Fire suppression system and method thereof

• US 8,752,639 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlon Investments SL
• Original Assignee: Arlon Investments SL
• Inventors: Long, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): JONAITIS, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US12/518,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: 169/15, 169/16, 169/17, 169/22, 169/37, 169/55, 169/9, 251 62- 635
• US Class Current: 169/17
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/62 dry, i.e. empty of extinguishing material when not in use
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/645 with compressed gas in pipework
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/68 Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/11 heat-sensitive

Abstract

A fire suppression system and method thereof is provided. The fire suppression system includes at least one inlet pipe, at least one outlet pipe, and a valve. The inlet pipe is at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein the fluid substance creates a first pressure in the inlet pipe. The outlet pipe is in fluid communication with the inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein the gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in the outlet pipe. The valve is in fluid communication between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, wherein the fluid substance enters the outlet pipe through the valve when the second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure.

Claims

1. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid substance creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe, and in fluid communication with said feedback, wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, said valve assembly comprising;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston biased by said at least one spring, wherein when said second pressure is applied to said valve assembly from said at least one outlet pipe through said feedback and is adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in a closed position, such that said valve is in a closed position, and when said second pressure is not adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in an open position, such that said valve is in an open position;

wherein the fire suppression system is one of a pneumatic actuated dry valve fire suppression system and a vacuum actuated dry valve fire suppression system.

2. The fire suppression system of claim 1, wherein said valve assembly is a direct-acting actuated dry valve.

3. The fire suppression system of claim 1, wherein said valve assembly actuates, such that said fluid substance flows from said inlet pipe to said outlet pipe when said second pressure is altered by less than sixty percent (60%).

4. The fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising an alarm, wherein said alarm is activated when at least one of said first pressure and said second pressure is at a predetermined pressure.

5. The fire suppression system of claim 1, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

6. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe, and said at least one outlet pipe defines at least one opening;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe; and

a direct-acting actuated dry valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe, said direct-acting actuated dry valve assembly comprises;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston biased by said at least one spring, wherein when said second pressure is applied to said valve assembly from said at least one outlet pipe through said feedback and is adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in a closed position, such that said valve is in a closed position, and when said second pressure is not adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in an open position, such that said valve is in an open position;

wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said direct-acting actuated valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, and said fluid substance exits said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one opening;

wherein said at least one opening is an at least one sprinkler head, such that said gaseous fluid one of exits and enters said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one sprinkler head to alter said second pressure.

7. The fire suppression system of claim 6 further comprising an alarm, wherein said alarm is activated when said second pressure is at a predetermined pressure.

9. The fire suppression system of claim 6, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

8. The fire suppression system of 6, wherein said valve is a mechanically actuated ball valve.

10. A method of suppressing a fire, said method comprising the steps of:

pressurizing an inlet pipe at a first pressure with a fluid substance;

pressurizing an outlet pipe at a second pressure with a gaseous substance;

applying said second pressure to a valve assembly that is in fluid communication between said inlet and outlet pipes through a feedback from said outlet pipe;

biasing at least one spring to close at least one piston based upon said second pressure feedback to said valve assembly to close a valve between said inlet pipe and said outlet pipe;

altering said second pressure in said outlet pipe; and

opening said valve assembly when said second pressure is altered, wherein said alteration of second pressure is not adequate to bias said at least one spring to close said at least one piston, such that said valve opens, and said gaseous fluid one of enters and exits said outlet pipe to alter said second pressure and said fluid substance enters and exits said outlet pipe.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one outlet pipe defines at least one opening, and said gaseous fluid one of enters and exits through said at least one opening to alter said second pressure and said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve and said fluid substance exits said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one opening.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of activating an alarm when at least one of said inlet pipe and outlet pipe pressures is at a predetermined level.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a fire suppression system is one of a pneumatic dry valve fire suppression system and a vacuum dry valve fire suppression system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of opening said valve assembly comprises said operable connection of said valve and said actuator being a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

15. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid substance creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe and in fluid communication with said feedback, wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, said valve assembly comprising;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston biased by said at least one spring, wherein when said second pressure is applied to said valve assembly from said at least one outlet pipe through said feedback and is adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in a closed position, such that said valve is in a closed position, and when said second pressure is not adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in an open position, such that said valve is in an open position;

wherein said at least one outlet pipe defines at least one opening, and said gaseous fluid one of enters and exits through said at least one opening to alter said second pressure and said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve assembly and said fluid substance exits said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one opening.

16. The fire suppression system of claim 15, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

17. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid substance creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe;

a valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe, wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, said valve assembly comprising;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston biased by said at least one spring, wherein when said second pressure is applied to said valve assembly from said at least one outlet pipe through said feedback and is adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in a closed position, such that said valve is in a closed position, and when said second pressure is not adequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring, said at least one piston is in an open position, such that said valve is in an open position; and

at least one sprinkler head in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe, wherein said gaseous fluid one of exits and enters said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one sprinkler head to alter said second pressure, and said fluid substance enters said outlet pipe through said valve and exits said outlet pipe through said sprinkler head.

18. The fire suppression system of claim 17, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

19. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid substance creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe, and in fluid communication with said feedback, wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, wherein said valve assembly comprises;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston that is biased towards an open position by said spring tension, wherein when said valve is in a closed position, said second pressure feedback to said actuator from said outlet pipe through said feedback is adequate to overcome said spring tension so said at least one piston is in a closed position, and when said valve assembly is in an open position, said second pressure is inadequate to overcome said spring tension so said at least one piston is in said open position.

20. The fire suppression system of claim 19, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.

21. A fire suppression system comprising:

at least one inlet pipe at least partially filled with a fluid substance, wherein said fluid creates a first pressure in said at least one inlet pipe;

at least one outlet pipe in fluid communication with said at least one inlet pipe and contains a gaseous fluid, wherein said gaseous fluid creates a second pressure in said at least one outlet pipe, and said at least one outlet pipe defines at least one opening;

a feedback in fluid communication with said at least one outlet pipe; and

a direct-acting actuated dry valve assembly in fluid communication between said at least one inlet pipe and said at least one outlet pipe, and in fluid communication with said feedback, wherein said fluid substance enters said at least one outlet pipe through said direct-acting actuated valve assembly when said second pressure is altered to a predetermined pressure, and said fluid substance exits said at least one outlet pipe through said at least one opening, wherein said valve assembly comprises;

a valve; and

an actuator operably connected to said valve, said actuator comprising;

at least one spring having a tension; and

at least one piston that is biased by said at least one spring towards an open position by said spring tension, wherein when said valve is in a closed position, said second pressure feedback to said actuator from said outlet pipe through said feedback is adequate to overcome said spring tension so said at least one piston is in a closed position and when said valve assembly is in an open position, said second pressure is inadequate to overcome said spring tension so said at least one piston is in said open position.

22. The fire suppression system of claim 21, wherein said operable connection of said valve and said actuator is a rack and pinion connection, such that a change in said second pressure that is inadequate to overcome said tension of said at least one spring biases said at least one piston to actuate said rack and pinion connection so said valve is actuated into said open position.