UNIT FOR INSTALLING APPARATUSES IN GENERAL IN AREAS WITH A DANGEROUS ATMOSPHERE Technical Field

The present invention relates to a unit for installing apparatuses in general in areas with a dangerous atmosphere. Background Art

As is known, potentially dangerous atmospheric areas are produced in many situations; considering merely by way of non-limiting example operations for extracting, analyzing, processing and synthesizing mineral organic materials, such as petroleum, hydrogen, methane, ethane, propane and natural gases, atmospheres are generated in the involved areas which entail the use of electromechanical and electronic apparatuses which comply with established safety standards.

Currently, there are apparatuses which are designed for use in a dangerous external environment, but in many cases, such as for example computers, control instruments and so forth, it is necessary to create an area which is not contaminated by a dangerous atmosphere in order to install such apparatuses.

Currently, the provision of such regions provides for on-site construction of environments which are adequately protected so as to be able to have an area with a non-contaminated atmosphere.

It is evident that this approach, in addition to complying in many cases with empirical solutions, entails a considerable expenditure of energy and money and it is not always possible to solve the problem easily. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the invention is to solve the problem described above by providing a unit for installing apparatuses in general in areas with a dangerous atmosphere, which allows to provide a ready-made modular element which can be installed and used immediately, with the additional advantage of being able to remove it and reuse it once it is no longer needed

in such area.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a unit which can be transported and positioned easily with normally usable means, such as land, ship, or airborne transport, with the advantage of being able to handle easily the assembly, which is already adequately preset.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unit which, thanks to its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a unit which can be obtained easily starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials and is further competitive from a merely economical standpoint.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a unit for installing apparatuses in general in areas with a dangerous atmosphere, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises a modular body which can be transported to the site of use and defines internally a compartment with a safe atmosphere, a pressurization section, for maintaining within said compartment an overpressure with respect to the outside, and a climate control section, with a condenser/evaporator assembly arranged outside said compartment and provided with a protected structure for use in a dangerous atmosphere, being associated with said body. Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a unit for installing apparatuses in general in areas with a dangerous atmosphere, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the unit according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic external view of the pressurization section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along a longitudinal plane, of the pressurization section and of the climate control section;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the pressurization section; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the climate control section.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to the figures, the unit for installing apparatuses in general in areas with a dangerous atmosphere, according to the invention, has the peculiarity that it comprises a modular body, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, which is provided advantageously by a container with standard dimensions, which is structured so as to define inside it a compartment 2 with a safe atmosphere, to the inside whereof access is ensured by a hermetic door 3.

The modular body 1 has the peculiar characteristic that it can be transported easily while already preset with the several apparatuses described hereinafter, directly to the site of use, by way of ordinary means of transport, thus facilitating the placement of the apparatus in sites having high logistic difficulties due to natural, atmospheric and structural conditions. Moreover, in case of reuse on another site and in a new context, the modular body lends itself easily to a new installation and use, since each unit is provided preassembled, tested and ready for entering service.

Each modular body has a pressurization section, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which has the peculiarity of comprising a monobloc unit with two independent sections, designated by the reference numerals 11 and 12, which are accommodated in a bay 13 which is closed by a hermetic panel 14, which allows access in case of malfunctions and maintenance interventions.

The section 10 has a high-efficiency air filter 15 at which there is, for each independent section, a shutter 16 which excludes selectively one

section or the other in case of maintenance interventions or faults.

There is also a differential pressure gauge 17, which detects the external atmospheric pressure with respect to the real overpressure provided within the compartment 2. Toward the compartment 2 there is a separating shutter 18, which excludes the overpressure flow from the safe area if the pressurization assembly is blocked.

It is further optionally possible to provide a preheater 19 which is arranged at the safe atmosphere intake, designated by the reference numeral 9.

The unit further comprises a climate control section, generally designated by the reference numeral 20, which has an evaporator condenser assembly 21 which is provided with a protected structure for use in a dangerous atmosphere and on which an electric fan condenser 22 acts which is also provided within a protected structure for use in a dangerous atmosphere.

Inside the compartment 2 there are advantageously an electric heater 30, a filter 31 for the air of the compartment, and a motorized evaporator climate control element 32, which can be used in a pressurized safe atmosphere area.

Moreover, internally there are a climate-control electric fan designated by the reference numeral 40, a motorized compressor 41 for the refrigeration system, and a phase inverter apparatus which modifies the operation of the climate control unit from cooling to heating and vice versa. Substantially, the unit according to the invention is also provided with a temperature regulation system adapted to provide temperatures inside the modules from +25°C to +5°C with a hydrometer degree of approximately 60%, considering environmental temperatures with thermal variations from -40 ⁰ C to +50 ⁰ C, thus allowing installation of the several units in highly challenging environmental areas in terms both of temperature

and in case of highly corrosive atmosphere.

The unit contains and uses a double circuit air battery known as condenser/evaporator and is installed externally in a dangerous atmosphere and therefore is provided with a protected structure. Depending on the external environmental conditions, the unit allows automatic reversal of the refrigeration cycle, heating or cooling the safe area.

Potential dangers are eliminated completely due to the presence of double units of safety systems in standby and also, in case of a functional block which might occur due to a malfunction of apparatuses due to wear, improper use or insufficient maintenance.

Since the pressurization system is built as two independent pressurizing sections in standby, it ensures constant extraction of clean atmosphere and the presence of overpressure ensures that no entry of dangerous atmosphere occurs when the door is opened.

Pressurization is controlled by means of differential pressure gauges between the outside and the inside in safety with two-step detection.

If a differential level decrease occurs due to various causes, the pressure gauge automatically activates the second section of the unit, reestablishing correct pressurization.

From what has been described above it is evident that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects and in particular the fact is stressed that a unit is provided which, thanks to its modularity, can be already directly installed so that it is preset in the site of use without requiring preparations or particular work and always with the assurance of maximum functionality and practicality in use.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may further be replaced with other technically

equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, may be any according to requirements. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2007A000433 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.