Offshore platform fire extinguishing test system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of offshore platform fire fighting, in particular to an offshore platform fire extinguishing test system and method. Comprising a fire model and a turbofan cannon which is arranged on the fire model in an aligned mode and used for enabling a jet orifice of an atomizing nozzle of the turbofan cannon to be aligned with a fire object in the fire model to conduct fire extinguishing operation. The wind speed simulation unit is used for simulating the wind speed of the offshore platform and measuring the influence of the wind speed on the fire extinguishing of the turbofan cannon; the parameter unit is used for determining the initial flow of the turbofan cannon and the flow and pipe diameter of the water supply unit according to the fire model; the fire hazard model can simulate combustion characteristics and fire hazard scenes of various combustible materials, through the model, people can carry out tests according to fire hazard conditions of various combustible materials, key parameters such as combustion behaviors, fire behavior spreading speeds and heat release of different combustible materials in the fire hazard can be obtained through the tests, and the fire hazard scene can be simulated. Therefore, a scientific basis is provided for parameter setting of a turbofan cannon fire extinguishing system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fire protection for offshore platforms, and specifically to a fire extinguishing test system and method for offshore platforms. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the main firefighting methods for offshore platform fires include water spraying, gas extinguishing, and dry powder extinguishing. However, all of these methods have drawbacks. For example, water spraying cannot extinguish fires that are partially obstructed, and the nozzles are easily damaged and prone to accidental spraying. The pipes are also susceptible to corrosion and require regular replacement. Gas extinguishing cannot extinguish deep-seated fires, which are prone to reignition, and the pipes have high maintenance costs and require regular upkeep. Dry powder extinguishing can only operate once and cannot solve the problem. It cannot extinguish deep-seated fires, which are prone to reignition, and the dry powder is prone to moisture absorption and clumping, requiring additional costs for replacement.

[0003] The turbofan fine water mist fire suppression system uses a mixture of water and foam, which contains highly effective water-forming foam (AFFF) liquid, improving the extinguishing effect on different types of fires. In addition, the turbofan fine water mist fire suppression system can spray fine water mist with droplet diameters of Dv0.99 < 400μm, thus providing good fire extinguishing effect and electrical insulation for fires involving electrical equipment. Furthermore, the turbofan fine water mist fire suppression system uses turbine fan technology, enabling long-distance fire suppression, thereby solving the problem of fire suppression in large spaces.

[0004] However, there are no standardized guidelines for the selection of design parameters for turbofan fine water mist fire extinguishing systems, requiring experimental research. Offshore platforms contain a variety of combustibles, and fires caused by different combustibles have a significant impact on fire extinguishing. Therefore, conducting fire tests on offshore platforms is a challenge. In addition, conducting fire tests on offshore platforms is risky and can easily cause fires, creating danger. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems mentioned in the prior art, this invention proposes a fire extinguishing test system and method for offshore platforms. The system can determine the fire extinguishing parameters according to different combustibles, and provide a basis for the practical application of turbofan fine water mist fire extinguishing systems based on the fire extinguishing parameters. At the same time, it can realistically simulate the situation of fires on offshore platforms.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: This invention discloses a marine platform fire extinguishing test system, comprising: Fire models are used to create models of combustibles on offshore platforms, simulating various fire scenarios by having combustibles inside. Multiple turbofan cannons are positioned on the fire model to direct the nozzles of the turbofan cannons at the burning materials inside the fire model for fire extinguishing operations. The water supply unit includes a water supply pump, a foam pump, a foam tank, and a control valve. The input end of the water supply pump is connected to a water source, and the foam pump is connected to the foam tank. The water supply pump and the foam pump are also connected to the control valve. The wind speed simulation unit is used to simulate the wind speed on offshore platforms and measure the impact of wind speed on the fire suppression of turbofan guns. The parameter unit is used to determine the initial flow rate of the turbofan cannon, the flow rate of the water supply unit, and the pipe diameter based on the fire model. The data acquisition unit is used to collect data on the temperature, wind speed, and thermal radiation of the fire model. The test verification unit is used to adjust the number and flow rate of atomizing nozzles based on the test data collected by the data acquisition unit.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the flow rate of each turbofan cannon is determined based on the preset spray intensity and the area of ​​the fire model.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, different numbers of turbofan guns are set according to the flow rate value of the turbofan guns.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the water supply pump and the foam pump provide water source and foam source for the atomizing nozzle, respectively, and the proportional flow rate is determined according to the preset spray intensity.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the control valve includes an inlet pipe, a foam pipe, a proportioning mixer, and an outlet pipe. The input end of the proportioning mixer is connected to a water supply pump via the inlet pipe and a foam pump via the foam pipe, and the output end is connected to an atomizing nozzle via the outlet pipe.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the wind speed simulation unit includes at least one wind turbine, which is used to simulate sea wind speed.

