Device consisting of containers attached to a pallet
for transporting hazardous materials.
The invention concerns the field of the transportation
5 of hazardous materials, and more particularly a pallet
that supports containers intended to receive a liquid,
for example an organic peroxide, which can be
transported only in small quantities for safety
reasons.
10
Organic peroxides are hazardous materials causing risks
when they are transported, s tor ed and us ed, whi ch
peroxides can lead to a discharge in the event of
impact or at high temperature. On discharge, such a
15 great quantity of heat can be released that in the case
of too powerful an impact or blow or an increase in
temperature a major explosion may be produced. This has
led to the transportation and storing of these organic
peroxides being subject to strict safety provisions.
20
To control these risks specific rules have therefore
been developed by international bodies. The
recommendations relating to the transportation of
hazardous materials published by the United Nations
25 represent a solid basis for various national and
international regulations.
To limit costly and risky manipulation, the aim is to
transport these products in packaging as large as
3 0 possible provided with the necessary safety equipment.
The revised 15 th edition of the recommendations
relating to the transport of hazardous merchandise
published in 2007 defines in sections 4.1.7.2.4 and
4.2.1.13.8 test principles for determining the
35 dimensions of the venting devices necessary for the
safe transportation of organic peroxides in "large bulk
containers" or in tanks. As a general rule, packaging
in individual containers of the order of 1000 litres or
more entails diluting the products to a concentration
WO 2011/092434 - JZ~- PCT/PR2011/050141
such that the formulation satisfies the vent dimension
criteria.
Various ways have been found to use products of higher
5 concentration than the limit concentration for vents
that can be produced in the packaging concerned.
The patent EP03 08554B1 describes the use of dip tubes
connected to a vent situated towards the bottom of the
10 container that in the event of a rise in pressure in
the container enables opening of the vent and
preferably emptying of the liquid to the exterior, thus
protecting the container from too high a pressure.
15 However, inappropriate activation of the vent, for
example because of fatigue of the materials, may lead
to a hazardous discharge of product to the exterior.
Moreover the volume of the large-diameter dip tube
leads to a marked lack of homogeneity at the time of
20 filling or emptying the container.
The patent application WO02064454 describes the
transportation of a concentrated peroxide solution
connected to a tank of phlegmatizing agent ready to be
25 mixed in the event of danger to obtain a more dilute
solution representing a lesser danger.
The patent application DE8236728 shows how a plurality
of containers of small capacity, less than 100 litres
30 and preferably from 20 to 30 litres, may be assembled
on a pallet to enable common filling with and emptying
of hazardous materials.. The disadvantage of these small
containers is that a large number of relatively small
containers must be available both where the organic
3 5 peroxides are produced and where they are consumed.
Moreover, a non-negligible quantity of peroxides may
remain trapped in the manifold after the operations of
filling or emptying hazardous materials, because of the
arrangement of the valves, disposed both upstream and
downstream of the manifold. This represents a risk in
transportation in particular, peroxides trapped in the
manifold being unable to flow through a vent in the
5 event of an impact or rise in temperature. The volume
of the manifold thus has a very strong impact on the
safety of the pallet.
Thus there still exists a requirement to transport
10 large quantities of hazardous materials at one and the
same time, under good safety conditions, thus enabling
the number of manipulations linked to the
transportation of these products to be limited.
15 Although the person skilled in the art competent in the
field of preparation, application and use of organic
peroxides has known for a number of years of the
problems and disadvantages of known pallets with a
plurality of containers for liquids containing
20 peroxide, this has not led to modification of the known
pallets prior to the present invention. It is clear
that making modifications to the existing situation was
not obvious to the person skilled in the art. It is
assumed that the person skilled in the art did not dare
25 to depart from the strict safety provisions drawn up
with great care and based on several years of practical
experience. In other words, there was a prejudice that
prevented the person skilled in the art from moving
away from the existing situation. Surprisingly, what
3 0 the invention proposes eliminates the disadvantages of
the known pallets and at the same time improves safety
because these strict safety provisions can in practice
be adhered to even better.
