Controlled system and methods for storage fire protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11033764-B2
Application number	US-201916352426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Fire protection systems and methods for ceiling-only high-piled storage protection. The systems and methods include a fluid distribution, detection and control sub-systems to identify one or more fluid distribution devices for controlled operation to address a fire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for ceiling-only fire protection of a storage occupancy having a ceiling defining a nominal ceiling height of thirty feet or greater, the system comprising:
a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed beneath the ceiling and above a high-piled storage commodity in the storage occupancy having a nominal storage height ranging from a nominal 20 ft. to a maximum nominal storage height of 55 ft., the nominal storage height less than the nominal ceiling height, wherein each of the fluid distribution devices includes a frame body with a seal assembly disposed therein and an electrically responsive actuator arranged with the frame body to displace the seal assembly to control a flow of water discharge from the frame body;
a fluid distribution system including a network of pipes interconnecting the fluid distribution devices to a water supply;
a plurality of detectors to monitor the occupancy for the fire; and
a controller coupled to the plurality of detectors to detect and locate the fire, the controller being coupled to the plurality of distribution devices to identify and control operation of a select number of fluid distribution devices defining a discharge array above and about the fire, the controller:
is coupled to each of the plurality of detectors;
receives an input signal from each of the detectors;
processes readings from the plurality of detectors and dynamically identifies the select number of distribution devices by identifying a minimum number of fluid distribution devices for placement in a device queue based on a device being associated with a detector reading meeting or exceeding a user-defined threshold;
determines a threshold moment in growth of the fire; and
generates an output signal for operation of each of the select fluid distribution devices in response to determining the threshold moment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage commodity is any one of Class I, III or IV, Group A, Group B, or Group C plastics, elastomers, or rubber commodities.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commodity is an exposed expanded plastic having a maximum nominal storage height of at least 40 ft.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commodity is an exposed expanded plastic having a maximum nominal storage height of at least 40 ft., wherein the exposed expanded plastic commodity has a maximum nominal storage height ranging from fifty to fifty-five feet (50-55 ft.).

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commodity includes a rack storage being any one of multi-rack, double-row rack, or single-row rack storage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the commodity includes a non-rack storage arrangement including any one of palletized, solid-piled, bin box, shelf or back-to-back shelf storage.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identified select number of fluid distribution devices of the discharge array consists of any one of nine, eight or four distribution devices.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the controller receives a user input indicating instructions to preprogram the select number.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies the select number of fluid distribution devices defining the discharge array over a period of time from a first detection of a fire event until the threshold moment.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a transducer responsive to an electrical signal to operate the transducer.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nominal ceiling height is 45 feet and the nominal storage height is 40 feet.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nominal ceiling height is 50 feet and the nominal storage height is 45 feet.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nominal ceiling height is 60 feet and the nominal storage height is 55 feet.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nominal ceiling height is 30 feet and the nominal storage height is 25 feet.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies and operates four fluid distribution devices immediately above and about a fire so as to contain the fire vertically and laterally within a cross-sectional area defined by the spacing between the four fluid distribution devices.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies and operates four fluid distribution devices immediately above and about a fire so as to contain the fire vertically and laterally within a cross-sectional area defined by the spacing between the four fluid distribution devices, wherein the fluid distribution devices are on 10 ft.×10 ft. spacing.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies and operates four fluid distribution devices immediately above and about a fire so as to contain the fire vertically and laterally within a cross-sectional area defined by the spacing between the four fluid distribution devices, wherein the fluid distribution devices are installed above a double row rack array of Group A plastic commodity having a nominal storage height of forty feet defined by eight tiers of palletized commodity, the system containing a test fire in the commodity so as to limit the fire to six tiers or less.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies and operates four fluid distribution devices immediately above and about a fire so as to contain the fire vertically and laterally within a cross-sectional area defined by the spacing between the four fluid distribution devices, wherein the fluid distribution devices are installed above a double row rack array of Group A plastic palletized commodity, the system containing a test fire in the commodity so as to limit the fire horizontally to no more than two pallets about the test fire.

19. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the controller determines the threshold moment based on at least one of a temperature or a rate of rise of temperature indicated by the input signals from each of the detectors.

20. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the controller determines the threshold moment subsequent to detection of the fire responsive to the input signal from each of the detectors.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Magnone Zachary L
• Farley Daniel G
• Desrosier John
• Brighenti Donald D
• Bonneau Richard P

Classifications

• A62C37/40 Primary

  with electric connection between sensor and actuator · CPC title

• A62C3/002 Primary

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

• A62C3/00 Primary

  Fire prevention, containment or extinguishing specially adapted for particular objects or places ({in oil wells E21B29/08, A62C35/00; in mines or tunnels E21F5/00} ; for nuclear reactors G21C9/04) · CPC title