Fire Suppressant Container Discharge Using External Propellant Gas
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire suppression systems face issues with variable discharge pressure due to temperature-dependent vapor pressure, leading to incomplete fire suppressant expulsion and potential evaporation, resulting in a heavier and larger container design.
Innovation Solution
A fire suppression system that generates propellant gas externally and uses a rupture disc to regulate pressure, ensuring consistent discharge of fire suppressant into a distribution manifold, independent of ambient temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If vapor pressure is used to expel fire suppressant from the container, then the system can operate without external propellant, but the discharge pressure becomes variable and temperature-dependent
Solution Approach 1:
A rupture disc is introduced as an intermediary component between the container and distribution manifold. The rupture disc ruptures at a predetermined pressure threshold, providing a reliable and consistent discharge pressure independent of temperature variations. This mediator component resolves the contradiction by ensuring pressure consistency while maintaining system operation.
2Stress or pressure
If container wall thickness is increased to withstand high vapor pressure, then the container can contain higher pressure, but the container becomes heavier and larger
Solution Approach 1:
External propellant gas is introduced into the container before discharge to pre-establish the required pressure. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the container to withstand high vapor pressure continuously, allowing for thinner walls and reduced weight. The propellant gas is added just before discharge, so the container only needs to contain the suppressant at lower pressure.
3Productivity
If fire suppressant is expelled using vapor pressure, then the system can function, but incomplete expulsion and evaporation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The rupture disc serves as a pressure-regulating intermediary that ensures complete and consistent expulsion of the fire suppressant. By rupturing at a predetermined pressure threshold, it guarantees that sufficient pressure is maintained throughout the discharge process, preventing incomplete expulsion and evaporation of the suppressant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter by introducing external propellant gas to maintain consistent discharge pressure. This parameter change ensures that the fire suppressant is expelled completely and efficiently, preventing evaporation by maintaining optimal pressure conditions throughout the discharge process.
4Reliability
If external propellant gas is used to expel fire suppressant, then consistent discharge pressure is achieved, but the system requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The rupture disc is a simple intermediary component that provides reliable pressure regulation without adding significant complexity. It ruptures at a predetermined pressure threshold, ensuring consistent discharge pressure while maintaining system simplicity. The propellant gas source is the primary additional component, but the rupture disc itself is a straightforward pressure-regulating element.
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 achieves a stable and consistent discharge pressure, expelling all fire suppressant at a reduced container size and weight, with less dependence on internal vapor pressure, preventing evaporation en route to the fire.
Implementation Method 1
generating a propellant gas to flow into a container via a first port of the container
Implementation Method 2
a rupture disc configured to rupture in response to a pressure within the container exceeding a threshold pressure
Implementation Method 3
flowing the propellant gas into the container causes a pressure within the container to increase... expelling the fire suppressant from the container
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an example method for expelling a fire suppressant from a container into a distribution manifold. The method includes generating a propellant gas that flows into the container via a first port of the container, thereby causing a pressure within the container to increase. The container includes the fire suppressant prior to the generation of the propellant gas. The method further includes, in response to the pressure within the container exceeding a threshold pressure, expelling the fire suppressant from a second port of the container into the distribution manifold. The generated propellant gas continues to flow into the container via the first port at least until substantially all of the fire suppressant included within the container prior to the generation of the propellant gas is expelled from the container via the second port. Example fire suppression systems are also disclosed herein.