Trigger device for a fire extinguishing assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a fire extinguishing assembly (1) having a gas bottle comprising a fire extinguishing medium and a trigger device (6) which is connected thereto. The invention is characterized in that the trigger device (6) is releasably coupled to a bottle connection, wherein the trigger device (6) is equipped with a piston (10) with end faces (12, 14) which lie opposite each other in the axial direction (A) and against which the bottle pressure of the medium located in the gas bottle is applied, and the piston (10) is arranged in a blocking position on the basis of a spring force of a spring element (15). A discharge channel (16) is fluidically connected to a sensor hose (7) on the end face (14) of the spring such that when the fire extinguishing medium is dispensed onto the end face (14) of the spring, the piston (10) is moved in the axial direction (A) against the spring force and a control channel (9) is then released by the piston (10) so that the fire extinguishing medium can be conducted through the control channel (9) for the purpose of the fire extinguishing medium.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing arrangement according to 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 this system, a fire extinguishing agent supplied in a gas cylinder is connected to fire extinguishing lines.

[0003] The activation process is automated in the event of a fire, so that when a triggering element is activated, the fire extinguishing system is set up.

[0004] For example, fire extinguishing arrangements are known from DE 10 2010 028 858 A1 and EP 3 744 405 A1. Furthermore, DE 10 2010 028 857 A1 discloses an automatic fire extinguishing system, and EP 2 528 666 B1 discloses a method for triggering pyrotechnic fire extinguishing devices. Further prior art is represented by US 2017 / 0 120 089 A1 and US 2016 / 0 279 453 A1.

[0005] Furthermore, fire extinguishing regulations are known from WO 2011 / 141356 A1 and US 3 788 400 A.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a triggering device for the fire extinguishing arrangement that is improved compared to the prior art.

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

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

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for commissioning and / or maintaining the fire extinguishing arrangement described below.

[0010] The fire extinguishing arrangement according to the invention comprises a gas cylinder containing a fire extinguishing medium, for example N₂ (nitrogen). The gas cylinder can also be referred to as a pressure vessel. A triggering device is connected to it. The triggering device functions according to the basic principle of a pressure switch.

[0011] According to the invention, the release device is characterized first and foremost by the fact that it can be detachably connected to a cylinder connection of the gas cylinder. Release devices known from the prior art are an integral part of the cylinder head. Therefore, if maintenance work is necessary or if the release device has been activated, the entire gas cylinder must be replaced. With the solution according to the invention, only the release device itself can be replaced, or, in the case of a cylinder replacement, the release device can remain in place.

[0012] The triggering device itself contains a piston, on whose axially opposite end faces the cylinder pressure of the medium contained in the gas cylinder is applied. The piston is held in a locked position by the spring force of a spring element and / or by the larger diameter of the piston's end face. The locked position is in the rest or monitoring state of the triggering device.

[0013] On the end face where the spring is located, a flow channel is connected to a sensor hose via a fluid-conducting connection. When the fire-extinguishing medium flows from this end face of the spring, the piston moves axially against the spring force. This occurs because the medium pressure is applied to the end face of the piston on the side of the gas cylinder. The medium pressure itself is greater than the spring force exerted by the spring element. This opens a control channel, allowing the fire-extinguishing medium to flow through it to its intended purpose.

[0014] Preferably, the actual cylinder valve is designed as a release valve. The control channel can thus trigger the release valve and then discharge the cylinder contents into a pipe network with fire extinguishing nozzles.

[0015] To ensure that the pressure of the fire-extinguishing medium is applied to both sides of the piston, a channel is formed on or within the piston, connecting both end faces via a fluid-conducting mechanism. This ensures that, after commissioning, the pressure of the fire-extinguishing medium is applied to both end faces of the piston. Due to the spring force of the spring element, the piston is then moved into a closed position and held there.