35 The invention provides a device comprising 2 to 20 and
preferably 2 to 10 containers fixed on a pallet, said
containers being designed to contain a hazardous
material in liquid form, the containers all having a
volume greater than 100 litres and preferably from 120
to 300 litres, characterized in that said device
comprises:
- a common manifold equipped with a number of
5 inlets that corresponds to the number of containers and
a common outlet equipped with a common valve, the
inlets of the manifold being coupled to the outlets of
the containers; and
- a valve disposed on one or more inlets between
10 the containers and the manifold, it being understood
that one of the inlets is not equipped with a valve.
The pallet of the invention, which constitutes an
independent transportation unit, contains from 2 to 2 0
15 and preferably from 2 to 10 containers fixed to said
pallet, said containers being suitable for the
transportation of hazardous materials.
Accordingly, said containers preferably contain one or
20 more liquid organic peroxides, in solution or
suspension form, optionally diluted in a solvent. The
organic peroxide may be chosen, for example, from
diacyl peroxides, peroxyesters, peroxydicarbonates,
perketals, and mono-peroxycarbonates.
25
The containers all have a volume of at least
100 litres, and preferably from 150 to 200 litres. The
containers all have their own outlet which is
constituted of a common manifold having a number of
30 inlets that corresponds to the number of containers and
a common outlet, the inlets of the manifold being
coupled to the outlets of the containers. The
containers are preferably all equipped with a vent.
35 An advantageous embodiment of the pallet of the
invention is characterized in that a valve, preferably
a remote-controlled valve, is disposed on each
container. These valves will advantageously be
I
wg-ao3:i/0fl3434- -J* - Pcq?/Fnaon/050i4i'
configured so that each valve opens when emptying or
filling the containers.
Each container may also be provided with a
5 supplementary opening enabling for example during
emptying of the containers introduction of air or a
protective gas into the containers, although this
function can be fulfilled by the valves referred to
above.
10
In one advantageous embodiment, a single valve controls
the simultaneous opening and closing of a plurality of
inlets.
15 The common outlet of the manifold may be connected to a
device at the point of use, i.e. on the premises of the
producer, where the common outlet of the manifold will
be used to fill the containers, and on the premises of
the consumer, where the common outlet of the manifold
20 will be used to empty the containers.
By means of this manifold, a large number of containers
may be emptied continuously or discontinuously,
simultaneously or successively.
25
This avoids manipulations requiring considerable labour
and improves safety. Above all on the premises of large
consumers of peroxide, the pallet of the invention
enables economies of scale to be achieved, at the same
3 0 time as reducing the risk of accidents.
Thus with the pallet of the invention safety provisions
may be complied with better, even in enterprises where
the personnel is relatively untrained.
35
The containers placed on the loading surface of the
pallet are preferably fixed, i.e. mechanically
connected to the pallet by mechanical attachments or
I
WO a011/(mi?4 --& - PCT/PR2011/050141
belts, or thanks to a particular structure of the
pallet perfectly matching the shape of the containers .
The pallet of the invention may be refilled via the
5 manifold after being emptied. During filling, the
inlets become inlets for the flow of peroxides and
during emptying the inlets become outlets for the flow
of peroxides.
10 The manifold is defined as the space formed between the
valves equipping each inlet, on the one hand, and the
common filling or emptying valve, on the other hand.
The inlets and the manifold are preferably made from
15 stainless steel or a synthetic material, in particular
polyethylene or polyfluorinated hydrocarbons, for
example polytetrafluoroethylene.
The particular disposition of the valves on the device
20 of the invention, i.e. the fact that one and only one
inlet is not equipped with opening and closing valves,
makes it possible to prevent even a minimum quantity of
organic peroxide from remaining trapped in the
manifold. In other words, a quantity of peroxide
25 remaining in the manifold, for example after filling or
emptying operations, will always be connected directly
to a container and preferably to the vent or to the
valve disposed on that of the containers equipped with
the inlet with no valve.
30
Accordingly, in contrast to known devices, the volume
of the manifold has no impact on the safety of the
pallet.
35 A remote-controlled metering pump and/or a valve, for
example a remote-controlled valve, may be fitted to the
common outlet of the manifold, downstream of the common
valve. This equipment may be in any order, i.e. common
8
WO 2011/002424 - -? - PCT/FI12011/050141
valve/valve/metering pump/free outlet or common
valve/metering pump/valve/free outlet.
The free end of the manifold or where applicable the
5 side of the valve or the metering pump not facing
towards the manifold will advantageously be configured
to enable secure and fast connection to a reactor on
the premises of the consumer or on the premises of the
producer of the organic peroxide.
