Fire detection device in a vehicle

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a passenger vehicle comprising at least one device for fire detection in a room comprising a smoke detector with a test chamber and at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet as well as.

[0002] Smoke detectors for fire detection are available in various designs. They are usually mounted on the ceiling of a room to be monitored, so that rising smoke or combustion gases in the room can be detected in a test chamber of the smoke detector, for example optically, and a warning signal can be issued.

[0003] In public transport vehicles, however, openly accessible smoke detectors are exposed to vandalism. While concealed installation has the advantage of protecting the smoke detectors from vandalism and preventing them from becoming dirty as quickly, for example, from organic or textile fibers or particles, their reliable function is no longer guaranteed due to unfavorable pressure conditions at or behind a suspended ceiling or side wall. This is because smoke or combustion gases from the room cannot reliably reach the smoke detector's test chamber due to the airflow and pressure conditions.

[0004] The publication DE 103 19 688 B4 teaches the arrangement of a smoke detector in an exhaust duct of an aircraft behind a protective grille or a cover at the entrance of the exhaust duct.

[0005] European patent application EP 2 407 946 A1 relates to a so-called aspirating smoke detector. Publication EP 3 907 714 A1 relates to condensation prevention in an aspirating smoke detection system with a detection chamber. EP 1 419 804 A1 discloses a fire protection system for railway vehicles with aspirating nozzles arranged in risk areas that continuously draw air samples from the risk areas to be protected and convey these air samples through piping to a detection module.

[0006] DE 10 2012 207633 A1 discloses a rail vehicle with an aspirating smoke detector connected via a line to at least one sampling end piece with a defined opening cross-section for taking air samples, wherein at least one section of the line extending from the sampling end piece towards the aspirating smoke detector is made of flexible material. Such a rail vehicle typically has a plurality of sampling ends with defined opening cross-sections, distributed, for example, throughout the vehicle's interior. A line arrangement serves to connect these to the aspirating smoke detector. The at least one sampling end piece can be concealed within the interior of the rail vehicle, for example, in the area of ​​a luggage rack.

[0007] The patent application DE 10 2009 011 846 A1 discloses a smoke detector with a test chamber, an air inlet and an air outlet, as well as a device connected to the air outlet for generating a suction for air from the air outlet, so that air is drawn into the test chamber through the air inlet and discharged through the air outlet.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of providing reliable fire detection in the interior spaces of a passenger vehicle.

[0009] The problem is solved by the subject matter of independent patent claim 1. Further developments and embodiments of the invention are found in the features of the dependent patent claims.

[0010] A vehicle according to the invention, particularly a large-capacity vehicle used for public passenger transport (including land, air, and water vehicles), comprises at least one fire detection device according to the invention for a compartment. The compartment can be a cabin, for example for passengers, or a sanitary compartment of the vehicle. The fire detection device is suitably arranged in or on the cabin.

[0011] The device for fire detection in a room comprises a smoke detector with a test chamber and at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, wherein the device includes at least one device connected to the at least one air outlet for generating a suction for air from the air outlet, so that air from the room is drawn into the test chamber through the air inlet and discharged through the air outlet.

[0012] The test chamber of the smoke detector serves to detect smoke or flue gases and is designed accordingly. The test chamber is open to at least one air inlet of the smoke detector, allowing air flowing through the air inlet, particularly from the room being monitored, to enter the test chamber. Likewise, the test chamber is open to at least one air outlet of the smoke detector, allowing air to flow out of the test chamber through the air outlet. The air outlet is connected to a device for generating suction. The air inlet and air outlet are arranged on or, if necessary, attached to the test chamber such that air drawn in through the air inlet and discharged through the air outlet flows through the test chamber.

[0013] The device for generating a suction at the air outlet is in particular a system or a technical device and could therefore also be referred to as a device.

