HK1091428B - Device for preventing and extinguishing fires - Google Patents

Description

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The most commonly used oxygen-displacing gases are gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, noble gases and mixtures, which are usually stored in special compartments or storage rooms in steel bottles.

For example, US-5857.525 is known to have an inert gas extinguishing system whereby the oxygen-displacing gas is stored centrally in a gas cylinder battery, whereby the individual gas cylinders of the battery are connected to different extinguishers in different target spaces by means of corresponding piping systems.

As the most modern fire-extinguishing systems are usually centrally designed, i.e. designed to supply a large number of target spaces, a storage problem inevitably arises, since it is necessary to store large quantities of extinguishing gas centrally. To this end, all the gas cylinders required for the extinguishing system are usually stored in a gas cylinder battery in, for example, basements or other separate rooms. This, however, results in another problem, namely that a considerable construction effort is required to place the supply lines in the target spaces, which leads to high construction and operation costs of the fire-extinguishing system.

Other systems known to the state of the art are designed to store the gaseous extinguishing agent centrally in a liquid tank. An additional major disadvantage of these systems is the loss of extinguishing agent over time, as up to half of the extinguishing agent can escape within a year. In addition, in addition to the tank and a cooling unit, an evaporator is also needed to return the extinguishing agent to the gaseous state. This increases the overall cost of the system.

A solution known from the state of the art and for example revealed in DE-101 21 551 A1 is to address the storage problem by reducing the oxygen content to a basic inert level of approximately 17% vol. on average in the target rooms, which is harmless to life, thereby reducing the amount of extinguishing gas to be reserved for the purpose of achieving the full inert level of an oxygen concentration of less than 15% vol. for fire prevention and/or extinguishing, which leads to an improvement in the storage problems described, while still requiring a specific design for the steel cylinders and the structural layout of the supply lines to be kept unchanged.

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For example, an inert gas fire extinguisher for extinguishing fires in tunnels is known from DE 19934118 B1. This provides for the storage of the oxygen-displacing gases used in the inert gas fire extinguishing technique compressed in special storage tanks in adjacent spaces. If necessary, the oxygen-displacing gas is then directed through piping systems and corresponding exhaust nozzles to the relevant section of the tunnel. However, as mentioned above, this fire extinguisher, which is known from the state of the art, again has the disadvantage that it requires a considerable amount of work to equip a tunnel with such a fire extinguisher or to re-equip a tunnel with a separate storage for the fuel supply and a large central heating system.

Based on the problem described, the present invention is intended to develop a device for preventing and extinguishing fires in a closed or compartmentalized target space of the type described at the outset in such a way that the storage of the extinguishing gas to be reserved for fire extinguishing is possible in a simple and inexpensive manner without the usually specially designed premises and that, in particular, the high construction costs associated with the installation of the supply pipe system can be significantly reduced.

A further function of the present invention is to specify a fire-extinguishing system designed specifically for tunnels or tunnel-like structures, which can do without special rooms for storing an extinguishing gas and a complicated and therefore costly supply pipe system.

The device problem is solved by the characteristics of claim 1 for a device for preventing and extinguishing fires in a closed or compartmentalized target area of the type described above.

Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 354 (char 353)In addition, the installation of the fire extinguishing system of the invention eliminates the need to provide for ceiling or wall breaches for the installation of the supply line connecting the respective fire extinguishing springs to the buffer reservoir. In addition, the installation of both an initial and a subsequent system of a fire extinguishing system with the fire extinguishing system is very easy to implement and particularly cost-effective, in particular by providing a close arrangement of the fire extinguishing system and the buffer system in combination with the buffer system.In the event of a fire, the expansion energy required by the expansion of the oxygen-displacing gas stored at high pressure in the buffer tank is drawn directly to the target space, creating a cooling effect which has a further positive effect on the extinguishing of fires in the target space. These pressure vessels have a high pressure storage capacity (300-100 bar). Currently, pipes are available on the market in configured lengths of 6, 8 and 10 metres, which are designed as high pressure pipes and can be easily softened to the desired length.The use of commercially available components which can be easily converted into a buffer tank or high pressure pipe can significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing such a fire-extinguishing system. Of course, other embodiments of the buffer tank are also conceivable. To achieve further technical advantages, it is preferable to use a high pressure pipe as a buffer tank, which has at least one connection to the supply pipe system at one end. This connection, which is already available in a commercially available way, is particularly easy to install on the gas-flow solution of the fire-extinguishing system.However, it is also possible that both head sections of the high pressure pipe should each have a connection for the supply pipe system. This can achieve a symmetrical arrangement of the fire extinguishing system, whereby, due to the two-sided connections for the supply pipe system, it is possible to release the oxygen displacement gas stored under high pressure very quickly into the target space if necessary.

