HK1065150B - Mobile flue gas generator and method for testing a flue gas indicator - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a mobile flue gas generator for simulating a real flue gas and a method for testing a flue gas detector whereby a flue gas generator placed near the flue gas detector generates a flue gas using a test medium and the flue gas initiates a flue gas detector test.

To check the functioning of flue gas detectors, mobile flue gas generators are known to be used, which are held to a flue gas detector until the flue gas from the flue gas generator triggers an alarm.

The disadvantage of these devices is that they are unfavourable to handle, among other things, because of the pressure bottle.

Another type of test apparatus is known from the company Hekatron GmbH. This test apparatus uses a flue-gas development rod, which is inserted into a housing of the apparatus, where the housing must be closed with great care to ensure that a sealing ring, which seals a bottom and a top of the housing, is not damaged.

In addition to the cumbersome operation described above, during a pump cycle, an air vent in the housing must be manually closed with a finger to prevent any smoke gas from escaping during the compression of the rubber ball. To refill the compressed rubber ball, the air vent in the housing is released so that fresh air can flow back through it into the rubber ball of the test machine.

The test procedure for the known flue gas detector is often quite complicated, as described above, and the test procedure must be repeated with the known test equipment because of frequent failures. The disadvantage is that the test aerosol or the smoke from the flue gas detector may remain in the flue gas detector for a long time, causing long waiting times until the flue gas detector is reset from an alarm state to the normal state.

The purpose of the invention is to further develop mobile flue gas generators and thereby to simplify the testing of a flue gas detector.

The task underlying the invention is solved by a mobile flue gas generator according to claim 1.

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It is particularly advantageous if the mobile flue gas generator has an electric fan. The electric fan can be a small fan that sucks in a volume of air from the surroundings and then passes it through the mobile flue gas generator, with the air volume leading the flue gas through at least one opening of the mobile flue gas generator towards a flue gas detector. It is possible to use any other device capable of accelerating an air volume instead of the fan. It is particularly advantageous if the fan is used to accelerate an air volume with a pulse. This allows the flue gas to pass through and thus be brought to a flue gas detector with a highly concentrated pulse.

Another embodiment provides that the mobile flue gas generator has an electrical energy source. This electrical energy source is used, for example, to supply electricity to the heating equipment and the blower. The electrical energy source can be a public power grid or a solar power unit. The electrical energy source preferably has a battery or a rechargeable accumulator. In particular, the battery or accumulator is used to make the mobile flue gas generator an independent component and independent of a mains power supply.

It is particularly advantageous if the mobile flue gas generator is electrically activated. Flue gas is only produced when the heater or heat generator is electrically activated, and electricity from the electrical energy source flows through the heater or heat generator.

In addition, it is proposed that the mobile flue gas generator should have a thermal conductor. For example, the thermal conductor is made of an electrically conductive sheet metal, so that the relatively large surface area of the sheet metal relative to the surface of the wire increases the heatable surface. It is particularly advantageous if the thermal conductor is realized in the form of an electrical resistor. For example, this resistor is a commercial resistor, so that a mass-produced product can be used to increase the performance of the heating device.

The porosity of the body allows a substance like a fungus to be absorbed, so that the absorbed substance is preferably in close contact with the porous body in the area of the pores with the thermal conductor.

If the thermal conductor itself is not a porous body, it is advantageous to have a porous component on the thermal conductor, which can also store a substance and be smoked if necessary.

For example, in order to achieve smoke generation at a specific point on the porous body or porous component and/or to prevent uncontrolled leakage of the substance from the porous body or porous component, it is advantageous for the porous body or porous component to have a covering preferably formed as a heat-resistant film, which prevents the substance heated by the porous body or porous component from escaping to an undesirable point on the porous body or porous component.

Accordingly, it is advantageous if the casing has at least one opening through which the heated substance evaporates or fumes.

A further embodiment may provide for the mobile flue-gas generator to have a heat chamber at least partially filled with a test medium.