[0016] It is further preferred that a throttle is arranged in the piston. The throttle restricts the flow of the fire extinguishing medium from the cylinder pressure towards the end face where the spring element is located, and subsequently the sensor hose. This means that when fire extinguishing medium flows out through the sensor hose, less of it can flow through the piston channel due to the throttle, resulting in a lower pressure on the end face of the spring. The pressure of the fire extinguishing medium on the end face opposite the spring, which is greater than the spring force of the spring element, thus pushes the piston into an open position against the spring force.

[0017] Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that a pressure regulator or pressure reducer is provided on or in the sensor hose, in particular in the triggering device, which regulates or converts the bottle pressure to a relatively lower sensor pressure.

[0018] Furthermore, it is provided that a shut-off valve is preferably arranged on the outflow side of the sensor hose at the triggering device. Thus, the shut-off valve can initially be closed for commissioning. The same cylinder pressure is then established on both ends of the piston, and the piston moves into its locked position. When the shut-off valve is opened, a relatively lower pressure flows into the sensor hose due to the pressure regulator described above.

[0019] The system is activated when the sensor tube melts, at least locally, due to a fire, causing the medium inside the tube to flow out. The piston is then displaced by the flowing medium.

[0020] Further advantages, features, properties, and aspects of the present invention are illustrated in the following figures. The same reference numerals are used in the figures for identical or similar components, even where repeated descriptions are omitted for the sake of simplicity. They show Figure 1 an overall view of the fire extinguishing arrangement Figure 2 the release device according to the invention in a front view Figure 3a ) + b) a section line according to the section lines AA and BB of Figure 2 , Figure 4a ) +b) the triggering device in the monitoring operating state, closed piston Figure 5) + b) the triggering device is triggered in the operating state with the piston open Figure 6 a representation of Figure 3b ) the triggering device with sealing cap in the control channel

[0021] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a fire extinguishing arrangement according to the invention. A gas cylinder 1 is filled with a fire extinguishing medium (not shown in detail). The gas cylinder 1 has a cylinder head with a cylinder valve 2. The cylinder valve 2 is connected to a pipe network 4 via a connecting line 3. Various fire extinguishing nozzles 5 are fluid-conductingly connected to the pipe network 4, for example, in the interior of a building or in an exterior area.

[0022] According to the invention, an external triggering device 6 is detachably connected to the cylinder valve 2. The triggering device 6 has a sensor hose 7. The sensor hose 7 is fluid-conductingly connected to the triggering device 6 via a shut-off valve 8. Furthermore, a control hose 9 is connected to the cylinder valve 2.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a front view 12 of the release device 6 according to the invention and the following in Figure 3a ) and b) section lines AA, BB, drawn as respective cross-sectional views.

[0024] In the release device 6, a piston 10 movable in the axial direction A is arranged. The release device 6 is detachably coupled to the cylinder valve 2 via a pressure connection 11, opposite a check valve (not shown), in particular by a screw connection shown here. Thus, the pressure of the fire-extinguishing medium in the gas cylinder 1, also called cylinder pressure, is applied to a first end face 12 of the piston 10. A channel 13 is located in the piston 10, so that the cylinder pressure reaches a second end face 14 of the piston 10. A spring element 15, here a coil spring, is also arranged on this second end face 14. The cylinder pressure is thus applied to both end faces 12 and 14. (Additionally shown on the right, relative to the plane of the image.) Figure 4aDue to the spring force, piston 10 is pressed to the left relative to the plane of the image. Alternatively or additionally, the diameter D14 of the end face 14 is larger than the diameter D12 of the end face 12. Due to the same pressure, but because of the larger diameter and thus a larger area over which the pressure is exerted, piston 10 is pressed to the left relative to the plane of the image. The spring element 15 can also be considered an auxiliary or safety element, ensuring that when the different diameters and the spring element 15 are present, piston 10 is always in the locked position. A flow channel 16 is fluidly connected to the space containing the spring 15, which is also subject to the media pressure, due to this position.A pressure reducer 17 converts this media pressure into a lower sensor pressure, which in turn is fluid-conducting and connected to the sensor hose 7 due to the open position of the shut-off valve 8. The sensor hose therefore carries a pressure lower than the bottle pressure.

