AU2009291210B2

AU2009291210B2 - Fixing device for pipe aerator for waste water purification

Info

Publication number: AU2009291210B2
Application number: AU2009291210A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Roland Hendel; Corinna Kampfl; Guido Kania; Hans-Robert Wurm
Original assignee: Rehau AG and Co
Current assignee: Rehau Automotive SE and Co KG
Priority date: 2008-09-12
Filing date: 2009-09-10
Publication date: 2015-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-10
Also published as: CN201485296U; CN102149957A; CN104879592A; WO2010028827A1; CN104879592B; DE102008047093A1; EP2334969A1; AU2009291210A1; EP2334969B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fixing device (1) for pipe aerators (2) for waste water purification, for fixing at least one pipe aerator (2) to a central pipe (3) in such a way that air from the central pipe (3) is supplied to the pipe aerator (2). The aim of the invention is to provide a fixing device for pipe aerators (1) for waste water purification, that is easy to assemble. According to the invention, the fixing device (1) is embodied as a pipe hanger that can be closed around the periphery of the central pipe (3) and comprises shells (11) connected in an articulated manner. At least one of the shells (11) has an air supply section (12) via which air from the central pipe (3) can be supplied to the pipe aerator (2).

Description

- 1 Fixing device for pipe aerator for waste water purification [0001] The invention concerns a fixing device for pipe aerators for waste water purification to fasten at least one pipe aerator in a central pipe in such a manner that air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe. [0002] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. [0003] Such fixing devices are already known. In the case of a conventional solution two pipe aerators are fastened on a threaded rod perpendicularly to a central pipe protruding in opposite directions opposing one another. Such fixing devices are not assembly-friendly, require a long assembly time and require two persons for the installation of the pair of pipe aerators. [0004] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. [0005] Accordingly, the invention provides fixing device for pipe aerators for waste water purification to fasten at least one pipe aerator in a central pipe in such a manner that air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe, wherein the fixing device is constructed as a pipe clamp that can be locked around the circumference of the central pipe and has shells connected in an articulated manner, wherein at least one of the shells has an air supply section through which air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe wherein in that the air supply section has one or more air outlet openings which are formed in a lateral surface of the air supply section. [0006] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". [0007] Advantageously, at least in a preferred form the invention provides an assembly friendly fixing device for pipe aerators for waste water purification so that to fasten at least one -2 pipe aerator on a central pipe in such a manner that air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe. [0008] Advantageously, at least according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fixing device can be considerably easier assembled and dismantled than the conventional fixing device and makes competition-free assembly times feasible for the pipe aerator. [0009] Preferred developments of the invention are subject matter of the sub-claims. [0010] It may be advantageous to move the shells by means of a locking device between an open configuration, in which the shells can be released from the central pipe, and a closed configuration, in which the shells are locked around the circumference of the central pipe. In contrast to conventional fixing devices instead of elaborate bolted joints only one fixing device is actuated, further improving the assembly-friendliness of the fixing device according to the invention. [0011] It may be helpful to have at least one shell with an essentially arch-shaped mounting section, that can be mounted on a jacket surface of the central pipe, while the air supply section protrudes essentially radially from the mounting section. Due to this the pipe aerator can be assembled in the optimum radial direction to the central pipe. [0012] It could be useful for the air supply section to have a centring protrusion that protrudes past a mounting surface of the mounting section. By virtue of this the fixing device according to the invention can be closed only in the designated assembled position, so that the risk of assembly errors is considerably reduced. [0013] It may be practical for the air supply section to have an air inlet opening, through which air enters from the central pipe into the air supply section, while the air inlet opening is bordered at least in sections by the centring protrusion. By virtue of this during assembly the fixing device can be automatically centred in the air distributing holes of the central pipe, so that an optimum air supply of the air supply section is assured. [0014] It may be advantageous for the air supply section to have a seal that borders the centring protrusion. In this case no air distributing holes with narrow tolerances are required on the central pipe because the sealing can be placed far past outside the air inlet opening.

