FOIL TUNNEL FOR ROADS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a film tunnel for roofing a roadway, wherein the film tunnel has supports between which at least one film is stretched.

[0002] A foil tunnel of the above-mentioned type is known, for example, from DE102006022245A1.

[0003] A problem with conventional polytunnels is that barrier-free access to the accident site from the air cannot be guaranteed in the event of an accident. For example, it should be possible for a helicopter to land on the roadway. Furthermore, in the event of a fire, the existing solution cannot reliably guarantee ventilation of the tunnel by opening the tunnel walls.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the invention, in the case of a roof covering a roadway, to ensure that the roof can be opened easily if necessary.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention with a film tunnel of the type mentioned at the outset in that the supports comprise a first group of supports and a second group of supports, wherein the supports of the first group are arranged together on a first side with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel and the supports of the second group are arranged together on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel, wherein the supports of the first group form pairs of supports with the supports of the second group, the upper free ends of which are arranged at a distance from one another and are connected to one another by at least one holding device, wherein each support of at least the first group and / or the second group has a lower and at least one upper part,wherein the at least one upper part is guided into a lower end position along the at least one lower part in the direction of a lower end of the at least one lower part when the holding device is released due to its weight.

[0006] The inventive solution makes it possible to ensure reliable opening of the tunnel when necessary. Because the opening movement of the upper sections is caused by their own weight, a high degree of reliability is also achieved, for example, in the event of a fire.

[0007] A variant of the invention has proven particularly advantageous in which the at least one lower part and the at least one upper part are curved.

[0008] In order to create the best possible visibility conditions in the tunnel and also to be able to clearly perceive the surroundings of the tunnel, it can be provided that the at least one film has a transmittance between 0.80 and 0.99, in particular between 0.9 and 0.95 in a visible spectral range.

[0009] In order to define a defined downward limit on the movement of the upper parts of the supports and also ensure unhindered exit from the roadway, it can be provided that at least one lower stop is arranged on the at least one lower part, defining the lower end position of the at least one upper part. The lower stop can be arranged at a height that allows entering and exiting the roadway in a lateral direction. For example, the lower stop can be mounted such that a lower edge of the upper part is 3 m above the roadway.

[0010] In order to be able to implement additional functionalities, such as thermal insulation or the installation of additional elements, for example for energy generation, and at the same time to ensure an aesthetic appearance, it can be provided that at least two films are stretched at least between two upper parts of supports of a group, one of the films forming an outer lining of the tunnel and one of the films forming an inner lining of the tunnel, a cavity being formed between the film forming the outer lining and the film forming the inner lining.

[0011] It has proven particularly advantageous for converting solar energy into electrical energy to arrange solar panels on the film forming the outer cladding, particularly by gluing and / or lamination. A particular advantage of this design is that the space above roadways can be used very efficiently for electricity generation. With very minimal environmental impact, a large area can be used for solar power generation in this way.

[0012] According to a variant of the invention, which enables optimal protection and simple installation of the solar panels, it can be provided that the solar panels are arranged on a side of the film forming the outer cladding facing the cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, at least one conduit for a heat and / or cold transport medium can be arranged in the cavity. This allows heat or cold to be extracted from the tunnel and used for heating or cooling elsewhere, in addition to and independently of solar power generation.

[0014] Particularly preferably, it can be provided that a phase-change material is arranged in the at least one line. By using a phase-change material, thermal energy can be released by changing the state of matter, for example from a liquid to a solid state or from a gaseous to a liquid state, or can be absorbed by changing from a solid to a liquid or from a liquid to a gaseous state, without the temperature of the storage material changing significantly. These properties make phase-change materials very well suited for transporting thermal energy from the film tunnel to an end user, even over long distances.

[0015] Heating of the cavity and thus the efficiency of the foil tunnel can be improved by filling the cavity with a greenhouse gas, in particular CO2.

[0016] For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail using the following figures.

[0017] They show in a highly simplified, schematic representation: Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through a film tunnel according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the film tunnel from Fig.1 and Fig. 3 a top view of the foil tunnel from Fig. 1 .

[0018] By way of introduction, it should be noted that in the variously described embodiments, identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols or component designations. The disclosures contained throughout the description can be applied analogously to identical parts with identical reference symbols or component designations. Furthermore, the positional information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., refers to the directly described and illustrated figure, and these positional information must be applied analogously to the new position in the event of a change in position.

[0019] In the following, the invention is described across the figures.

[0020] According to Fig. 1 and 2 a film tunnel 1 according to the invention for roofing a roadway 2 has supports 3, 4.

[0021] A film 5 is stretched between the supports 3 and supports 4. The supports 3, 4 form a first group of supports 3 and a second group of supports 4. The supports 3 of the first group are arranged on a first side with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel 1, and the supports 4 of the second group are arranged on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel 1. It is particularly preferred that the film 5 is stretched between adjacent supports 3 or between two adjacent supports 4.

