Smoke extraction and treatment device and system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smoke extraction and treatment device (100) and system (10). The device (100) is configured to be attached to a ceiling, and comprises a housing (110) with an internal chamber, filtering means (120) and ventilation means (120). The device (100) further comprises communication means (140) with an external trigger, the communication means (140) being configured to receive, via a wired connection, information representative of the activation of the device (100) and to control the ventilation means (130) according to the information representative of the activation.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title: Smoke extraction and fume treatment device and system

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present invention relates to the field of fire safety.

[0005] The present invention relates more particularly to the field of smoke treatment.

[0006] The present invention relates more particularly to a smoke extraction and fume treatment device configured to be installed on a ceiling of a wide variety of buildings, for example private homes or offices, but also hotels or industrial buildings.

[0007] The present invention also relates to the use of such a device for filtering fumes in a room in the event of a fire.

[0008] The present invention additionally relates to a system implementing one or more such devices in a building.

[0009] Smoke extraction means here and throughout the following description the reduction of smoke that can be caused by fires.

[0010] Flue gas treatment refers to any action taken on these fumes to improve the conditions in a room filled with fumes. The particles forming the smoke mainly consist of soot and ash, mixed with combustion gases and hot vapors. Flue gas treatment thus aims to mitigate the opacity and / or toxicity of the fumes.

[0011] The invention will thus find numerous advantageous applications in smoke extraction and treatment of fumes, in particular for treating their opacity and toxicity, and this in a wide variety of rooms. The invention will find applications in particular in the treatment, in a room, of fumes originating from a fire occurring in an adjacent room or in communication with this room.

[0012] Prior art

[0013] Fires cause three main types of illnesses: burns, trauma from falling materials and the escape of victims, and smoke poisoning. These fumes contain a concentration of toxic elements that often have an irreversible impact on human health. While the toxic risks associated with fire fumes have long been underestimated, it is now considered that injuries caused by smoke, for example by poisoning or lung irritation, represent the main source of mortality in fires. It is estimated that 80% of deaths are related to the inhalation of toxic fumes, while 20% are directly attributable to the flames.

[0014] Fire casualties and deaths occur predominantly in residential and apartment building fires, which can be explained by the introduction of an increasing number of synthetic polymers into the interior equipment of homes, which are highly likely to generate toxic fumes. It is estimated that 90% of fire-related deaths are attributable to fires in buildings.

[0015] Thus, the degradation of materials during a fire produces heat, smoke, toxic gases and a reduction in oxygen in the ambient air in enclosed spaces. The severity of fires and the risk of casualties thus result from a combination of all these factors.

[0016] In industrial settings, although the risk of death is lower, the material damage associated with fires remains considerable. The total economic cost of fires is estimated to be nearly 1% of the gross domestic product in developed countries. This makes it all the more important to control the spread of flames as much as possible and facilitate the intervention of emergency services.

[0017] Another direct consequence of fire smoke is a significant opacity in the room, occurring within minutes and persisting even after the fire is extinguished. The loss of visibility generates additional panic phenomena and additional danger. Rapid smoke extraction from a room also helps restore visibility and prevent total blindness of those present.

[0018] The law can thus impose smoke detection and extraction in residential buildings, establishments open to the public, high-rise buildings, workplaces, as well as classified establishments and installations.

[0019] It is already known to implement air extraction units for smoke extraction. The installation of such air extraction units remains complex and presents specific constraints on buildings. In particular, air extraction units must necessarily be connected to extraction ducts for the discharge of air outside the smoke-filled room, preferably in combination with a parallel air supply. Extraction ducts must therefore either be planned from the construction of the building, or require major renovation work for buildings not equipped.

[0020] To overcome this drawback, it is also known to design autonomous smoke extraction devices, requiring no extraction duct. Such a device is placed directly on the ground, so that the toxic fumes are sucked in from the top of the device, filtered by several filters (mechanical and / or electrostatic and / or chemical), then discharged at the bottom of the device. This device is suitable for ships or even submarines, and makes it possible to filter fumes after a fire, by creating a layer of treated air under the fumes, the layer of air growing during operation of the device.

[0021] This device, however, has several limitations. In particular, the use of several filtration stages results in a significant pressure drop. In addition, the collection of fumes in the upper part of the floor-standing device requires the formation of a current powerful enough for the fumes to continue to supply the device, in order to treat all the fumes present, in particular those located in the upper part of a room, i.e. above the device. These characteristics force the device to integrate a ventilation system of significant power, sufficient to create significant convection and to take into account the pressure drops of the filters. The ventilation system itself constrains the energy source and the integrated battery system of the device, the whole then generating a significant footprint.

[0022] It is also known to use filtration devices adapted to a variety of situations, for example the filtration of cigarette smoke, the purification of clean rooms in industrial or scientific environments, or the removal of pathogens in the medical field. It is of course understood that such filtration devices are designed with regard to specific criteria relating to their field, and do not meet the safety requirements for the treatment of toxic fumes during fires.

[0023] The Applicant therefore submits that the air filtration solutions known to those skilled in the art are not sufficient and do not ensure the safety of any room in the event of a fire, particularly in the absence of a dedicated extraction duct.

[0024] Summary of the invention

[0025] The present invention aims to improve the situation described above.

[0026] The present invention aims in particular to remedy the above drawbacks by proposing a smoke extraction and smoke treatment device and system which is simple, autonomous and effective in operation, making it possible to extend the service life and visibility in the event of a fire, until the emergency services arrive.

[0027] The present invention also aims to propose a device with reduced cost and size, via a simplified structure, and thus compatible with domestic use.

