Fire Damper Partition Sealing via Spacer-Mounted Intumescent Seals

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fire dampers with angle bar stops increase hydraulic resistance, noise, and manufacturing costs, while also being a source of contamination and requiring additional construction elements, which complicates their operation and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The use of fireproof spacers with swelling and O-shaped silicon seals extending into the fire damper frame provides a sealing solution that eliminates the need for angle bar stops, reducing hydraulic resistance, noise, and manufacturing costs, while ensuring tightness, flame resistance, and smoke tightness during fires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If angle bar stops are used to seal the partition, then sealing function is improved, but hydraulic resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidhydraulic resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the angle bar stops from the fire damper structure and replaces them with seals mounted on fireproof spacers. This extraction of the stopper function eliminates the source of hydraulic resistance while maintaining the sealing capability through the spacer-mounted seals that extend into the frame.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the sealing system by using flexible seals on spacers instead of rigid angle bars. The seals can deform to maintain contact with the frame, providing effective sealing without creating the turbulent flow and pressure loss associated with rigid stoppers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If angle bar stops are used to seal the partition, then sealing function is improved, but noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the angle bar stops that generate noise during partition movement and sealing. The replacement spacer-mounted seal system operates silently as the flexible seals make smooth contact with the frame without the mechanical impact and friction noise of rigid stoppers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If angle bar stops are used to seal the partition, then sealing function is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidmanufacturing costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the complex angle bar stopper assemblies and their associated welding and anticorrosive protection requirements. The simplified spacer-mounted seal system uses fewer materials and less complex assembly processes, reducing manufacturing costs while achieving the same sealing function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive, complex metal stopper structures with simpler, more economical seal elements mounted on spacers. These seals are easier and cheaper to manufacture and install, reducing overall production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Reliability

If angle bar stops are used to seal the partition, then sealing function is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidconstruction elements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the complex angle bar stopper structures and their mounting hardware from the fire damper design. The replacement system uses simple fireproof spacers with mounted seals, significantly reducing the number and complexity of construction elements while maintaining effective sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

5Reliability

If angle bar stops are used to seal the partition, then sealing function is improved, but contamination increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidcontamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the angle bar stops that generate contamination through wear debris and friction particles. The spacer-mounted seal system produces minimal contamination as the flexible seals operate smoothly without the mechanical degradation associated with rigid stopper contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 solution enables fast and smooth fire separation, reduces energy consumption, and meets fire resistance standards by eliminating the need for welding and anticorrosive protection, ensuring the fire damper maintains tightness and insulating properties for 120 minutes without the drawbacks of traditional stopper systems.

Implementation Method 1

seals (2) having a swelling effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSwelling: Intumescent Materials

Implementation Method 2

seal (6) having an O-shaped cross-section, preferably a silicon seal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2229984B1Cut-off firewall of a rectangular cross-section comprising a partition with a sealing
Publication Date: 2019.06.26 GREMPCO
  • EP2229984B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2229984B1 patent drawingFigure 2~9
  • EP2229984B1 patent drawingFigure 10~11

AI summary

Cut-off firewall of a rectangular cross-section comprising a partition wherein seals (2,6) are placed on fireproof spacers (3,4) such that the seals extend adjacently the partition beyond a line of the firewall frame (17). Dimensions of the movable cut-off partition (5) are smaller than internal dimensions of the firewall frame (17).