[0012] As a further improvement to the present invention, the data acquisition unit includes a temperature acquisition system, a thermal radiation acquisition system, a video acquisition system, and a wind speed acquisition system.

[0013] It also includes a test verification unit, used to verify the parameters of the turbofan gun based on the test data collected by the data acquisition unit.

[0014] A method for testing a fire suppression system for offshore platforms includes the following steps: Build a fire model; Set the parameters of the turbofan gun according to the parameter unit, and aim the turbofan gun at the fire model. Start the wind speed simulation unit to bring the wind speed up to the test requirements; After igniting the fire model, the turbofan cannon was activated to extinguish the fire. Record the data throughout the process and adjust the parameters of the turbofan gun based on the data.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention achieves the following technical effects: The fire model in this invention can simulate the combustion characteristics and fire scenarios of various combustibles. Through this model, we can conduct experiments on fire conditions of various combustibles (including but not limited to crude oil, associated gas, fuel oil, lubricating oil, cables, and various flammable materials). The experiments can obtain key parameters such as the combustion behavior of different combustibles in fire, the fire spread rate, and heat release, thereby providing a scientific basis for setting parameters of the turbofan cannon fire extinguishing system. In addition, this invention can realistically simulate fire scenarios on offshore platforms, making the simulation effect basically the same as the actual situation, providing an accurate basis for determining the design of turbofan fire extinguishing systems for offshore platforms.

[0016] During the experiment, this invention can analyze and determine the key parameters required for the turbofan cannon to extinguish fire, so as to ensure that the turbofan cannon can quickly and effectively control the fire during the fire extinguishing process, while minimizing secondary damage to the environment and equipment. This not only improves the fire extinguishing efficiency of the turbofan cannon, but also lays the foundation for its promotion in practical applications. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the test setup for the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the fire model of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention.

[0018] Attached reference numerals: 1. Cable; 2. Cable tray; 3. Fan; 4. Turbofan cannon; 5. Thermocouple gauge; 6. Thermocouple; 7. Oil pan; 8. Simulated wall. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0024] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0025] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0026] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0027] The accompanying drawings illustrate various structural schematic diagrams according to embodiments disclosed in this invention. These drawings are not to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention discloses a fire extinguishing test system for an offshore platform, comprising: a fire model for establishing a model of combustibles on the offshore platform, simulating various fire scenarios by having combustibles inside; a turbofan cannon 4, positioned on the fire model, for aiming the spray nozzles of the turbofan cannon 4 at the burning materials inside the fire model for fire extinguishing operations; a water supply unit, including a water supply pump, a foam pump, a foam tank, and a control valve, wherein the input end of the water supply pump is connected to a water source, the foam pump is connected to the foam tank, and the water supply pump and foam pump are also connected to the control valve; a wind speed simulation unit for simulating the wind speed on the offshore platform and measuring the effect of wind speed on the fire extinguishing of the turbofan cannon 4; a parameter unit for determining the initial flow rate of the turbofan cannon 4, the flow rate of the water supply unit, and the pipe diameter based on the fire model; and a data acquisition unit for acquiring the temperature, wind speed, and thermal radiation of the fire model.

[0030] In this embodiment, the fire model uses cable 1 from the offshore platform as the combustible material. It should be noted that there are various combustible materials on the offshore platform, mainly including crude oil, associated gas, and combustible gases, which are gases that the offshore platform often encounters during operation. Other items such as fuel oil, lubricating oil, wires and cables 1, plastic products, and rubber products are items that the offshore platform needs to store. Therefore, in this embodiment, wires and cables 1 are selected as the combustible material and used to mount the fire model.

