RO132828B1 - Fluid-level controlling device - Google Patents

Description

The invention refers to a simple and versatile device, with the help of which the level of fluids in different premises can be controlled, intended to be used both in own households and in spaces intended for offices, medical practices, company headquarters, or any premises connected to the power supply with liquids or gases. The invention is also addressed to industrial spaces, where it is necessary to monitor the level of some polluting liquids, such as waste water resulting from chemical installations, or that resulting from washing some materials, waste water containing toxic elements and which are not allowed to reach the ground , in the water tables, or which are not allowed to release unwanted substances into the atmosphere through evaporation.

In the field of liquid level control, several types of devices are known. One of the most well-known is the one that indicates the level of gasoline or diesel in the tank of a vehicle. This device consists of a sensor placed on a float, connected by a conductor to the dashboard of the vehicle. Moreover, this technical solution is used in many other situations where liquid level monitoring is desired.

The disadvantage of this solution is that it is a rather complicated solution that requires specialized personnel to be made, assembled, maintained and repaired, because the solution combines mechanical elements with electronic and electrical elements and even software, if we think about the picture of vehicles. Apart from this disadvantage, there is also that of the fact that this device consumes energy from the car's battery, not being able to work independently. Moreover, possible interventions on the device are difficult and involve disassembling the tank, checking the integrity of the conductors, checking the dashboard display, etc., which requires time and qualified personnel.

US 2199673 discloses a device used for draining water in sewage systems, consisting of a cylindrical vessel with an open upper end, which is covered with a perforated plate, which can be mounted in any way over a flange, and at the bottom the vessel it has a copper pipe screwed into it that continues with an exhaust elbow connected to the sewage system. Above the copper pipe is mounted a valve float which is removable from the valve by a pin that penetrates the float and is screwed into the valve holding the valve in place, but by unscrewing the retaining nut the float can be lifted. A rod is screwed into the lower pivot end of the valve and passes through the copper pipe to the exhaust elbow. At its lower end the rod has a valve which, in the normal position of the parts, is some distance below the lower end of the copper pipe. If water begins to back up from the channel, the rise in level will pull the valve up until it contacts the lower end of the copper pipe and thus closes the upper section. If the water in the sewer evaporates, when the drain is not used continuously or at regular intervals, the valve closes the copper pipe at the top and prevents gases from escaping from the sewer pipe.

US 3060955 relates to a device of the floating type used for controlling the level of a liquid, which comprises a closed chamber provided with a concentric tube which is open to the atmosphere and which has a floating element circumscribing said tube and which is fitted with a valve which extend with a guide rod that goes into the tube. The valve also controls the flow of gas through the tube. When the valve is in the intermediate position, the liquid is at the desired level, when the valve is in the fully open position, the liquid level is higher than the desired level, and when the valve is in the fully closed position, the liquid level is lower than the desired level. The valve can be adapted with a vertical adjustment in relation to the floating element, which allows changing the operating conditions.

The technical problem that the invention aims to solve is to make an energy-independent device, easy to make, easy to mount, maintain and repair, with easy access.

The fluid level control device, according to the claimed invention, solves 1 these problems, by the fact that it consists of few component elements, exclusively mechanical, made of materials with low specific gravity, namely: a floating cover 3, located on the free surface of of the liquid to be controlled, provided with a guide element in the collection pipe and with a ring fixed rigidly to the floating cover, 5 whose size is set so that it is less than or at most equal to the level of the liquid to be wants to be controlled. This ring increases the control capacity of the device, because having a low specific weight, it is pushed up by the force of the liquid it controls. Being attached to the floating cap, it forms a common body with it and helps to push the floating cap upwards and release the excess liquid into the collecting pipe. 11

This device can adapt to any enclosure with liquids, through simple adaptation elements. 13

The device for controlling the fluid level, according to the claimed invention, has the following advantages: 15

- it is simple to achieve, requiring a short time for achievement;

- it is very versatile, being able to be used in different premises, both for liquids and17 for gases;

- does not require highly qualified personnel to be manufactured, assembled, 19 maintained and repaired;

- it is an accessible solution for both private individuals and companies. 21

Next, an example of a practical embodiment of the device for controlling the level of fluids, according to the claimed invention, is presented, in connection with fig. 1 and 2, which 23 represents:

- fig. 1, section through the device mounted in a floor drain; 25

- fig. 2, 3D view of the floor drain with the device mounted.

The device for controlling the water level in a floor trap, is formed 27 of a floating cover 1, provided with a guide element 2 and with a ring 3 fixed rigidly to the floating cover 1, the size of which is established so that it is less than or at most 29 equal to the level 4 of the liquid to be controlled.

The floating cover 1 rests on the surface of the water and is made of an expanded material 31, with a specific weight as low as possible, in order to be light and to be able to raise the decrease in the level of as many types of liquids or gases as possible. An example of such a material is extruded polystyrene, but other similar materials may be used.

The guide element 2 is made of the same material as the floating cover 1 35 or not, it is important that it is also as light as possible. An example of an alternative material is wire.37

This ring 2 guides the floating cover 1 into the collection pipe 9 which will take the surplus of unwanted water.39

The ring 3 can be made of the same material as the floating cover 1, or not, the condition it must fulfill being the same as in the case of the floating cover 1 and 41 of the guide element 2, that is to say, have a specific weight as low as possible. The ring 3 forms a common body with the floating cover 1 and together rises under the force of the excess water allowing43 its access to the collection pipe 9 and its removal.

When the level 4 of the water 8 increases in the siphon body 7, it pushes up the floating cover 1 45, the water enters the space delimited by the adapter element 5 and the pipe wall 6 and pushes up the ring 3, which causes the excess liquid to be taken up 9 47 collection pipe.

Due to the multiple applications of the device, according to the invention, it can be used to control the phenomenon of water evaporation from swimming pools or fish ponds. In 3 these enclosures, evaporation is not desired, because the water in the swimming pool and in the fish ponds is specially treated and the emptying and filling is done with the consumption of 5 electricity that powers the pump, not to mention the consumption of water and substances special ones that also involve high costs.

The versatility of the fluid level control device according to the invention makes it adaptable to also control the gas level in an enclosure, provided that this gas does not develop pressures greater than 1 atm. A possible destination of the device, in this sense, is the manure storage spaces, from animal farms. It is known that manure 11 can be used as a fertilizer, but also as an energy source, since it can accumulate gases that reach quite high pressures, which is not always desirable.

Claims (3)

1. Fluid level control device consisting of a floating cover (1) which 3 rests on the surface of the water and cooperates with a pipe (9) for collecting excess water from a siphon (7), the cover (1) comprising on the inner face, directed towards said pipe 5, a guide element (2) which enters inside the pipe (9) and guides the lid relative to it in its vertical movement determined by the increase or decrease 7 of the water level in the siphon, also on the inner face of the cover (1) being provided with a ring (3) arranged in the space created between the outer wall (6) of the pipe (9) and an adapter element (5) fixed on said wall. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ring (3) and the floating cover 11 (1) are made of an expanded material, for example extruded polystyrene. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide element 13 (2) has the shape of a ring made of aluminum wire.