Wet fire protection systems and methods for storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117003-B2
Application number	US-201916560682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Fire protection systems and methods of fire protection systems for protection of a stored commodity. The systems and methods included a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed above the stored commodity and configured for selective identification and controlled actuation in response to a fire. The systems have a hydraulic demand defined by at least one of: i) a hydraulic design area having a minimum operational area of less than 768 square feet; or ii) less than twelve hydraulic design devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fire protection system for protection of a storage occupancy, the system comprising:
a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed in the storage occupancy, each of the plurality of fluid distribution devices being arranged for actuation in response to a fire;
wherein the system is configured to actuate one or more of the fluid distribution devices, wherein the system is sized to supply a maximum amount of fluid to meet a maximum hydraulic demand caused by operation of the actuated fluid distribution devices, and wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when at least one of:
(i) the actuated fluid distribution devices have an operational area of less than 768 square feet;
(ii) the actuated fluid distribution devices include standard coverage sprinklers, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than twelve;
(iii) the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 12 ft.×12 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than eight; and
(iv) the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 14 ft.×14 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than six.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the actuated fluid distribution devices have an operational area ranging from about 400 square feet to about 600 square feet.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the actuated fluid distribution devices have an operational area of 256 square feet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than twelve and at least four.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices ranges from eight to six.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is fewer than eight and the actuated fluid distribution devices are on 12 ft.×12 ft. spacing.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices ranges from six to four.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system experiences the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is fewer than six and the actuated fluid distribution devices are on 14 ft.×14 ft. spacing.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid distribution system including a network of pipes interconnecting the fluid distribution devices to a supply of firefighting fluid;
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 each of the fluid distribution devices to identify and control operation of the fluid distribution devices.

10. A method of fire protection of a storage occupancy, the method comprising:
locating a plurality of fluid distribution devices within the storage occupancy for operation in response to a fire; and
interconnecting the plurality of fluid distribution devices to a supply of firefighting fluid with a network of pipes,
wherein the supply and the network of pipes are sized to supply a maximum amount of fluid to meet a maximum hydraulic demand caused by actuation of one or more of the fluid distribution devices, and wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when at least one of:
(i) the actuated fluid distribution devices have an operational area of less than 768 square feet;
(ii) the actuated fluid distribution devices include standard coverage sprinklers, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than twelve;
(iii) the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 12 ft.×12 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than eight; and
(iv) the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 14 ft.×14 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than six.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising coupling a plurality of detectors to a controller to monitor, identify and locate the fire in the storage occupancy; coupling each of the fluid distribution devices to the controller; and identifying ten or fewer of the fluid distribution devices for controlled actuation to address a located fire, wherein the actuated fluid distribution devices are the identified fluid distribution devices.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the spacing of the fluid distribution devices is at any one of 8 ft.×8 ft.; 10 ft.×10 ft; 12 ft.×12 ft; or 14 ft.×14 ft.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising performing a full-scale fire testing of the fluid distribution devices, wherein the fluid distribution devices are spaced at a device-to-device spacing of 10 ft.×10 ft., wherein a controller is coupled to each of the fluid distribution devices and a plurality of detectors such that during the fire testing a number of fluid distribution devices that are activated by the controller define an operational area of less than 400 square feet.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the operational area is about 256 square feet.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when the actuated fluid distribution devices include standard coverage sprinklers, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than twelve.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than eight.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than six.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 14 ft.×14 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than six.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the supply and the network of pipes experience the maximum hydraulic demand when the actuated fluid distribution devices include extended coverage sprinklers on 12 ft.×12 ft. spacing, and the number of actuated fluid distribution devices is less than eight.

20. The method of claim 10 , further comprising selectively operating the fluid distribution devices at an incipient stage of the fire.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A62C3/002 Primary

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

• A62C37/36

  an actuating signal being generated by a sensor separate from an outlet device · CPC title

• A62C3/00

  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

• A62C35/58

  Pipe-line systems · CPC title

• A62C35/60

  wet, i.e. containing extinguishing material even when not in use · CPC title