GB2428032A

GB2428032A - Collector for machine fluids

Info

Publication number: GB2428032A
Application number: GB0513844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Ibbotson
Original assignee: Manvers Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Manvers Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-07
Filing date: 2005-07-07
Publication date: 2007-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-07
Also published as: GB0513844D0; GB2428032B

Abstract

A collector for machine fluids comprises a mat having a self-supporting perimeter wall (2) upstanding therefrom, the mat and the wall (2) comprising a layer of an oleophilic material and the wall (2) being water-permeable, whereby water falling on the mat can escape therefrom, while oily fluids are retained by said oleophilic material. The wall (2) may comprise a fabric tube (3) stuffed with polypropylene fibres (4) and the mat may have an impermeable plastics base layer (5), a layer (6) of fibrous polypropylene and a permeable fabric layer (7). Collected water (11) may escape through the wall (2) while oil (9) is retained by the fibres (4).

Description

-I-

COLLECTOR FOR MACHINE FLUIDS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an absorbent collector for machine fluids for use in protecting the ground beneath machinery, for example portable plant used in civil engineering and the like.

Background to the Invention

Leakage or accidental spillage of fluids from machinery, and in particular portable or automotive machinery used in civil engineering projects, can lead to pollution of the ground. For example, engine oil, diesel fuel oil, and hydraulic fluids can cause environmental damage, and there are stringent requirements for dealing with ground contamination which can be very costly for a contractor.

It has therefore become normal practice to use some form of collector beneath the machinery to collect and retain any fluids escaping from the machinery or spilled near it.

Typically, the collector will take the form of a simple drip tray, usually of sheet steel, with a raised perimeter to retain the oil or other fluid in it, so that the fluid can be removed and disposed of. A problem with this type of drip tray is that, when used in the open air, for example on a civil engineering site, it can also become filled with rainwater. Since oil is less dense than water, it tends to float on the surface of the water, and so when the tray is full, the oil is the first to overflow, thus negating the advantage of using the tray.

Various proposals have been put forward to overcome this problem. For example, in GB-A-2 327 410 a tray is provided with an overflow in a separate chamber communicating with the water below the oil layer. To work effectively, the tray needs to be pre-filled with water to prevent oil entering the chamber when there has been no rain. When the tray is to be emptied, a significant vol- ume of oily water needs to be disposed of, requiring specialist disposal services involving a high cost.

The use of absorbent mats is well-known. These typically rely on fibrous oleophilic and hydrophobic materials such as polypropylene which preferentially attract the oils. Different configurations have been proposed for these. For ex- ample, EP-A-0 762 044 discloses trays for protecting the ground between and around railway tracks. Trays containing absorbent material are provided with overflow ports so that rainwater can leave the tray. Unfortunately, this still leaves the possibility of some oil floating out through the ports in conditions of high rainfall.

Similarly, EP-A-1 387 011 discloses the use of layers of oleophilic, hydrophobic material between railway lines to reduce contamination of the ground by engine oil. However, unless the layers are continuous between the rails, run-off of oil can still occur in wet conditions, leading to pollution.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a collector for machine fluids, comprising a mat having a self-supporting perimeter wall upstanding there- from, the mat and the wall comprising a layer of an oleophilic material and the wall being water-permeable, whereby water falling on the mat can escape therefrom, while oily fluids are retained by said oleophilic material.

Preferably, the oleophilic material comprises fibres of an oily plastics ma- terial such as a polyolefin. Polypropylene fibres are especially suitable, being commonly used for collection and retention of oil spills and the like, especially aquatic oil spills.

The fibres are preferably contained within a permeable fabric cover, for example a woven or non-woven fabric formed from polypropylene or the like.

The mat may be provided with an impermeable base layer, which is suitably flexible to permit the collector to be rolled up for storage, squeezed between rollers for extraction of oil, or washed with detergents to remove the oil. It will be understood that the collector is preferably flexible, whether or not an im- permeable base layer is provided.

