Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SYSTEM AND COMPONENTS FOR EVALUATING THE
PERFORMANCE OF FIRE SAFETY PROTECTION DEVICES
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This patent application relates generally to systems and components
for
evaluating the performance of fire safety protection devices, such as
sprinklers and nozzles.
More specifically, this patent application relates to fire plume generators,
and fluid collection
systems, for evaluating the performance of fire safety protection devices
under strong
sprinkler and nozzle sprays.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Applicant's U.S. Patent No. 6,085,585 to Yu et al. relates to a
sprinkler
performance evaluation system for measuring the effectiveness of a sprinkler
system for
warehouse fire protection. The system evaluates, among other things, the
actual water
density (ADD) delivered by the sprinkler system through the fire plume to the
top of storage
stacks which have been ignited, and the prewetting density (PWD) on the
commodity stacks
adjacent to the ignited stacks.
[0003] The system disclosed in the '585 patent generally includes a burner
system that
produces a fire plume, and a ceiling for suspending a sprinkler system above
the fire plume.
The system also includes a fluid collection system having a series of pans
under and around
the periphery of the burner system to collect fluid (e.g., water) from the
sprinklers that
passes through the fire plume, and/or around the fire plume. The pan
collection system
measures the amount and rate of fluid collected by the pans, and provides a
measurement
of the ADD and PWD produced by the sprinkler system.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an embodiment, a fire safety protection evaluation
system
comprises at least one horizontal collection device including a liquid
collection pan with a
substantially horizontal opening, a first storage container in communication
with the liquid
collection pan, and a first measuring device adapted to measure an amount of
liquid in the
first storage container and/or a rate of liquid entering the first storage
container; at least one
vertical collection device including a substantially vertical liquid
collection surface extending
between a top edge and a bottom edge, a trough located along the bottom edge,
the trough
being configured to collect liquid from the substantially vertical collection
surface, and a
second measuring device adapted to measure an amount of liquid and/or a rate
of liquid
collected by the trough.
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
[0005] According to another embodiment, a liquid collection device for
evaluating a fire
safety protection system comprises a liquid collection pan with a
substantially horizontal
opening adapted to receive liquid from the fire safety protection system; a
storage container
in communication with the liquid collection pan, the storage container
comprising a vessel
defining an interior for storing the liquid received by the liquid collection
pan, and a cover
disposed on a top opening of the vessel, the cover including an opening
through which the
liquid is received by the vessel; and a measuring device adapted to measure an
amount of
liquid in the storage container and/or a rate of liquid entering the storage
container, wherein
the cover is configured to be movable in a direction to and from the interior
of the vessel
such that the cover can move away from the interior in response to a
deflagration over-
pressure in the vessel.
[0006] According to yet another embodiment, a method of evaluating a fire
safety
protection device comprises generating a fire plume underneath at least one
fire safety
protection device; collecting fluid delivered from the at least one fire
safety protection device
to at least one horizontal collection device located underneath the at least
one fire safety
protection device, the at least one horizontal collection device having a
substantially
horizontal opening for collecting the fluid; collecting fluid delivered from
the at least one fire
safety protection device to at least one substantially vertical collection
surface facing the at
least one horizontal collection device; measuring the fluid collected by the
at least one
substantially horizontal collection device and the at least one substantially
vertical collection
surface; and evaluating the at least one fire safety protection device based
on the measuring
of the fluid collected.
[0007] Further objectives and advantages, as well as the structure and
function of
preferred embodiments, will become apparent from a consideration of the
description,
drawings, and examples.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention
will be
apparent from the following, more particular description, as illustrated in
the accompanying
drawings wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical,
functionally similar,
and/or structurally similar elements.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art sprinkler performance
evaluation system;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a burner for a
fire plume
generator according to the present invention;
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[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the burner of FIG. 2, shown with
an upper shield
removed;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the burner of FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a top view of the burner of FIG. 3;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the upper shield of
FIG. 2,
shown removed from the burner;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a back view of the upper shield of FIG. 6;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a front view of the upper shield of FIG. 6;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a top view of the upper shield of FIG. 6;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire plume
generator
according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an example horizontal fluid
collection device
according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 12A is a front view of a plurality of vertical fluid
collection devices stacked
multiple tiers high according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 12B is a side view of the vertical fluid collection devices
shown in FIG. 12A;
[0022] FIG. 13A is a top view of a fire plume generator centered above an
array of
horizontal collection devices according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 13B is a top view of the fire plume generator and horizontal
collection
devices of FIG. 13A, shown with the collection devices offset by one
collection device.
