Fire extinguishing system with release valve

Abstract

Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) comprising a gas cylinder (2) with a fire extinguishing medium and a release valve (3) connected thereto, which is connected to a fire extinguishing medium line (6) and, when triggered, directs the fire extinguishing medium from the gas cylinder (2) into the fire extinguishing medium line (6), and in that the release valve (3) has at least one, preferably two parallel connected release elements (11, 12) which are indirectly connected to a main piston (14) via a vent piston (19), characterized in that the vent piston (19) is fluidly connected to a vent line (20) of the main piston (14), wherein the vent piston (19) closes the vent line (20) of the main piston (14) in a gas-tight manner.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing arrangement with the features in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] It is known from the prior art to install fire extinguishing systems, particularly in the interiors of buildings. In these systems, a fire extinguishing agent supplied in a gas cylinder is connected to fire extinguishing lines. Activation occurs in the event of a fire by activating a valve. Fire extinguishing systems are known, for example, from DE 10 2010 028 858 A1 and EP 3 744 405 A1.

[0003] Fire extinguishing systems typically consist of several valves connected in series. A key requirement is that the activation time from the first valve to the last valve—that is, the time interval between the activation of the first and last valves in the series—must not exceed one second. Consequently, the number of valves that can be connected in series, or the use of an automatic activation mechanism, is severely limited.

[0004] The activation speed of a valve is directly linked to the cylinder pressure of the fire extinguishing agent contained in the gas cylinder. The larger the cross-section, the faster the associated pressure drop. However, so-called activation units are coupled to an activation valve. The force or power required by the activation units therefore also increases with the increasing cross-section of the activation valve. Large activation units negatively impact the cost and the installation space required for such an activation valve.

[0005] From DE 10 2010 028 858 A1 a valve for a pressure vessel of an automatic fire extinguishing system with connections for an extinguishing line and a sensor line is known.

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to demonstrate a way to provide a release valve with improved release time and simultaneously a compact design.

[0007] The aforementioned problem is solved according to the invention with a release valve for a fire extinguishing arrangement in the features of claim 1.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0009] The fire extinguishing system comprises a gas cylinder containing a fire extinguishing agent and a release valve connected to it. The release valve is connected to a fire extinguishing agent line such that, upon activation, the fire extinguishing agent is directed from the gas cylinder into the fire extinguishing agent line.

[0010] The fire extinguishing agent can be gaseous or liquid. The gas cylinder can be a portable cylinder or a stationary one. Alternatively, the gas cylinder can directly serve as a fire extinguishing agent supply line to a previously stationary installation. This supply line is then connected, for example, to an external fire extinguishing agent tank located at a facility.

[0011] The gas cylinder is pressurized, also referred to as cylinder pressure. This cylinder pressure is constant until activated. Upon detection of a fire or activation of the release valve, the valve can trigger, allowing the fire-extinguishing agent to flow into the release valve's extinguishing agent line.

[0012] The release valve itself consists of a valve body and a release head. The release head has connecting lines for release. It features two release elements. These release elements can be pneumatically, mechanically, hydraulically, and / or electrically actuated. The release head's rotatability relative to the valve body allows for a compact installation. At the release valve's location, the release head can be rotated to face the connecting lines, which can then be directly connected to the release elements. This saves installation space.

[0013] For example, the trigger head can be rotatably mounted on the valve body using a union nut. During installation, the trigger head is rotated into the desired position and then the union nut is tightened. At least one seal is located between the trigger head and the valve body, creating a gas-tight seal.

[0014] According to the invention, the two release elements of the release valve are connected in parallel and are each indirectly connected to a main piston via a vent piston, thus enabling them to activate the main piston. In principle, the inventive principle also works with only one release element. More than two release elements can also be used, as described below.

[0015] Here, it has been surprisingly shown according to the invention that a vent piston can be smaller in size than the main piston. The release elements thus initially activate the vent piston. The vent piston itself then activates the main piston. Any time delay between activation of the vent piston and activation of the main piston is, if any, completely negligible, as it would be in the range of a few milliseconds. Due to the smaller size of the vent piston, it is possible to make the release elements significantly smaller compared to release elements that would activate the main piston directly. Consequently, a lower release force is required to activate at least one of the release elements.Thus, the reaction speed of the release valve can be increased, particularly due to smaller release elements and / or less force required to actuate the release elements.