As it may be difficult to transport pressure cartridges or liquid-filled containers for installation or maintenance work, it is proposed that the test medium be equipped with a solid which, when heated, evaporates or smokes at least partly. This solid may be a plastic element or a wax. The wax is preferably heated by a resistor element heating up with current flow so that the heating evaporates or smokes at least part of the wax or solid.

The test medium may be solid or liquid, and it is particularly advantageous if the test medium contains a gel-like material which, when heated, at least partially evaporates or smokes. For example, the electric heater or the thermal conductor, in particular the commercial resistor, is in the gel-like test medium, so that, when heated, due to the proximity of the heater, part of the test medium is heated to a temperature which evaporates or smokes into a gaseous state and the mobile flue gas generator generates a flue gas.

The gel-like material can be an odorless, water-clear gel. Hydrocarbon gels in the white oils sector, which are produced with a gel-forming agent, are well suited. Such gels preferably have a boiling point above 250 °C. In the present case, the melting point is preferably around 70 °C to 90 °C. This means that no evaporation of components occurs at room temperature.

In practice, long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons are preferred. In particular, when a quantity of about one milligram is evaporated per test operation, this evaporated quantity is of no health relevance, as aliphatic long-chain hydrocarbons can only cause mechanical irritation of the upper respiratory tract at high concentrations. The substances described also have the advantage of not being deposited near the release point and the released quantities of material do not lead to corrosion or other adverse effects on adjacent electronic or mechanical components.

For this reason, such a substance can be used to an advantage, in particular, in all flue gas generators described in this notification.

It has been found to be advantageous if the test medium has a mass of less than 5 g, preferably less than 1 g. The advantage is that the mobile flue gas generator of the invention requires approximately 0,001 g of gel-like test medium per test sequence, so that up to 600 tests can be performed with the mobile flue gas generator of the invention without refilling the mobile flue gas generator with a test medium. This corresponds to a service life of approximately 40 years on a monthly test cycle. The advantage is that the mobile flue gas generator can be refilled with a new test medium. The low amount of test medium significantly reduces the weight of the mobile flue gas generator.

The invention is further developed by providing that the heating device is in contact with the test medium, which makes the construction of a mobile flue gas generator very simple, without the need for additional means of flue gas development.

Preferably, the heating device shall be located in the heat chamber in such a way that it is conveniently located in the immediate vicinity of the test medium.

In order to transport the produced flue gas out of the heat chamber in a particularly efficient and dynamic manner, it is advantageous to have a blower in the heat chamber, preferably located at or near an air intake of the heat chamber, so that when the blower is activated, an air stream is generated and passed through the flue-gas-filled heat chamber, with the flue gas passing through the air stream to the immediate vicinity of the flue-gas detector via an opening in the heat chamber.

It is proposed that the heater has a temperature of more than 80 °C, preferably more than 110 °C, when smoking a test medium.

It is also proposed that the heating device has a temperature of less than 200 °C, preferably less than 160 °C, when smoking a test medium.

The test medium evaporates or smokes at approximately 150 °C.

It is advantageous for the mobile flue gas generator to have a collection device in which the flue gas produced is at least temporarily accumulated. In particular, the heat chamber of the mobile flue gas generator may be such a collection device. This makes the mobile flue gas detector particularly simple to construct. The heat chamber is designed in such a way that first a flue gas is produced in a closed or semi-closed heat chamber and only after a certain period of flue gas production is released from the heat chamber.

In order to allow a flow of air to pass through the collection device and thus carry the flue gas produced, it is advantageous for the collection device to have at least one inlet and/or at least one outlet, preferably sized or designed so that, without an active conveyor, the flue gas produced does not escape from the collection device or the heat chamber or escapes in too negligible quantity.

One embodiment provides that the collecting device must have at least one means of closure, such as a simple flap or valve or similar. Preferably, such a means is located in one or all of the openings described above. It is not necessary that the means of closure seals the collecting device to 100%.

