Patent Application
20070131251
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device for cleaning a thick matter delivery pipe, a process for cleaning a thick matter delivery pipe, as well as a squeeze valve that can be inserted onto a flexible delivery pipe.
2. Description of Related Art
Thick matter such as concrete is delivered to a construction site in that it is pumped by means of a thick matter pump from a material supply container through a thick matter delivery pipe extending all the way to the construction site. Following utilization of the pump, the delivery pipe must be emptied of the residual material remaining therein and cleaned. The residual material can be pumped back to the material supply container. This however has the disadvantage, that the returned concrete can no longer be employed and must be disposed of. In the case of long thick matter delivery pipes, there is the additional problem that the material supply container can run over. For this reason in most cases a cleaning body, such as for example a ball sponge, is introduced at the inlet side of the thick matter conveyor pipe. The sponge ball lies with its entire outer circumference against the inner surface of the thick matter delivery pipe and is advanced through the thick matter delivery pipe until the end by application of air or water under pressure. At this time, it pushes the residual material remaining in the thick matter delivery pipe ahead of it and presses it out of the outlet side of the end-hose.
The use of water as pressure medium has the disadvantage, that the residual concrete is diluted by the water and thus cannot be used. Acting upon the sponge ball with compressed air requires, for safety reasons, a capturing device at the outlet, which prevents the sponge ball causing damage after expulsion out of the end-hose. The capturing device is removed when the pump is in operation and is only attached during the cleaning operation. It's assembly and disassembly is inconvenient and laborious in large applications, such as, for example, mobile concrete pumps.
It is thus the task of the invention to improve a device and a process of the above-described type in such a manner that the cleaning of the thick matter delivery pipe requires less time and effort.
The inventive solution is based upon the idea, that the cleaning body is captured in the end-hose by the at least partial closing of the end-hose, after the majority of the residual material has already been removed from the thick matter delivery pipe. For this purpose, a sensor detects a change in consistency of the material in a section of the thick matter delivery pipe as the cleaning body reaches this section. This can occur thereby, that the sensor recognizes the arrival of the cleaning body in the section of the delivery pipe. A further, simple method is comprised therein, that the sensor recognizes whether it is primarily thick matter or primarily fluid that is located in this section of the thick matter delivery pipe. The sensor recognizes the passage-through of the cleaning body through this section by detecting that the consistency of the material contained in the section changes: first, thick matter such as concrete is contained in this section, then after passage-through of the cleaning body, fluid is contained.
In principle it is possible to use water as the fluid, wherein a water pump is employed for conveying the water. It is however preferred that air is employed as the fluid and that the device for introduction of the fluid is a compressor for producing compressed air. Thereby it is prevented that the residual concrete remaining in the thick matter delivery pipe is diluted. The residual concrete can then, in large part, be reused and need not be disposed of, which can be expensive.
The sensor is preferably an ultrasound sensor adapted to transmit ultrasound into the thick matter delivery pipe. Ultrasound signals reflected from the inner wall of the thick matter delivery pipe allow the calibrated sensor to determine the consistency of the material located in the pipe-line. Therein the sensor is preferably calibrated for recognition of at least two different material consistencies. These could be, for example, the material pairs “thick matter/fluid”, “thick matter/cleaning body” or “fluid/cleaning body”. The cleaning body is preferably comprised of a compressible material. It is preferably introduced via a slide valve located at the inlet side of the thick matter delivery pipe.
It is preferred that the end-hose includes a jacket pipe of elastomeric material, preferably of rubber, and that the closable opening includes a squeeze valve for narrowing the internal width or for closure of the end-hose. If the end-hose is closed, then a part of the residual concrete can be retained therein. It is particularly preferable when the inner width of the end-hose is only narrowed, so that the cleaning body remains trapped, however, the largest portion of the residual material can be squeezed out of the end-hose through the narrowed opening, which expelled concrete can then still be used.
The squeeze valve serves for the rapid closure of the end-hose upon interruption of the pumping process. Thereby, an uncontrolled emission of concrete out of the end-hose is prevented and the environment is protected. This squeeze valve, which is the preferred closure device for the inventive device for cleaning a thick matter delivery pipe, is characterized thereby, that it can be introduced essentially upon any desired flexible pipeline, in particular an end-hose of the thick matter delivery pipe. It is thus not subjected to friction by action of the thick matter conveyed through the pipeline. Further, it has no rigid components which could present a danger of injury, with the exception of the valve.
The hose has on its outer side, opposite to the hollow inner space, a covering of a textile fabric layer. Further, it is advantageous when it is embedded in a sleeve of elastomeric material. The sleeve likewise preferably surrounds the jacket. This imparts an increased shape stability to the squeeze valve. The sleeve preferably has the shape of a hollow cylinder. Therein, the inner diameter must be as large as the outer diameter of the likewise cylindrically shaped pipeline. The jacket is preferably comprised of a preferably multi-layered textile fabric. In the inlet and the outlet opening a valve is preferably provided, so that the hollow space can be easily filled with gas and thereafter be emptied.
In the following the invention will be described in greater detail on a basis of illustrative examples represented schematically in the figure. There is shown in:
The thick matter delivery pipe 10 is designed to convey thick matter, such as concrete, from a material supply container 12 to a construction site 14. It is mounted on a boom, of which the end section of a boom arm 16 is show in
The end-hose 18 carries a squeeze value 30, which upon actuation narrows or closes its inner cross-section. The squeeze valve 30 is actuated by the control unit 28, when the control unit obtains a signal from the sensor 26 characterizing a change in consistency. The sponge ball 22 remains hanging in the narrowed side of the end-hose 18, while the residual concrete pushed ahead of the sponge ball 22 can still pass through this location and be reused. Simultaneously, with the actuation of the squeeze valve 30, the control unit 28 switches off the compressor 24. For removal of the sponge ball 22 from the end-hose 18, the squeeze valve 30 is de-tensioned and the thick matter delivery pipe 10 is once again acted upon with compressed air.
The inventive squeeze valve (
In summary the following can be concluded: The invention relates to a device for cleaning a thick matter delivery pipe 10, comprising an end-hose 18 which is mounted on an outlet side and is provided with a device 24 for introducing a pressurised fluid into the thick matter delivery pipe 10, and a cleaning body 22 that can be driven through the delivery pipe 10 by a fluid, an entire circumference of said cleaning body lying against the inner surface of the thick matter delivery pipe 10. According to the invention, the device comprises a sensor 26 for determining the consistency of the material in a section of the thick matter delivery pipe 10, a control unit 28 to which a signal can be transmitted from the sensor 26 in the case of a change in the consistency of the material, and a closing device 30 that can be actuated by the control unit when a signal is received and which is used to at least partially close the end-hose 18.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 015 417.1 | Mar 2004 | DE | national |
This application is a national stage of PCT/EP2005/002897 filed Mar. 18, 2005 and based upon DE 10 2004 015 417.1 filed Mar. 26, 2004 under the International Convention.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP05/02897 | 3/18/2005 | WO | 9/26/2006 |
