PASSIVE FIRE RESPONSE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING

• US 20170106220A1
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ge-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ge-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Inventors: LOEWEN, Eric Paul, DOOIES, Brett Jameson, STREGE, Seth Ryan Paul, O'NEILL, Nicholas Francis, MIRANDA, Dana Christine, COWEN, Haley Michelle
• Granted Patent: US 10,004,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/06 of highly inflammable material, e.g. light metals, petroleum products
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/026 the extinguishing material being put under pressure by means other than pressure gas, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/11 controlled by a signal from the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/44 only the sensor being in the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 1/0028 Liquid extinguishing substances A62D1/0092 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 9/016 Core catchers
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 9/04 Means for suppressing fires ; Earthquake protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A passive fire response system is configured to suppress a metallic fire. The system includes a reservoir containing an ionic liquid, at least one outlet in communication with the reservoir, a valve arranged between the reservoir and the outlet, a sensor configured to sense at least one of a hydrogen concentration and a temperature and/or heat, and a controller configured to open the valve and release the ionic liquid if an output from the sensor indicates that the at least one of the hydrogen concentration and the temperature equals or exceeds at least one of a threshold hydrogen concentration and a threshold temperature.

Claims

1. A passive fire response system configured to suppress a metallic fire, the system comprising:

a reservoir containing a non-aqueous, ionic liquid;

at least one outlet in communication with the reservoir;

a valve arranged between the reservoir and the outlet;

a sensor configured to sense at least one of a hydrogen concentration and a temperature; and

a controller configured to open the valve and release the ionic liquid if an output from the sensor indicates that the at least one of the hydrogen concentration and the temperature equals or exceeds at least one of a threshold hydrogen concentration and a threshold temperature,

the passive fire response system configured to be arranged in a chamber of a sodium fast reactor.

2. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

3. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a hydrogen sensor.

5. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned at a ceiling of the chamber.

6. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is located above the sensor.

8. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein a catch pan is positioned below the sodium fast reactor.

9. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open at least one valve when a temperature of at least about 75°

C. is sensed by the sensor.

10. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open at least one valve when a hydrogen concentration of at least about 50 parts per hundred million is sensed by the sensor.

11. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the passive fire response system is gravity driven.

12. The passive fire response system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pump configured to pump the ionic liquid from the reservoir through the at least one outlet in response to an output from the controller.

13. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is refillable.

14. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the valve is electronically actuated.

15. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is asymmetric and does not crystallize at room temperature.

16. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is liquid at room temperature.

17. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid reacts with sodium to produce stable, non-reactive salt byproducts.

18. The passive fire response system of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature control system configured to maintain the ionic liquid in the reservoir at a temperature ranging from about 10°

C. to about 30°

C.

21. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein passive fire response system is configured to provide early detection of at least one of the temperature and the hydrogen concentration and to amplify release of the ionic liquid if a larger fire is detected.

22. The passive fire response system of claim 1, wherein detection of the threshold hydrogen concentration is configured to trigger a rapid, first response to the fire, and detection of the threshold temperature is configured to trigger a second response to the fire.

23. The passive fire response system of claim 22, wherein the second response includes releasing additional ionic liquid.

24. The passive fire response system of claim 5, wherein heat and hydrogen accumulate at the ceiling and provide a localized temperature increase at the sensor.

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

19. A method of passively suppressing a metallic fire, the method comprising:

sensing at least one of a temperature and a hydrogen concentration in a chamber of a sodium fast reactor; and

automatically opening a valve to release an ionic liquid from a reservoir if the sensed at least one of the temperature and the hydrogen concentration is greater than or equal to at least one of a threshold temperature and a threshold hydrogen concentration.

20. A method of manufacturing a passive fire response system, the method comprising:

positioning a reservoir containing an ionic liquid above a catch pan of a sodium fast reactor;

establishing an outlet extending from the reservoir to the catch pan; and

positioning a sensor adjacent a ceiling of a chamber containing the sodium fast reactor, the sensor configured to sense at least one of a hydrogen concentration and a temperature generated by a metallic fire; and

connecting a control system to the sensor, the control system configured to release the ionic liquid from the reservoir via the outlet if an output from the sensor indicates that the at least one of the hydrogen concentration and the temperature equals or exceeds at least one of a threshold hydrogen concentration and a threshold temperature.