Extended-Coverage Dry Pendent Sprinkler With Annular Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dry sprinklers used in freezing environments are heavy, expensive, and have limited coverage due to their design, which restricts flow rates and requires larger, heavier construction, leading to delayed operation and increased installation difficulty.
Innovation Solution
A dry sprinkler design featuring a translating member that allows fluid to flow around it within the casing tube, rather than through an inner tube, supporting an inlet seal assembly and translating between positions to release the seal upon actuation, enabling higher flow rates and extended coverage areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional dry sprinklers use an inner tube design with small gap between inner tube and outer casing, then the sprinkler structure is compact, but the flow rate is limited and the sprinkler becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the inner tube component from the sprinkler design, extracting the flow restriction problem. By eliminating the inner tube that limited flow through a small gap, water can flow directly through the enlarged inlet orifice and the space between the outer casing and the translating member, achieving higher flow rates without the weight penalty of a complex inner tube structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the inlet orifice diameter parameter to be larger (at least 1 inch) compared to conventional designs. This parameter change allows increased flow rate while the translating member design ensures the sprinkler can still withstand supply pressures by providing adequate support area for the inlet seal assembly
2Productivity
If conventional dry sprinklers increase inlet size to accommodate large flow rates, then flow rate increases, but the sprinkler requires heavier construction to withstand pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a translating member that dynamically moves between positions to provide pressure support. In the normal state, the translating member supports the inlet seal assembly to withstand supply pressure. Upon actuation, the translating member translates away, allowing flow while maintaining pressure integrity through the seal assembly's contact with the translating member
Solution Approach 2:
The translating member acts as an intermediary between the enlarged inlet orifice and the pressure containment system. It provides the necessary support area for the inlet seal assembly to withstand pressure, while allowing the inlet itself to be enlarged for higher flow rates. The translating member mediates between the conflicting requirements of large inlet size and pressure withstanding capability
3Productivity
If conventional dry sprinklers use larger inlet fittings to increase flow rate, then flow rate increases, but installation becomes more difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the inlet orifice diameter to at least 1 inch, which provides high flow rates while using standard, readily available fitting sizes. This parameter choice balances flow requirements with ease of installation, avoiding the need for custom or oversized fittings that would increase installation difficulty and cost
4Area of stationary object
If conventional dry sprinklers are designed for extended coverage area, then coverage increases, but the sprinkler weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the inner tube that limited flow capacity, enabling the sprinkler to achieve higher flow rates needed for extended coverage areas. By extracting this flow-limiting component, the sprinkler can cover larger areas without requiring proportionally heavier construction, as the simplified design reduces weight while the enlarged inlet maintains high flow capability
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
The new design achieves higher K-factors, reduced weight, and increased coverage area, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective installation with fewer sprinklers needed per area, while maintaining reliable operation in freezing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the translating member is configured to axially translate from a first position, in which the translating member is supported by the outlet seat assembly and retains the inlet seal assembly in a sealed state, to a second position, in which the translating member is not supported by the outlet seat assembly and releases the inlet seal assembly
Implementation Method 2
fluid, such as water, flows around the translating member and between the translating member and a casing tube, utilizing a cross-sectional area of the casing tube
Implementation Method 3
the operating element responds to a high-temperature condition sufficient to fracture the temperature-sensitive element 10, releasing the temperature-sensitive element 10 from the sprinkler
Implementation Method 4
a sealing washer 5, positioned in a seat in the inlet fitting 3, for creating a seal between the dry sprinkler and the supply conduit when the dry sprinkler is in an unactuated state
Data Source
AI summary
A dry sprinkler has a casing tube having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice. When the sprinkler is in a non-actuated state, an inlet seal assembly operatively seals the inlet orifice and an outlet seat assembly operatively seals the outlet orifice. A translating member extends through the casing tube between an inlet and an outlet. The translating member axially translates from a first position, in which the translating member retains the inlet seal assembly in a sealed state, to a second position, in which the translating member releases the inlet seal assembly, toward the outlet when the outlet seat assembly is released. The sprinkler has a nominal K-factor greater than 17 gpm/(psi)1/2. A difference between a cross-sectional area of the casing tube and a cross-sectional area bounded by an outer perimeter of the translating member is more than 30% of the cross-sectional area of the casing tube.