[0016] The release valve itself has a cylinder connection and a fire extinguishing line connection. The cylinder connection and the fire extinguishing line connection are fluidly connected to each other via the main piston. In the rest position, the main piston closes the cylinder connection. This preferably occurs such that the main piston operates according to the differential pressure principle. Therefore, the main piston itself has a valve or throttle. Thus, the cylinder connection rests against a cylinder-side surface of the main piston. Through the valve or throttle of the main piston, the cylinder pressure is also applied to the side of the main piston facing away from the cylinder, hence the term "valve side." This valve-side surface of the main piston is larger than the cylinder-side surface of the main piston. Furthermore, a spring, in particular a compression spring, is preferably arranged on the valve-side surface of the main piston.Thus, the same cylinder pressure is applied to both sides of the main piston. Due to its larger surface area and / or spring force, the main piston is in its closed position. The main piston therefore seals the gas cylinder.

[0017] To activate the main piston, venting is necessary, allowing the fire extinguishing medium to flow out on the valve-side side of the main piston. This is where the invention comes in. A vent line of the main piston is closed by the vent piston. The vent piston itself is fluid-conducting and connected to the main piston. The cylinder pressure is also present on the cylinder-side side of the vent piston. The vent piston has a throttle. The cylinder pressure is also present on the cylinder-side side of the vent piston, i.e., the valve-side side. The valve-side surface area of ​​the vent piston is larger than the cylinder-side surface area. Optionally, a spring, in particular a compression spring, is also arranged here. The vent piston is thus also closed in its rest position.

[0018] The vent piston itself is fluid-conducting and connected to the release elements. Each release element closes a vent line of the vent piston, subsequently called the release vent line. When a release element is activated, it opens the release vent line of the vent piston. The vent lines are preferably connected to the environment, where ambient pressure prevails. The fire extinguishing agent, under cylinder pressure, flows out to the environment on the side of the vent piston facing away from the cylinder. This causes a pressure drop. Due to the restrictor in the vent piston, the amount of fire extinguishing agent flowing in is less than the amount flowing out to the environment. This shifts the balance of forces on the vent piston.On the side of the trigger head facing away from the gas cylinder, there is now almost ambient pressure, thus reducing the force acting on the venting piston. Consequently, the venting piston opens and releases the vent line of the main piston.

[0019] The main piston opens according to the same principle. The fire extinguishing agent, under cylinder pressure, in the cylinder-side of the main piston, or in a chamber in front of the main piston, flows out to the environment via the opened vent line. This causes a pressure drop in the chamber in front of the main piston. Due to the restrictor in the main piston, the amount of fire extinguishing agent flowing in is less than the amount flowing out to the environment. The balance of forces on the main piston shifts, thus reducing the force acting on the side of the main piston facing away from the gas cylinder, and the main piston opens. In its open position, the main piston thus connects the interior of the gas cylinder to the fire extinguishing agent line. Firefighting devices, such as sprinkler nozzles, gas discharge nozzles, or similar equipment, are then connected to the fire extinguishing agent line.

[0020] The two release elements are connected in parallel. Preferably, one release element is manually or mechanically actuated. The second release element can then preferably be pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically actuated. When one of the two release elements is actuated, the vent piston opens independently of the position of the other release element. A third release element may also be provided.

[0021] This allows for different control mechanisms, for example, automated integration of the release valve into a fire protection system while simultaneously enabling manual actuation of the release valve. Both release elements can also be arranged redundantly, so that if one release element fails, the second release element is activated, thus ensuring reliable release of the release valve during automatic operation. The third release element is then provided for manual actuation.

[0022] According to the invention, the diameter of the trigger vent line is now at least more than 5% smaller than the diameter of the main piston's vent line. Preferably, the trigger vent line is more than 10% smaller, in particular more than 20% smaller and more than 50% smaller than the diameter of the main piston's vent line.

[0023] Furthermore, preferably the bottle-side surface area of ​​the venting flask is more than 5% smaller, in particular more than 10%, preferably more than 20% and most preferably more than 50% smaller than the bottle-side surface area of ​​the main flask.

[0024] Further advantages, features, and aspects of the present invention are illustrated in schematic figures. These serve to facilitate understanding of the invention. They show: Fig. 1 a fire extinguishing arrangement according to the invention, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 the release valve in side view and in top view, Fig. 4 a longitudinal section view along section line IV-IV of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 an enlarged view of the vent piston, Fig. 6 two vent release lines with the respective release element, Fig. 7 a partial view according to Fig. 5 in open position and Fig. 8 a longitudinal section view with the main piston open.

