System for cleaning rivers and waterways in general

Abstract

A system for cleaning rivers and waterways in general includes a plurality of floating or non-floating modules configured to rotate at least due to the effect of the thrusting action exerted by the water, and constraining elements configured to constrain two or more of the modules to be substantially aligned with one another along at least one main direction. The constraining elements are configured to ensure that a minimum clearance is provided between each module and an adjacent module, so that the modules do not come in contact with each other during their normal operation, and so that each module, due to its own rotation, pushes waste toward an adjacent module.

Claims

1. A system (100) for cleaning rivers and waterways (F), comprising: a plurality of floating or non-floating modules (20), wherein each module (20) comprises a floating or non-floating body (21) and one or more blades (22) directly or indirectly mounted on said body (21), and wherein said module (20) is configured to rotate, due to a rotation of said one or more blades (22) caused at least by a thrusting force (W) exerted by water, around an axis (Z) that is substantially orthogonal to a surface of the water when the module (20) is positioned in the water, and wherein said axis (Z), when substantially orthogonal to a waterline, forms an angle included between 45 and 90 with the waterline; and constraining means (10) configured to constrain two or more of said modules (20) so that they are substantially aligned with one another along a main direction (X), wherein said constraining means (10) are configured to ensure that a minimum clearance is provided between each of said modules (20) and an adjacent module, so that said modules (20) are not in contact with each other during their normal operation, and to further ensure that each of said modules (20), through its own rotation, pushes waste towards a module (20) adjacent thereto.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said constraining means comprise a beam (10) or rigid element having a shape that substantially develops according to said main direction (X).

3. The system (100) according to claim 2, wherein said beam (10) or rigid element is positioned on said modules (20), and wherein said modules (20) are sized to float and support said beam (10).

4. The system (100) according to claim 3, wherein said beam (10) is configured so that it can be walked on.

5. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said modules (20) comprise means for collecting and, if desired, removing oils, hydrocarbons, or floating pollutants present in the water.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said constraining means comprise a non-rigid element.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein all or part of said modules (20) are connected to one another a strap, chain, or belt (60) in such a way that the rotation of the one or more blades (22) or of said module (20) causes a sliding movement of the strap, chain, or belt (60), and wherein said strap, chain, or belt (60) is connected to a device for storing electrical energy produced by a motion of the strap, chain, or belt (60).

8. The system (100) according to claim 6, further comprising anchoring means (40) configured to constrain the beam (10) and/or non-rigid element to a fixed or movable anchorage point (50), and wherein said anchoring means (40) are configured to allow relative movements of said beam (10) and/or non-rigid element with respect to a respective anchorage point (50) at least in said axis (Z) and/or to allow a rotary motion of said beam (10) on a substantially horizontal plane corresponding to the waterline.

9. The system (100) according to claim 8, wherein said anchoring means (40) are configured to allow the rotary motion of said beam (10) on a substantially vertical plane, orthogonally to the waterline.

10. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of adjacent beams (10) directly or indirectly constrained to one another by constraining means permitting relative motions between the plurality of beams (10).

11. The system (100) according to claim 10, wherein said constraining means for said plurality of adjacent beams (10) are releasable.

12. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said plurality of modules (20) comprise one or more sensors configured to detect the rotation of said blades (22) and/or a position of one or more of said modules (10) with respect to other modules (20) and/or with respect to one or more reference points.

13. The system (100) according to claim 8, wherein said constraining and anchoring means are configured to lift and/or sink one or more of said modules (20).

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means that transform mechanical energy produced from a rotation of the blades (22) into electrical energy, and optionally one or more electrical energy accumulators.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises: one or more beams (10), to which one or more of said modules (20) are constrained, wherein one or more of the modules (20) are not constrained to said beams (10) but to other anchoring means independent of the one or more beams (10).

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said modules (20) are directly or indirectly constrained to an anchorage point with roll-up cables.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said modules (20) are constrained with one or more ropes or straps to anchorage points, and wherein the anchorage points are movable to compensate for changes in water level or to lift/sink the modules.

Description

[0069] The characteristics of the new system are better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawings that are attached hereto by way of non-limiting example.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the new system (100) in the embodiment with a single beam.

