HK1115826B - Inerting device with nitrogen generator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inertisation device for setting and maintaining prescribed inertisation levels in a controlled chamber, the inertisation device being a controllable inert gas system for the provision of inert gas, a first supply pipe system connected to the inert gas system which is connected to the chamber to supply the inert gas provided by the inert gas system to the chamber, and a control unit designed to control the inert gas system in such a way that a prescribed inertisation level is set and maintained in the chamber.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 428 (char 427)

Document EP 1 683 548 A identifies an inertisation device for setting and maintaining prescribed inertisation levels in a shelter to be monitored, the inertisation device having a controllable inert gas system for the provision of inert gas, a first supply pipe system connected to the inert gas system which is connected to the shelter to supply the inert gas provided by the inert gas system to the shelter and a control device designed to control the inert gas system of the control unit that a specified prescribed inertisation level is provided and maintained in the shelter, the inert gas system having a fresh air supply system to supply fresh air to the shelter in case of emergency.

The inerting device of the type mentioned above is a system for reducing the risk of fire and extinguishing fires in the protected space to be monitored, using permanent inerting of the protected space for fire prevention or fire fighting. The inerting device works on the basis of the knowledge that the fire risk can be reduced in closed spaces by permanently lowering the oxygen concentration in the affected area to a value of, for example, 12% vol.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 989 (char 988)

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 80 (char 79)

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 74 (char 73)

Although the reduced oxygen content in the air of the enclosure corresponding to the basic inerting level does not in principle pose any danger to humans and animals, so that they can enter the enclosure without major discomfort, for example without respirators, for a short period of time, certain national safety measures must be observed when entering a space permanently inerted at a basic inerting level, since in principle, exposure to a reduced oxygen atmosphere may lead to a lack of oxygen, which may have physiological effects on the human body.

These effects on the human body and on the flammability of materials are shown in Table 1 below.

In order to ensure that the security measures imposed by national rules on the airworthiness of the enclosure, which are becoming increasingly stringent as the oxygen content of the air in the enclosure decreases, can be met in a simple and, in particular, easily practicable way, it would be conceivable, for the purpose and for the duration of the procedure, to raise the permanent enclosure from the basic level of enclosure to a so-called accessibility level at which the prescribed security requirements are lower and can be met without major difficulties. Other

Sauerstoffanteil im Schutzraum	Auswirkung auf den menschlichen Organismus	Auswirkung auf die Brennbarkeit von Materialien
8 Vol.-%	Lebensgefahr	Nicht brennbar
10 Vol.-%	Urteilskraft und Schmerzempfinden lassen nach	Nicht brennbar
12 Vol.-%	Ermüdung, Erhöhung von Atemvolumen und Puls	Schwer entflammbar
15 Vol.-%	Keine	Schwer entflammbar
21 Vol.-%	Keine	Keine

For example, it would be useful to raise a shelter normally permanently inerted at a basic inerting level of e.g. 13.8 to 14.5% vol. oxygen, where effective fire suppression can already be achieved according to Table 1, to a permeability level of e.g. 15 to 17% vol. oxygen in the event of a breach, e.g. for maintenance purposes.

From a medical point of view, a limited period of time in an oxygen atmosphere reduced to this level of passability is safe for all persons who do not have any cardiovascular, vascular or respiratory disease and therefore no, or at least very few, additional safety measures are required by the relevant national rules.

It is customary to raise the inertisation level set in the enclosure from the basic inertisation level to the permeability level by controlling the inert gas system accordingly. In this case, it is particularly economic to maintain the inertisation level set in the enclosure (if applicable with a suitable control area) at the permeability level permanently during the passage through the enclosure, in order to keep the amount of inert gas to be introduced into the enclosure after the passage through the enclosure to the basic inertisation level is reset as low as possible. Therefore, the inert gas system should also produce or provide protection during the passage through the enclosure in such a way that the protection provided therein is maintained at a certain level of permeability (with a certain control area).

