Modular Steel Firewall with Mineral Wool Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firewalls constructed in concrete are heavy and inflexible, making them unsuitable for alterations or expansions in buildings, and they fail to meet the fire resistance regulations such as E1-M60 of the National Building Code of Finland without significant structural changes.
Innovation Solution
A firewall structure featuring a corrugated steel sheet covering the middle part, with mineral wool and metal plates on either side, allowing for thermal radiation reflection and impact load absorption, while the vertical profiles provide flexibility and damping during fire and impact events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If firewalls are constructed in concrete to meet fire resistance regulations, then fire resistance is improved, but weight and structural complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure consisting of a steel frame body component combined with fire-resistant elements (mineral wool insulation and fire-resistant boards). This composite approach achieves the required fire resistance (e.g., E1-M60 classification) while maintaining significantly lower weight compared to solid concrete construction, as the steel frame provides structural strength and the fire-resistant elements provide thermal protection.
2Reliability
If concrete firewalls are used to ensure fire resistance, then fire resistance is improved, but adaptability and ease of relocation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The firewall is constructed as an assembly of discrete, modular components including a steel frame body component, fire-resistant elements, and connection means. This segmentation allows the firewall to be disassembled and relocated to different positions within a building or even to different buildings, providing adaptability while maintaining fire resistance through the standardized modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel frame body component incorporates vertical profiles with openings that provide flexibility and movement capacity. The connection means allow for adjustable positioning, enabling the firewall to adapt dynamically to different building configurations, alterations, or expansions while maintaining its fire-resistant properties.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If thicker mineral wool layers are added to extend fire resistance time, then duration of action is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fire resistance time can be adjusted by changing the thickness parameter of the mineral wool insulation layer within the fire-resistant elements. This provides a simple, scalable method to extend fire resistance duration (e.g., from 90 minutes with 100 mm layer to longer durations with thicker layers) without fundamentally altering the structural design or increasing overall 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 solution achieves a 90-minute fire resistance time with a 100 mm mineral wool layer, and thicker layers can extend this duration, meeting regulatory standards while allowing for potential building modifications without heavy foundations.
Implementation Method 1
The corrugated steel sheet reflects thermal radiation on the fire-facing side, thus having a lower temperature on its other side
Implementation Method 2
The corrugated steel sheet takes up impact loads, whereby the vertical profiles give in and contribute to the damping of impact action
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a firewall (1), comprising a steel-structured frame type body component which is attachable to load-bearing structures (10) in a building. The body component consists of horizontal bottom and top profiles (8) as well as vertical profiles (5) connecting the same, said vertical profiles (5) opening towards a middle part of the body component. The body component is fitted with a corrugated panel member (7), which covers essentially completely an opening established in the middle of said body component and which extends partially to within said vertical profiles (5). On either side of the corrugated panel member, the body component has fire-resistant elements (2, 3) mounted thereon, comprising a core portion (4) of mineral wool and metal plates (2a, 2b; 3a, 3b) affixed to both of its main surfaces.