[0025] The same reference symbols are used in the figures for identical or similar components, even if a repeated description is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0026] Fig. Figure 1 shows a fire extinguishing arrangement 1 according to the invention, comprising a gas cylinder 2 with a cylinder pressure p2. A release valve 3 is arranged on the gas cylinder 2. The release valve 3 is connected to two release lines 4, 5 shown here. The release valve 3 also has a fire extinguishing medium line 6, which is connected to a distribution line 7 of the fire extinguishing arrangement or as a fire protection system, so that in the event of a fire, after activation of the release valve 3, discharge nozzles 8 allow the extinguishing medium to escape to the required locations.

[0027] Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows the release valve 3 in a side view and a top view. The release valve 3 has a valve body 9 and a release head 10 rotatably mounted on the valve body 9. Two release elements 11 and 12 are integrated into the release head 10. The release element 11 is, for example, an electrical release element. The release element 12 can be actuated mechanically, hydraulically, or pneumatically. Both release elements 11 and 12 are arranged in parallel. "Arranged in parallel" refers not only to the physical or spatial arrangement but also to the fluid-conducting arrangement, described later, for actuating the vent piston 19. The release elements 11 and 12 can then be connected to the release lines 4 and 5. According to the invention, the release head 10 is rotatably mounted on the valve body 9. For this purpose, a union nut 13 is provided, which connects the release head 10 and the valve body 9.

[0028] Fig. Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section view along section line IV-IV of Fig. 2. A main piston 14 is arranged in the valve body 9. The main piston 14 has a surface with diameter D1. This surface rests against the cylinder connection 15. Thus, the cylinder pressure p2 is also present at the cylinder connection. A throttle 16 is arranged in the main piston 14. A valve-side surface with diameter D2 of the main piston 14 is located on the side facing away from the cylinder connection 15. Due to the throttle 16, the pressure p2 is also present here. Since the valve-side surface of the main piston 14 with diameter D2 is larger than the cylinder-side surface of the main piston 14 with diameter D1, the force acting on the main piston 14 on the valve-side surface is greater than on the cylinder-side surface. Thus, the main piston 14 is pressed into a valve seat by an end-face seal 18 and seals the cylinder connection 15, which is under cylinder pressure p2, against the fire extinguishing line connection 25.Furthermore, a spring 17 is arranged, which also exerts a force on the valve side of the main piston 14 and thus additionally ensures a secure seal.

[0029] A fluid-conducting vent piston 19, as shown here, is arranged in the trigger head 18. The vent piston 19 closes a vent line 20 of the main piston 14, which is connected to the environment U. The ambient pressure pu is then present here. The vent piston 19 is shown enlarged in Fig. 5. The vent piston 19 also has a throttle 21. The vent piston 19 has a cylinder-side surface with diameter d1. The vent piston 19 also has a side facing away from the cylinder-side surface, i.e., a valve-side surface with diameter d2. Diameter d2 is larger than diameter d1, so that the force acting on the vent piston 19 is greater on the valve side than on the cylinder side. Thus, in its rest position, the vent piston 19 is located in the valve seat and closes it. Furthermore, a spring 22 is also arranged here, which also exerts a force on the valve side of the vent piston 19 and thus additionally ensures a secure seal. A seal is created between the vent line 20, which is under ambient pressure pu, and the chamber in front of the main piston 14, which is under cylinder pressure p2.

[0030] The vent piston 19 is fluid-conductingly connected to the respective release element 11, 12 via at least one, shown here, two vent release lines 23, 24. This is shown in Fig. 6. The release elements 11, 12 seal the vent release lines 23, 24 from the environment U. When a release element 11, 12 is activated, one of the vent release lines 23, 24 opens. The fire extinguishing medium, under cylinder pressure p2, on the side of the vent piston 19 facing away from the cylinder, flows to the environment U. This causes a pressure drop. Due to the throttle 21 located in the vent piston 19, less fire extinguishing medium flows from the chamber in front of the main piston 14 than flows out to the environment U. Thus, the force equilibrium on the vent piston 19 shifts. On the side of the vent piston 19 facing away from the gas cylinder 2, there is now almost ambient pressure pu, so that the force acting on the vent piston 19 is reduced.The spring force of spring 22 is dimensioned such that it is less than the force acting on the bottle-side surface of the vent piston 19 due to the bottle pressure p2. Consequently, the vent piston 19 opens and releases the vent line 20 of the main piston 14.

