Control device and fire-extinguishing equipment including control device

Abstract

The present invention provides: a control device for aerosol gas emitters with which it is possible to limit the required level of the power source of the control device; and fire-extinguishing equipment including the control device. This control device is characterized by comprising a discharge circuit for outputting a discharge instruction signal to each of a plurality of aerosol gas emitters, and a discharge control circuit for controlling the discharge circuit, wherein the discharge control circuit causes the discharge circuit to output the discharge instruction signals at set time intervals.

Description

Control device and fire extinguishing equipment including the control device

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for activating a plurality of aerosol gas emitters and a fire extinguishing system including the control device.

[0002] The applicant disclosed in Patent Document 1 (International Publication No. WO2017 / 134703) a fire extinguishing composition that can extinguish and suppress fires by generating an aerosol through combustion.

[0003] International Publication No. WO2017 / 134703

[0004] The applicant continued to develop a fire extinguishing system incorporating a fire extinguishing composition, eventually developing an aerosol gas dispenser that is activated by an electrical signal from a control device. When multiple aerosol gas dispensers are installed in a facility or equipment to be protected, if a control device is used that simultaneously sends an activation signal to all of the aerosol gas dispensers, the power requirements for the control device increase as the number of aerosol gas dispensers increases, which leads to increased costs for the control device.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device for an aerosol gas emitter that can reduce the required level of power supply for the control device, and a fire extinguishing facility that includes the control device.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a control device comprising: a discharge circuit that outputs a discharge instruction signal to each of a plurality of aerosol gas emitters; and a discharge control circuit that controls the discharge circuit, wherein the discharge control circuit outputs the discharge instruction signal to the discharge circuit at set time intervals. Here, the discharge control circuit may output one discharge instruction signal or multiple discharge instruction signals at the same time.

[0007] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the release instruction signal is a pulse signal having a predetermined pulse width, and the time interval is longer than the predetermined pulse width.

[0008] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the time interval is approximately 0.1 sec to 30.0 sec.

[0009] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined pulse width is 80 msec to 120 msec.

[0010] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the time interval be set based on the time by which a predetermined amount of aerosol gas fire extinguishing agent must be completely sprayed into the protected area, the spray time of one aerosol gas sprayer, and the number of aerosol gas sprayers installed in the protected area.

[0011] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the release control circuit changes the time interval to a value greater than the set value when the measurement data of the pressure sensor installed in the protected area indicates a pressure increase greater than the threshold value.

[0012] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the time interval is variable from a set value in response to an operation by an operator.

[0013] In the control device of the present invention, it is preferable that the order of emission of the plurality of aerosol gas emitters is set in accordance with an operation by an operator.

[0014] The present invention also provides a fire extinguishing system comprising: a control device according to any one of the above; and a plurality of aerosol gas emitters that are activated by a release instruction signal from the control device.

[0015] According to the present invention, the discharge control circuit of the control device causes the discharge circuit to output discharge instruction signals to multiple aerosol gas emitters at set time intervals, preventing the output of multiple discharge instruction signals overlapping in time. This reduces the required power supply level of the control device. Furthermore, since pressure relief measures must be taken in the building to be protected, the specifications of the pressure relief rise prevention device, which prevents a sudden rise in pressure that can occur when multiple aerosol gas emitters are discharged at once, can be reduced, leading to cost savings.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a facility including a fire extinguishing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of installation of an aerosol gas emitter in a facility. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol gas emitter 3. Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the aerosol gas emitter 3. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device 5. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the emission timing of a plurality of aerosol gas emitters 3 and the amount of agent emitted.

[0017] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a fire extinguishing system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these drawings. Furthermore, since the drawings are intended to conceptually explain the present invention, dimensions, ratios, or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary to facilitate understanding.

