DE102014213201A1 - Sprinkler system for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel sprinkler system for a container of the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry as well as in food processing plants, oil refineries and storage tank facilities. The invention also relates to the use of this novel sprinkler system for controlling the temperature of a container or for extinguishing fires on the container.

Description

The invention relates to a novel sprinkler system for a container in the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as in food processing plants, oil refineries and storage tank facilities. The invention also relates to the use of this novel sprinkler system for tempering, cleaning or disinfecting a container or for extinguishing fires on the container.

Containers of all sizes, that is, large containers, medium sized containers, small containers such as storage containers, stirred tanks, reactors, laboratory autoclaves, and columns, are widely used in chemical factories, food factories, pharmaceutical companies, oil refineries, and storage tank facilities. In summary, these containers of various sizes are referred to below as containers. They are usually arranged upright, i. the height of such a container usually has a larger dimension than the largest diameter of this container, and usually have a substantially cylindrical base body; Alternatively, the body may also have any polygonal, for example, four-, six- or octagonal, or even an elliptical cross section. Connected to the base body is located in each case at the container head and the container foot a lid, the container head cover or container foot cover. The container head cover may be formed, for example in the form of a basket arch roof, a conical roof, a flat roof or in another roof shape. Alternatively, a container may also be arranged horizontally, i. the main axis of such a container is in the horizontal. Alternatively, a container may also have the shape of an ellipsoid, preferably in the form of an upright, wherein the term ellipsoid also includes a sphere. Containers are used, for example, for storage and intermediate storage of educts, products and auxiliaries. The product stored in the containers is hereinafter referred to as stored product and is not restricted to the exemplified educts, products and auxiliaries. The stored product may be, for example, fire or explosion hazard or experience an undesirable change in its chemical and / or physical nature and / or properties by the action of temperature.

In order to prevent fires and explosions or at least reduce their effects and to avoid an undesirable change in the chemical and / or physical nature and / or properties of the stored material, containers are often provided with a sprinkler system. Such a sprinkler system should as far as possible ensure complete wetting of the outer side surface of the container, the container jacket and, if present, the outer surface of the container head cover with a liquid medium, the irrigation medium. Water media, aqueous solutions, foam solutions and disinfectants, both in particular based on aqueous solutions, may be mentioned here by way of example as watering medium without this list being considered exhaustive or complete. Where purity plays an important role, sprinkler systems can be applied with solutions containing detergents or disinfectants. This is referred to as cleaning in place facilities (CIP systems). The sprinkling can be done constantly or as needed. Sprinkler systems which serve to limit an unwanted exothermic reaction in their temperature course in a container or to extinguish a fire are also called emergency irrigation. Conventional sprinkler systems include spray nozzles or closed ring pipes with many holes for distributing the sprinkling medium. As such, water is usually used. For reasons of cost, water from receiving water is often used. But this has the disadvantage that it may be contaminated with solids and / or microorganisms, such as aquatic snails and small crabs, which often leads to clogging of the spray nozzles or holes of the loops. In addition, the spray nozzles and closed loops and their holes can be poor or clean only with increased effort and consequently increased costs or keep clean. This in turn leads to an increased risk of failure of the sprinkler system, which is unacceptable especially in the case of fire and explosive storage goods and especially in an emergency sprinkler system. Other applications for sprinkler systems are the heating, cooling and temperature control of containers, wherein for the purposes of the present invention heating, cooling and tempering are collectively referred to as tempering.

Starting from this prior art it is the object of the present invention to provide a sprinkler system which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional sprinkler systems. In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a sprinkling system that is able to ensure a constant or if necessary sprinkling as well as an emergency sprinkling of a container even when using polluted by solids and microorganisms water. In addition, the Sprinkler system according to the invention should be easy to assemble and maintain.

The object is achieved by a sprinkler system according to claim 1. The dependent claims preferably define embodiments of the sprinkler system according to the invention.