The collector of the invention is light in weight and therefore easy to de- ploy and to remove when no longer required. It retains all oily fluids falling on to it, while allowing rainwater to pass through it to drain away, thereby ensuring that oil is never washed out of the collector by rainfall, however heavy. Since the waste oil can be readily extracted by simple physical or chemical means, the cost of re-generating the collector for further use is relatively small.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention: Figure us a perspective view of the collector; and Figure 2 is a sectional view on line A-A in Figure 1, showing the collector in use.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

The collector shown in Figure 1 is a rectangular mat I having a wall 2 upstanding around its perimeter. It will be understood, however, that the par- ticular shape is not important to the invention; the shape may be varied, for ex- ample, to suit the configuration of the machinery beneath which it is to be used.

The wall 2 is formed as a tubular fabric structure filled with polypropylene fibre material to give it sufficient rigidity to be selfsupporting in use. The height of the wall 2 above the mat I is typically 50-100mm.

The construction of the collector may be seen more clearly from Figure 2.

The wall 2 may be continuous, or it may be constructed in sections joined to- gether at the corners, again according to the desired plan shape of the collector.

The wall 2 is formed from a fabric tube 3 stuffed with polypropylene fibres 4 and provided with a flattened base for attachment to the mat I around the periphery thereof. The mat I has an impermeable plastics base layer 5, on which is pro- vided a layer 6 of fibrous polypropylene material retained by a permeable fabric layer 7. The plastics base layer 5 may be formed, for example, of the type of plastics sheeting used as groundsheets and for temporary shelters and the like.

The fabric layer may be a water- and oil-permeable plastics woven or nonwoven textile material, for example of the type used in making overalls, and the same material is suitably used to formed the fabric tube or tubes 3.

The wall or walls 2 may be attached to the mat I by stitching, by adhesive, for example a hot-melt adhesive, or by welding, for example using radiof- requency welding. Similar methods may be employed to secure the different layers of the mat together.

Figure 3 illustrates the collector in use. Oil, represented by the black droplets 8, falls into the collector from the machinery under which it is placed, for example as a result of leakages. An oil layer 9 is thus formed, and in the event of heavy rainfall, represented by the white droplets 10, water 11 may ac- cumulate in the collector beneath the oil layer 9. The thicknesses of the layers are exaggerated for the sake of clarity in the illustration. The liquids tend to flow into the walls 2, where the oil is attracted to and retained by the polypropylene fibres, while the water is repelled by the hydrophobic fibres and escapes outwardly of the collector to drain away. In the absence of water, the oil soaks into the fibrous material in the mat and is retained there.

When the mat is saturated with oil, it can be regenerated by squeezing the collector, for example between rollers. The oil is ejected for collection and disposal. The collector can then be washed in detergent/water to remove re- sidual oil, leaving it ready for re-use. Smaller amounts of oil can be removed by washing alone.

Claims

1. A collector for machine fluids, comprising a mat having a selfsupporting perimeter wall upstanding therefrom, the mat and the wall compris- ing a layer of an oleophilic material and the wall being water-permeable, whereby water falling on the mat can escape therefrom, while oily fluids are re- tained by said oleophilic material.

2. A collector according to Claim 1, wherein oleophilic material comprises fibres of an oily plastics material.

3. A collector according to Claim 2, wherein the oily plastics material isapolyolefin.

4. A collector according to Claim 3, wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.

5. A collector according to any preceding claim, wherein the fibres are contained within a permeable fabric cover.

6. A collector according to Claim 5, wherein the fabric is a woven or nonwoven fabric formed from a plastics material.

7. A collector according to Claim 6, wherein the plastics material is polypropylene.

8. A collector according to any preceding claim, wherein the mat is provided with an impermeable base layer.

9. A collector according to any preceding claim, which is flexible so as to be capable of being rolled up.

10. A collector for machine fluids, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.