[0014] In a further development, the device for generating suction for air from the air outlet includes a vacuum line – the relative pressure in the vacuum line is lower than in the room. The air pressure in the room corresponds, for example, to the ambient atmospheric pressure. This lower relative pressure creates suction at the air outlet. The vacuum line can then be used to exhaust air from the smoke detector. The vacuum line can, for example, be connected to a vehicle's vacuum system. In a further development, the air outlet is connected to the vehicle's exhaust system.

[0015] To generate the negative pressure on the air outlet side, which can also be referred to as the venting pressure, the suction-generating device can also include one or more devices for conveying liquids, in this case air, for example, a suitably designed and arranged fan, a suitably designed and arranged Venturi nozzle, a suitably designed and arranged pump, or a suitably designed and arranged ejector, in particular a conveying ejector. The fan, Venturi nozzle, pump, or ejector can, for example, be arranged in the negative pressure line so that a negative pressure is generated between the air outlet and the fan, Venturi nozzle, pump, or ejector, thus creating the suction for air at the air outlet of the smoke detector. Air is therefore drawn out of the test chamber of the smoke detector through the air outlet by means of the at least one device.At the same time, the suction also draws air from the room into the test chamber through the air inlet of the smoke detector.

[0016] Furthermore, the device comprises a space-defining element of the room, for example a planar element, such as a wall or ceiling of the room or a wall or ceiling covering, for example in the form of a panel, or a cover for the smoke detector, wherein the smoke detector is arranged on a side of the space-defining element facing away from the room, and wherein an opening is provided in the space-defining element in the area of ​​the at least one air inlet of the smoke detector and is arranged such that at least the at least one air inlet of the smoke detector is opened through the opening in the space-defining element towards the room for an airflow from the room and is thus freely accessible, so that air from the room can flow to the test chamber of the smoke detector.

[0017] In a further development, the air outlet can then be arranged on the side of the element facing away from the room, so that air from the smoke detector and thus also from the room is drawn into the test chamber through the air inlet and out of it through the air outlet.

[0018] According to a further development, the test chamber of the smoke detector is arranged in an otherwise airtight housing comprising at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. The smoke detector accordingly has a housing with at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, wherein the test chamber is arranged within the housing, and wherein the housing, apart from the air inlets and outlets, is airtight. The test chamber can be airtightly enclosed by the housing, with at least one air inlet in the housing leading to the test chamber and at least one air outlet of the test chamber.

[0019] The fire detection device according to the invention further comprises a commercially available smoke detector, which is arranged on the side of the room-bounding element facing away from the room in the area of ​​the at least one opening in the room-bounding element such that air from the room can flow freely through the at least one opening in the room-bounding element to the test chamber of the smoke detector, wherein the smoke detector is encapsulated in a casing which is airtightly connected to the room-bounding element, wherein the at least one opening in the room-bounding element forms at least one air inlet of the smoke detector and wherein the room-bounding element is otherwise airtight, wherein the casing has the air outlet which is connected to the device for generating a suction for air from the air outlet.so that air from the room is drawn into the test chamber through the air inlet and discharged through the air outlet, otherwise the smoke detector is hermetically sealed.

[0020] The element defining the space, for example a ceiling or wall panel, is airtight at least in the area of ​​the cladding to which it is connected. The cladding, which is, for example, cap-shaped, and the element defining the space thus form an airtight enclosure, apart from the air inlets and outlets.

[0021] Advantages of the invention include, in particular, the actively generated and therefore reliable airflow to the smoke detector. Even under unfavorable airflow conditions in a room, for example, in the sanitary compartment of a public transport rail vehicle, which is often ventilated by fans and has a slight negative pressure compared to other passenger compartments, smoke can be reliably directed to the test chamber and detected there. Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to conceal the smoke detector behind room-enclosing elements, for example, by installing it behind a suspended ceiling. This protects it from vandalism and also frees the cabin design from disruptive structures.

