Fire Extinguisher Using Nitrogen Ejector for Sand Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire extinguishing apparatuses for high-temperature battery systems, such as sodium-sulfur batteries, face challenges in manufacturing cost, handling ease, and the inability to refill fire extinguishing sand during operations due to the need for pressurized storage tanks.
Innovation Solution
A fire extinguishing apparatus utilizing a suction tube positioned off-center in a sand container, with nitrogen gas cylinders and an ejector mounted on a movable carriage, generates negative pressure to suck and deliver expanded vermiculite sand without requiring a pressure container, allowing for continuous sand delivery and refilling during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure container is used to store fire extinguishing sand, then the sand can be delivered at high pressure, but the manufacturing cost increases and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a gas pressure source to apply pressure to the fire extinguishing sand through a flexible hose, eliminating the need for a rigid pressure container. The sand is delivered via a flexible hose that can be easily maneuvered, combining the benefits of pressurized delivery with ease of handling and reduced manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the pressure generation function (gas pressure source) from the sand storage function (hose), allowing the sand to be stored in a simple, non-pressurized state until delivery is needed. This segmentation enables the sand container to be refilled during operations without requiring complex pressure maintenance systems.
2Reliability
If a pressure container is used to store fire extinguishing sand, then the sand can be delivered effectively, but the container cannot be refilled during fire extinguishing work
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, sealed pressure container to a dynamic system where the flexible hose can be disconnected, refilled, and reconnected during operations. This dynamic approach allows the sand supply to be replenished without interrupting the fire extinguishing work, significantly improving operational versatility.
3Ease of operation
If a flexible hose is used to deliver fire extinguishing sand, then handling becomes easy and refilling is possible, but the sand may not reach high positions effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The gas pressure source provides the necessary force to propel the fire extinguishing sand through the flexible hose to high positions. The pressurized gas stream carries the sand particles upward and outward, enabling effective delivery to elevated areas despite the flexibility of the hose.
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 design reduces manufacturing costs, enhances handling ease, prevents sand shortages, and ensures effective fire extinguishing by delivering sand to high positions without air contact, maintaining sand quality and enabling immediate operation without a power source.
Implementation Method 1
The fire extinguishing apparatus generates the negative pressure in the ejector due to the nitrogen gas stream, sucks the fire extinguishing sand from the sand container with use of this negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
delivers the fire extinguishing sand as well as the nitrogen gas... raising the fire extinguishing sand as high as several meters and spray it
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a fire extinguishing apparatus being inexpensive in manufacturing cost, easy to handle, and it enables a storage tank to be refilled with fire extinguishing sand during a fire extinguishing. A fire extinguishing apparatus of the present invention includes a sand container 3 having fire extinguishing sand a nitrogen gas cylinder 4, and an ejector 5 provided nitrogen gas taken out via a decompression valve 6 from the nitrogen gas cylinder 4. The ejector 5 is connected to a suction tube 7 sucking the fire extinguishing sand from the sand container using negative pressure generated by a nitrogen gas stream and a delivery tube 8 delivering the sucked fire extinguishing sand and the nitrogen gas. The sand container 3 has a lid plate provided with a sand inlet enabling opening and closing, which enables the sand container to be refilled with the fire extinguishing sand during a fire extinguishing.