Dry Drop One-Way Valve Icing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current firefighting systems, particularly 'vacuum' systems used in cold rooms, face challenges with icing issues, high maintenance costs due to the need for replacing entire dry drops, and inefficiencies in water delivery times, which can lead professionals to opt for less effective 'air' or 'water' systems.
Innovation Solution
A dry drop design with a tubular body and a one-way valve that maintains pressure to prevent icing and ensures proper nozzle release upon fuse activation, allowing for quick and easy maintenance without removing the drop from the network, and compatibility with various sprinkler types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum systems are used in cold rooms, then icing issues are avoided, but maintenance costs increase due to the need for replacing entire dry drops
Solution Approach 1:
The dry drop is divided into separate functional components: the tubular body with one-way valve remains in the network, while only the sprinkler head and fuse assembly need replacement after activation. This segmentation allows the expensive tubular body to be reused while replacing only the consumable parts, significantly reducing maintenance costs compared to replacing the entire dry drop assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of the tubular body containing the one-way valve mechanism after fire suppression. Only the sprinkler head and fuse are discarded as consumables, while the valuable tubular body is retained and reinstalled with a new sprinkler head, implementing a recover-and-reuse strategy that reduces maintenance expenses.
2Reliability
If traditional dry drops are used in vacuum networks, then fire suppression is provided, but water delivery time is excessive (over 60 seconds)
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way valve is pre-installed in the tubular body during manufacturing, positioned to automatically open when vacuum pressure differential occurs during fire activation. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the fuse melts and sprinkler activates, water flow is immediately established without delay from valve operation, achieving rapid water delivery under 60 seconds.
3Ease of repair
If dry drops are designed for easy maintenance, then replacement is simplified, but compatibility with various sprinkler types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular body with one-way valve is designed as a universal interface that can accommodate multiple sprinkler head types and sizes. The standardized connection mechanism allows different sprinkler models to be mounted on the same tubular body, providing both easy maintenance through modular replacement and versatility in sprinkler selection for different fire suppression requirements.
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
Ensures reliable fire suppression by preventing icing, reducing maintenance costs, and ensuring rapid water delivery, while being adaptable to different sprinkler sizes and types, thus enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of vacuum firefighting systems.
Implementation Method 1
a gas injection means, arranged to inject gas into the inner chamber of the dry drop
Implementation Method 2
The fuse is calibrated so as to burst when a determined temperature is exceeded, thereby releasing the nozzle from its shutoff cap
Implementation Method 3
water, also under pressure, tends to 'push' air out of the installation until reaching the cleared orifice(s) so as to escape through the latter
Data Source
AI summary
A dry drop to be mounted in a fire protection installation of the type having a network of vacuum sprinklers. The dry drop includes a tubular body, a shutter and a one-way valve. The tubular body defines an inner chamber and has: a first end; a second end; and an orifice located between the first end and the second end. The shutter is movable between: a shutoff position in which it shuts off the first nozzle; and a passage position in which it is cleared from the first nozzle. The one-way valve is intended to be mounted in the orifice to enable the pressurization of the inner chamber by injection of a gas into the inner chamber, the inner pressure holding the shutter in its shutoff position.