GB2353356A

GB2353356A - Spill indicating device for hazardous or polluting fluids

Info

Publication number: GB2353356A
Application number: GB9919812A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Lamborn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-20
Filing date: 1999-08-20
Publication date: 2001-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-20
Also published as: GB2353356B; GB9919812D0

Abstract

Device for detecting fluid spills e.g. fuel from a vehicle, comprises a substrate carrying or impregnated with an indicating means which undergoes a change when contacted by the spilled fluid. Change in the indicating means may colorimetric or a change in opacity or reflectivity. Litmus is a typical indicator. The substrate may be the form of a card and may carry an adhesive so that the device can be affixed to a surface. The indicating means may be in the form of a pattern, symbol or word on the substrate.

Description

SAB\MS\GRP.Pl 2353356 o:\specs\sab\g\grp-p1.1wp SPILL INDICATOR The

present invention relates to a spill indicator.

There are an increasing number of occasions where substances which may be hazardous or environmentally polluting are inadvertently spilled from a container or vessel. Another common occurrence is the inadvertent spillage of diesel fuel from vehicles. There is a growing need to provide an easy to use apparatus for giving a visual determination of the nature of the spilled liquid, and also there is a need to identify those vehicles or other containers which are the source of the spilled liquid.

According to the present invention there is provided a spill indicator, comprising a substrate carrying or impregnated with at least one indicating means responsive to a selected fluid which undergoes a physical change when exposed to the selected fluid.

It is thus possible to provide a spill indicator which may be carried on or affixed to vehicles in order to indicate when that vehicle is responsible for a spillage of fluid. The spill indicator may also be used to monitor spillage from tanks or other containers, and may also be used to identify the spilled material.

Preferably the substrate further carries adhesive thereon such that the spill indicator can be affixed to a surface. Thus the spill indicator can be affixed in the vicinity of an inlet/outlet to a tank. Advantageously the substrate is in the form of a tape, and more preferably a self adhesive tape, such that it can be carried in a convenient form and stuck to a surface as and when required.

Preferably the physical property which changes is the visual appearance of part or all of the spill indicator. The change in visual appearance may manifest itself as a changing colour, or reflectivity, or opacity.

Preferably the indicating means is applied or printed into a pattern, symbol or word which is indicative of the material to which the tape is responsive. Alternatively a portion of the 2 substrate may be masked such that the gaps in the mask provide regions through which fluid may reach the substrate and/or through which the substrate is visible. Advantageously the substrate is a porous plastic, a fibrous material, paper, cardboard or other suitable material. The spill indicator can be arranged either to be responsive to chemical touching a first surface thereof, which first surface is designed to be read, and/or by conducting fluid through the body of the substrate in order that the spill indicator may be placed onto a wetted surface.

The spill indicator may contain a reagent which acts directly with the fluid being monitored in order to change colour. However, indirect action may also be provided for, such that two or more reagents are provided such that a by-product of the reaction between the fluid being monitored and the first reagent then acts on the second or subsequent reagent in order to cause a colour change.

As a finther alternative the indicating means may be provided in a first layer carried on the substrate, which first layer is subsequently overlain by a layer or layers obscuring or otherwise changing the visibility of the first layer. The fluid being monitored may act a solvent carrying the indicating means from the first layer to the subsequent layer such that it becomes more visible, or leaching the indicating means from the first layer such that the indicating means becomes diffuse or completely removed.

in a further alternative, the substrate may be in the form of a card or other rigid member which is held in a frame or other suitable container in the vicinity of the region to be monitored.

The substrate may carry one or more indicating means responsive to one or more substances being monitored. The different indicating means may be provided in separate portions of the substrate such that each individual portion is responsive to a different chemical. Alternatively, the different indicating means may be coincident on the surface of the substrate in order that a single message region may display the presence of a plurality of chemicals being monitored.

3 The present invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which; Figure I schematically illustrates a spill indicator constituting an embodiment of the present invention, before use; Figure 2 schematically illustrates the spill indicator of Figure I after use; Figure 3 schematically illustrates a diesel spill indicator; and Figure 4 is a cross section through the indicator of Figure 1.

