Fire Extinguishing Equipment Circulation Unit for Foam Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire extinguishing equipment with foam charge in closed pressurized spaces faces issues with the separation of foam components due to pressure and temperature fluctuations, leading to difficulties in fire extinguishing and inability to recharge or remix the foam composition.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a uniquely structured circulation unit connected to the storage body with a feed and return stub, circulation pipe, and a gas inlet fitting, allowing for continuous conditioning and mixing of the fire extinguishing foam composition, ensuring it remains effective and operable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the foam charge is stored in a closed pressurized space, then the equipment can protect sparsely distributed storage tanks, but the foam composition separates into gas and liquid phases due to pressure drops or temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation unit performs preliminary mixing of the foam composition before discharge, ensuring homogeneous mixture of gas and liquid phases. The system proactively addresses phase separation by continuously conditioning the foam charge, rather than waiting for separation to occur
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation pump operates continuously or periodically to maintain continuous mixing and conditioning of the foam composition. This continuous action prevents phase separation and maintains foam stability throughout the dormant period and during discharge operations
2Device complexity
If the foam composition is stored in a closed pressurized space, then the equipment structure is compact, but the composition cannot be recharged or remixed when separated
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation unit serves multiple functions: it mixes the foam composition to prevent separation, recharges the system by introducing additional propellant gas, and conditions the foam for optimal discharge performance. This multi-functional design maintains compactness while enabling versatile operation
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation unit acts as an intermediary system between the stored foam composition and the external environment, enabling mixing, recharging, and conditioning operations without requiring complete system disassembly or complex external equipment
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the foam composition separates into phases, then the dormant storage is simple, but the discharge operation becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system provides feedback control by monitoring foam composition conditions and activating mixing or recharging operations when phase separation is detected, ensuring reliable discharge operation while maintaining simple dormant storage configuration
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 maintains the operability of the fire extinguishing equipment, allows for reliable and efficient foam composition management, and ensures effective fire suppression with reduced material usage and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation pump and a gas inlet fitting are installed in the circulation pipe
Implementation Method 2
the fire extinguishing material composition located in the internal space of the storage body may be entirely moved and mixed, its composition may be optionally changed, e.g. it may be mixed with a gas phase component
Implementation Method 3
the extinguishing foam composition located in the pipeline separates into gas phase and liquid phase parts due to the solubility of the propellant gas in the case of a drop of pressure or fluctuations in temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to an installed fire extinguishing equipment with improved characteristics which has a pressure-resistant storage body (10) with an internal space (11) serving for accommodating a fire extinguishing material composition (1), furthermore, a monitoring unit (20) connected to the storage body (10) serving for measuring and regulating one or more physical characteristics, at least one discharge outlet (14) also connected to the internal space (11) of the storage body (10) and suitable for discharging the fire-extinguishing material composition (1) from the internal space (11) of the storage body (10) to the use location (2), and a charging inlet (15) serving for filling the internal space (11) of the storage body (10) with the fire-extinguishing material component or composition (1), and an extinguishing-launching part-unit (3a) is inserted into the pipe section (3) between the use location (2) and the discharge outlet (14).