EP0206915B1 - Cleaning apparatus for water surfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

It comprises at least one channel (12) which extracts a stream of water at the front of the apparatus, subsequently ejecting it at the rear after cleaning it, preferably by way of two divergent channels (18). The circulation of the stream of water in the channel (12) is ensured by at least one screw (20) driven by a preferably hydraulic motor. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a pollution control device of simple and economical construction which makes it possible to effectively depollute water bodies such as lakes or marine shores by collecting all the water immiscible wastes that their density is lower, equal to or greater than that of groundwater.

A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is described in document WO-A-80/0072. Such a machine comprises a channel which takes a current, respectively a vein of water in the vicinity of the surface at the front of the machine to reject it at the rear after having cleared it, the circulation of the vein of water in the channel being provided by at least one propeller driven by a motor, preferably hydraulic.

Such a device is also described in document US-A-3823828.

The subject of the invention is a device for cleaning up water tables comprising waste on their surface, of the type comprising a water circulation channel having an inlet for receiving a stream of water at the front of said device and a outlet opening at the rear of said device for discharging said stream of water after cleaning it, a propeller driven by a motor and driving the stream of water in said channel, characterized in that the device also comprises a closed decanting bell located above the surface of the water table, behind the water inlet on the upper wall of the circulation channel near its mouth, a bypass channel with closed section collecting the upper part of the water stream which comprises the floating waste at a point situated below the level of the water which surrounds the machine, this bypass channel being inclined upwards and having its outlet situated in the settling bell to the neighbor swimming from the top of the latter where floating debris accumulates, an elimination pipe eliminating floating debris from the top of the settling bell and a downward evacuation pipe having its entry in the bell settling in the vicinity of the outlet of the bypass canal and having its outlet connected to the circulation channel downstream of the inlet of the bypass canal at a place where the speed of the water flow is greater than that which exists at the point of entry of the bypass canal.

This way, in a particularly simple and effective way, the separation of the supernatant waste which is collected at the top of the settling bell is obtained, from which it can be extracted by any device, while the water sent into the bell decantation is automatically extracted by the evacuation pipe.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bypass channel which takes the upper part of the liquid vein has an elongated section which opens along the front wall of the settling bell, the upper part of the liquid vein on which supernatant the impurities being brought into the settling bell in the vicinity of said front wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water evacuation pipe has a relatively small section compared to that of the settling bell and its mouth is placed in the vicinity of the center of the latter.

In accordance with the invention, it is possible to regulate the evacuation of the supernatant liquids which collect at the top of the settling bell using a contactor provided with a float which has the double characteristic of floating above the water and sink into the layer of supernatant.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water circulation channel has a section which gradually reduces between the mouth of the bypass channel which ends at the settling bell and the point of arrival of the pipe d evacuation which brings the water from the settling bell back into said channel to create a faster speed of water circulation at this last point.

In a variant, it is possible to create the speed difference which is necessary for the evacuation of the water from the settling bell using an adjustable register which lets penetrate into the channel of the water coming from from the underside of the machine between the mouth of the bypass canal and the point where the water evacuation pipe from the settling bell ends.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the evacuation pipe which takes the water contained in the settling bell to send it into the channel leading to the liquid vein is provided with a throttling device which can make vary its flow.

Other preferred embodiments of the invention appear in the dependent claims.

• - La figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation montrant un mode de réalisation d'un engin conforme à l'invention dont les flotteurs sont constitués par des roues munies de chenilles,
• - la figure 2 est une vue de dessus correspondant à la figure 1,
• - la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon III-III de la figure 1,
• - la figure 4 est une vue de gauche de la figure 1,
• - la figure 5 est une vue schématique du dessus du canal de circulation d'eau conduisant la veine liquide de l'engin des figure 1 à 4,
• - la figure 6 est une vue schématique en perspective de l'engin représenté sur les figures précédentes,
• - la figure 7 est une vue en coupe de l'ouverture et du volet qui permettent de prélever de l'eau en dessous de l'engin pour l'amener dans la veine,
• la figure 8 est une vue de face d'un mode de réalisation particulier de la paroi supérieure de l'entrée de la veine liquide,
• - la figure 8A est une vue à plus grande échelle de la partie VIII de la figure 8, et
• - la figure 9 est une vue schématique en coupe à plus grande échelle montrant comment les impuretés liquides plus légères que l'eau sont collectées à la partie supérieure de la cloche de décantation.

