DE19814740A1 - Mobile decontamination station for personnel involved in cleaning chemical spillages - Google Patents

Abstract

The mobile decontamination station comprises a cabin for rinsing protective clothing, which is brought to the site, along with all other associated equipment, on a lorry. The mobile decontamination station comprises a lorry carrying all the required equipment, including clean water and wash water tanks, associated pumps, a generator to heat water in a boiler, a foam generator, a collapsible cabin for decontamination and a tent (40) for resting and a change of clothing. The cabin is divided into two sections (34,16). Decontamination is carried out in one section (34) by sprayed foam which, dripping through a floor grid (36), is destabilized by chemical sprays. The remaining foam is rinsed off the clothing in the other section (16) and wash water from both sections is collected for subsequent disposal. A handrail (56) guides personnel in their passage through a narrow space.

Description

The invention relates to a system for decontamination of chemical protection suits to the operator immediately after use.

An important task in civil defense and civil protection (ZKS) is to Persons who use this in chemical protective suits (CSA) have performed decontaminate. Decontamination means ent Removal of harmful or toxic substances from the protective devices trains.

A special feature of possible ZKS missions is z. B. in comparison with military applications in a fundamentally possible variety of health harmful or toxic substances, be it in the event of fire or e.g. B. Chemical accidents. In the military field, the possible substances are much more involved limits, but usually far more dangerous.

During ZKS missions, substances of the military hazard are rarely used great performance. However, since the occurrence of highly toxic substances cannot be excluded  a decontamination process for ZKS operations must be similar be as powerful as a military decontamination process.

Protective suits are a hermetic full protection made of chew Chuk or polymer material with integrated oxygen supply (respiratory protection). The capacity of the respiratory protection is currently approx. 20 min. Because a decontamination on the CSA with suits closed and breathing air out Finally, the CSA internal supply can be found, the actual Working time of the ZKS personnel is approx. 20 min less for decontamination required time.

The object of the invention is to provide a system that is fast and effective decontamination enables and prevents contaminating Substances can diffuse into the protective suits, so that the protective suits are reusable.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the teaching of the main claim. The subclaims relate to advantageous refinements of the invention.

The object of the invention meets the following requirements:

• - Integration of all necessary components / processes / auxiliary and operating materials on an independent emergency vehicle
• - Energy self-sufficient and at least for one hour self-sufficient and auxiliary system  
• - Use of a decontamination process with the least possible environment hazard potential
• - Setup and handling of the system by two to a maximum of three People.

Because of these requirements, a decontamination process becomes liquid extractive basis used.

Detoxification emulsions, such as the "German-" used in the military Emulsion "(GE) are less suitable for use in the ZKS. This is in it justifies that the emulsion production itself is a comparative one elaborate and demanding process represents what without the use appropriately trained personnel (ABC troops) cannot be carried out.

Furthermore, the GE cannot be stored and must be manufactured anew each time it is used become. Due to the comparatively long production times (approx. 40 to 60 min.) use in the ZKS area is problematic. On the other hand, the GE is from physico-chemical point of view due to good surface adhesion and proven and also deep extraction capacity of interest and the other water-based cleaning processes currently in use (High pressure cleaning or wet steam cleaning) clearly superior.

There is therefore a partial task in the presentation of a CSA rapid decontamination tion system, a similarly effective decontamination process to that of the  Realize GE (e.g. good surface adhesion, good extraction capacity), however avoid their disadvantages.

For this purpose, a foam process based on water and surfactant materials used. In addition there is the addition of decontami nation means - if necessary - provided.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures.

Show it:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an emergency vehicle with system components

FIG. 2 is a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1

Fig. 3 shows the operating state of the system

Fig. 4 shows the decontamination booths of Fig. 3 in an enlarged view and

Fig. 5 shows the operation of the foam generator.

