Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62C—FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62C3/00—Fire prevention, containment or extinguishing specially adapted for particular objects or places
  • A62C3/02—Fire prevention, containment or extinguishing specially adapted for particular objects or places for area conflagrations, e.g. forest fires, subterranean fires
  • A62C3/0207—Fire prevention, containment or extinguishing specially adapted for particular objects or places for area conflagrations, e.g. forest fires, subterranean fires by blowing air or gas currents with or without dispersion of fire extinguishing agents; Apparatus therefor, e.g. fans
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62C—FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62C35/00—Permanently-installed equipment
  • A62C35/02—Permanently-installed equipment with containers for delivering the extinguishing substance
  • A62C35/023—Permanently-installed equipment with containers for delivering the extinguishing substance the extinguishing material being expelled by compressed gas, taken from storage tanks, or by generating a pressure gas

Definitions

• the invention relates to a fixed automatic extinguishing installation.
• the sprinkler comprises a deflector and a shutter device to normally close a water or foam supply line which is under permanent pressure.
• This closure device is provided with a fusible alloy which, when the temperature increases, is intended to melt to unblock the supply line in order to direct the liquid towards the deflector for the distribution of the spilled liquid.
• sprinkler systems often provide incomplete protection because in many rooms only certain areas are equipped with sprinklers and when the fire starts or spreads in an unprotected area, the fire cannot be started. off.
• the invention aims to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above. To this end, it offers an automatic fire extinguisher system capable of humidifying the entire volume of a room, which reduces the flammability of all objects in it. Thanks to the invention, the addition of dust, odors and smoke from the fire is obtained, which gives better visibility and less intoxication to facilitate the entry into action of the firefighters.
• the installation according to the invention is also capable of creating an infrared barrier in order to limit the propagation of fire by infrared radiation.
• the object of the invention is an automatic fire extinguishing installation comprising a plurality of diffusers distributed in a room to be protected against fire, said diffusers being connected to a pressure supply line for a liquid intended for extinguishing a fire, fire detection means connected to means for automatically controlling the supply of diffusers by said supply line following the detection of a fire by said detection means, and a container of compressed gas connected by a conduit to a reservoir containing said liquid and which in turn is connected to said supply line, said conduit being normally closed by closure means capable of being controlled in opening by said control means automatic in order to allow said compressed gas contained in said container to enter said reservoir to expel said liquid therefrom to said supply line for the diffusers, characterized in that said diffusers are nozzles for spraying said liquid associated with respective motor-fans arranged one after the other so that a motor-fan located downstream of an upstream motor-fan draws the greater part of the volume between said downstream and upstream motor-fans, as well as a part of the volume of sprayed liquid
• each of said fans is driven by an electric motor
• Each of said fans is driven by a hydraulic motor in turn driven by said liquid;
• Said secondary shutter means is a valve also controlled by said supply control means;
• At least two diffusers are grouped around each fan so as to constitute an assembly
• Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of arrangement of the diffusers of the installation according to the invention.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the installation according to the invention.
• the installation comprises several diffusers 1 constituted by spray nozzles capable of producing very fine droplets.
• Each diffuser is via a conduit 2 connected to a line 3 for supplying pressure with a fire extinguishing liquid.
• This liquid is advantageously constituted by water added with surfactants.
• the installation also includes fire detection means (not shown) conventionally comprising temperature, flame, smoke, etc. detectors. These detection means are connected to electrical means for automatic control (not shown) of the supply of the nozzles 1 as a function of the detection, this supply taking place from the supply line 3 and the conduits 2.
• the liquid is permanently stored in a tank 4.
• a very small amount of water is necessary, of the order of 1 l / m3 of room, i.e. one mm of water / m2 and per meter of height of the room to be protected .
• the reservoir 4 is by a conduit 5 connected to a container of compressed gas 6. Sealing means in the form of a rapid opening isolation valve 7 is inserted in the conduit 5. This valve is normally closed to prevent the gas confined in the container 6 to enter the tank 4.
• the opening of the valve 7 is controlled directly by the control means connected to the fire detection means to receive an actuation signal.
• a secondary closure means in the form of a rapid opening isolation valve 8 is inserted in the line. supply 3 in order to prevent the liquid from flowing towards the diffusers by simple gravity.
• the opening of the secondary shutter means 8 is controlled immediately before the opening of the shutter means 7 is ordered.
• the thrust exerted by the gas is added in this case the thrust by the gravity of the liquid, which means that the pressure in the supply line 3 is further increased.
• each diffuser 1 is associated with a means of propulsion of the liquid in the form of a motor-fan 9.