[0024] FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view of two horizontal
collection devices in
different states of deflagration according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of a horizontal collection
device according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 16A is a bottom view of a top cover of a horizontal collection
device
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
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[0027] FIG. 16B is a side cross-sectional view of the top cover of FIG.
16A with a detail
view of one portion of the top cover according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0028] FIG. 17 is a top view of a sprinkler system above an array of
horizontal collection
devices that are centered about a fire plume generator according to an
embodiment of the
present invention;
[0029] FIG, 18A is a top view of pattern A of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 18B is a top view of pattern B of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 18C is a top view of pattern C of the sprinkler system of FIG.
17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 18D is a top view of pattern D of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 18E is a top view of pattern E of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 18F is a top view of pattern F of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 18G is a top view of pattern G of the sprinkler system of
FIG. 17 according
to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0036] FIG. 18H is a top view of pattern H of the sprinkler system of FIG.
17 according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] Embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. In
describing
embodiments, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity.
However, the
invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so
selected. While specific
embodiments are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for
illustration
purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other
components and
configurations can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, a sprinkler performance evaluation system
according to
applicant's prior art U.S. Patent No. 6,085,585 is shown. The system comprises
a burner
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system 11 positioned at a convenient height above the building floor designed
to produce a
flame plume like that produced by a burning commodity stack in a warehouse.
Positioned
over the burner system 11 is a ceiling 13 which is supported at its four
corners from steel
beams 15 by means of cables 17 which are connected on pulleys 20 and connect
to
motorized winches 19 mounted at the bases of the four steel beams 15. By means
of the
winches 19, the vertical position of the ceiling 13 over the flame can be
adjusted to different
levels. (While the '585 patent describes the use of cables 17 and winches 19
to adjust the
ceiling height, other structures could alternatively be used, such as vertical
jack screws and
motors.)
[0039] The '585 patent describes that the lower surface of the ceiling 13
is defined by
refractory ceiling tiles which are supported on steel trusses. Suspended from
the ceiling 13 is
the sprinkler system 21 to be tested. Positioned about 6 inches beneath the
burner system
11 is a pan collection system 23 containing a series of pans, some of which
are positioned
directly under the fire plume generated by the burner system 11 to collect the
water from the
sprinkler system 21 passing through the fire plume and some of which are
positioned around
the periphery of the burner system 11 to collect the water from the sprinkler
system 21 which
would wet the areas around the fire plume. The pans positioned around the
periphery of the
burner system 11 collect water passing around the periphery of the plume and
may collect
some water which passes through the flame, since some of the sprinklers may be
at some
distance from the vertical center line of the plume and water drops entering
the plume from
one side may pass through the plume and land in pans on the other side of the
plume.
Thermocouples 25 are deployed at strategic locations under and adjacent to the
ceiling 13 to
measure the fire gas temperature under and adjacent to the ceiling.
[0040] FIGS. 2-5 depict a burner 100 according to an embodiment of the
present
invention. The burner 100 can be used alone, or in combination with other
burners, to
produce a fire plume for testing a first safety protection system, such as a
network of
sprinklers or nozzles. Embodiments of the burner 100 can be used alone, or in
combination
with other burners, to produce a fire plume with a heat output over 2,500 kW.
For example,
according to an embodiment, the burner 100, alone or in combination with other
burners, can
produce a fire plume with a heat output in the range from about 0.5MW up to
about 7.5 MW,
or even greater, such as 10 MW. For ease of explanation, the term "sprinkler"
will be used to
refer generically to sprinklers, nozzles, and other types of fire protection
safety devices that
emit water or other fluids to suppress fire. One of ordinary skill in the art
will recognize from
this disclosure that the burner 100 may have other uses besides testing a fire
safety
protection system.
