Fire-Resistant Wall Sealing with Elastomeric Foam Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire-resistant sealing systems for openings in walls, which use identical rubber parts, often require laborious installation and may not provide sufficient sealing, especially when high compression is needed, and can lead to excessive pressure buildup and cement layer detachment during fires.
Innovation Solution
The use of second fire-resistant parts made from elastomeric foam with a substantially closed cell structure and included crust-forming fire-retardant materials, which are more compressible and provide better insulation, expansion control, and bonding properties, allowing for quicker and more effective sealing with reduced cement usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If identical rubber parts are used for sealing, then the sealing system is simple to manufacture, but the installation becomes laborious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into two distinct parts: first parts made of fire-resistant rubber for enveloping transport devices, and second parts made of compressible foam material for filling remaining spaces. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function, with the foam parts requiring less compression and installation effort
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials with different properties are used in different locations: rubber parts are used where envelopment of transport devices is needed, while foam parts are used where high compressibility and quick installation are required. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and installation speed
2Reliability
If rubber parts are used for sealing, then the sealing provides good fire resistance, but high compression is required making installation laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented between rubber parts (providing fire resistance) and foam parts (providing compressibility). The foam parts require significantly less compression force to install while still providing effective sealing, reducing installation effort without compromising fire resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The material property of compressibility is changed by introducing foam material with closed-cell structure. This parameter change allows the sealing parts to achieve effective compression with much lower installation force compared to solid rubber, while maintaining fire-resistant properties
3Reliability
If rubber parts expand upon heat exposure, then fire sealing is maintained, but excessive pressure builds up causing cement layer detachment
Solution Approach 1:
Different materials with different thermal expansion characteristics are used in different locations. The foam parts, with their closed-cell structure, provide controlled expansion that prevents excessive pressure buildup, while the rubber parts maintain fire sealing. This local material differentiation resolves the contradiction between fire sealing and pressure control
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system uses a composite approach combining rubber material and foam material with closed-cell structure. This composite material system provides both fire resistance and controlled pressure characteristics, preventing cement layer detachment while maintaining fire sealing effectiveness
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 foam-based system enables efficient, quick, and durable sealing with controlled pressure expansion, improved insulation, reduced cement usage, and weight-saving design, while maintaining effectiveness over time and minimizing smoke and toxicity.
Implementation Method 1
The second parts are manufactured from a foam material that is more compressible than the rubber first parts. These compressible parts, the second parts, can be placed in the remaining free openings in the sealing in a slightly compressed condition.
Implementation Method 2
Upon rebounding, these second parts will press the other parts included in the opening, which improves the jamming in the feed-through in relation to the first parts.
Implementation Method 3
The air/gases trapped in the closed cell structure of the second parts, hereinafter often to be called the foam parts, bring about a more gradual expansion upon exposure to heat than the air trapped in the rubber first parts. This disproportional expansion of the feed-through prevents the creation of an extremely high pressure in the feed-through.
Implementation Method 4
Another additional advantage of the second parts is that these parts insulate extremely well, particularly compared with the rubber first parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprising first and second fire-resistant parts for at least temporary fire-resistant sealing of an opening in a wall in which at least one transport device, such as a cable, conduit or tube, has been fed through or will be fed through. The first and second parts are each at least partly placeable in the opening. The first parts are designed to at least partly envelop the transport device and the second parts are designed to be placed between the first parts and/or between the first parts and an inner wall of the opening for the purpose of at least virtually completely sealing the opening. The first parts are substantially manufactured from a fire-resistant rubber. The second parts are manufactured from a fire-resistant material based on an elastomeric foam with a substantially closed cell structure. The foam includes at least one crust-forming, fire-retardant material.