[0071] The new system (100) is particularly but not exclusively intended to be installed on a watercourse (F) and comprises at least one beam (10), preferably rectilinear or in any case mainly extending in a main direction.

[0072] Floating or non-floating modules (20) are constrained to the underside of the beam (10).

[0073] Said floating or non-floating modules (20) are therefore all substantially aligned along the longitudinal direction (X) defined by the beam (10) and are spaced from each other to such an extent that they do not touch each other during the normal operation of the system.

[0074] Said modules (20) are, for example but not exclusively, of the type described in the prior patents and patent applications filed by the same applicant.

[0075] Each module (20), for example, can comprise a floating or non-floating body (21) and one or more blades (22) mounted on said body (21).

[0076] Said blades (22) are intended to be subjected to the thrusting action (W) exerted by the water and consequently to set said module (20) rotating around an axis (Z) intended to be substantially orthogonal to the surface of the water or in any case forming an angle between 45 and 90 with the surface of the water.

[0077] Said blades (22), for example, are distributed along a circumference.

[0078] Said body (21) and said blades (22) of the module (20) are configured so that, when the module (20) is floating or is partially immersed in water, said blades (22) are preferably but not necessarily at the height of the surface of the water. The rotation of the blades (22), which takes place preferably and at least due to the thrusting action (W) exerted by the water, causes the module (20) to hit the floating waste while rotating, and to push the waste laterally, that is, towards the nearby module, and gradually towards a bank (F2) of the watercourse, where the system preferably has at least one point (30) for the collection of the waste.

[0079] Said beam (10) is intended to be positioned in a direction (X) generically transverse to the direction (Y) of the watercourse (F). In particular, said beam (10) is oriented in such a way as to form an angle (A) greater than 0 with respect to the direction (Y) of the watercourse (F) and smaller than 90. Preferably, said angle (A) is included between 0 and 70 and more preferably is equal to 35. With this specific inclination, in fact, it is possible to separate the modules (20) so that it is unlikely that the floating waste can pass between one module and the other without being hit by the blades (22) of one of them. Said modules (20) are thus aligned along said beam (10), which rests on the modules (20) themselves. According to the invention, however, said beam (10) can be constrained behind or at the sides of the modules (20), without changing the innovative concept introduced herein.

[0080] At least one end (11) of said beam (10) is constrained with anchoring means (40) to an anchorage point (50) located on or in proximity to a bank (F1) of the watercourse (F). The same inventive concept applies even if said anchoring means (40) constrain the beam (10) to any other point, which can be fixed but also movable, for example on board a vessel or the like.

[0081] In the embodiment shown in the figure, both the opposite ends (11, 12) are constrained with anchoring means (40) to corresponding anchorage points (50) located on the two opposite banks (F1, F2) of the watercourse (F).

[0082] In the preferred embodiment, said anchoring means (40) comprise, for example, ropes that allow relative movements between said beam (10) and said anchorage points (50).

[0083] In particular, it is preferable to permit the translation of the end (11, 12) of the beam (10) in the vertical direction Z.

[0084] This movement is allowed both to ensure that the beam (10) can be raised/lowered according to the variation in the height of the surface of the water, for example due to waves or tides, and to ensure that it can be raised with respect to the surface of the water to carry out cleaning operations on the modules (20) or to allow the passage of small boats under the beam (10) itself. According to the invention, the beam (10) can also be lowered under the surface of the watercourse, in order to submerge the modules (20) and allow the passage of the boats over them.

[0085] Preferably, said anchoring means (40) of at least one end (11, 12) can also allow a rotational movement of said beam (10) on a substantially horizontal plane, that is, on the waterline, around said anchorage point (50).

[0086] Obviously, according to the invention, to enable the rotation of the beam (10), the anchoring means (40) of at least one end (11, 12) of the beam (10) can be released to allow the beam (10) to rotate around the anchorage point (50) of the opposite end (12, 11).

[0087] The system (100) can also be provided with means suited to rotate said at least one beam (10) preferably countercurrent, so that it is possible to subsequently let the beam (10) return to the transverse position with respect to the watercourse (F) by simply releasing it, thanks to the thrusting action (W) exerted by the water current.

[0088] In any case, the beam (10) can be rotated in the same direction as that of the water current.

