In-rack fire protection sprinkler system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272274-B2
Application number	US-201314379483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2013
Priority date	Aug 10, 2012
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A fire protection sprinkler system includes one or more solid horizontal barriers that cover a rack, of a plurality of adjoining racks, and a vertical flue space between adjacent racks. Each barrier is provided at a predetermined height, and has a width that is at least equal to a width of the rack and a depth that is at least equal to a sum of a depth of the rack and a depth of the vertical flue space. In addition, one or more rack-level fire protection sprinklers are connected to a fluid supply conduit, and are disposed in the vertical flue space above or below a solid horizontal barrier. Each of the one or more rack-level sprinklers is vertically spaced from the commodities stored on a rack, of the plurality of adjoining racks, that is covered by the solid horizontal barrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fire protection sprinkler system for the protection of commodities including Class I-IV hazards, Group A cartoned and exposed plastics (expanded and unexpanded), flammable liquids, tires, roll paper, and aerosols, stored in a plurality of adjoining racks that have a vertical flue space provided between a set of racks of the plurality of adjoining racks, the system comprising:
(A) a fluid supply conduit configured to deliver a fire protection fluid received from a fire protection fluid source;
(B) at least one solid horizontal barrier that covers (i) a rack, of the plurality of adjoining racks, (ii) another rack, of the plurality of adjoining racks, that is adjacent to the rack, and (iii) the vertical flue space between the rack and the other rack, the at least one solid horizontal barrier being provided at a predetermined height, and having a width that is at least equal to a width of the rack, and having a depth that is at least equal to a sum of (i) a depth of the rack, (ii) a depth of the other rack, and (iii) a depth of the vertical flue space, and the at least one solid horizontal barrier being formed as a singular piece of a solid material; and
(C) at least one rack-level fire protection sprinkler connected to the fluid supply conduit, the at least one rack-level sprinkler (i) being disposed in the vertical flue space below the at least one solid horizontal barrier, (ii) having a K-factor of 11.2 gpm/(psi) 1/2 or greater, and (iii) being vertically spaced from the commodities stored on the rack and the other rack covered by the at least one solid horizontal barrier.

2. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , further comprising (D) at least one ceiling-level fire protection sprinkler provided above the at least one solid horizontal barrier.

3. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one ceiling-level sprinkler is an extended coverage sprinkler.

4. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined height of the at least one solid horizontal barrier is up to about 30 feet (9.14 meters).

5. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein the K-factor of the at least one rack-level sprinkler is 25.2 gpm/(psi) 1/2 .

6. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 5 , wherein the fluid supply conduit delivers the fire protection fluid to the at least one rack-level sprinkler at a minimum pressure of about 7 psig (48.26 kPa).

7. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one rack-level sprinkler and the at least one ceiling-level sprinkler are the same type of sprinkler.

8. A rack and fire protection sprinkler system comprising:
(A) a first plurality of adjoining racks having a vertical flue space provided between a pair of adjacent racks of the first plurality of adjoining racks; and
(B) a fire protection sprinkler system for the protection of commodities including Class I-IV hazards, Group A cartoned and exposed plastics (expanded and unexpanded), flammable liquids, tires, roll paper, and aerosols, stored in the first plurality of adjoining racks, the sprinkler system comprising:
(a) a first fluid supply conduit configured to deliver a fire protection fluid received from a fire protection fluid source;
(b) at least one first solid horizontal barrier that covers (i) a rack, of the first plurality of adjoining racks, (ii) another rack, of the first plurality of adjoining racks, that is adjacent to the rack, and (iii) the vertical flue space between the rack and the other rack, of the first plurality of adjoining racks, the at least one first solid horizontal barrier being provided at a first predetermined height, and having a width that is at least equal to a width of the rack, of the plurality of first racks, and having a depth that is at least equal to a sum of (i) a depth of the rack, of the first plurality of racks, (ii) a depth of the other rack, of the first plurality of racks, and (iii) a depth of the vertical flue space, and the at least one first solid horizontal barrier being formed as a singular piece of a solid material;

(c) at least one first rack-level fire protection sprinkler connected to the first fluid supply conduit, the at least one first rack-level sprinkler (i) being disposed in the vertical flue space below the at least one first solid horizontal barrier, (ii) having a K-factor of 11.2 gpm/(psi) 1/2 or greater, and (iii) being vertically spaced from the commodities stored on the rack and the other rack, of the first plurality of adjoining racks, covered by the at least one first solid horizontal barrier; and
(d) at least one ceiling-level fire protection sprinkler provided above the at least one first solid horizontal barrier.

9. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one rack-level sprinkler includes two or more rack-level sprinklers that are arranged in a row at a horizontal spacing of at least about 8 feet (2.44 meters).

10. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rack-level sprinkler is an extended coverage sprinkler.

11. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 2 , wherein a K-factor of the at least one ceiling-level sprinkler is about 11.2 gpm/(psi) 1/2 or greater.

12. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 11 , wherein the K-factor of the at least one ceiling-level sprinkler is about 25 gpm/(psi) 1/2 or greater.

13. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one rack-level fire protection sprinkler comprises:
(a) a body having (i) an inlet connected to the fluid supply conduit within the vertical flue space, and (ii) an outlet defining an outlet orifice;
(b) a seal cap that seals the outlet orifice;
(c) a frame extending from the body;
(d) a deflector connected to the frame; and
(e) a thermally responsive element supported between the seal cap and the frame, the thermally responsive element urging the seal cap that seals the outlet orifice when the at least one rack-level sprinkler is in an inactivated state,
wherein, when the predetermined height at which the at least one solid horizontal barrier is provided is up to about 30 feet (9.14 meters) and the at least one rack-level sprinkler is positioned in the vertical flue space between the stored commodities and at least one solid horizontal barrier, the at least one rack-level sprinkler delivers the fire protection fluid over the stored commodities when the at least rack-level sprinkler is in an activated state.

14. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply conduit is disposed at or above a rack support frame of the plurality of adjoining racks that is adjacent to the fluid supply conduit.

15. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one rack-level sprinkler comprises:
(a) a frame; and
(b) a deflector connected to the frame,
wherein only the deflector of each of the at least one rack-level sprinkler protrudes below a rack support frame of the plurality of adjoining racks that is adjacent to the fluid supply conduit.

16. The fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one rack-level sprinkler is one of a pendent type sprinkler and a horizontal sidewall sprinkler.

17. The rack and fire protection sprinkler system according to claim 8 , wherein the commodities are stored in one of single racks, double racks,

Assignees

• Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co Inc

Inventors

• Multer Thomas
• Pahila Oliver

Classifications

• A62C3/06

  of highly inflammable material, e.g. light metals, petroleum products · CPC title

• A62C3/002 Primary

  for warehouses, storage areas or other installations for storing goods · CPC title

• A62C35/58

  Pipe-line systems · CPC title

• A62C35/68

  Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title