[0022] The invention allows for numerous embodiments. It is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures, each of which illustrates an exemplary embodiment. Identical elements in the figures are designated with the same reference numerals. Fig. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device according to the invention for fire detection in section, Fig. 2 schematically shows a second embodiment of a device according to the invention for fire detection in section, Fig. 3 schematically shows a third embodiment of a device according to the invention for fire detection in section, Fig. 4 schematically shows a fourth embodiment of a device according to the invention for fire detection in section.

[0023] In Fig. 1 A first embodiment of a device according to the invention for fire detection in a room 6 is shown schematically in cross-section. The device comprises a smoke detector 1 with a test chamber 2. In this illustrative example, the smoke detector 1 is a commercially available smoke detector. It is arranged on a side facing away from the room 6 of an element 3 that delimits the room 6, for example, a ceiling or wall covering.

[0024] The element 3, which delimits room 6, has an opening for air to pass through from room 6. The smoke detector 1 is positioned in the area of ​​this opening such that air from room 6 can flow to the test chamber 2 of the smoke detector. The opening in the element 3 delimiting room 6, for example, a penetration in the wall or ceiling cladding, serves as the air inlet 12 of the smoke detector 1. This inlet is open towards room 6. The test chamber 2 of the smoke detector is also open towards the air inlet 12, so that air can flow from the air inlet 12 to the test chamber 2. Thus, air from room 6 can flow freely through the air inlet 12 to the test chamber 2 of the smoke detector 1.

[0025] The smoke detector 1 is also enclosed by an airtight, cap-shaped, casing 5. The cap-shaped casing 5 is airtightly connected to the element 3 that defines the space 6. Apart from the air inlet 12, the element 3 that defines the space 6 is also airtight, at least in the area of ​​the casing 5. Thus, the smoke detector 1 is airtightly encapsulated within the casing 5 and the element 3 that defines the space 6. The casing 5 and the element 3 that defines the space 6 could be considered an additional housing around the smoke detector.

[0026] The enclosure 5 has an air outlet 13, which is connected to a vacuum line 4, for example, a vacuum hose. The vacuum in the vacuum line 4, i.e., a relative pressure lower than in the chamber 6 by at least a predetermined amount (e.g., the prevailing ambient pressure in the chamber), is created by a suction device 9 for drawing air from the air outlet 13. In this case, the suction device 9 is a ventilation system of a rail vehicle's exhaust system, which serves to extract air from the chamber 6 and has an extraction line 8 open to the chamber 6. The suction device 9 could also be referred to as an extraction device. The vacuum line 4 is fluidically connected to the extraction line 8.

[0027] The lower relative pressure at the air outlet 13, at least compared to the air inlet 12, creates a suction effect which draws air from room 6 to the air inlet 12 and further into the test chamber 2 of the smoke detector 1 and carries it away from the test chamber 2 through the air outlet 13.

[0028] The arrows indicate the respective airflows. Thus, smoke or combustion gases, indicated by arrow 7, would also reliably reach smoke detector 1, even though air from room 6 is also extracted via the extraction duct 8. The extraction duct 8 and the air inlet 12 are spaced apart from each other by at least a predetermined distance.

[0029] The design examples of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 They differ only in the type of venting and thus in the design of the device for generating a suction 9 at the air outlet 13. According to the embodiment in Fig. 2 A separate fan 10 is arranged in the vacuum line 4, which provides the suction during operation. Fig. 3 In contrast, an ejector, here a conveying ejector 11, is connected to the vacuum line 4, which generates the suction on the air outlet side. The vacuum line 4 can terminate outside the chamber 6, for example, it can also lead out of the rail vehicle and have an open end to the environment of the rail vehicle, through which the extracted air from the chamber is released into the environment. Compressed air from a compressed air system is supplied to the conveying ejector 11 illustrated here, which has a Venturi nozzle, and generates a vacuum on the side of the vacuum line 4 of the air outlet 13 according to the jet pump principle.