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[0041] In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the burner 100 is shown with its upper
shield 102 in
place. In FIGS. 3-5, the burner 100 is shown, for illustration purposes, with
the upper shield
102 removed. Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the burner 100 can include a liquid fuel
nozzle 104 for
emitting a spray of liquid fuel, such as a heptane spray, to create a flame
and induce an air
flow around the liquid fuel nozzle 104. According to alternative embodiments,
the liquid fuel
nozzle can use liquid fuels such as, without limitation, gasoline, diesel,
fuel oil, and jet fuel.
[0042] The liquid fuel nozzle 104 can be directed generally along a first
axis I (see FIG.
4). The burner 100 can also include a peripheral shield 106 that surrounds the
liquid fuel
nozzle 104. The nozzle 104 can be mounted or otherwise supported in the
peripheral shield
106, for example, using cross-members 108A, 108B, however, one of ordinary
skill in the art
will appreciate that other structures can be used to support the nozzle 104
with respect to
the peripheral shield 106.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 4, the peripheral shield 106 can have a
central axis (not
labeled) that is substantially aligned, or coaxial, with the first axis I of
the nozzle 104. For
example, according to the embodiment shown, the peripheral shield 106 can be
substantially
cylindrical in shape, and can define a central axis aligned with the first
axis I. One of ordinary
skill in the art will appreciate, however, that other shapes besides
cylindrical are possible.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 4, the peripheral shield 106 can include an upper
end 106A and
a lower end 106B. According to an embodiment, the upper end 106A extends above
and
protects the tip of liquid fuel nozzle 104, e.g., from air or liquid impinging
from the side.
According to an embodiment, the peripheral shield can define a diameter of
between about
2.5" and 3.5", for example, about 3", and can define a length between the
upper end 106A
and the lower end 106B of between about 2.5" and 3.5", for example, about 3",
however,
other dimensions are possible.
[0045] Still referring to FIGS. 3-5, the burner 100 can also include a
pilot flame manifold
110 located, for example, at or above the upper end 106A of the peripheral
shield 106. The
pilot flame manifold 110 can define a plurality of pilot flame outlets 112,
for example, for
releasing a gas, such as a mixture of air and propane. According to an
embodiment, the pilot
flame manifold 110 can be substantially ring-shaped, and can have a plurality
of pilot flame
outlets 112 distributed about its upper surface. According to an embodiment,
the pilot flame
outlets can comprise between 16 and 56, for example, 28 micro-nozzles, evenly
distributed
about the pilot flame manifold 110. Each micro-nozzle can have a diameter in
the range from
about 0.125" to about 0.150", however, other sizes and numbers of nozzles are
possible.
While the pilot flame manifold 110 is shown and described herein as ring-
shaped, other
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
shapes are possible, such as square, rectangular, or triangular. According to
alternative
embodiments, the micro-nozzles can release butane, methane, ethane, or other
gasses and
air/gas mixtures.
[0046] The pilot flame manifold 110 can be connected at or near the upper
end 106A of
the peripheral shield 106, for example, by welding, bonding, or other methods
known in the
art. Alternatively, the pilot flame manifold 110 can be integral with the
peripheral shield 106.
The pilot flame manifold 110 can include mounting brackets 114, such as
threaded studs or
other structures, for securing the upper shield 102. The pilot flame manifold
110 can also
include a coupling 116 for connection to a supply of gaseous fuel, such as a
mixture of
propane and air, as will be discussed in more detail below.
[0047] Still referring to FIGS. 3-5, an embodiment of the pilot flame
manifold 110 can
define an inner diameter of between about 2.5" and 3.5", or alternatively,
between about
2.75" and 3.25 According to an embodiment, the inner diameter of the pilot
flame manifold
can be about 3". The pilot flame manifold 110 can define an outer diameter of
between about
4.5" and 5.5", for example, about 5", however, other dimensions are possible.
