GB2549319A

GB2549319A - Liquid barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2549319A
Application number: GB1606562.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toumazis Antonios
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-14
Filing date: 2016-04-14
Publication date: 2017-10-18

Abstract

An apparatus of a self-operated upward rising gate, for preventing the passage of flood water. The gate comprises a buoyant upper portion protruding forwardly relative to the protected area and a lower portion which may not be buoyant. The gate 100 is housed inside a chamber 200 having a front wall 210 and a rear wall 220. A seal 410 provided between the front wall and the gate prevents the entry of liquid in the chamber. When hydrostatic pressure develops on the upper portion, the upper portion urges the gate to move upwardly so that the crest of the gate is always above the level of the liquid, thereby preventing the entry of liquid into the protected area. The protruding upper portion is supported on a support disposed forward of the lower portion when the gate is in its lowermost position. In the lower position downloading on the date is transferred to the support allowing traffic to be supported on the barrier. Also included is a method of protecting an area using said barrier.

Description

Liquid Barrier

The invention relates to a barrier for protecting an area from the entry of liquid for example flood water or liquid spill. The invention also relates to a method qf protecting an area by using such a barrier.

Flooding is the covering by water of land not normally covered by water. Flooding is expected to be more intent and more frequent due to climate change. Living yyifh the floods is a policy already adopted by the European Union and other States. Flood damage moy be reduced by the use of flood barriers. Flood barriers are strong enough to resist the horizontal actions such as hydrostatic pressure, current, wave and wind actions, object impart. Flood barriers are also sufficiently watertight so that any feakage of water past the barriers is acceptable. When on stand-by flood barriers withstand traffic action.

Examples of automatic, or Self-closing, or self-activating, or self-operated vertical rising flood barriers are disclosed in a number of documents. EP 2315880 (A1) discloses such a barrier in which, a vertical buoyant dam is forced upwards out of a chamber whenever the chamber fills up with water. The dam is normally underground and invisible to the surrounding environment. GB 2524874 A discloses a self-activating barrier which has iow-frietiori surface or roller to prevent jamming. The barrier may contain secondary means for deploying the gate for example airbags and compressor and may contain sensors for checking deployment.

Another example of a vertically rising flood barrier is shown in US 5460462, in which a vertical barrier recessed into the ground is elevated between vertical posts when water rises within a subterranean housing containing the barrier; GB2386144B discloses a vertical rising flood barrier moving inside a trough Which does not require a second chamber. The gate is buoyant and it is urged upwards by water entering the trough. The gate is held in the vertical plane by vertical posts inside the trough. WO 00/01892 discloses a flood barrier which has a buoyant gate inside a casing and seals are provided to prevent water surrounding the lower part of the wall to pass the wall. WO 2015/120516 A1 discloses another vertical buoyant gate placed inside a Chamber with pivot seals to prevent leakage. EP 1 586 707 A2 discloses two types of vertically rising barriers for retaining pater along river bodies. Both types consist of a vertical gate sliding tip and down in a chamber, having rollers between the moving and fixed components. Type ! has a sheet pile wall movable up and down between two fixed wails. A float connected to the movable sheet pile wall and protruding towards the river urges the gate to move upwards when water rises. This disclosure has a disadvantage that the barrier may not be used in an area where traffic needs to pass over the barrier. Type H of the same document has a buoyant gate movable up and down inside a chamber, in this disclosure there is no protruding body and traffic may pass over the barrier but it has the disadvantage that without a second chamber the gate rises at ah early stage and one needs to drain the housing after the event. GB2514879B by the author of this invention discloses a self-operated flood barrier in which a normally horizontal gate rotates to the upright position by buoyancy action from an operating member disposed below the gate and rotating in the opposite direction to the gate. Traffic may pass over the barrier by providing vertical rigid members inside the buoyant operating member. This barrier has the disadvantage that it requires horizontal space in front of the protected area longer than the height of barrier.

For cases where the barrier in its lower position is required to allow passage of traffic, to provide an automatically closing and openin| gate preventing the passage of liquid, and the allowable horizontal distance in front of the opening is shorter than the flood depth, then those among the above barriers which are able to meet these requirements have the disadvantage that they either need a second chamber so that the gate will not rise prematurely or they need a pump or other means to empty the chamber, so that the gate returns to Its normal position.

