Method and apparatus for generating consistent simulated smoke
First Claim
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1. A method of generating simulated smoke for testing of fire detection systems, the method comprising:
- providing liquid oil in a liquid oil tank;
forcing the liquid oil in the liquid oil tank to flow from through an oil passage;
mixing the liquid oil in the oil passage with a first gas;
flowing the mixed liquid oil and first gas from the oil passage through a heater;
vaporizing the mixed liquid oil and first gas using the heater into a vaporized mixture;
forcing the vaporized mixture to be expelled into a chimney;
cooling and condensing the expelled vaporized mixture in the chimney to form a thermal aersol of oil droplets;
moving the thermal aersol out of the chimney using a second heated gas to generate a consistent type of simulated smoke; and
using closed loop control to maintain at least one property, affecting one or more characteristics of at least one of the liquid oil, the first gas, the vaporized mixture, the thermal aersol, and the second heated gas, at a desired level.
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Abstract
A simulated smoke generator method and apparatus is provided for generating a consistent smoke plume. By using a closed loop controller to maintain at least one property, affecting one or more characteristics of the oil, at a desired level, a consistent type of simulated smoke is generated.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of generating simulated smoke for testing of fire detection systems, the method comprising:
- providing liquid oil in a liquid oil tank;
forcing the liquid oil in the liquid oil tank to flow from through an oil passage;
mixing the liquid oil in the oil passage with a first gas;
flowing the mixed liquid oil and first gas from the oil passage through a heater;
vaporizing the mixed liquid oil and first gas using the heater into a vaporized mixture;
forcing the vaporized mixture to be expelled into a chimney;
cooling and condensing the expelled vaporized mixture in the chimney to form a thermal aersol of oil droplets;
moving the thermal aersol out of the chimney using a second heated gas to generate a consistent type of simulated smoke; and
using closed loop control to maintain at least one property, affecting one or more characteristics of at least one of the liquid oil, the first gas, the vaporized mixture, the thermal aersol, and the second heated gas, at a desired level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- providing liquid oil in a liquid oil tank;
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10. A simulated smoke generator comprising:
- a liquid oil tank for supplying liquid oil;
an oil passage connected to the liquid oil tank;
a gas tank connected to the oil passage for pressurizing, using a first gas, the liquid oil from the liquid oil tank through the oil passage;
a heater connected to the oil passage for vaporizing the liquid oil and gas into a vaporized mixture;
a nozzle for expelling the vaporized mixture into a chimney;
the chimney for cooling and condensing the expelled vaporized mixture to form a thermal aerosol of oil droplets and for moving the thermal aerosol out of the chimney using a second heated gas to form consistent simulated smoke; and
a closed loop control to maintain at least one property, affecting one or more characteristics of the liquid oil, the first gas, the vaporized mixture, the thermal aerosol, and the second heated gas, at a desired level. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- a liquid oil tank for supplying liquid oil;
Specification