Fire Extinguishing System With Liquid-Gas Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire extinguishing systems are vulnerable to temperature variations, particularly in high-temperature environments like vehicle engine compartments, as they rely on gas-tight detection conduits that can burst due to heat, leading to poor robustness across different temperature conditions.
Innovation Solution
A fire extinguishing system with a gas-permeable, liquid-filled detection conduit and a liquid-gas interface connected to a pressurized gas source, allowing the detection conduit to use more heat-resistant materials and compensating for temperature-induced pressure variations through a compressible gas space, enabling the system to operate effectively in a wide range of temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gas-tight detection conduit is used, then the system can detect fire through pressure drop, but the conduit bursts at high temperatures reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the detection medium from gas to liquid, and makes the conduit gas-permeable instead of gas-tight. This allows the conduit to withstand high temperatures without bursting while still enabling fire detection through pressure changes caused by gas permeation differences
Solution Approach 2:
The detection conduit is made gas-permeable (porous) to allow controlled gas exchange. This enables the conduit to tolerate high temperatures without bursting while maintaining detection capability through pressure changes caused by fire-induced alterations in gas permeation rates
2Temperature
If a liquid-filled detection conduit is used, then temperature robustness is improved, but the system complexity increases due to liquid-gas interface requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid-gas interface as an intermediary component between the liquid-filled detection conduit and the pressure sensing system. This interface manages the complexity of combining liquid and gas phases while maintaining simple pressure-based detection functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines hydraulic (liquid-filled conduit) and pneumatic (gas-permeable, pressure-based detection) principles to create a system that uses liquid to withstand temperature while maintaining gas-based pressure detection, resolving the complexity through integrated fluid mechanics
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 system can withstand higher temperatures without bursting, ensuring reliable operation in environments up to 150°C by using thermoplastic materials like ETFE for the detection conduit and a pressure regulator to maintain optimal pressure, enhancing the system's robustness and effectiveness in detecting fires and extinguishing them efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
Gas is a compressible fluid and a gas volume with a certain pressure may thus be compressed to a smaller gas volume having higher pressure
Implementation Method 2
liquid is an incompressible fluid and a liquid-filled detection conduit itself is thus not able to compensate for pressure variations caused by temperature variations
Implementation Method 3
the detection conduit being gas-permeable and filled with a detection liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing system comprising a pressurized detection conduit (115), an extinguishing line (108) separate from the detection conduit (115), and a control module (105) adapted for sensing a pressure drop in the detection conduit (115) and for opening supply of extinguishing medium from a storage (103) to the extinguishing line (108). The detection conduit (115) is gas-permeable and filled with a detection liquid. The fire extinguishing system further comprises a liquid-gas interface (117) fluidly connecting the detection conduit (115) to a pressurized gas source (103, 106), wherein the liquid-gas interface (117) comprises an interface container (123) defining a gas space (131) which communicates with the pressurized gas source (106) and a liquid space (133) which communicates with the detection conduit (115).