[0018] 1. Overview of the Fire Extinguishing System 1 The fire extinguishing system 1 according to this embodiment is installed in a protected object 9. Examples of the protected object 9 include, but are not limited to, facilities such as parking lots, server rooms, machine rooms, bookcases, and art storage rooms. In this embodiment, the fire extinguishing system 1 is installed in a multi-story parking lot.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the fire extinguishing system 1 includes an aerosol gas dispenser 3 (hereinafter abbreviated as dispenser 3) and a control device 5. The fire extinguishing system 1 may further include a sensor, an operation box (manual activation device), etc. The control device 5 may constitute a part of a control panel.

[0020] An overview of the fire extinguishing system 1 will now be described. One or more dispensers 3 are installed in a protected area 91 of a protected object 9, and in the event of a fire, spray a fire-extinguishing aerosol into the protected area 91. The dispensers 3 are attached to, for example, the ceiling or wall of the structure. The dispensers 3 may be attached directly to the structure, or may be installed on the structure via a support such as a metal rack (see FIGS. 2(A) and (B)).

[0021] 1, a multi-story parking garage with one basement floor and six aboveground floors constitutes one protected area 91, within which a total of 48 fire extinguishing devices 3 are installed. Of course, one multi-story parking garage may be divided into multiple protected sections 91, and one or more fire extinguishing systems 1 may be installed in each of the protected sections 91.

[0022] The control device 5 controls the activation of the emitter 3 based on the output signal of the sensor or the operation box. The sensor detects flames, smoke, etc. in the protected area 91 where it is installed, and outputs a detection signal to the control device 5. The operation box is installed outside the protected area 91, and outputs an operation signal to the control device 5 in response to manual operation by a person (for example, pressing a button).

[0023] 2. Aerosol Gas Discharger 3 Next, the configuration of the discharger 3 will be described.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, the radiator 3 has a main body 30. The main body 30 is made of a metal or its alloy, preferably stainless steel. The main body 30 includes an activation part 31, a fire extinguishing agent 33, a housing 35, and a radiator nozzle 37 as its components.

[0025] The starting component 31 is a component that initiates the reaction of the extinguishing agent 33, and may also be called an ignition device. The starting component 31 mainly consists of an electric heater and an ignition agent (ignition agent) (neither of which is shown). The electric heater generates heat upon receiving a signal from the control device 5, and the ignition agent generates heat in response to the heat generated by the electric heater. The heat generated by the ignition agent initiates the thermal decomposition reaction of the extinguishing agent 33.

[0026] The extinguishing agent 33 generates an aerosol by thermal decomposition. The extinguishing agent 33 may be packaged in a protective film such as aluminum to prevent moisture absorption and protect the surface. In this embodiment, the total weight of the extinguishing agent 33 loaded in one sprayer 3 is approximately 2.0 to 2.2 kg, but is not limited to this.

[0027] The fire extinguishing agent 33 will be described in more detail below. However, the fire extinguishing agent may have any composition as long as it generates a fire-extinguishing aerosol (for example, potassium radicals).

[0028] The fire extinguisher composition preferably contains 20 to 50 mass % of a fuel (component A) and 80 to 50 mass % of a chlorate (component B), and further contains 6 to 1,000 mass parts of a potassium salt (component C) per 100 mass parts of the total amount of the fuel and the chlorate, and has a thermal decomposition initiation temperature in the range of more than 90°C to 260°C.

[0029] The fuel, which is the component A, generates thermal energy by combustion together with the chlorate, which is the component B, and generates an aerosol (potassium radical) derived from the potassium salt, which is the component C.

[0030] The fuel for component A is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of dicyandiamide, nitroguanidine, guanidine nitrate, urea, melamine, melamine cyanurate, Avicel, guar gum, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, potassium carboxymethylcellulose, ammonium carboxymethylcellulose, nitrocellulose, aluminum, boron, magnesium, magnalium, zirconium, titanium, titanium hydride, tungsten, and silicon.

[0031] The chlorate salt of component B is a strong oxidizing agent that generates thermal energy when burned together with the fuel of component A, and is a component that generates an aerosol (potassium radical) derived from the potassium salt of component C.

