ZAN, Leonardo (Via delle Acacie 12, FANO, I-61032, IT)
FRISONE, Ignazio (Via Giovanni Paolo II 8, FAENZA, I-48018, IT)
ARCANGELETTI, Giorgio (Via Litoranea 10, MAROTTA, I-61035, IT)
BASSETTI, Angelo (Viale A. Giuglini, 4/A, FANO, I-61032, IT)
ZAN, Leonardo (Via delle Acacie 12, FANO, I-61032, IT)
FRISONE, Ignazio (Via Giovanni Paolo II 8, FAENZA, I-48018, IT)
ARCANGELETTI, Giorgio (Via Litoranea 10, MAROTTA, I-61035, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. A method for the packaging of wet or dry solids, for transportation and/or storage, comprising the following steps: * conveying, by means of a suitable device, said wet or dry solids in a sack made of plastic material, previously positioned and maintained in a vertical position so that during the loading the mouth of said sack is kept open, said sack resting directly or indirectly on a vibrating platform, which vibrates during the loading with oscillating movements with respect to the vertical and/or horizontal axis, so as to obtain a homogeneous compacting of said solids inside the sack; * interruption of the loading of the sack, when a pre-determined loading level has been reached; * hermetic sealing of said sack and subsequent vacuum-packing by means of a suitable device, activated and maintained in operation until a pre-determined pressure value has been reached; * wrapping of the sealed vacuum-packed sack, by means of a wrapping machine having a rotating platform, with a film of plastic material so that it is suitable for transportation and/or storage . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wet or dry solids are in the form of sludge or powders. The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the wet or dry solids contain or consist of sulfur in the solid state. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sack made of plastic material is a multilayer material. The method according to claim 4, wherein the multilayer material consists of polyethylene externally and nylon internally. The method according to claim 5, wherein the thickness of the polyethylene ranges from 0.15 to 0.5 mm and the thickness of the nylon ranges from 0.05 to 0.10 mm. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sack rests on a pallet, in turn positioned on the vibrating platform. The method according to claim 7, wherein the wrapping of the sealed vacuum-packed sack by means of a wrapping machine is effected by wrapping not only said sack but also the pallet on which the sack rests. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rotating platform of the wrapping machine is beneath the vibrating platform, but kept separate from the same. A system for the packaging of wet or dry solids, for transportation and/or storage, characterized in that it comprises: * a conveying device, preferably a hopper; * a sack made of plastic material, preferably- having a substantially cylindrical shape; * a metallic structure for holding the sack, preferably consisting of a column and a horizontal arm to which the hooking system of the sack is fixed; * a vacuum-producing machine, preferably a vacuum pump; * a vibrating platform; * a wrapping machine with a rotating platform; * a control system; * possibly a pallet resting on the vibrating platform; the sack made of plastic material being positioned on the vibrating platform or on the pallet. |
The present patent application relates to a method for the packaging of wet or dry solids, in particular sulfur in the solid state, in the form of sludge or powders suitable for transportation and/or storage.
Sludge containing sulfur in the solid state can mainly derive from desulfurization plants, contained in field gases, effected by means of specific processes, including the commercial process LO-CAT wherein said sludge is obtained as by-product, but also from dehydration plants of sulfur-containing sludge, by means of filter presses.
At present, this solid sulfur sludge is charged into containers, trays and "big bags", producing a poor structural stability in the "big bag" packaging, powder diffusions and difficult in introducing the product onto the market with a consequent classification as dangerous product .
A new method has now been found, which allows the above-mentioned problems to be overcome, mainly thanks to the use of suitable vacuum-packed sacks, wrapped with plastic films.
The method, object of the present invention, for the packaging of wet or dry solids, preferably in the form of sludge or powders, for transportation and/or storage, comprises the following steps:
* conveying, by means of a suitable device, said wet or dry solids in a sack made of plastic material, previously positioned and maintained , in a vertical position so that during loading, the loading mouth of said sack is kept open, said sack resting directly or indirectly on a vibrating platform, which vibrates during the loading with oscillating movements with respect to the vertical and/or horizontal axis, so as to obtain a homogeneous compacting of said solids inside the sack;
* interruption of the loading of the sack, when a pre-determined loading level has been reached;
* hermetic sealing of said sack and subsequent vacuum-packing of said sack by means of a suitable device, preferably a vacuum pump whose suction mouth can be connected, through a valve, pre-installed on the sack itself, activated and maintained in operation until a pre-determined pressure value has been reached;
* wrapping of the sealed vacuum-packed sack, by means of a wrapping machine having a rotating platform, with a film of plastic material so that it is suitable for transportation and/or storage .