-3 [0015] It may be helpful for the air supply section to have an air outlet opening, that is formed in a jacket surface of the air supply section. On the one hand the air supply section serves as a flange to attach a support pipe to extend the air supply section in the axial direction of the air supply section and on the other hand as a support pipe itself. [0016] The support pipe preferably has the same outside diameter as the air supply section, while the jacket surfaces of the support pipe and of the air supply section merge flush into one another. An air-permeable but water non-permeable membrane is pulled over the support pipe and the air supply section. At the ends, i.e. on both sides of the air outlet opening, the membrane is sealed, for example over pipe shells, against the support pipe and the air supply section. The air exits from the air outlet opening in the radial direction of the air supply section and thus optimally reaches between the membrane and the support pipe. The air permeability of the membrane is so calculated, that the desired aeration result will be achieved. By means of the fixing device constructed according to the invention it will be achieved that a pipe aerator of any length can be particularly easily installed on and connected to the air supply section. [0017] It may be useful for the air supply section to have a double-wall structure with an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall and the outer wall are preferably joined by web sections radially extending towards the inner wall. By virtue of this the air supply section can have a particularly rigid and stable construction. The inner wall and the outer wall have preferably different functions. The centring protrusion, for example, and/or the air inlet opening are formed on an inner end of the inner wall, and/or the air outlet opening on an outer end of the outer wall. [0018] It may be advantageous for the air supply section to have a non-return valve to allow an exit of fluids from the air supply section and prevent a penetration of fluids into the air supply section. Should the membrane burst or tear during operation, the reaching, by waste water, of the fixing device, and from there of the central pipe, via the defective membrane can be prevented. The non-return valve is preferably constructed as a poppet, disk or ball valve. [0019] It may be useful for the shell to have at least one reinforcing rib extending in the circumferential direction of the mounting section and/or in the circumferential direction of the air supply section. By virtue of this the fixing device can have a particularly rigid and stable construction to carry problem-free even longer support pipes.

-4 [0020] It may be advantageous, to construct the locking device as a toggle-type clamp with two articulately joined sections of different lengths, which in the closed configuration interact with the shells in such a manner that they exert forces on two different shells in opposite directions. By virtue of the locking device the fixing device can be assembled by one person without any tools. [0021] It may be helpful to have shells with identical shapes. By virtue of this the shells can be manufactured with only one tool, considerably simplifying the manufacture of the shells and advantageously affecting the manufacturing costs of the fixing device. The shells, having the air supply section, are preferably integrally produced from plastic material using the same injection moulding tool, so that they have identical shapes. Short description of the drawings [0022] They show in: [0023] Fig.1 - a principle sketch of the fixing device according to the invention, wherein two pipe aerators are fastened by the fixing device on a central pipe in such a manner, that air is supplied to the pipe aerators from the central pipe through the fixing device, [0024] Fig.2 - a sectioned view of the fixing device according to the invention in the locked configuration, [0025] Fig.3 - a front view of the fixing device according to the invention of Fig.2, [0026] Fig.4 - a lateral view of the fixing device according to the invention of Fig.2, [0027] Fig.5 - various perspective views of the fixing device according to the invention of Fig.2, [0028] Fig.6 - a front view of the locking device of the fixing device according to the invention, [0029] Fig.7 - a lateral view of the locking device of Fig.6, [0030] Fig.8 - a sectioned view of the locking device of Fig.6 along the line VIII-VIII, -5 [0031] Fig.9 - a perspective view of the locking device of Fig.6. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment [0032] Fig.1 shows a principle sketch of the fixing device 1 according to the invention, that fastens a pair of pipe aerators 2 for waste water purification on a central pipe 3 in such a manner, that air can be supplied from the central pipe 3 to the pipe aerators 2. The principle sketch illustrates that the fixing device 1 according to the invention is constructed as a pipe clamp that can be locked around the circumference of the central pipe 3 and has articulately joined shells 11. The shells 11 are produced only with the one, in particular the same, injection moulding tool and have identical shapes. Each shell 11 has an essentially arched contact section, that can be fastened on a jacket surface 31 of the central pipe 3 and extends over an approx. 1800 arc. An air supply section 12 extends outwards essentially radially to the axis of curvature of the arch-shaped contact section. Air can be supplied to the pipe aerators 2 from the central pipe 3 through the air supply section 12. The two shells 11 are articulately joined via a hinge 5 and can be converted by means of a locking device 4 from an open configuration, in which the shells 11 are arranged around the central pipe 3 and can be released from this, to a closed configuration in which the shells 11 are locked around the central pipe 3. [0033] The principle sketch according to Fig.1 shows the closed configuration of the fixing device 1 and of the shells 11. In the closed configuration the arch-shaped mounting surfaces 111 are mounted on the contact sections of the shells 11 on the jacket surface 31 of the central pipe 3. Centring protrusions 124 of the shells 11 engage corresponding air distribution openings 33 in the wall of the central pipe 3 in such a manner, that the air supply section 12 of each shell 11 can communicate with the central pipe 3. On the air supply section 12 of each shell 11 a pipe aerator 2 is mounted. The pipe aerator 2 comprises a support pipe 21 that essentially has the same outer diameter as the air supply section 12. [0034] The support pipe 21 is so welded to the axial end of the air supply section 12, that the jacket surfaces of the support pipe 21 and of the air supply section 12 merge flush into one another. The support pipe 21 and the air supply section 12 are sheathed by an elastic, air permeable but water-impermeable membrane 22, that is so secured on the connection of the air supply section 12 by means of a fastening means 23, e.g. a pipe shell that air can reach from the central pipe 3 through the air supply section 12 between the support pipe 21 and the membrane 22. The shells 11 are so sealed against the central pipe 3 that only the pipe aerators 2 can communicate with the central pipe 3, without the air otherwise escaping.

