COLLECTING VESSEL

Abstract: A collecting vessel (1) is intended to be connected to a venting conduit (3), to which inflammable and/or environmentally dangerous gases developed by the waste are transferred. According to a preferred embodiment, the collecting vessel comprises an inner vessel (11) enclosed by a casing (12). Between the collecting vessel (1) and the venting conduit (3) preferably a normally open damper (19) is provided and capable to be closed when the temperature in the collecting vessel exceeds a predetermined value. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a fire extinguisher (18) is provided and capable to deliver an extinguishing medium to the collecting vessel when a predetermined temperature in the collecting vessel has been reached.

Description: Collecting vessel This invention relates to a collecting vessel for tempor¬ arily storing therein waste giving off inflammable and/ or environmentally dangerous gases, etc., the concentrat- ion of which in the collecting vessel shall be restrict¬ ed. As regards inflammable gases, their concentration is to be restricted in order to prevent fire or explosion in the waste. The invention is in this respect especi¬ ally suitable for chemical compounds and their gases, which tend to self-ignite. When the waste is of a type dangerous to the environment, for example hospital waste, gases developed must also in this case not be permitted to assume high concentration and high pressure, in order to prevent their leakage into the room where the vessel is located and, respectively, to prevent fire or explosion, which in both cases would cause, for example, infection to be spread in the room. Collecting vessels of the type here concerned which are used for storing various waste for one or at maximum some days, often give rise to fire or gas leakage. The fire risk is especially great in workshops where oil- soaked twist and similar waste in the collecting vessel brings about a heavy concentration of flammable and ex¬ plosive gases. It is well-known that self-ignition in waste containers every year causes many fires in indu¬ stry premises. Also in medical service occur fires, which were caused by sel -ignition. The present invention provides a collecting vessel, by which the risk of fire and explosion is reduced very substantially. The present invention, thus, relates to a collecting vessel for the temporary storage of waste, which gives off inflammable and/or environmentally dangerous gases etc., the concentration of which in the collecting vess- el shall be restricted and/or the leakage of which in the immediate vicinity of the vessel shall be prevented. The invention is characterized in that an outlet open¬ ing in the collecting vessel is provided to be ^ connected to a venting conduit, and that the vessel is provided with one or more gaps, vent holes or corresponding means for the supply of fresh air to the vessel, which venting conduit is arranged so that an air stream of fresh air is caused to pass through the collecting vessel, where¬ by said gases are caused to leave through the venting conduit. The invention is described in greater detail in the foll¬ owing, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows by way of example an embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a lateral view of a collecting vessel, from which a side piece has been removed, Fig. 2 is a view of a collecting vessel seen straight from the front, Fig. 3 is a view from above of a collecting vessel, from which the top piece has been removed. In Fig. 1 a collecting vessel is shown which generally is designated by 1. In the collecting vessel 1 an outlet opening 2 is intended to be connected to a venting cond¬ uit 3. The outlet opening 2 preferably is located in the upper portion of the vessel 1, because inflatable gases in most cases are lighter than air. The vessel 1 further is provided with one or more gaps, vent holes or corres¬ ponding means for the supply of fresh air to the vessel from its ambient. The gaps or vent holes can be arranged at the bottom 4 of the vessel 1, as indicated by the arrows 5- It is, however, preferable to design a dcor 6, which is intended for removing the waste from the vessel 1 therethrough, without sealing means proper, so that an air amount just right per time unit can leak in between the dcor β and the rear wall 7 of the vessel. ___— __ OMPI IPO The venting conduit 3 is arranged so that a stream of fresh air is caused to flow through the collecting vessel, whereby said gases are caused to leave the vessel through the venting conduit 3- 5 For this purpose, according to one embodiment of the in¬ vention a fan 8, schematically shown in Fig. 2, is provid¬ ed to transport air in the direction of the arrow 9 in the venting conduit. According to a second embodiment, the venting conduit 3 is connected to a ventilation installation in a workshop or industrial premise. When the air stream is brought about by a fan, which is located at the collecting vess¬ el, or by a fan in a ventilation installation, a vacuum can be created and maintained in the collecting vessel. A vacuum in most cases drastically reduces the risks of a fire or explosion and prevents substances or the like to leak from the vessel out to the immediate, vicinity thereof. According to a further embodiment, the venting conduit - is arranged so as to project into the free atmosphere for effecting natural ventilation through the collect¬ ing vessel. For certain purposes, for example when the collecting vessel is utilized for waste dangerous to the environ- ment, the venting conduit is provided with a filter 10 for collecting certain substances, bacteria and the like. The collecting vessel 1, according to a preferred embod¬ iment, comprises an inner vessel 11 enclosed by a casing 12, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner vessel 11 consists of a vessel which is sealed with the exemption of one upward directed opening 13. The inner vessel 11 prefer¬ ably is a steel or sheet netal barrel, which is provid¬ ed at its upper end with a ring 15 foldable by means of a hinge 1-4 for retaining, for example, a plastic bag, OMPI Λ, WIPO * - which has been positioned down into the inner vessel 11. The said casing 12 preferably is a sheet metal box. The casing 12 is provided with said door 6, which covers the greater part of the rear wall of the casing, in order thereby to facilitate the removal of the inner vessel 11, so that the plastic bag or corresponding waste con¬ tainer can be exchanged. In addition to said door 6, the vessel has an upper open- ing 16, which is covered by alid 17 3 which is hingedly suspended at its upper portion and can restrictively be opened to about the position 17' shown by dashed line in Fig. 1. The opening Iβ is directed substantially up¬ ward. Due to its restricted opening capacity, the lid . 17;in open position returns by gravity to its position closing the opening Iβ. When after' • •all an explosion occurs in the collecting vessel 1, the lid 17 is thrown open and the flue gases, flow out in a substantially upward direction, whereafter the li is closed automatically. It is hereby prevented that the entire casing is burst to pieces. Furthermore, the entering of fresh air through the opening 16 after the explosion is prevented. In order to prevent that in spite of the venting of the waste a fire possibly occurs, according to an essential embodiment a fire extinguisher Iδ is provided which at a predetermined temperature in the collecting vessel aut¬ omatically supplies extinguishing medium to the inter¬ ior of the collecting vessel 1. Such fire extinguishers sensitive at a certain temperat¬ ure are commercially available i..a. through the company Svenska Erand AB, Stockholm, Sweden. fi IZ mX The fire extinguisher 18 preferably is positioned in the upper portion of the collecting vessel. The extinguish¬ ing medium shall be of a type selected in view of the waste. Extinguishing gas, for example haloπ, -. carbon dioxide or extinguishing liquid or extinguishing powder can be used. Although the risk of fires and/or explosions is reduced effectively by the arrangement of a controlled venting of the waste, the risk of self-ignition, as mentioned above, cannot be eliminated entirely. When a fire or explosion occurs, it is important that the venting stops immediately. For this reason, accord¬ ing to one embodiment a normally open damper 19 is prov¬ ided between the interior of the collecting vessel 1 and the venting conduit 3- The damper 19 in a manner known per se is capable by action of a temperature-sensitive member 20, for example a fuse or wax container, to be closed at a predetermined temperature and thereby to close the outlet opening 2. The predetermined temperature can be, for example, 8θ°C. The present invention can be varied in several ways with¬ out abandoning the invention idea. It is, thus, understood that the inner vessel as well as the casing can be designed in a different way. The invention, thus a must not be regarded res ric-ced to the embodiment described above, but can be varied within the scope of the attached claims. OMPI