This sprinkler system includes an overflow weir. This comprises at least one strip of a material which has sufficient mechanical strength to be able to be attached to the outer surface of the container and to remain permanently attached, on the other to be able to permanently withstand the static pressure of the irrigation medium, and further through the Spritzer medium is not corroded more than the material of the container shell on its outside. Such a material is for example selected from metals or metallic alloys such as steel, iron, zinc, lead, copper, aluminum, brass, bronzes, or plastics, which may also be fiber-reinforced. A strip in the sense of the present invention is a body which has at least one extension greater by one power of ten in a first space dimension (the length) than in a second space dimension (the width), whereby in turn this second space dimension is at least one order of magnitude greater extent than in a third dimension (the thickness). Preferably, the thickness to width ratio is 1:25 to 1:50. The width corresponds in the case of attached to the container shell or container head cover overflow weir the height of the overflow weir.

The overflow weir can be made up of one strip or several, for example two, three, four or more strips. Preferably, the overflow weir will be formed from two strips, and analogous to a pipe clamp. Depending on the shape of the container, its lid and the surface of the container to be sprinkled, the overflow weir may have a rectilinear, circular, hexagonal, elliptical, arbitrary curved or angled shape in its course. It should also be noted that even a rotating drum with a trough-shaped overflow weir according to the invention can be wetted by the liquid overflow.

• 1. dem Anstau des eingeleiteten Berieselungsmediums innerhalb des Überlaufwehrs,
• 2. der Vergleichmäßigung des Berieselungsmediums längs der Innenseite des Umfangs des Überlaufwehrs und
• 3. dem über den Umfang des Überlaufwehrs gleichmäßig verteilten Überlauf des angestauten Berieselungsmediums und damit dessen gleichmäßiger Verteilung auf die Behältermanteloberfläche.

The overflow weir basically serves:

• 1. the accumulation of the introduced irrigation medium within the overflow weir,
• 2. the equalization of the sprinkler along the inside of the circumference of the overflow weir and
• 3. over the circumference of the overflow weir evenly distributed overflow of the accumulated irrigation medium and thus its uniform distribution on the container shell surface.

The wetting of the container shell surface takes place with the sprinkling medium flowing downwards over the circumference of the overflow weir by the action of gravity.

The overflow weir is located in the upper part of a container so far up on the outer surface of the container that at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, most preferably 98% of the outer surface of the container is below the lower edge of the overflow weir. The overflow weir is preferably arranged on the container shell or the container head cover, that the surface normal of the surfaces of the overflow weir, which are formed by the length and width of the at least one strip, perpendicular to the direction of gravitational acceleration, the overflow weir is therefore mounted vertically. The upper edge of the overflow weir is everywhere the same at the center of gravity.

However, it is not mandatory that the overflow weir must be vertical. This can be both inwards, in terms of vertical orientation. towards the container axis, as well as to be inclined outwards. However, the latter skew can cause a larger raid of the irrigation medium than the inwardly inclined overflow weir.

To form the overflow weir, the ends of the at least one strip are preferably connected together such that the at least one strip forms a continuous band with a continuous outside and a continuous inside. The at least one strip thus forms a ring on the container shell or the container head cover. In the event that the overflow weir is formed from two strips, these strips preferably form two ring halves, again preferably formed analogous to those of a pipe clamp.

The length of the overflow weir corresponds to the circumference of the container or container head cover on the line on which the overflow weir is mounted on the container or container head cover. The shape of the overflow weir is adapted to the shape of the container or container head cover on the line on which the overflow weir is mounted on the container or container head cover.

The ends of the at least one strip may be joined together by the usual techniques known to those skilled in the art for this purpose. Examples of these techniques are welding or bolting.

In the event that the overflow weir consists of welded together metal strips, the metal strips must lie in one plane at the joint / weld, so that - if desired or required - a complete support on the container shell or the container head cover is possible. In the event that the overflow weir consists of sheet metal strips screwed together analogously to a pipe clamp, it must be ensured that the necessary tabs are at right angles to the tangential plane of the ring halves.

Preferably, the overflow weir is mounted on the container or container head cover such that the irrigation medium can not flow between the weir weir and the container jacket or container head cover.

