Patent Application
20200203111
This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102018132859.1 filed Dec. 19, 2018, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
There are a large number of different sprinklers which are used in firefighting installations.
In that respect there are known inter alia fusible link sprinklers or however also sprinklers with a “thermally triggering glass bulb”, also referred to as “Thermo Bulbs”. Such Thermo Bulbs are standard in the sprinkler industry.
With the Thermo Bulb principle a closed glass bulb is filled with at least one medium, for example gas, or at least two media (liquid and gas bubble). Upon heating the gas and/or the liquid expands and in that situation a pressure is built up in the interior of the glass bulb until a threshold value pressure is reached at which the glass bulb bursts/ruptures and thus enables the sprinkler function and the fluid extinguishing agent flow. The glass bulb itself is in that case also mechanically prestressed, that is to say it presses against a closure which is acted upon on the opposite side with the water pressure in the piping.
The situation is different in the case of fusible link sprinklers in which the fusible link is under a mechanical prestressing so that, when the temperature in the environment around the fusible link rises, for example because of a fire occurring or another thermal event, the fusible link softens at a defined temperature, melts or the like and thus by virtue of the mechanical prestressing the fusible link yields and enables the sprinkler function and the fluid extinguishing agent flow.
Under certain conditions it may be desirable if the sprinkler function, that is to say fighting a fire with the sprinkler, is already enabled before an actual fire event assumes major proportions and before the thermal energy of the fire event in any way causes triggering of the known sprinklers. In addition in the event of a fire spreading rapidly it may be appropriate to also trigger sprinklers around the actual fire, in order for example to implement pre-wetting.
In this connection attention is directed as state of the art to WO2017/105289.
That state of the art discloses a sprinkler with a glass bulb (Thermo Bulb principle) and applied to the outside of the bulb is an electrically conductive coating forming an electrical resistance (R) which if necessary can have a current caused to flow therethrough by closing a switch and applying a voltage.
Consequently the glass bulb and thus the medium in the glass bulb are heated until a thermal limit is reached, at which the glass bulb bursts in order thereby to enable the sprinkler function.
The above-mentioned structure however is highly complicated and in particular production of the glass bulb and the electrically conductive coating which at the same time forms an electrical resistance is very complicated and laborious and gives rise to additional costs.
Finally it also suffers the disadvantage that, when the sprinkler is mounted beneath a ceiling or on a wall over years or even decades as part of a firefighting installation it is possible for dust, spider webs or other influences to be deposited on the glass bulb and, in the situation where then electrical triggering of the sprinkler is required, a part of the applied current does not flow by way of the layer on the outside of the glass bulb but somewhere else, for example by way of spider webs or “short-circuits” formed from dust or deposited material.
In that case it is under some circumstances too long before the medium in the glass bulb is heated and thus the glass bulb is “burst open”.
The object of the present invention is to provide a solution for a fusible link opening element of extinguishing fluid-conducting elements for a firefighting installation, which permits a higher degree of reliability and functional security than the known solutions.
In accordance with the meaning of the present application an extinguishing fluid-conducting element is in that respect for example a fusible link sprinkler or a control valve with fusible link opening element or another device, in respect of which the flow of the extinguishing fluid is made possible by means of a fusible link opening element only after triggering of the fusible link opening element.
According to the invention that object is attained with an extinguishing fluid-conducting element having the features as set forth in claim 1.
Advantageous developments are recited in the appendant claims.
In addition the present application and invention also concerns a firefighting installation having an extinguishing fluid-conducting element, and also a method of testing an extinguishing fluid-conducting element.
The invention is based on the realization that the fusible link opening element regularly comprises electrically conductive parts and that by incorporating the fusible link opening element into an electrical circuit it is possible that the current will not only flow through the conducting parts of the fusible link opening element, but that in that situation the fusible link is heated to a predetermined temperature so that in that way the fusible link opening element is opened and thus the extinguishing fluid-conducting element is triggered.
In a variant of the extinguishing-fluid conducting element it is possible that an electrically operable thermoelement, for example a heating resistance, is arranged in contact with the fusible link or in the immediate vicinity thereof.
If then a current flows through the electrically heatable element by virtue of closing a switch it heats up very greatly and causes fusing of the fusible link, as a consequence of which that leads to triggering of the extinguishing fluid-conducting element. In regard to that heating the heating resistance can also be of such a configuration that it is virtually triggered itself, like for example a classic fuse.
