IT8922762A1 - METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR PREVENTING DISASTERS IN UNDERGROUND SPACES - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an underground disaster prevention system and a related construction, which make it possible to prepare a temporary place of refuge in the subsoil, in the event of a seismic disaster or the like, effectively exploiting underground structures, such as basements of multi-storey buildings. and the like, and which make it possible to effectively prevent the penetration into the underground space of water gushing from the ground.

The event, in the near future, of a highly destructive earthquake in the Tokai region of Japan,? was predicted with a high degree of probability? by expert seismologists. On the other hand, countermeasures to be taken in view of such a possible disaster have not been sufficiently planned. Moreover, in consideration of the soaring increase in land values,? has recently been discussed the use of underground spaces at greater depth? for the construction of numerous types of plants including rooms used as shelters. Pre-existing spaces in multi-plateau buildings, underground shopping areas and underground railway stations, have been set up at depth? considerable in the ground. Since? such; underground structures, compared to those above-? Since they are built firmly against the possibility of earthquake disasters, many lives could be saved under such circumstances if said underground spaces were exploited efficiently for the purpose. In fact, in the past many lives have been lost in underground spaces mainly due to suffocation caused by fires, fumes and poisoned air containing carbon monoxide, etc. What? yet, the extinguishing of the light in such events can? cause panic, with the serious consequences that derive from it.

Also, in the event of an earthquake or similar there? great -possibility? spontaneous gushes of water without being able to locate the points of onset n? the entity? of the phenomenon. Evidently, a place of refuge cannot? be used if spring water enters the basement or underground spaces.

Therefore, a purpose of the invention? to provide a system and related underground construction for disaster prevention, suitable for making a temporary shelter available in the subsoil, during an earthquake or similar event, through the effective use of underground spaces of structures such as basements. -multi-storey, underground shopping areas, subway stations, etc.

Another purpose of the invention? to provide an underground disaster prevention system and construction, equipped with means to deliver compressed air? apression pi? high than that at the level? the ground, - to be placed in an underground space in order to prevent the spread of flames, fumes and toxic gases therein, and means to-ensure the lighting -of said space through the entrance?. an independent generator capable of generating the electrical energy necessary to keep the lighting in place

A further object of the invention? To provide

a system and a construction of prevention, of disasters, - to-protect-people from the danger of water penetration - in the reserved spaces.

from gushing points .spontaneous-, possible, in the event of a-disaster.

The invention? described in detail below

by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

The_figg. 1_and_, 2 represent an underground space set up according to this invention:

- Fig. 3? a section taken along the line III-III of fig ._2;

- Fig. 4 represents an example of a device for collecting solar rays previously proposed by the same Applicant.

Although in the examples illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the invention is applied to the basement space of a multi-storey building, it should be understood that the invention is not? limited to this embodiment, but, how will it result? clear in the following, that it? applicable to any type of underground space and what? subway stations, shopping areas provided in the underground, etc.

In fig. 1, the number 10 represents an underground space, 11 a bath of "spring water". seen at the level pi? bottom, 12, 13 and 14 represent underground parking garages. It is a typical underground area of a usual multi-storey building. The "spring water" bath 11? intended for the collection of water flowing from the subsoil and? usually kept almost empty by constantly eliminating, by pumping, the water from it. Access to said "spring water" bath? commonly prohibited and? allowed only in case of necessity? .special, that is, the bathroom of only? kept free. In said "spring water" area there are cylinders 21 containing compressed air (liquid air) and on each parking floor there are control cabins 22, as well? provided for an independent-energy-generator possibly on the pi? high below street level. In the event of a major earthquake, conditions of extreme confusion can occur at the road level due to the collapse of more than one earthquake. buildings and the outbreak of fires.

On the other hand, the underground structures and systems can offer excellent safety conditions except for the danger of fires that cause smoke and toxic gases. the interior -from- street-level -and-for -the possibility? of complete lack of. energy.-In-the-current-state-of-the-things,.-people. who-have to take refuge. .in an existing underground space, they could go to meet, a. oxygen deficiency .and / .or .a.probable .panic .create.s ituations ... from fear of the dark. In-consideration-of the. , "emergency on an electrical cabinet, placed, on, each, floor, basement, _all compressed air cylinders automatically discharge

compressed air that flows towards the ground and thus prevents flames, smoke and other toxic gases from entering underground areas from street level. Thus, the air flow directed towards the outside acts effectively for the search of line

emergency exit. When the aforementioned or other emergency button is pressed, the independent energy generator is activated to turn the light back on in the basement, and it also supplies the electricity to operate the toilet and water treatment system. of rejection. It is preferable that the electrical cabinets are arranged on all underground floors and that there is a supervisor stationed at street level. When? an emergency button of any control cabinet is pressed, compressed air is automatically supplied and a program for setting up the independent electric generator is started. It is evident that, although in the illustrated example more? control cabinets,? possible the use of a single control cabinet and more? emergency buttons arranged in a plurality? of leases.

