WO2022023627A1

WO2022023627A1 - System and method for disinfecting a hydraulic circuit

Info

Publication number: WO2022023627A1
Application number: PCT/FR2021/000086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Benoît AUMARD
Original assignee: FIEVEZ, Nicolas; DELORY, Olivier
Priority date: 2020-07-30
Filing date: 2021-07-29
Publication date: 2022-02-03
Also published as: FR3112973A1; FR3112973B1

Abstract

The invention relates to system for disinfecting a hydraulic circuit HYC1, including means for injecting a cleaning fluid CFL into the circuit HYC1 and hermetic closure means MHF1 of the hydraulic circuit HYC1, intended to be used when it is filled with cleaning fluid CFL. According to the invention, this system includes an intake valve (IV1) provided with a first inlet connected to a water supply pipe (OE1), of a second inlet connected to a pressurized cleaning fluid (CFL) inlet pipe and an outlet connected to the hydraulic circuit (HYC1) through a non-return valve. The invention makes it possible to do a single emptying operation, disinfecting the hermetic closure of the hydraulic circuit HYC1 for the purpose of trapping the cleaning fluid CFL, which will prevent the entrance and the development of foreign organisms in the hydraulic circuit HYC1 during the period in which it will remain out of service.

Description

Title of the invention: System and process for disinfection of a hydraulic circuit j

The invention relates to a method and a system for disinfecting at least one hydraulic circuit, including means for injecting a cleaning fluid into said circuit.

Technical area

The present invention falls within the field of the management and maintenance of seasonal dwellings, mobile or immobile, such as houses, mobile homes, camper vans or pleasure boats.

[0003] The invention is also applicable to the management and maintenance of hydraulic circuits including pipes that are not thermally insulated and therefore vulnerable to freezing, forming, for example, sanitary facilities in campsites or even irrigation or water supply circuits. watering of plantations.

[0004] This invention aims more particularly at facilitating the emptying, disinfection and frost protection of plumbing circuits included in such installations, which are often left vacant or unused during certain parts of the year, and in particular during the winter season.

[0005] The invention can also be implemented in the field of the agricultural industry, in particular for purifying water supply installations for farm animals, because it does not require the use of any product particular chemical for its operation.

Prior technique

[0006] European patent EP 2 616 597 B1 describes a device for emptying a hydraulic circuit, which makes it possible to inject into said circuit a cleaning fluid consisting of water or pressurized air, with a view to rinsing and emptying said circuit before it is taken out of service, so as to avoid any bursting of one or more pipes under the effect of freezing.

Summary of the invention

[0007] The inventors have observed that, if the known device makes it possible to prevent a portion of the hydraulic circuit from remaining filled with water during its period of non-use, thus limiting the risks of bursting under the effect of freezing, it does not in any way guarantee the disappearance of any presence of water within the hydraulic circuit and therefore does not make it possible to prevent the development within this circuit of any foreign organisms which could thrive in residual water retention, for example insects or bacteria such as Legionnaires' disease.

[0008] With a view to remedying the drawbacks stated above, the inventors propose an alternative solution taking the form of a method and a system for disinfecting at least one hydraulic circuit in accordance with the introductory paragraph, further including hermetic closing means of the hydraulic circuit, intended to be implemented while said circuit is filled with cleaning fluid, system characterized in that it further includes an inlet valve provided with a first inlet connected to a pipe water supply, a second inlet connected to a pressurized cleaning fluid inlet pipe and an outlet connected to the hydraulic circuit via a non-return valve.

[0009] The hermetic closure means make it possible to prevent the entry and development of foreign organisms in the hydraulic circuit after it has been emptied, carried out by means of the injection means.

[0010] The implementation of a three-way inlet valve makes it possible to switch with great ease from a configuration of the hydraulic circuit to nominal operating mode, in which it is intended to receive water produced by the supply line, to a drain configuration in which the circuit receives the cleaning fluid for cleaning and disinfection.

[0011] Furthermore, the non-return valve makes it possible to prevent, without any particular action being necessary for this purpose, a return of fluid from the hydraulic circuit to one or the other of the first and second inlets. .

Thus, the system according to the invention makes it possible to carry out in a single operation the emptying, disinfection and hermetic closure of the hydraulic circuit in order to trap therein the cleaning fluid which will prevent the entry and development of foreign organisms in the hydraulic circuit during the period it remains out of service.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the inlet valve is provided with motorized switching means.

[0014] The implementation of motorized switching means within the inlet valve further facilitates the management of the system according to the invention, since it makes possible control of the emptying operation in automatic form, and in particular by means of an electrical command produced by a remotely configurable automaton.

According to another embodiment of the invention, which can advantageously be implemented cumulatively with the first and second embodiments described above, the hermetic closure means include an exhaust valve connected to the hydraulic circuit and provided with motorized switching means.