10
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet of the
invention the inlets are coupled to the outlets of the
containers via tubes that extend right to the bottom of
the containers so as to be able to empty the containers
15 completely.
The pallet of the invention is advantageously
configured in the form of a transportable pallet,
either fixed, in which case it will be equipped with
20 feet, or mobile, in which case it contains from 2 to 20
and preferably 4 containers disposed on a loading
surface of the pallet. To this end, feet or wheels are
preferably disposed on the underside of the pallet.
According to the invention, this pallet may have two or
25 more loading surfaces disposed one above the other(s),
at least 4 and preferably 8 containers designed to
receive one or more organic peroxides being disposed on
each loading surface. For safety reasons, a protective
grille may be disposed at the periphery of the pallet,
3 0 for example in the form of a wire mesh or a cage.
The pallet of one preferred embodiment of the invention
is characterized in that control members are provided
enabling remote operation of the pumps and valves from
35 a switching desk situated externally of the pallet.
Safety and reliability may be increased if there is
installed on the pallet a signalling device which, when
all the containers coupled to the manifold have been
I
1
WO 2011/092434 - -# - PGT/FR2011/05014i:
emptied, transmits a signal indicating disconnection of
the metering pump and closing of the valves.
The pallet of the invention is particularly suitable in
5 practice for all processes that use large quantities of
hazardous materials, in particular organic peroxides.
Furthermore, the pallet of the invention is perfectly
suitable for use in automated chemical reaction
10 processes, for example for the synthesis of polymers
such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene or
polyethylene, as well as for the continuous fabrication
of plates, tubes and tanks and, for example, the
synthesis of synthetic marble in polyester resin.
15
When the pallet of the invention is used, it is
connected to the device with which the fabrication and
chemical reaction operation referred to above is
carried out. Inserting connecting parts for coupling
20 the common outlet of the manifold to this device is
nevertheless envisaged in the context of the invention.
It is advantageous for the connecting parts provided
between the containers and the manifold to be
25 substantially the same length. Automation of said
processes can in practice be achieved only with the
pallet of the invention. In particular, when the pallet
is used in accordance with the invention, less
disturbance to the production process is observed,
3 0 which is favourable for the quality of the end product.
The strict safety provisions do not in practice
constitute an impediment, and may even be complied with
better.
35 The invention will now be described in more detail with
the aid of the appended three figures:
n
10
WO 2011/003434 - ^T - PCT/FR2011/050141
- Figure 1 represents a plan view of the pallet of the
invention,
- Figure 2 represents a lateral view of the pallet of
5 the invention,
- Figure 3 represents a diagrammatic view of the pallet
of the invention in which the inlets, outlets and
valves appear.
10
In Figures 1 and 2, the pallet 2 includes containers 3
made from a synthetic material and which may all be
filled for example with 100 to 500 kg of a liquid that
contains one or more organic peroxides. The figures
15 indicate only the more important parts of the pallet so
as not to overcomplicate the drawing. The four
containers are disposed on the loading surface (Figure
2) and fixed in a manner that is not represented. Each
container is provided with a closed cap on which are
20 disposed in addition to the inlet 4, possibly a vent, a
valve and another outlet enabling the admission of
protective gas. The inlets 4 are disposed on the upper
part of the containers 3 (Figure 3) and may be
configured as tubes that extend down into the
25 containers as far as their bottom 5. These tubes may be
provided at the bottom of the containers 3 with a check
valve. The valve must be connected so as to close as
soon as the container is empty, to prevent the
aspiration of air. The common outlet 6 may terminate at
3 0 a lower location on the loading surface 5, so that the
containers 3 can be emptied completely. The valves 7
equipping the inlets 4 may be configured as magnetic
valves operated or controlled remotely and/or
automatically from a switching desk.
35
As may be seen in Figure 3, one of the inlets (4) is
not equipped with a valve (7) , the liquids stored in
that of the containers equipped with an inlet without
II
valves being directly in contact with the common valve
9 via the manifold 8.
Accordingly, as specified above, a quantity of liquid
5 remaining in the manifold after filling or emptying
operations, for example, will always be connected
directly to the vent disposed on that of the containers
equipped with the inlet with no valve. Accordingly, in
contrast to known devices, the volume of the manifold
10 has no impact on the safety of the pallet.