Figure 1 schematically indicates an acid spill indicator constituting an embodiment of the present invention. A substrate 2 is impregnated with a reagent 4, in a pattern, which in this example spells the word "acid". A suitable reagent can be selected by the person skilled in the art, and may, for example, be litmus.

The area of the spill indicator surrounding the activated region 4 may be printed to have a colour which is similar to the colour of the indicator in a non activated state such that a colour change in response to contact with acid becomes more apparent. Figure 2 schematically represents the increased contrast between the indicator region 4 and the substrate 2 once the indicator has come into contact with acid and has changed colour. The spill indicator can be used to indicate spillage of other substances, such as diesel or other petroleum products. Figure 3 schematically illustrates a diesel spill indicator after operation.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates a cross section through the indicator of Figure 1. The substrate 2 is, as mentioned hereinbefore, preferentially impregnated in certain regions with a reagent responsive to the chemical being monitored. An adhesive layer 6 is also disposed on the substrate such that the spill indicator can be adhered to a surface to be monitored. Advantageously the adhesive layer is a contact adhesive or adhesive of the type used in rolls of self adhesive tape or the like.

4 As a further alternative, the entire surface of the spill indicator, or portions thereof may be impregnated such that bulk changes of colour occur in response to reaction with a specified fluid.

It will be apparent that different materials can be used to construct a spill indicator in order to give different sensitivities to materials being monitored, and also to provide spill indicators responsive to different fluids. The embodiment shown in Figure 3 may be used on the side of a lorry in order that it can indicate when diesel has been spilt from the lorry. It will be appreciated that other spill indicators responsive to other fluids or chemicals may be provided.

The spill indicators may be printed with an individual reference number which is indicative of the firm or company to which the indicator was issued thereby enabling the police or environmental agencies to identify the company responsible for a spill, even if the label has been discarded.

In a further embodiment, an impregnated layer of substrate may be placed behind an overlying mask, with the mask defining the symbol, code or lettering such that a colour change of the substrate with respect to the overlying mask is used to indicate the occurrence of a fluid spill.

Claims

1. A device for detecting spills comprising a substrate which carries or is impregnated with at least one indicating means responsive to a selected fluid and which undergoes a physical change when exposed to the selected fluid.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate carries an adhesive so that the device can be affixed to a surface.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is in the form of a self adhesive tape.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the physical change in the indicating means is a change in the visual appearance of the indicating means.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the change in the visual appearance of the indicating means is a change in colour, reflectivity, or opacity thereof

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the indicator means is applied or printed in a pattern, symbol or word which is indicative of the material to which the indicating means is responsive.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the substrate is masked such that gaps in the mask provide regions through which fluid may reach the substrate and/or through which the substrate is visible.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate is porous.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the indicating means is responsive either to a chemical contacting a first surface of said device which surface is intended to be read and/or to conduction of fluid through the body of the substrate.

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10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, containing one reagent which changes colour in response to the selected fluid.

11. A device according to any one of claims I to 9 wherein, where more than one reagent is provided such that a by-product of the reaction between the selected fluid and a first reagent then acts with a second reagent to cause a visual change.

12. A device as claimed in any one of claims I to 8, wherein the indicating means is provided in a first layer which is overlain with a further layer obscuring or otherwise changing the visibility of the first layer, and the selected fluid carries the indicating means from the first layer to the further layer such that the indicating means becomes visible, or leaches the indicating means from the first layer such that the indicating means becomes diffuse or completely removed.

13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate is a card or a rigid member.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is held within a container in the vicinity of the region to be monitored.

15. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate carries one or more indicating means responsive to a plurality of substances to be monitored.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of indicating means are provided on separate areas of the substrate such that each individual area is responsive to a different chemical.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of indicating means are coincident on the surface of the substrate such that a single region of the device can indicate the presence of a plurality of chemicals being monitored.

18. A device according to any preceding claim affixed to or carried on vehicles in order to indicate when that vehicle is responsible for spillage of the selected fluid.

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19. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is used to monitor spillage from a tank or other container.