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 117 (char 116)

The present invention is now based on the task of further developing an inerting device of the type described at the outset in such a way as to ensure reliably that the inerting level in a permanently inerted protective space can be quickly raised to a level of passability without the need for additional major structural measures.

In general, the present invention is intended to specify an inerting device of the above type which can reliably set and/or maintain an inerting level set in a controlled enclosure, allowing the switching of the inerting levels set in the enclosure, for example between a basic or a full inerting level and a passability level, as quickly as possible without requiring major design measures.

These tasks are solved by the invention of an inerting device of the type described at the outset by the inert gas system having a bypass pipe system, preferably interconnected with the control unit by means of a shut-off valve, connected to a compressed air source on the one hand and to the first supply pipe system on the other, to direct the compressed air supplied by the compressed air source into the shelter as fresh air if necessary and thus to adjust the oxygen concentration in the shelter to a level corresponding to the specified inerting level to be set and/or maintained in the shelter.

The advantages of the solution of the invention are obvious: the inert gas quantity supplied to the chamber and the oxygen concentration in the inert gas are regulated already in the inert gas system to the value necessary to set or maintain the inertisation level in the chamber, whereby the inert gas system is controlled from the controllable inert gas system, the bypass pipe system, which can be connected to the control unit via a valve, which is connected to a source of compressed air on the one hand and to the first supply air system on the other, and the supply pipe system.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 98 (char 97)

In particular, the solution of the invention regulates the quantity of inert gas supplied by the inert gas system and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas to be supplied to the chamber by means of a control of the inert gas system to control the absolute quantity of inert gas supplied per unit of time and by means of a control of the valve attached to the bypass pipe system to control the absolute volume of fresh air supplied to the chamber per unit of time.

A particularly preferred development of the solution of the invention is to provide that the compressed air source has an oxygen storage tank, oxygen-enriched air or compressed air, whereby the control unit is designed to control a controllable pressure relief device attached to the storage tank and connected to the first supply pipe system in such a way as to set or maintain a certain level of inertisation in the containment space. It should be noted that in this preferred implementation the pressure storage tank can be provided either as a source of compressed air itself or as a separate unit in addition to the source of compressed air in the inerting device, the pressure storage tank being in advantageous fluid communication with the bypass pipe system which can be switched through the shut-off valve.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention and the embodiment discussed above provides that the inert gas system has a nitrogen generator connected to the compressed air source to remove oxygen from the compressed air supply to the compressed air source and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first exit of the nitrogen generator, the nitrogen generator provided and the nitrogen-enriched air from the nitrogen generator being able to be introduced as an inert through the first exit of the nitrogen generator into the first supply pipeline system. It provides that the bypass generator or the pressure generator pipeline bridges the source of the nitrogen generator to provide, when required and when appropriate, nitrogen-enriched air at a first exit of the nitrogen generator, in addition to the nitrogen-enriched air provided and provided by the nitrogen-enriched air, which can be supplied in the direction of the intended entry of the nitrogen gas into the first supply pipeline system, and in particular, the nitrogen-enriched nitrogen-gas can be used as a supplementary fuel for the installation, in the direction of the intended entry/exit, and may be used as the only protective element in the installation, for example, in the nitrogen-enrichment/inlet system, and/or in the nitrogen-gas inlet system.

The nitrogen generator is designed to remove oxygen from the ambient air. To build a functional gas separation system based on a nitrogen generator, a compressed air network or at least a compressor is required that diffuses the prescribed capacity for the nitrogen generator. The principle of operation of the nitrogen generator differs accordingly, as the nitrogen generator produces nitrogen in the fuel in the system, which is produced by the different components of the nitrogen generator (high nitrogen content, high nitrogen content, high nitrogen content, etc.) in the composition of the compressed nitrogen, through its high-speed, high-pressure, high-fiber, high-speed, etc.