[0028] According to a first aspect, the subject of the present invention relates to a smoke extraction and smoke treatment device comprising: - a housing;

[0029] - filtration means associated with the housing;

[0030] - ventilation means configured to draw fumes through the filtration means.

[0031] Advantageously, the housing comprises an internal chamber having at least one upstream inlet and at least one downstream outlet, the filtration means being arranged along the downstream outlet, the ventilation means being arranged upstream of the filtration means and being configured to pressurize the internal chamber to a pressure greater than the downstream outlet. Advantageously, the device is configured to be fixed to a ceiling.

[0032] It is understood here that the filtration means, as well as the ventilation means, can be arranged inside or outside the internal chamber, for example in an adjacent cavity of the housing in communication with the internal chamber. In a simplified design, the housing has a single cavity forming the internal chamber, the ventilation and filtration means being arranged in the internal chamber respectively according to the upstream inlet and the downstream outlet.

[0033] It is also understood that the concepts of upstream and downstream will be taken into account depending on the direction of circulation of the treated fumes, the fumes entering the internal chamber via the upstream inlet, carried by the ventilation means, and leaving the internal chamber via the downstream outlet, then passing through the filtration means.

[0034] The Applicant submits that the fumes are thus drawn in by the ventilation means, filtered and discharged. Fixing the device to a ceiling results in the creation of a curtain of filtered air, more breathable, relieved of a significant quantity of soot and reduced temperature. The fumes laden with soot and hot ash rise naturally above the filtered air, ensuring a constant supply of the device without requiring significant convection. The dimensional constraints on the ventilation means and their energy supply are therefore greatly reduced.

[0035] In particular, such a device is suitable for connection to a conventional power supply with a minor power consumption, in the order of 30 to 40W. The device is, for example, installed on a power supply via a separate box.

[0036] This design thus makes it possible to produce a fire smoke extractor that is simple to manufacture and poses no constraints for its installation, in particular not requiring an air extraction duct or fresh air intake.

[0037] Advantageously, the device further comprises means of communication with a trigger external to the device, the means of communication being configured to receive by wire information representative of activation of the smoke extraction device and to control the ventilation means as a function of the information representative of activation.

[0038] Here we understand that the device is configured to allow its connection to a fire safety system, also called SSI, so that the SSI controls the activation of the device via the external trigger. The SSI corresponds for example to a category A SSI, that is to say equipped with a fire detection system, also called SDI, or to a category B SSI, that is to say equipped with manual triggers.

[0039] The simple design of the device does not imply or require any addition of oxygen, which would constitute an additional fuel resulting in the propagation of flames. The Applicant also submits that the air circulation resulting from the operation of the device, in particular via the formation of the air curtain, makes it possible to avoid the stratification of smoke and to delay thermal phenomena occurring during fires, for example flashover, also called EGE or "flashover" in English, or smoke explosion, also called EF or "backdraft" in English.

[0040] Thanks to the present invention, it is thus possible to install smoke extraction and smoke treatment devices, or even an SSI comprising such devices, in a wide variety of rooms, including places which cannot, or can only be difficult to, equip with a natural or mechanical smoke extraction system. These places, for example, present an impossibility of implementing a smoke outlet in the roof or facade, or an impossibility of implementing an extraction duct. The smoke extraction device according to the invention can thus in particular be installed in rooms corresponding to horizontal circulation, cellar circulation, stairwells or even secure waiting areas (also called EAS).

[0041] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device further comprises lighting means.

[0042] Preferably, the lighting means are configured to illuminate an area corresponding to an area of ​​effect of the device.

[0043] The area of ​​effect corresponds, for example, to a survival zone associated with the device, within which the device effectively purifies the air. It is thus estimated that each device can be associated with a survival zone of approximately 2m 2 . The lighting means correspond for example to a laser signaling or delimiting the survival zone.

[0044] In an additional embodiment, the communication means are configured to control the lighting means based on the information representing activation. In other words, the activation of the device corresponds to a simultaneous activation of the ventilation and the lighting, generating both a visual alert and making it possible to identify the safest areas during the fire. This design also potentially makes it possible to improve visibility during the fire, when the device is connected to an independent box, making it possible to compensate for a possible cut-off of the regular lighting. In one embodiment, the box is made of a non-combustible or non-flammable material.

[0045] Preferably, the housing is made of flame-retardant polycarbonate.

[0046] For example, flame-retardant polycarbonate complies with UL 94 V-0, where UL94 is the standard for the flammability of plastic materials, and the V-0 classification means that vertical combustion stops after 10 seconds, without burning.

[0047] It is understood here that the selection of a material with flame-retardant properties makes it possible to ensure, on the one hand, prolonged operation of the device, and on the other hand, that the device itself does not aggravate a fire.

[0048] In a further embodiment, the ventilation means comprises at least one fan.

[0049] The fan(s) are for example fixed to a side wall of the internal chamber. Preferably, the ventilation means comprise exactly two fans. The Applicant submits that this design makes it possible to obtain a good distribution of the fume extraction around the housing while minimizing the energy requirements of the fans. For example, it is planned to arrange the fans according to two upstream inlets of the internal chamber, on either side of the housing.

[0050] Each fan is for example associated with a peripheral chamber in communication with the internal chamber and allowing air flow towards the filtration means. In a specific embodiment, the fans have an axis of rotation inclined at a non-zero angle α relative to a plane of an upper wall of the housing.

[0051] We understand here that the inclination of the fans makes it possible to reduce the size generated by the diameter of the fans, and therefore to limit the dimensional constraints on the height of the housing, in particular the height of the internal chamber.

[0052] Preferably, the fans have an axis of rotation inclined at an angle a of 90° relative to the plane of the upper wall of the housing.