In order to better understand the invention, we will now describe by way of illustration and without any limiting character an embodiment taken as an example and shown in the accompanying drawing. On this drawing :

• FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view showing an embodiment of a machine according to the invention, the floats of which consist of wheels fitted with tracks,
• FIG. 2 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view along III-III of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a view from the left of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic view from above of the water circulation channel leading the liquid vein of the device of FIGS. 1 to 4,
• FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the machine shown in the preceding figures,
• FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the opening and of the flap which make it possible to take water from below the machine to bring it into the vein,
• FIG. 8 is a front view of a particular embodiment of the upper wall of the inlet of the liquid stream,
• FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of part VIII of FIG. 8, and
• - Figure 9 is a schematic sectional view on a larger scale showing how the liquid impurities lighter than water are collected at the top of the settling bell.

There is shown schematically in Figures 1 to 5 an embodiment of the machine according to the invention.

The body 1 of the machine supports on each side a flotation member 2 which in this case consists of three hollow wheels 3 connected by a track 4. These wheels 3 are mounted on a support 5 whose ends 6 and 7 of rounded shape can go up or down independently of each other with respect to the body 1 of the machine thanks to the jacks 8 and 9 schematically represented and located above the body of the machine.

It is understood that, taking into account the fact that the hollow wheels 3 participate to a significant extent in the buoyancy of the machine, it is possible to modify the attitude of the latter by acting on the jacks 9.

Two converging removable boxes 10 are placed at the front end of the machine so as to channel the waste which found on the surface of the water towards the entry of the channel which makes cross the liquid vein from the front to the back of the machine.

The boxes 10 converge towards a grid 11 which is arranged across the mouth of the water circulation channel 12, the shape of which is clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 3 shows how the channel 12 has a height which decreases progressively between the inlet grid 11 and the rear 13 of the machine.

We also see how the bypass channel 14 takes the upper part of the liquid vein to bring it into the settling bell 15 in the upper part of which accumulates the supernatant impurities while the water is brought back into the liquid vein by the evacuation pipe 16 which terminates in accordance with the invention at 16 a in the channel 12 at a point located downstream from point 14 a where the upper part of the vein is taken.

We see in Figure 5 how the channel 12 has a width which is gradually reduced between the grid 11 and the point 17 where it separates into two divergent channels 18 whose ends open at 19 laterally behind the machine.

Also seen in Figure 5 the propellers 20 driven by hydraulic motors not shown, which are located in each of the channels 18 to ensure the circulation of the liquid stream.

Jet deflectors constituted by cylinder sectors 21, can, by pivoting around the axis 22, either allow the liquid stream to flow in the axis of the two divergent channels 18, or bring the two halves of the liquid stream laterally or even towards the front of the craft.

We understand that it is possible to direct the machine at will by acting on the deflectors 21 which can be actuated independently of each other and which, when they bring the two halves of the liquid stream forward may cause the vehicle to reverse.

Thanks to the fact that the liquid stream 12 is divided rearwards into two divergent liquid streams 18, the machine according to the invention has great stability and great maneuverability even in bodies of water which have large currents.

Finally, there is schematically shown in FIG. 3 an orifice 23 located in the lower wall of the channel which can be more or less closed by a flap 24 so as to take water under the machine to ensure ejection of a flow significant water through the divergent channels 18, without increasing the speed of circulation of the water stream at the entrance of the channel 12 beyond what is necessary for a good collection of liquid waste located on the surface of the water table.

We find in the perspective view of Figure 6 which is a section cut away in part along the median longitudinal plane of the machine, the channel 12 which is divided at the rear of the machine into two channels 18 separated from the point 17, the bypass channel 14 which takes the upper part of the liquid stream at 14 a to bring it into the settling bell 15 from which the water which accumulates at the lower part of the bell escapes by the evacuation pipe 16 to end at 16 a further back in the channel 12.

FIG. 6 schematically shows how the hydrocarbons or other impurities lighter than water accumulate in 15 a at the upper part of the settling bell 15 while, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a deflector 25 is placed on the wall of the bell opposite the bypass channel 14 to prevent the hydrocarbons 15 a from being sucked in again by the evacuation pipe 16.

There is shown in Figure 6 the waterline 26 which can be easily adjusted using the floatation members 5 so that it lies slightly above the mouth 14a of the bypass channel 14.

There is shown on a larger scale in Figure 9 a sectional view of the settling bell 15. We find there the bypass channel 14 which guides the upper part of the liquid vein, which schematically comprises represented in 15 b , a layer of supernatant impurities such as hydrocarbons which come to accumulate in 15 a at the upper part of the bell 15 while the water which remains at the lower part of the bell is sucked by the evacuation pipe 16 due to the fact that the end 16a of this pipe is in depression relative to the mouth 15a of the pipe bypass.

