Double-walled containers for the storage of water-polluting substances

Abstract

Double-walled container for the storage of water-polluting substances, comprising a wound hollow-chamber profile tube, the windings of which are connected to one another in a fluid-tight manner, the hollow chambers of the windings of the double-walled container being in fluid communication with one another through connecting openings.

Description

The present invention relates to a double-wall container for storing substances which are hazardous to water and to a method for producing a double-wall container.Double wall containers have an inner and an outer wall and are used in particular to reduce the probability of the media stored in the containers leaking.Double wall containers made of polyolefins for storing substances which are hazardous to water are known. Such containers can be produced by winding hollow chamber profile tubes by connecting the individual windings to one another in a fluid-tight manner.For leakage monitoring, a collecting trough spaced apart from the container base, usually in the form of a half shell, can be mounted below the container and connected to the container in a fluid-tight manner. In the intermediate space between the collecting trough and the container base, a sensor is arranged which triggers an alarm as soon as medium which has leaked out of the container is detected.Also known are double wall containers with integrated leakage monitoring systems, in which the space between the inner wall of the container and the outer wall of the container is monitored. The monitoring can be carried out by means of a pressure sensor. In this case, for example, small pressure fluctuations can be compensated for by a vacuum pump. In the event of a leak and thus a higher pressure increase, an alarm is triggered. Alternatively, an overpressure can be applied in the intermediate space between the inner and outer walls and a pressure loss can be detected.The disadvantage of double-wall containers with an additional collecting trough comprising a sensor device is, among other things, that the installation or installation of the container is made more difficult as well as that the total container volume is increased without the effective storage volume being increased.A disadvantage of double-wall containers which are produced by winding hollow-chamber profile tubes and which have an integrated leakage monitoring system based on a pressure measurement in the hollow-chamber profile tube is that the intermediate spaces between the windings, that is to say outside the hollow-chamber profile tube, are not monitored.The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages known from the prior art. It can thus be considered among other things as an object of the invention to provide a double wall container for storing water-hazardous substances, which container is produced by winding hollow chamber profile tubes and enables leakage monitoring without an additional collecting trough. It can also be considered an object of the invention to provide such a double wall container which enables leakage monitoring also in the intermediate spaces between the windings, that is to say outside the hollow chamber profile tube.To achieve the object, a double-wall container for storing substances which are hazardous to water is provided, wherein the double-wall container comprises a wound hollow-chamber profile tube, the windings of which are connected to one another in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the hollow chambers of the windings of the double-wall container are in fluid communication with one another through connecting openings.The double wall container according to the invention is provided for storing substances which are hazardous to water. The double wall container according to the invention is not limited to the storage of substances hazardous to water, however, but is also provided for storing or storing hazardous media, liquid chemicals, toxic, caustic, irritant, combustible and / or other media.The double wall container according to the invention comprises a wound hollow chamber profile tube. A hollow chamber profile tube is a tube having a cross-sectional profile. The cross-sectional profile can be round or angular, for example rectangular or polygonal. The cross-sectional profile can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The cross-sectional profile is preferably symmetrical, particularly preferably rectangular. Such a hollow chamber profile tube can be wound or wound around a mold in such a way that the individual windings are arranged closely adjacent to one another or are in direct contact with one another as far as possible. The hollow chamber profile tube can consist of plastic material, preferably of thermoplastic plastic material. The hollow chamber profile tube preferably consists of PE, particularly preferably of PE-HD. It is likewise provided according to the invention that the double wall container according to the invention comprises more than one wound hollow chamber profile tube. The individual hollow chamber profile tubes can be arranged in layers, so that viewed precisely not only a double wall is present between the interior and the exterior, but several walls are present, which additionally increases safety. In this case, one of the layers, a plurality of layers or all layers can comprise connecting openings.Preferably, the intermediate spaces between adjacent windings are sealed fluid-tightly on the inner and outer sides. The term "inner side" is understood to mean that side of the container which, when the container is filled, is in contact with the stored medium. The outer side, on the other hand, denotes that side which does not come into contact with the stored medium and which forms the outer surface of the container. The sealing can be effected by applying a sealing compound to the inner side and to the outer side. For this purpose, the sealing compound can be applied to the inner side and outer side in the region in which two windings adjoin one another. Preferably, sealing compound is designed to be welded to the windings in a fluid-tight manner. Preferably, the sealing is effected by welding the sealing compound to the adjacent windings. The sealing compound can thus be a plastic material, preferably a thermoplastic plastic material. The sealing compound preferably corresponds to the material of the hollow chamber profile tube. The adjacent windings are thus preferably welded to one another on the inner side and the outer side.In the use position, the double-wall container is preferably arranged such that its longitudinal axis runs horizontally. In the use position, the double-wall container is preferably arranged such that the windings run approximately vertically, i.e. from the container ceiling to the container floor on one side of the container and from the container floor back to the container ceiling on the other side of the container. In a double wall container arranged in this way, medium penetrating into the interior of the hollow chamber profile tube flows in the interior of the hollow chamber profile tube along the winding as far as into the base region of the container. Medium penetrating into the intermediate space between two windings, i.e. outside the hollow chamber profile tube, likewise flows in the direction of