Claims: Claims 1. A collecting vessel for the temporary storage of waste giving off inflammable and/or environmentally dang¬ erous gases, etc., the concentration of which in the coll- ecting vessel shall be restricted and/or the leakage of which into the immediate vicinity of the vessel is to be prevented, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that an out¬ let opening (2) is provided in the collecting vessel (1) to be connected to a venting conduit (3) 3 and that the vessel (1) is provided with one or more gaps 3 vent holes or corresponding means for the supply of fresh air to the vessel (1), which venting conduit (3) is arranged so that a stream of fresh air is caused to flow through the collecting vessel (1), whereby said gases are caused to leave the vessel through the venting conduit (3). 2. A collecting vessel as defined in claim 1, c h a r- a c t e r i z e d i n that the collecting vessel (1) comprises an inner vessel (11) enclosed by a casing (12), which includes at least one lid (17) or door over an opening (16) for introducing said waste to the inner vessel (11), which inner vessel (11) consists of a vessel, which is sealed with the exemption of an upward directed opening (13) • 3. A collecting vessel as defined in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that in order to prev¬ ent a fire to occur possibly in spite of the venting, a fire extinguisher (18) is provided at a predetermined temperature in the collecting vessel (1) to supply ex¬ tinguishing medium to the interior of the collecting vessel (1). 4. A collecting vessel as defined in claim 2 or 3 3 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said lid (17) in closed position covers a substantially upward directed OMPI ./torn HO « opening (16), and that the lid (17) is capable in open position (17') to return by action of gravity to its pos¬ ition closing the opening (16). 5. A collecting vessel as defined in any one of the claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a damp¬ er (19) is provided between the interior of the collect¬ ing vessel (1) and the venting conduit (3) and capable by action of a temperature-sensitive member, for example a fuse, to close the outlet opening (2) at a predeterm¬ ined temperature. 6. A collecting vessel as defined in any one of the claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a fan (8) is provided to suck air out of the outlet open¬ ing (2) of the collecting vessel (1). 7. A collecting vessel as defined in a y one of the claims i-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i r. that .a fil¬ ter (10) is provided in e vending ccr.άuit (5). 8. A collecting vessel as defined in any one of the claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i that the venting conduit (3) is connected to an existing ventil¬ ation installation. BAD ORIGINAL OMPI

Inventors: TYNNINGE LARS GEORG
Applicants: TYNNINGE LARS GEORG
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B65F1
IPC codes: A62C3, B65F1