[0032] The chlorate of component B is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium chlorate, sodium chlorate, strontium chlorate, ammonium chlorate and magnesium chlorate.

[0033] The content ratios of the fuel of component A and the chlorate of component B in a total of 100% by mass are as follows: Component A: 20 to 50% by mass, preferably 25 to 40% by mass, more preferably 25 to 35% by mass Component B: 80 to 50% by mass, preferably 75 to 60% by mass, more preferably 75 to 65% by mass

[0034] Next, the potassium salt of the C component is a component for generating an aerosol (potassium radical) by the thermal energy generated by the combustion of the A and B components.

[0035] The potassium salt of component C is preferably selected from at least one of potassium acetate, potassium propionate, monopotassium citrate, dipotassium citrate, tripotassium citrate, monopotassium trihydrogen ethylenediaminetetraacetate, dipotassium dihydrogen ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tripotassium monohydrogen ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tetrapotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, potassium hydrogen phthalate, dipotassium phthalate, potassium hydrogen oxalate, dipotassium oxalate, and potassium bicarbonate.

[0036] The content of component C is preferably 6 to 1,000 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 900 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of components A and B.

[0037] Furthermore, the fire extinguisher composition has a thermal decomposition initiation temperature in the range of more than 90° C. to 260° C., preferably more than 150° C. to 260° C. Such a range of the thermal decomposition initiation temperature can be adjusted by combining the above-mentioned Components A, B, and C in the above-mentioned ratios.

[0038] In the fire extinguishing composition, components A and B are automatically ignited and burned upon receiving heat from an ignition device, generating an aerosol (potassium radical) derived from component C.

[0039] In this embodiment, the fire extinguisher composition is used as a molded body. The molded body has an apparent density of 1.0 g / cm ３ The above-mentioned materials are preferred, and they can be formed into the shape of, for example, granules, pellets of a desired shape (cylindrical or the like), tablets, spheres, discs, or the like.

[0040] The extinguishing agent 33 may be formed as a single piece or may be divided into multiple small pieces. In the latter case, the extinguishing agents 33 may be arranged in a substantially concentric pattern within the main body 30. Alternatively, any one of the extinguishing agents 33 may be arranged opposite the initiating component 31, and may have a recess into which the tip of the initiating component 31 is inserted.

[0041] The housing 35 contains the fire extinguishing agent 33 and stores it isolated from the outside air. The housing 35 is substantially cylindrical and has an internal storage space for the fire extinguishing agent 33. A discharge port 37 is arranged on the front surface 351 of the housing 35 (the surface on the protected compartment 91 side, or it may also be called a lid). The discharge port 37 is an opening for discharging the aerosol gas inside the housing 35 to the outside. The discharge port 37 is, for example, a substantially circular hole, and it is preferable that a plurality of discharge ports 37 be provided.

[0042] From the viewpoint of spraying the aerosol gas evenly into the protected compartment 91, the emission ports 37 are preferably arranged concentrically and at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the front surface 351 of the housing 35. The emission ports 37 are preferably sealed with a sheet material 371 to normally seal the main body 30. When the internal pressure of the housing 35 reaches approximately a threshold value, the sheet material 371 breaks to open the emission ports 37 and release the aerosol gas from the emission ports 37.

[0043] 3, the main body 30 is housed in a storage box 20 for protection and attachment to an installation surface. The storage box 20 includes a substantially plate-shaped back plate 21, a storage box housing 23 that opens toward the front (toward the protected compartment 91) and the rear (the side opposite the front), and a storage box cover 25.

[0044] The back plate 21 is a substantially square plate material. One surface of the back plate 21 is fixed to the installation surface, and the main body 30 is attached to the other surface. The storage box housing 23 is a substantially square frame that surrounds and protects the main body 30 and is attached to the back plate 21. The storage box cover 25 is a substantially rectangular plate material made of punched metal 251. The diameter of each hole formed in the punched metal 251 is preferably larger than the diameter of the radiation port 37 and is preferably arranged regularly at predetermined intervals.