the base region.The hollow chambers of the windings of the double-wall container are in fluid communication with one another through connecting openings. The windings are formed by winding a hollow chamber profile tube, whereby the windings are automatically in fluid communication with one another. The connecting openings are thus to be understood as additional fluid connections which form a fluid channel between adjacent windings. Preferably, each winding is in fluid communication with the immediately adjacent windings via connection ports. Preferably, the outer windings have at least one connecting opening to the adjacent, inner winding. Preferably, the windings which lie between two adjacent windings each have at least one connecting opening to these adjacent windings. One of the connection ports of each winding is preferably arranged to fluidly connect to the adjacent winding on the one hand, while the other connection port of the winding is preferably fluidly connected to the adjacent winding on the other hand. Thus, these connection openings of each winding are preferably arranged opposite to each other. Preferably, each winding is connected to at least one other winding by means of a connecting opening.The connecting openings preferably each form a fluid connection running through two walls of the hollow chamber profile tube of two adjacent windings that adjoin one another. A connecting opening is thus preferably to be understood as a fluid channel which penetrates two walls of the hollow chamber profile tube and the intermediate space lying therebetween. Thus, a connecting opening comprises, strictly speaking, two openings, namely through the two walls of adjacent windings which are directed towards one another.The connecting openings, which connect the interior spaces of the hollow chamber profile tube of adjacent windings to one another, additionally ensure that a fluid connection exists between the interior spaces of the hollow chamber profile tube and the intermediate spaces between the windings. An intermediate space between two windings is preferably formed by the two walls of the hollow chamber profile tube of two adjacent windings which are directed towards one another and by the fluid-tight seals on the inner side and outer side. Due to these fluid connections, not only the interior of the hollow chamber profile tube but also the intermediate space between the windings can be monitored. This is important both for leakage monitoring by means of a liquid sensor and for leakage monitoring by means of a pressure sensor. The connecting openings allow gas and liquid permeability between the interior of the hollow chamber fluid tube and the intermediate spaces between two windings.Thus, there is preferably an additional fluid connection between all windings, in addition to the fluid connection via the hollow chamber profile tube, which also includes the intermediate spaces between the windings.The connecting openings are preferably arranged in the base region of the double-wall container. According to the invention, the bottom region is understood to mean the section of the double-wall container which, in the lateral view, is arranged at the bottom in the position of use. The lower section preferably extends upward from the lowest point of the container up to a height of at most 20%, preferably at most 10%, of the total height of the double-wall container. Particularly preferably, the connecting openings are arranged below the double-wall container interior, which is provided as a storage volume. This ensures that even a small amount of emerging medium is sufficient to accumulate up to the height at which the connecting openings are arranged.Preferably, the connecting openings are arranged at a distance from the outer wall of the hollow chamber profile tube. The term outer wall is understood to mean the wall of the hollow chamber profile tube which forms the outer wall of the double-wall container in wound form. Thus, according to the invention, the outer wall of the double-wall container, which is directed downwards and represents the bottom wall, is also referred to as an outer wall. In this way, however, a small amount of exiting medium is necessary in order to build up to the height in the winding on which the connecting openings are arranged. In this way, it can be ensured that, for example, a very small amount of condensate that may form is not sufficient to accumulate up to the height of the connecting openings. Preferably, all connecting openings are arranged at the same height.In an advantageous embodiment, the double-wall container comprises a device for monitoring leakage. The leakage monitoring device may comprise a sensor which is arranged in the wound hollow chamber profile tube. The sensor can thus be arranged in one of the windings. According to the invention, it is likewise provided that the sensor is arranged in more than one winding, for example by the walls of the windings directed towards one another being at least partially removed in order to provide sufficient space for the sensor. The sensor may be a liquid sensor or a pressure sensor. Preferably, a sensor based on a conductive probe system is used which detects liquids. Alternatively, the monitoring is performed with the measurement of over or suppression. The double-wall container can comprise a plurality of devices for leakage monitoring and / or a plurality of sensors.Preferably, a sensor is arranged in the bottom region of the double wall container. Preferably, the sensor is arranged at the height or below the height of the connecting openings. In the lateral view, the sensor is thus preferably arranged at a height between the outer wall of the hollow chamber profile tube and the connecting openings. In this way, it is ensured that medium is detected as soon as it builds up in the windings up to the height of the connecting openings and flows through the connecting openings into the adjacent windings, in order finally to reach the winding in which the sensor is arranged.In devices based on a liquid sensor, the double-wall container is preferably designed such that the sensor can be positioned and / or reached from the outside, e.g. for maintenance or for replacement of the sensor. For this purpose, the double-wall container can have access to the sensor. The access, preferably in the form of a shaft or a tube, extends upward from the sensor in an advantageous embodiment.