Standpipe Bypass Kit for Emergency Water Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current firefighting methods lack a systematic and efficient procedure to identify and temporarily fix damaged or blocked standpipe systems during emergencies in high-rise buildings, leading to inadequate water supply and increased risk of uncontrolled fires and injuries.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit for rapidly troubleshooting the cause of a lack of water supply, locating the compromised standpipe section, and implementing a temporary bypass using a specialized Standpipe Bypass Kit (SBK) to restore water supply by isolating and capping the damaged section and connecting a flexible hose for pressure transfer between operational floor valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If firefighters use traditional methods to restore water supply in damaged standpipe systems, then the process is time-consuming and complex, but the water supply restoration is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing firefighters with pre-assembled bypass kits containing all necessary components (capping devices, hoses, connectors) before they arrive at the scene. This allows them to immediately implement bypass procedures without spending time gathering equipment or complex assembly during the emergency, thus restoring water supply rapidly while minimizing time loss.
2Ease of operation
If firefighters manually locate and repair damaged standpipe sections, then the repair can be customized to the specific damage, but the process lacks systematic efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the standpipe system into manageable sections and providing corresponding segmented bypass kits for different damage scenarios. Each kit contains components designed for specific repair tasks (capping specific sections, connecting bypass hoses), allowing firefighters to systematically identify and address damage in organized segments rather than attempting complex overall repairs, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining high productivity.
3Reliability
If no bypass system is in place, then the standpipe system remains intact and simple, but water supply is lost when damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing flexible bypass hoses as mediator components that connect operational sections of the standpipe system around damaged areas. These hoses serve as temporary alternative pathways for water flow, ensuring reliability of water supply during emergencies. The bypass kits provide pre-configured intermediary components that simplify the repair process rather than increasing overall system complexity, as they are only deployed when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and premade and/or prepositioned kits for bypassing damaged or blocked standpipes during fire or other emergencies to quickly restore water supply near the location of the fire. More specifically, an illustrative embodiment includes a method for bypassing a damaged standpipe during a fire emergency, comprising: identifying (a) the approximate location of said damage, (b) a first valve on said standpipe below said location, and (c) a second valve on said standpipe above said location; shutting the water supply to said standpipe; cutting a first section out of the standpipe immediately above said first valve, thereby leaving a first open section of standpipe above said first valve; cutting a second section out of the standpipe immediately below said second valve, thereby leaving a second open section of standpipe below said second valve; capping said first and second open sections; connecting flexible tubing from said first valve to said second valve; and restarting the water supply to said standpipe.