A preferred refinement of the solution of the invention provides that the inert gas system shall have a nitrogen generator connected to a compressed air source to remove oxygen from the compressed air supplied by the compressed air source and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first exit of the nitrogen generator, whereby the nitrogen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator and the nitrogen-enriched air is inert through the first eye socket of the nitrogen-generator to the first supply pipe system. This refinement is preferred if the nitrogen is controlled by the control unit of the type installed in the air source at a specified inlet/outlet level, whereby the nitrogen concentration in the air supply is controlled by the nitrogen-generator in the air supply space by the nitrogen-generator in the air supply system at a specified inlet/outlet level.

For example, when a membrane technology is used in a nitrogen generator, the general knowledge is exploited that different gases diffuse through materials at different speeds. In this case, the different diffusion rates of the main components of the air, namely nitrogen, oxygen and water vapour, are used technically to generate a nitrogen stream or nitrogen-enriched air. In particular, to technically realize a membrane-based nitrogen generator, a separation material is applied to the outer surfaces of hollow fiber membranes, which diffuses water vapour and oxygen very well.The efficiency of this separation process depends mainly on the flow rate in the fiber and the pressure difference across the wall of the fiber. With a decreasing flow rate and/or a higher pressure difference between the inside and outside of the fiber membrane, the purity of the resulting nitrogen stream increases. In general terms, therefore, in a pressure-generating nitrogen generator on the membrane, the degree of nitrogen enrichment from the nitrogen source provided by the nitrogen generator during the enrichment time is increased with nitrogen enriched air depending on the nitrogen gas provided by the nitrogen generator in the air-saving system.

For example, when the PSA technique is used in the nitrogen generator, different binding rates of air oxygen and air nitrogen are used in the specially treated activated carbon. The structure of the activated carbon used is changed so that an extremely large surface area with a large number of micro and submicropores (d < 1 nm) is present. At this pore size, the oxygen molecules of the air diffuse into the pores much faster than the nitrogen molecules, so that the air around the activated carbon is enriched with nitrogen.

The expert will recognize that in the implementation of the training discussed above, the amount of inert gas supplied by the inert gas system and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas supplied to the shelter is regulated by the inert gas system itself to the corresponding value, but will also take advantage of the knowledge that in the case of a nitrogen generator used as an inert gas system, the set purity of the nitrogen-enriched gas streams supplied by the nitrogen generator depends, inter alia, on the speed at which the compressed air passes, for example, through the nitrogen membrane system or PSA system of the nitrogen generator and, to some extent, on the time spent in the nitrogen-saving air system of the generator.

A possible implementation of the latter embodiment, whereby the number of individual air separation units selected by the control unit to remove oxygen from the compressed air supply to the nitrogen generator space is set or maintained at a certain level of inertness for the duration of the compressed air supply to the nitrogen generator space, provides that the air separation system (membrane system or PSA system) contained in the nitrogen generator has a cascade of multiple individual air separation units, with the control unit selecting the number of individual air separation units selected to remove oxygen from the compressed air supply to the nitrogen generator space and the nitrogen source selected to remove oxygen from the compressed air supply but the number of nitrogen generators initiated is set accordingly, with the degree of nitrogen self-concentration used in the nitrogen generating unit being adjusted by the control unit and the other details of the nitrogen emission control unit being selected by the control unit and the specifications of the nitrogen emission control unit being specified by the control unit.

A further embodiment of the latter embodiments of the inerting device of the invention, which controls the oxygen concentration in the inert gas supplied to the enclosure over the time the compressed air remains in the air separation system, provides that the compressed air source connected to the nitrogen generator is controllable by the control unit in such a way as to control the speed of the compressed air flowing through the air separation system contained in the injection generator and thus the air separation system's air separation time.

