Container for recovering used liquids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container ( 1 ) for collecting waste liquids, comprising a closed tank ( 10 ) of predetermined volume comprising on the top ( 101 ) a pipe ( 14 ) for filling it with waste liquid and a drain pipe ( 15 ) for draining the stored liquid by suction, characterized in that the tank ( 10 ) comprises in the interior a bag ( 102 ), the volume of which is approximately equal to that of the tank ( 10 ), and which is designed to take the waste liquid, a heating system ( 11 ) being attached to the vertical lateral outside walls of the tank ( 10 ) in order, by regulation, to keep the waste liquid stored in the bag ( 102 ) in the tank ( 10 ) at a temperature above its solidification temperature and allow the waste liquid to be drawn off at any time, the tank ( 10 ) being covered with an insulator ( 20 ) and then with a protective casing ( 21 ) to prevent thermal losses, allow the liquid to be heated with little power, and allow storage either indoors or out of doors.

1 . A container for recovering used liquids comprising a closed tank of a determined volume comprising on the top a conduit for filling it with a used liquid and a discharge conduit by suction of the stored liquid, wherein the tank comprises in the interior a pocket of a volume substantially equal to the volume of the tank, intended to receive the used liquid, a heating system being attached onto the external vertical sidewalls of the tank and configured to maintain by regulation the used liquid stored in the pocket of the tank at a temperature above its solidification temperature and allow the used liquid to be collected at any moment, the tank being covered by an insulator and then by a protective tarpaulin in order to avoid heat losses, allowing the liquid to be heated with low power and to be stored both indoors and outdoors, the system including at least one light or visual or sound indicator on the top of the tank in order to warn the operator on the filling state of the pocket of the tank and therefore to foresee possible collection of the used liquid by a recovery vehicle. 
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulator is set into place by simple lining or adhesive bonding or by attachment elements of the screw-nut type on the top and on the outer sidewalls of the tank and optionally under the container. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the tank equipped with the heating system and covered by the insulator and the protective tarpaulin is mounted on a transport pallet. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a system for detecting the filling level of the pocket of the tank, provided on the top of the tank. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the tank includes a vent notably forming an air intake, the vent being obturated by an anti-odor air-filter allowing suppression or at the very least reduction in the diffusion of odors related to the storage of the used liquid in the pocket of the tank or of an overflow safety system of the pocket of the tank or of an assembly consisting of a funnel with a secured aperture and of an anti-odor air-filter. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness and the density of the insulator are determined so as to be sufficient so that the heating system of reduced thickness comprised between 2 mm and 3 mm is configured to maintain, with suitably regulated low heating power comprised between 20 W and 200 W, the used liquid at a temperature above its solidification temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective tarpaulin is formed in high tenacity polyester and includes adherence characteristics at least equal to 8 daN/5 cm 2  according to the NF EN ISO 2411 standard, cold and heat resistance characteristics comprised between −30° C. and 70° C., flame-retardant characteristics at least equal to 100 mm/min according to the DIN 75 200 standard, breakage strength at least equal to 220/210 daN according to the NF EN ISO 1421 standard and tear resistance at least equal to 30/25 daN according to the DIN 53363 standard. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein a leak detection system is provided on the top of the tank and includes a float mounted on a vertical rod either equipped with an electronic system generating a signal representative of the liquid level measured by the float, or with a mechanical system indicating by a visual indicator the liquid level measured by the float, the float and the vertical rod being positioned in the open space formed by the tank and the pocket so that if the pocket leaks or is broken, the used liquid flows outside the pocket but into the tank which causes the float to move up again, in the case of an electronic system, the latter generates the signal representative of the liquid level measured by the float so that a visual, light or sound indicator of the leak detection system informs the operator on the leak. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner pocket of the tank of the container is sealably attached to the tank at the filling and discharge conduits, at the anti-odor air-filter, at the leak detection system and at the filling level detection system. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulator and the protective tarpaulin are positioned on the container so that they leave clear the filling and discharge conduits, the anti-odor air-filter, the leak detection system and the filling level detecting system. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner pocket of the tank is in high density polyethylene (HDPE) or in any other materials of the plastic type having flexibility and resistance characteristics or further in semi-rigid material, is manufactured without any welds in order to avoid that it becomes pierced and is insensitive to corrosion. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling conduit and the discharge conduit form a single conduit both intended for filling and for emptying the pocket of the tank of the container, the filling and discharge conduit being provided on the top of the tank, including an end protruding on the outside of the tank, opening out inside the pocket of the tank and including at its free end a connector capable of receiving both the connector of a flexible or mobile conduit of a pumping device and the connector of a vehicle for collecting or recovering used liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling conduit and the discharge conduit protrude outside the tank of the container, open out into the pocket and are respectively equipped at their free end with a connector, the connector of the filling conduit allowing connection of a flexible or mobile conduit of a pumping device in order to empty a mobile container of smaller size than the container and the connector, the interconnection portions of which are non-standard forms of the discharge conduit, allowing connection of the pumping conduit of a recovery vehicle equipped with a connector mating the one mounted on the discharge conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 13 , wherein the free end of the filling conduit is equipped with a filtering member allowing retention of the suspended particles present in the used liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The container according to  claim 13 , wherein the discharge conduit opens out into a boss, of cylindrical shape with a diameter greater than the diameter of the discharge conduit or of hemispherical shape, made in the bottom of the tank and forming a receptacle so that it is positioned at a level located below the bottom of the tank in order to suck up all the liquid stored in the pocket of the tank, except for a small amount substantially corresponding to the volume of the boss minus the sinking depth of the discharge conduit in the boss. 
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 13 , wherein one of the ends of the discharge conduit comprises a strainer avoiding suction of waste or debris present in the pocket of the tank. 
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein the connector of the filling conduit and the connector of the filling and discharge conduit are equipped with an adaptor with which the neck of a funnel is received so that an operator may easily pour used liquid contained in a container into the tank. 
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating system includes heating elements positioned on the external sidewalls of the tank and configured to uniformly heat the volume of the used liquid stored in the pocket of the tank. 
     
     
         19 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating system is controlled and regulated by a control system located on the top of the tank. 
     
     
         20 . The container according to  claim 18 , wherein the heating elements of the heating system are coupled with a regulation device, notably comprising a temperature sensor, so that the heating elements are only powered when the temperature of the liquid is less than its melting temperature. 
     
     
         21 . The container according to  claim 19 , wherein the electric control system comprises at least:
 one receiving element intended to receive information relating to the temperature of the used liquid stored in the pocket of the tank from the regulation device;   one module for processing information relating to the temperature of the used liquid; and   one emission element intended to send control instructions for powering the heating system when the temperature of the liquid is less than its melting temperature in order to maintain the liquid stored in the pocket of the tank at a temperature above its solidification temperature.   
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 18 , wherein non-operation indicators are installed on the heating elements of the heating system in order to warn the user that at least one heating element of the heating system is no longer operating. 
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein the filling level detection system is of the mechanical type such as a gauge and may be replaced by another mechanical or electronic device for indicating a level. 
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the tank is metal and has a substantially rectangular parallelepipedal shape. 
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 4 , wherein the pallet in metal comprises apertures laid out in order to use a transpallet or a lift truck either in the direction of the length of the tank or in the direction of the width of the tank. 
     
     
         26 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two vertical sidewalls, positioned opposite to each other, of the tank are each provided with a handle in order to ensure easy manual handling of the container. 
     
     
         27 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is food oil, petroleum products, lubricants, hydraulic oils, flammable products.