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the windings in the base region of the double-wall container each have a base opening which extends from the outside into the hollow-chamber profile tube. The connecting openings can be produced through the bottom openings after the winding of the hollow chamber profile tube. This facilitates the positioning of the connecting openings in the wound hollow-chamber profile tube, in which the connecting openings can be produced through the bottom openings at the desired locations for connecting two windings.Preferably, the connecting openings are formed as bores. In this way, a fluid channel can be produced in a simple manner, which connects the interior spaces of two windings of the hollow chamber profile tube and the intermediate space lying therebetween to one another.The bottom openings are preferably designed as bores. In this way, openings can be produced in a simple manner, through which the connecting openings can be produced.In an advantageous embodiment, a bottom opening and a connecting opening between two hollow chambers of adjacent windings are each formed as a bore. As a result, a connecting opening can be produced with only one working step, namely a drilling.The bores can each be arranged along an inclined axis, wherein the axis preferably forms an angle of inclination of at least 10°, particularly preferably at least 20°, very particularly preferably at least 30°, with respect to the horizontal. This inclination can achieve the effect that the connecting openings are produced at a distance from the outer wall. This ensures that a very small amount of medium, for example condensed water, is not sufficient to build up to the height of the connecting openings, which could lead to a false alarm of the device for leakage monitoring.The bottom openings are preferably sealed. The bottom openings are preferably sealed by means of a plate which is particularly preferably welded flat from the outside onto the wound hollow chamber profile tube in a fluid-tight manner. The bottom openings advantageous for creating the connecting openings can be sealed in order to prevent medium from leaking out and to allow medium to build up within the windings as far as the connecting openings and flow to the sensor of the device for leakage monitoring. Applying a plate for sealing from the outside to the container, preferably the fluid-tight joining of the plate to the container, has the advantage that not every bottom opening has to be individually sealed. This also ensures that the volume of the double-wall container is not significantly increased without the storage volume being increased.The double wall container can comprise further components. Thus, the double-wall container can have, for example, an access shaft and one or more inlets and / or one or more outlets.The object of the invention is moreover to provide a method for producing a double-wall container for storing substances which are hazardous to water, which method overcomes the disadvantages known from the prior art. The object of the invention can thus be seen, inter alia, in providing a method for producing such a double-wall container which can be carried out easily and quickly.To achieve the object, a method for producing a double-wall container for storing substances hazardous to water is provided, comprising the stepswinding up a hollow-chamber profile tube, such that the windings are arranged closely adjacent to one another,sealing the space between the adjacent windings by applying a sealing compound to the outer side and to the inner side of the adjacent windings, particularly preferably wherein the sealing compound is designed to be welded to the windings in a fluid-tight manner, and wherein the sealing is carried out by welding the sealing compound to the windings,creating connecting openings between the hollow chambers of adjacent windings in the base area.The connecting openings are preferably produced in the base region between two hollow chambers of adjacent windings by drilling a channel which extends from the outside into the hollow chamber of one of the adjacent windings, through the two walls of the hollow chambers of the adjacent windings adjoining one another into the hollow chamber of the other adjacent winding.In an advantageous embodiment, the method according to the invention comprises the step of sealing the bottom openings, preferably by applying a plate, particularly preferably by welding the plates onto the container from the outside.The method preferably consists of the method steps mentioned. Preferably, the process steps are carried out in the order given.The description of the double-wall container according to the invention and of the method according to the invention for producing a double-wall container are to be understood as being complementary to one another, and therefore process details which are explained in connection with the double-wall container are likewise to be understood individually or in combination as process details. Features of the double-wall container which are explained in connection with the method according to the invention are to be understood individually or in combination with one another also as features of the double-wall container.The invention is explained in the following again by way of example with reference to the figures. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a double wall container according to the invention. FIG. 2 shows a detailed representation of a double wall container according to the invention. FIG. 3 shows a detailed representation of a double wall container according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a double-wall container 1 according to the invention in a sectional view. The double-wall container comprises a wound hollow-chamber profile tube 2, an access shaft 3 and a sensor access 4. Some details such as the connection openings and a leak sensor are not shown. The details of the bottom area are shown in FIG. 2.FIG. 2 shows a detailed illustration of a base region of a double-wall container according to the invention in the sectional view. The hollow chamber profile tube 2 has a rectangular profile and is wound in such a way that the windings 7, 8 (the further windings are not provided with reference numerals for reasons of clarity) are arranged next to one another. The adjacent windings are sealed in a fluid-tight manner on the inside and on the outside with a sealing compound 10, 11, so that an intermediate space 9 is formed between two adjacent windings, which is formed by the sealing compound 10, 11 and the walls of the hollow chamber profile tube directed towards one another. The connecting openings 6 between the windings 7, 8 were produced by means of an oblique bore, wherein the bore runs from the outside through the base and through two walls of the hollow chamber profile tube 2 which are directed towards one another. The bottom openings 12 formed through the bore were again sealed by means of a plate 13. A sensor 14 is arranged in two adjacent windings. Medium penetrating from the container or from the outside into a hollow chamber of a winding or into the intermediate space between two windings flows into the base region of the double-wall container, builds up in the winding or in the intermediate space up to the height of the connecting openings and then flows via the intermediate space into the adjacent windings in order finally to reach the windings with the sensor 14. The sensor 14 may detect the medium and issue an alarm. The sensor 14 is positionable via the access 15.FIG. 3 shows a detailed illustration of a base region of a double-wall container according to the invention in the sectional view (along the transverse axis of the double-wall container). A plate 17 is attached from the outside to the base region of the hollow chamber profile tube 16 in order to seal the base openings from the outside. The plate is circumferentially welded to the bottom outer wall.List of reference characters1 Double wall container 2 Hollow chamber profile tube 3 Access shaft 4 Sensor access 5 Hollow chamber 6 Connection opening 7 Winding 8 Winding 9 Intermediate space 10 Sealing compound 11 Sealing compound 12 Base opening 13 Plate 14 Sensor 15 Access 16 Hollow chamber profile tube 17 Plate

