Floor drain valve and drain fitted with one

Abstract

The invention relates in particular to a valve (3) in the general shape of a "T" for a floor drain (1) with a water seal, characterized in that it comprises a body (30) and a head (31) which are generally cylindrical, hollow and which communicate with each other, said head (31) having a diameter greater than that of said body (30) whose lower end is open, and in that the annular wall (310) of the head (31) which surrounds said body (30) has at least one through opening (313), annular wall (310) on which rests a washer (4) forming an annular seal which covers said at least one opening. Figure for the abstract: figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Valve for floor drain and drain provided with it

[0001] GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The field of the present invention is that of fire sectorization and containment, also called “compartmentalization”, and more precisely vertical fire sectorization between two superimposed volumes / premises.

[0003] It applies more specifically to fire-resistant floor drains, in particular those known as "water seal" drains found in industry.

[0004] CONTEXT OF THE INVENTION AND STATE OF THE ART

[0005] Fire sectorization in an industrial installation aims either to contain the spread of fire, or to protect sensitive elements or systems against the effects of a fire outside the premises which house them.

[0006] Confinement in an industrial installation such as a nuclear power plant allows the maintenance of radioactive materials within a given space thanks to a set of provisions aimed at preventing their dispersion in unacceptable quantities beyond this space.

[0007] The field of the invention is of particular interest to the integrity / operation of floor drains which have the functions of ensuring:

[0008] - non-propagation of smoke or flames in the event of fire;

[0009] - the confinement of premises at “iodine risk” by the presence of water (for those located in high-risk premises);

[0010] - the evacuation of effluents generated by a leak (linked to the malfunction or to the damage to equipment (valve, piping, etc.) or the use of fire protection to prevent internal flooding.

[0011] We know the general function of a siphon, a device that we find on a daily basis for the evacuation of water, while preventing the rise of stale air in the room which is equipped with it.

[0012] In the industrial environment, such siphons have the same functions, except that they must have additional functions due to certain technical constraints that are not encountered in the tertiary sector.

[0013] The present invention is more particularly concerned with guaranteeing the fire sectorization function, but without modifying or altering the two other aforementioned functions, namely water evacuation and confinement.

[0014] As illustrated in [Fig.l], a standard floor drain 1 is installed in the floor S of an upper room LS, so that its bowl-shaped body 10 C and the openwork plate forming a grid 11 which covers it are flush with the floor S of the room LS. The peripheral wall and the bottom wall of the body 10 are respectively referenced 101 and 100. It will be noted that the orifices which the openwork plate 11 comprises have not been shown in the figure. A water evacuation conduit 12, incorporated axially in the body 10, passes through the floor S to open into the lower room LI via its ceiling P.

[0015] The siphon 1 is implanted in the ground S, generally made of concrete, and the cavity necessary for its installation is generally filled with mortar.

[0016] In order to ensure a level of the water seal 2 in the siphon 1, it is sufficient to pour water through the perforated plate forming a grid 11. The water flows into the bowl C formed by the body 10, thus surrounding the conduit 12. A cylindrical bell 110, generally integral with the grid 11 and partially immersed in the water seal (also called water inventory) 2, completes the device of the water seal siphon. In practice, the orifices that the perforated plate 11 comprises are arranged on the periphery thereof so that when water is poured, there is no risk of it directly reaching the conduit 12.

[0017] [Fig.l] represents a normal situation, that is to say when the pressure in the upper and lower rooms LS and LI is the same or almost the same.

[0018] However, in certain degraded situations in which there is a large pressure difference between the rooms, a water suction phenomenon then appears, as illustrated in [Fig.2]. This illustration describes the suction phenomenon observed when the pressure of the lower room LI is significantly lower than that of the upper room LS. In different configurations and not shown here, the conduit 12 can pass through several floors or communicate with the conduits of other floor drains, before opening into a lower room.

[0019] In an industrial installation, the constraints vary from one room to another. In some, evacuation must be guaranteed in the event of internal flooding, in others it is necessary to block smoke in the event of a fire, etc.

[0020] As a consequence, we would naturally be led to design as many siphons as there are events to control, which is not feasible.

