risers to the pipe.

Fig. 1 shows a main effluent discharge pipe 10 which, in use, extends out to sea for a considerable distance. The material out of which this pipe is made is not critical from the point of view of the present invention.

Towards the outer end of the pipe 10, a number of effluent discharge tubes or risers 12 are connected to it. Each riser has a flange 14 at one end provided with bolt holes 16 to permit the risers to be connected to appropriate flanged outlets 18 on the main pipe 10.

Preferably, a stainless steel backing ring is used for the attachment of the flange 14 of each riser to the corresponding flanged outlet 18 on the main pipe 10.

As will be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, each riser is closed at its upper end 20 and has two effluent discharge holes or ports 22 and 24 lying diametrically opposite each other at locations between the upper and lower ends of the riser. The discharge holes 22 and 24 are of identical diameter so that they can be blocked by a hollow rod or tube 26 which is passed through them. Where a number of risers are positioned close to one another on the main pipe 10, a single rod or tube 26 can be passed through the discharge holes 22, 24 of a number of risers. Alternatively, each riser can be fitted with its own blocking rod or tube 26 when blocking of the discharge holes is desired .

Normally, of course, the discharge holes 22, 24 in each riser will be open so as to allow of the discharge of effluent, but the possibility of blocking them by means of the rod or rods 26 means that a pig can be passed through the main pipe to clean it at appropriate intervals of time.

Each riser is made of a nitrile rubber or equivalent material with a fabric reinforcement. Because it is made of rubber, each riser is able to bend or flex with respect to the main pipe 10 as shown by the positions in broken lines of the riser at the far right-hand side of Fig. 1. If, therefore, fishermens' nets or other trawling equipment becomes entangled with the risers, the nets or trawls can be freed comparatively easily because the risers bend or flex and do not become damaged as would be the case with rigid risers.

There are a number of modifications which can be made to the riser shown in Figs. 1-4.

For example, the closed upper end of each riser can be given a hemispherical shape as shown in broken lines at 28 in Fig. 2 in place of the flat upper end 20. A domed upper end is less likely to become entangled with fishing nets or trawling equipment.

Another modification is for the connection between the risers and the main pipe 10 to be made flexible as shown in Fig. 5 where flexible bellows 30 having upper and lower flanges 32 and 34 are used to mount the risers to the main pipe. With the construction of Fig. 5, it might even be possible in certain circumstances for the risers themselves to be made of a substantially rigid material.

Claims

1. An effluent discharge tube or riser having a flange at one end which is adapted to be releasably connected to a main effluent discharge pipe extending out to sea, the other end of the tube or riser being closed and at least one effluent discharge hole being provided in the tube at a location between its ends, in which the material of the tube and/or means at its flanged end for connection to the main effluent discharge pipe is such as to permit the tube to bend or flex with respect to the pipe.

2. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to claim 1 which is made of a nitrile rubber or equivalent material with a fabric reinforcement.

3. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to claim 1 having means at its flanged end for connection to a main effluent discharge pipe, the said means comprising flexible bellows having a lower flange by which the tube or riser is mounted on the main effluent discharge pipe.

4. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to claim 3, in which the flexible bellows are made of a nitrile rubber or equivalent material with a fabric reinforcement.

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5. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to any preceding claim having two effluent discharge holes or ports lying diametrically opposite each other.

6. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to claim 5, in which the two effluent discharge holes or ports are of identical diameter so that they can be blocked by a hollow rod or tube which is passed through them.

7. An effluent discharge tube or riser according to any preceding claim, in which a stainless steel backing ring is provided for the attachment of the riser to a corresponding flanged outlet on the main effluent discharge pipe.

8. An effluent discharge tube or riser substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1-4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

9. An effluent discharge pipe designed to extend out to sea and having a number of flanged outlets at regular intervals along at least part of its length, in which effluent discharge tubes or risers as claimed in any preceding claims are connected to the flanged outlets of the main effluent discharge pipe.

10. An effluent discharge pipe according to claim 9, in which a number of effluent discharge tubes or risers are positioned close to one another and are each provided with two diametrically opposite discharge holes so that a single rod or tube can be passed through the discharge holes of the risers in order to block those holes.

11. An effluent discharge pipe designed to extend out to sea, substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1-4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.