Fig. 1 and 2 show an emergency vehicle 2, following on the loading platform 4 are permanently installed system components remain during the insert (Fig. 3) on the back of:

• - Fresh water tank 6 approx. 200 liters for self-sufficient operation for approx. 1 h, identical tank 8 for collecting the waste water, water pumps 10 approx. 5 bar for supplying the boiler 12 of the foam generator 14 and a rinsing cabin 16
• - Foam generator 14 (described in more detail in FIG. 5)
• - electrical power supply unit 18 (e.g. 230/400 V, 50 Hz, 8 kVA)
• - Tank 20 (approx. 50 liters) for holding foam-destroying chemicals with a separate water pump 22 (approx. 5 bar) for supplying the spray heads 28 for the collecting trough 30
• - Control 26 for the subsystem control (foam generator 14 , supply of rinsing cabin 16 , supply of spray heads 28 , drip pan 30 , sewage pump 32 ).

The following system components are carried on the loading area 4 of the emergency vehicle 2 , which are set up at the location in the vicinity of the emergency vehicle:

• - Foldable shower cubicles 16 , 34 with foldable grating 36 and spray heads 38 for foam destruction
• - Foam and water collecting tray 30 , preferably foldable plastic material
• - Submersible pump 38 for pumping the drip pan 30 into the waste water tank 8
• - Tent 40 (for changing and resting the emergency personnel).

Figs. 3 and 4 will now be explained in more detail below:
When in use, the shower cubicles are set up next to the emergency vehicle 2 . This state of construction of the cabins is shown in FIG. 3. The two cabins 16 , 34 are built on gratings 36 and closed at the bottom with a collecting trough 30 . The persons 42 to be decontaminated in the CSA first enter the cabin 34 , which is used exclusively for the application of the decontamination foam, possibly with additional decontamination chemicals. For this purpose, several dispensing heads 44 are arranged within the cabin 34 in such a way that a uniform foaming of the CSA can be ensured without the people 42 having to turn, which would not be possible reliably due to the restricted possibility of movement and possible stress situations of the people. A handrail 56 provides people (even with limited visibility) security when walking into the next cabin 16 .

After the foaming procedure / exposure time of approximately 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the extent of the contamination, the persons (CSA) enter the subsequent rinsing cabin 16 , which is separated from the foaming cabin 34 by a splash-proof curtain 46 . The decontamination foam is rinsed off in a manner analogous to the foaming procedure by means of several spray heads 45 .

The sump 30 is preferably made of a foldable stable plastic material. The foam content in the sump initially prevents efficient pumping, e.g. B. by means of a separate submersible pump 38 .

To do this, it is necessary to destabilize the foam content and thus to To bring about disintegration, for which there are various more or less practicable procedures depending on the foam-forming surfactant used. In principle, heat treatment of the foam or the is always possible foam-carrying liquid. The foam-forming surfactants are related to their surfactant properties that cause foaming, temperature sensitive. In some cases, however, considerably high temperatures in Depending on the surfactants used in each case, so that a thermal Destabilization of the foam does not always lead to the goal. In particular this applies to ionic surfactants, whereas non-ionic surfactants tend to be tempera  are turlable and heat treatment is advantageously used in this case can be.

Has not proven particularly effective in destabilizing foams Ionic surfactants have been shown to blow the foam with hot air (degradation of approx. 10 cm foam height in less than 1 min.).

Another way to destabilize the foam is to add it appropriately Neter chemicals, preferably in aqueous solution or suspension. Foams made from both ionic and nonionic surfactants are preferred destabilizable by aqueous solutions / suspensions of tributyl phosphate and Sodium araclinate (Na salt of C19 aliphatic carboxylic acid) in concentration ranges up to approx. 30%.

When using cationic or anionic surfactants as foaming agents Another way to destabilize the foam is to use a surfactant to bring opposite charge in each case. With cationic surfactants as An anionic surfactant is therefore added to the foaming agent, whereas with anionic foam-forming surfactants to destabilize a cationic Surfactant is added. It is sufficient to have surfactant concentrations (in water) in the Range of a few percent.

It is also possible to add inorganic salt solutions, in particular water-soluble calcium salts, for foam destabilization in use ionic surfactants in foam production. Salt concentrations in the A few tens of percent required for rapid foam destruction.

When using nonionic surfactants in foam production is one Foam destabilization by ionic surfactant solutions or inorganic solutions  shear salts are also possible, but much less effective than in the case of ionic surfactants as foaming agents.