It is sufficient to close the collection device in such a way that the exhaust gas produced cannot escape from it, for example, without an artificial air flow or similar, or only in small quantities.

It is advantageous if the means of sealing have a wire whose shape depends on the temperature. By means of such a wire, it is possible, for example, to operate a flap in such a way that it closes the assembly device or, on the contrary, opens at least partly.

It is particularly advantageous if the means of closure have a nitinol wire, which, for example, when a current of 2.5 volts is passed, contracts as a result of the resulting heating and expands accordingly after cooling.

It is understood that, understandably, any other actor or, for example, a linear motor can be used as an alternative.

It is further proposed that the collection unit has a flue gas supply opening, which allows flue gas not produced directly in the collection unit to enter the collection unit through this flue gas supply opening, for example, the flue gas is produced in the heat chamber of the mobile flue gas generator and enters the collection unit through the flue gas supply opening.

It is particularly advantageous if the collection unit has a flue gas sensor and/or a gas sensor. To check the flue gas generator for flue gas generation or to determine whether a sufficiently large amount of flue gas has been generated and is present in the collection unit, it is advantageous if the appropriate flue gas sensor is located directly in the flue gas generator's collection unit. For example, activating the flue gas sensor will indicate to a user of the flue gas generator, by optical or acoustic means, which flue gas test of a flue gas detector is available at the time, so that the user, after placing the flue gas generator in the flue gas detector's nozzle, can activate a fan, which will indicate the direction of the flue gas heater or the heating mechanism.

The use of variable cross-section is particularly advantageous, for example by means of varying pressures and currents within the collection facilities, which has a positive effect on the diffusion of the flue gas.

A simple variant is that the collection device has a diffuser, which can be used to produce different flow rates and pressures in the collection device.

A preferred embodiment is the use of a venturi nozzle for the assembly unit, which also allows different pressures and flow rates to be achieved and used in the assembly unit.

A preferred embodiment is that the mobile flue-gas generator has a housing that is at least partially elastic. In particular, in the case of the heat chamber or collection device, it is advantageous to have a housing made of a ductile material which can be easily compressed, for example by a pump movement, reducing the volume of the heat chamber or collection device. Such a volume reduction causes a flue gas produced to be directly expelled from the heat chamber or collection device, so that the largest and densest volume of flue gas reaches the smoke detector in the shortest possible time.

An advantageous development of the invention is that the elastic housing is fitted with a storage device and/or a dosing device and a blower, such devices being fitted to the housing, for example, by means of a form-locked or striped connection.

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In addition, the elastic housing also performs a protective function against damage to the devices, for example, the devices located in the elastic housing are very well protected against impact, since the elastic housing can absorb at least part of the impact energy.

It is understood that the above devices can be fitted to or in the housing by means of a thread in addition to a plug.

The housing is preferably made of plastic or elastomer, so that it has only a relatively soft resistance to other objects, which can also reduce the risk of damage to other objects.

A particularly favourable embodiment is that the mobile flue-gas generator has at least one collector for the installation of at least one component on the mobile flue-gas generator, which in particular makes it particularly easy to install the devices described above in or on the housing of the mobile flue-gas generator.

It is advantageous to have a storage device in a collector which stores a test medium. The collector makes it particularly easy to attach the storage device to the mobile flue-gas generator, making it very easy to replace storage devices with different test media where appropriate.

In order to easily bring a test medium in the storage device close to the heating device, it is advantageous for the intake device in which the storage device is located to communicate with an output device to emit a test medium.

The output device shall preferably be located in the immediate vicinity of the heating device so that the test medium coming out of the output device comes into contact with the heating device quickly and evaporates or smokes in the process; in addition, the output device shall be located at a favourable distance from the heating device so that the heating device does not damage the output device by an unfavourable temperature influence.

In order to ensure a particularly simple design for the test medium to travel from the storage device to the output device, it is advantageous for the housing to have at least one borehole used as a test medium feed, the test medium feed connecting a storage device feed and an output device for a test medium.