Alternatively, the overflow weir may also be attached to the container or container head cover such that there is a clearance (gap) between overflow weir and container or container head cover. This distance can be chosen so that a certain sprinkler volume flow can be adjusted according to the damming height

The overflow weir is preferably held and centered by a linkage, which is attached to the existing usually in containers, especially large containers, overhead stage. For the rod, for example, threaded rods can be used. These may receive at one end a slot which is slightly wider than the thickness of the at least one overflow weir forming strip. The threaded rod ends with slot is placed on the overflow weir on the container shell or the container head cover and fixed at the other end to the head stage by means of brackets and nuts. Nuts are used for height adjustment and fixation of the overflow weir.

Since not all containers are equipped with a head stage, the overflow weir can be attached by means of welded tabs or angles on the container shell or the container head cover. By appropriate slots in the tabs or angles, the gap between the weir and tank can be minimized as necessary. In this case, because of the lack of threaded rods, no contact pressure for minimizing the gap can be generated, which makes it difficult to seal the overflow weir against the container casing or the container head cover. A circumferential seal, for example, from a sealing tape, preferably made of a polytetrafluoroethylene sealing strip, at the lower edge of the weir creates a remedy.

To sprinkle the container, the sprinkling medium is added to the container casing or the container head cover via an inlet. The inlet is located above the overflow weir and within its circumference, and preferably so that no mounts, nozzles, valves, manholes or other components which protrude from the container shell or the container head cover, can hinder the distribution of the irrigation medium. After the overflow weir has completely filled in further supply of the sprinkler this runs out of the overflow weir in the form of a uniform film and wets the container shell or the container head cover below the overflow weir completely.

The sprinkler system according to the invention can be used for constant or temporary sprinkling of containers. In this case, the sprinkling system according to the invention can also be used in particular for tempering, for cleaning or for disinfecting a container or for extinguishing fires on the container. The sprinkler system according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in the chemical and petrochemical industry.

Depending on whether a constant or only temporary sprinkling of the container is desired or required, there is a constant or only temporary supply of the irrigation medium. In the case of only temporary supply of the irrigation medium, care must be taken that a certain period of time is required to fill the overflow weir before the irrigation of the outer container wall begins.

Preferably, at least one opening is provided in the overflow weir. Preferably, two diametrically opposite openings are provided. The one opening or the entirety of the openings is dimensioned such that, on the one hand, when the sprinkler medium is supplied via the inlet, the overflow weir can be filled and the sprinkling medium can overflow, and, on the other hand, the irrigation medium can again run completely out of the weir if the supply of the irrigation medium ends has been. This at least one opening is intended to prevent standing within the overflow weir standing Sprieselungsmedium.

In places on the outer container shell, which protrude, for example, brackets, nozzles, valves or other components, or where, for example, welds caused by welds, it can lead to detachment of the irrigation medium and thus to dry areas, which are called dry strips along the container shell can continue. These dry strips can also be caused by a non standing in the wrong container. If such a case exists, a deflector can provide a remedy to return the irrigating medium flowing down and detached along the container back to the container surface. In the case of components or bumps is located between the overflow weir and this component or this unevenness above the same or are each a deflection channel.

Depending on the circumference of the circulating weir, the specific irrigation volume flow related to the container lateral surface is calculated for a given influx of sprinkling medium.

q_U[m²/h]

auf den Überlaufwehrumfang 1 m bezogener Berieselungsvolumenstrom

q_M[m/h]

auf die Behältermantelfläche 1 m² bezogener Berieselungsvolumenstrom

Q[m³/h]

Berieselungsvolumenstrom

U_W [m]

Umfang des Wehrs längs dem das Berieselungsmedium überströmt

M [m²]

zu benetzende Behältermantelfläche

The specific sprinkler volume flow can be related to either the overflow weir or the container shell area: q _U = Q / U _W [m ³ / (h * m) = [m ² / h] q _M = Q / M [m ³ / (h * m ² ) = [m / h]

q _U [m ² / h]

on the overflow weir 1 m related irrigation volume flow

q _M [m / h]

on the container shell surface 1 m ² related Sprinkler volume flow

Q [m ³ / h]

Irrigation flow

U _W [m]

Scope of the weir along which the sprinkling medium flows

M [m ² ]

to be wetted container lateral surface

µ

Überfallbeiwert für breites scharfkantiges und waagerechtes Wehr: 0,49 bis 0,51

B[m]