[0022] The supports 3 of the first group and the supports 4 of the second group form pairs of supports 3, 4, whose upper free ends are arranged at a distance from one another and are connected and held against one another by a holding device 6. The holding device 6 can be formed, for example, by the film 5 or by a rope, a rod, a chain, etc. The holding device 6 is preferably made of a thermoplastic material that deforms and tears under the influence of heat, so that the holding device can be reliably released in the event of a fire.Alternatively, the holding device 6 can also be made of a fire-resistant material. In this case, the holding device 6 can be releasably held on one of the two supports 3, 4 with a closure, while it is preferably non-releasably mounted on the other support, so that the holding device 6 can be prevented from falling onto the roadway 2 if the connection between the supports 3, 4 is released. All types of force-locking and / or positive-locking closures can be considered as releasable closures. For example, one end of the holding device 6 can be clamped between releasable jaws. The holding device 6 can also have an eyelet at its end that is secured with a movable bolt. If a closure is used, it is preferably coupled to a monitoring system, for example a fire monitoring system, so that it can be triggered automatically if necessary.Manual release via remote control of the shutter is also possible.

[0023] Each support 3 of the first group and / or each support 4 of the second group has a lower part 3a, 4a and an upper part 3b, 4b. Although in the illustrated embodiment all supports 3, 4 are formed in two parts, in practice there may be situations in which only the supports 3 of the first group or only the supports 4 of the second group need to be formed in two parts. As can be seen from Fig. 1 As can be seen, the lower part 3a, 4a and the upper part 3b, 4b can be curved, although other shapes, such as linear configurations of the parts 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, are also possible. For example, the lower parts 3a, 4a and the upper parts 3b, 4b could be ladder-shaped. Fig. 1It can also be seen that the parts 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b forming a supporting structure are designed as a framework. To prevent parts such as screws, bolts, and the like from falling off, the framework or the supports 3, 4 preferably have only welded and plug-in connections. For weight reasons, the supports 3, 4 are particularly preferably made of a lightweight material, such as aluminum.

[0024] As from Fig. 3 As can be seen, the upper parts 3b, 4b of the supports 3 and 4 are connected to one another via the holding device 6. The holding device 6 is pretensioned by the weight of the upper part or parts 3b, 4b. When the holding device 6 is released, the respective upper part 3b, 4b is guided due to its weight along the associated lower part 3a, 4a in the direction of a lower end of the one lower part 3a, 4a into a lower end position, and the film tunnel 1 is opened.

[0025] A lower stop can be formed on the lower part 3a, 4a, defining the lower end position of the corresponding upper part 3b, 4b. On bridges, the stop can be arranged so far down on the first part 3a, 4a that the upper part 3b, 4b, for example, can slide over the edge of the bridge, creating a fully accessible traffic area (the arch units are stowed downwards over the edge of the bridge). On other roadways, the stop can be installed at a height, e.g., 3 m, that allows unhindered entry and exit of the roadway 2. To allow unhindered entry and exit of the roadway 2, it can be provided that the film 5 is only arranged in the area of ​​the upper parts 3b, 4b and that no film 5 is present in the area of ​​the lower parts 3a, 3b. Of course, depending on the location, a film 5 can also be present on the lower parts.This may be the case in particular on bridges where it is not possible to leave lane 2 laterally.

[0026] If the lower part 3a, 4a has no film or an air-permeable film 5, air can flow into the area of ​​the roadway 2, which can be discharged at the top. For this purpose, the film tunnel 1 can have a partially or completely open area between the upper free ends of the upper parts 3b, 4b of the supports 3, 4. In the illustration in Fig. 3This area is partially covered with an air-permeable film 8. The air permeability of the film can be achieved, for example, by appropriate perforation. This ensures ventilation. If a situation arises that can no longer be controlled (due to an accident, fire, air pressure buildup) or if the road surface must be made accessible to helicopters, external firefighting units, or similar interventions, the holding device 6 releases and the supporting structure slides downwards. The holding device 6 can be released either by fire or smoke detectors, manually via emergency release points (similar to a red lever in a train), or remotely via video surveillance and remote control.

[0027] In addition, areas of the film 5 can be equipped on three sides with a melting wire, which, when activated, reaches a temperature of >240 degrees C, thus melting the film material, preferably ETFE. This allows the film 5 to hang on the fourth (upper) edge, thus enabling ventilation and smoke extraction of roadway 2.

[0028] Furthermore, the supports 3, 4 can rest at a lower end on a foundation 7, in particular a sloping foundation. The foundation 7 is preferably wider than the supports 3, 4, for example in the form of a strip foundation. The foundation 7 secures the supports 3, 4 against horizontal displacement. The width of the foundation 7 also provides protection against subsidence of the supporting structure and also against the influence of vertical loads on a road surface (gravel box, etc.). A wide foundation 7 is also advantageous if there are fixtures such as cables on the road side. The foundation 7 can be additionally secured by ground screw foundations. The slope of the foundation makes it difficult for someone to climb onto the supports 3, 4 or for animals to access the roadway 2.

[0029] To ensure good lighting conditions in the film tunnel, the film 5 can have a transmittance between 0.80 and 0.99, in particular between 0.9 and 0.95, in the visible spectral range. ETFE, for example, has proven to be a suitable material for the film, although other suitable materials, such as PTFE, PET, etc., can also be used.