[0021] As a reminder, industrial floor drains must meet the following requirements, taken separately or combined:

[0022] • the evacuation of effluents generated by a leak or the request for protection fire to avoid internal flooding and proper collection by dedicated sumps downstream of the siphons;

[0023] • the confinement of premises at risk of radioactive or chemical contamination (the water seal provides a “watertight” barrier helping to contain the premises);

[0024] • the fire-break function to ensure the non-transmission of fire and smoke from a fire volume to another, ensured by the water guard.

[0025] To try to solve these problems, several techniques are used:

[0026] - Water top-ups at a frequency adapted to the speed of loss of the inventory in water ;

[0027] - The replacement of water by a liquid having a higher density than it. This slightly delays the loss in hydraulic inventory.

[0028] - Increasing the height of the body 10 of the siphon 1. But this involves mo heavy construction of the installations, particularly in terms of civil engineering.

[0029] But all these processes induce significant operating costs, produce insufficient results in terms of water retention time, or require very significant investments.

[0030] In any event, in the event of a rapid loss of the water inventory of a siphon 1, the latter can no longer ensure its function of fire protection and prevention of the spread of contamination.

[0031] The present invention aims to improve the maintenance of the water inventory 2 of industrial floor drains susceptible to rapid loss of guard.

[0032] It also aims to achieve the aforementioned objective while retaining the other functions required of an industrial floor drain and without modifying the structure of current drains. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] These objectives are achieved in accordance with the invention which proposes, according to a first aspect, a valve in the general shape of a "T" for a floor drain with a water seal, comprising a body and a head which are generally cylindrical, hollow and which communicate with each other, said head having a diameter greater than that of said body whose lower end is open, and in that the annular wall of the head which surrounds said body has at least one through opening, annular wall on which rests a washer forming an annular seal which covers said at least one opening.

[0034] According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of this stopper, taken alone or according to a technically compatible combination of at least two of them: - it is formed from a material identical to that of said seal; - said material is stainless steel; and - the upper wall of said head is removable and constitutes an access cover to the interior of said head.

[0035] The above-mentioned objectives are also achieved, according to a second aspect of the invention, by means of a fire-resistant and water-tight floor drain, which comprises a bowl-shaped body, which has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, said bottom wall being crossed by a conduit which extends generally perpendicular to the latter and the upper end of which is located inside said bowl, said body having an upper opening partially closed by an openwork plate forming a grid, a generally tubular bell being provided, which has a bottom wall secured to said plate forming a grid and a peripheral wall extending around and at a distance from said conduit and at a distance from the bottom wall of said body, characterized in that it comprises a plug conforming to one of the above characteristics, the body of said valve being fitted into said conduit by its upper end, so that said head comes into abutment against said upper end, said at least one opening communicating with said siphon body, outside of said conduit.

[0036] Thanks to the characteristics of this valve and this siphon, the washer closes the passage of air between the siphon bowl and the conduit, which makes it possible to break the pressure difference between the two rooms between which the siphon is installed. In this way, the hydraulic inventory of the siphon, that is to say its water seal, is kept unchanged. It therefore acts like a non-return valve.

[0037] However, since the washer simply rests on the annular wall of the head without being integral with it, in a situation where a large volume of water needs to be evacuated, the washer is lifted by the water which can be evacuated through the aforementioned conduit. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0038] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear from the description which will now be given, with reference to the appended drawings, which represent, for informational but non-limiting purposes, at least one possible embodiment.

[0039] In these drawings:

[0040] [Fig.l] is a schematic view, along a vertical sectional plane, of a fire-resistant and water-tight floor drain known from the state of the art;

[0041] [Fig.2] is a view similar to [Fig.l], which illustrates a situation in which a a strong pressure difference between the room in which the siphon is placed and the room below causes water suction;

[0042] [Fig.3] is a detailed and vertical sectional view of a valve according to the present invention;

[0043] [Fig.4] is a detailed and vertical sectional view of a siphon equipped with a stopper such as that of [Fig.3];

[0044] [Fig.5] is a view similar to [Fig.4] intended to show how the aforementioned valve allows water to be evacuated, in the event of a large volume of water. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] A first aspect of the invention relates to a valve, one embodiment of which is shown in the attached [Fig.3].

[0046] This valve 3 has, seen from the front, generally the shape of the letter “T”.

[0047] It comprises a body 30 and a head 31 which are generally cylindrical, hollow and which communicate with each other.

