Sprinkler with function of detecting water micro-leakage

Abstract

To provide a sprinkler with a function of detecting water micro-leakage, which is built in a building or factory to extinguish a fire, where leakage symptoms caused by wrong construction of the sprinkler, defects or corrosion of the sprinkler itself can be checked in advance with the naked eye of a manager, thereby in advance preventing technological accidents and quality accidents caused by water microleakage.SOLUTION: The sprinkler includes: a frame; a valve cap; a glass bulb; a deflector; and a layer of a hydrochromic paint applied onto a surface of a lower or upper end part of the deflector. When water microleakage occurs, the layer of the hydrochromic paint changes a color of a portion in which the water microleakage occurs.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sprinkler with a function for detecting minute water leaks, and more particularly to a sprinkler system that enables a manager to visually check in advance for water leakage symptoms caused by incorrect installation of sprinklers installed in buildings or factories for fire suppression, or defects or corrosion in the sprinkler itself, thereby preventing technical and quality accidents caused by water leakage. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, sprinkler systems are installed inside buildings and factories to quickly extinguish fires. In recent years, rapid market changes in factory facilities have led to frequent technical and quality accidents due to frequent water leakage caused by building modifications and aging sprinklers, and in the case of semiconductor factories, water leakage from sprinklers causes equipment failures and contamination of produced wafers every year, resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of won.

[0003] Specifically, companies that install and manage sprinklers deploy dozens of personnel to carry out maintenance and inspections to check in advance whether or not there is a leak, and the inspection period can take up to three months, which requires a lot of time and money.

[0004] In addition, most sprinklers are installed on the ceilings of buildings or factories, and must be inspected one by one using foam inspections or leak testers in high-altitude areas (where dangerous work is involved), so workers installing them are constantly exposed to safety accidents. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one embodiment of the present invention provides a sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function.

[0006] Another purpose is to enable managers to visually check for leaks caused by improper sprinkler installation or defects or corrosion in the sprinklers themselves, without having to deploy dozens of personnel working at height, by using sprinklers with water-discoloring paint on the ends (deflectors) of the sprinklers, and then to take appropriate action after visually checking for leaks.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to minimize safety and technical accidents using the product and method.

[0008] The technical problems that the present invention aims to achieve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a technical means for achieving the above-mentioned technical object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function, comprising a frame, a valve cap, a glass bulb, and a deflector, and further comprising a water-discoloring paint layer applied onto a surface of a lower end or an upper end of the deflector, wherein the water-discoloring paint layer discolors a portion where a micro-leak occurs when a micro-leak occurs.

[0010] The water-discoloring paint layer is coated to a thickness of 10 to 50 μm, and the coating may be performed by any one of a wet method, a dry method, and a spray method.

[0011] The water discoloration paint can be characterized by containing, relative to 100% by weight, 3 to 10% by weight of dye, 5 to 10% by weight of pigment, 10 to 25% by weight of synthetic resin, and the remaining amount being solvent.

[0012] The water discoloration paint may be characterized in that it contains 30 to 50% by weight of solid powder relative to 100% by weight of the water discoloration paint.

[0013] The water discoloring paint may be characterized by a pH range of 4-7.

[0014] The dye may be a pH indicator or a redox indicator, and may be any one of bromophenol blue (BPB), bromocresol green (BCG), indigo carmine (IC), and cresol red (CR).

[0015] The pigment may be an inorganic pigment selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, potassium hydroxide, zeolite, activated carbon, bentonite, and aluminum silicate.

[0016] The synthetic resin may be one or more selected from the group consisting of alkyd, acrylic polymer, polyester, phenol, melamine, urethane, silicone and ester.

[0017] The additive may be one or more selected from the group consisting of a curing accelerator, an adhesion promoter, a dispersant, and mixtures thereof.

[0018] The solvent may be at least one selected from the group consisting of water, alcohols, esters, ketones, ethers, and mixtures thereof.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting micro-leakage of a sprinkler including a frame, a valve cap, a glass bulb, and a deflector, the method including the steps of applying a water discoloring paint to a lower end or an upper end of the deflector, and detecting leakage based on a discoloration of the portion where the micro-leakage occurs when a micro-leakage occurs in the portion where the water discoloring paint layer is applied, wherein the water discoloring paint includes dyes, pigments, synthetic resins, additives, and solvents.