[0031] like Figure 2As shown, cable 1 is used to simulate a real fire on an offshore platform. The cable 1 cable tray and cable 1 bundle are used as the fire source test platform. Six 35kV cables 1 are arranged on the cable 1 cable tray in two ways: flat and vertical. An oil pan 7 is placed at the bottom of the cable 1 to ignite the cable 1. A simulated wall 8 is set behind the cable 1 cable tray.

[0032] In this embodiment, the turbofan cannon 4 includes a control unit, a turbine fan, an atomizing nozzle, a pitch unit, a rotation unit, and a base. The turbine fan and the atomizing nozzle are mounted on the base. The pitch unit adjusts the pitch angle of the turbine fan and the atomizing nozzle, and the rotation unit adjusts the horizontal rotation angle of the turbine fan and the atomizing nozzle. The control unit controls the movement of the pitch unit and the rotation unit. The turbofan cannon 4 calculates its flow rate value based on a preset spray intensity and the area of ​​the fire model. Different numbers of turbofan cannons 4 are used based on their flow rate values.

[0033] In this embodiment, the base is installed on the ground, and the turbine fan and atomizing nozzle are connected to the bracket with bolts. The bracket is then installed on the base. The angle can be automatically controlled by the control unit, and the pitch angle of the atomizing nozzle is adjusted by the pitch movement unit inside the atomizing nozzle, while the horizontal rotation angle is adjusted by the rotation movement unit. It should be understood that the pitch movement unit and the rotation movement unit are both existing technologies. In the prior art, any mechanical structure that realizes the functions of pitch and horizontal rotation of the atomizing nozzle is acceptable.

[0034] In this embodiment, the turbofan cannon 4 is positioned 15-20m away from the fire model. Preferably, the turbofan cannon 4 is positioned at 15m. Furthermore, the initial flow rate of the turbofan cannon 4, the flow rate of the water supply unit, and the pipe diameter are determined based on the parameter unit. The specifications of the turbofan cannon 4 in this embodiment are shown in the table below. Table 1 Parameters of the turbofan gun

[0035] As shown in the table above, in this embodiment, the spray intensity of the turbofan cannon 4 is 20 L / min / m², and the area of ​​the fire model is approximately 7 m². Therefore, the initial flow rate of the turbofan cannon 4 is set to 500 L / min, and the number of turbofan cannons 4 is one. The water supply pump and foam pump provide water and foam sources to the atomizing nozzle, respectively, and their flow rates are determined proportionally based on a preset spray intensity. The control valve includes an inlet pipe, a foam pipe, a proportioner, and an outlet pipe. The input end of the proportioner is connected to the water supply pump via the inlet pipe and the foam pump via the foam pipe, respectively. The output end is connected to the atomizing nozzle via the outlet pipe. In this embodiment, the flow rate ratio of the water supply pump to the foam pump is typically 97%:3%. During the experiment, the flow rate ratio remained constant. The proportioner mixes the water and foam sources and delivers them to the atomizing nozzle, where they are sprayed out.

[0036] The wind speed simulation unit includes at least one wind turbine 3, which is used to simulate sea wind speeds. For example... Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, four fans 3 are preferably provided, and the fans 3 are preferably axial flow fans with a specification of 61091m. 3 / h, the wind turbine 3 can accurately simulate various wind speed conditions on a real offshore platform. In the implementation example, during the test, comparative tests will be conducted under different conditions with and without wind, providing four operating conditions, as shown in the table below: Table 2 Test Conditions

[0037] Comparative tests were conducted under the different operating conditions described above to obtain more accurate parameters and quantities of the turbofan gun 4.

[0038] The data acquisition unit includes a temperature acquisition system, a thermal radiation acquisition system, a video acquisition system, and a wind speed acquisition system. In this embodiment, the temperature acquisition system uses K-type thermocouples 6 for measurement. Thermocouples 6 are arranged above cable 1 and on the cable tray of cable 1, with one arranged every 1m, to monitor the temperature changes in various localities throughout the fire and during the firefighting process.

[0039] In this embodiment, two thermal radiation acquisition systems were set up at a distance of 4m from the fire model and at a height of 1m. During the experiment, the thermal radiation acquisition system measured the impact of the fire source on the surrounding environment through the thermal radiation acquisition system.