The present invention also considers that the central storage of the extinguishing gas in special containers, such as steel bottles, which, due to their weight and for safety reasons, require special spaces, is problematic. By storing the buffer tank directly in the target space according to the invention, the decentralised storage of the extinguishing gas, which in a conventional fire extinguishing system serves a large number of target spaces, is deliberately avoided, in order to reduce the supply area of a buffer tank to one or at least a few targets, reducing the total volume of the buffer tank in comparison with the steel buffer tank decommissioning system, so that the technical standard for the individual target system would also be significantly reduced, for example, by the change in the weight of the buffer tank, which would be directly reflected in the individual steel buffer tank.

The design of the buffer tank, the supply pipe system and the extinguishing nozzles as a compact unit has the further advantage of eliminating the need for an expensive and particularly branched and extended supply pipe system, which significantly reduces the likelihood of any leakage or leakage in the piping system, improves the reliability of the entire fire-extinguishing system and significantly reduces the costs of maintaining the system.

In particular, the present invention has the advantage that the supply pipe system connecting the extinguishing nozzle or nozzles to the buffer tank has a pressure relief valve. The possibility of integrating the pressure relief valve into the supply pipe system at the point where a transition from a high pressure to a low pressure area is to take place eliminates the cost of manufacturing a separate throttling element and the associated installation costs. The pressure relief valve is controlled by the controller so that it opens when required, thus introducing more oxygen displacing gas from the buffer tank into the target space. This allows a target space to be pumped or reduced in proportion to the natural oxygen emissions.

The application problem is solved by using the fire extinguishing system of the invention in a tunnel.

The use of the fire extinguishing device in accordance with the invention in a tunnel solves the problem, known from the state of the art and explained above, which arises in the application of a known fire extinguishing device. It would be conceivable, for example, to install the device in accordance with the invention on the ceiling or on the side walls of a tunnel. This will ensure that a tunnel can be equipped with an inert gas fire extinguisher with a particularly low construction effort. In preference, depending on a control signal, a target space is formed in the tunnel by means of separations from the target space, which closes the affected area of the tunnel, and then in this initiation space the middle of the fire extinguishing device is installed before the installation of the fire extinguisher.

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The use of the fire extinguishing system in a tunnel in accordance with the present invention can be advantageously achieved by allowing the tunnel to be converted or retrofitted inexpensively without any special construction effort with a particularly easy-to-maintain inert gas fire extinguishing system.

Beneficial training in the device of the invention is given in the subclaims.

A particularly advantageous development of the present invention is that the buffer tank also includes at least one device for filling or refilling the buffer tank with oxygen displacing gas, preferably arranged in such a way that the buffer tank can be easily reached from the outside in the built-in state of the fire prevention and extinguishing device, for example by connecting a supply line for filling or refilling the buffer tank manually through the device, thus making it possible to maintain the device of the invention as easily and easily as possible.

In a preferred development of the above embodiment, the fire prevention and extinguishing device has a generator for oxygen-displacing gas. This generator is used to generate the inert gas stored in the buffer reservoir, which is connected to the buffer reservoir by means of the device of the invention for filling or refilling the buffer reservoir. One of the gas generators could be, for example, a membrane by means of which air is broken down to produce low-oxygen air with a residual oxygen content of approximately 0,5 to 5% vol. The use of such devices is well known from the standpoint of technology and is not described in detail here.

An advantageous development, although partly known from the fire-extinguishing technique of the present invention, is that the controller also has an oxygen sensor to measure the oxygen content in the target space and to control the amount of extinguishing agent to be supplied to the target space. This oxygen sensor is used to measure the oxygen content in the target space, and a measurement signal is given by the oxygen sensor to the controller, which provides information on the set inertisation level. The controller then controls the oxygen emission or pressure levels depending on the signal given by the oxygen sensor. It is possible to reduce the acid emission or pressure levels by introducing the oxygen gas entering the target space in a different direction or by introducing an oxygen emission in a different direction or in a different direction in a target space, or by comparing the emission levels of oxygen in the target space with the one or more of the other gases in the target space, and in the case of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the acid emission levels even further - or to reduce the concentration of oxygen in the target space in a more proportion to the intended fuel or gas emission level - in the target space, or in the case of the present invention.

