Level-controlling system for pressurised compartments

Abstract

The invention relates to a passive safety system that allows forced filling and water level control inside pressurised or near-pressurised compartments that may be dragged away during flash floods or river floods. The system quickly fills the compartment by force pumping exterior rain water. The increase in the level inside the compartment is controlled, eliminating buoyancy and even allowing an extra load to be applied to the floor if the interior level exceeds the exterior level. The integrity of the compartment is thus ensured while preventing possible collisions with third parties. The exterior water is conditioned to ensure that it enters the compartment clean, facilitating subsequent cleaning and drying.

Description

[0001]

[0002] LEVEL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PRESSURIZED CABINS

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] The present invention pertains primarily to the automotive sector and / or urban equipment, such as recycling containers and vehicles in general for the former. These cabins possess a series of volumetric and morphological characteristics that make them susceptible to being swept away during floods or waterlogged conditions.

[0005] The main object of the present invention is a passive safety system that allows for the rapid or very rapid filling of the interior of pressurized or semi-pressurized cabins, which are susceptible to being swept away during floods or waterlogged conditions. This system prevents the buoyant force from lifting the cabin partially or completely and causing it to be carried away uncontrollably by the water. Therefore, the integrity of the cabin is ensured, and at the same time, potential impacts on third parties such as people, buildings, or other urban infrastructure are avoided.

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The scientific community is unanimous on the trend of increased rainfall and its intensity (e.g., damage) with increasing global warming. According to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), for every degree Celsius warmer, there will be a 7% increase in extreme rainfall. This means a greater likelihood of floods or landslides that can damage cars or street furniture.

[0008] Currently, vehicles or containers are susceptible to being swept away by floods or waterlogged vehicles because they do not have a safety system to deal with this technical problem, causing serious economic losses at both the private and public levels.

[0009] Vehicles are particularly susceptible to being towed due to their high buoyancy, especially those with combustion engines that have their center of gravity at the front. This creates a lift at the rear of the vehicle, leaving the rear wheels completely levitating. Since most vehicles have the parking brake on the rear wheels, it becomes virtually impossible to immobilize the affected vehicle. While it might help to counteract the movement for vehicles with four-wheel parking brakes, this is only possible if the front wheels remain in contact with the ground.

[0010] Having reviewed the state of the art, patent CN217053594U is found which describes an anti-flood system that controls the level by means of butterfly valves and is applied to immobile tanks which is not the subject of this patent.

[0011] Currently, devices such as patent KR101067683B1 exist for storing water in tanks suspended from firefighting helicopters, providing a large area for water dispersion. The patent claims a large area for firefighting with various sprinklers, and no water leakage is claimed.

[0012] Other inventions found in the current state of the art are listed below:

[0013] The invention found is patent ES2589280T3 which claims a system for measuring the water level by reflectometry but does not claim any control of that level and also the scope of application are tanks for the nuclear industry.

[0014] Other inventions include anti-flotation systems for structures in wells, as described in patent CN103510549A. The claims relate to a simpler and more economical system with a discharge valve mechanism.

[0015] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The invention known as CL-SPC (Control Level System for Pressurized Cabins) is a passive safety system, meaning it activates only under extreme flood or flash flood conditions. The system controls the filling of a fluid (i.e., rainwater) inside the cabin being protected when there is an increase in external pressure relative to the cabin's interior. The fill level inside the cabin is controlled and occurs very quickly, maintaining a level inside the cabin above the external level, thus preventing a "buoy effect" and uncontrolled movement of the object. The fluid, which originates from wastewater (e.g., rainwater, floodwater), is filtered and conditioned before entering the cabin to prevent contamination, thereby facilitating subsequent cleaning and drying. The advantages of the invention are summarized as follows:

[0017] • Control the water level inside the cabin, which can exceed the external water level to increase the weight inside the cabin and thus immobilize it. For safety, the system will never completely fill the cabin to maintain an air gap in case there are occupants inside.

[0018] • Efficiency thanks to its fast or very fast filling of the cabin by pumping water from the rain.

[0019] • The opening in the cabin may be small because it is a forced system using a water pump.

[0020] • Integrity and security of the object to be protected with the CL-SPC system.

[0021] • Protection of third parties against a possible impact of the object without a CL-SPC system.

[0022] • Avoid blocking rainwater runoff with objects (e.g., cars, vans, containers) in streets or intersections that create bottlenecks. Facilitating rainwater drainage is vital when dealing with flash floods and downpours that occur in a short period of time (e.g., 100 liters / m²). 2 and per hour).

[0023] • Environmental contamination of elements contained in pressurized cabins is avoided, such as oils or fuels in the case of combustion cars, or highly polluting batteries in electric cars, or discarded garbage in the case of recycling containers.

[0024] • The fluid from dirty rainwater that enters the cabin is filtered and conditioned to facilitate subsequent cleaning of the interior.

[0025] • By forcing the water inside in a clean way, the pressure inside the cabin will be higher than outside, thus preventing dirty water from entering through other small holes by means of a pressure gradient and contaminating the cabin.