[0030] Furthermore, it can be provided that at least two films 5 are stretched between two upper parts 3b, 4b of supports 3, 4 of a group, wherein one of the films 5 forms an outer lining of the film tunnel 1 and one of the films 5 forms an inner lining of the film tunnel 1. A cavity is formed between the film 5 forming the outer lining and the film 5 forming the inner lining. Solar panels, which are also referred to as photovoltaic panels, can be arranged on the film 5 forming the outer lining. The solar panels, which are preferably flexible solar panels, can, for example, be glued to the outer film 5 and / or connected to it by lamination. Particularly preferably, the solar panels are arranged on a side of the film forming the outer lining facing the cavity.

[0031] The entire supporting structure, comprising the beams 3, 4, and the foils 5, can serve as a solar thermal collector. Thus, the supporting structure simultaneously serves as an open absorber that transfers ambient heat through convection from the sun, wind, exhaust gases, and ambient temperature (this applies to both heat and cold). The large surface area of ​​the collector enables good performance. The supporting structure itself thus serves as a direct or indirect primary heat source, which transfers the energy to a heat transfer medium via one or more heat exchangers, for example, regeneration heat exchangers operating in parallel. The heat transfer medium circuit itself can, for example, be designed as a closed water-glycol circuit or can also comprise a phase-change material. The heat transfer medium circuit can run through the foundation 7 to transport the heat energy away from the foil tunnel 1. A heat exchanger can also be arranged in the area of ​​the foundation 7.Likewise, a cooling circuit can be connected to the supporting structure or the foil tunnel 1, into which a special liquid suitable for producing snow is poured. The corresponding cooling energy, which is generated by harnessing the cold sky, can be generated by cooling the liquid using a heat exchanger and used to produce snow. It should be noted at this point that the term "roadway" in this context refers not only to roadways for motor vehicles, but also includes ski slopes.

[0032] Furthermore, it can be provided that the cavity is filled with a greenhouse gas, in particular CO 2, in order to increase the absorption capacity of the film tunnel 1 as a collector.

[0033] In addition to the supporting structure itself, tube collectors or linear collectors can also be incorporated into the supporting structure, which have no static (load-bearing) effect. Thus, at least one line for a heat and / or cold transport medium can be arranged in the cavity. Of course, multiple lines can also be laid in the cavity. In particular, a phase-change material can also be arranged in the lines or in the pipe.

[0034] For the sake of clarity, it should finally be pointed out that, in order to better understand the structure, some elements have been shown out of scale and / or enlarged and / or reduced in size. Reference symbol list

[0035] 1Foil tunnel 2Roadway 3Support 3aLower part 3bUpper part 4Support 4aLower part 4bUpper part 5Foil 6Holding device 7Foundation 8Foil

Claims

1. A film tunnel (1) for forming a roof over a roadway (2), wherein the film tunnel (1) has supports (3, 4) between which at least one film (5) is stretched, characterized in that the supports (3, 4) comprise a first group of supports (3) and a second group of supports (4), wherein the supports (3) of the first group are all arranged on a first side with regard to a longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel (1) and the supports (4) of the second group are all arranged on a second side, opposite the first side, with regard to a longitudinal center plane of the film tunnel, wherein the supports (3) of the first group, together with the supports of the second group (4), form pairs of supports (3, 4), the upper free ends of which are arranged at a distance from one another and are connected and retained with respect to one another by means of at least one retaining device (6), wherein each support (3, 4) at least of the first group and / or the second group has a lower part (3a, 4a) and at least one upper part (3b, 4b), wherein, when the retaining device (6) is released, the at least one upper part (3b, 4b) is guided on account of its weight force along the at least one lower part (3a, 4a) in the direction of a lower end of the at least one lower part (3a, 4a) into a lower end position.

2. The film tunnel according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one lower part (3a, 4a) and the at least one upper part (3b, 4b) have an arched construction.

3. The film tunnel according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one film (5) has a transmittance in a visible spectral range of between 0.80 and 0.99, in particular between 0.9 and 0.95.

4. The film tunnel according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one lower end stop which defines the end position of the at least one upper part (3b, 4b) is arranged on the at least one lower part (3a, 4a).

5. The film tunnel according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least between two upper parts (3b, 4b) of supports of a group, at least two films (5) are stretched, wherein one of the films (5) forms an outer cladding of the film tunnel (1) and one of the films (5) forms an inner cladding of the film tunnel (1), wherein a cavity is formed between the film (5) forming the outer cladding and the film (5) forming the inner cladding.

6. The film tunnel according to Claim 5, characterized in that solar panels are arranged, in particular adhered to and / or connected by lamination, on the film (5) forming the outer cladding.

7. The film tunnel according to Claim 6, characterized in that the solar panels are arranged on a side of the film (5) forming the outer cladding which is facing the cavity.

8. The film tunnel according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that at least one duct for a heat and / or cooling transfer medium is arranged in the cavity.

9. The film tunnel according to Claim 8, characterized in that a phase change material is arranged in the at least one duct.

10. The film tunnel according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the cavity is filled with a greenhouse gas, in particular CO2.