[0016] The implementation of motorized switching means within the exhaust valve gives an additional degree of freedom to the management of the system according to the invention, since it makes it possible to control this exhaust valve. in automatic form, and in particular by means of an electrical command produced by a remotely configurable automaton. More specifically, this variant makes it possible to implement a delay in the opening of the exhaust valve with respect to the start of emptying command supplied to the inlet valve, so that the exhaust valve only opens for as short a time as possible to allow good evacuation of the cleaning fluid before the hermetic closure of the hydraulic circuit, which makes it possible to reduce as much as possible the risk of bacteria forming seep into the hydraulic circuit via the exhaust valve.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the system described above further includes remote control means of the motorized switching means included in the intake and exhaust valves.

[0018] The implementation of means of remote control means makes it possible to control the emptying, disinfection and closing operations without it being necessary for an operator to go on site to do this. Thus, multiple hydraulic circuits specific to different installations, such as for example a park of apartments, bungalows, mobile homes or motorhomes can be managed by means of a centralized control unit.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleaning fluid is formed by ozone in the gaseous state.

[0020] Unlike other disinfection techniques, the use of ozone does not require the storage of hazardous products since it is produced directly on site and only when it is needed, a direct consequence of its instability. Furthermore, once the ozone has been imprisoned in the hydraulic circuit by the hermetic sealing means, there is no risk of it freezing in the presence of low temperatures, whereas water trapped in the hydraulic circuit would risk causing the walls of the latter to burst in case of prolonged frost.

According to a functional aspect, the invention also relates to a method for disinfecting at least one hydraulic circuit, including a step of injecting a cleaning fluid into said circuit, characterized in that it further includes a step of hermetically closing the hydraulic circuit, intended to be performed while said circuit is filled with cleaning fluid.

[0022] According to a variant of this functional aspect, the method as described above includes at least one step of remote control of motorized switching means included in the intake and exhaust valves respectively connected to an inlet and at an outlet of the hydraulic circuit.

Brief description of the drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of particular embodiments, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, and with regard to the appended drawings, among which :

Fig.l

[0024] [Fig 1] is a block diagram of a disinfection system of a hydraulic circuit according to a particular embodiment of the invention; and

Fig.2

[0025] [Fig 2] is a block diagram of a system for managing and maintaining a plurality of disinfection systems in accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention.

Description of embodiments

Figure 1 shows in functional form a system SYST1 disinfection of at least one hydraulic circuit FIYC1 included in a seasonal dwelling, which in this example is a mobile home.

According to the invention, this disinfection system SYST1 includes, in addition to means for injecting a cleaning fluid CFL into said circuit FIYC1, means for hermetic closure MHF1 of the hydraulic circuit HYC1, intended to be implemented while said hydraulic circuit HYC1 is filled with cleaning fluid CFL.

[0027] The hermetic closure means MFIF1 make it possible to prevent the entry and development in the hydraulic circuit FIYC1 of foreign organisms, for example insects or even bacteria, after said hydraulic circuit FIYC1 has been drained by means of the injection means.

In the embodiment of the invention represented here, the cleaning fluid CFL is formed by ozone in the gaseous state, produced by an ozone generator GCNT1 and intended to be injected into the hydraulic circuit HYC1 by means of a pump PMP1 controlled by means of a pump control signal PCNT1.

[0029] Unlike other disinfection techniques, the use of ozone does not require the storage of hazardous products since it is produced directly on site by the generator OZG1 and only after reception of a production control signal. GCNT1. Furthermore, once the ozone has been trapped in the hydraulic circuit HYC1 by the hermetic closure means MHF1, there is no risk of it freezing in the presence of low temperatures, whereas water trapped in the hydraulic circuit HYC1 could cause the its walls in the event of prolonged frost.

In this embodiment of the invention, the system SYS1 includes an inlet valve IV1 provided with a first inlet connected to a water supply pipe OE1, a second inlet connected to a water supply pipe. arrival of CFL cleaning fluid under pressure and an outlet connected to the hydraulic circuit HYC1 via a non-return valve not shown here.

[0031] The implementation of such an inlet valve IV1 makes it possible to switch with great ease from a configuration of the hydraulic circuit HYC1 to nominal operating mode, in which it is intended to receive water produced by the water supply pipe OE1, to a drain configuration in which the circuit receives the cleaning fluid CFL with a view to its cleaning and disinfection, the non-return valve making it possible to prevent, without any particular action is necessary for this purpose, a return of fluid from the hydraulic circuit HYC1 to one or the other of the first and second inlets.

Thus, the system according to the invention makes it possible to carry out in a single operation the emptying, disinfection and hermetic closure of the hydraulic circuit HYC1 in order to trap therein the cleaning fluid CFL which will prevent the entry and the development foreign organisms in the HYC1 hydraulic circuit during the period it remains out of service.

In the embodiment of the invention described here, the inlet valve IV1 is provided with motorized switching means ICM1 which make it possible to control the emptying operation in automatic form, and in particular by means of an admission control signal ICNT1 produced by a remotely configurable control automaton CBX1, which automaton CBX1 can also produce the production control signal GCNT1 of the ozone generator OZG1.