[0040] In this embodiment, the wind speed acquisition system is an anemometer. To measure the ambient wind speed before the test, a handheld anemometer is used to measure the wind speed before each test.

[0041] In this embodiment, the video acquisition system uses high-speed cameras, digital cameras, and infrared cameras for real-time monitoring. The high-speed cameras, digital cameras, and infrared cameras are connected to the host computer, and the monitoring video can be viewed on the host computer.

[0042] It also includes a test verification unit, used to determine the parameters of the turbofan gun 4 based on the test data collected by the data acquisition unit. In this embodiment, the test verification unit is a data model that can record the test parameters for each test. Each test sets parameter variables, such as wind speed, turbofan gun 4 flow rate, and turbofan gun 4 pitch angle. After summarizing multiple test parameters, the optimal turbofan gun 4 parameters are obtained.

[0043] The present invention discloses a method for a fire extinguishing test system for offshore platforms, comprising the following steps: A fire model was built, the equipment was inspected, and the turbofan gun and data acquisition unit were debugged to confirm that they were in good condition.

[0044] Set the parameters of the turbofan gun according to the parameter unit, and aim the turbofan gun at the fire model. Start the wind speed simulation unit, use an anemometer to measure the wind speed, and adjust the fan to make the wind speed meet the test requirements; Ignite the fire model, pour gasoline into the ignition plate, ignite the ignition plate, and after 1 minute of pre-ignition, start the turbofan cannon to extinguish the fire model; Record data throughout the entire process, including temperature, concentration, whether the open flame was extinguished, and the time it took to extinguish it; After the fire is confirmed to be extinguished, the turbofan cannon and the fan are manually shut down. The stored test data and test videos are input into the test confirmation unit. After multiple tests, the optimal turbofan cannon parameters are obtained.

[0045] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0046] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art. The above content is only for illustrating the technical concept of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications made based on the technical concept proposed in this invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A fire extinguishing test system for offshore platforms, characterized in that, include: Fire models are used to create models of combustibles on offshore platforms, simulating various fire scenarios by having combustibles inside. Multiple turbofan cannons are positioned on the fire model to direct the nozzles of the turbofan cannons at the burning materials inside the fire model for fire extinguishing operations. The water supply unit includes a water supply pump, a foam pump, a foam tank, and a control valve. The input end of the water supply pump is connected to a water source, and the foam pump is connected to the foam tank. The water supply pump and the foam pump are also connected to the control valve. The wind speed simulation unit is used to simulate the wind speed on offshore platforms and measure the impact of wind speed on the fire suppression of turbofan guns. The parameter unit is used to determine the initial flow rate of the turbofan cannon, the flow rate of the water supply unit, and the pipe diameter based on the fire model. The data acquisition unit is used to collect data on the temperature, wind speed, and thermal radiation of the fire model.

2. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow rate of each turbofan cannon is determined based on the preset spray intensity and the area of ​​the fire model.

3. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of turbofan guns is set according to the flow rate of the turbofan guns.

4. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply pump and foam pump provide water and foam sources to the atomizing nozzles, respectively, and the flow rate is determined according to the preset spray intensity.

5. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control valve includes an inlet pipe, a foam pipe, a proportioner, and an outlet pipe. The input end of the proportioner is connected to the water supply pump via the inlet pipe and the foam pump via the foam pipe, and the output end is connected to the atomizing nozzle via the outlet pipe.

6. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wind speed simulation unit includes at least one wind turbine, which is used to simulate wind speeds at sea.

7. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data acquisition unit includes a temperature acquisition system, a thermal radiation acquisition system, a video acquisition system, and a wind speed acquisition system.

8. The offshore platform fire extinguishing test system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a test verification unit, used to verify the parameters of the turbofan gun based on the test data collected by the data acquisition unit.

9. The method for a fire extinguishing test system for an offshore platform according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Build a fire model; Set the parameters of the turbofan gun according to the parameter unit, and aim the turbofan gun at the fire model. Start the wind speed simulation unit to bring the wind speed up to the test requirements; After igniting the fire model, the turbofan cannon was activated to extinguish the fire. Record the data throughout the process and adjust the parameters of the turbofan gun based on the data.

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