Triggering of the switch does not necessarily only presuppose a fire, but can also occur when another parameter in the room on the surface where the extinguishing fluid-conducting element is arranged exceeds a predetermined value. If for example the room is provided with a smoke detector the switch can be caused to close when a predetermined smoke value is exceeded. In the situation where a radiation sensor is installed closing of the switch is triggered when a given radiation value is exceeded. If a given heat sensor is installed in the room closure of the switch is triggered when a given room temperature is exceeded. In one of the above-mentioned cases therefore a suitable sensor, for example smoke, radiation, heat, temperature sensor etc performs a control function and causes closure of the switch when a predetermined value which is ascertained by the respective sensors is exceeded.
Preferably in that case the heating element is electrically insulated outwardly so that, in the situation where spider webs, dust, textiles or other weave materials should have become deposited on the heating element, they cannot adversely effect the flow of electric current.
In that way also after many years or decades when the sprinkler function has not been triggered, spider webs, dusts, textiles fibers and so forth which are regularly in the air and which also settle on the fusible link, cannot adversely affect the electrical heating function of the thermoelement.
The invention is described with reference to the embodiments by way of example hereinafter and illustrated in drawings.
In regard to the basic function the following is to be mentioned here:
The electrically heatable heating element, for example the heating resistance R, is connected to a voltage source and an opened switch S, by means of closure of the switch S current I flows out of the voltage source through the resistance R and then generates there thermal energy in accordance with the formula “I2R”.
Closure of the switch S can already occur when a fire event has occurred but the temperature at the sprinkler is not yet sufficiently high enough to cause triggering of the sprinklers.
In that case the voltage source can be a battery but can also be the normal electrical power supply system and it is possible for a switch, disposed for example in the fire alarm and/or extinguishing control center, to cause triggering of a large number or a defined number of sprinklers.
Thus for example it is also conceivable that, when a plurality of sprinklers are provided in a building, they are arranged in given groups and can also be operated group-wise by way of switch triggering (controlled from the fire alarm center) of the individual sprinklers, which is important in particular for fighting fires which spread quickly.
It is however also possible for all sprinklers to be triggered simultaneously with a single switching command.
The invention is described hereinafter by means of examples and also with reference to drawings in which:
Such a sprinkler 1 has a detector 2 which has a screw 3 passing centrally therethrough. The triggering mechanism 4 of the fusible link triggering element can be adjusted with that screw, the triggering element for example comprising a rod 5, a curved lever 6 mounted between the screw 3 and the rod 5, and two plates connected by a fusible link.
As can be seen from
The straight lever 5 has a foot end 10 which rests on a support 11 which in turn is received by a receiving means 12 (a so-called pip cap). In addition each lever has a head end 25 which is disposed in a recess 26 in the lever 6. That receiving means 12 has a peripherally extending shoulder 13 bearing on a spring 16, for example a plate spring (Belville), which is in the form of a circular ring, and comes to bear at the outside on the frame of the sprinkler body 14. In the lower region the sprinkler body 14 has a thread 15 which can be screwed into a pipe, through which water or another fluid extinguishing agent is supplied to the sprinkler and, as the sprinkler body 14 is internally hollow, pushes the fluid extinguishing agent (indicated by Flm) against the receiving means 12 and the spring 16 from the interior.
The spring 16 is coated with Teflon to deploy a sealing action which is as great as possible, for as long as the sprinkler triggering mechanism 4 is still in the sprinkler 1, a sufficient force must be opposed to the pressure of the fluid extinguishing agent (Flm) and at the same time the fluid extinguishing agent may also not escape from the interior of the sprinkler body 14.
It can be clearly seen therefrom that the sprinkler body 14 has an O-shaped frame 16 carrying the deflector 2. The frame 17 in this case is a part of the sprinkler body 14 and, as can be seen, the screw 3 passes through the frame 16 where the deflector is also held by the frame.
If now the screw 3, as shown in
As can also be seen from
It will be appreciated however that this is prevented by the two plates 8 and 9 being connected with a fusible link 23.
The fusible link can be of such a nature depending on the respective use, location, type and wish, that it melts at a desired temperature, and, when that is the case, the plates 8 and 9 are released from each other, that is to say the front part 7 of the lever 6 moves outwardly (towards the right in the direction 24 in
In that respect the following preliminary remarks are in order.