In a particularly favourable development of the device for preventing and extinguishing fires in accordance with the invention, the control unit also has a fire detection device, in particular an aspirating fire detection device. Preferably, a control signal is transmitted from a fire detection device, by means of which the fire is assigned to one or more inerted areas of the target area, to the control unit. This involves a known fire detection device installed in the target area in such a way that the existing or emerging fire can be detected over a wide area and, in the event of a fire being detected or arising, by means of a detector, triggers the control signal to prevent the fire from spreading in the area concerned and to solve the problem.

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The oxygen-displacing gas is preferably composed of a pure inert gas or a mixture of inert gases, which, in particular for the monitoring of premises with highly flammable materials, provides a particularly high potential for an oxygen-displacing gas to maximise the reduction of oxygen content of the air in the target space.

The following are illustrations of preferred embodiments of the device of the invention for preventing and extinguishing fires in a closed or compartmentalized target space.

It shows: Fig. 1a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention for fire prevention and extinguishing,Fig. 2a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention for fire prevention and extinguishing in a tunnel, andFig. 3a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention for fire prevention and extinguishing in a target space.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention for preventing and extinguishing fires in a target space (1). As shown, the fire extinguisher according to the invention in this embodiment has three symmetrically arranged and parallel to each other buffer reservoirs (2), each of which is designed in this embodiment as high pressure pipes (8); these high pressure pipes (8) each have a high-pressure pipe system (12) at their head sections; the supply pipe decks (4) are connected to the individual head sections (12) of the respective pressure-reducing system (8) via a pressure-reducing pipe (6).

The high pressure pipes (8) are used to store an oxygen-displacing gas (3), which is present in the compressed state at a pressure of, for example, 300 bar. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the buffer tanks (2) are made from commercial 300 bar gas cylinders with a capacity of 140 litres.

The pressure relief valves (6) at the respective head sections (12) of each high pressure pipe (8) are connected to a central control (7) which is used to control the individual pressure relief valves (6) accordingly to allow the expansion of the oxygen displacement gas (3) stored under pressure in the corresponding high pressure pipe (8) into the respective supply pipe system (4). The interaction of the control (7) with the respective pressure relief valves (6) is designed to allow the partial or complete opening and closing of the individual pressure relief valves (6).

As shown in Figure 1, the respective supply pipe systems (4) exit from the left and right head section (12) of the high pressure pipe (8) into a left and right line (14) of extinguishing nozzles, each of which has a number of extinguishing nozzles (5). If necessary, i.e. with open pressure relief valves (6), the oxygen displacement gas (3) stored under pressure in the respective high pressure pipe (8) escapes via the supply pipe systems (4) and the extinguishing nozzles (14) so that the gas (3) finally exits the individual extinguishing nozzles (5) and expands into the target space (1). The expansion of the compressed space (3) releases (1) heat energy, thus having a positive effect on the target space (1) in terms of fire suppression.

The oxygen-displacing gas (3) is preferably nitrogen or a noble gas. By using such an oxygen-displacing gas as an extinguishing agent, the fire-extinguishing system of the invention can be used in particular in target areas (1) where the equipment would suffer considerable damage if conventional extinguishing agents, such as water or foam, were used.

The invention also provides that each high pressure pipe (8) is equipped with at least one device (9) for filling or refilling the respective high pressure pipe (8) with the oxygen displacement gas (3), which makes it possible to check the filling level of the gas (3) stored in each high pressure pipe (8) in a simple way and to refill it if necessary.

The preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1 also provides for a gas generator (10) to generate the gas (3) stored in the high pressure pipe (8) and, if necessary, to replenish the gas (3) stored in the high pressure pipe (8) by means of the device (9) for filling or refilling the buffer tank (2).

The control (7) is connected, as already mentioned, to the individual pressure relief valves (6) to be controlled. This control (7) internally controls a processor (not shown) which gives the corresponding commands to the individual pressure relief valves (6) depending on the measurement results of an oxygen sensor located in the target space (1). By using the oxygen sensor (11) which interacts directly with the control (7), it is possible to use the device of the invention for preventing and extinguishing fires to implement a single or multi-stage inerting process in the target space (1). The oxygen sensor (11) is thereby permanently monitoring the oxygen content in the target space (1).