[0053] In other words, the fans are positioned flat with respect to the upper wall of the housing, so as to minimize the overall height of the device and ensure that fumes are extracted at a height, without accumulation around the device. In another embodiment, the fans are fixed to one or more side walls of the internal chamber, the side walls receiving the fans also being inclined at an angle of 90°-a with respect to the plane of the upper wall of the housing.

[0054] Of course, it is also possible, in other preferred embodiments, to provide fans with a horizontal rotation axis, i.e. having no inclination with respect to the upper wall of the housing. This design makes it possible in particular to ensure good suction efficiency by directing the air flow from the upstream inlet to the downstream outlet, when the upstream inlet is arranged along a lateral portion of the housing or more eccentrically on the housing than the downstream outlet.

[0055] In another embodiment that can be combined with the previous embodiment, the device further comprises a battery system configured to ensure operation of the device for a duration of between 20 minutes and 100 minutes.

[0056] We understand here that the integration of the battery system ensures the autonomy of the device in all situations, even in the event of a general power outage.

[0057] Preferably, the battery system is configured to provide operation of the device for a duration of between 20 minutes and 60 minutes.

[0058] Preferably, the battery system is configured to ensure operation of the device for a duration substantially equal to 30 minutes.

[0059] Obviously, the sizing of the battery system is adapted to ensure the autonomy of the device for a time compatible with the arrival of the emergency services. The Applicant submits in particular that the average intervention time of the firefighters is estimated at 18 minutes in the event of a fire. Operation over a period of 30 minutes thus ensures the proper functioning of the device in the vast majority of situations, without resulting in an oversizing of the device, which would be associated with additional cost and increased bulk.

[0060] In yet another embodiment, the device further comprises a smoke detector and integrated triggering means configured to control the ventilation means as a function of the smoke detector.

[0061] The integrated triggering means are for example confused with the communication means described above. In other words, the communication means are, in this design, configured to receive information from the smoke detector, and to control the ventilation means, or even the lighting means described above, according to the information from the smoke detector. The smoke detector corresponds for example to a stand-alone smoke alarm detector, also called DAAF and known to those skilled in the art. The detector thus corresponds for example to the EN 14604 or NF 292 standard, or to other standards among the UL, FM, or other standards.

[0062] This design allows the device to be activated without manual intervention and without external control, for example before or in the event of a trigger failure. Similarly, communication with the trigger via wire allows the device to be triggered even if the smoke detector has not detected a fire, for example in the event of smoke in an adjacent room or in communication with the room where the device is installed. The device thus operates both autonomously and conditionally.

[0063] In one embodiment, the device comprises at least one audible alarm.

[0064] The communication means or triggering means described above are, for example, configured to also trigger the alarm in parallel with the ventilation means.

[0065] In one embodiment, the device is configured to be fixed to the ceiling such that the upstream inlet is disposed along a side wall of the housing and the downstream outlet is disposed along a bottom wall of the housing.

[0066] The box is, for example, fixed to the ceiling using a mounting plate.

[0067] This position of the device allows the fumes to be collected near the ceiling, laterally to the housing and the filtered fumes to be discharged in a downward flow, below the housing.

[0068] Preferably, the device comprises at least one suction opening provided along a side wall of the housing and forming the upstream inlet, F at least one suction opening opening into the internal chamber.

[0069] Preferably, the device comprises a plurality of suction openings arranged around the entire circumference of the housing.

[0070] It is understood here that the suction openings are arranged along a plurality, for example all, of the side walls of the housing, or along a circumference of a cylindrical housing.

[0071] The suction opening(s) communicate, for example, with a suction distribution chamber, itself in communication with the internal chamber and placed under vacuum by the ventilation means. It is understood here that the ventilation means, associated with the upstream inlet, may be arranged substantially offset from this upstream inlet, in order to ensure suction via all of the suction openings forming the upstream inlet.

[0072] The suction openings correspond, for example, to oblong holes oriented along the length of the side wall(s) of the housing. The Applicant submits that an oblong shape allows for optimal suction of fumes.

[0073] The person skilled in the art additionally understands that the sizing of the suction openings is carried out in conjunction with that of the ventilation means, so as to ensure that the ventilation means create a sufficient pressure drop in the internal chamber, or the peripheral chamber, for the generation of smoke suction.

[0074] In an additional embodiment, the at least one suction opening is arranged at least partly at a distance from an upper wall of the housing, the distance being less than 10 cm.

[0075] Preferably, the distance is less than 5 cm.

[0076] It is understood here that the accumulation of hot fumes takes place at height. Thus, when the upstream inlet is arranged along a side wall of the housing, the arrangement of this inlet, via the suction openings, as close as possible to the ceiling, ensures optimal suction of the smoke and filtration of the fumes most laden with soot and ash. In another embodiment, the device is configured to be embedded in the ceiling so that the upstream inlet and the downstream outlet are both arranged along a lower wall of the housing.

[0077] This design minimizes the physical footprint and visual impact of the device in the room, integrating it discreetly and compactly. The device is, for example, embedded in a false ceiling in the room.

[0078] Preferably, the upstream inlet is arranged comparatively eccentrically on the lower wall, compared to the downstream outlet.

[0079] For example, two or more upstream inlets are provided, arranged along a periphery of the lower wall, the downstream outlet(s) being arranged between the upstream inlets. This design thus makes it possible to extract the fumes from the periphery of the device and to create a curtain of filtered air centered on the device, without the filtered air mixing with the fumes or being re-extracted by the device.