In the ideal case, upon melting of the fusible link, all parts of the triggering mechanism are detached from the sprinkler in order not to interfere with or divert the fluid flow of the extinguishing agent.
The sprinkler body 14 regularly comprises metal, for example brass, the deflector also comprises metal, for example phosphor bronze, the support 11 also comprises metal, for example brass, the screw 3 also comprises metal, for example stainless steel and the levers 5 and 6 also comprise metal, for example stainless steel. The two fusible link plates 8 and 9 also comprise metal, for example a nickel-beryllium alloy, and the receiving means 12 also comprises metal, for example brass or copper.
The spring 16 also comprises metal but is also coated for example with polytetrafluorethylene (Teflon). This means that the receiving means 12 resting on the spring 16 is electrically non-conductingly connected to the sprinkler body 4.
It is now also possible to see from
It can also be seen that there is a switch S which is in the “open position” in
Accordingly a current then flows through the frame of the sprinkler 14, through the screw, the levers 5 and 6 and through the plates 7 and 8.
In the situation where the second electric line 19 is fitted to the frame 14 or the screw 13 or the lever 6 and between the head end 25 of the rod 5 on the one hand and the recess 26 in the lever 6 on the other hand there is an electrical insulation by providing there for example an electrically non-conducting material or seal, for example plastic, the electric current then flows solely through the lever 6 and the plates 8 and 9 as well as the fusible link 23 to the foot region 10 of the rod 5, so that in that way the maximum current can flow through the plates 8, 9 and the fusible link 23, in order thereby to raise the temperature of the fusible link to the fusing temperature as quickly as possible.
As, as mentioned, the spring 16 is coated with Teflon that spring 16 electrically insulates the receiving means 12 from the frame of the sprinkler 14.
The flow of current has the consequence that instantly the levers 5 and/or 6 and/or the plates 8 and 9 and possibly also the fusible link 17 which connects the plates are heated so that triggering and release of the triggering mechanism also occurs virtually immediately because the fusible link can be caused to melt very quickly with the flow of current.
So that the known fusible link sprinkler therefore has an “electrically triggerable function” it only requires a line connection and a closed circuit, for example at the receiving means 12 and the sprinkler frame 14, 17.
When the switch S is closed a current I flows from the voltage source or current source (the voltage source can be a dc voltage but also an ac voltage source); by virtue of integration of the extinguishing fluid-conducting element in the illustrated circuit the current also flows through the levers 5 and 6, or the plates 8 and 9, and the interposed fusible link 23. The fusible link material is preferably a material which has a specific electric resistance.
A typical material for the fusible link is beryllium nickel UNS-N03360. Such a beryllium nickel alloy has a specific electrical resistance of 28.7 to 43 μcm. Another fusible link material with an even greater specific electrical resistance is also suitable according to the invention and then leads to even faster melting so that even quicker triggering is possible.
If moreover the rod 5 and the lever 6 are also heated by the flow of current therethrough, then as mentioned, that results in very rapid attainment of the melting temperature of the fusible link and then virtually electric triggering of the indicated fusible link sprinkler.
In
While the two pressure points in
In the interior of the control valve the valve stem 31 with its rear part (not visible) closes the through-flow of a fluid extinguishing agent which bears with its pressure against the lower connection of the control valve.
When the triggering mechanism is triggered by closure of an electric switch S, as with the same or similar functionality as described with reference to
As an alternative to the illustrated structure in
A further preferred embodiment is moreover one in which the fusible link or the two plates 8, 9 which are connected by means of the fusible link are made from a material which has very good heating wire resistance properties, therefore a high specific resistance, so that when current flows through those parts, heat which is as great as possible is generated, very rapidly causing the fusible link to melt.
The thermal heating element (heating wire resistance) can be in the form of a heating resistance or in the manner of a safety fuse (such safety fuses are state of the art), that is to say, when the current flows through the safety fuse, not only is sufficient heat generated to melt the fusible link, but in that case the safety fuse itself is also destroyed (ruptured).
In that respect the safety fuse is so designed that it can have a predetermined current strength flowing therethrough for a predetermined period of time, and it is so designed that on the one hand sufficient heat is generated to reliably melt the fusible link, but on the other hand also for melting the safety fuse.
A further variant provides that the fusible link itself is electrically conductive and/or magnetic and is surrounded by a coil which, when a current flows through the coil, applies a force to the fusible link which causes it to rupture or which again heats the fusible link to such a degree that it virtually instantly melts and thus enables the sprinkler or valve function.