[0025] Now the in Figure 5a) and 5b In the case shown, if the sensor hose 7 has at least a local leak 18 or is damaged (due to a fire), medium flows out of the sensor hose 7. A throttle 19 located in the piston 10 ensures that less fire extinguishing medium can flow to the side of the spring than flows out through the leak 18. The piston 10 is thus moved to the right in the axial direction A towards the plane of the image due to the pressure of the cylinder acting on the first end face 12, which is greater than the spring force. Figure 5bA control channel 21 is thus opened, which is fluid-conducting and connected to a control hose 9, which then actuates the cylinder valve 2 of the gas cylinder 1. The fire extinguishing medium is then released into the pipe network 4 via the connecting line 3.

[0026] Figure 6 The diagram shows the release device 6 in its delivery state. A sealing cap 20 is connected to the control hose 9. For commissioning, the release device 6 can first be connected, then the sensor hose 7 connected to the release device 6, and the shut-off valve 8 opened so that the piston 10 reaches the position shown. Figure 4a ) or 4b). The connecting cap 20 according to Figure 6 It can then be unscrewed and the control cable attached to the trigger device 6. Reference number:

[0027] 1 - Gas cylinder 2 - Cylinder valve 3 - Connection line 4 - Pipe network 5 - Fire extinguishing nozzle 6 - Trigger device 7 - Sensor hose 8 - Shut-off valve 9 - Control hose 10 - Piston 11 - Pressure connection 12 - End face to 10 13 - Channel 14 - 2nd end face to 10 15 - Spring element 16 - Exhaust channel 17 - Pressure reducer 18 - Leakage 19 - Throttle 20 - Cap 21 - Control channel A - Axial direction D12 - Diameter of 12 D14 - Diameter of 14

Claims

1. Fire extinguishing assembly having a gas cylinder (1) with a fire extinguishing medium and a triggering device (6) connected thereto, characterised in that the triggering device (6) is detachably coupled to a cylinder valve (2), wherein a piston (10) is arranged in the triggering device (6), on which opposing front faces (12, 14) in the axial direction (A) the cylinder pressure of the medium, contained in the gas cylinder (1), is applied and the piston (10) is arranged in a blocking position due to a spring force of a spring element (15) and in the region of the front face (14) of the spring (15) an outflow channel (16) is fluidically connected to a sensor hose (7), such that, when fire extinguishing medium flows out on the front face (14) of the spring, the piston (10) is displaced in the axial direction (A) against the spring force and subsequently, a control channel (21) is released through the piston (10), such that the fire extinguishing medium can be guided through the control channel (21) to its intended destination, wherein a channel (13) is formed in the piston (10) which connects both front faces (12, 14) in a fluid-conducting manner.

2. The fire extinguishing assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that a throttle (19) is arranged in the piston (10), wherein the throttle (19) throttles a media flow coming from the bottle pressure to the front face (14) on which the spring element (15) is arranged.

3. The fire extinguishing assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a pressure reducer (17) is connected upstream of the sensor hose (7), which regulates the bottle pressure to a relatively lower sensor pressure.

4. The fire extinguishing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a shut-off valve (8) is arranged on a downstream side of the sensor hose (7) on the triggering device (6).

5. The fire extinguishing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the triggering device (6) is mounted with a detachable coupling to the gas cylinder (1) against a check valve of the gas cylinder (1).

6. The fire extinguishing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the control channel (9) is fluidically connected to the cylinder valve (2) of the gas cylinder (1) in such a way that, when the control channel (21) is subjected to the medium pressure, the cylinder valve (2) of the gas cylinder (1) is triggered.

7. The fire extinguishing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the piston (10) on the front face (12) has a smaller diameter (D12) than a correspondingly larger diameter (D14) of the front face (14), wherein the front face (14) with the larger diameter (D14) is arranged on the side of the spring element (15).

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