Viewed from one aspect, the present invention provides a gate movable up and down with a buoyant upper portion protruding forwardly of the protected area. The gate is normally housed in a chamber with a front wall and a rear wall, A seal is provided to act between the front wall and the gate......preventing the entry of liquid inside the chamber. When liquid acts on the upper portion hydrostatic pressure urges the gate to move upwardly thus the gate ppvents the entry of liquid in the protected area. During normal use the gate is in its lowermost position and the upper portion is supported on a support disposed forwardly of the lower portion of the gate. Traffic load acting On the top surface of the gate is therefore transferred to this support whereby the gate allows traffic to be supported thereon, passing over or along it. The traffic may be pedestrian and/or animal and/or vehicle traffic.

Viewed from another aspect the invention provides a barrier disposed in front of an area for preventing the entry of liquid into said area, sail barrier comprising a gate arranged to be movable up and down between a lower position allowing traffic to be supported on the barrier and an upper position in which the gate prevents the entry of liquid into said area, the gate having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion comprising a buoyant portion and being configured so that when liquid acts thereon it is urged to move upwardly whereby the gate rises upwards and prevents the entry of liquid into said area, the gate being at least partly received for up and down movement in a chamber having a front wall arid a rear wall, wherein the barrier further comprises a seal acting between the gate and the front wall for preventing the entry of liquid into the chamber; arid wherein the upper portion protrudes forwardly relative to said area and is supported on a support disposed forwardly of the lower portion when the gate is in the lower position whereby downward leading on the gate is transferred to the support thereby allowing traffic to be supported on the barrier.

The upper portion may have an upper surface on which traffic may pass and which is positioned at a certain level when the gate is in the lower position, and the barrier may comprise a recess extending below said certain level for receiving the upper portion when the gate is iri the lower position.

The barrier may comprise a liquid entry portal to allow liquid to flow into contact with the upper portion when t|e gate is in the lower position.

Tie barrier may compise traffic support means disposed forwardly of the upper portion when the gate is iri the lower position, the traffic support means hiving at least one liquid channel to form the liquid entry portal.

The support may comprise an upper surface of the front wall, A plurality of low friction devices may be provided between the gate and the front wail of the chamber; and/br a plurality of low friction devices may be provided between the gate and the rear wail of the cham ber;

At least some of the low friction devices may be rollers.

The buoyant portion of the upper portion may Comprise at least one load bearing element for transferring downward loading on the gate to the front wall.

The gate may inclined forwardly relative to said area whereby hydrostatic pressure urges said gate to move upwardly.

The invention also provides a method of protecting an area by using a barrier as disclosed herein.

The lower portion of the gate need not be buoyant, as buoyancy is provided by the upper portion. The gate may consist of an upright plate which prevents the entry of liquid into the protected area. This plate may be for example an aluminium plate. The lending strength of the gate may be provided ly a plurality of upright elements affixed at the rear face of the plate. These elements may for example be aluminium Rectangular Hollow Sections (RHS). The gate may normally rests (i.e. when in its lower position) inside a chamber fixed to the ground. A series of guides may be provided inside the chamber, which may be aligned next to the moving elements affixed on the gate.

In gaps between the chamber and the moving gate, as well as between the g uides i nside the chamber and moving elements affixed on the gate there may be provided low-friction means, for example rollers, thus preventing the risk of jamming.

Liquid is prevented from entering the chamber by a seal, which may be affixed to the front wall of the chamber closing a gap between the Chamber and the gate.

At least in its preferred embodiments the barrier is a self-operated upward rising liquid barrier.

At least the preferred embodiments of the invention have the following advantages: 1. Liquid does not enter the chamber and hence there iS no requirement to have a second chamber nor to provide a pump to remove the liquid from the chamber after the event 2. The gate rises automatically at a predetermined liquid level which is close to grade level. 3. The gate returns to normal position again automatically when liquid level drops below the above predetermined level. 4. The Upper portion Of the barrier may accommodate the traffic passing on the barrier; passing over it forwardly and rearwardly and/or passing along it 5. The upright guides along the gate plane remove the need to have intermediate vertical posts. 6. Buoyancy is provided at the top, the bending strength is provided by individual upright elements, hence the gate does not need to be planar and the barrier may be curved in plan.