[0030] The space 6 can be a cabin or sanitary unit of a rail vehicle which has a ventilation system to which the negative pressure line 4 is connected, as in the design example according to Fig. 1 , or it can generally be a passenger compartment, for example a compartment, of a rail vehicle and the device for generating a suction 9 is separate from other ventilation systems of the vehicle and can be operated independently of them if necessary, as in the Fig. 2 bis 4 illustrated.

[0031] In Fig. 4 Another embodiment of the invention is sketched. Here too, the venting pressure is achieved by means of a conveying ejector 11, as in Fig. 3, generated. However, the smoke detector 1 itself has an airtight housing around the test chamber 2 with the air inlet 12 and the air outlet 13, which is connected to the conveying ejector 11 via the negative pressure line 4. The air inlet 12 of the smoke detector 1 is in turn arranged in the area of ​​the opening of the element 3 that delimits the room 6, so that air from the room 6 is drawn into the test chamber 2 through the air inlet 12 and discharged into the negative pressure line 4 through the air outlet 13.

[0032] Not shown is an example with an air outlet open to the immediate surroundings, as might be used, for instance, if the relative pressure in the room is higher than outside the room, where at least the air outlet of the smoke detector, and in particular the entire smoke detector, is located. The device for generating suction would thus create negative pressure on the side of the room-bounding element facing away from the room, or possibly positive pressure within the room, thereby producing the suction.

Claims

1. Passenger transportation vehicle comprising at least one apparatus for detecting fire in a space (6), comprising a smoke detector (1) having a test chamber (2) and at least one air inlet (12), wherein the smoke detector (1) comprises at least one air outlet (13), characterised in that the apparatus comprises at least one device (9), connected to the at least one air outlet (13), for generating suction for air from the air outlet (13), so that air (7) is drawn out of the space (6) through the air inlet (12) into the test chamber (2) and is discharged through the air outlet (13), wherein the vehicle comprises a space-defining element (3), wherein the smoke detector (1) is disposed on a side of the element (3) facing away from the space (6), wherein at least one opening is provided in the space-defining element (3) in the region of the at least one air inlet (12) of the smoke detector (1) such that the at least one air inlet (12) of the smoke detector (1) is uncovered toward the space (6) through the at least one opening in the space-defining element (3), wherein the apparatus for detecting a fire comprises a commercially available smoke detector (1) which is disposed on the side of the space-defining element (3) facing away from the space (6) in the region of the at least one opening in the space-defining element (3) such that air from the space (6) can flow freely through the at least one opening in the space-defining element (3) to the test chamber (2) of the smoke detector (1), wherein the smoke detector (1) is encapsulated in an enclosure (5) which is connected in an airtight manner to the space-defining element (3), wherein the at least one opening in the space-defining element (3) forms the at least one air inlet (12) and wherein the space-defining element (3) is otherwise designed to be airtight, wherein the enclosure (5) contains the at least one air outlet (13) which is connected to the device (9) for generating suction for air from the air outlet (13), so that air (7) is drawn out of the space (6) through the air inlet (12) into the test chamber (2) and is discharged through the air outlet (13), and the enclosure (5) is otherwise of an airtight design.

2. Passenger transportation vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that the test chamber (2) of the smoke detector (1) is disposed in an otherwise airtight housing comprising the at least one air inlet (12) and the at least one air outlet (13).

3. Passenger transportation vehicle according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the device (9) for generating suction comprises a negative-pressure line (4).

4. Passenger transportation vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the device (9) for generating suction comprises a fan (10), a Venturi nozzle, a pump or an ejector (11).

5. Passenger transportation vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that the air outlet (13) is disposed on the side of the space-defining element (3) facing away from the space (6), so that air (7) is discharged from the space (6) through the smoke detector (1).

6. Passenger transportation vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has at least one cubicle in or on which the apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 5 is disposed.

7. Passenger transportation vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the air outlet (13) is connected to an exhaust air system of the vehicle.