[0048] The head 31 has a diameter greater than that of the body 30, the lower end 301 of which is open.

[0049] The cylindrical wall of the body 30 is referenced 300 and its external diameter is equal, to the clearance, to the internal diameter of the conduit 12 of the siphon 1.

[0050] The body 30 is connected to the head 31 by an annular wall 310 which surrounds the latter. From the wall 310 rises a peripheral wall 311 surmounted by a partition 312 in the form of a disc which constitutes the upper wall of the valve 3.

[0051] According to a possible embodiment, this upper wall 312 is removable and constitutes an access cover to the interior of the head 31.

[0052] According to a characteristic of the invention, the annular wall 310 of the head 31 which surrounds the upper end of the body 30 has at least one opening 313. In the embodiment shown here, there are two diametrically opposed circular openings. However, in variants not shown here, there could be a larger number of openings, for example regularly distributed around the wall. These openings therefore connect the interior of the head 31 with the exterior.

[0053] Still in accordance with the invention, on this annular wall 310 rests a washer 4 forming an annular seal with flat and parallel upper and lower faces, which covers said at least one opening 313.

[0054] When the term “rests” is used, it is understood that the washer 4 is in no way integral with the valve 3.

[0055] Advantageously, the valve 3 is formed from a material identical to that of the seal 4. This material must withstand the high temperatures to which the siphon that this valve is equipped with is likely to be subjected in the event of a fire, and not release toxic fumes.

[0056] This material is advantageously stainless steel.

[0057] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, it is explained how the valve 3 is used in combination with a siphon such as the one described above.

[0058] As shown more particularly in [Fig.4], the body 30 of the valve 3 is fitted into said conduit 12 of the siphon 1 by its upper end, so that the head 31 comes into abutment against this upper end. Thus, the wall 310 is blocked against the conduit 12, while said at least one opening 313 communicates with said body 10 of the siphon, outside the conduit 12.

[0059] In this situation, the valve 3 and its washer 4 act as a non-return valve since the washer blocks the passage of air and makes it possible to break the difference in pressure between the LS and LI premises.

[0060] However, in a situation in which it is necessary to evacuate a large volume of water, which is the case in [Fig.5], the washer 4 is lifted by the water which infiltrates through the openings, and is evacuated via the body 30 of the valve and the conduit 12.

[0061] Such a siphon has the following advantages:

[0062] It allows:

[0063] - To comply with fire, containment and flood requirements,

[0064] - To simplify its operation,

[0065] - Not to generate waste in the pipes,

[0066] - To maintain the integrity of the siphon for at least 3 days.

Claims

Claims

1. Valve (3) in the general shape of a "T" for a floor drain (1) with a water seal, characterized in that it comprises a body (30) and a head (31) which are generally cylindrical and hollow, which communicate with each other, said head (31) having a diameter greater than that of said body (30) whose lower end is open, this head (31) being delimited by an annular wall (310) which surrounds said body (30) and is connected to the latter, by a peripheral wall (311) and by a partition (312) which constitutes the upper wall thereof, and in that said annular wall (310) of the head (31) which surrounds said body (30) has at least one through opening (313), annular wall (310) on which rests a washer (4) forming an annular seal which covers said at least one opening (313).

2. Valve (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is formed from a material identical to that of said seal.

3. Valve (3) according to claim 2, characterized in that said material is stainless steel.

4. Valve (3) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper wall (312) of said head (31) is removable and constitutes an access cover to the interior of said head (31).

5. Fire-resistant and water-tight floor drain (1), which comprises a body (10) in the form of a bowl (C), which has a bottom wall (100) and a peripheral wall (101), said bottom wall (100) being crossed by a conduit (12) which extends generally perpendicular to the latter and whose upper end (120) is located inside said bowl (C), said body (10) having an upper opening partially closed by a perforated plate (11) forming a grid, a generally tubular bell (110) being provided, which has a bottom wall integral with said plate (111) forming a grid and a peripheral wall extending around and at a distance from said conduit (12) and at a distance from the bottom wall (100) of said body (10), characterized in that it comprises a valve (3) according to one of claims 1 to 4, the body (30) said valve (3) being fitted into said conduit (12) by its upper end (120),such that said head (31) abuts against said upper end (120), said at least one opening (313) communicating with said siphon body (10), outside said conduit (12).,

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