It is naturally also possible to cause all sprinklers of all sectors to be activated with a single switch which in
The switches can be fitted in the fire alarm and/or extinguishing control center (BMZ), but can also be associated spatially with the individual sectors in order if necessary, when a fire is developing, to be triggered by the corresponding personnel. The individual association of switches with the sprinklers however is also conceivable.
Insofar as
The voltage/current-carrying cables to the sprinkler can be fitted at the sprinkler or its feed components (like for example sprinkler pipes) both releasably (for example by screw means) or also non-releasably (for example welding, soldering, gluing), while a clamping mounting is also possible. If it important that an electrically conducting contact is ensured at any time between the current/voltage-carrying cables and the connected components of the sprinkler so that, with closure of the switch, the above-mentioned current can flow in order to melt the fusible link and thus trigger the sprinkler.
Division of an area into various sectors, for example in a large hall, in a large building, and so forth, is known as such, for example from US 2017/0120090,
The invention also includes the possibility that in a test mode electrical conductivity is tested, by a low testing current flowing through the line (for a short time) and by the existence of the electrical contacts and the conductivity of the current through the defined current path being tested by measurement of the test current. The current which occurs in that case can be measured but is not sufficient to cause the fusible link to melt.
Such a testing operation can also be routinely carried out at recurring intervals, for example once a week, once a year and so forth, and in that respect the test result can be recorded, stored and/or represented at a suitable display in the fire alarm and/or extinguishing control center (BMZ).
As mentioned, a test cycle is designed such that the current-carrying parts have a current flow therethrough, which is markedly lower than the current, by means of which the fusible link sprinkler can be electrically triggered.
If for example the current for electrically triggering the fusible link sprinkler is 10 A, then a markedly lower test current is a current of the order of magnitude of 10%, that is to say 1 A or less, for example 1 mA. It is crucial that in the test cycle the test current can still be reliably measured.
The test cycle according to the invention has the advantage that it is possible therewith under some circumstances to detect damage to the sprinkler. Ageing of the components of the sprinkler can also be detected therewith, more specifically when the components of the sprinkler, through which the current flows, are of an increased or reduced resistance by virtue of their ageing, which can occur due to material shrinkage, material oxidation and other ageing influences and also environmental influences.
It is possible to establish by means of the test cycle whether a sprinkler was exposed to an excessively high temperature upon transport to the installation position. If that was the case, it is possible to encounter invisible separation of the two plates, whereby the electrical conduction properties are decreased, which can be detected in the test cycle.
It is to be noted that the mechanical structure and thus the mechanical layout of the sprinkler shown in
The sole essential difference lies in the configuration and arrangement of the rod 5, the lever 6 and the plates 8 and 9. As can be seen from
It can be clearly seen from the Figure that the external structure of the fusible link sprinkler is similar to the structure known from
It is further noted that electrical testing to ascertain whether a fusible link sprinkler is operational is known as such, for example from US 2017/0120090. The solution shown in that state of the art however is extremely complicated and only allows technical functional testing but not electrical triggering of a fusible link sprinkler.
As shown in the present application however with the devices for electrical triggering of the fusible link sprinkler when the electrically conducting parts are only acted upon with a low test current, it is also possible to perform technical functional checking, as mentioned, but without causing triggering of the sprinkler.
Accordingly the configuration and structure according to the invention of the extinguishing fluid-conducting element also permits implementation of a method of testing the extinguishing fluid-conducting element, in which respect there is then a test cycle in which a test current flows through the electrical circuit, wherein the test current is markedly lower, that is to say for example less than 10%, 5% or less than the current for triggering the fusible link opening element, and wherein in the test cycle the contacts and/or ageing or functional capability of the extinguishing fluid-conducting element or the fusible link opening element are checked, if for example it is established in the test cycle that the test current does not flow through the electrical circuit, it is to be assumed that there is a cycle interruption, for example a line break, so that in such a case it is possible to perform targeted fault checking or maintenance.
Thus it is possible to entirely dispense with the highly complex test structure as is known from US 2017/0120090 and a simpler structure is provided, which has at the same time at least two functions, more specifically on the one hand the possibility of effecting functional testing of the sprinkler and on the other hand also implementing electrical triggering thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102018132859.1 | Dec 2018 | DE | national |