Certain embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1-4 show an exemplary embodiment of a barrier preventing the entrance of liquid into a protected area for example a barrier protecting the entry of flood water or spill to through a step free opening;

Figs. 1 and 2 show the exemplary embodiment in cross section in normal position and in raised position;

Figs. 3 and 4 show the same exemplary embodiment With a different liquid approach in axonometrie sectional view at two positions: the lowermost and the uppermost position;

Figs. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of a flood barrier protecting an area behind a river or canal edge;

Figs. 7 and 8 show a different embodiment of a liquid barrier in which the upper portion is at a forward distance from the lower portion;

Fi|s. 9 and 10 show another embodimeoiof a flood barrier moving up and down at an angle to the vertical. f he drawings, details and descriptions of the embodiments are non-limiting ways i| which the concepts of the invention may be applied. Their aim is to illustrate to skilled persons the use of the present invention in any appropriate System, method, apparatus or construction.

Reference in this document to “an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment end it does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment Particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments. Variations may be made within the scope of the invention and parts shown in the drawings or described may be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or removed or rendered as inoperable. Numerous alternative and different embodiments may be made using concepts of this invention. Drawings, details and descriptions are interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting the invention.

The figures are illustration examples of embodiments of the invention. The figures are not to scale. Like or similar parts are marked on the figures and referred in the descriptions with the same numbers. Groups of parts are referred as a whole wjfh numbers and are marked ih the figures with arrowheads,

For the sake of clarity some parts in the figures are shown exaggerated, smaller or schematically, some ap omitted and some details are not shown. tri the exemplary embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 4; the barrier comprises a gate 100 up and down movably arranged in a chamber 200 The barrier in disposed on front of in area 10, so that gate 100 protects area If from the entry of liquid 20.

Gate 100 consists of an impermeable gate surface 110 and a buoyant upper portion assembly 130. A plurality of rigid upright members 120 are affixed on the rear face of surface 110. The upper portion 130 comprises a light-weight materia I 134 protected externally by surface 136 and comprising a plurality of upright rigid elements 132. The gate assembly 100 further comprises a top surface 140 which blends with the surrounding environment.

Chamber 200 comprises a rear wall 220 and a front wail 210. Chamber 200 also comprises a plurality of guides 230 affixed on the rear wall 220 for guiding gate 100 to move up and down.

At normal condition upper portion 130 rests on support 212 whereby traffic load is transferred from top plate 140 through elements 132 to support 212. At this stage the upper portion 130 is received in a recess which extends upwardly from the support 212 fp the level of the upper surface of the top plate 140.

When liquid 20 is above the beee of upper portion 130, hydrostatic pressure urges portion 130 upwards and at a predetermined liquid level gate 101 starts rising. Low-friction devices such as rollers 310, 320, 330 and 340 disposed in the gaps between gate 100 and chamber 200 enable mpvemirits up and down of gate 100. Low-friction devices such as tollers 350 and 360 are also disposed between upright gate members 120 and chamber guides 230, thereby preventing out of plane rotation of gate 100: A horizontal seat 410, affixed to front wall 210 closes the gap between gate 100 and chamber front wall 210, thereby preventing entry of liquid into chamber 200.

Hydrostatic pressure urges gate 100 to rotate rearwards and to move towards area 10. This urging is resisted by gate surface 110 which is held in place by upright members 120, Members 120 are restrained by rollers 310 and 340. Hydrostatic pressure also urges buoyant body 130 upwards. Upward movement of gate 100 outside chamber 200 is arrested by stopper 240 affixed oh rear wall 220 and element 150 affixed to gate 100. V#en liquid level drops, hydrostatic pressure decreases and gate 100 lowers down and returns automatically to its lowermost position when liquid level drops below a predetermined level.

In figures 1 and 2 liquid approaches upper portion 130 through entry portal 2S0 and leaves from exit portal 260 to a drainage system in cases for example of flood applications or to a collection chamber in cases of spill protection.

Iri figures I and 4 entry portal 250 and exit portal 260 are shown remotely from the barrier, for example the liquid approaches from a portal forwardly Of the protected area.

Figures 5 and 6 show ah alternative embodiment of a flood barrier next to a river or canal. Pedestrians may walk on the barrier along the river and machinery, for example excavators, may step over the barrier top surface for maintenance work, The barrier need not project into the river/ canal width arid its top surface may blend with the environment

Figures 7 and 8 show a different embodiment of a liquid or spill barrier in the lowermost and in a raised position. In this embodiment upper portion 130 is remotely connected to trie gate having the crest of front wall 210 above support 212. In this embodiment the gate may rise to a higher elevation as roller 330 may be disposed above support 212. Also in this embodiment the entry portal 250 and the exit portal 260 may be remotely transferring liquid 20 to and from the barrier.