In this embodiment of the invention, the hermetic closure means MHF1 include an exhaust valve OV1 connected to the hydraulic circuit HYC1 and provided with motorized switching means OCM1, which make it possible to control this valve. escapement OV1 in automatic form, and in particular by means of an escapement control signal OCNT1 produced by the control automaton CBX1. More specifically, this variant makes it possible to implement a time delay for the opening of the exhaust valve OV1 with respect to the start of emptying command supplied to the inlet valve IV1, so as to that the exhaust valve OV1 only opens for as short a time as possible to allow proper evacuation of the cleaning fluid CFL before the hermetic closing of the hydraulic circuit FIYC, which makes it possible to reduce as much as possible the risk for that insects and/or bacteria infiltrate the FIYC hydraulic circuit via the OV1 exhaust valve.

Advantageously, the SYST1 system will include remote control means for the motorized switching means included in the ICM1 intake and OCM1 exhaust valves. Such remote control means will be made in part by wired connections between the CBX1 control automaton and the ICM1 inlet and OCM1 exhaust valves, and in part by radio wave reception means with which said controller CBX1, for example a Wi-Fi communication module.

[0036] In a particularly advantageous manner, the radio wave reception means fitted to the CBX1 control automaton will also be capable of receiving control instructions from the ozone generator OZG1 and from the pump PMP1 which is associated with it.

The implementation of means of remote control means makes it possible to control the operations of emptying, disinfection and closing of the hydraulic circuit FIYC1 without it being necessary for an operator to go on site to do this. So multiple hydraulic circuits specific to different installations, such as for example a park of apartments, bungalows, mobile homes or camper vans can be managed by means of a centralized control unit, as will be explained below .

FIG. 2 represents in functional form a system for managing and maintaining a plurality of disinfection systems (SYST1, SYST2, SYST3...SYSTK) in accordance with a particularly advantageous mode of implementation of the invention.

This kind of system can be present in collective seasonal housing installations, for example on a campsite or in a marina.

[0040] In the system shown here, a CNC centralized control entity is provided with telecommunication means for exchanging information with control automatons (CBX1, CBX2, CBX3...CBXK) specific to the various disinfection systems (SYST1, SYST2, SYST3...SYSTK) intended to be controlled remotely by the centralized CNC control entity. These telecommunication means could for example consist of a Wi-Fi communication module with which each of the control automata (CBX1, CBX2, CBX3...CBXK) will also be equipped.

The CNC centralized control entity may be constituted by a fixed control console such as a computer, but also by a mobile control terminal such as a smartphone equipped with a specific software application.

This CNC control entity is intended to send to each of the control automatons (CBX1, CBX2, CBX3...CBXK) included in the disinfection systems (SYST1, SYST2, SYST3...SYSTK) control instructions (CSG1, CSG2, CSG3...CSGK) allowing said automaton (CBXi, for i=l to K) to develop the command and control signals for the intake and exhaust valves (ICNTi and OCNTi, for i =l to K), as well as the production and pumping control signals (GCNTi and PCNTi, for i=l to K) of the cleaning fluid.

In the particular embodiment represented here, the telecommunication means with which the CNC control entity is equipped are able to receive from each of the control automata (CBXI, CBX2, CBX3...CBXK) feedback signals information (RII, RI2, RI3...RIK) allowing each of the control automatons (CBXI, CBX2, CBX3...CBXK) to report on the operations in progress within the disinfection system (SYST1 , SYST2, SYST3...SYSTK) that it controls, in order to allow an operator of the CNC control entity to adjust certain parameters specific to these operations, such as, for example, delay times between the opening of an inlet valve and the closing of an outlet valve, or even the duration of production and/or pumping of ozone at the within one or more disinfection systems in use.

Claims

1. System for disinfection of at least one hydraulic circuit (HYC1), including means for injecting a cleaning fluid (CFL) into said circuit (HYC1), and means for hermetically closing (MHF1) the hydraulic circuit (FIYC1), intended to be implemented while said hydraulic circuit (HYC1) is filled with cleaning fluid (CFL), system characterized in that it includes an inlet valve (IV1) provided with a first inlet connected to a water supply pipe (OE1), a second inlet connected to a pressurized cleaning fluid inlet pipe (CFL), and an outlet connected to the hydraulic circuit (HYC1) by the via a non-return valve.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet valve (IV1) is provided with motorized switching means (ICM1).

3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the hermetic closing means (MHF1) include an exhaust valve (EV1) connected to the hydraulic circuit (HYC1) and provided with motorized switching means (OCM1).

4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that it further includes remote control means (CNC) of the motorized switching means (ICM1, OCM1) included in the intake and exhaust valves.

5. System according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cleaning fluid (CFL) is formed by ozone in the gaseous state.

6. Method for disinfecting at least one hydraulic circuit (HYC1), including a step of injecting a cleaning fluid (CFL) into said circuit (HYC1), method characterized in that it further includes a step sealing of the hydraulic circuit (HYC1), intended to be performed while said circuit (HYC1) is filled with cleaning fluid (CFL).

7. Disinfection method according to claim 6, characterized in that it includes at least one step of remote control of motorized switching means (ICM1, OCM1) included in inlet and exhaust valves (IV1, OV1 ) respectively connected to an inlet and an outlet of the hydraulic circuit (HYC1). I