Better results are obtained when destabilizing non-ionic foams achieved surfactants by the fact that, for example, substances such as long-chain Fatty alcohols or polyglycol ethers in aqueous solutions or suspensions be added. Another possibility of foam destabilization is in the addition of phosphates.

Suitable concentrations of the above Substances range between 1% and 10%.

Suitable aqueous solutions / suspensions of the foam-destabilizing chemicals are preferably applied via a plurality of fine spray heads 28 , which are either arranged around the upper edge of the collecting trough 30 or, alternatively, are integrated into the grating 36 of the shower cubicles. The supply takes place from the emergency vehicle 2 by means of a separate pump 10 (approx. 5 bar) from appropriate containers.

After rinsing (approx. 1 min.), The people (CSA) leave the cabin 16 and the protective suit 50 is removed by an assistant. The persons are then accommodated in a tent 40, which is also transported in the emergency vehicle, for an appropriate rest period and for putting on light clothing.

The mode of operation of the foam generator 14 can be seen in FIG. 5 and is explained in more detail below.

Tap water is heated to 40-60 ° C (electrically operated boiler 12 or water heater, also electrically or combustion-operated) and fed to a high pressure pump (approx. 40-100 bar). The surfactant solution and decontamination solution are added by means of metering pumps in the feed line upstream of a high-pressure pump. The liquid mixture is then expanded after the high-pressure pump via a venturi nozzle that is open on the air side, creating a foam under air suction. The consistency of the foam can be influenced by the pressure drop in the venturi.

The foam produced is fed to the foaming booth 34 for personal CSA decontamination ( FIGS. 3 and 4) by means of a hose line 52 and spray heads 44 .

Reference list

ZKS civil and civil protection
CSA chemical protective suit
GE. . . Detoxification phenomenon ("German Emulsion") described in DE 36 38 625 C.
ABC Atomic, biological, chemical warfare agents

2nd

Emergency vehicle

4th

Loading area

6

Fresh water tank

8th

Waste water tank

10th

Water pumps

12th

boiler

14

Foam generator

16

Rinsing cabin

18th

Power supply unit

20th

Tank (foam-destroying chemicals

22

water pump

24th

Floodlight mast

26

control

28

Spray heads for foam destruction

30th

Drip pan

32

Sewage pump

34

Foaming cabin

36

Grating

38

Submersible pump

40

tent

42

People in the CSA

44

Spreading heads

45

Spray heads

46

curtain

50

protective suit

52

Hose lines

54

Valves

56

Handrail

Claims (5)

1. System for decontamination of the chemical protective suits worn by the operator on the wearer, the decontamination means and devices being transported to the place of use on the loading surface of a truck, characterized in that on the loading surface ( 4 ) or on a pallet the loading area is a fresh water tank (6), a Abwas sertank (8), a foam generator (14), a power generator (18), a fresh water pump (10) and a waste water pump (10) are mounted and that on the loading surface (4) at least a cabin ( 16 , 34 ) which can be set up in the vicinity of the vehicle for carrying out the decontamination and a tent ( 40 ) for changing and resting the operating personnel. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cabin for decontamination by a chemical-resistant curtain ( 46 ) has separate rooms ( 16 , 34 ), of which the first room ( 34 ) in the walls and ceiling spray devices ( 44 ) for the Foaming the chemical protective suit ( 50 ) on the carrier ( 42 ) and the second space spray heads ( 45 ) for washing off the foam with water from the protective suit has that the bottom of the cabin is a grate ( 36 ) under which there is a collecting trough ( 30 ) is located, and that at the deepest area of the drip pan from a water pump ( 38 ) is arranged. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that there are atomizing nozzles ( 28 ) for spraying foam-destabilizing chemicals in the collecting trough ( 30 ). 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one handrail ( 46 ) is located on the edge of the cabin ( 16 , 34 ). 5. Foam for decontamination for devices according to claim 1 consisting of water and surfactants, characterized in that during the generation in the foam generator ( 14 ) oxidizing agents are added on a hypochloritic or peroxidic basis.