According to
an embodiment, the pilot flame manifold 110 can define a height (e.g., along
first axis I) of
between about 0.5" and 1.5", for example, about 1", The pilot flame manifold
110 can have a
substantially square cross-section, as shown in FIG. 4, or alternatively, can
have a circular
cross-section, or other shape.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIGS. 6-9, the upper shield
102 will be
described in more detail. When in place, the upper shield 102 is located on
the burner 100
above the pilot flame manifold 110. The upper shield 102 can include a first
portion 102A
that extends horizontally over the pilot flame manifold 110 (e.g.,
substantially perpendicular
to the first axis l), for example, to block water droplets or other fluids
from contacting the pilot
flame manifold 110. The first portion 102A can include a central opening 120
through which
the flame generated by the burner exits. According to an embodiment, the first
portion 102A
can define an outer diameter of between about 5.5" and 6.5", for example,
about 6",
however, other dimensions are possible. According to an embodiment, the
central opening
120 can define a diameter of between about 2.5" and about 3.5", for example,
about 3",
however, other dimensions are possible. While the upper shield 102 is shown
and described
as being substantially cylindrical, other shapes, such as square, rectangular,
and triangular
are also possible.
[0049] Referring to FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the upper shield 102 can further
include a second
portion 102B that extends substantially parallel to the first axis I, for
example, downward
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
around the burner 100. The second portion 102B can protect the flame from
being blown off
the liquid fuel nozzle 104 in the event of strong air currents from the side.
According to an
embodiment, the second portion 102B can include mounting slots 122, or other
structures, to
mount the upper shield 102 on the burner, for example, by receiving the
mounting brackets
114 located on the pilot flame manifold 110 and corresponding fasteners. The
mounting slots
122 can be elongated to permit vertical adjustment of the upper shield's
position with respect
to the liquid fuel nozzle 102 and/or the pilot flame manifold 110. The second
portion 102B of
the upper shield 102 can also include a clearance 124 to permit passage of the
coupling 116
on the pilot flame manifold 110. According to an embodiment, the second
portion 102B of
the upper shield 102 can define a height of between about 2.0" and 4.0", for
example, about
3", however, other dimensions are possible.
[0050] According to an embodiment, the underside of the first portion
102A of the upper
shield 102 can be located at a vertical distance of between about 1.5" and
about 3.0", for
example, about 2.5", above the tip of liquid fuel nozzle 104. Additionally or
alternatively, the
underside of the first portion 102A can be located at a vertical distance of
between about
0.5" and 1.5", or between about 0.5" and about 1.25" above the pilot flame
outlets 112 in the
pilot flame manifold 110. According to an embodiment, the underside of the
first portion
102A of the upper shield 102 can be located at a vertical distance of about 1"
above the pilot
flame outlets 112.
[0051] According to an embodiment, the tip of the fuel nozzle 104 can be at
a
substantially vertical distance of about 0.5" to about 2.5" below the pilot
flame outlets 112 in
the pilot flame manifold 110. According to another embodiment, the tip of the
fuel nozzle 104
can be at a substantially vertical distance of about 1.0" to about 1.5" below
the pilot flame
outlets 112 in the pilot flame manifold 110. One of ordinary skill in the art
will appreciate from
this disclosure, however, that the burner 100 can have other dimensions and
relative
distances than those specified above, for example, based on the operating
conditions and
desired fire plume properties.
[0052] According to an embodiment, the components of the burner 100, such
as, for
example, the peripheral shield 106, the manifold 110, the nozzle 104, and/or
the upper cover
102 can be made from heavy gauge metal, such as stainless steel having a
thickness of at
least 11 gage. Other materials are possible, however, as will be understood by
one of
ordinary skill in the art.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 10, an embodiment of a fire plume generator 130
according to
the present invention is shown. The fire plume generator 130 can comprise a
plurality of the
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burners 100, for example, as described in connection with FIGS. 2-9. In an
embodiment, the
lire plume generator 130 can comprise a first, centrally arranged burner 132
(e.g., similar to
burner 100) and a plurality of second, peripheral burners 134 (e.g., similar
to burner 100)
arranged around the first burner 132, for example, in a circle, however other
patterns are
possible. According to an embodiment, eight of the peripheral burners 134 can
be arranged
around the central burner 132 in an approximately 4 foot diameter circle,
however, other
embodiments are possible. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, an air
discharge
duct 136 can be located underneath the central burner 132. For example, the
duct 136 can
comprise an 8" duct positioned between about 10" and 15", for example, about
13", below
the central burner 132. According to an embodiment, airflow through the duct
136 can be
moved by a blower connected to the duct 136, for example, by a tube. A blast
gate by-pass
can be used to adjust the airflow rate through the duct 136. According to an
embodiment, the
blower can have a capacity of about 3,000 c.f.m. at 14 inches of water,
however, other
burner capacities can be used.