[0080] In another advantageous embodiment that can be combined with one or other of the preceding embodiments, the housing comprises one or more peripheral chambers arranged between the internal chamber and at least one side wall of the housing, the ventilation means being configured to create a vacuum in the peripheral chambers. The peripheral chambers form, for example, the upstream inlets of the internal chamber and are provided with air suction openings, for example along the side walls of the housing or along the bottom wall, at the periphery as described above. The arrangement of the peripheral chambers and the suction openings thus makes it possible to distribute the suction around the circumference of the device, so as to avoid the accumulation of fumes around the device.It is understood that the depression of the peripheral chambers corresponds to a reduction of the internal pressure, under atmospheric pressure or more generally under the pressure of the room, so as to generate the suction of fumes by the device. The air flow generated by the ventilation means then corresponds to a circulation of the smoke passing through the suction openings, at least one peripheral chamber with the ventilation means, the internal chamber, then the filtration means at the outlet downstream of the internal chamber.

[0081] According to a first embodiment, a single peripheral chamber is provided laterally surrounding the internal chamber. The single peripheral chamber is for example combined with suction openings arranged along the entire circumference of the side wall or the bottom wall of the housing. This design thus makes it possible to avoid any stagnation of fumes against a wall of the housing, and to limit the ventilation means required to put the peripheral chamber under vacuum. For example, two fans are provided forming the ventilation means and associated with the single peripheral chamber.

[0082] According to a second embodiment, a plurality of peripheral chambers separated from one another are provided. Each peripheral chamber has, for example, partitions separating it from adjacent peripheral chambers, and communicates directly with an internal chamber arranged centrally in the housing.

[0083] The housing comprises, for example, two peripheral chambers arranged laterally on either side of the internal chamber. Each of the two peripheral chambers is, for example, equipped with a fan. According to another example, the peripheral chambers are equipped with fans separate from the ventilation means. The fans of the peripheral chambers then make it possible to generate suction in the housing, and the ventilation means a flow from the peripheral chambers to the filtration means.

[0084] A four-sided enclosure can also be designed with four peripheral chambers, each peripheral chamber being associated with a side of the enclosure and being equipped with a fan. However, this design requires a higher number of fans and is therefore more complex and bulky. In an additional embodiment, the filtration means include a HEPA filter.

[0085] It is understood here that the HEPA filter (from the English "High-Efficiency Particulate Air" or in French "high efficiency air particulate air filter") corresponds to a high efficiency air filter, capable of filtering particles with a diameter greater than or equal to 0.3 pm. Preferably, the HEPA filter corresponds to a class H13 filter, that is to say having an overall efficiency of 99.95%. Such a filter makes it possible to suck up and retain the soot present in the fumes, so that the filtered air does not cause poisoning.

[0086] It is also understood that a wide variety of filters can be used in the filtration means. Preferably, filters suitable for the filtration of particles with a diameter greater than or equal to 0.3 pm will be selected.

[0087] In yet another embodiment, the ventilation means are configured to create a turbulent flow through the HEPA filter.

[0088] Preferably, the ventilation means are configured to create an airflow through the HEPA filter, the airflow having a speed of between 0.9 m / s and 5 m / s.

[0089] In an advantageous implementation mode, the HEPA filter is not preceded by any pre-filter. It is understood here that the use of a pre-filter, or another filter in combination with the HEPA filter, would increase the pressure losses due to the filtration means. The use of a HEPA filter alone thus minimizes the constraints on the ventilation means and on energy consumption, ensuring a simple, economical and compact design of the device.

[0090] Obviously, it is understood here that it is possible to use several HEPA filters arranged in parallel, for example associated with different openings forming the downstream outlet, so that the circulation of air in the device from the upstream inlet to the downstream outlet results in passage through a single HEPA filter.

[0091] In an implementation mode that can be combined with the previous modes, the ventilation means and the filtration means are configured to ensure a filtered air flow rate of between 150 m 3 / h and 450 m 3 / h.

[0092] Preferably, the ventilation means and the filtration means are configured to provide a filtered air flow rate of between 150 m 3 / h and 250 m 3 / h.

[0093] Preferably, the ventilation means and the filtration means are configured to provide a filtered air flow rate substantially equal to 192 m 3 / h.

[0094] It is understood here that the filtered air flow rate results from the joint dimensioning of the ventilation means and their energy supply, generating an air flow, and the filtration means, resulting in a pressure drop. The filtered air flow rate also corresponds to the capacity of the device to produce a breathable atmosphere. The Applicant thus submits that such a filtered air flow rate makes it possible to obtain a good balance between the filtration capacity, the dimensional constraints of the ventilation means, and results in the generation of a breathable atmosphere significantly limiting smoke poisoning. A person skilled in the art also understands that the filtered air flow rate may vary over time, and in particular decrease compared to its initial value due to the progressive fouling of the filtration means.

[0095] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a use of a device according to the first aspect of the present invention for filtering, in a room, fumes contained in the room during a fire, and releasing the filtered fumes into the room. According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a smoke extraction and smoke treatment system in a building having at least one room provided with a ceiling, the system comprising:

[0096] - a plurality of devices according to the first aspect of the present invention, the devices being associated with the ceiling;

[0097] - at least one trigger associated with the building, the trigger being connected to the plurality of devices by wire and configured to transmit information representative of activation of the plurality of devices.

[0098] It is understood here that the trigger corresponds to a device or apparatus configured to control the activation of the smoke extraction and smoke treatment devices, and therefore functioning as an external control of the devices.

[0099] The trigger is, for example, configured to transmit representative activation information to all devices, or to one or more targeted devices, for example depending on the status and progress of a fire.

[0100] In one embodiment, the at least one trigger comprises at least one manual trigger.

[0101] The manual trigger, also called DM, corresponds for example to a glass breakage box, also called BBG and known to those skilled in the art.

[0102] In an implementation mode which can be combined with the previous mode, the at least one trigger comprises at least one fire safety centralizer.

