Rotatable Wall Spray Head for Low-Water Fire Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Alternative fire suppression systems face limitations in demonstrating equivalence to conventional sprinkler systems, particularly in terms of fire performance, which hinders their wider adoption due to regulatory uncertainties and perceived risks, despite offering advantages like low water usage, reduced damage, and cost-effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A wall-mountable spray head unit with a rotatable spray head assembly and thermal sensors that can selectively activate and target fire suppressant material, allowing for precise fire detection and deployment, and a method for multiple spray heads to communicate and coordinate their efforts to tackle fires effectively, minimizing false activations and ensuring reliable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If alternative fire suppression systems use low water flow rates, then water damage is reduced and installation cost is lowered, but fire performance equivalence to conventional sprinkler systems cannot be demonstrated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater damageVSAvoidfire performance equivalence

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spray head assembly is made rotatable about a vertical axis, allowing dynamic repositioning of the spray nozzle to optimize fire targeting. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt its spray direction in real-time, improving fire suppression effectiveness despite low water flow rates, thereby addressing the reliability concern while maintaining low water damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical spray patterns with electronically controlled spray head rotation and pyrometer-based fire location. This substitution allows precise targeting of fire suppressant material, demonstrating equivalent or superior fire performance to conventional sprinklers while maintaining low water flow rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If alternative fire suppression systems are designed differently from conventional sprinklers, then they offer advantages in water usage and cost, but they do not follow existing standards and face regulatory uncertainties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation efficiencyVSAvoidregulatory compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The spray head assembly integrates multiple functions: fire detection via pyrometer, automated rotation to track fire location, and suppressant material delivery. This multi-functional design allows the system to meet diverse regulatory requirements while maintaining installation efficiency and performance advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes key operational parameters including spray flow rate, spray pattern control through rotation, and activation thresholds based on pyrometer readings. These parameter adjustments enable the system to achieve regulatory compliance while maintaining its advantages in water usage and installation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If a single pump is used to supply water to multiple rooms, then system cost is reduced, but the system is limited to one spray head per pump and cannot simultaneously protect multiple areas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem costVSAvoidmulti-room coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the fire suppression function by providing individual rotatable spray head assemblies in multiple rooms, each capable of independent operation. This segmentation allows a single pump to serve multiple independent protection zones, enhancing system versatility while maintaining cost-effectiveness through shared pumping infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each spray head assembly is pre-configured with its own rotatable mechanism and pyrometer, enabling immediate independent response in any protected room. This preliminary preparation allows the single-pump system to quickly activate multiple spray heads across different rooms without coordination delays, achieving both cost reduction and multi-room coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enables alternative fire suppression systems to achieve comparable performance to conventional sprinkler systems while maintaining advantages like low water usage and reduced disruption, enhancing reliability and regulatory acceptance by providing precise fire targeting and coordinated multi-head operation.

Implementation Method 1

uses a pyrometer mounted on the rotatable head to determine the angular location of the fire

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a rotatable spray head assembly mounted on a base and configured so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotational motion:

Data Source

PatentUS11801407B2Wall-mountable spray head unit

Publication Date: 2023.10.31 PLUMIS

AI summary

A wall-mountable spray head unit is shown with a display and/or at least one user input device. The wall-mountable spray head unit is shown deployed in a fire suppression system that includes at least one or at least two wall-mounted spray head units capable of aiming and shooting fire suppressant liquid into a fire.