A preferred embodiment of the solution of the invention provides that the inert gas system shall additionally have a nitrogen generator connected to a compressed air source with an air separation system incorporated in it to remove oxygen from the compressed air supplied by the compressed air source and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first exit of the nitrogen generator, whereby the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator shall be introduced as an inert gas through the first exit of the nitrogen generator into the first supply pipe system as an inert gas. In particular, it provides that the inertisation device shall also include a second inert gas-enriched air separation system incorporating a protective layer connected to the nitrogen generator to keep the nitrogen-enriched air at a certain level of oxygen-exhausted oxygen in the second inert gas-enriched air system and shall be introduced as an inert oxygen-protective layer into the second inert air separator.

In this preferred implementation of the solution of the present invention, the exhaust air of the nitrogen generator, which is usually blown into the ambient air and consists essentially of oxygen-enriched air, is used to adjust the oxygen concentration in the enclosure by means of this exhaust air.

In order to allow the inerting device in the latter embodiment to set and maintain as quickly and precisely as possible the specified continuous inerting level in the protective chamber, it is preferable that the inerting device also have a control valve attached to the second supply pipe system and controlled by the control unit to break the connection between the second nitrogen generator outlet and the protective chamber, which can be made by the second supply pipe system.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 395 (char 394)

A preferred embodiment of the latter inertisation device also includes a pressure-dependent valve device, which is opened in a first prescribed pressure range and allows the oxygen pressure storage tank to be filled with the oxygen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator.

The following are preferred advances applicable to the above embodiments of the inerting device according to the invention.

For example, it would be conceivable that the inerting device would also have at least one controlled first supply tube system-assigned shut-off valve to interrupt the connection between the first nitrogen generator output and the airlock that can be made by the first supply tube system, which can thus control the nitrogen supply. This is particularly advantageous in maintaining a controlled level of inerting in the airlock, since in this case the amount of inlet gas to be introduced into the airlock and/or the oxygen concentration of the inlet gas in the airline can only be adjusted according to the design of the airlock and a rate of change can be achieved.

Furthermore, a further development of the inerting device, albeit one which is partially known to be of benefit from the state of the art, provides for at least an oxygen detector to detect the oxygen content in the air of the enclosure, whereby the control unit is designed to adjust the amount of inert gas to be supplied to the enclosure and/or the oxygen concentration of the inert gas according to the oxygen content measured in the air of the enclosure, so that in principle only the oxygen content actually required to set or maintain a certain level of inerting in the enclosure or the inert gas is supplied to the enclosure. In particular, the provision of an appropriate oxygen detector will ensure that the oxygen content in the enclosure is continuously maintained at a level that is appropriate to the level of inert gas and/or the inert gas that can be inserted into the enclosure and that the necessary oxygen levels can be accurately measured and that the oxygen content can be maintained at a constant level.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 153 (char 152)

However, in addition to the continuous or regular measurement of oxygen content mentioned above, the oxygen content can be maintained at the specified inerting level prescribed depending on a previous calculation, which should take into account certain design parameters of the enclosure, such as the air exchange rate applicable to the enclosure, in particular the n50 value of the enclosure, and/or the pressure difference between the enclosure and the environment.

The oxygen detection system is particularly useful in this case, where an aspiration device is used to continuously take representative air samples from the room air in the protected space to be monitored and feed them to an oxygen detector which gives a corresponding detection signal to the appropriate control unit.

In principle, an inert gas system may be equipped with an ambient air compressor and an associated inert gas generator, the control unit being designed to control, for example, the air transfer rate of the ambient air compressor in such a way that the amount of inert gas supplied by the inert gas system to the shelter and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas are set to the value appropriate to set and/or maintain the first predefined inertisation level.

However, it would of course also be conceivable for the inert gas system to have an inert gas pressure storage tank, whereby the control unit should be designed to control a controllable pressure relief device attached to the inert gas pressure storage tank and connected to the first supply pipe system in such a way as to control the amount of inert gas supplied by the inert gas system to the shelter and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas to the inert gas to adjust and/or maintain the pre-set inertisation level.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 172 (char 171)

As indicated above, the solution of the invention is not limited to adjusting or maintaining the level of inertness in the protective space; rather, the claimed inerting device is designed so that the inerting level to be injected may be a full inerting level, a basic inerting level or a level of inertness.