-6 [0035] Fig.2 shows a detailed sectioned view of the fixing device according to the invention along an axis ALZ of the air supply sections 12. The basic elements of the fixing device 1 have already been explained in conjunction with the principle sketch of Fig.1. Identical features have identical reference numerals. [0036] The air supply section 12 of each shell 11 comprises an air inlet opening 121, through which air enters from the central pipe into the air supply section 12, an inner wall 122 and an outer wall 123. The inner wall 122 and the outer wall 123 essentially have the shape of a pipe and form a concentric double wall structure, while the air inlet opening 121 and a centring protrusions 124 are formed on the inside end of the inner wall. In an annular groove 112, formed in the mounting surface 111 of the mounting section, an O-ring 113 is provided that forms a sealing device so that to seal the shell 11 against the jacket surface 31 of the central pipe 3. The diameter of the O-ring 113 approximately corresponds to the diameter of the outer wall and of the outer pipe 123 of the air supply section 12. The outer wall 123 of the air supply section 12 is passed through air outlet openings 125 the axes of which are radial to the axis ALZ of the air supply section 12 and are in a plane that is perpendicular to an axis AZR of the central pipe. Both shells 11 are articulately joined via the hinge 5 on the one hand, and are held together in the closed configuration in a form-locking manner by the locking device 4 on the other. The fixing device 1 illustrated is designed for a nominal central diameter of 110.4 mm and a nominal support outer diameter of 63.05 mm. [0037] Fig.3 shows a front view of the fixing device 1 of Fig.2 according to the invention. In Fig.3 reinforcing ribs 15 can be recognised, which essentially extend in the circumferential direction of the arch-shaped mounting section of the shell 11 and/or in the circumferential direction of the air supply section 12. To each air outlet opening 125 of the air supply section 12 a non-return valve 14 is allocated, that is screwed on the outside onto the outer wall 123 of the air supply section 12 to prevent the penetration of fluids from the outside into the air supply section 12 in the case when the membrane of the pipe aerator 2 tears or bursts during the operation. [0038] Fig.4 shows a lateral view of the fixing device 1 of Fig.2 according to the invention. One can recognise a shell 11 with the air supply sections 12 and the locking device 4, that holds the shells 11 of the fixing device 1, forming the pipe clamp, together in a form-locking manner.

-7 [0039] Fig.5 shows two different perspective views of the fixing device 1 of Fig.1 according to the invention. One can recognise from Fig.5 that the inner wall 122 of the air supply section 12 has two essentially semi-cylindrical shells, which are firmly joined with the outer wall 123 and the outer pipe by webs extending ray-shaped in the radial direction towards the inner wall 122 and the inner pipe. [0040] Fig.6 shows a front view of the locking device 4 of the fixing device 1 according to the invention. The locking device 4 comprises an essentially arch-shaped outer part 41 and an essentially arch-shaped inner part 42 that is articulately joined with the latter. In relation to a hinge axis of the locking device 4 the section of the outer part 41 is longer than the inner part 42. At a free end the outer part 41 has an essentially wedge-shaped engaging section 411, that according to Fig.1 can engage a corresponding, wedge-shaped undercut on the outside circumference of the shell 11 of the fixing device 1. The inner part 42 comprises on its free end an engaging section 421, that can engage a corresponding, wedge-shaped undercut on the outside circumference of the left, in Fig.1, shell 11 of the fixing device 1 according to the invention. On its free end the inner part 42 comprises an engaging section 421, that can engage in a form-locking manner a corresponding wedge-shaped undercut on the outer circumference of the left, in Fig.1, shell 11 of the fixing device 1 according to the invention. The locking device 4 forms a toggle-type clamp and operates according to the principle of a clamping device for ski shoes. [0041] The preferred application of the fixing device 1 according to the invention is described in the following with reference to the attached drawings. [0042] The fixing device 1 according to the invention for pipe aerators 2 for waste water purification is used in aerating plants of sewage treatment plans. The purpose of the fixing device 1 is to fasten at least one pipe aerator 2 on a central pipe 3 in such a manner that air can be supplied to the pipe aerator 2 from the central pipe 3. [0043] One starts with an initial state, wherein in an empty or discharged settling tank an essentially vertically extending air distribution pipe is already installed. Within the scope of this invention the air distribution pipe is described as the central pipe 3. To install the pipe aerators 2 on the central pipe 3 on diametrally opposite sides (offset by 1800) of the central pipe air distribution openings 33 are produced which pass through the entire pipe wall from the jacket surface 31 up to the inner wall 32. When installing the pipe aerators the central pipe 3 is preferably not charged with compressed air.

