Layered Firestop Seal Structure for Intumescent Expansion Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fire protection elements face challenges in reliably sealing passage openings during fires due to compression of physically acting blowing agents, which hinders expansion and increases thermal conductivity, leading to potential fire penetration. Additionally, these elements often require large amounts of materials, resulting in weight, ecological, and economic issues.

Innovation Solution

A fire protection element with a layered body structure, comprising at least two fire protection layers and one functional layer, where the fire protection layers contain a carrier material and a physically acting blowing agent, and the functional layer is semi-rigid, allowing for substantial firm bonding between layers. This configuration helps distribute inflation pressure and prevent compression of the blowing agent, enhancing sealing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a physically acting blowing agent is used in fire protection elements, then expansion occurs in all three spatial directions during fire, but compression of the blowing agent hinders expansion and increases thermal conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidthermal conductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fire protection element is divided into multiple fire protection layers with functional layers arranged between them. This segmentation allows the inflation pressure to be distributed across multiple interfaces, preventing compression of the physically acting blowing agent in any single layer and maintaining reliable sealing while controlling thermal conductivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If large amounts of physically acting blowing agent are used to ensure reliable closure, then closure ability improves, but weight increases and ecological and economic issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure abilityVSAvoidelement weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If fire protection layers are substantially firmly bonded to functional layers, then structural integrity improves, but expansion freedom may be restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidexpansion freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The functional layers are made of semi-rigid materials with specific mechanical properties that provide substantial firm bonding to fire protection layers while maintaining sufficient expansion freedom. This local optimization of material properties at the bonding interface resolves the contradiction between bonding strength and expansion freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 proposed solution effectively reduces material usage while maintaining or improving the fire protection element's closure ability, inflation pressure, and ash stability, thereby enhancing its performance in sealing passage openings during fires.

Implementation Method 1

these additives expand or intumesce at elevated temperatures, such as in the event of a fire, and form an insulating layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

the functional layer (3) comprises at least one semi-rigid material... distribute inflation pressure and prevent compression of the blowing agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure distribution:

Implementation Method 3

form an insulating layer in combination with the carrier material... compression causes an increase in the thermal conductivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS12318641B2Fire protection element for sealing passage openings in components

Publication Date: 2025.06.03 HILTI AG

AI summary

A fire protection element contains a layered body for sealing passage openings in components, such as building components, through which lines are guided. A method can be used for producing the fire protection element and the fire protection element can be used for sealing passage openings and/or joints in components against fire and flue gases.