The following are preferred embodiments of the inerting device of the invention, which are described in detail in the drawings.

It shows:Fig. 1:a schematic view of a first embodiment of the inerting device according to the invention;Fig. 2:a schematic view of a further (second) embodiment of the inerting device according to the invention;Fig. 3:a schematic view of an embodiment of an exemplary inerting device;Fig. 4:a schematic view of a further embodiment of the exemplary inerting device; andFig. 5:a schematic view of a further (third) embodiment of the inerting device according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a schematic of a first embodiment of the inerting device 1 of the invention for setting and maintaining prescribed inerting levels in a controlled chamber 2. In essence, the inerting device 1 consists of an inert gas system, which in the embodiment shown has an ambient air compressor 10 and an associated inert gas or nitrogen generator 11.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 130 (char 129)

In the preferred embodiment of the solution of the invention shown in Figure 1, the inert gas, nitrogen in a favourable way, is extracted from the ambient air on site. For example, the inert gas generator or nitrogen generator 11 works according to the membrane or PSA technique known from the state of the art to produce nitrogen-enriched air with, for example, 90% vol. to 95% vol. nitrogen content. This nitrogen-enriched air is used in the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1 as inert gas, which is supplied to the shelter 2 via the supply tube 20.

In particular, the control unit 12 controls the inert gas system 10, 11 in such a way that the specified inert gas level is set and maintained in the protection area 2 depending on an inert gas signal, for example, entered by the user into the control unit 12. The selection of the desired inert gas levels at the control unit 12 can be done, for example, by a key switch or password protected on a (not explicitly shown) control unit.

For example, if the control unit 12 has selected the basic inerting level, which has been determined in advance, taking into account in particular the characteristic values of the protective chamber 2, and if no inerting level has been set in the protective chamber 2 when the basic inerting level has been selected, i.e. if the protective chamber has a gas atmosphere that is essentially identical to the chemical composition of the ambient air, a valve 21 assigned to the supply pipe system 20 shall be connected to the control unit 12 for direct forwarding of the inert gas supplied by the inert gas system 10, 11 to the protective chamber 2. At the same time, an oxygen collection device 50 shall be used to continuously measure the oxygen content of the oxygen.

If measurements of the oxygen content in the chamber 2 indicate that the basic inertisation level has been reached in chamber 2, the control unit 12 shall give a corresponding signal to the inert gas system 10, 11 and/or to the shut-off valve 21 to shut off the further supply of inert gas. Over time, inert gas will escape through certain leaks, so that the oxygen concentration in the room air atmosphere will increase. If the inertisation level has moved more than a specified amount away from the default value, the control unit 12 shall give a corresponding signal to the inert gas system 10, 11 and/or to the shut-off valve 21 to stop the inert gas supply from returning to a normal state.

In addition, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a bypass pipe system 40 is provided to connect the outlet of the compressed air source 10 to the supply pipe system 20. This bypass pipe system 40 can, if necessary, direct the supply pipe system 20 and thus the chamber 2 to the compressed air provided by the compressed air source 10 as fresh air. A direct fresh air supply to chamber 2 is required if the inertisation level set in chamber 2 is lower than the oxygen concentration of an air source already in chamber 2. This is the case, for example, if the air is discharged from the chamber 2 or if a partial inertisation is necessary to remove the oxygen from the chamber 2 as soon as possible, for example if the air is discharged from the chamber 2 or if a partial inertisation is necessary to remove the oxygen from the chamber 2.

