Insulating oil leak containment

An apparatus for preventing environmental contamination by leaks of electrical insulation oil from an electric power transmission device having an external oil filtration system, said apparatus comprising the combination of:

• an oil filtration unit, a motor driven circulation pump and oil circulation carrier means connecting said pump and filtration unit with an electric power transmission device, said pump and filtration unit being secured within an oil containment housing above an oil sump volume;
• and, oil sensing means for sensing the presence of oil in said sump volume and transmitting a signal in response to such sensed oil presence.

A secondary containment system for use with an enclosure within which fluid is contained and wherein the enclosure has an external surface and includes a first conduit through which fluid is routed, the system comprising:

• containment means providing an internal cavity for enclosing at least a portion of the external surface of the enclosure within which fluid is contained and including a second conduit positionable about so as to encompass the first conduit through which fluid is routed so that the containment means prevents flow communication between said portion of the external surface and the surrounding environment and between the first conduit and the surrounding environment, the containment means including a sump reservoir associated with and in flow communication with the internal cavity so that upon leakage of the fluid through the external surface of the enclosure or from the first conduit, the fluid flows to the sump reservoir, and means associated with the sump reservoir for transmitting a signal in response to the accumulation of fluid in the sump reservoir.

A system for use with a fluid circulation system having a motor driven circulation pump and fluid conduits through which the fluid is circulated, said system comprising:

• means providing a secondary containment volume enclosing at least a portion of the fluid circulation system and including containment conduits wherein each containment conduit is positionable about so as to encompass a corresponding fluid conduit through which the fluid is circulated so that the secondary containment volume prevents flow communication between said portion of the external surface and the surrounding environment and between each fluid conduit and the surrounding environment, the secondary containment volume including a sump reservoir to which fluid gravitates upon leakage of the fluid from the portion of the fluid circulation system enclosed by the secondary containment volume or from any of the fluid conduits;
• and, means associated with the sump reservoir for transmitting a signal in response to the accumulation of fluid in the sump reservoir.

A system for use with an electric power transmission device having oil filtration apparatus including an oil filtration unit arranged external to the electric power transmission device, a motor-driven circulation pump and at least one oil conduit extending between the oil filtration unit and the electric power transmission device through which oil is conducted between the oil filtration unit and the electric power transmission device, the system comprising:

• means providing a secondary containment volume for enclosing the oil filtration unit, pump and conduits so that the secondary containment volume-providing means prevents flow communication between each of the oil filtration unit, pump and the at least on oil conduit and the surrounding environment, the secondary containment volume including a containment conduit which is positionable about so as to encompass the at least one oil conduit and including a sump reservoir to which oil gravitates upon leakage of oil from the oil filtration apparatus enclosed by the secondary containment volume;
• and, means associated with the sump reservoir for transmitting a signal in response to the accumulation of oil in the sump reservoir.

In combination with an oil filtration apparatus for use with an electric power transmission device wherein the oil filtration apparatus includes an oil filtration unit arranged external to the electric power transmission device and a motor-driven circulation pump and at least one conduit extending between the oil filtration unit and the electric power transmission device through which oil is circulated between the oil filtration unit and the electric power transmission device by way of the circulation pump, a secondary containment system comprising:

• means providing and internal cavity for enclosing the oil filtration unit, pump and conduits so that the enclosing means prevents flow communication between the oil filtration unit, pump and the at least one conduit and the surrounding environment, the cavity-providing means including a containment conduit which is positioned about so as to encompass the at least one conduit and further including a sump reservoir associated with the internal cavity so that upon leakage of the oil from the oil filtration apparatus enclosed by the internal cavity, the oil flows to the sump reservoir;
• and, means associated with the sump reservoir for transmitting a signal in response to the accumulation of oil in the sump reservoir.