The wet or dry solids packaged with the method claimed can contain or consist of sulfur in the solid state, such as sulfur cakes consisting of sulfur powder and water. The plastic sack used is preferably a multilayer material, more preferably composed externally of polyethylene and internally of nylon, with a thickness, depending on the weight to be carried, of polyethylene preferably ranging from 0.15 to 0.5 mm (more preferably from 0.15 to 0.2 mm) and of nylon, whose function is to maintain the vacuum, ranging from 0.05 to 0.10 mm.
The sack made of plastic material can be dark- coloured, preferably black, in order to resist degradation when exposed to solar radiation.
The sealing of the sack is preferably either low- temperature thermo-welded and/or glued by means of a suitable commercial adhesive.
It can be preferable not to lay the sack directly on the vibrating platform but on a pallet, in turn resting on said vibrating platform.
In this case, the wrapping of the vacuum- sealed sack can be advantageously effected by wrapping not only the sealed sack but also the pallet on which said sack is laid, thus increasing its dimensional stability and mechanical resistance and facilitating its handling.
The transfer to the rotating platform of the loaded sack resting on the pallet or directly on the vibrating platform, may preferably be carried out before the hermetic sealing of the sack itself.
The rotating platform of the wrapping machine is preferably positioned under the vibrating platform, but detached from the latter. A further object of the invention relates to the system for the packaging of wet or dry solids, preferably in the form of sludge or powders, for transportation and/or storage, which comprises:
* a conveying equipment, preferably a hopper, which can be fixed to the ceiling or bridge of the area where the system is located;
* a plastic sack, preferably having a substantially cylindrical shape, possibly equipped with a hooking system by suspension, a valve for producing and maintaining the vacuum;
* a metallic structure for holding the sack, preferably consisting of a column and a horizontal arm to which the hooking system of the sack is fixed;
* a vacuum-producing device, preferably a vacuum pump, possibly equipped with a piping with a rapid connection to the suction valve on the sack and possibly to blades having characteristics suitable for a marine environment;
* a vibrating platform, preferably hydraulically liftable, and equipped with a hydraulic control unit ;
* a wrapping machine with a rotating platform;
* a control system,
* possibly a pallet resting on the vibrating platform,
the sack made of plastic material being laid on the vibrating platform or on the pallet. The wrapping machine preferably has the rotating axis centred on the pallet, when present.
The packagings obtained with the method and system described above can be transported towards an adjacent storage area where they can be inserted, by means of onboard cranes, into "baskets" normally used by the supporting means for the restocking of platforms and/or off-shore structures.
The "baskets" are metal cages, inside which the goods destined for off-shore structures are positioned.
They have a large diffusion for their safety and for facilitating their hooking/unhooking from the cranes.
By adopting this method and system, the following significant advantages can be obtained:
• possibility of transporting the product by means of any vector, assimilating it to non-dangerous goods :
• absence of gaseous and powder emissions;
• possibility of storing the sacks outdoors and to bad weather;
• management of the product through a secure technology;
• facilitated transfer operations of the product.
An embodiment of the present invention is now provided with the help of figure 1, said embodiment should not be considered as limiting the invention itself .
The sulfur sludge, leaving the vacuum filter at the tail of the LO-CAT process, is sent into a loading hopper (1) which conveys it into a plastic sack (4). The sack, manually positioned by the operator, is kept in a vertical position by a metallic supporting structure (2) specifically designed for this purpose, so that the loading mouth is kept open.
The height of the supporting structure is such that the base of the sack rests on a pallet (5) in turn resting on a vibrating platform which can be raised (6) so that the weight of the material is transferred to the pallet.
The operation in turn takes place above, but not in contact with, the rotating platform of a wrapping machine (7) , which operates in the last phase of the packaging .
During the loading operation of the material, the platform is made to vibrate with oscillating movements with respect to the vertical and/or horizontal axis so as to obtained a homogeneous compacting of the material inside the sack.
The vibrating platform is kept detached from the rotating platform of the wrapping machine by a hydraulic lifting system to prevent the transmission of the vibrations to the same.
At the end of the loading operations, when a pre- defined level is reached, in this specific case 2.5 tons, the operator interrupts the vibration of the platform and commands its positioning on the underlying rotating platform.
The structures are suitably dimensioned according to production requirements and loading/unloading of the product .
At this point the sack is hermetically sealed and then connected to the suction mouth of a vacuum pump (3) through a pre-installed valve on the sack itself.
The vacuum pump is activated and maintained in function until the pre-defined pressure value has been reached .
After disconnecting the pump, the seal of the valve can be guaranteed by means of a safety screw cap.
At this point, the wrapping machine is activated, which wraps a polyester film around the sack and the pallet, increasing its dimensional stability and mechanical resistance.
At the end of the wrapping operation, the sack is joined to the pallet and moved.
A new pallet and a new sack are positioned on the platform and the operation can be repeated.