In general terms, the inert gas system, according to the first preferred embodiment of the inerting device 1 of the invention, as shown in Figure 1, provides the amount of inert gas and/or oxygen concentration in the inert gas to be supplied to the chamber required to set and/or maintain a certain level of inerting, and the inert gas supplied by the inert gas is fed to the chamber 2 by one and the same supply pipe system 20.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the inerting device 1 shown in Figure 2 has a pressure storage tank 22 to store the nitrogen-enriched air provided in this case by the nitrogen generator 11 and is indicated in Figure 2 that the control unit 12 is designed to control a controllable pressure reducer of the type assigned to the nitrogen-pressure storage tank 22 and connected to the first supply pipe 20 in order to finally adjust the amount of protection space provided by the inlet/concentration of nitrogen in the inlet/concentration gas and to maintain the inlet/concentration gas at the specified value and to adjust the inlet/concentration gas at the specified level.

In addition, the embodiment shown in Figure 2 includes a pressure-dependent valve device 24 which is opened in a first prescribed pressure range and allows the nitrogen pressure storage tank 22 to be filled with the nitrogen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator 11.

This embodiment is intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention but is not part of the subject matter of the claim. It is provided that the inert gas system 10, 11 shall have a nitrogen generator 11 connected to the compressed air source 10 with an air separation system (not explicitly shown) contained therein to remove oxygen from the compressed air supplied by the compressed air source 10 and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first outlet 11a of the compressed air generator 11. In particular, it is provided that the nitrogen generator 11 shall be provided with nitrogen-enriched air through the first inlet of the compressed air source 11a 20 as the first inlet to the compressed air system 11a.

In contrast to the embodiments of the solution described in Figures 1 and 2, the exemplary system in Figure 3 now provides that the inerting device 11 shall have a second supply pipe system 30 connected to the inert gas system 10, 11 which is connected to the protective chamber 2 via a control unit 12 controlled shut-off valve 31, whereby oxygen released from the compressed air by the nitrogen generator 11 is supplied as oxygen-enriched air via a second outlet 11 of the nitrogen generator 11 to the second supply pipe 30 precisely, the second supply pipe 30 being connected to the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 30 to the first supply pipe 20 and the first supply pipe 20 is connected to the first supply pipe 20 and the first supply pipe 20 is connected to the first supply pipe 20 and it is possible to maintain a rapid flow of oxygen through the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 30 of the protective system 20 and to maintain a high level of ventilation in the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 20 and the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 30 connected to the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 20 and the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 21 of the protective system 20 and the second supply pipe 20 and the supply system 30 are connected to the first supply pipe 20 and the second supply pipe 20 and the supply system 30 are connected to the first supply pipe 20 and the first supply pipe 21 and the second supply system 20 and the supply system 30 are connected to the first supply system 20 and the supply system 20 and the supply system 20 and the supply system 30 are connected to the first supply system.

This embodiment is intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention but is not part of the subject matter of the claim. The system shown in Fig. 4 differs from the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 in that an additional pressure storage tank 32 is provided to store the oxygen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator 11 and the control unit 12 is designed to place one of the pressure reducers 33 assigned to the oxygen pressure storage tank 32 and connected to the second supply pipe, or 33 of the controllers 33 which are designed to be adjusted by the controller 11 to the specified value of the oxygen/gas concentration/concentration value provided by the control unit 2 and to the specified level of oxygen/gas concentration/concentration value in the inlet/outlet.

In addition, a pressure-dependent valve device 34 is provided, which is opened in a first prescribed pressure range and allows the oxygen pressure storage tank 32 to be filled with the oxygen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator 11.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of another (third) embodiment of the inerting device of the invention. 1 This embodiment thus provides for a bypass pipe system 40 on the one hand and a second supply pipe system 30 on the other between the second output 11b of the nitrogen generator 11 and the first supply pipe system 20.

As regards the operation and the advantages of the embodiment shown in Figure 5, reference is made to the foregoing.