[0103] The person skilled in the art understands that the fire safety centralizer, also called CMSI, is configured to manage a plurality of DAS (Safety Actuated Devices). The DAS include in particular the devices according to the first aspect of the present invention, as well as for example fire doors or even sound diffusers, called DS or also BAAS (Autonomous Sound Alarm Unit).

[0104] The CMSI can thus be connected to a DM as stated above, and / or to an SDI. When the SDI detects smoke or a fire, or when the DM is manually activated, the CMSI sends information representing activation to the DAS, including to the devices according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0105] In other words, the smoke extraction and flue gas treatment system corresponds to, or is integrated into, a category A or B SSI.

[0106] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a building equipped with a smoke extraction and smoke treatment system according to the third aspect of the present invention.

[0107] Thus, through the various functional and structural technical characteristics above, the Applicant proposes a smoke extraction and smoke treatment device with a simple, efficient and compact design, suitable for any type of room without air connection constraints, making it possible to purify the air in the event of a fire. Such a device is also suitable for connection to a larger SSI.

[0108] Brief description of the figures

[0109] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 10, and in which:

[0110] [Fig- 1]

[0111] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a first smoke extraction system installed in a building, according to the prior art;

[0112] [Fig- 2]

[0113] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a second smoke extraction system installed in a building, according to the prior art;

[0114] [Fig- 3]

[0115] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a smoke extraction and smoke treatment device installed in a building, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0116] [Fig. 4]

[0117] Figure 4 schematically illustrates a smoke extraction and fume treatment device according to a first example of embodiment; [Fig- 5]

[0118] Figure 5 illustrates an exploded view of a smoke extraction and fume treatment device according to Figure 4;

[0119] [Fig- 6]

[0120] Figure 6 illustrates an exploded view of a smoke extraction and fume treatment device according to a second exemplary embodiment;

[0121] [Fig- 7]

[0122] Figure 7 schematically illustrates a smoke extraction and fume treatment device according to a third exemplary embodiment;

[0123] [Fig. 8]

[0124] Figure 8 illustrates a cone of light generated by a smoke extraction and fume treatment device according to Figure 7;

[0125] [Fig. 9]

[0126] Figure 9 illustrates a graph representative of an evolution of the oxygen and carbon dioxide level without device and with a device conforming to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0127] [Fig. 10]

[0128] Figure 10 illustrates a flowchart of a smoke extraction and fume treatment system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0129] Description of examples of implementation

[0130] A smoke extraction and smoke treatment device and system will now be described in the following with joint reference to Figures 1 to 10. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description which follows.

[0131] As indicated in the preamble to the description, current smoke extraction solutions are not sufficiently adaptable to guarantee the safety of any room. Figures 1 and 2 thus illustrate two smoke extraction systems known to those skilled in the art.

[0132] In Figure 1, a building 1 is equipped with a natural smoke extraction system. When a smoke extraction control IA is activated, a smoke outlet 3A, located high up, is opened to allow the smoke to escape. Fresh air replaces the smoke via a fresh air inlet 2A. Both the smoke outlet 3A and the fresh air inlet 2A therefore need to be connected to the outside environment, in order to allow evacuation on the one hand, and the entry of breathable air on the other. In Figure 2, building 1 is equipped with a mechanical smoke extraction system.When a smoke extraction control IB is activated, for example manually or via a smoke detector 4B, a smoke extractor 3B draws the smoke into an extraction duct to release it into the outside environment, while a fresh air inlet 2B, also connected to the outside environment via an inlet duct, allows the smoke to be replaced with fresh air. If the smoke-filled room is not necessarily directly connected to the outside environment, the extraction and inlet ducts allow a connection.

[0133] If such connecting ducts are not already present in the structure of building 1, it therefore appears difficult or impossible to connect the rooms of building 1 to the outside environment, and therefore to implement the smoke extraction systems of the prior art. The installation of connecting ducts also requires heavy work.

[0134] One of the objectives of the present invention is to propose smoke extraction that does not require any special pipes or complex adaptation of the building structure, and can therefore be used in a wide range of situations.

[0135] This is made possible in the example described below, which considers, as illustrated in Figure 3, a building 1 equipped with a device 100 according to the invention for smoke extraction and smoke treatment.

[0136] The Applicant further submits that such a device 100 is suitable both in residential and office buildings and in industrial buildings with a ceiling height of up to 5 or 7 m.

[0137] According to the example of Figures 4 to 7, the device 100 comprises a housing 110, which forms a main body of the device 100 and defines its shape. The housing 110 is for example made of a non-combustible material to ensure its operation in fires, or at least non-flammable to prevent it from aggravating fires. The housing 110 is thus for example classified in one of the categories MO (incombustible) or Ml (non-flammable) according to the French standard NF P92-507, or according to classes Al, A2 or B according to the European standard EN 13501-1+A1.

[0138] The housing 110 advantageously has a hollow structure defining an internal chamber provided with an upstream inlet 111 and a downstream outlet 112, corresponding to air circulation openings. The housing 110 has, for example, a single chamber, or a plurality of chambers, for example annex chambers connected to the internal chamber. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the device 100 also comprises filtration means 120 and ventilation means 130, associated with the housing 110. The filtration means 120 and the ventilation means 130 are, for example, arranged in the internal chamber or in other chambers in communication with the internal chamber.

[0139] The ventilation means 130 are advantageously arranged upstream of the filtration means 120, that is to say between the upstream inlet 111 and the filtration means 120, so that the actuation of the ventilation means 130 puts the internal chamber under pressure and causes air to circulate through the filtration means 120, from the upstream inlet 111 to the downstream outlet 112.