[0045] 3. Control Device 5 Next, a description will be given of the functional configuration of the control device 5. Here, the control device 5 constitutes a part of a control panel, but is not limited to this.

[0046] 5, the control device 5 includes a discharge circuit 51 and a discharge control circuit 53. The control device 5 or the control panel may be provided with a sensing signal receiving circuit 55, an operation signal receiving circuit 57, a power supply 59, and the like.

[0047] The emission circuit 51 is electrically connected to the emitter 3 (activation component 31) and can output an emission instruction signal to the emitter 3. The emission circuit 51 may be a single circuit or may be composed of multiple circuits. One emission circuit 51 is electrically connected to one or multiple (n; n = 1, 2, ...) radiators 3 and can output an emission instruction signal to each of the connected radiators 3. In this embodiment, six emission circuits 51 are installed, and eight radiators 3 are connected to each emission circuit 51.

[0048] A pulse signal can be suitably used as the discharge instruction signal. The value of the starting current output as the discharge instruction signal may be, for example, approximately 2 A to 4 A. Furthermore, when a rectangular wave is used as the pulse signal, the discharge instruction signal preferably has a pulse width of 80 msec to 120 msec.

[0049] The emission control circuit 53 controls the emission circuit 51. That is, the emission control circuit 53 causes the emission circuit 51 to output an emission instruction signal at preset time intervals.

[0050] The time intervals are set so that multiple emission instruction signals do not overlap. When a rectangular wave is used as the emission instruction signal, it is preferable that the interval between the output of the emission instruction signal is greater than the pulse width of the emission instruction signal. This prevents multiple emission instruction signals from overlapping each other, reduces the power supply current required to output multiple emission instruction signals, and ultimately reduces the performance requirements of the power supply 59. This leads to cost reduction. The output interval of the emission instruction signal may be, for example, 0.1 sec to 30.0 sec.

[0051] More specifically, the output interval of the discharge instruction signal may be set based on the time required to complete the discharge of a predetermined amount of aerosol gas fire extinguishing agent into the protected area 91, the discharge time of one dispenser 3, and the number of dispensers 3 installed in the protected area 91. That is, the discharge interval may be set based on the following formula: Discharge interval = (time required to complete the discharge of the fire extinguishing agent - discharge time of one dispenser) / (number of dispensers - 1). Note that a buffer may be taken into account when calculating the discharge interval.

[0052] In this embodiment, the following conditions are met in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Service Act Enforcement Regulations (for example, Article 19 (Standards for Inert Gas Fire Extinguishing Equipment)): - The discharge time of one discharger is 10 seconds or less, and - The required amount of extinguishing agent for the protected area is discharged within 60 seconds.

[0053] In the case illustrated in Figure 6, a buffer of 5 seconds is set, and all discharge of the fire extinguishing agent 33 is completed within 55 seconds. It is also assumed that the discharge time per dispenser 3 is approximately 10 seconds. 48 dispensers 3 are installed within the protected area 91. Therefore, the discharge interval is calculated by the following formula: (60 - 5 - 10) / (48 - 1) = 0.95 seconds.

[0054] From the viewpoint of the amount of drug radiated into the protected area 91, the amount of radiated drug increases in proportion to the time elapsed since the first release instruction signal was received by the radiator 3. Then, the release of the amount of drug required for the protected area 91 is completed in about 50 seconds from the start, and thereafter, the entire amount of drug that has been placed is released by 55 seconds from the start.