It is also conceivable, of course, that the system shown in Figure 5 below may include a pressure storage tank for oxygen-enriched air and/or a pressure storage tank for nitrogen-enriched air, as in the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Finally, with regard to the control of the nitrogen generator 11 via the control unit 12, it should be noted that the nitrogen generator 11 can, for example, have a cascade of individual membrane units, whereby the control unit 12 can select the number of individual membrane units to be used to remove oxygen from the compressed air 10 supplied by the compressed air source and to provide the nitrogen-enriched air at the first exit 11a of the nitrogen generator 11, whereby the degree of nitrogen enrichment in the nitrogen-enriched air supplied by the nitrogen generator 11 can be controlled depending on the number of individual membrane units selected via the control unit 12.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the examples described in Figures 1, 2, 5 but can be implemented in a variety of ways.

List of reference marks

1Inertisation device2safe area10pressurised air source; ambient air compressor11inert gas generator11first nitrogen generator output for nitrogen enriched air11bsecond nitrogen generator output for oxygen enriched air12control unit20first supply pipe system21controllable valve22pressurised inert gas storage tank23pressure reducer24pressure-dependent valve30second directional supply pipe system31controllable oxygen pressure reducing valve32pressure-dependent storage tank33pressure34pressure-dependent V40R41R0R0R0R0R01R50A

Claims (17)

1. Inerting apparatus (1) for setting and holding predeterminable inerting levels in a protective space (2) to be monitored, with

   - an activatable inert-gas plant (10, 11) for the provision of inert gas;

   - a first supply-pipe system (20) which is connected to the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and is connectable to the protective space (2), in order to supply the inert gas provided by the inert-gas plant (10, 11) to the protective space (2); and

   - a control unit (12) which is designed to activate the inert-gas plant (10, 11) in such a way that a specific predeterminable inerting level is set in the protective space (2) and is held there,

