Pendent Sprinkler Deflector with Varying Slot Widths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional residential fire protection sprinklers face challenges in delivering the required fluid flow rate at low water pressures, often requiring higher-than-expected pressures to achieve acceptable performance, making it difficult to meet fire protection standards for residential installations.
Innovation Solution
A pendent residential sprinkler design featuring a unique deflector with non-radial slots and specific structural features that optimize fluid distribution, including a deflector with slots of varying widths and angles, and a thermally-responsive element to release fluid at predetermined conditions, achieving a high K factor of 7.6 at 27.7 psi.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional sprinkler designs are used, then the sprinkler structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fluid flow rate is insufficient at low water pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the deflector, specifically the slot angles and widths. The slots are configured with specific angles (e.g., 45 degrees) and width variations that optimize fluid distribution patterns, enabling higher flow rates at lower pressures by improving the efficiency of fluid projection and coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector incorporates slots with non-uniform width characteristics - some slots have varying widths along their length while others have uniform widths. This local variation in slot geometry creates different fluid flow patterns from different regions of the deflector, optimizing overall fluid distribution across the protected area while maintaining operation at lower pressures.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional deflector designs are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the fluid distribution evenness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector breaks symmetry by incorporating slots at specific asymmetric angles (e.g., 45 degrees) and with varying widths. This asymmetric configuration optimizes fluid distribution patterns to achieve more uniform coverage across the protected area, addressing the evenness requirement while the manufacturing process remains relatively simple.
3Productivity
If higher water pressure is used to increase fluid flow, then the throughput increases, but the installation cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the deflector parameters (slot angles, widths, positions) to maximize fluid throughput efficiency. This allows the sprinkler to achieve required flow rates at lower water pressures, thereby reducing installation costs and system complexity that would otherwise be necessary to provide pressure boosting equipment or larger diameter piping.
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 sprinkler effectively delivers 40 gallons per minute at low water pressure, ensuring even fluid distribution over large areas, meeting or exceeding fire protection standards while reducing installation costs by operating at lower pressure demands.
Implementation Method 1
The release mechanism is designed to release the cap under predetermined conditions, thereby initiating the flow of fire-extinguishing fluid. A typical release mechanism includes a thermally-responsive element, e.g., a frangible bulb
Implementation Method 2
A deflector may be mounted on the hub, transverse to the output orifice, to provide dispersion of the output fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A pendent residential fire prevention sprinkler has a frame structure extending from the sprinkler body, and a system for blocking an outlet to prevent fluid from passing through the outlet until occurrence of a predetermined condition and for unblocking the outlet in response to occurrence of the condition. A deflector is supported by the frame structure at a predetermined distance from the outlet, at a position to be impinged upon by the fluid leaving the outlet. The deflector has a central portion and a peripheral portion, and slots formed in the periphery, defining tines therebetween. The slots include a first plurality of slots, each of which extends inward from the deflector periphery with a uniform width, a second plurality of slots, each of which has a first portion and a second portion between the deflector periphery and the slot's closed end, where the first portion has a width that varies at different points, while the second portion has a uniform width.