Fire Damper Tension Element for External Function Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire dampers cannot be checked for functionality from outside the damper, and it is impossible to determine the position of the damper blade halves without disassembly, as the retaining element only triggers during a fire.
Innovation Solution
A fire damper design incorporating a tension element with a fixing device that can be actuated from outside the housing, allowing the damper blade halves to be displaced between open and closed positions using a tension element that interacts with the damper blade halves through a recess in the housing wall, and a holding element that melts during a fire to pivot the blades closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fire damper uses a holding element that only triggers during a fire, then the fire safety function is ensured, but the damper cannot be checked for functionality from outside the housing
Solution Approach 1:
A tension element is introduced as an intermediary component that connects the internal damper blade mechanism to the external environment. This tension element passes through a guide opening in the housing wall, allowing external forces to be transmitted to the internal mechanism without requiring disassembly of the housing. The tension element serves as a mediator that enables external testing while maintaining the sealed fire safety design.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing wall is segmented by creating a guide opening that allows the tension element to pass through. This segmentation separates the housing into internal and external access points, enabling the tension element to provide external control and monitoring capabilities while the housing remains intact and fire-resistant.
2Reliability
If the damper blade halves are held in open position by a fusible holding element, then automatic fire response is achieved, but functional testing requires complex disassembly of the fire damper and air duct
Solution Approach 1:
The tension element acts as an intermediary that provides a simple external interface for testing the damper mechanism. By pulling or releasing the tension element from outside the housing, users can manually override the holding element and test the damper blade movement without disassembling the complex internal structure or air duct connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The tension element is designed to be accessible from the outside and can be operated by end users for routine testing. This self-service capability allows facility personnel to perform functional tests without requiring specialized tools or disassembly procedures, reducing maintenance complexity while preserving the automatic fire response function of the holding element.
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
Enables functional testing and position verification of the damper blade halves without disassembly, ensuring the damper can be checked externally and operates correctly.
Implementation Method 1
in the event of a fire, preferably at a temperature between 70 °C and 95 °C, yields, preferably melts, so that the damper blade halves are pivoted into their closed position
Implementation Method 2
each damper blade half is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation from its closed position to its open position against the restoring force of at least one spring element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a fire damper (1) with a housing (3) having a housing wall (2) and with two damper blade halves (4), preferably semicircular or rectangular in shape, pivotably mounted between an open position and a closed position, preferably centrally located on the housing cross-section, wherein each damper blade half (4) has two opposing damper blade surfaces (6) connected to each other by a circumferential end face (5), and wherein each damper blade half (4) is pivotably mounted about a rotation axis (8) against the restoring force of at least one spring element (7) from its closed position to its open position, wherein in its open position the two damper blade halves (4) are aligned parallel to the flow direction (19) and in its closed position the two damper blade halves (4) are aligned perpendicular to the flow direction (19).and wherein the fire damper (1) has at least one retaining element (9) which holds the two damper leaf halves (4) in their open position and yields, preferably melts, in the event of a fire, preferably at a temperature between 70 °C and 95 °C, so that the damper leaf halves (4) are pivoted into their closed position by the restoring force of the at least one spring element (7). In order to create a fire damper (1) that allows testing of the displacement of the damper leaf surfaces (4) from outside the fire damper, the fire damper (1) shall further comprise a tensioning element (10) and a fixing device (16) that can be actuated from outside the housing (3) for fixing the tensioning element (10) in a tensioned state in which the damper leaf halves (4) are in their open position.wherein the end of the pull element (10) located inside the housing (3) interacts directly or indirectly with the two flap leaf halves (4) and the other end of the pull element (10) is guided outside the housing (3) through a recess (14) provided in the housing wall (2), so that the flap leaf halves (4) can be moved from outside the housing (3) from their closed position to their open position and vice versa by changing the pull force on the pull element (10), wherein the retaining element (9) is provided inside the housing (3) and is either formed as part of the pull element (10) or arranged between the pull element (10) and at least one flap leaf half (4).