Fire Pump Test Control With Stop-Signal Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-based fire suppression systems require manual pump test runs, which are labor-intensive and pose a risk of interrupting extinguishing agent supply during a fire, especially if automated.
Innovation Solution
A control unit with a signal suppression unit that temporarily prevents the stop signal during a fire, ensuring continuous extinguishing agent supply by integrating a flow monitor to detect fire conditions and using hardware-based suppression mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual intervention is used for pump test runs, then the pump functionality can be verified, but the system requires personnel-intensive operation and poses a risk of interrupting extinguishing agent supply during fire events
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic pump test runs where the control unit autonomously initiates and executes pump testing without manual intervention. The control unit receives start signals, activates the pump, monitors operation, and automatically stops the pump after the test cycle, eliminating the need for personnel to manually operate the system while maintaining reliable functionality verification.
2Ease of operation
If automatic pump test runs are implemented, then personnel intervention is reduced, but the risk of stopping the pump during a fire event increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flow monitor acts as an intermediary device that continuously monitors the flow of extinguishing agent through the system. During automatic pump test runs, the flow monitor detects the characteristic flow pattern of a test run. If a fire event occurs simultaneously, the flow monitor distinguishes it from the test run pattern and triggers an alarm signal to the control unit, which then prevents the pump from stopping, ensuring continuous extinguishing agent supply while allowing automatic operation.
3Productivity
If the pump is stopped after pump test runs, then the system returns to normal operation, but the extinguishing agent supply is interrupted during fire events
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback through the flow monitor that continuously provides information about extinguishing agent flow conditions to the control unit. During pump test runs, the control unit expects a specific flow pattern. The flow monitor provides real-time feedback on actual flow conditions, and if a fire event is detected (distinguished from test run flow patterns), the feedback signal triggers the control unit to maintain pump operation, ensuring continuous extinguishing agent supply while completing necessary test runs.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a water extinguishing system comprising a fire extinguishing fluid supply (10) configured to provide a fire extinguishing fluid, at least one pump (14) configured to pump the fire extinguishing fluid from the fire extinguishing fluid supply (10) into a supply line (12) to the pipe system (13) of the water extinguishing system, a control unit (17) configured to controllably operate the at least one pump (14), which is configured to start and operate the pump (14) for a pump test run when a start signal is provided and to end the pump test run and stop the pump (14) when a stop signal is provided, and is characterized in that the control unit (17) has a signal suppression unit (18) configured to suppress the provision of the stop signal at least temporarily in the event of a fire, and the signal suppression unit (18) is designed without computer program execution.Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method for operating such a water extinguishing system.