For example, the device of the invention and the monitoring of this can initially reduce the oxygen content in the target space (1) to a certain basic inerting level of, for example, 16% vol. This basic inerting is intended to reduce the risk of fire in the target space (1). A basic inerting level of 16% vol. oxygen concentration means that there is no danger to persons or animals so that they can still enter the target space without difficulty. With a fire detection device not explicitly shown in Figure 1, such as an aspiration fire detection device, the target space (1) can be continuously inerted, but the level of inerting or inerting is not so high that the target space can be directly affected by the fire or by the fire (1) If the fuel is injected in a specific direction or in a controlled manner, the target space can be inerted in such a way that no person or animal can be directly exposed to the fuel or most of the materials in the target space (1) or in the target space can be directly exposed to the fire, the target space can be permanently inerted in such a way that the fire or the fire does not affect the target space.

The preferred design in Figure 1 shows that the high pressure pipe (8), the associated piping systems (4) and the extinguishing nozzles (5) are arranged as a compact unit in the target space (1) itself, which significantly reduces the total cost of the fire prevention and fire-extinguishing system.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the device of the invention for preventing and extinguishing fires used in a tunnel, which provides that the buffer tank (2), which is made as a high pressure pipe (8), is equipped with a fire-extinguishing tube (14) and the extinguishing nozzles provided for in it (5) by means of piping systems (4).

Figure 3 shows the use of preferred embodiments of the device of the invention for preventing and extinguishing fires in a hall. Accordingly, it is conceivable to arrange the buffer tank (2) for example in the corner areas between the wall and ceiling of the hall, whereby the pipe system (4) (not explicitly shown in Figure 3) is placed in the hall (1) as required. The buffer tank r (2) is preferably a high pressure pipe (8) with a diameter of 30 - 50 cm, whereby the arrangement of the pipes (8) is arbitrary. For example, the high pressure U, S or L pipes (8) whose weight is on the floor can also be used.

List of reference marks

1.Directing space 2.Buffer reservoir 3.Oxygen-displacing gas 4.Piping system 5.Extinguishing nozzle 6.Pressure relief valve 7.Controller 8.High pressure nozzle 9.Filling device 10.Gas generator 11.Oxygen sensor 12.Head section 13.Piping system connection 14.Extinguishing nozzle strip

Claims (10)

1. Device for preventing and extinguishing fires in a space (1) which is enclosed or which can be divided into enclosed portions (referred to hereinafter as a "target space"), comprising a buffer reservoir (2) in which oxygen-displacing gas (3) is stored under high pressure, at least one feed pipe system (4) connecting at least one extinguishing nozzle (5) in each case to the buffer reservoir (2) by means of a pressure-reducing valve (6), and a control unit (7) for controlling the pressure-reducing valve (6) in order to introduce the oxygen-displacing gas (3) into the target space (1) gradually as required or suddenly in the event of a fire, wherein one or more inertisation levels with a reduced oxygen content compared to natural conditions can be set in the target space (1), characterised in that the buffer reservoir (2) is designed as a high-pressure pipe (8) with a compressive strength of > 200 bar, each head portion (12) of the high-pressure pipe (8) having a connection (13) for a respective feed pipe system (4).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the high-pressure pipe (8) consists of fibre composites.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the high-pressure pipe (8) has a pressure storage capacity of 300 to 700 bar.
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the buffer reservoir (2) and the feed pipe system (4) are arranged as a compact module either in the target space (1) itself or directly adjacent to the target space (1).
5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one device (9) for filling or refilling the buffer reservoir (2) with oxygen-displacing gas (3) is furthermore provided on the buffer reservoir (2).
6. Device according to claim 5, characterised by a gas generator (10) for generating the oxygen-displacing gas (3) stored in the buffer reservoir (2), connected to the buffer reservoir (2) by means of the device (9).
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit (7) further comprises an oxygen sensor (11) for measuring the oxygen content in the target space (1) and for controlling the quantity of extinguishing agent to be supplied to the target space (1).
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit (7) further comprises a fire detector, in particular an aspiration fire detector.
9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the oxygen-displacing gas (3) consists of a pure inert gas or mixtures of inert gases.
10. Use of a device according to one or more of claims 1 to 9 in a tunnel.