Alarm Valve Station Delay Tank Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing alarm valve stations in fire extinguishing systems face high assembly and maintenance costs, along with an increased risk of leakage and functional impairment due to complex line arrangements for connecting delay tanks to multiple components.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a delay tank within the alarm valve station with multiple fluid inlets and outlets eliminates the need for external line arrangements, reducing assembly and maintenance efforts and the risk of leakage, while allowing for space-saving design and efficient fluid distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the delay tank is connected to multiple separate components via external line arrangements with fittings, then the alarm valve station can trigger fire alarms through multiple pressure sensors and alarm devices, but the assembly and maintenance costs increase and the risk of leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection capability to multiple componentsVSAvoidline arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple connection functions into the delay tank itself by integrating multiple fluid outlets directly on the tank body. This eliminates the need for external fittings and line arrangements, reducing assembly complexity and leakage risk while maintaining the capability to connect to multiple pressure sensors and alarm devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The delay tank is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating multiple fluid outlets that can simultaneously or selectively connect to different components (pressure sensors, alarm devices). This universal design allows a single component (the delay tank) to serve multiple connection purposes without requiring complex external line arrangements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the delay tank is connected to multiple separate components via external line arrangements, then the alarm valve station can distribute extinguishing fluid pressure to multiple components, but the assembly effort and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid distribution capabilityVSAvoidassembly and maintenance effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple fluid distribution functions into the delay tank by integrating multiple fluid outlets directly on the tank body. This eliminates the need for external fittings and complex line arrangements, significantly reducing assembly effort and maintenance costs while maintaining the capability to distribute extinguishing fluid pressure to multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the connection functions from external line arrangements and integrates them directly into the delay tank structure. By taking out the need for external fittings and connections, the design simplifies assembly and maintenance while preserving fluid distribution capability to multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If external line arrangements with fittings are used to connect the delay tank to multiple components, then the alarm valve station can connect to various alarm devices and pressure sensors, but the risk of leakage and functional failure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection capabilityVSAvoidleakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple connection functions into the delay tank by integrating multiple fluid outlets directly on the tank body. This eliminates external fittings and connection points, thereby eliminating potential leakage sources and reducing the risk of functional failure while maintaining the capability to connect to various alarm devices and pressure sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of external fittings (leakage risk) into a benefit by integrating connections directly into the delay tank structure. This design choice eliminates the harmful leakage risk associated with external fittings while preserving the beneficial connection capability to multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration significantly reduces assembly and maintenance costs, minimizes the risk of leakage, and optimizes space usage by integrating the delay tank within the alarm valve station, ensuring reliable and efficient fluid distribution for triggering fire alarms.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure builds up at the pressure sensor, which is evaluated as an event for the generation of an alarm signal when a sufficiently large quantity of extinguishing fluid flows into the alarm line or the delay tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the stub line is fluidly connected to a pressure sensor, which detects the pressure change in the stub line caused by the inflowing extinguishing fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure detection: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 3

When a certain pressure difference is reached, the closing body, which is located in the alarm valve and is closed when the alarm valve is in the idle state, is opened

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3416731B1Alarm valve station of a fire extinguishing system, and fire extinguishing system
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 MINIMAX GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3416731B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3416731B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3416731B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an alarm valve station (1), in particular a wet alarm valve station, of a fire extinguishing system (100), having an alarm valve (3) with an extinguishing fluid inlet (5) and an extinguishing fluid outlet (7), wherein the alarm valve (3) has a closing body which can be moved back-and-forth between a blocking state and a release state, wherein the fluid inlet chamber and the fluid outlet chamber are separated from one another in the blocking state and communicate with one another fluidically in the release state; with an alarm triggering device (9) for triggering a fire alarm, which is connected to the alarm valve (3); and with a delay container (11a, 11b) in order to delay triggering of the fire alarm, wherein the alarm valve (3) is fluidically connected to a fluid inlet (13) of the delay container (11a, 11b), and a fluid outlet (15a-15c) of the delay container (11a, 11b) is fluidically connected to the alarm triggering device (9). The invention proposes that the delay container (11a, 11b) has multiple fluid inlets (13) and/or multiple fluid outlets (15a-15c).