It is advantageous if the replacement device is a disposable component, which ensures easy handling of the test substance after refilling, since an empty replacement device can be replaced by another replacement device.

A storage device is designed to be simple if it has a cylinder and a piston. In particular, a disposable storage device is designed in this way in a simple way if the piston or piston rod is shorter than the actual cylinder. In particular, the piston rod cannot be moved out of the cylinder when the piston is fully compressed, making it almost impossible or expensive to refill the cylinder. In particular, this prevents improper refilling of the storage device, reducing the risk that a substance not intended for the mobile smoke generator will contaminate the heating device or possibly produce a harmful flue gas from it.

In addition, it is advantageous to have a dosing device in a suction device, which allows the exact dosing of a quantity of test medium to be discharged from the storage device, thus allowing the consumption of the test medium to be adjusted with particular precision.

The storage device can communicate with the metering device with particular ease if the metering device has a holding area for the metering device, which can be either permanently or formally attached to the metering device holding area.

In addition, it is advantageous for the dosing device to have an adjustment device which is preferably adjustable, which allows a particularly simple release of a predetermined amount of test medium from the storage tank through the outlet device to the heater, so that a predetermined amount of test medium is evaporated or smoked at the heater as precisely as possible.

The dosing device is preferably adjusted manually, for example by moving the piston in the cylinder x way.

In addition, the mobile flue gas generator may have a means of coordination which coordinates the operation of the blower and the operation of the metering device. For example, the operation of the fan and metering device is electronically controlled or controlled. Preferably, the operating condition of the heating device is also controlled by means of the means of coordination.

It is possible to preheat the heater after a start of the test and then, after about two seconds, to start the blower fan and generate an air stream that carries the produced flue gas out of the heat chamber.

For example, in order to have sufficient test material at the heater, it is advantageous for the dosing device to automatically transport test material from the storage device to the heater, which may be done in cycles that depend, for example, on the performance of the heater.

In addition, it is possible to operate the blower pulsed, so that intervals are generated in which the blower produces a greater airflow or in which the fan produces a lower airflow.

It is also advantageous to supply the heater with energy at pulsed rate, for example to bring and maintain the heater temperature to an evaporation temperature tV = 150 °C, otherwise there is a risk that overheating the heater will cause damage to the mobile smoke generator.

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In addition, it is proposed that the mobile flue gas generator be equipped with a capillary device, for example one end of a capillary tube is located in a housing containing the test medium, while the other end of the capillary tube has a heating device or is directly connected to the heating device.

Another embodiment is that the flue gas generator has a fluid reservoir and a fuse device. The fluid reservoir can also be designed as a pressure vessel to allow the fluid to be sprayed. The fluid can interact with the heating device to produce a gas by evaporating or burning the liquid, which is then ignited by a fuse device to produce a fuse gas and/or heat.

Preferably, the heating device is adjustable so that it is only switched on when necessary, for example if the mobile flue gas generator of the invention is kept in the immediate vicinity of a flue gas detector, such remote control may be carried out by means of a line or wirelessly and allows the mobile flue gas generator to be activated at any time.

To avoid overheating of the test medium, it is advantageous for the mobile flue gas generator to have a timer, which allows the heating time of the heater to be temporarily limited, for example by using a switch to re-activate the heater.

A particularly preferred embodiment is that the flue gas generator has an interface to a network. For example, the flue gas generator is connected to a local network of a building, so that the flue gas generator can be controlled from a central facility. The interface can be wired or wireless. It is also possible that the flue gas generator has a connection not only to a local network but also to a far-flung network. For example, a flue gas generator is connected to a central security service via a far-flung network that is not located directly in the building of the test flue gas detector.

The problem of the invention is also solved by a method according to claim 16, which has the particular advantage of consuming only a very small amount of test medium to produce the flue gas.

