Fire Test Pan Lid and Trolley System for Contamination-Free Extinguishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire test pans require excessive extinguisher agents, leading to contamination and increased testing costs, inefficiencies in cleaning, and environmental interference, which affects reproducibility and fire extinguishing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fire test pan lid system with a trolley that delivers an impermeable lid to deprive the test pan of combustible gases, using materials like metals, ceramics, and aramid fibers to create airtight seals, reducing the need for additional extinguishing agents and minimizing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional extinguisher agents are used to fully extinguish a test fire, then the fire is completely extinguished, but the test pan becomes contaminated with excess extinguisher agent requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful element (excess extinguisher agent) from the system by using a physical barrier (lid) to suffocate the fire rather than adding more chemical extinguishing agents, thereby preventing contamination of the test pan
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment by placing a lid over the test pan, depriving the fire of oxygen and causing suffocation without introducing additional chemical substances that would contaminate the test pan
2Reliability
If the test pan is cleaned after contamination with extinguisher agents, then the pan is ready for next use, but significant time is lost during cleaning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for cleaning by extracting the fire suppression function from chemical agents and replacing it with a physical lid mechanism, thereby removing the source of contamination entirely
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable or easily replaceable lid that can be discarded or quickly replaced after use, eliminating the need for time-consuming cleaning operations on the test pan itself
3Ease of operation
If the test pan is left open during fire testing, then access is easy, but environmental factors influence the fire test event reducing reproducibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the test system into an open test pan for fuel placement and a separate lid for environmental control, allowing the lid to be applied only when needed to block environmental factors while maintaining easy access during fuel preparation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the lid in advance and positions it ready for deployment, allowing rapid closure to protect the test from environmental factors before they can influence the fire event, thereby ensuring reproducibility
4Loss of substance
If a lid system is introduced to deprive the test pan of combustible gas, then extinguisher agent usage is reduced, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is designed to be self-contained and self-operating, requiring no complex control systems or additional mechanisms to function - it simply covers the pan to deprive the fire of oxygen, reducing extinguisher agent needs without proportionally increasing system complexity
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 minimizes extinguisher agent usage, maintains fuel purity, reduces downtime between tests, and improves reproducibility by ensuring complete and quick fire extinguishment while maintaining a clean test environment.
Implementation Method 1
When the lid engages and is mated with the test pan, the lid deprives an enclosed volume of the test pan of combustible gas, such as oxygen, present in the environment near the test pan
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for extinguishing fires in a flammable liquid test pan. In an example, the system can include a substantially impermeable lid configured to mate with a top surface of the test pan. When the lid is mated with the test pan, the lid deprives an enclosed volume of the test pan of ambient combustible gas. The lid can be made of one or more materials including metals, ceramics, aramid fibers, and other gas-impermeable and fire resistant materials. The system can include a vehicle configured to carry the lid from a first location that is distal to the test pan to a second location that is adjacent to the test pan. In an example, the vehicle includes a lid transfer device that facilitates transferring the lid from the vehicle to the top surface of the test pan.