[0031] This is in Fig. Figure 7 shows that the vent piston 19 is open and the fire extinguishing medium from the chamber in front of the main piston 14, with the applied cylinder pressure p2, can flow to the environment U via the vent line 20. The associated reaction of the trigger valve 3 is shown in Fig. Figure 8 shows the main piston 14 being forced out of the air by the pressure drop caused by the fire extinguishing medium flowing to the environment U according to Fig. 7 is also brought into an open position. Due to the throttle 16 located in the main piston 14, less fire extinguishing medium flows from the gas cylinder 2 than flows out to the surroundings U. This shifts the force equilibrium on the main piston 14. The chamber in front of the main piston 14 now has almost ambient pressure pu, so the force acting on the main piston 14 is reduced. The spring force of the spring 17 is dimensioned such that it is smaller than the force acting on the cylinder-side surface of the main piston 14 due to the cylinder pressure p2.

[0032] When the main piston 14 is in the open position, the fire extinguishing medium flows into the fire extinguishing line connection 25, which in turn is coupled to the fire extinguishing medium line 6. Consequently, according to Fig. 1. The fire extinguishing medium of the gas cylinder, for example, released into the distribution line. According to Fig. 5 and Fig.7. Preferably, two release elements 11, 12 can be arranged, which are redundantly arranged. When only one of the release elements 11, 12 is actuated, the release valve 3 is activated. Reference symbol: 1 Fire extinguishing order 2 gas cylinders 3 Release valve 4 Release line 5 Release line 6 Fire extinguishing media line 7 Distribution line 8 Outlet nozzle 9 valve bodies 10 Trigger head 11 Trigger element 12 Trigger element 13 Union nut 14 main pistons 15 bottle connection 16 throttle to 14 17 spring 18 Seal 19 vent pistons 20 Vent line to 14 21 throttle to 19 22 feathers to 19 23 Vent trigger line 24 Vent trigger line 25 Fire extinguishing line connection U surroundings PU ambient pressure p2 bottle printing D1 Diameter bottle-side surface to 14 D2 diameter valve-side surface to 14 d1 diameter of bottle-side surface to 19 d2 diameter valve-side surface to 19

Claims

[1] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) comprising a gas cylinder (2) with a fire extinguishing medium and a trigger valve (3) connected thereto, which is connected to a fire extinguishing medium line (6) and, when triggered, directs the fire extinguishing medium from the gas cylinder (2) into the fire extinguishing medium line (6), and in that the trigger valve (3) has at least one, preferably two parallel-connected trigger elements (11, 12) which are indirectly connected to a main piston (14) via a venting piston (19), characterized by that the venting piston (19) is fluidly connected to a venting line (20) of the main piston (14), wherein the venting piston (19) closes the venting line (20) of the main piston (14) in a gas-tight manner. [2] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the trigger valve (3) has a bottle connection (15) and a fire extinguishing line connection (25), wherein the bottle connection (15) and the fire extinguishing line connection (25) are fluidly connected with the integration of the main piston (14). [3] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the triggering elements (11, 12) can be controlled pneumatically, mechanically, hydraulically and / or electrically, preferably one triggering element (11) can be controlled mechanically and one triggering element (12) can be controlled electrically or one triggering element (11) can be controlled pneumatically and one triggering element (12) can be controlled mechanically. [4] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the venting piston (19) works according to the differential pressure principle. [5] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the main piston (14) closes the bottle connection (15), wherein a bottle-side surface (D1) of the main piston (14) is smaller than a valve-side surface (D2) of the main piston (14) and a bottle pressure (p2) is applied to both surfaces (D1, D2) and / or a spring (17) is arranged on the valve-side surface of the main piston (14). [6] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a throttle (21) is arranged in the venting piston (19), wherein the throttle (21) is fluidly connected to a chamber in front of the main piston (14) and the venting piston (19) and the throttle (21) are fluidly connected to the trigger elements (11, 12). [7] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the venting piston (19) has a bottle-side surface (d1) which is smaller than a valve-side surface (d2), wherein the bottle pressure (p2) is applied to both surfaces (d1, d2) and / or a spring (22) is arranged on the valve-side surface (d2). [8] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the trigger elements (11, 12) each have a venting trigger line (23, 24), wherein the venting trigger line (23, 24) is sealed gas-tight by the trigger elements (11, 12), and the venting trigger lines (23, 24) are fluidly connected to a valve-side surface (d2) of the venting piston (19). [9] Fire extinguishing arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a diameter of the venting trigger line (23, 24) is at least more than 5% smaller than a diameter of the venting line (20) of the main piston (14).

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