In fig. 1? represented a single large_genera_-ore, but.? also possible the use of a certain.

number of small petrol engine generators ^ powered by petrol taken from cars_ parked on the relative floor of the garage. Two purposes are achieved, fuel delivery and fire prevention in the parking area. By sinking a pipe 24 or the like into the ground of the " bathroom " area, gushing water escapes therethrough. Such a tube? equipped with a usually closed tap. In case of need, the opening of the tap will allow? to make use of water. Can they cos? the problems of supplying air, light and water and the hygienic-sanitary problems of the

treatment of discharges.

Furthermore, - according to the present invention, in addition to the air -necessary-for-respiration-, from-said liquid air -the oxygen (02) necessary for the -introduction of the -generator of -power. Powered with - liquid air and light oil, - stored with - 3-day supply, - the generator - will work? producing -electric-energy and-distributing it in the emergency areas, for-example-for the - underground lighting. From - each - of the cars parked in the underground parking areas a certain number can be taken: t? -of-the-fuel to be used for the-generation of energy. The cars themselves can_be used as private, safe living spaces. _ In addition to providing lighting and saving lives threatened by suffocation, information devices can be operated for the collection of data in real time, making it possible to communicate with the outside world, through a communication satellite, through the use of a receiver-transmitter of the air probe type that can? be prepared for this purpose.

Fig. 2 represents another embodiment of the invention, a detail in section along the line III-III? illustrated in fig. 3. In figs. 2 and 3, the number 31 represents the soil (earth's crust), 32? a high conductivity metal plate? thermal, 33? a wall element made of concrete or the like, 34a a liquid air tank, 34b a liquid air cylinder, 35 a duct, 36a and 36b represent safety valves and 37 and 38 liquid air discharge tanks. According to this example,? a liquid air tank 34a and a liquid air cylinder 34b have been provided from which, in the event of a seismic disaster, liquid air is discharged to freeze the water existing in the ground surrounding said underground space, so? to form a solid layer 'of earth capable of blocking the penetration' of the water-gushing into the space itself. This form of execution? preferably applicable to an underground space, as shown in fig. 1 used as a refuge from a shambles situation. Pi? precisely, in the case of an earthquake or the like, the valves of the liquid air reservoirs 34a and 34b are opened to send liquid air into the duct 35, whereby the water present in the surrounding ground freezes. . In the case of a practical embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, -a-certain. number of metal plates 32 high-conductivity? thermal - are placed in contact with the surface of the ground and the piping is - placed along the - parts - of - the - plates - in - which - these - are - connected. - Almost - all - the - quantity? -d'-water-existing in the ground-pu? be blocked by the -metallic -plates 32, but -it can? penetrate-into-the-underground-space-through-the-connecting-parts-of-said-plates -32.-Therefore,? it is advisable-to-lay-the-pipe along the joints between the metal plates as shown in fig. 3. In addition, it is preferable to weld each of the pipes 35 onto the metal (steel) plates 32, so that when liquid air is discharged into the pipes, the water in the ground, along the joints between the metal plates, can be quickly frozen, blocking their penetration. Since? the cooled liquid air, present in the pipes 35 pu? in turn being rapidly transferred to the ground surface through the metal plates 32, the water in the ground is rapidly frozen forming an ice barrier (a frozen wall) all around the outer surface of the joined metal plates. Such an ice barrier? effective enough to block the entry of gushing water or the like into the underground space. The liquid air discharged from the tank or cylinder into the duct 35 cools the surrounding environment through the tubular wall and vaporizes, so that the pressure in the duct 35 increases. When the pressure? at a specified value, the safety valve 36a opens to discharge air from the piping into the discharge tank 37 through which the air? sent to the underground space without directly investing people or things. Although in the example of fig. 2, the tank 37 is arranged on the first floor

of the underground, -you can? place at any. desired level. When the pressure in the pipeline 35 increases further, after the opening of the first safety valve 36a the second safety valve 36b is put into operation, which acts at the specified pressure. high-than-that of actuation of the first? valve 36a, to prevent the

pressure? internal-of-the-duct-3 5-exceeded the upper safety limit. Again, the air from the safety valve 36b is discharged

in the respective waste tank 38 avoiding

the dangerous direct expulsion of air. Furthermore, the same systems described above are provided in the underground space and, for example, the

compressed air system (liquid air), the independent energy generator, etc. In addition,

[at the top? of the building? mounted an antenna

to ensure the possibility? of communication with

the other stations. It is evident that the underground space, as well as a parking area, can? be: used as office space, meeting rooms, or

for other desired purposes.