It is also advantageous that the flue gas is blown directly into or at the flue gas detector by an electric blowing device of the mobile flue gas generator, thus providing a targeted smoke detector, which, inter alia, significantly increases the effectiveness of a flue gas detector test due to the focus of the method.

Once the flue gas detector test sequence has been successfully initiated, it is particularly advantageous to re-ventilate the flue gas detector immediately after the smoke has been extinguished, so that the test is completed as quickly as possible.

It is also advantageous that the active ventilation of the flue gas detector significantly speeds up the entire test procedure, which, among other things, allows more flue gas detectors to be tested at a time.

A further design involves collecting the produced flue gas before it leaves the mobile flue gas generators. It is advantageous to collect only a certain volume of flue gas sufficient to activate a flue gas detector or a gas detector. Another variant involves generating a variable volume flow to transport the flue gas.

It is advantageous if the rotor of the blower changes the speed for this purpose.

This can be achieved particularly easily if the blower is provided with a continuous supply of energy, particularly during the test.

In order to set and maintain the heater at a desired temperature, it is advantageous to provide the heater with a discontinuous supply of energy, particularly during the test.

In order to optimise the evaporation or smoking of a test medium, it is advantageous to preheat the heater before the test medium is introduced.

Another variant of the procedure involves testing the function of a heat detector by means of the heat generated by the heating device. Preferably this is done without generating a flue gas. In this case, the mobile flue gas generator can also be used to simulate heat, so that the flue gas generator according to the invention can be used to test not only a flue gas detector or a gas detector, but also a heat field. Thus, almost all fire detectors can be tested by means of a single mobile test device, thus saving investment costs for different test devices. It is particularly advantageous here if the heat generated by means of the activated supporting flue gas is called a heat field.

It is understood in this context that the combination of the heat generator and the blower, in particular their joint use to test a heat generator, is also essential independently of the other features of the invention.

It is advantageous to activate the mobile flue gas generator by means of a central monitoring device, whereby the flue gas produced is detected by a flue gas detector, and to activate the flue gas detector thereby, whereby the flue gas detector transmits a data signal.

A monitoring facility is, for example, a central facility where the safety-related functions of a building are monitored.

A preferred methodology is to transmit the data signal to a central monitoring and/or emergency unit, for example, the central monitoring unit is located directly in a building, so that all steps necessary for the test can be coordinated from there.

It is also advantageous if the data signal is transmitted in addition or exclusively to an emergency department, such as a local fire department or other emergency service.

If the data signal is transmitted to the emergency department in parallel with the central monitoring device, it is advantageous to provide the monitoring department or emergency department with information about the upcoming test before the test, for example, the information contains data on the day and time of the test, the type of test range and the duration of the test, preferably automatically communicated to the emergency department by the central monitoring department.

Further advantages, objectives and properties of the present invention are described by means of an explanation of the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a mobile flue gas generator.

It shows Figure 1a two-part heat chamber,Figure 2a partially cut heat chamber,Figure 3schematically a battery power source,Figure 4a resistor and a cuff with capillary surfaces,Figure 5a schematic representation of a mobile flue gas generator giving the background to the present invention,Figure 6a mobile flue gas generator interacting with a flue gas detector,Figure 7a longitudinal section through a mobile flue gas generator according to a preferred design of the present invention,Figure 8a perspective view of the housing in Figure 7a perspective view of the flue gas generator shown,Figure 9a perspective view of the flue gas generator which provides an alternative alternative to the flue gas generator on the housing,Figures 9 to 12 and an alternative to the flue gas generator on the housing,Figures 9 to 12 and Figures 9 to 13a perspective of the flue gas generator shown in Figure 10.

It should be noted that Figures 1 to 5 and the related description are provided as a useful background to the understanding of the invention and are not part of the claimed invention.

The two-part heat chamber 1 shown in Figure 1 has a closing lid 2 and a base housing 3. The closing lid 2 has an opening 4 in its centre through which a flue gas 5 is produced. The closing lid 2 is screwed to the base housing 3 by means of a number of screws 6 (numbered here only as an example).

