Integrated CAD Tool for Fire Protection System Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fire alarm and suppression system design tools require separate programs and interfaces, making it inefficient to integrate fire protection systems into building design, especially in commercial structures, as they lack a unified platform for layout, evaluation, and cost optimization.
Innovation Solution
A computer-aided design (CAD) tool that integrates fire protection systems by analyzing building data, determining occupancy types, and generating fire-protection designs that include both detection and suppression systems, with a bill of materials generator and optimization engines for cost-effective placement and hydraulic evaluation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate tools are used for fire detection and suppression system design, then each system can be designed with specialized functionality, but the overall design process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fire detection system design and fire suppression system design into a single integrated software tool. The system accepts building design data and simultaneously generates both detection device layouts and suppression piping designs within one unified platform, eliminating the need for separate specialized tools while maintaining all necessary functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design tool serves multiple functions: it designs fire detection systems, designs fire suppression systems, generates bills of materials, performs hydraulic evaluations, and optimizes device placement. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate specialized tools with a single universal platform that handles the entire fire protection design process.
2Reliability
If separate programs are used for piping network design and hydraulic evaluation, then each function can be optimized independently, but the overall design time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary hydraulic evaluation automatically during the design phase rather than as a separate subsequent step. The integrated tool evaluates hydraulic performance concurrently with piping network design, identifying potential issues early in the design process before detailed implementation plans are finalized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges piping network design and hydraulic evaluation into a single integrated workflow. The system generates piping layouts and immediately evaluates their hydraulic performance using the same software platform, eliminating the need to switch between separate programs and reducing overall design time while maintaining evaluation accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual design methods are used for fire protection systems, then flexibility in customization is maintained, but productivity and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows designers to input various parameters such as building occupancy type, fire hazard levels, and performance requirements. Based on these parameters, the tool automatically adjusts device placement, piping configurations, and system specifications to meet specific project requirements while maintaining high design efficiency through automated calculations and generation of design documentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design tool performs automated functions including generating bills of materials, calculating hydraulic performance, optimizing device placement, and producing design documentation without requiring manual intervention for each calculation. This self-service capability significantly increases productivity while allowing designers to focus on high-level decision-making and customization.
4Reliability
If comprehensive fire protection design is performed, then system reliability and safety are improved, but the cost and complexity of implementation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the comprehensive fire protection design into distinct modules: detection system design, suppression system design, hydraulic evaluation, and bill of materials generation. Each module can be independently configured and optimized based on specific project needs, allowing comprehensive protection while managing implementation complexity through structured organization of design tasks.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and computer program products for integrating fire-protection systems in building design are provided. Aspects include receiving design data associated with a building. One or more fire-protection protocols are accessed. One or more fire-protection designs for the building are generated based at least in part on the one or more fire-protection protocols and the design data and the one or more fire-protection designs are integrated in to the design data.