10054] A substantially flat, deflector disk 138 can be located between the
first burner 132
and the duct 136, for example, to maintain an air recirculation zone below the
first burner
132 when air is discharged from the duct 136. Additionally or alternatively,
the deflector disk
138 can serve as a flame holder to protect the flame from overpowering air
currents from
below. According to an embodiment, the deflector disk 138 can have a diameter
of about
6.5" and can be located about 4" below the central burner.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 10, liquid fuel, such as heptane, can be supplied
to each of the
burners 132, 134, for example, using one or more networks of pipes 140
connected to the
respective liquid fuel nozzles 104. According to an embodiment, all or a
portion of the pipes
140 can comprise a double-jacketed stainless steel feed line, which allows
water to pass
through an annular area in the feed line to cool heptane flowing in the pipes
140. A flow
meter, such as a turbine flow meter, can be used to monitor the total heptane
flow rate.
[0056] Gaseous fuel, such as an approximate 8-to-1 propane/air mixture,
can be
supplied to the respective pilot flame manifolds 110, for example, by using
one or more
networks of pipes 142, e.g., stainless steel tubing, connected to the
manifolds, e.g., via the
couplings 116. According to an embodiment, air supply to the manifolds 110 can
be metered
by a mass flow controller, for example, at a rate of between about 700 Ipm and
about 800
Ipm. The propane can be supplied to the manifolds 110 in a similar manner, for
example,
using a separate mass flow controller to provide propane at a rate of between
about 50 Ipm
and 70 Ipm. A flame flashback arrestor 145 can be located in the propane
supply prior to
entry into each manifold 110.
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[0057] The burners 100 can all be located on approximately the same
horizontal plane.
According to an embodiment, the center burner 132 can be pointed about 90
degrees
upward, while the peripheral burners 134 are angled toward the center burner
132 in order to
produce the desired fire plume. The fire plume generator 130 can be located
above a fluid
collection system, for example, as described in connection with FIGS. 11-18H,
below.
[0058] In testing, the fire plume generator 130 shown in FIG. 10 has
produced fire
plumes with a heat output ranging from between about 0.5MW to about 7.5 MW, or
greater,
in comparison with prior art plume generators which have been limited by a
2,500 kW heat
output capacity. In use, the fire plume generator 130 can be operated by
supplying a starting
upward air flow from the duct 136. Calibrated heptane flow rates are
discharged from the
individual liquid fuel nozzles 104, and ignited. The peripheral shield 106 of
each burner 100
can induce a high air velocity inside the shield 106 during operation, for
example, to deflect
water droplets from entering the shield 106 and contacting the fuel nozzle
104. The upper
shield 102 can also deflect water droplets from contacting the fuel nozzle 104
from above.
Additionally or alternatively, the upper shield 102 can also create a
recirculation zone above
or below the burner 100 for flame stabilization. The pilot flame manifold 110
emits a ring of
pilot flames to serve as a constant igniter for the fire plume, and can
dramatically reduce the
standoff distance between the flame and the corresponding liquid fuel nozzle
104.
Additionally or alternatively, the pilot flame manifold 110 can increase the
temperature of the
upper shield 102 to expedite heptane droplet vaporization, thereby maintaining
sustainable
flames under extremely turbulent conditions (e.g., under strong sprinkler
sprays). As
mentioned previously, the deflector disk 138 can maintain an air recirculation
zone below the
first burner 132 when air is discharged from the duct 136. The features
mentioned above,
when implemented individually, can result in a fire plume generator 130 having
a high flame
.. capacity, making it possible to test larger and/or more robust sprinkler
systems. Moreover,
when combined, the features result in a fire plume generator 130 having an
even higher
flame capacity. For example, an embodiment of the fire plume generator 130 can
be used to
simulate rack-storage fire plumes expected at first sprinkler actuations in
warehouses up to
60 feet high, or higher, assuming a tall enough facility.
[0059] The table below lists example parameters for liquid fuel discharge
from the liquid
fuel nozzle(s) 104 that can be used to provide a convective heat release for
the fire plume
generator 130 ranging from about 0.50 MW to about 7.5 MW.