As is clear from the previous description,

the present invention makes it possible to economically realize a place of safe refuge in the event of disasters, by using the appropriate underground spaces and providing them in particular with means capable of quickly and efficiently preventing the danger of penalization. spring water that can occur in the event of an earthquake. '

With reference now to fig-4, it should be noted that the same Applicant has already? previously proposed devices for -concentrating-sunlight-or-artificial-light through lenses or the like, to guide it within an optical fiber cable and to transmit it through the latter to any desired place where the light rays can be used for lighting and other purposes - for example to encourage plant cultivation or for fish farming. Said solar ray collection devices are already? been applied in practice for the aforementioned purposes and precisely to cultivate plants and fish in the basement of buildings, etc.

Fig. 4 represents an example of the aforementioned solar radiation collection device, which in this case comprises a transparent protection capsule. lens 40, a number of Fresnel lenses 41, a holder 42 for the lens system, a sensor 43 for detecting the position of the sun, optical fibers or a cable a.fibre_optiche 40.cost of a plurality? of optical fibers (indicated hereafter -col..terminal! guides, optics) the .. whose ends ?.

light receivers are placed in the focal points of the Fresnel lenses, a support 45 for the optical fibers or for the optical fiber cable, an arm 46, an impulse motor 47, a horizontal rotary shaft 48 rotated by the impulse motor 47, a base 49 for supporting the capsule 40, an impulse motor 50 and a vertical rotatable shaft 51 rotated by the impulse motor 50. The position of the sun? detected by the sensor 42 whose detection signals control the pulse motor 47 of the horizontal shaft 48 and the pulse motor 50 of the vertical shaft 51 so as to direct the sensor 42 towards the sun. Sunlight Concentrated Through Each Lens 41? entered in the optical guide through the extremity? receiving light of the latter, set in the focus of the respective lens. The optical guides are gathered in an optical guide cable 52 and the latter can? be extended to any desired point of use of the light cos? forwarded, to.

for example up to a basement where the operations of cultivation of plants or peaches are carried out.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS 1. Disaster prevention method for underground spaces, comprising an external compressed air supply system and an independent power generator installed in an underground space, and a liquid air supply source installed in an underground space and with a built-in duct system in the side walls and / or. in the bottom of said underground space, characterized by ci? what in the eventuality? of a disaster, said compressed air supply system discharges compressed air into the underground space in order to keep the air pressure therein at a higher value. higher than that of the external atmosphere, and also supplies compressed air to the independent power generator which in turn burns a fuel with the compressed air thus supplied. to generate the energy necessary for the lighting of said underground space, and from there? what in the eventuality? of a disaster said liquid air source discharges liquid air into said duct system to freeze said side walls and / or said bottom of said underground space. 2. Disaster prevention apparatus for a basement according to claim 1, comprising a liquid air supply source installed in the basement and a plurality of underground space. of thermally conductive metal plates, placed inside the side walls and / or above the bottom ground, a system of pipes arranged along the interconnected parts of said metal plates, and of the construction elements forming the side walls and / or the bottom plane to cover said metal plates and said system of ducts, characterized by this? what in the eventuality? of a disaster said liquid air source discharges liquid air into said si-? external pipelines to freeze the ground around said underground space. 3. Disaster prevention apparatus for an underground structure according to claim 2 characterized by that what the pipeline system? welded to metal plates. 4. Disaster prevention apparatus for a basement space according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pipeline system includes safety valves at each end. connected to the liquid air source ve. at the other end, so as to discharge air from the duct, when the internal pressure of the latter exceeds the corresponding specified values 5. Disaster prevention apparatus for an underground space according to claim 4, characterized by - that the source of liquid air? located on the lower floor -and the extremity? -air exhaust system of the pipeline system? arranged on the upper floor of the basement. 6. Disaster prevention apparatus for an underground space according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized by that what is there? a local; to arrange the end? air discharge of the duct system and to subsequently vent the discharged air to the atmosphere at ground level.