The base case has two holes 7 and 8 on one side, which take up the connectors for an electrical connection (not shown here).

Figure 2 shows the base housing 3 of the two-part heat chamber 1 in a break. Inside the base housing 3 a heating device 9 is placed. The heating device 9 has a resistance 9A.

Figure 3 shows in principle the simple construction of an electrical circuit 10 of a mobile flue-gas generator of the invention 29.

Figure 4 shows an ohmic resistor 14 and a capillary cuff 15 with the diameter of the resistor 14 corresponding to the diameter of the capillary cuff 15 in a range 16.

With its lower region 17, the capillary cuff 15 is arranged in a gel-like test medium (not shown here) where the gel-like test medium moves in the inner region of capillary surfaces 18 and 19 by means of capillary forces in the arrow direction 20 between the two capillary surfaces 18 and 19 to the resistance 14.

The figure 5 shows the arrangement of a flue gas detector 21, a heat chamber 22 and a fan 23. A flue gas 25 enters the environment through an opening 24 of the heat chamber 22. The fan 23 blows an air stream 26 in an arrow direction 27. This is where the flue gas 25 is carried and recorded by a detector 28 of the flue gas detector 21 which initiates an alarm. Once the test of the flue gas detector 21 has been completed, the development of flue gas 25 is prevented in the heat chamber 22 where the electrical equipment is switched off. The air stream 26 of the fan 23 blows the flue gas detector 21, in particular the flue gas detector 21, free of residual hot flue gas.

In Figure 6 a mobile flue gas generator 29 is placed in close proximity to a flue gas detector 30 where the mobile flue gas generator 29 has a tube 31 in its front area and a fan in its rear area 32 inside the mobile flue gas generator 29 there is a heat chamber 22 for the production of flue gas described above. An air stream supplied by the fan 32 blows a flue gas 33 produced in the mobile flue gas generator in the direction of the flue gas detector 30. The flue gas generator 30 has openings 34, 35 and 36 through which the flue gas 33 reaches a detector of the flue gas detector.

The mobile flue-gas generator 37 (Figure 7) has an elastic housing 38 in which a storage device 39 for a test medium 50, a dosing device 40, a blower 41, a collection device 42, an output device 43 for a test medium 50 and a heating device 44 are located.

In particular, the storage device 39, the dosing device 40 and the blower 41 are each located in a suction device 45, 46 and 47 in the housing 37, with the suction device 47 having an additional rubber lip 48. The suction devices 45, 46 and 47 are designed to allow the storage device 39, the dosing device 40 and the blower 41 to be quickly and easily inserted into them, so that these components can be solubly fixed in or on the elastic housing 38.

The intake medium 45 is connected to the output device 43 by a line 49 so that a test medium 50 from the storage device 39 passes through the elastic housing 37 to the output device 43 and the output device 43 delivers the test medium 50 to the heating device 44. The output device 43 is therefore placed in close proximity to the heating device 44 so that, on the one hand, the test medium 50 coming from the output device 43 comes into direct contact with the heating device 44 and, on the other hand, the heating device 44 is so far from the output device 43 that the output device 43 is not damaged by heat development of the heating device 44.

In this example, the storage device 39 consists of a cylinder 51 in which a piston 52 is inserted.

A 40B mechanism of the 40 metering device shall be adjusted by means of a 40A adjusting wheel of the metering device 40 in such a way that the 40B mechanism communicates with the plunger 52 of the 39 metering device and, as required, pushes the test medium 50 in the direction of the arrow 53 from the cylinder 51 of the 39 metering device 39 into the line 49.

To secure the cylinder 51 of the supply device 39 to the metering device 40, the metering device 40 shall have a holding area 40C into which the metering device 39 is inserted.

To optimally test a flue gas detector 30 (see Figure 6), the heater 44 is preheated to approximately 150 °C before the test medium 50 comes into contact with the heater 44.