[0026] The CL-SPC system, the subject of this invention, consists of a filter connected by a pipe through an opening in the enclosure of the object to be protected. This pipe is connected to a water pump that forces water from outside the enclosure to fill it. The system is designed to fill the enclosure quickly or very quickly, preventing it from moving due to the "buoyancy effect." The components of the CL-SPC system and their technical characteristics are detailed below.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the opening is located at the bottom of the cab, where it is easier to drill and does not interfere with ducts or wiring. In combustion engine vehicles, it is preferable to locate it at the rear bottom to compensate for the weight at the front and thus prevent the rear wheels from not touching the ground.

[0028] In another preferred embodiment, the opening is located in the lower side walls if it is not possible at the bottom (e.g. recycling containers).

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the opening in the cabin can be as large as possible without compromising its structural integrity and without causing interference with wiring systems, pipes, or other installations. The shape of the opening is independent of its function and can therefore be symmetrical (e.g., circular, square, triangular, etc.) or irregular.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the CL-SPC system can be installed during the construction phase of the cabins or even later by adapting the characteristics of the opening (e.g., size, shape) to the available space.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the system consists of a filter located outside the cabin, connected via a pipe to a pump inside. The filter has a metal or other material mesh with a screen size designed to prevent large objects from entering and blocking the fluid inlet. The filtration and conditioning of the dirty water is achieved using a porous or highly porous material (e.g., activated carbon) that removes most of the impurities dissolved in the rainwater. The filter is replaceable and / or refillable.

[0032] In another preferred embodiment, the filter can be in the same body as the pump and the assembly installed on the outside of the cabin and the pump drive connected to the pipe that passes through the opening of the cabin.

[0033] In another preferred embodiment, the filter is positioned near the center of gravity of the vehicle or, failing that, the filter can be moved vertically until it touches the water to prevent the system from sucking in air in the event that the buoyancy temporarily lifts the cabin.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the system has an electrical or electronic control unit to operate the pump, a frequency regulator, and a PID controller for regulating and controlling the setpoint signal or equivalent. The electronic control unit includes an external water level sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor or a level sensor) to activate the entire system.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, a Maximum Safety Level (MS) is defined within the cabin, allowing for a cavity inside to allow passengers to breathe if they are inside. The level inside the cabin can be measured using different types of sensors, such as an internal pressure sensor (e.g., an ultrasonic sensor), or a flow meter combined with a timer and the cabin's volumetric characteristics. This MS level serves as the setpoint for the electronic control to regulate the pump's flow rate. Initially, pumping occurs from the outside in until the MS level is reached. Once this level is reached, the control system can reverse the pumping direction, if necessary, to extract water from inside the cabin.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the entire CL-SPC system is waterproof and includes a battery pack to provide sufficient power during operation and continuous standby. In the case of vehicles, the system prioritizes the use of the vehicle's battery power whenever it is operational.

[0037] In another preferred embodiment, the CL-SPC system can be powered by an energy source such as solar energy via solar panels or wind power to recharge the batteries (e.g., recycling containers). The entire CL-SPC system has water-resistant protection.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the water and / or vacuum pump has a high head that allows for fast or very fast filling.

[0039] In another preferred embodiment, the water pump is reversible for pumping and discharging by reversing the direction of rotation of the motor.

[0040] In another preferred embodiment, if the cabin has a high volume (e.g., vans), one or more pumps can be installed to increase the pumping flow rate, with a single suction with filter and the pumps connected in parallel, or several suction pipes with filter, one for each pump.

[0041] The basic steps of a procedure for using the mechanism that is the subject of the invention are described below.

[0042] • The cabin in normal operation is pressurized or almost pressurized, therefore the CL-SPC system is in standby mode.

[0043] • In an extreme rain situation, the outside water level rises considerably, increasing the pressure on the outside of the cabin.

[0044] • When the external water pressure exceeds the activation threshold of the external sensor, the electronic level control system is activated and the cabin is quickly filled with water.

[0045] • The fluid flow passes through the filter, which has a grid and a filter of porous or very porous material (e.g., activated carbon). This conditioning ensures that only clean, particle-free water enters the cabin.

[0046] • The level control system uses the MS level setpoint to control the pump flow rate. Initially, pumping will be done at maximum flow rate to quickly reach that level, and as it approaches, the control will regulate the flow rate to stabilize the MS level inside the cabin.

[0047] • The cabin's buoyancy is canceled in seconds and even with the MS level stabilized, a higher load is generated inside the cabin, preventing the cabin from moving uncontrollably.

[0048] • As the external water level drops, the pressure also decreases, and the external sensor will activate the pump to drain the cabin, leaving it completely empty. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] To complement the description being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

[0050] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a service situation without the CL-SPC safety system (Fig. 1(a) and (b)) and with the system (Fig. 1(c) and (d) of a pressurized cabin, in this case, a vehicle. Due to buoyancy, the vehicle's rear wheel assembly is raised (Fig. 1(b)). With the CL-SPC system, the water level inside the cabin rises (Fig. 1(c)) and even exceeds the external level, generating a higher load on the tires (Fig. 1(d)).