-8 [0044] To install the pipe aerators 2, the fixing device 1 according to the invention is placed with the shells 11 in the open configuration on the circumference of the central pipe 3 in such a manner, that the centring protrusions 124 are located in the air distribution openings 33. The fixing device 1 is so constructed, that the shells 11 can be moved to the closed configuration only when the centring protrusions 124 are positioned in the air distribution openings 33. The shells 11 are moved to the closed state by means of the above described locking device 4. For this purpose the locking device 4, constructed as a toggle-type clamp, is so brought in effective contact with the fixing device 1 that the engaging sections 41, 42 of the locking device 4 will rest on different shells 11. By applying pressure to a connecting axis of the first and second sections 41, 42 of the locking device 4, the two sections 41, 42 are moved from an angular arrangement, in which the sections 41, 42 include an angle between 00 and 900, to a parallel arrangement, in which the two sections 41, 42 are essentially parallel with one another. By virtue of this the section of the engaging sections 411 and 421, which are engaged with the undercuts of the different shells 11, is reduced, so that by means of the connecting device 4 the two shells 11 are held together in the closed configuration in a form-locked manner. In the closed configuration each shell is sealed against the jacket surface 31 of the central pipe by an O-ring 113. [0045] To connect a pipe aerator 2 a support pipe 21, having essentially the same outside diameter as the air supply section 12 of the fixing device 1, is welded to the free axial end of the air supply section 12 in such a manner, that the jacket surfaces of the support pipe 21 and of the air supply section 12 are essentially flush. Following this an elastic, air permeable but water-impermeable membrane 22 is pulled over the support pipe 21 and the air supply section 12 and so secured at the ends by means of fastening means 23 that air can reach between the membrane 23[sic] and the support pipe 21 only through the air outlet openings 125 formed in the outer wall 123 of the air supply section 12. Following this the central pipe 3 is charged with compressed air. Air can be supplied from the central pipe 3 to the pipe aerator 2 via the air supply section 12.

Claims

1. Fixing device for pipe aerators for waste water purification to fasten at least one pipe aerator in a central pipe in such a manner that air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe, wherein the fixing device is constructed as a pipe clamp that can be locked around the circumference of the central pipe and has shells connected in an articulated manner, wherein at least one of the shells has an air supply section through which air can be supplied to the pipe aerator from the central pipe wherein in that the air supply section has one or more air outlet openings which are formed in a lateral surface of the air supply section.

2. Fixing device according to claim 1, wherein by means of a locking device the shells can be moved between an open configuration, in which the shells can be arranged around the central pipe and released from it, and a closed configuration, in which the shells are locked around the circumference of the central pipe.

3. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one shell has an essentially arch-shaped mounting section, that can be mounted on a jacket surface of the central pipe, while the air supply section protrudes essentially radially from the mounting section.

4. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply section has a centring protrusion that protrudes past a mounting surface of the mounting section.

5. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply section has an air inlet opening, through which air enters from the central pipe into the air supply section, while the air inlet opening is bordered at least in sections by the centring protrusion.

6. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply section has a seal that borders the centring protrusion.

7. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein air supply section has a double-wall structure with an inner wall and an outer wall . -10

8. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the centring protrusion is formed on an inner end of the inner wall.

9. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply section has a non-return valve to allow an exit of fluids from the air supply section and prevent a penetration of fluids into the air supply section.

10. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell has at least one reinforcing rib extending in the circumferential direction of the mounting section and/or in the circumferential direction of the air supply section.

11. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking device is constructed as a toggle-type clamp and has two articulately joined sections of different lengths, which in the closed configuration interact with the shells in such a manner that they exert forces on two different shells in opposite directions.

12. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shells have identical shapes.

13. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a shell, having the air supply section, is integrally formed.

14. Fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply section is connected with a support pipe, while the air supply section and the support pipe are sheathed by an air-permeable but water-impermeable membrane and air can be introduced between the support pipe and the membrane through the air supply section.

15. Fixing device for pipe aerators for waste water purification substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.