   characterized in that the inert-gas plant (10, 11) has, furthermore, a bypass pipe system (40) which can preferably be switched through via a shut-off valve (41) by means of the control unit (12) and which is connected, on the one hand, to a compressed-air source (10) and, on the other hand, to the first supply-pipe system (20), in order, as required, to deliver the compressed air provided by the compressed-air source (10) to the protective space (2) as fresh air, and in order thereby to set and/or hold a specific inerting level in the protective space (2).
2. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 1, the compressed-air source (10) having a pressure reservoir (32) for storing oxygen, oxygen-enriched air or fresh air or compressed air, the control unit (12) being designed to activate an activatable pressure reducer (23) assigned to the pressure reservoir (32) and connected to the first supply-pipe system (20), in such a way as to set the quantity of the inert gas provided by the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and to be supplied to the protective space (2) and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas at the values suitable for setting and/or holding the specific inerting level.
3. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, the inert-gas plant (10, 11) having a nitrogen generator (11) connected to the compressed-air source (10), in order to separate oxygen from the compressed air supplied by means of the compressed-air source (10) and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11), the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11) being capable of being supplied as inert gas to the first supply-pipe system (20) via the first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11), and the bypass pipe system (40) bridging the nitrogen generator (11) in order, as required, to deliver the compressed air provided by the compressed-air source (10) at least partially directly as fresh air to the protective space (2), and in order thereby to set and/or hold a specific inerting level in the protective space (2).
4. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the inert-gas plant (10, 11) having a nitrogen generator (11) connected to a compressed-air source (10), in order to separate oxygen from the compressed air supplied by means of the compressed-air source (10), and to provide nitrogen-enriched air at a first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11), the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11) being capable of being supplied as inert gas to the first supply-pipe system (20) via the first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11), the nitrogen generator (11) being activatable by the control unit (12) in such a way that a specific inerting level is set and/or held in the protective space (2), and the oxygen concentration of the inert gas supplied to the protective space (2) being capable of being set, in that the degree of nitrogen enrichment in the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11) is controlled as a function of the dwell time of the compressed air provided by the compressed-air source (10) in the air separation system of the nitrogen generator (11).
5. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 4, the air separation system contained in the nitrogen generator (11) having a cascade consisting of a multiplicity of individual air separation units, while, via the control unit (12), the number of individual air separation units can be selected which are used for separating oxygen from the compressed air supplied by means of the compressed-air source (10) and for providing the nitrogen-enriched air at the first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11), the degree of nitrogen enrichment in the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11) being controlled as a function of the number of individual air separation units which is selected via the control unit (12).
6. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 4 or 5, the compressed-air source (10) connected to the nitrogen generator (11) being activatable by the control unit (12) in such a way as to control the velocity of the compressed air flowing through the air separation system contained in the nitrogen generator (11) and therefore to control the dwell time of the compressed air in the air separation system.
7. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of Claims 4 to 6, the inerting apparatus (1) having, furthermore, a second supply-pipe system (30) which is connected to the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and is connectable to the protective space (2), the oxygen separated from the compressed air by the nitrogen generator (11) being capable of being supplied as oxygen-enriched air to the second supply-pipe system (30) via a second outlet (11b) of the nitrogen generator (11), in order thereby to set and/or hold a specific inerting level in the protective space (2).
8. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 7, the second supply-pipe system (30) issuing in the first supply-pipe system (20) and therefore being connectable to the protective space (2) via the first supply-pipe system (20).
9. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 7 or 8, which has, furthermore, a shut-off valve (31), assigned to the second supply-pipe system (30) and activatable via the control unit (12), for interrupting the connection capable of being made between the second outlet (11b) of the nitrogen generator (11) and the protective space (2) by means of the second supply-pipe system (30).
10. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of Claims 7 to 9, the inert-gas plant (10, 11) having, furthermore, a pressure reservoir (32) for storing the oxygen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11), the control unit (12) being designed to activate an activatable pressure reducer (33) assigned to the oxygen pressure reservoir (32) and connected to the second supply-pipe system (30), in such a way as to set the quantity of the inert gas provided by the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and to be supplied to the protective space (2) and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas at the values suitable for setting and/or holding the specific inerting level.
11. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 10, which has, furthermore, a pressure-dependent valve device (34) which is opened in a first predeterminable pressure range and which makes it possible to fill the oxygen pressure reservoir (32) with the oxygen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11).
12. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has, furthermore, at least one shut-off valve (21), assigned to the first supply-pipe system (20) and activatable via the control unit (12), for interrupting the connection capable of being made between the first outlet (11a) of the nitrogen generator (11) and the protective space (2) by means of the first supply-pipe system (20).
13. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has, furthermore, at least one oxygen detection device (50) for detecting the oxygen fraction in the space air of the protective space (2), the control unit (12) being designed to set the quantity of the inert gas provided by the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and to be supplied to the protective space (2) and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas as a function of the oxygen fraction measured in the space air of the protective space (2).
14. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 13, the oxygen detection device (50) being an aspiration oxygen detection device.
15. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the inert-gas plant (10, 11) having, furthermore, a pressure reservoir (22) for storing the nitrogen-enriched air preferably provided by the nitrogen generator (11), the control unit (12) being designed to activate an activatable pressure reducer (23) assigned to the nitrogen pressure reservoir (22) and connected to the first supply-pipe system (20), in such a way as to set the quantity of the inert gas provided by the inert-gas plant (10, 11) and to be supplied to the protective space (2) and/or the oxygen concentration in the inert gas at the value suitable for setting and/or holding the specific inerting level.
16. Inerting apparatus (1) according to Claim 15, which has, furthermore, a pressure-dependent valve device (24) which is opened in a first predeterminable pressure range and which makes it possible to fill the nitrogen pressure reservoir (22) with the nitrogen-enriched air provided by the nitrogen generator (11).
17. Inerting apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the predeterminable inerting level being a full inerting level, a basic inerting level or a walk-around level.