[0140] The ventilation means 130 are for example sized to generate an overpressure of between 0.4 Pascal and 5 Pascal in the internal chamber.

[0141] The ventilation means 130 comprise for example one or more fans, for example two fans according to the examples of figures 5 and 6, each fan being associated with a filter, that is to say directing the air so as to make it pass through a precise filter and ensuring a good distribution of the air in the internal chamber. In this same example, the fans are arranged flat, that is to say with a vertical axis of rotation, so as to minimize the height requirement of the device 100. The fans correspond for example to direct current fans and / or to fans made of plastic-reinforced fiberglass. In other examples, on the contrary, fans with a horizontal axis of rotation are provided.

[0142] In the event of a fire, the fumes caused by the fire, loaded with ash, soot and other particles, are thus sucked in through the upstream inlet 111 under the action of the ventilation means 130 creating an air flow, driven towards the filtration means 120 before exiting through the downstream outlet 112, discharged of ash, soot and particles.

[0143] According to an advantageous design, the filtration means 120 comprise a HEP A filter. Such a HEP A filter is preferably not preceded by any pre-filter, so as to limit the associated pressure losses and therefore not to increase the load on the ventilation means 130. It is obviously possible to implement a wide variety of single filters or in combination with each other. The preferred embodiments, however, employ a 0.3 micron filter, which is not preceded by any pre-filter. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, it is for example possible to arrange two or more filters in parallel, each filter being associated with a portion of the downstream outlet 112.

[0144] Advantageously, the ventilation means 130 are configured to create a turbulent flow through the HEP filter A, distinguished from a laminar flow in particular by a higher speed. The ventilation means 130 are for example dimensioned for the creation of an air flow between 0.9 m / s and 5 m / s through the HEPA filter. In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation means 130 are also dimensioned to create an air flow whose flow rate is greater than 150 m 3 / h, more precisely of the order of 192m 3 / h. The flow rate of the airflow corresponds in other words to the flow rate of breathable filtered air produced via the device 100, so as to ensure air treatment that is fast enough to maintain a breathable atmosphere despite the spread of fumes. According to another example, ventilation means 130 are provided, sized to purify, in approximately twenty minutes, a room with dimensions between 15m 3and 40m 3 , corresponding to a flow rate greater than 45m 3 / h or greater than 120 m 3 / h.

[0145] As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, a battery system 160 is additionally provided, configured to power the device 100, in particular the ventilation means 130. The device 100 is, for example, also connected to the electrical network of the building 1 or to a separate electrical network, so as to ensure long-term power supply to the device 100 as well as autonomy in the event of a power outage during a fire. The ventilation means 130 correspond, for example, to direct current fans, with a voltage between 12 V and 27 V, which can be connected in parallel to the battery system 160 and to the electrical network.

[0146] The battery system 160 is for example configured to ensure operation of the device 100 while the emergency services intervene, in particular for a period of more than 20 minutes, and preferably for a period of less than 100 minutes, or even less than 60 minutes to maintain a reasonable volume of the battery system 160 and not to overly encumber the device 100.

[0147] Advantageously, and as illustrated in Figure 3, the device 100 is configured to be fixed to a ceiling of the building 1, so that the hot fumes loaded with toxic particles rise naturally towards the ceiling and are sucked in by the device 100 for treatment.

[0148] According to the example of Figures 4 to 6, the device 100 is configured to be fixed to the ceiling so that the upstream inlet 111 is arranged along a side wall of the housing 110 and the downstream outlet 112 is arranged along a lower wall 114 of the housing 110. The device 100 is for example fixed to the ceiling via a plate or a fixing bar 113 assembling with the housing 110 along its upper wall. The fumes are thus sucked around the housing 110 and the treated air is discharged under the housing 110 via the lower wall 114, creating a cone of breathable air in a downward air flow.

[0149] For example, a removable lower wall 114 is provided allowing the assembly of the device 100 and the placement of the various components, in particular the filtration means 120 and the ventilation means 130, in the housing 110. The lower wall 114 having the downstream outlet 112 is for example made of a rigid material having a plurality of openings or perforations, according to the example of figures 4 and 5, or even in a fabric or foam plate allowing air circulation, according to the example of figure 6.

[0150] In parallel, the upstream inlet 111 is formed by at least one suction opening arranged along a side wall of the housing 110, for example a plurality of suction openings arranged along the entire circumference of the housing as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The suction openings are for example arranged regularly so as to ensure the same suction of fumes in all directions around the housing 110. It is also possible to provide a simplified alternative design, having a limited number of openings, for example only one, on each side wall of the housing. Advantageously, the suction opening(s) are arranged as close as possible to the upper wall, so as to be as close as possible to the ceiling when the device 100 is fixed to the ceiling. All of the suction openings are for example arranged less than 5 cm from the upper wall.According to another example illustrated in Figure 7, the device 100 is configured to be embedded in the ceiling, the upstream inlet 111 and the downstream outlet 112 being arranged along the lower wall 114 of the housing 110. In this same example, a plurality of openings are provided forming the upstream inlet 111, the downstream outlet being arranged between these openings. This design also makes it possible to obtain suction of the fumes around the housing 110 and discharge of the treated air under the housing 110, creating a cone of air descending between the fumes.

[0151] In this same example, lighting means 150 are also provided associated with the housing 110. Obviously, it is possible to provide lighting means 150 associated with any design of the device 100. The lighting means 150 are for example advantageously arranged along a lower wall of the device 100.

