Breathing air system for a facility

• US 7,347,204 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Safety US Incorporated (W3 Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Total Safety US Incorporated (W3 Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Johnson, Jerry Paul, Lindsey, Rickey Floyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US11/042,622
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/202.13, 128/200.24, 128/204.29, 128/202.27, 128/204.25, 128/205.24, 128/205.25
• US Class Current: 128/202.13
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 15/00 Installations affording protection against poisonous or injurious substances, e.g. with separate breathing apparatus preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced B08B15/00; building aspects E04H9/00 ; use of air currents for screening F24F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/02 with compressed oxygen or air

Abstract

The breathing air system is made of a pressurized breathing air source, a continuous loop air conduit connected to the pressurized breathing air source for maintaining the breathing air at a defined pressure, a first isolation valve located between the pressurized breathing air source and the continuous loop air conduit, a first splitter is located between the first isolation valve and the continuous loop air conduit, a second splitter is connected to the continuous loop air conduit, a first auxiliary air conduit segment is connected to the second splitter, a second isolation valve connects to the first auxiliary air conduit segment, a reserve manifold is also used and a second auxiliary air conduit segment communicates between the second isolation valve and the reserve manifold to distribute breathing air to at least one reserve manifold from at least two directions wherein the breathing air is grade “D” or better.

Claims

1. A breathing air system comprising:

a. a pressurized breathing air source;

b. an air conduit connected to the pressurized breathing air source;

c. a first valve disposed between the pressurized breathing air source and the air conduit;

d. a first splitter disposed between the first valve and the air conduit;

e. a second splitter connected to the air conduit;

f. a first auxiliary air conduit segment connected to the second splitter;

g. a second valve connected to the first auxiliary air conduit segment;

h. at least one manifold; and

i. a second auxiliary air conduit segment communicating between the second valve and the at least one manifold, wherein the breathing air system is adapted to distribute pressurized breathing air to the at least one manifold from two directions, and wherein the manifold is adapted to provide breathing air.

2. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the breathing air source is at least an air quality of a Compressed Gas Association grade “

D”

.

3. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized breathing air source is pressured to between 500 psi and 5000 psi.

4. The breathing system of claim 3, wherein the pressurized breathing air source is pressured to between 2400 psi and 5000 psi.

5. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the air conduit is a continuous loop.

6. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the air conduit is pipe, tubing, hose or combinations thereof.

7. The breathing air system of claim 6, wherein the tubing is stainless steel.

8. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the first valve is an isolation valve.

9. The breathing air system of claim 8, wherein the isolation valve is a high pressure ball valves.

10. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the splitters are a T-block with an inner diameter between ¼

inch and 3 inches.

11. The breathing system of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises a corrosion resistant metal.

12. The breathing air system of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises:

a. a manifold body comprising a chamber;

b. at least three take-out connections disposed on the manifold body connected to the chamber;

c. a first plug on one end of the chamber and a second plug on the opposite end of the chamber; and

d. a regulator connected to the chamber for receiving the pressurized breathing air and reducing the pressurized breathing air to a breathable pressure.

13. The breathing air system of claim 12, wherein the regulator comprises:

a. a regulator body;

b. an inlet port connected to the regulator body and an outlet port connected to the regulator body;

c. an inlet pressure gauge connected to the inlet port and an outlet pressure gauge connected to outlet port;

d. a regulator conduit connected from the outlet port to the manifold body in communication with the chamber;

e. a pressure relief valve connected to the regulator body; and

f. a low pressure warning alarm connected to the inlet port which is adapted to alarm when the air conduit pressure falls below 500 psi.

14. The breathing air system of claim 13, further comprising a low pressure control valve connected to the regulator body to adjust the pressurized breathing air to a low pressure breathing air.

15. The breathing air system of claim 14, wherein the low pressure control valve is manually operable.

16. A method for operating an air breathing system comprising the steps of:

a. pressurizing a continuous loop air conduit with breathable air from a pressurized air source, wherein the continuous loop conduit comprises;

i. a first isolation valve disposed between the pressurized air source and the continuous loop air conduit;

ii. a first splitter disposed between the first isolation valve and the continuous loop air conduit;

iii. a second splitter connected to the continuous loop air conduit;

iv. a first auxiliary air conduit segment connected to the second splitter;

v. a second isolation valve connected to the first auxiliary air conduit segment;

vi. a reserve manifold; and

vii. a second auxiliary air conduit segment communicating between the second isolation valve and the reserve manifold; and

wherein the breathing air system is adapted to distribute high pressure breathing air to at least one reserve manifold from two direction, and wherein the reserve manifold is adapted to provide breathing air;

b. leak testing the pressurized continuous loop air conduit;

c. setting at least one regulator to a pressure between 60 psi and 125 psi;

d. shutting off the pressurized air source from the pressurized continuous loop air conduit;

e. monitoring the pressure in the continuous loop air conduit for a defined period of time between 5 minutes and 120 minutes while checking for leaks in the system;

f. classifying the air breathing system as commissioned upon passage of the defined period of time and verification that there are no leaks in the system; and

g. locking out and tagging out each isolation valve of the continuous loop air conduit.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

a. locking in and tagging in each isolation valve of the continuous loop air conduit;

b. turning on the air at the source; and

c. continuously monitoring the system for changes in pressure.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

a. hooking up a low pressure hose to a take-out connection on the reserve manifold by at least one worker; and

b. connecting the low pressure hose to a respirator and breathing air from the reserve manifold.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein in the event of failure in the continuous loop air conduit, the method further comprises the steps of:

a. sounding a low pressure alarm identifying a location where pressure is less than 500 psi;

b. removing any workers using the system from the continuous loop air conduit at the location where pressure is less than 500 psi

c. closing the isolation valves around the location with pressure less than 500 psi; and

d. inspecting the section of conduit at the location with pressure less than 500 psi while operating the continuous loop air conduit for other workers not at the location with pressure less than 500 psi.