[0055] The activation order of the multiple emitters 3 (i.e., the order in which the release instruction signals are sent) may be set, for example, as follows: It is preferable that the aerosol gas emitted from the emitters be dispersed as uniformly or evenly as possible throughout the space. Therefore, it is preferable to activate the emitters in an order that allows for as uniform or even dispersion as possible. That is, the emitters 3 may be activated in order, starting with the one located farthest from the exhaust vent or pressure relief vent. This is to allow the emitted aerosol gas to remain in the protected area 91 for as long as possible. For example, if the exhaust vent or pressure relief vent is located at an upper position, the emitters 3 may be activated in order starting from the lower ones. Alternatively, if the exhaust vent or pressure relief vent is located at a lower position, the emitters 3 may be activated in order starting from the upper ones. Alternatively, the emitters 3 may be activated in order of proximity to the detector that first detected the fire. This is for efficient fire extinguishing and suppression. Alternatively, if multiple emitters 3 are installed horizontally at regular intervals along the wall of a certain floor, the emitters 3 at one end (or the other end) may be activated in order. Alternatively, when multiple emitters 3 are arranged in a roughly U-shape along the wall surface of a floor, they may be activated in sequence from the base emitter 3 toward the emitters 3 on both sides. In any case, it is preferable to arrange the multiple emitters 3 so as to diffuse the aerosol gas approximately uniformly or evenly throughout the space, depending on the size, aspect ratio, etc. of the protected area.

[0056] Next, the power supply 59 will be described. The power supply 59 is a DC power supply that supplies power to the electrical components of the control panel, including the discharge circuit 51 and the discharge control circuit 53. When a plurality of discharge circuits 51 are provided, the power supply 59 supplies power to each of the discharge circuits 51. In this embodiment, the rated current of the power supply 59 is, for example, 7 A, which is adopted as the rated current of a general control panel.

[0057] For example, if the maximum output of the discharge circuit 51 is 7 A and it takes 3 A to output one discharge instruction signal (pulse signal), then the maximum number of signals that can be output simultaneously is two. In this regard, by outputting the discharge instruction signals with a predetermined time difference as in this embodiment, the rated current of the power supply 59 can be reduced. This reduces the performance requirements of the power supply 59, making it easier to use existing equipment and reducing implementation costs.

[0058] The following describes the operation of the fire extinguishing system 1. The fire extinguishing system 1 constantly monitors the protected area 91 via sensors.

[0059] When the detector detects an abnormality such as a flame or smoke, or when the operation box detects a user operation, it outputs a signal to the control panel (control device 5). In response to the signal, the control panel displays a flame and sounds a buzzer to notify of the occurrence of a flame. The control panel also issues a release alarm to urge evacuation from the protected area 91.

[0060] After a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the signal, the emission control circuit 53 instructs the emission circuit 51 to output an emission instruction signal to the plurality of radiators 3. At this time, the interval at which the emission instruction signal is output is preset as described above, and may be, for example, 0.95 seconds. This reduces the performance requirements of the power supply 59, making it possible to use conventional equipment and reducing installation costs. On the other hand, when simultaneously transmitting emission instruction signals, the rated current of the power supply 59 must satisfy, for example, 3 [A] × n [units]. For example, to simultaneously activate 48 radiators 3, an expensive power supply device capable of 144 [A] is required.

[0061] The operation of one fire extinguisher 3 will now be described. When the fire extinguisher 3 receives a discharge command signal from the control panel (control device 5), an activation current flows through the electric wire of the activation component 31. This causes the electric heater (not shown) to generate heat, causing the activator (not shown) to react. The reaction heat of the activator starts the reaction of the central fire extinguishing agent 33 first. The reaction then spreads to the surrounding fire extinguishing agents 33, until all of the fire extinguishing agent 33 loaded in the fire extinguisher 3 reacts. The reaction of the fire extinguishing agent 33 generates aerosol gas, which fills the casing 35 of the main body 30. This increases the internal pressure of the casing 35. When the internal pressure of the casing 35 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the sheet material 371 of the discharge port 37 is torn, opening the discharge port 37. This causes the aerosol gas to be discharged from the discharge port 37 through the storage box cover 25 into the protected compartment 91. When all of the fire extinguishing agent 33 has reacted, the discharge of the aerosol gas stops. The duration of the aerosol gas emission varies depending on the amount and arrangement of the extinguishing agent 33, but in this embodiment it is set to approximately 10 seconds.