[0152] The lighting means 150 thus enable the device 100 to illuminate an area, for example so as to maintain lighting in the event of a breakdown resulting from a fire. Advantageously, the lighting means 150 are configured specifically to illuminate, or even to delimit, an area corresponding to an area of ​​effect 151 of the device 100, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The lighting means 150 thus make it possible to increase visibility during a fire and in particular to indicate a breathable air zone in order to guide any person into a survival zone. The entire illuminated area corresponds, for example, to the area of ​​effect 151, or only a portion delimited within the illuminated area. For example, LED lighting or simply a laser may be provided, allowing only the area of ​​effect 151 to be delimited, without any significant change in the ambient brightness.Thus, in the example of Figure 8, the lighting means 150 illuminate a wider total area 152, and delimit a more restricted area of ​​effect 151 within the total area 152, in order to maximize the brightness while indicating a survival zone.

[0153] In accordance with the underlying concept of the invention, the device comprises communication means 140, corresponding to computing means. These computing means are for example grouped in an electronic device, for example a calculator. The elements of the calculator, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and / or in discrete components. The calculator can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computing) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0154] The computer comprises one (or more) processor(s) configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and / or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the computer. The processor may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The computer further comprises at least one memory corresponding for example to a volatile and / or non-volatile memory and / or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

[0155] The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is, for example, stored in the computer's memory.

[0156] Thus, the computer includes, implements, or even corresponds to the communication means 140. For example, an electronic card is provided embedded in the device 100 and corresponding to the communication means 140. The communication means 140 are configured to receive information representative of activation of the device 100 and to control the ventilation means 130 as a function of this information. The communication means 140 are for example also configured to control the lighting means 150. Receiving the information representative of activation then triggers both the ventilation means 130 for progressive purification of the smoke and lighting during a fire. According to another design, an audible alarm is also provided embedded in the device and controlled by the communication means 140.Advantageously, the communication means 140 are configured for communication with a trigger external to the device 100, the information representing activation being received from the external trigger.

[0157] The device 100 is for example integrated into a smoke extraction and smoke treatment system 10, for example the system of FIG. 10, or more generally in a wide variety of S SI.

[0158] Such a system 10 is thus integrated into a building 1, and comprises on the one hand one or more devices 100, on the other hand at least one trigger 11. The trigger 11 is connected by wire to the devices 100 and configured to transmit information representing activation to the devices 100, that is to say to the communication means 140 of the devices 100.

[0159] The trigger 11 comprises for example a manual trigger, in particular a BBG, allowing forced activation of the devices 100. In the example of Figure 10, on the contrary, a CMSI 11A is provided coupled to an SDI 11B. The trigger 11 thus controls the devices 100 in an automated or semi-automated manner. On the one hand, the SDI 11B receives information from one or more smoke detectors 12, on the other hand the CMSI 11A triggers one or more devices 100 according to the information received, by transmitting the information representative of activation. Obviously, it is also possible to couple a manual trigger to the system of Figure 10. Thus, the manual trigger allows forced activation in the event of non-detection of a fire or failure of the CMSI 11A.

[0160] Optionally, additional communications are provided between the trigger 11 and the devices 100, for example a control module 13. The control module 13 corresponds for example to a separate device, or is integrated into the trigger 11. The control module 13 thus receives one or more of the following information:

[0161] - information representative of the operation of the devices 100; and / or

[0162] - information representative of a power supply of the devices 100; and / or

[0163] - information representative of a charge level of a battery system 160 of the devices 100.

[0164] In addition to the communication means 140 and the external trigger 11, it is also possible to provide, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7, a smoke detector 170 integrated into the device 100. For example, a cover 115 associated with the lower wall 114 is provided, allowing access to the smoke detector 170 while arranging the smoke detector 170 in a cavity separate from the internal chamber, in order to protect the smoke detector 170 from unnecessary damage during operation of the device 100. The smoke detector 170 is for example coupled to the SDI 1 IB and / or to integrated triggering means of the device 100. The integrated triggering means are configured to control the ventilation means 130, and for example the lighting means 150 and the audible alarm, as a function of the information returned by the smoke detector 170.The integrated triggering means are for example merged with the communication means 140, which are then also configured to receive information from the smoke detector 170. This design thus allows autonomous activation of the device 100 in parallel with its communication with the trigger 11, for example in the event of early detection of the fire or in the event of failure of the trigger 11.

[0165] Figure 9 thus includes a graph 2 illustrating the effectiveness of the device 100 according to the invention according to two comparative tests during which the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are measured during a fire in an 8m enclosure. 3comprising approximately 500g of fuel. Figure 9 illustrates on the one hand the evolution of the oxygen level without device 21 and the evolution of the carbon dioxide level without device 23 during a first test, on the other hand the evolution of the oxygen level with device 22 and the evolution of the carbon dioxide level with device 24. The ambient brightness, impacted by the opacity of the fumes, is also measured by means of bulbs placed at the level of the flame start and in the middle of the enclosure. Other data not illustrated in Figure 9 are also measured, in particular the concentration of carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide as well as the ambient temperature.

[0166] A fire starts at a first time tl = 0s. At a second time t2, measured at 99s, the smoke is detected and the device 100 is triggered. At a third time t3, measured at 399s, the smoke has spread sufficiently to mask the light at the flame start, in the test without device 100. At a fourth time t4, measured at 570s, the smoke has spread sufficiently to mask the light in the middle of the enclosure, in the test without device 100. At a fifth time t5, after 615s, the enclosure is opened and begins to be ventilated naturally, and at a sixth time t6, after 765s, the fire is extinguished.