Breite des Überfallwehrs, bei kreisrundem Überlaufwehr ist das der Umfang U_W des Wehrs

H[m]

Überfallhöhe

g [m/s²]

Erdbeschleunigung

With the aid of the Poleni formula, some reference values can be calculated which are of importance for the construction and operation of the raid weir. Q [m ³ / h] = 2/3 · μ · (2 · g) ^0.5 · B · h ^3/2

μ

Raid factor for wide sharp-edged and horizontal weirs: 0.49 to 0.51

B [m]

Width of the raid weir, in the case of a circular overflow weir, this is the circumference U _{W of} the weir

Hm]

On Head

g [m / s ² ]

acceleration of gravity

An example calculation for an overflow weir with a height of 100 mm can be found in the following table: TABLE 1 Irrigation flow Armed inner diameter Überrfallbeiwert acceleration of gravity Raid high to Poleni Q D _iw μ G h = h ₀ [m ³ / h] [Mm] [-] [m / s ² ] [Mm] 5.5 3700 0.5 9.80665 1.99 Wehr scope Robbery section Medium attack rate weir height Raid width U _w A _u V _u H _w W [M] [m ² ] [M / s] [Mm] [Mm] 11.62 0.0232 .0659 100 9.41 q _u = Q / U _w Constant K ₁ of V _u = K ₁ · q _u ^1/3 constant W = K ₂ · H _w ^0.5 · q _u ^1/3 [m ² / h] Poleni formula [M / s] K ₂ [Mm] .4732 0.0846 .0659 0.0382 9.41

• 1. ein Berieselungssystem mit Überlaufwehr und ohne Umlenkrinne aufgrund der Strömungsparabel (analog des waagrechten Wurfes im Schwerefeld) immer einen kleineren Wehrdurchmesser, verglichen mit dem Behältermanteldurchmesser, haben muss und
• 2. der Einfluss der Überlaufwehrhöhe auf die Überfallweite größer ist als der auf den Wehrumfang bezogene Berieselungsstrom, d.h. der geometrische Konstruktionseinfluss der Überlaufwehrhöhe ist etwas größer als der strömungsbedingte Einfluss q_U.

The calculation example shows that:

• 1. a Sprinkler system with overflow weir and without deflecting due to the flow parabola (analogous to the horizontal throw in the gravitational field) always a smaller weir diameter, compared with the container casing diameter, must have and
• 2. the influence of the overflow weir height on the raid width is greater than the irrigation flow related to the weir extent, ie the geometric design influence of the overflow weir is slightly greater than the flow-related influence q _U.

It must therefore always be checked that the parabolic shape of the weir assault does not lead to detachment of the irrigation medium from the container casing. Details can be the 3 be removed.

Furthermore, it is important to ensure that along the entire raid weir length a uniform flow of the irrigation medium takes place, otherwise the raid speeds and thus the raiding can vary along the Wehrumfanges and it may lead to detachment of the medium from the vessel wall under certain circumstances.

• • Aufgrund des geringen Materialbedarf liegen die Investitionskosten für das erfindungsgemäße Berieselungssystem bei nur einem Fünftel derjenigen für ein herkömmliches Berieselungssystem: die Bestandteile des erfindungsgemäßen Berieselungssystems lassen sich einfach fertigen; es kommt ohne eine Vielzahl von Bohrungen oder Sprühdüsen aus; Streifen sind leichter zu rollen als ein Rohr; Gewindestangen sind Meterware; Förderhöhe und Förderstrom sind geringer als bei Ringleitungen mit Bohrungen.
• • Wegen des geringen Gewichts des Überlaufwehrs ergibt sich eine leichtere Montage als bei herkömmlichen Berieselungssystemen.
• • Sind auf dem Behälterkopfdeckel Bauteile angebracht, so ist bei herkömmlichen Berieselungssystemen der Sprühringdurchmesser so groß zu wählen ist, dass dieser immer außerhalb der Stutzen liegt, um die volle Benetzung des Behältermantels sicherzustellen. Dies hat zur Folge, dass der Sprühring mitunter einen großen Durchmesser und damit auch eine große Anzahl an Bohrungen besitzt, was einen hohen Montage- und Wartungsaufwand zur Folge hat.
• • Das neue System ist unempfindlich gegen den Einsatz von mit Feststoffen und Kleinlebewesen verschmutzen Wasser, es ist daher besser für die Notberieselung geeignet als herkömmliche Berieselungsanlagen. Es ist betriebssicher, leichter zu reinigen und hat bereitet keine Probleme mit Verstopfungen.
• • Aufgrund der vielen erforderlichen Bohrungen in der Ringleitung eines herkömmlichen Berieselungssystems und der in Abhängigkeit vom verwendetem Berieselungsfluid und dessen Verschmutzungsgrad groß genug zu wählenden Bohrungsdurchmesser ergibt sich ein Austrittsquerschnitt, dem ein entsprechend hoher Berieselungsstrom gegenübersteht. Dies erfordert für das Ringleitungssystem eine größere Pumpenkapazität als jene für das erfindungsgemäße Berieselungssystem.