[0020] The method may further include drying the deflector by heat treatment at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. for 10 to 30 minutes after applying the water-discoloring paint to the upper or lower end of the deflector.

[0021] The step of applying the water discoloring paint may be characterized in that the water discoloring paint is applied multiple times. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, by applying water discoloring paint to the sprinkler fastening points and welding work points, the construction and management company can efficiently check whether or not there is a leak, resulting in cost savings, and preventing safety accidents because facility inspectors do not have to work at heights to inspect for leaks.

[0023] In addition, when a small leak occurs, the time to replace the sprinkler can be immediately detected with the naked eye by the discoloration of the deflector at the end of the sprinkler, and an inspector can immediately detect with the naked eye any defects in the sprinkler, corrosion due to aging, or improper construction.

[0024] Furthermore, after discoloration due to water leakage, the original color is restored and the item can be reused.

[0025] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, but include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the description of the present invention or the claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 2 is a flow chart showing a mixing procedure for manufacturing a water-color changing paint according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather as defined by the claims set forth below.

[0028] Incidentally, the terms used in the present invention are merely used to describe a particular embodiment and are not intended to limit the present invention. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context. Throughout the specification of the present invention, "including" a certain component does not exclude other components, and means that other components can be further included, unless otherwise specified to the contrary.

[0029] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected (connected, contacted, coupled)" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" through another member in between. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this does not exclude other components, and means that the part may further include other components, unless otherwise specified.

[0030] The terms used in this specification are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. A singular expression includes a plural expression unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context.

[0031] A first aspect of the present application provides a sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function, comprising a frame, a valve cap, a glass bulb, and a deflector, and further comprising a water-discoloring paint layer applied onto a surface of a lower end or an upper end of the deflector, wherein the water-discoloring paint layer discolors the part where a micro-leak occurs when a micro-leak occurs.

[0032] Hereinafter, the sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to the first aspect of the present application will be described in detail.

[0033] 1 is a flow chart showing the blending procedure for preparing a water-discoloring paint according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, a dye solution was prepared by mixing a dye and a solvent, and then a pigment was added to prepare a mixed dispersion liquid. After that, a high-pressure dispersion process was carried out, and a synthetic resin was added to prepare a mixed coating liquid. A second high-pressure dispersion process was carried out to prepare the water-discoloring paint.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present application, the water discoloration paint layer is coated to a thickness of 10 to 50 μm, and the coating may be performed by any one of wet, dry, and spray methods. If the thickness is outside the above range, the coating may become too thick or too thin, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of detecting small water leaks, and if the thickness is 50 μm or more, the water reaction time may be extended to 30 minutes or more, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of detecting small water leaks.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present application, the water-colorable paint may contain 3-10% by weight of dye, 5-10% by weight of pigment, 10-25% by weight of synthetic resin, and the remaining amount of solvent, based on 100% by weight of the water-colorable paint. The paint may also contain 2-5% by weight of additives. Preferably, the paint may contain 4.0-5.0% by weight of dye, 7.0-8.0% by weight of pigment, 20-25% by weight of synthetic resin, 3-5% by weight of additives, and about 60-70% by weight of solvent.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present application, the water discoloration paint may be characterized in that it contains 30 to 50% by weight of solid powder with respect to 100% by weight of the water discoloration paint.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present application, the deflector, which is the object to be coated, can be classified into no plating, STS plating, and brass substrate, and adhesion can be enhanced by primer treatment.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present application, after the coating, drying may be performed by heat treatment at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. for 10 to 30 minutes.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a sprinkler leak detection system using water discoloring paint according to an embodiment of the present invention. When moisture is detected where the water discoloring paint is applied, the color changes. As shown in FIG. 1, when a product coated with water discoloring paint (S10) is installed in a building or factory on a deflector that generates a sprinkler's water spray pattern, if there is an incorrect installation method or a defect in the sprinkler itself, moisture (H 2 O) is concentrated in the direction of gravity and gathers on the deflector S11 which is painted with water-discoloring paint, and a chemical reaction occurs with the water (water induces an oxidation reaction of the dye that makes up the paint, causing the deflector to discolor) and the deflector discolors (S12).