[0167] In particular, during the test with device 100, the fumes are treated efficiently enough that no lights are detected going out for the entire duration of the test. The device 100 can therefore successfully purify the atmosphere and increase visibility, which facilitates the intervention of the emergency services and the evacuation of the occupants, while reducing the panic effect in a room filled with smoke. By comparing the respective changes in the oxygen 21, 22 and carbon dioxide 23, 24 levels, it also appears that the device 100 made it possible to limit the drop in oxygen and the rise in carbon dioxide, by presenting smaller peaks. The Applicant submits in particular that the operation of the device 100 made it possible to reduce the temperature of the enclosure by 30%, which significantly delays the spread of fires and the conflagration of the room, and also creates a protective bubble at a lower temperature.Thus, the operation of device 100 results in a drop in temperature, leading to slower combustion and therefore maintaining the oxygen level over time, without requiring an additional supply of oxygen. The oxygen level with device 22 thus remains above 19% throughout the test.

[0168] Similarly, combustion delay combined with smoke filtration significantly reduces the carbon dioxide level, reaching a reduced peak of 31%, measured at 10300 ppmv (parts per million by volume, or vppm in English) with device 100 compared to 14900 ppmv without device 100. This filtration simultaneously reduces the carbon monoxide level by 6%, with a peak at 471 ppmv with device 100 compared to 500 ppmv without device 100, and eliminates hydrogen sulfide.

[0169] Thus, it will be understood that the present invention provides a smoke extraction and treatment device and system that can be integrated into a building and provides external communication for triggering the device. The device additionally has a simple, compact and autonomous design allowing its installation in a wide variety of rooms, without any particular constraints.

[0170] It should be noted that this detailed description relates to a particular embodiment of the present invention, but that in no case does this description have any limiting character with respect to the subject of the invention; on the contrary, its objective is to remove any possible imprecision or misinterpretation of the claims which follow.

[0171] It should also be noted that the reference signs placed in parentheses in the following claims are in no way limiting; these signs have the sole purpose of improving the intelligibility and understanding of the following claims as well as the scope of the protection sought.

Claims

Claims 1. Smoke extraction and fume treatment device (100) comprising: - a housing (110); - filtration means (120) associated with said housing (110); - ventilation means (130) configured to drive said fumes through said filtration means (120), wherein said housing (110) comprises an internal chamber having at least one upstream inlet (111) and at least one downstream outlet (112), said filtration means (120) being arranged along said downstream outlet (112), said ventilation means (130) being arranged upstream of said filtration means (120) and being configured to pressurize said internal chamber to a pressure greater than said downstream outlet (112), said device (100) being configured to be fixed to a ceiling, characterized in that said device (100) further comprises communication means (140) with a trigger external to said device (100),said communication means (140) being configured to receive by wire information representative of activation of said smoke extraction device (100) and to control said ventilation means (130) as a function of said information representative of activation., 2. Device (100) according to claim 1, which further comprises lighting means (150).

3. Device (100) according to claim 2, wherein said lighting means (150) are configured to illuminate an area corresponding to an area of ​​effect (151) of said device (100).

4. Device (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said communication means (140) are configured to control said lighting means (150) as a function of said activation representative information.

5. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said housing (110) is made of a non-combustible material or a non-flammable material.

6. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said ventilation means (130) comprise at least one fan.

7. Device (100) according to claim 6, wherein said ventilation means (130) comprise exactly two fans.

8. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, which further comprises a battery system (160) configured to ensure operation of said device (100) for a duration of between 20 minutes and 100 minutes.

9. Device (100) according to claim 8, wherein said battery system (160) is configured to ensure operation of said device (100) for a duration of between 20 minutes and 60 minutes.

10. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, which further comprises a smoke detector (170) and integrated triggering means configured to control said ventilation means (130) as a function of said smoke detector (170).

11. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, which further comprises at least one audible alarm.

12. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 11, which is configured to be fixed on said ceiling so that said upstream inlet (111) is arranged along a side wall of said housing (110) and said downstream outlet (112) is arranged along a lower wall (114) of said housing (110).

13. Device (100) according to claim 12, which comprises at least one suction opening provided along a side wall of said housing (110) and forming said upstream inlet (111), said at least one suction opening opening into said internal chamber.

14. Device (100) according to claim 13, which comprises a plurality of suction openings arranged around the entire circumference of said housing (110).

15. Device (100) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said at least one suction opening is arranged at least partly at a distance from an upper wall of said housing (110), said distance being less than 10 cm.

16. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 11, which is configured to be embedded in said ceiling so that said upstream inlet (111) and said downstream outlet (112) are both arranged along a lower wall (114) of said housing (110).

17. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein said filtration means (120) comprise a HEP A filter.

18. Device (100) according to claim 17, wherein said ventilation means (130) are configured to create a turbulent flow through said HEP filter A.

19. Device (100) according to claim 18, wherein said ventilation means (130) are configured to create an air flow through said HEP filter A, said air flow having a speed between 0.9 m / s and 5 m / s.

20. Device (100) according to one of claims 17 to 19, wherein said HEPA filter is not preceded by any prefilter.

21. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein said ventilation means (130) and said filtration means (120) are configured to ensure a filtered air flow rate of between 150 m 3 / h and 450 m 3 / h.

22. Use of a device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 21 for the filtration, in a room, of fumes contained in said room during a fire, and the discharge of said filtered fumes into said room.

23. System (10) for smoke extraction and treatment in a building (1) having at least one room provided with a ceiling, said system comprising: - a plurality of devices (100) according to one of claims 1 to 21, said devices (100) being associated with said ceiling; - at least one trigger (11) associated with said building (1), said trigger (11) being connected to said plurality of devices (100) by wire and configured to transmit information representative of activation of said plurality of devices (100).

24. System according to claim 23, wherein said at least one trigger (11) comprises at least one manual trigger.

25. System according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said at least one trigger (11) comprises at least one fire safety centralizer.

26. Building (1) equipped with a smoke extraction and smoke treatment system (10) according to one of claims 23 to 25.

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