Convective Heat Nozzle Capacity of Nozzle Capacity of Estimated
Nozzle Estimated Total
Release Rate (MW) Center Burner at Peripheral Burners at
Operating Discharge Rate
6.9 bar (GPH) 6.9 bar (GPH) Pressure (bar) (9Pm)
CA 2917327 2017-07-28
0.50 About 4 About 3 About 4 About 1 5
7.50 About 45 About 45 About 7 About 25
[0060] Referring to FIGS. 11-18H, components of a fluid collection system
for use in a
fire safety protection evaluation system are shown. FIGS. 11, 13 A, and 13B
depict a
plurality of horizontal collection devices 200, while FIGS. 12A and 12B depict
a plurality of
vertical collection devices 300. The fire plume generator 130 can be used in
conjunction with
the horizontal collection devices 200 and/or vertical collection devices 300
to test a fire
safety protection system, for example, to measure the amount of fluid
delivered by a
sprinkler system to the surfaces of burning pallets, and/or the surfaces of
adjoining pallets.
For example, the fire plume generator 130 can generate a fire plume underneath
a sprinkler
system, and the horizontal collection devices 200 can be used to measure the
amount of
fluid delivered by the sprinkler system to horizontal surfaces of the burning
rack storage
located underneath the sprinkler system (e.g., the ADD distribution).
Likewise, the vertical
collection devices 300 can be used to measure the amount of fluid delivered by
the sprinkler
system to the vertical surfaces of a target rack storage facing the burning
rack storage (e.g.,
facing the horizontal collection devices 200).
[0061] Referring to FIG. 11, each horizontal collection device 200 can
comprise a
substantially horizontal fluid collection pan 202 having an open top for
collecting fluids, such
as water, dispensed by sprinklers. Each horizontal collection device 200 can
also include a
storage container 204, such as a tank, in fluid communication with the
collection pan 202, to
receive and measure the fluid received by the respective collection pan 202.
For example,
as shown in FIG. 11, the collection pan 202 can be connected to the respective
storage
container 204 using a conduit 206. Alternatively, the collection pan 202 could
connect
directly to the respective storage container 204. Each of the horizontal
collection devices can
include a measuring device (hidden from view), such as a pressure transducer
in, on, or
under the storage container 204, to measure the amount of fluid in the
container 204, and/or
to measure the rate of fluid entering the container 204. As a result, each
vertical collection
device 200 can measure the amount and/or rate of fluid landing on the open
upper surface
of the respective collection pan 202.
[0062] Still referring to FIG. 11, a horizontal collection device 200 can
comprise multiple
collection pans 202 located on a frame to facilitate movement and arrangement
of the
collection pans 202 as a unit, for example, to place them in desired locations
and/or patterns
with respect to a fire plume (e.g., from the position shown in FIG. 13A to the
position shown
in FIG. 13B, to be discussed in more detail below). The embodiment shown in
FIG. 11
includes a 2x2 array of horizontal collection pans 202 mounted on a frame 210.
As shown,
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the frame 210 can support each horizontal pan 202, storage container 204, and
measuring
device. According to the embodiment shown, the collection pans 202 can be
located above
the respective storage container 204, however other configurations are
possible. The frame
210 can include wheels 212 or other similar devices to facilitate transport of
the unit. A
solenoid can be included in each storage container 204 to open and close a
valve, in order
to facilitate emptying of the storage container 204.
[0063] Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, front and side views of vertical
collection
devices 300 according to an embodiment are shown. Each vertical collection
device 300 can
include a substantially vertical collection surface 302, e.g., that is
impacted by fluid and on
which the fluid collects, and a trough 304 for collecting the fluid that runs
down the collection
surface 302. More specifically, according to an embodiment, each substantially
vertical
collection surface 302 can have an upper edge 302A and a lower edge 302B, and
the trough
304 can be located at and extend along the lower edge 302B. The trough 304 can
have an
open top surface 304A that is substantially perpendicular to the substantially
vertical
collection surface 302, through which the fluid passes to be collected in the
trough 304.
[0064] According to an embodiment, each substantially vertical collection
surface 302
can measure approximately 42" by 42", corresponding to the vertical surface
area of one
pallet load. Other dimensions for the vertical collection surface 302 can
alternatively be
used, for example, to simulate different sized commodities. As shown in FIGS.
