Chamber

Abstract

A system and its use for treatment of freight in a vacuum, having a chamber 1 for receiving a loaded container 9 having an external length CLa, an external width CBa and an external height CHa, wherein the chamber 1 has two side walls 11, 12 arranged opposite to a bottom 13 and top 14 and arranged opposite to a front wall 15 and back wall 16, and wherein a direction system XYZ is at right angles; and a conveying element 2 for parking and moving a container 9 relative to chamber 1 from a first position P1 outside the chamber 1 into a second position P2 inside the chamber 1; and a driving device 8 for moving between the first position P1 and the second position P2.

Claims

1. A system for treating freight in a vacuum, comprising: a) a chamber, configured for providing a treatment in a vacuum and configured to receive a loaded freight container having an external length, an external width and an external height, wherein the chamber has i) two side walls and ii) a top arranged opposite a bottom as well as iii) a back wall arranged opposite a front wall, and wherein the direction system XYZ is at right angles, b) a conveying element, wherein the conveying element has a platform for putting down the freight container and a wheel or roller system for moving the platform together with the freight container relative to the chamber from the first position outside the chamber into the second position in the chamber, and c) a driving device connected to the platform for moving the platform together with the freight container between the first position and the second position.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein there is provided directly connected to the chamber a module having a vacuum pump as well as a regulating and control system and pipes, with which a vacuum of up to 98% or a pressure of less than 100 mbar absolute can be produced in the chamber.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein a steam generator is additionally provided, with which saturated steam can be produced in a temperature range between 20 C. and 60 C. in the chamber.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the chamber internally has a a) length of at least 8.4 m (27 feet 6 inches), b) width of at least 2.4 m (80), c) height of at least 2.5 m (86) or d) length of at least 6.0 m (1910), e) width of a maximum of 2.6 m (87), f) height of at least 2.5 m (86).

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pitch for the freight container in the chamber is defined by the second position in the chamber, wherein in the X-direction in front of and/or behind the pitch at least one connecting sleeve for connecting at least one hose for conducting air and steam is provided on at least one side wall.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the chamber has a front door and/or a rear door for loading and/or unloading the freight container.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the platform has an angle of inclination of at least 1.0, at least in the second position.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein means are provided on the platform in order to raise the platform on one side at one end of the platform and/or to raise the freight container on one side at one end of the freight container or at both ends of the freight container.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein one access opening which can be locked with a door or with a flap is provided at least in one side wall in the chamber.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the platform is longer by at least the dimension of the width of a door of the freight container than the length of the freight container and, as a result, has a working area for one person.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a device for fixing doors of the freight container is arranged on the platform.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein an internal upper side of the bottom is at least partially inclined, and/or the bottom has channels, in such a manner that condensate can collect in at least one central location in the chamber.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein a suction device for extracting condensate and/or for catching solid parts is provided.

14. A method for treating trunk wood, comprising the steps of using the system according to claim 1 to create vacuum and/or steam, wherein the wood is stored in the freight container with an external length of at least 8.4 m and the wood is positioned in the chamber together with the freight container.

15. A method for treating trunk wood, wherein the trunk wood in a first step is stacked or stored the freight container with an external length of at least 8.4 m and in an indirectly or directly following further step is treated together with the freight container in a system for vacuum treatment according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in the patent claims and in the description and represented in the figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a chamber opened on one side and of a container opened on one side on a platform in a first position;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a representation according to FIG. 1 in an intermediate position;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a representation according to FIG. 1 in a second position of the container;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective side view of a container on a platform with a working area and a chamber opened on one side;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective side view of a chamber opened on two sides for two containers;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective top view of a chamber opened on one side with a container opened on one side and container doors fixed in a working area;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective side view of a container inclined with respect to the platform;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective side view of a platform inclined with respect to the bottom of the chamber;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective side view of a chamber having a bottom with a gradient;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a schematic sketch of a driving device;

(12) FIG. 11a shows a schematic sketch of the flow for the condensate;

(13) FIG. 11b shows a schematic sketch of the flow of waste water during or after cleaning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) An ISO container is used in the embodiment examples described. The system described would also be suitable for any other container having similar dimensions, insofar as they are technically viable.

(15) The basic elements of a system for treating freight stored in an ISO container are, in each case, represented in FIGS. 1-9. The system comprises a chamber 1 for receiving a loaded ISO container 9 having an external length CLa, an external width CBa and an external height CHa of the container 9. The chamber 1 itself has two side walls 11, 12 and a top 14 arranged opposite a bottom 13 as well as a back wall 16 arranged opposite a front wall 15. The chamber 1 can be hermetically sealed and designed for producing a vacuum down to less than 100 mbar absolute internal pressure. The internal dimensions of the chamber 1, namely the internal length KLi thereof, as well as the internal height KHi and the internal width KBi thereof are dimensioned in such a manner that a corresponding ISO container can be accommodated therein.

(16) In these embodiment examples, the side walls 11, 12 are arranged parallel to one another and, in each case, at right angles to a Y-direction. The bottom 13 is arranged parallel to the top 14 with the respective alignment at right angles to a Z-direction and the front wall 15 is arranged parallel to the back wall 16 with the respective alignment at right angles to a X-direction, wherein the direction system XYZ is at right angles.

(17) The system additionally comprises a conveying element 2 for putting down and for moving a container 9 relative to the chamber 1 from a first position P1 outside the chamber 1 into a second position P2 inside the chamber 1, and a driving device 8 for moving the container 9 between the first position P1 and the second position P2.

