Assembly system for modular industrial plants

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular plant (1), in particular a modular industrial plant, comprising a plurality of cuboid-shaped plant modules (20, 40, 40a, 40c), which are arranged in two or more layers stacked one above the other. The modules have a support structure having fastening points (24, 24″, 44, 44″), wherein the fastening points are provided for connecting a module to corresponding fastening points of the adjacent modules of a layer located above and/or below thereof. In the horizontal plane, the modules of a layer are connected to the adjacent modules of the layer located above and/or below thereof in a form-fit manner by means of a connection element (64) having the shape of a double cone or of a double conical frustum. At least one traction device (62, 70, 80) having a tension member (62) is provided, by way of which traction device a bottom layer of modules (40a) or a foundation block (6) can be impinged upon with a tensile force along the vertical, with respect to a top layer of modules (40c) such that along the vertical, the modules between said bottom layer (12) and said top layer (11) and the adjacent modules of the layer located above and/or below thereof are positively pressed together at the fastening points and are thus fixed in place.

1 . A modular facility ( 1 ), in particular a modular industrial facility, with multiple cube-shaped facility modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ,  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c ) that are arranged in two or more layers stacked one above the other; wherein
 the modules have a support structure ( 78 ) having fastening points ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′);   the fastening points are provided for connecting a module to corresponding fastening points of the adjoining modules of a layer situated above and/or below same;   in the horizontal plane (x-y), the modules ( 20 ,  40 ) of one layer are connected ( 24 ,  24 ′,  64 ,  44 ,  44 ′) in a form-fit manner to the adjoining modules ( 40 ,  20 ) of the layer situated above and/or below same;   at least one tension device ( 62 ,  70 ,  80 ) having a tension element ( 62 ) is provided, via which a lowermost layer of modules ( 40   a ) or a foundation block ( 6 ) can be acted on with a tensile force along the vertical (z), with respect to an uppermost layer of modules ( 40   c ), so that the modules between the said lowermost layer and the said uppermost layer together with the adjoining modules ( 40 ,  20 ) of the layer situated above and/or below same are pressed together with a force fit at the fastening points, and are thus fixed in place;   three or more support elements ( 24 ′,  44 ′) that define a first plane are situated on a top side ( 22 ,  42 ) of the support structure ( 78 ) of the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ), and three or more support elements ( 24 ,  44 ) that define a second plane that is parallel to the first plane are situated on a bottom side ( 21 ,  41 ) of the support structure facing away from the top side, the support elements being used as fastening points of the modules; and   one support element on the top side and one support element on the bottom side in each case form a pair, and are aligned with one another along a straight line that is parallel to the normal of the planes;   characterized in that the said support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′) have a conical recess ( 25 ,  25 ′  45 ,  45 ′); and two mutually facing support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′) of two adjoining modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) of adjacent layers are connected by a connecting element ( 64 ), the connecting element ( 64 ) having the shape of a double cone or a double truncated cone, and in each case one cone or truncated cone of the connecting element being situated in the conical seating of one of the two support elements and resting on same in direct flush alignment.   
     
     
         2 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the conical lateral surfaces ( 66 ,  66 ′) of the connecting elements ( 64 ) and the conical lateral surfaces ( 25 ,  25 ′) of the seatings of the support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′) are shaped in such a way that a cone or truncated cone of a connecting element is able to rest in flush alignment in the conical seating of a support element without a portion of the associated module resting on a surface of the connecting element that is not part of the lateral surface of the said cone or truncated cone, in particular not on a surface of the connecting element that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the double cone or double truncated cone. 
     
     
         3 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein layers having a support module ( 40 ,  40   a ,  40   b ,  40   c ,  6 ) and layers having one or more functional modules ( 20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″,  20   a ) are arranged one above the other in alternation. 
     
     
         4 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) are arranged in such a way that for at least one layer of modules, the fastening points of two or more modules of the said layer are connected to fastening points of a common module of a layer situated above and/or below same. 
     
     
         5 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) are interlocked and stacked in such a way that at least a portion of the modules form a three-dimensional lattice. 
     
     
         6 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′) of the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) have a central opening ( 26 ,  46 ), so that a tension element ( 62 ) is or may be led through the openings along the straight line that is defined by two paired support elements in each case. 
     
     
         7 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element ( 64 ) has a through hole ( 68 ) through which a tension element ( 62 ) is or may be led. 
     
