Controlled system and methods for storage fire protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11844971-B2
Application number	US-202017097385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Jun 9, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

Fire protection systems and methods for ceiling-only high-piled storage protection. The systems include a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed beneath a ceiling and above a high-piled storage commodity having a nominal storage height ranging from a nominal 20 ft. to a maximum nominal storage height of 55 ft. and means for quenching a fire in the storage commodity. The stored commodity to be protected may include exposed expanded plastics. The fluid distribution devices include a frame body having an inlet, an outlet, a sealing assembly, and an electronically operated releasing mechanism supporting the sealing assembly in the outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of fluid distribution devices beneath a ceiling of a storage occupancy and above a storage commodity of the storage occupancy, the ceiling having a height of at least thirty feet;
a plurality of detectors to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire; and
a controller coupled to the plurality of detectors and the plurality of fluid distribution devices, the controller to:
receive an input signal from each of the plurality of detectors;
determine a first threshold moment of growth of the fire responsive to receipt of the input signal from each of the plurality of detectors;
identify at least one detector of the plurality of detectors corresponding to a location of the fire;
identify at least a subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices closest to the at least one detector;
identify a second threshold moment of growth of the fire responsive to the received input signal;
generate an output signal for operation of at least the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices responsive to the determined first threshold moment of growth and the second threshold moment of growth of the fire; and
modify a discharge pattern of operation of at least the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices responsive to a determination, based on the input signal, that the fire has not been addressed.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the controller determines the first threshold moment of growth of the fire based on at least one of a temperature, a spectral energy, and a particulate level indicated by the input signals received from the plurality of detectors.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the controller locates the fire responsive to the input signals received from the plurality of detectors.

4. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the storage commodity including any one of Class I, II, III or IV, Group A, Group B, or Group C plastics, elastomers, rubber, and exposed expanded plastic commodities.

5. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the storage commodity includes a rack storage including one or more of a multi-row rack, a double-row rack, or a single-row rack.

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

7. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
each fluid distribution device of the plurality of distribution devices has a nominal K-factor of 14.0 GPM/PSI 2 , 16.8 GPM/PSI 2 , 19.6 GPM/PSI 2 , 22.4 GPM/PSI 2 , 25.5 GPM/PSI 2 , 28.0 GPM/PSI 2 , or 33.6 GPM/PSI 2 .

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the plurality of fluid distribution devices comprise:
a strut and lever assembly with a designed fracture region;
a hook and strut assembly in a latched arrangement;
a hook and strut assembly operated by resistance heating;
a reactive strut and link assembly;
a hook and strut assembly that provides a defined electronic flow path;
a hook and strut assembly with an electrically fusible wire link; or
a retracting linear actuator.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the ceiling height is at least 50 feet.

10. A method, comprising:
monitoring, by a plurality of detectors, a storage occupancy for a fire, a plurality of fluid distribution devices beneath a ceiling of the storage occupancy and above a storage commodity of the storage occupancy, the ceiling having a height of at least thirty feet;
receiving, by a controller, an input signal from each of the plurality of detectors;
determining, by the controller, a first threshold moment of growth of the fire responsive to receiving the input signal from each of the plurality of detectors;
identifying at least one detector of the plurality of detectors corresponding to a location of the fire;
identifying at least a subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices closest to the at least one detector;
identifying a second threshold moment of growth of the fire responsive to receiving the input signal;
generating an output signal for operation of at least the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices responsive to determining the first threshold moment of growth and the second threshold moment of growth of the fire; and
modifying a discharge pattern of operation of at least the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices responsive to determining, based on the input signal, that the fire has not been addressed.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
determining, by the controller, the first threshold moment of growth of the fire based on at least one of a temperature, a spectral energy, and a particulate level indicated by the input signals received from the plurality of detectors.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
locating, by the controller, the fire responsive to the input signals received from the plurality of detectors.

13. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
the storage commodity including any one of Class I, II, III or IV, Group A, Group B, or Group C plastics, elastomers, rubber, and exposed expanded plastic commodities.

14. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
the storage commodity includes a rack storage including one or more of a multi-row rack, a double-row rack, or a single-row rack.

15. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
the storage commodity includes a non-rack storage including one or more of palletized, solid-piled, bin-box, shelf, or back-to-back shelf storage.

16. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
each fluid distribution device of the plurality of distribution devices has a nominal K-factor of 14.0 GPM/PSI 2 , 16.8 GPM/PSI 2 , 19.6 GPM/PSI 2 , 22.4 GPM/PSI 2 , 25.5 GPM/PSI 2 , 28.0 GPM/PSI 2 , or 33.6 GPM/PSI 2 .

17. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
the plurality of fluid distribution devices comprise:
a strut and lever assembly with a designed fracture region;
a hook and strut assembly in a latched arrangement;
a hook and strut assembly operated by resistance heating;
a reactive strut and link assembly;
a hook and strut assembly that provides a defined electronic flow path;
a hook and strut assembly with an electrically fusible wire link; or
a retracting linear actuator.

18. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
the ceiling height is at least 50 feet.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Magnone Zachary L
• Farley Daniel G
• Goyette Chad Albert
• Desrosier John
• Brighenti Donald D
• Abels Bernhard
• Dube Jacob Joseph
• Bonneau Richard P

Classifications

• A62C3/002 Primary

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

• A62C35/60

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

• A62C37/10

  Releasing means, e.g. electrically released · CPC title

• A62C37/40 Primary

  with electric connection between sensor and actuator · CPC title

• A62C37/46

  Construction of the actuator · CPC title