Fire Suppression System Remote Water Shutoff to Reduce Property Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire suppression systems often cause extensive water damage to buildings and personal property due to their inability to be remotely controlled after activation, leading to prolonged water usage even after the fire has been extinguished.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that allows for remote monitoring and control of fire suppression systems, using sensors to verify the extinguishment of fires and enabling users to remotely shut off the water supply through a computing device and electromechanical valve, minimizing unnecessary water damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fire suppression systems use mechanically activated sprinkler heads that cannot be individually shut off, then the system can reliably extinguish fires, but extensive water damage is inflicted on the building and property
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the water supply control into individual controllable segments by introducing electromechanical devices (solenoid valves) at specific locations in the water supply line. This allows the water supply to be divided into controllable sections, enabling shutdown of water to activated sprinkler heads without shutting off the entire building's water supply, thereby reducing water damage while maintaining fire extinguishing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary control system is introduced between the fire detection/activation mechanism and the water supply. The computer system receives sensor data, determines fire extinction, and mediates the water shutdown decision by activating electromechanical devices. This intermediary layer enables intelligent control that balances fire suppression reliability with water damage prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fire fighters manually turn off the water supply to activated sprinkler heads, then water damage is reduced, but response time variability causes prolonged water usage and extensive damage
Solution Approach 1:
The fire suppression system is equipped with self-service capabilities through automated sensors and electromechanical control devices. The system automatically detects when a fire is extinguished through sensor monitoring and autonomously shuts off water supply without requiring external human intervention. This eliminates dependence on fire fighter response time and enables immediate water shutdown, reducing both water damage and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring using sensors that track fire conditions in real-time. When sensor data indicates fire extinction, this feedback triggers automatic shutdown of the water supply through electromechanical devices. The feedback loop eliminates response time delays by enabling the system to react immediately to fire extinction conditions without waiting for external assessment.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If remote control capability is added to fire suppression systems, then water damage is minimized through timely shutdown, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromechanical devices (solenoid valves) serve multiple functions: they control water supply to sprinkler heads, enable remote shutdown capability, and integrate with existing fire detection systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while achieving water damage minimization through remote control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical water shutdown operations with electromechanical control. Instead of requiring physical intervention at water valves, the system uses electrically actuated solenoid valves that can be controlled remotely via computer system. This substitution reduces operational complexity and enables automated control while minimizing water damage.
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
This solution effectively minimizes damage by allowing timely shutdown of fire suppression systems once a fire is extinguished, reducing both fire and water damage, and enhances safety through redundant sensor verification.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting a control signal to cause the solenoid valve to close the water valve
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a computer system, information that indicates that a fire has been detected in a building and that a fire suppression system within the building has begun dousing the fire; monitoring sensor information from one or more sensors located within the building; determining, by the computer system and based on the sensor information, whether the fire has been extinguished; activating, in response to determining that the fire has been extinguished, a feature to turn off a water supply to the building, the feature being presented on a computing device for a user who is associated with the building; receiving, after activating the feature and from the computing device, a command to turn off the water supply; and transmitting, by the computer system, a control signal that causes an electromechanical device to close a water valve within the building.