12A and 12B,
the vertical collection devices 300 can be arranged in an array that is two
units wide by "N"
tiers tall corresponding to two pallet loads wide and N pallet loads high of
target rack
storage. According to an embodiment, side-by-side collection devices 300 can
be separated
by approximately 6", and vertically stacked collection devices 300 can be
separated by
approximately 18", corresponding to the vertical and horizontal flues in
standard rack-
storage testing arrangements. However, according to alternative embodiments,
other
dimensions for the vertical and horizontal separation can be used, to simulate
different
stacking configurations.
[0065] Similar to the horizontal collection devices 200, each vertical
collection device
300 can include a storage container (not shown) located below the trough 304,
e.g.,
connected thereto by a conduit, and a measuring device (e.g., a pressure
transducer)
associated with the storage container to measure the amount and/or rate of
fluid collected by
the vertical collection device 300. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the
vertical collection
devices 300 can be stacked above one another in multiple tiers, for example,
to simulate
multiple stacked pallets. A frame (not shown) can be used to support the
vertical collection
devices 300 and related storage containers and measuring devices.
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
[0066] Referring to FIGS. ISA and 13B, an array of horizontal water
collection devices
200 is shown centered beneath the fire plume generator 130. In the embodiment
shown,
each horizontal collection pan 202 can have a substantially horizontal
collection surface
measuring approximately 21" by 21", to simulate the top surface of a 21" by
21" by 21"
carton. As such, each horizontal collection device 200 can simulate the top
surface of a 42"
by 42" pallet load, however, other sizes may be used as needed. In FIG. 13 A,
the fire plume
generator 130 is centered over an array of horizontal collection devices 200
that is two
devices 200 wide by four devices 200 long, representing the top surfaces of
the four ignition
stacks in a warehouse commodity fire, and the stacks adjacent to the ignition
stacks, two on
each side.
[0067] According to an embodiment, a gap of approximately 6" exists
between the
horizontal collection devices 200 to represent the vertical flues between
adjacent rack
storages. Alternative embodiments may use larger or smaller gaps to simulate
different sized
flues. As shown, rectangular horizontal water collection devices 250 can be
located in the
spaces between the horizontal collection devices 200, and can collect water
that lands in the
flue space (e.g., between adjacent collection devices 200). The rectangular
horizontal
collection devices 250 can each include a container and a measuring device
(similar to
horizontal collection devices 200) to measure the amount and/or rate of fluid
collected by the
rectangular collection devices 250 in the flue space.
[0068] The eight pans 202 located to the left and another eight located to
the right of the
four ignition stacks represent the top surfaces of target stacks adjacent to
the ignition stacks.
FIG. 13B shows the array of collection devices 200 after having been offset
with respect to
the fire plume generator 130 by approximately one-half of a stack, for
example, by rolling the
horizontal collection devices .200 on the wheeled frame 210. One of ordinary
skill in the art
will appreciate from this disclosure that the horizontal collection devices
200 are not limited
to the dimensions and arrangements shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, and that other
dimensions and array sizes arc possible based, for example, on the type of
testing being
performed.
[0069] Although not specifically shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, according to
an
embodiment, one or more tiers of the vertical collection devices 300 can be
arranged around
an array of the horizontal collection devices 200. In such an embodiment, the
horizontal
collection devices 200 can measure fluid deposited on the top surfaces of
stacks during a
fire, and the vertical collection devices 300 can measure fluid deposited on
the sides of
stacks facing the horizontal collection devices 200. For example, in FIGS. 13A
and 13B, one
or more vertical collection devices 300 can be placed around the array of
horizontal
13
CA 2917327 2017-07-28
collection devices 200, for example with the substantially vertical collection
surfaces 302 and
troughs 304 facing the horizontal collection devices 200.