The test medium 50 smoked at heater 44 is collected as flue gas 25 (see Figure 5) in collection device 42 before being transported out of collection device 42 by means of an air volume 55 which is sucked into collection device 42 by the activated blower 41.

Example 56 of Figure 8 shows an elastic housing 57 of a mobile flue gas generator, wherein the elastic housing 57 has an outlet 59 in its front area 58 from which a generated flue gas 25 (see Figure 5) exits the elastic housing 57.

The elastic housing 60 shown in Figures 9 to 13 comprises two holding areas 61 and 62, over which the elastic housing 60 is connected to a telescopic holding device (not shown here) and is guided, for example, to a flue gas detector 30 (see Figure 6).

The elastic housing 60 also includes a zone 63 in which a blower 41 is located (see Figure 7).

A dosing device 40 (see Figure 7) and a storage device 39 (see Figure 7) for the provision of test medium 50 (see Figure 7) are located in a zone 64 and 65 of the elastic housing 60.

The test medium 50 (see Figure 7) is fed by a line 66 into a zone 67 of the elastic housing 60 in which the test medium 50 (see Figure 7) is smoked; the resulting flue gas 25 (see Figure 5) is fed by an outlet 68 into an outlet zone 69 in which a flue gas detector 30 (see Figure 6) is located.

Claims (19)

1. A mobile flue gas generator comprising:

   a housing (38) including an electrical heating means (9,44), a supply means (39), and blowing means (23,32,41), the supply means arranged to supply a test medium (50) to the heating means, wherein the heating means is arranged to heat the test medium in order to produce a flue gas (25,33), and the blowing means is adapted to provide a circulation of air in the generator and release the generated flue gas from the generator through an opening (24,59,68).
2. The generator of claim 1 further comprising a heat chamber (42) to house the heating means and the blowing means, the heat chamber comprising an opening (59).
3. The generator of claim 2 wherein the generated flue gas is at least temporarily accumulated in the heat chamber.
4. The generator of claim 3 wherein the heat chamber comprises means for opening and closing the opening.
5. The generator of claim 1, further comprising an accumulation chamber for at least temporarily accumulating the generated flue gas.
6. The generator of claim 2 further comprising an accumulation chamber for at least temporarily accumulating the generated flue gas, wherein the accumulation chamber is in communication with the opening of the heat chamber.
7. The generator of claim 5 or 6 wherein the accumulation chamber has at least one inlet opening and/or at least one exit opening.
8. The generator of claim 7, wherein the accumulation chamber comprises means for opening and closing at least one of the openings.
9. The generator of claim 7 or 8 wherein at least one opening contains an opening device which in turn contains a wire, the form of which is temperature dependent.
10. The generator of claims 7, 8 and 9 wherein the accumulation chamber comprises a sensing means for sensing the amount of flue gas accumulated in the accumulation chamber, and wherein the generator further comprises an indication means for indicating that a predetermined amount of flue gas is present in the accumulation chamber in response to a signal from the sensing means.
11. The generator of any of the preceding claims wherein the test medium contains a solid or gel like material.
12. The generator of any of the preceding claims wherein the flue gas is smoke.
13. The generator of any of the preceding claims wherein the blowing means is adapted to accelerate the air in a pulse-like manner.
14. The generator of any of the preceding claims wherein the blowing means is a fan.
15. The generator of any of the preceding claims further comprising a battery or rechargeable battery to provide power to the generator.
16. A method for generating a flue gas in a mobile flue gas generator according to any of claims 1 to 15, the method comprising:

    supplying a test medium to a heating means;

    heating the test medium thereby producing a flue gas;

    activating a blower to circulate air in the generator;

    expelling the flue gas from the generator.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the generated flue gas is accumulated in an accumulation chamber before it is expelled from the generator.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the flue gas is expelled from the generator after a predetermined amount of flue gas has accumulated in the accumulation chamber.
19. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18 further comprising bringing the mobile flue gas generator into close proximity with a flue gas detector.