[0089] To rotate the beam (10), it is possible to use ropes or chains anchored on one side to the free end of the beam (10) and on the opposite side to a fixed or movable point.

[0090] FIG. 2 shows how, according to the invention, the system (100) may comprise two or more of said beams (10, 10) constrained to each other, and to each of which one or more of said modules (20) is/are constrained.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 3, said beams (10, 10) are hinged together in such a way that the second beam (10) can be rotated upwards with respect to the first beam (10).

[0092] FIG. 4 shows how also the first beam (10) can be rotated upwards, in order to completely lift the entire row of modules (20).

[0093] FIG. 5 shows how, in contrast, a row of modules (20), constrained to one or more beams (10, 10), can be rotated parallel to the surface of the water, until it reaches a position in proximity to a bank (F2) of the watercourse.

[0094] According to the invention, the system can also comprise two or more of said beams (10, 10), releasable or not constrained to each other, so that each of them can be moved separately and in a way that is dependent or not dependent on the others.

[0095] Said one or more beams (10, 10) may not be all aligned with each other. For example, they can form the shape of a V, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0096] FIG. 7 shows how said one or more beams (10, 10) can be constrained so that at least one of their ends (11, 12) can translate in the vertical direction (Z), for example along uprights (80) arranged vertically. Said uprights (80) can, for example, be configured as slide guides, on which sliders (81) that are integral with said beams (10, 10) slide.

[0097] According to the invention, the system can also comprise one or more of said beams (10), which can be movable or not, combined with one or more modules not constrained to the beams but to other anchoring means independent from the beams themselves such as, for example, cables anchored to the bottom of the watercourse or to other fixed or movable points. Said modules can, for example, be anchored by means of roll-up cables, which allow the modules to be moved if and when necessary, lifted or submerged.

[0098] FIG. 8 shows the above mentioned combined embodiment, in which, for example, the system (100) comprises: [0099] a first section (210) consisting of a plurality of modules (20) constrained to and aligned along one or more beams (10, 10), said first section (210) being, for example, constrained to a bank (F1) of the watercourse; [0100] a second section (220) consisting of a plurality of modules (20) constrained to and aligned along one or more beams (10, 10), said second section (220) being, for example, constrained to the opposite bank (F2) of the watercourse; [0101] a third central section (230) consisting of a plurality of modules (20), constrained by means of cables (70) that enable the modules (20) themselves to move, preferably independently of each other, within a certain area on the surface of the watercourse.

[0102] As noted, instead of being constrained to and aligned along the one or more beams (10), said modules (20) can be constrained to and aligned along one or more ropes or belts, for example anchored between the two banks of the watercourse, or elsewhere, and wherein the anchorage points can be movable, for example translating vertically, to compensate for the changes in the water level or to lift/submerge the modules themselves.

[0103] This solution is particularly effective when the watercourse is very wide, since on the one hand it guarantees the correct distance between the modules during the operating phase and on the other hand it reduces the overall weight of the structure.

[0104] According to the invention, one or more of said modules (20) can also be provided with blades (22) that rotate because they are driven not only by the thrusting action of the water current, but also due to the action of devices such as motors or the like.

[0105] Conversely, as already explained, one or more of said modules (20) can be connected to devices that transform the kinetic energy of the modules, produced by the rotation of the blades (22), into electrical energy which can be used for different purposes.

[0106] In a possible embodiment, shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, all or part of said modules (20) are connected to each other by means of belts, chains or straps (60) so that the rotation of the blades (22) or of the module (20) in general makes the belt (60) slide.

[0107] Said belt can in turn be connected to a device suited to accumulate the electrical energy produced by the motion of the belt. In this way, it is possible to produce energy that can be used, for example, to lift the modules in case of high waters, to allow the self-cleaning of the modules, or to set the modules rotating if the speed of the water flow is low or too low to make the blades rotate.

[0108] Said belt (60) is useful, for example, to synchronize the movement of said modules (20).

[0109] Thus, according to the embodiments described above, all or part of the modules (20) belonging to the system can be moved on the watercourse, at least within a limited range of action, in order to selectively allow the passage of boats or large floating bodies.

[0110] Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached drawings, the following claims are made.