(18) The conveying element 2 comprises, in this special configuration, a platform 20, on which the container 9 is put down as well as a roller system 3, with the aid of which the platform 20 can be moved substantially horizontally in the X-direction. Prior to the treatment of the freight, which is not represented in more detail and which is contained inside the container 9, the container is put down in front of the chamber 1 on the platform 20 and at least one container door 93 is opened (FIGS. 1, 4 and 6). According to FIG. 2, the container 9 is located in an intermediate position and is moved with the aid of the driving device 8 into the chamber 1. In front of the chamber 1, a podium 51 is provided which is substantially the same height as the bottom 13 in the chamber 1, such that the freight is substantially transported horizontally. According to FIGS. 3, 5 as well as 7 to 9, the container 9 is located in the position P2 in the chamber 1.

(19) In the special cases represented in FIGS. 1-9, the chamber 1 has an internal length KLi which corresponds to the external length CLa of the container 9 plus the dimension of the width TB of the container door 93. Consequently, the chamber 1 does not have to be substantially wider internally than the external width CBa of the container 9, because the container doors 93 are not arranged between the container 9 and the side wall 11, 12 of the chamber 1.

(20) FIG. 4 illustrates the pitches 19 which the container 9 occupies in the position P1 in front of the chamber 1 and in the position P2 in the chamber 1. The position P2 in the chamber 1 is significant with respect to the further preparations for treating the freight in the container 9. In order to treat the freight, air is both sucked out of the chamber 1 by means of connecting sleeves 120, thus creating a vacuum, and air as well as, in particular, water vapor is introduced into the chamber 1. Hoses 420 are connected to the connecting sleeves 120 and installed inside the container 9 for the treatment of the freight (FIG. 7).

(21) FIG. 5 illustrates that the chamber 1 can also receive multiple containers 9 at the same time. It is now envisaged that the chamber 1 has a front door 17 as well as a rear door 18. As a result, the chamber 1 can be loaded and unloaded with containers 9 from both sides. Sufficient space is available at least in front of each container 9 and between two containers 9, in order to work on the containers 9. Since the internal width KBi of the chamber 1 in this embodiment example virtually corresponds to the external width CBa of the container 9, it is not possible for the operating personnel to go between the containers 9 and the side walls 11, 12 of the chamber 1 and work. Access between the containers 9 is achieved by a separate access opening 6 in the side walls 11, 12 of the chamber 1, which can be sealed by means of a door 61.

(22) In order to produce the vacuum and the necessary water vapor, the chamber 1 has a module 4 which comprises a vacuum pump 40, a steam generator 41 as well as a regulating and control system 42 and appropriate pipes 450. The connecting sleeves 120, via which the hoses 420 are connected in the interior of the chamber 1, are also used at the same time outside the chamber 1 to connect the module 4 by means of corresponding connecting sleeves 430 to the module 4 for the relevant supply.

(23) The difference between the embodiment examples according to FIGS. 1-3 with respect to the embodiment examples according to FIGS. 4-6 is a platform 20 of a different length. According to FIGS. 4-6, the platform 20 is approx. 1.5 m longer than the container 9, so that a working area 9 is made available on the platform 20 in front of the container 24, in which working area the staff can work to a limited extent. At the same time, devices for fixing one or both container doors 93 are provided on the platform 20 in this extended area 23.

(24) The doors 17 of the chamber 1 are completely opened in order to introduce the container 9 into the chamber 1. Channels 132 as well as a central location 131 are provided in the bottom 13 of the chamber 1 on the upper side 130, via which channels and central location the condensate and solid particles resulting during the treatment of the freight can be collected and guided out of the chamber 1. To this end, a suction device 7 is provided, which is connected to the channel system. The pitch 19 provided in the chamber 1 in the position P2 allows a certain free space between the container 9 and the back wall 16 of the chamber 1.

(25) In order to specifically carry away the condensate and the solids from the container 9, it is envisaged that the container 9 be positioned in an inclined position inside the chamber 1. To this end, three examples are represented in FIGS. 7-9 for inclining the container 9 by an angle . In accordance with the embodiment example according to FIG. 7, means 5 are provided on the conveying element 2, in order to raise the container 9 at one of the two ends 91, 92 so far that the container 9 has an inclination of between 1.5 and 2. According to FIG. 8, means are provided on the conveying element 2 which are braced downwardly on the upper side 130 of the bottom 13 of the chamber 1 and consequently raise the conveying element 2 with the container 9 at one end 22 by a corresponding dimension. The solution represented in FIG. 9 shows a particular bottom 13 in the chamber 1, which has an upper side 130 with a corresponding gradient.

(26) The flow of the condensate inside the container 9 and in the chamber 1 is shown in principle in FIGS. 11a and 11b. The two oblique levels illustrate how the condensate is first carried off in the direction indicated with arrows above the bottom 13 of the chamber 1 in one direction and, after leaving the container 9, runs in the other direction to the central location 131. Multiple rinsing channels 133 are provided for cleaning and rinsing the chamber 1, by means of which rinsing channels fresh water and cleaning agents are introduced into the chamber 1 and which, together with the solid particles and the remaining condensate, are likewise guided by means of the channels 132 represented in greater detail in FIG. 6 to the central location 131.

(27) A simple principle of a driving device 8 is represented in FIG. 10, with the aid of which the platform 20 can be transported with its roller system 3 from the podium 51 in a horizontal direction into the chamber 1 or out of the chamber 2. To this end, an anchor 83 is provided, which is positively connected to the platform 20 and which is driven in both horizontal directions by means of a conveyor chain 82 and two drive rollers 84 by means of the engine 81.