Fire Suppression System Using Multi-Sensor Cooking State Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire suppression systems in cooking hoods fail to accurately differentiate between flare-ups from regular cooking and actual fires, leading to unnecessary activation or failure to suppress fires due to reliance on fixed temperature measurements without considering exhaust temperature changes or cooking appliance states.
Innovation Solution
A network-based or rule-based system that combines multiple sensor inputs, including temperature and airflow measurements, to determine the cooking appliance state and control exhaust flow rates, activating fire suppression mechanisms only when a fire is confirmed, using sensors to differentiate between cooking states and fire conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If fixed absolute temperature measurement is used to detect fire conditions, then the detection method is simple, but it cannot differentiate between flare-ups from regular cooking and actual fires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor inputs (temperature sensors, airflow sensors, and optionally optical sensors) to generate a composite status indication for fire detection. This merging of multiple detection methods allows the system to differentiate between normal cooking flare-ups and actual fires by analyzing patterns across multiple parameters simultaneously, rather than relying on a single temperature threshold.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the detection approach by continuously monitoring multiple parameters and using pattern recognition to distinguish between different cooking states. Rather than using a static temperature threshold, the system evaluates the dynamic behavior of temperature, airflow, and optical signals over time to determine whether a fire condition exists.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensor inputs and pattern recognition are used to differentiate cooking states, then fire detection accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it processes signals from various sensors, determines appliance cooking states, controls exhaust flow rates, and activates fire suppression mechanisms. By making the controller multi-functional, the system achieves accurate fire detection without adding separate dedicated devices for each function, thereby managing complexity while improving detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer (the controller with pattern recognition algorithms) that synthesizes multiple sensor inputs into a unified status indication. This intermediary translates complex multi-sensor data into actionable control decisions, managing the complexity of multiple sensors while maintaining high detection accuracy.
3Loss of energy
If exhaust flow rate is controlled based on cooking state detection, then energy efficiency is improved, but the reliability of fire suppression response may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust flow rate is dynamically adjusted based on the detected cooking state (idle, cooking, flare-up, or fire). During normal cooking, the system maintains appropriate exhaust flow for energy efficiency, but automatically increases flow or activates suppression when fire conditions are detected, ensuring reliability is maintained when needed while optimizing energy consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors to continuously monitor cooking conditions and adjust exhaust flow accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that energy-efficient low-flow modes are used during normal cooking while automatically transitioning to high-flow or suppression modes when fire conditions are detected, balancing energy efficiency with response reliability.
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
Effectively differentiates between cooking states and fire conditions, ensuring appropriate exhaust flow control and timely activation of fire suppression systems, thereby minimizing false alarms and ensuring effective fire containment.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a temperature of the exhaust air in the vicinity of the exhaust hood
Implementation Method 2
measuring a radiant temperature of the exhaust air in the vicinity of the cooking appliance
Implementation Method 3
an exhaust fan for removing exhaust air generated by the cooking appliance
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods for determining whether a fire condition exists based on a status of a cooking appliance, and systems, devices, and methods for controlling an exhaust air flow rate in an exhaust air ventilation system based on the status of the cooking appliance. At least one sensor type generating a predefined signal is used to detect fire condition and appliance cooking state, the predefined signal being applied to a controller which differentiates, responsively the predefined signal, in combination with other sensor signals, at least two cooking states each of the cooking states corresponding to at least two exhaust flow rates which the controller implements in response to the controller's differentiation of the two states and which predefined signal is simultaneously used to differentiate a fire condition, in response to the differentiation of which, the same controller activates a fire suppression mechanism.