Figures B and 10 show another embodiment of a barrier rising at an angle to the vertical. In this embodiment hydrostatic pressure of forward sloping gate surface 110 provides additional upward urging on gate assembly 100. In this embodiment lie entry portal 210 and the exit portal 260 may for example be the same portals and the embodiment may be adjacent to a over or canal or an upstand wall or any other configuration. The barrier top surface may function as a walkway, access road for example for maintenance purposes The top surface as well as all other faces may be made to blend with the environment by providing appropriate materials on the exposed surfaces. it wilt be seen that at least in embodiments of the invention there is disclosed herein an upward rising barrier which is automatically self-ciosing and self-opening. The barrier is for preventing the passage of flood water, chemical spills or other liquids from one area to an adjacent one and allowing traffic to be supported; on the barrier during normal conditions. A gate is provided between the two areas so that the gate normally rests below grade level. The gate has a buoyant upper portion of a predetermined size so that the buoyancy Urging the gate upwards is larger than the total weight Of the gate.

The upper portion of the gate which comprises the buoyant portion is supported on a support disposed forwardly of the lower portion. Thus traffic loading on the upper portion may be passed to the support, rather than the upper portion having to bear the ioading as a cantilever protruding from the lower portion. Therefore even a relatively large upper portion, i.e. having a relatively large footprint in plan view, can be supported in a stable manner.

The gate is housed inside a chamber. When hydrostatic pressure develops on the upper buoyant portion, the upper portion urges the gate to move Upwardly so that the crest of the gate is always above the level of the free surface of the liquid. The gate returns automatically to its normal position when liquid level drops.

There is no need of labour or power use. The barrier is normally below grade level, the top surface blends with the surroundings, it can accommodate heavy traffic load it does not need side posts and it does not need pumps or other means to empty the chamber.

At least in some of the embodiments of the invention the following adyantagas are obtained: 1. The barrier is self-closing when liquid reaches a predetermined level close to grade level requiring no additional chamber, no power or human intervention; 2. The barrier is self-opening requiring no pumping of water out of the chamber; 3. The barrier top surface may accommodate heavy f aftp load; 4. The barrier is robust both in normal condition fiat With grade and in operating condition in upright position; 5. The barrier may reach high level by providing an upper portion at a forward distance from the lower portion; 6. The upward hydrostatic urging may be increased by providing a forward sloping gate.

Claims

1. A barrier disposed in front of an area for preventing trie entry of liquid into said area, said barrier comprising a gate arranged to be movable up and down between a lower position allowing traffic to be supported on the barrier and an upper position in which the gate prevents the entry of liquid into said area, the gate haying an upper portion end a lower portion, the upper portion comprising a buoyant portion and being configured so that when liquid acts thereon it is urged td move upwardly whereby the gate rises upwards arid prevents the entry of liquid into said area, the gate being at least partly received for up arid down movement in a chamber having a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the barrier further comprises a seal acting between the gate and the front wail for preventing the entry of liquid into the chamber, and wherein the upper portion protrudes forwardly relative to said area and is supported on a support disposed forwardly of the lower portion when the gate is in the lower position whereby downward loading on the gate is transferred to the support thereby allowing traffic to be supported on the barrier. |. A barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion has an upper surface on which traffic may pass and which is positioned at a certain level when the gate is in the lower position, and the barrier comprising a recess extending beiow said certain level for receiving the upper portion when the gate is in the lower position.

3. A barrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising a liquid entry portal to allow liquid to flow into contact with the upper portion when the gate is in the lower position.

4. A barrier as claimed in claim 3, comprising traffic support means disposed forwardly of the upper portion When the gate is in the lower position, the traffic support means having at least one liquid channel to form the liquid entry portal.

5. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises an upper surface of the front wail.

6. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of low friction devices are provided between the gate and the front wall of the chamber, and/or a plurality df low friction devices are provided between the gate and the rear wall of the chamber.

7. A barrier as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least some of the low friction devices are rollers.

8. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the buoyant portion of the upper portion comprises at least brie load bearing element for transferring downward loading bn the gate to the front waif

9. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, Wherein the gate is inclined forwardly relative to said area whereby hydrostatic pressure urges said gate to move upwardly. I Q. A barrier disposed in front of an area for preventing the entry bf liquid into said area, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 or Figures § and 6 or Figures 7 and 8 or Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of protecting an area by using a barrier as claimed in any preceding claim.