     
         8 . The facility according to  claim 1 , wherein the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) are arranged in such a way that the support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′) of all modules are in alignment along a plurality of straight lines that are parallel to the vertical (z), and a tension element ( 62 ) may be led through, or a tension element is situated, along each of these straight lines. 
     
     
         9 . The facility according to  claim 1 , having at least one tensioning device ( 80 ) for maintaining the tensile stress on a tension element ( 62 ) during changes in temperature,
 having a basic structure ( 81 ,  82 ,  87 ,  92 ) that is fastened to or supported on a module of the uppermost layer ( 11 ) or of the lowermost layer ( 12 ) of the facility, a support ( 94 ) that is movable with respect to the basic structure along the longitudinal axis of the tension element, and a spring element ( 90 ) that is situated between the basic structure and the movable support,   wherein a first end ( 63 ) of the tension element rests ( 84 ) on the movable support of the tensioning device or is connected thereto, a second end of the tension element rests on an opposite side of the facility on a counterbearing ( 70 ) or is connected thereto, and wherein the ratio D1/D2 of a first spring constant D1 of the tension element to a second spring constant D2 of the spring element is at least 4/1, preferably at least 6/1, and particularly preferably at least 9/1.   
     
     
         10 . An assembly set for constructing a modular facility according to  claim 1 , comprising
 multiple modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) having a support structure ( 78 ), wherein three or more support elements ( 24 ′,  44 ′) that define a first plane are situated on a top side ( 22 ,  42 ) of the support structure; three or more support elements ( 24 ,  44 ) that define a second plane that is parallel to the first plane are situated on a bottom side ( 21 ,  41 ) of the support structure facing away from the top side; a support element on the top side and a support element on the bottom side in each case form a pair and are aligned with one another along a straight line that is parallel to the normal of the planes; and the said support elements have a conical recess ( 25 ,  25 ′  45 ,  45 ′);   multiple connecting elements ( 64 ) that have the shape of a double cone or a double truncated cone; and   one or more tension elements ( 62 );   wherein the conical lateral surfaces ( 66 ,  66 ′) of the connecting elements ( 64 ) and the conical lateral surfaces ( 25 ,  25 ′) of the seatings of the support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′) are shaped in such a way that a cone or truncated cone of a connecting element is able to rest in flush alignment in the conical seating of a support element without a portion of the associated module resting on a surface of the connecting element that is not part of the lateral surface of the said cone or truncated cone, in particular not on a surface of the connecting element that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the double cone or double truncated cone   
     
     
         11 . The assembly set according to  claim 10 , wherein the support elements ( 24 ,  24 ′,  44 ,  44 ′) of the modules ( 20 ,  20   a ,  40 ) have a central opening ( 26 ,  46 ), so that a tension element ( 62 ) may be led through the openings along the straight line that is defined by two paired support elements in each case. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly set according to  claim 10 , wherein the connecting elements ( 64 ) have a through hole ( 68 ) through which a tension element ( 62 ) may be led. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly set according to one of  claim 10 , having at least one tensioning device ( 80 ) for maintaining the tensile stress on a tension element ( 62 ) during changes in temperature, having a basic structure ( 81 ,  82 ,  87 ,  92 ) that may be fastened to or supported on a module, a support ( 94 ) that is movable with respect to the basic structure, and a spring element ( 90 ) that is situated between the basic structure and the movable support, wherein a first end ( 63 ) of a tension element is supportable ( 84 ) on the movable support of the tensioning device or is connectable thereto, and wherein the ratio D1/D2 of a first spring constant D1 of the tension element to a second spring constant D2 of the spring element is at least 4/1, preferably at least 6/1, and particularly preferably at least 9/1. 
     
     
         14 . A modular facility ( 1 ), in particular a modular industrial facility, comprising multiple cube-shaped functional modules ( 20 ) that are arranged in two or more layers stacked one above the other, and multiple connecting modules ( 40 ,  40 ′,  40 ″);
 wherein a connecting module is situated between the oppositely situated side faces of two directly adjacent functional modules, and is connected in a force-fit and/or form-fit manner to the support structure ( 78 ) of the particular functional modules at the corresponding side faces of these functional modules, in each case at three or more connecting points situated in a plane. 
 
     
     
         15 . The modular facility according to  claim 14 , wherein two or more connecting modules of a group of connecting modules that are situated in a common plane (x-y), (y-z), or (x-z) are designed as a common connecting module ( 140 ,  140 ′,  140 ″). 
     
     
         16 . The modular facility according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one pair of functional modules ( 20 ) is connected by more than one connecting module ( 40 ,  40 ′,  40 ″) at their side faces.