Method and system for reducing carbon monoxide in a building
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CO purge systems for properties do not adequately consider CO levels outside the building, potentially exacerbating fires by venting air with low oxygen outside and drawing in air with high oxygen inside, and fail to identify compartmentalized fires, leading to ineffective CO reduction strategies.
Innovation Solution
A CO purge system that determines CO levels both inside and outside the property, uses sensors to detect fires and compartmentalization, and selectively disables CO sources like heating systems and appliances to mitigate CO levels, while strategically venting air to prevent oxygen from reaching fires and to reduce CO concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If air is vented from inside the property to outside to reduce CO levels, then CO concentration inside the property is reduced, but oxygen from outside may fuel an existing fire
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of fire conditions and CO levels before initiating venting operations. By checking fire sensors and comparing indoor/outdoor CO concentrations in advance, the system determines whether venting is safe, thereby preventing the harmful effect of fueling a fire while still enabling CO reduction when safe
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors CO levels both inside and outside the property, as well as fire sensor status, and uses this feedback to dynamically control the HVAC system. This closed-loop control ensures venting operations are adjusted in real-time based on current conditions, preventing fire escalation while maintaining effective CO removal
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
Effectively reduces CO levels inside the property by determining the source of CO, preventing oxygen from fueling fires, and ensuring safe air is provided to occupied areas without increasing CO levels outside, thereby enhancing safety and fire control.
Implementation Method 1
obtain a first reading from a carbon monoxide sensor that indicates a concentration of carbon monoxide inside a building
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, purging carbon monoxide (CO) from within a property. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of obtaining a reading from a carbon monoxide sensor in a property, determining that carbon monoxide in a property satisfies a carbon monoxide criteria based on the reading from the carbon monoxide sensor, obtaining a reading from a fire sensor, determining that a fire is not in the property based on the reading from the fire sensor, and in response to determining that carbon monoxide in the property satisfies the carbon monoxide criteria and that a fire is not in the property, triggering air in the property to be vented outside the property.