[0040] In addition, even if a sprinkler is installed normally and a small leak occurs due to deterioration or corrosion of the sprinkler long after it has been installed, a chemical reaction with moisture will occur and discoloration of the deflector (S12) will occur in the same way. Therefore, at that point, the manager can visually check when the sprinkler needs to be replaced.

[0041] In order to increase the reversibility and dryness of the water-changing paint application process, the method of incorporating additional solvents may be used.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present application, the water discoloration paint may include 30 to 50% by weight of solid powder based on 100% by weight of the water discoloration paint.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present application, the water-colorable paint may have a pH range of 4 to 7. If the pH is outside this range, the solid powder in the water-colorable paint may not maintain an optimal weight ratio, and the water leakage detection performance may be reduced.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present application, the dye may be a pH indicator or a redox indicator, and the pH indicator may be any one of bromophenol blue (BPB), bromocresol green (BCG), indigo carmine (IC), and cresol red (CR), and preferably indigo carmine (IC) may be used. In one embodiment of the present application, the pigment may be an inorganic pigment and may be any one of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, potassium hydroxide, zeolite, activated carbon, bentonite, and aluminum silicate, and preferably titanium dioxide may be used.

[0045] In an embodiment of the present application, the synthetic resin may be at least one selected from the group consisting of alkyd, acrylic polymer, polyester, phenol, melamine, urethane, silicone, and ester, and preferably, acrylic polymer.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present application, the additive may be at least one selected from a curing accelerator, an adhesion promoter, a dispersant, and a mixture thereof, and preferably, a dispersant may be selected.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present application, the solvent may be at least one selected from water, alcohol, ester, ketone, ether, and mixtures thereof, and preferably, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and water.

[0048] A second aspect of the present application provides a method for detecting micro-leakage from a sprinkler including a frame, a valve cap, a glass bulb, and a deflector, the method including the steps of applying a water-discoloring paint to a lower end or an upper end of the deflector, and detecting leakage based on discoloration of the portion where the micro-leakage occurs when a micro-leakage occurs in the portion where the water-discoloring paint layer is applied, wherein the water-discoloring paint includes dyes, pigments, synthetic resins, additives, and solvents.

[0049] The method for detecting micro-leakage from a sprinkler according to the second aspect of the present application will now be described in detail.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present application, after the step of applying the water-discoloring paint to the lower end or upper end of the deflector, the method may further include drying the paint by heat treatment for 10 to 30 minutes at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. If the temperature or heat treatment time is outside the above range, the coating uniformity may decrease, and the micro-leak detection performance may decrease.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of applying the water-discoloring paint may include applying the water-discoloring paint multiple times.

[0052] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0053] Examples 1 to 4: Preparation of water-discoloring paint

[0054] A water-discoloring paint was developed for sprinkler leak detection.

[0055] <Production of Dispersion> Each component was mixed according to content and then mixed at 6,000 rpm for 5 minutes using a homomixer to prepare a dispersion.

[0056] <Production of coating liquid> The prepared dispersion was mixed with resin in each content, and then mixed at 6,000 rpm for 15 minutes using a homomixer to prepare a coating solution.

[0057] <Defoaming work> A defoaming process was carried out to remove any remaining air bubbles in the coating solution. The defoaming process was carried out by mixing at 2,000 rpm for 5 minutes using a homomixer.

[0058] Table 1 below shows the content of each raw material constituting the water discoloration paint of Examples 1 to 4.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] Example 2: Coating a sprinkler deflector with water-discoloring paint

[0061] The water discoloration paints prepared in Examples 1 to 4 were coated to a thickness of 30 μm on the upper or lower end of the sprinkler using a spray method, and then heat-dried at a temperature of 150° C. for 10 minutes or more to harden and dry.

[0062] Experimental example 1: Performance evaluation of a sprinkler coated with water-discoloring paint during water leakage

[0063] The water discoloring paints prepared in Examples 1 to 4 were applied to a sprinkler deflector, and the performance during water leakage was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0064] [Table 2]

[0065] Experimental example 2: Evaluation of reactive dye modifications

[0066] Table 3 below shows the results of evaluating the reactivity of different dyes in water-discoloring paint.