Claims

Double-wall container (1) for storing substances hazardous to water, comprising a wound hollow-chamber profile tube (2, 16), the windings (7, 8) of which are connected to one another in a fluid-tight manner, wherein the hollow chambers of the windings of the double-wall container are in fluid communication with one another through connecting openings (6).Double wall container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting openings (6) are arranged in the base region of the double wall container (1), and / or wherein the connecting openings (6) each form a fluid connection running through two walls of the hollow chamber profile tube (2, 16) of two adjacent windings (7, 8) adjoining one another.Double wall container according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a device for monitoring leakage.Double wall container according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the intermediate spaces (9) between adjacent windings are sealed fluid-tightly on the inner and outer sides, preferably by welding a sealing compound (10, 11) to the adjacent windings.Double-wall container according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the windings (7, 8) in the base region of the double-wall container each have a base opening (12) which extends from the outside into the hollow chamber (5).Double wall container according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connecting openings (6) and / or the bottom openings (12) are formed as bores.Double wall container according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a base opening (12) and a connecting opening (6) between two hollow chambers (5) of adjacent windings (7, 8) are each formed as a bore, preferably wherein the bores are each arranged along an inclined axis, wherein preferably the axis forms an inclination angle of at least 10°, particularly preferably at least 20°, very particularly preferably at least 30°, with respect to the horizontal.Double wall container according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bottom openings (12) are sealed, preferably by means of a plate (13, 17) which is particularly preferably welded flat from the outside onto the wound hollow chamber profile tube in a fluid-tight manner.Method for producing a double-wall container for storing water-hazardous substances, comprising the steps of - winding up a hollow-chamber profile tube such that the windings are arranged closely adjacent to one another, - sealing the intermediate space between the adjacent windings by applying a sealing compound to the outer side and to the inner side of the adjacent windings, particularly preferably wherein the sealing compound is designed to be welded to the windings in a fluid-tight manner, and wherein the sealing is effected by welding the sealing compound to the windings, - creating connecting openings between the hollow chambers of adjacent windings in the base region.Method according to claim 9, wherein the connecting openings are produced in the base region between two hollow chambers of adjacent windings by drilling a channel which extends from the outside into the hollow chamber of one of the adjacent windings, through the two walls of the hollow chambers of the adjacent windings adjoining one another into the hollow chamber of the other adjacent winding.Method according to claim 10, comprising sealing the bottom openings, preferably by applying a plate, particularly preferably by welding the plates from the outside onto the container.

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