[0051] Figure 2.- Shows a diagram of the operations of level control using electronics.

[0052] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0053] Figures 1(a) and (b) show a vehicle without CL-SPC. When the external water level rises, a "buoyancy effect" occurs due to the hydrostatic pressure (indicated by upward-pointing arrows) distributed on the underside. The rear of the vehicle lifts (Fig. 1(b)) because the center of gravity, indicated by the downward-pointing arrow, is located near the engine at the front. In this situation, the rear wheels do not touch the ground, making the vehicle very unstable and causing it to be swept away by the water current. Figures 1(c) and (d) show the same vehicle with the CL-SPC passive safety system. Initially, the external water is pumped out rapidly, and the internal water level rises (Fig. 1(c)). Due to the weight of the water that has entered the cabin, a downward vertical force appears (unlike in Fig. 1(b)).1(a)) which counteracts the external hydrostatic thrust of the vehicle and stabilizes the cab. As the CL-SPC system increases the level inside the cab, the force also progressively increases. If the internal level is equal to the external level, the hydrostatic force is fully compensated by the weight of the water inside. Finally, when the internal level reaches the set point, it can be higher than the external level, generating an extra force that adds to the vehicle's own weight and further stabilizes the cab. All the water that enters the cab is conditioned to facilitate its subsequent cleaning and drying.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A level control system for pressurized or quasi-pressurized cabins that allows the cabin to be filled progressively by forced external pumping of water and controls the level. The increase in the level inside the cabin eliminates buoyancy and even allows for the application of extra weight to the floor if the interior level is above the exterior level, ensuring the cabin's stability in cases of flooding or waterlogging and conditioning the water to facilitate subsequent cleaning, characterized in that it comprises: • Opening in the cabin to pass the pipe and / or filter that connects to the pump. • Through-wall installed in the opening to provide structural stability, fixed to the cabin structure by welding, screws, rivets or by equivalent strong and rigid fixings. • A filter with a mesh screen that allows fluid to pass through without resistance while preventing the passage of waterborne particles. The filter allows fluid to pass through but not dissolved particles. The filter is replaceable and / or refillable to ensure proper water treatment. • A pipe that can be rigid or flexible for the passage of the fluid that connects the filter to the water pump. • At least one pump, to force the entry of outside water quickly or very quickly. The pump may or may not be reversible. • Electronic level control method that allows regulating the level inside the cabin by controlling the pump flow rate using sensors. The setpoint level depends on the cabin's morphological characteristics. All electronics are waterproof. • External sensor connected to the level control electronics; if the signal exceeds a water pressure threshold, the CL-SPC system is activated, switching from standby to active. • An internal sensor connected to the level control electronics measures the water level inside the cabin. This sensor can be a pressure sensor (e.g., an ultrasonic sensor) or a flow meter, along with a timer and the cabin's volumetric characteristics.

2. Level control system according to claim 1 characterized in that the cabin opening is preferably or very preferably located below the cabin or on side surfaces in the other cases.

3. A level control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter is made of a porous or highly porous material (e.g., activated carbon) and has a grid. The mesh size of the grid may be regular or irregular to prevent the suction of objects. The filter has a preferably low or very preferably very low hydraulic resistance.

4. A level control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one or more water and / or vacuum pumps with a pumping capacity between 10 L / ha and 1,000,001 L / h, preferably between 10,001 L / ha and 1,000,001 L / h, and most preferably between 50,001 L / ha and 1,000,001 L / h. The pump's position relative to the length of the cab is preferably, or most preferably, located on the opposite side from the cab's center of gravity, for example, in vehicles with a combustion engine located at the front, or failing that, as far as possible from the center of gravity. The pump is preferably, or most preferably, submersible or has a minimum IP67 water protection rating.

5. Level control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipe may be rigid or flexible, made of thermoplastic or thermoset material, metal, or a material resistant to pressure and oxidation. Its diameter varies between 5 mm and 200 mm, preferably between 10 mm and 100 mm, or most preferably between 30 mm and 80 mm.

6. Level control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the external sensor is preferably installed on the underside of the cabin, or preferably on the underside of a side surface, or failing that, on some side surface. It may also be installed on the pipe or on the pump suction, or failing that, on the pump body.

7. Level control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic level control method comprises the following operations: • Detect if the external sensor is activated due to a pressure threshold being exceeded. If exceeded, start the pump; otherwise, remain in standby mode. • Control the pump flow rate using a regulating control (e.g., a PDI) • Detect whether the maximum safe internal level has been reached using the internal cabin sensor. If it has not been reached, continue pumping; otherwise, stop the pump. • After a certain time, detect whether the external level has been deactivated using a timer. If the time has elapsed, detect whether the external sensor is activated; if not, check the internal cabin level. • If the pump is reversible, control the discharge by reversing the pump's rotation. • Check if the cabin is empty; if it is not empty, continue pumping the discharge; if it is empty, stop the pump and check if the external sensor is activated.

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