[0067] [Table 3]

[0068] Experimental example 3: Reactivity test with water-discoloring paint coating

[0069] The micro-leakage reactivity of water discoloration paint was evaluated according to the number of times it was coated. Table 4 below shows the results of comparing the reactivity of water discoloration paint under conditions of one coating and two coatings.

[0070] The reaction solution was coated on a SUS plate with a thickness of 60 μm using a bar coating method and then dried with hot air for 10 minutes at 150° C. The reactivity was evaluated by dropping a drop of water onto the coating film and checking whether a reaction occurred.

[0071] [Table 4] Experimental Example 4: Reactivity evaluation of water-discoloring paint depending on application thickness

[0072] After producing the water discoloring paint, it was sprayed onto the bottom or top and bottom of the sprinkler deflector to a thickness of 10~30μm to detect water leakage.

[0073] Table 5 below shows the evaluation results of water reaction time according to coating thickness.

[0074] [Table 5]

[0075] Experimental Example 5: Evaluation of adhesion and hardness depending on drying conditions

[0076] After coating with the water discoloring paint, the adhesion and hardness were evaluated depending on the drying conditions, and the results are shown in Table 6 below.

[0077] [Table 6]

[0078] Experimental Example 6: Moisture resistance test of water-discoloring paint

[0079] The water discoloration paint of Example 1 was left in an environment of 20° C. and 85% RH for 100 hours, and then the moisture resistance was evaluated.

[0080] Table 7 below shows the durability and reactivity evaluation items of water discoloration paint.

[0081] [Table 7]

[0082] The above description of the present invention is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art may easily modify the present invention into other specific forms without departing from the scope of the technical concept and gist of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. For example, each component described as being single may be implemented in a distributed form, and similarly, each component described as being distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

[0083] The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims set forth below, and all modifications and variations that fall within the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A frame, Valve caps and A glass bulb and A deflector, Including, The deflector further includes a water-discoloring paint layer applied on a surface of the lower end or upper end of the deflector; The water-discoloring paint layer discolors the area where micro-leakage occurs when micro-leakage occurs. A sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function.

2. The water discoloring paint layer is coated to a thickness of 10 to 50 μm, The coating is applied by any one of wet, dry and spray methods.

2. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 1.

3. For 100% by weight of the water discoloration paint, Contains 3 to 10% by weight of dye, Contains 5 to 10% by weight of pigment; Contains 10 to 25% by weight of synthetic resin; Contains residual solvent 2. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 1.

4. The water discoloration paint contains 30 to 50% by weight of solid powder based on 100% by weight of the water discoloration paint.

2. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 1.

5. The water discoloring paint has a pH range of 4 to 7.

2. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 1.

6. The dye is a pH indicator or a redox indicator, and is any one of bromophenol blue (BPB), bromocresol green (BCG), indigo carmine (IC), and cresol red (CR). The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 3.

7. The pigment is an inorganic pigment and is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, potassium hydroxide, zeolite, activated carbon, bentonite, and aluminum silicate. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 3.

8. The synthetic resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of alkyd, acrylic polymer, polyester, phenol, melamine, urethane, silicone and ester. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 3.

9. The additive is at least one selected from a curing accelerator, an adhesion promoter, a dispersant, and mixtures thereof. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 3.

10. The solvent is at least one selected from water, alcohols, esters, ketones, ethers, and mixtures thereof. The sprinkler with a micro-leak detection function according to claim 3.

11. A method for detecting micro-leakage, comprising: a frame, a valve cap, a glass bulb, and a deflector, comprising: applying a water-discoloring paint to the lower or upper end of the deflector; detecting water leakage based on discoloration of the portion where the water-discoloring paint layer is applied when micro-water leakage occurs; Including, The water-discoloring paint includes dyes, pigments, synthetic resins, additives and solvents. A method for detecting micro-leakage from a sprinkler.

12. After applying the water-discoloring paint to the lower or upper end of the deflector, the paint is dried by heat treatment at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. for 10 to 30 minutes. The method for detecting micro-leakage of a sprinkler according to claim 11.

13. In the step of applying the water discoloration paint, Apply the water discoloring paint multiple times. The method for detecting micro-leakage of a sprinkler according to claim 11.

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