A metering pump made from stainless steel or synthetic
material may be connected to the common outlet 6 of the
manifold 8, the free end of the metering pump, or more
15 generally of the common outlet 8, or of the common
valve 9, being equipped with a quick-connect device.
The quick-connect device may itself be connected to a
reactor, for example a polymerization reactor, to which
the organic peroxides must be added so that they fulfil
20 their function, i.e. enable polymerization. The common
outlet 6, the common valve 9 and the quick connector
may also be operated automatically and/or remotely via
control lines.
25 To enable uniform, simultaneous and complete emptying
of all the containers 3, all the inlets 4 are
substantially the same length.
When the pallet 2 that contains containers 3 that are
30 full has been connected to a reactor via the common
outlet 6, the containers 3 may be emptied
simultaneously or separately, continuously or
discontinuously, as a function of the requirement for
peroxide in the reactor. When the containers 3 have
35 been emptied, they may remain in place on the loading
surface 5, which enables two important advantages to be
achieved. The first advantage is a considerable saving
in laborious manual work needing physical force. The
/2~
WO 2011/092424 - 4± - PCT/FI12011/050141
second advantage, which is more important, is improved
safety and better compliance with safety provisions,
even with personnel with relatively little chemical
training.
5
r
Although there has always been referred to above
emptying full containers 3 into the reactor and the
advantages that the pallet of the invention enables to
be achieved, comparable advantages are achieved during
10 the operation of filling the containers 3 in which the
peroxides are prepared. During filling, the flow in the
manifold 8, the common outlet 6 and the inlets 4 may be
in the opposite direction. However, any check valves
present at the end of the inlets, at the bottom of the
15 containers must then be switched out of service by
appropriate switching means.
Modifications of different kinds may be made without
departing from the scope of the invention. In
20 particular, there may also be fixed to the pallet
groups of more than 4 containers, for example 6, 8, 10,
12, 14, 16 containers, etc. Although in the embodiments
represented the liquid is extracted from the containers
3 in the upward direction, it is naturally also
25 possible to extract the liquid from the containers via
a pipe that passes through the bottom of the containers
3.
k.
Moreover, any connecting parts provided between the
30 inlets of the manifold and the containers themselves
not only have similar lengths but also similar volumes
and a flow resistance of the same order. Although the
pallet loaded with containers may be placed in the
close proximity of the reactor, for example at a
35 distance from one metre up to a few metres, it is
equally possible to place the pallet at a greater
distance from the reactor.
I
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WO 2011/092424 - *3T - PCW/FR2011/050141
Claim U£CL^K1
1. Device (1) comprising 2 to 20 and preferably 2 to
10 containers (3) fixed on a pallet (2), said
containers (3) being designed to contain a
hazardous material in liquid form, the containers
all having a volume greater than 100 litres and
preferably from 120 to 300 litres, characterized
in that said device comprises:
- a common manifold (8) equipped with a number of
inlets (4) that corresponds to the number of
containers {3) and a common outlet (6) equipped
with a common valve (9) , the inlets (4) of the
manifold (8) being coupled to the outlets of the
containers (3) ,
- a valve (7) disposed on one or more inlets
between the containers (3) and the manifold (8) ,
it being understood that one of the inlets (4) is
not equipped with a valve.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
a single valve (7) controls the simultaneous
opening and closing of a plurality of inlets.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the manifold (8) is made from stainless steel
or synthetic material, in particular polyethylene
or a polyf luorinated hydrocarbon, for example
polytetrafluoroethylene.
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that a metering pump is coupled
to the common outlet (6) of the manifold (8).
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
character i zed in that the containers (3) are
equipped with a vent.
I
J*
WG-30it/«5ft424- - i^T - BCT/FH2011/050141
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the inlets (4) are coupled
r
to the outlets of the containers (3) by means of
tubes that extend downwardly in the containers (3)
as far as their bottom.
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that wheels are disposed on the
underside of the pallet (2).
8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized by at least two loading surfaces (3)
di spos ed one above the o ther, at 1 eas t 4 and
preferably 8 containers (3) being disposed on each
loading surface (3).
9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that a protective grille is
disposed at the exterior periphery of the pallet
(2) .
10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
character!zed in that the containers (3) contain
at least one organic peroxide chosen from diacyl
peroxides, peroxyesters, peroxydicarbonates,
perketals, and mono-peroxycarbonates.