[0062] Therefore, the multiple sprayers 3 start spraying aerosol gas one after another at the above-mentioned time intervals, and the multiple sprayers 3 as a whole release the aerosol gas required to extinguish the fire in the protected section 91 (see FIG. 6 ). The time from the start to the end of spraying falls within a preset time (e.g., 60 seconds). In other words, by appropriately controlling the multiple sprayers 3, it is possible to prevent a pressure increase inside the protected section, and to obtain an inexpensive fire extinguishing system 1 that requires only a small electrical capacity even when multiple sprayers are activated.

[0063] The above describes a fire extinguishing system that is one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this. Various design modifications are possible as long as the technical concept of the present invention is maintained, and all such design modifications are included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0064] For example, as an additional measure to avoid a sudden rise in the internal pressure of the protected area, the spray interval of the multiple sprayers 3 may be slightly wider than the set value when the internal pressure rises. That is, when the increase in pressure measured by a pressure sensor installed in the protected area exceeds a reference value or threshold value (500 Pa for an allowable pressure of 650 Pa in the protected area in the example of FIG. 1 ), the control device 5 (discharge control circuit 53) may change the spray interval of the multiple sprayers 3 to a value greater than the set value, and thereafter operate the multiple sprayers 3 at this changed spray interval. However, since the time required to complete the spraying of the fire extinguishing agent must be observed, the setting change shall be made within an allowable range. For example, if a buffer is set, the allowable range may be set based on the buffer and the number of sprayers 3 that have not yet been sprayed (for example, using the following formula): Allowable range = Buffer / Number of sprayers that have not yet been sprayed

[0065] Furthermore, the emission intervals of the multiple emitters 3 may be changeable on-site throughout the entire system. For example, the control device 5 (emission control circuit 53) may change the emission intervals to a value greater than the set value (for example, in the range of 0.1 sec to 30.0 sec) in response to an operator's operation based on the results of simulations or the experience of the on-site operator. Conversely, the emission intervals may be changed to a value smaller than the set value in accordance with the arrangement and situation of the emitters, and within a range that does not cause a sudden increase in pressure within the protected area.

[0066] The order of emission of the plurality of radiators 3 may be set so that it can be selected appropriately by the worker, which makes construction easier. In other words, the control device 5 (emission control circuit 53) may set the order of emission of the plurality of radiators 3 in accordance with the operation of the worker.

[0067] Furthermore, the release control circuit may output one release instruction signal at the same time, or may output multiple release instruction signals at the same time. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the release control circuit outputs one release instruction signal at the same time, but the release control circuit may output multiple release instruction signals at the same time. Alternatively, the release control circuit may basically output one (or multiple) release instruction signals at the same time, but may increase (or decrease) the number of release instruction signals to be output at the same time at certain timings.

[0068] 1 Fire extinguishing equipment 3 Aerosol gas emitter 5 Control device 51 Discharge circuit 53 Discharge control circuit 59 Power supply 91 Protected area

Claims

1. A control device comprising: a discharge circuit that outputs a discharge instruction signal to each of a plurality of aerosol gas emitters; and a discharge control circuit that controls the discharge circuit, wherein the discharge control circuit outputs the discharge instruction signal to the discharge circuit at set time intervals.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the release instruction signal is a pulse signal having a predetermined pulse width, and the time interval is longer than the predetermined pulse width.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the time interval is 0.1 sec to 30.0 sec.

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined pulse width is 80 msec to 120 msec.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the time interval is set based on the time required to complete the spraying of a predetermined amount of aerosol gas fire extinguishing agent into the protected area, the spraying time of one aerosol gas dispenser, and the number of aerosol gas dispensers installed in the protected area.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the release control circuit changes the time interval to a value greater than the set value when measurement data from a pressure sensor installed in the protected area indicates a pressure increase equal to or greater than a threshold value.

7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the time interval is variable from a set value in response to an operation by an operator.

8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the order of emission of the plurality of aerosol gas emitters is set in accordance with an operator's operation.

9. A fire extinguishing system comprising: the control device according to claim 1; and a plurality of aerosol gas emitters that are activated by a release instruction signal from said control device.

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