The sprinkler system according to the invention has a number of advantages over the conventional ones, which are shown below:

• Due to the low material requirement, the investment costs for the sprinkler system according to the invention are only one fifth that for a conventional sprinkler system: the components of the sprinkler system according to the invention can be easily manufactured; it does not require a large number of holes or spray nozzles; Strips are easier to roll than a pipe; Threaded rods are sold by the meter; Delivery head and delivery flow are lower than with ring pipes with holes.
• • Due to the low weight of the overflow weir, the installation is easier than with conventional sprinkler systems.
• • If components are attached to the container head cover, the spray ring diameter in conventional sprinkler systems must be chosen so large that it is always located outside the nozzle to ensure full wetting of the container jacket. This has the consequence that the spray ring sometimes has a large diameter and thus a large number of holes, which has a high installation and maintenance costs.
• • The new system is resistant to the use of contaminated with solids and micro-organisms, it is therefore better suited for emergency irrigation than conventional sprinklers. It is safe to operate, easier to clean and has no clogging problems.
• • Due to the many required holes in the loop of a conventional sprinkler system and depending on the used Sprinkler fluid and its degree of contamination large enough to be selected bore diameter results in an outlet cross-section, which faces a correspondingly high Sprinkler stream. This requires a larger pump capacity for the loop system than for the sprinkler system according to the invention.

The sprinkler system according to the invention is illustrated by way of example in the following figure, without being limited thereto.

It shows:

1 a schematic representation of the sprinkler system according to the invention.

Here are:

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 Overflow weir

2

 Intake

3

 deflectors

4

 container

2 schematic representations of sprinkler systems according to the invention on different types of containers.

3 a schematic representation of an overflow weir on a container including the necessary to establish the Poloni formula sizes.

4 a schematic representation of flow profiles at differently arranged overflow weirs.

Claims (7)

Sprinkler system for sprinkling containers in the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry and in food, oil refineries and Lagerertankeinrichtungen comprising an overflow weir and an inlet, characterized in that the overflow weir comprises at least one strip of a material having sufficient mechanical strength, on the one hand be attached to the outer surface of the container and to remain permanently attached to the other to be able to withstand the static pressure of the irrigation medium permanently, on the other by the irrigation medium is not corroded more than the material of the container shell on its outside, the overflow weir so high on the outer surface of the container, that at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably at least 98% of the outer surface of the container below the lower edge of the overflow weir, un d the overflow weir is located vertically on the container or the container head cover, with the upper edge overflow weir everywhere with respect to the center of gravity is the same height. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the at least one strip are interconnected so that the at least one strip forms a continuous band with a continuous outside and a continuous inside. Sprinkler system according to claim 2, characterized in that the overflow weir is formed from two strips, these strips form two ring halves, which are analogous to those of a pipe clamp. Sprinkler system according to claim 1, characterized in that the overflow weir is such on the container or the container head cover that the irrigation medium between the overflow weir and the container or the container head cover can not flow through. Sprinkler system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one opening is provided in the overflow weir, wherein preferably two diametrically opposite openings are provided. Use of the sprinkler system according to claim 1 for constant or temporary sprinkling of containers. Use of the sprinkler system according to claim 1 for tempering, for cleaning or for disinfecting a container or for extinguishing fires on the container.

Images