• the fans 9 are arranged near the respective diffusers 1 so as to blow directly on the sprayed liquid which leaves these at the start of a detected fire.
• the figures show diffusers 1 arranged laterally relative to the axis of the fan, but they can of course be arranged so as to blow directly in the axis.
• each fan 9 is driven by an electric motor 10.
• the latter is advantageously sealed and associated with a secondary diffuser 11 disposed in the duct 2 of the diffuser.
• the motor 9 is connected to the control means which also control the starting of the motor following the detection of a fire by the detection means.
• the electrical supply wires of the motors 10 extend in the liquid supply line 3 and in the conduit 2 so that they are protected against melting in the event of fire.
• two diffusers 1 are in the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 grouped around each fan 9 so as to constitute an assembly.
• the assemblies thus formed are regularly and in sufficient number in the room to be protected. They are advantageously placed in the ceiling of the room, but also in the walls so that the sprayed liquid quickly saturates the humidity throughout the volume of the room.
• An arrangement of the assemblies is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3.
• the motor-fans 9, each of which is thus associated with at least one diffuser 1, are according to the invention arranged one after the other so that a motor-driven fan 9A located downstream of a motor-driven fan 9B upstream draws the greater part of the volume between these downstream and upstream motor-fans, as well as part of the volume of sprayed liquid blown by said upstream fan motor.
• the motor-fans are arranged so that once started, they simultaneously suck up the entire volume of unsaturated air between them and the respective upstream fan, and they also simultaneously begin to recycle the air with liquid spray from the upstream fans, which allows the entire air volume in the room to be uniformly saturated with spray droplets.
• the assemblies are also advantageously arranged so as to produce a vortex movement when the diffusers are started up.
• the installation described with reference to Figure 1 operates as follows.
• a detector of the detection means detects a start of fire in the room, it sends an actuation signal to the control means which in turn sends an opening signal to the valve 7 in order to allow the compressed gas contained into the container 6 to enter via the conduit 5 into the reservoir 4 to expel the liquid therefrom to the supply line 3.
• the liquid propelled by the gas passes through the conduits 2 to supply the respective diffusers 1.
• the cooling diffuser 11 of the motor 10 is supplied at the same time.
• the liquid is sprayed into the diffusers 1 and propelled by the fans 9 which receive a start-up command at the same time as the valve 7, or, if appropriate, the valve 8.
• the sprayed liquid is uniformly and quickly distributed in the room which is quickly saturated with humidity to prevent the fire from spreading and which ends up extinguishing it.
• FIG. 2 A second embodiment of the installation according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
• the same elements as those already described with reference to FIG. 1 bear the same reference signs.
• the essential difference compared to the first embodiment is at the level of the motor-fan and for this reason, the common elements will not be described in detail.
• the fan 1 is, according to this embodiment, driven in rotation by a hydraulic motor 12 connected to the liquid supply line 3 via the conduit 2 through which the diffusers 1 are supplied.
• the hydraulic motors are driven by oil and in yet another variant, they are driven by compressed air.
• the installation according to the invention provides several additional advantages compared to previously known installations, among others: - Lowering of the temperature by partial evaporation of the droplets which results in pumping by latent heat of evaporation;
• the installation according to the invention makes it possible to carry out tests without any risk of damaging the objects which are in the premises to be protected. It is enough send a small quantity to the distributors in order to check the operation of the installation.
• the invention is not limited to the examples described above.
• the installation according to the invention can also be combined with other more conventional installations, among others with sprinklers, which can come into action if it is detected that the fire continues to spread despite the start of operation of the installation according to the invention.
• One can thus obtain an automatic multi-stage extinguishing process.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Ecology (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Fire-Extinguishing By Fire Departments, And Fire-Extinguishing Equipment And Control Thereof (AREA)
• Fire Alarms (AREA)
• Fire-Extinguishing Compositions (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=8852377

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (9)

Family Cites Families (15)

• 2000
  • 2000-07-12 FR FR0009080A patent/FR2811581B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2001
  • 2001-07-12 WO PCT/FR2001/002284 patent/WO2002004077A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2001-07-12 US US10/332,818 patent/US6866103B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-07-12 DE DE60108756T patent/DE60108756T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-07-12 AT AT01954093T patent/ATE288305T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-07-12 ES ES01954093T patent/ES2236272T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-07-12 AU AU2001276444A patent/AU2001276444A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-07-12 EP EP01954093A patent/EP1299160B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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