It is seen in Figure 9 how a float 27 with a density such that it floats in the water of the bell and it flows in hydrocarbons 15a acts on a switch 28, shown schematically, for actuating a pump which discharges the hydrocarbons 15 a through the line 29 when the quantity of hydrocarbons collected at the upper part of the settling bell exceeds a predetermined volume.

When it is put into operation and when it becomes necessary thereafter, the upper part of the settling bell is connected to a source of vacuum by a pipe not shown in the drawing in order to maintain the liquids at a determined level of the bell.

According to the invention, it is also advantageous to provide the pipe 16 with a throttling register, not shown, which makes it possible to adjust the flow rate in the channel 14 and the pipe 16 so as to obtain the optimal settling conditions.

There is schematically shown in Figure 8 a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the upper wall of the channel 12, in the vicinity of the mouth 14 a of the bypass channel 14.

In accordance with this embodiment, the upper wall of the channel 12 has between the grid 11 and the mouth 14 has of the bypass channel a zigzag section which allows to collect the supernatant liquid impurities on the liquid vein which engages inside the machine so as to facilitate decantation in the bell 15.

Indeed, as can be seen in FIG. 8A, taking into account the zigzag section of the upper wall of the channel 12, when there is only a small quantity of hydrocarbons floating on the liquid table, these the latter tend to coalesce in 15 b at the top of the triangles forming the zig-zags.

These are the hydrocarbon cords 15 b which are found in FIG. 9 along the wall of the bypass channel 14 and which end at 15 a at the upper part of the settling bell, of which they thus facilitate the proper functioning. .

It can be seen that the device according to the invention which is of a simple and inexpensive structure makes it possible to completely clean up a sheet of water from all the waste which floats on the surface of the sheet.

Instead of using buoyancy boxes constituted by wheels fitted with tracks which give the machine an amphibious character, it is possible to use simple full boxes which are subjected in the same way to the action of the jacks for adjust the attitude of the machine.

Claims (8)

1. Machine for depolluting sheets of water carrying waste on their surface, of the type incorporating a water circulating channel (12) having an inlet (11) for receiving a water current at the front of the said machine and an outlet opening (13) to the rear of said machine for discharging said water current following the depollution thereof, a propeller (20) driven by a motor and driving the said water current into the said channel (12), characterized in that the machine also has a closed settling bell (15) above the surface of the sheet of water and to the rear of the inlet (11) of the water on the upper wall of the circulating channel (12) in the vicinity of its opening, a closed section diversion or bypass channel (14) collecting the upper part of the water current incorporating the floating waste at a point (14a) located below the level of the water surrounding the machine, said bypass channel (14) being upwardly inclined and having its outlet located in the settling bell (15) in the vicinity of the upper part of the latter where the floating waste accumulates, an eliminating pipe (29) eliminating the floating waste from the upper part of the settling bell (15) and a downward discharge pipe (16) having its inlet in the settling bell in the vicinity of the outlet of the bypass channel (14) and its outlet (16a) connected to the circulating channel (12) downstream of the inlet (14a) of the bypass channel (14) at a point where the speed of the water current exceeds that at the location of the inlet of the bypass channel (14a).
2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the settling bell (15) has a front wall directed towards the front of the machine, the bypass channel (14) having an elongated section and being located along the front wall of the settling chamber.
3. Machine according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the discharge pipe (16) has a smaller cross-section than that of the settling bell, the inlet of said discharge pipe (16) being located in the vicinity of the centre of the settling bell.
4. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the settling bell (15) has a float (27) with a density below that of the water, but higher than that of the supernatant liquids, a pump controlled by the said float discharging the supernatant waste by the elimination pipe (29).
5. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water circulating channel (12) has a useful cross-section decreasing progressively from the point where the inlet (14a) of the bypass channel (14) is located to the location of the outlet (16a) of the discharge pipe (16) in said circulation channel (12).
6. Machine according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has an adjustable flap (24) for controlling the water current speed differences between the inlet (14a) of the bypass channel (14) and the outlet (16a) of the discharge pipe, said flap (24) controlling the flow of water entering from below the machine into the water circulating channel (12) by an orifice (23) located in the lower wall of the water circulating channel (12) between the inlet (14a) of the bypass channel and the outlet (16a) of the discharge pipe.
7. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water circulating channel (12) has in the vicinity of its part located towards the front of the machine an upper wall having a zig-zag cross-section.
8. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge pipe (16) has a regulatable constricting means.

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