Roof Hydrant Mount with EPDM Sealing Boot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roof hydrant systems are prone to leaks and lack sufficient structural support, making them inadequate for providing a reliable and freeze-proof water source for cleaning condenser coils and washing windows, as they often require heavy and difficult interconnections that can compromise the integrity of the building structure.
Innovation Solution
A hydrant support system with a weather-tight sealing mechanism, utilizing a vertically-oriented flange and boot made of EPDM rubber with UV protection, along with shims for alignment, to securely attach a hydrant to a roof deck, ensuring a tight seal and structural stability, and featuring a separable design for easy installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hydrants are secured to roof top penthouses or boxes, then they provide a water source for cleaning and washing, but they suffer from leaking and insufficient structural support
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrant mounting system is divided into separate functional components: a roof flange for structural attachment, a standpipe for water delivery, and a sealing boot for weatherproofing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the flange provides structural strength while the boot provides leak resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
A rubber boot acts as an intermediary element between the metal hydrant components and the roof structure. This boot provides a flexible sealing interface that accommodates thermal expansion and contraction while preventing water infiltration, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural rigidity and leak resistance.
2Ease of operation
If hydrants are integrated into penthouse structures, then they provide water access, but the attachment scheme is prone to leaks and freeze protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible rubber boot encloses the standpipe and sealing components, creating a protected cavity that prevents freeze damage. The flexible material accommodates thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining the seal, providing both ease of operation and freeze protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing boot is nested over the standpipe and sealing components, creating a protective envelope. This nested structure allows the boot to protect the internal components from freezing while maintaining easy access to the hydrant operation.
3Strength
If heavy interconnection methods are used to provide structural support, then the hydrant is securely mounted, but the system becomes difficult to install and may compromise building structure
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into a roof flange for structural attachment and separate hydrant components. This allows the heavy structural support function to be concentrated in the flange while the rest of the system remains lightweight and easy to install.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural support function is extracted from the hydrant body and placed in the roof flange. This extraction allows the hydrant components to be lightweight and easy to install while the flange provides the necessary structural strength through robust attachment to the roof structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for securing a hydrant to a roof of a building is provided that includes a hydrant support that rigidly interconnects to the roof deck. In addition, a method of sealingly interconnecting a standpipe of the hydrant to the hydrant support is provided wherein a plurality of seals are employed. In order to enhance the seal provided between the standpipe and a hydrant support, a boot may be used that covers the interface between the standpipe and the hydrant support.