[0070] FIG. 14 shows a side view of horizontal collection devices 200 in
an array such
as that shown in FIG. 13A, with two of the nine burners 132/134 of the fire
plume generator
.. shown above the assembly. The heptane spray fires from the burners 132/134
collectively
produce the fire plume for evaluating the penetration capability of sprinkler
spray(s) through
the fire plume for a designated sprinkler application. When the sprinkler
spray(s) overpowers
the fire plume, some heptane droplets discharged from the burners 132/134 may
fall into the
horizontal fluid collection pans 202 and be drained together with water into
the respective
.. storage containers 204 below. If this happens, heptane vapor is expected to
be present
above the water level inside the storage container 204 due to its low boiling
point. As a
result, a deflagration may occur inside the storage container 204 if the
heptane vapor
concentration reaches the lower explosion limit and an ignition source is
present. To ensure
personnel safety and uninterrupted water collection operation, and to prevent
the apparatus
from being damaged by the deflagration, appropriate venting measures may be
incorporated
into the horizontal collection devices 200, according to some embodiments. In
addition, the
additional vapor pressure from the heptane vapor can increase the pressure
measured by a
measuring device 203 (e.g., a pressure transducer) that may be used to
determine the
amount of water collected in the storage container 204. Therefore, the
presence of heptane
vapor in the storage container 204 can impact the measurement of the water
level inside the
container. Accordingly, these venting measures can not only release the
deflagration
pressure while maintaining the water collection operation, but can also vent
the container to
ensure proper measurement of water level inside the storage container 204.
[0071] FIG. 14 shows an example of a connection between the horizontal
fluid collection
pans 202 and the corresponding storage container 204 to release the
deflagration pressure
while maintaining the water collection operation. In FIG. 14, a water passage
pipe 400 is
attached at one end to a base of a collection pan 202. Another end of the
water passage
pipe 400 extends into the storage container 204, for example, through an
opening in a cover
402. The diameter on the end of the water passage pipe 400 that extends into
the storage
container 204 may be slightly less than the diameter of the receiving opening
on the
container cover 402, thereby allowing the container cover 402 to slide along
the longitudinal
axis of the water passage pipe 400. Also shown in FIG. 14 is a flexible
bellows 404 that may
be attached to the base of the horizontal fluid collection pan 202 and to the
lip of the
container cover opening, according to some embodiments.
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
[0072] FIG. 14 shows the two horizontal collection devices 200 in a state
during the
occurrence of a deflagration, as compared to a state without deflagration. In
the embodiment
shown, the container cover 402 may act as a blast panel to release the
deflagration over-
pressure in the vessel of the storage container 204. For example, when
deflagration occurs,
the container cover 402 can travel upward along the water passage pipe 400,
with the water
passage pipe 400 acting as a guide for upward movement of the container cover
402. As the
container cover 402 travels upward, e.g., from the position shown on the left-
hand side of
FIG. 14 to the position shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 14, the over-
pressure is reduced
with the increased opening between the cover 402 and the container 204. To
prevent the
cover 402 from hitting the pan 202 above, the distance between the base of the
pan 202 and
the container 204 should be greater than the expected travel distance of the
container cover
402. The travel distance can be estimated based on the cover weight and the
expected over-
pressure resulting from a deflagration, assuming negligible friction between
the water
passage pipe 400 and the cover 402. The over-pressure can be estimated using
the
saturated vapor concentration of heptane in the container 204 and the maximum
available
free container volume.
[0073] According to some embodiments, the horizontal fluid collection
pans 202 may be
cooled by water sprays from below. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 14, the
water passage
pipe 400 can be enclosed in a flexible sleeve or bellows 404 to prevent the
cooling water
from getting into the storage container 204 through the clearance between the
water
passage pipe 400 and the opening in the container cover 402.
[0074] FIG. 14 also shows air venting spacers 406 (discussed further
below with respect
to FIGS. 16A and 16B), which vent the pressure in the storage container 204.
[0075] FIG. 15 shows an example of the connection between the horizontal
fluid
collection pans 202 and storage containers 204 according to another
embodiment. In FIG.
15, movement of the cover 402 is guided with several vertically oriented
guides 408 attached
to the cover 402 and evenly spaced around the perimeter of the cover 402. With
these
guides 408, the water passage pipe 400 does not have to extend into the
storage container
204 to function as a guide. Instead, the guides 408 may extend downward around
the
exterior of the storage container 204, as shown in FIG. 15, in a manner that
allows the cover
402 to move relative to the storage container 204. In some embodiments, the
guides 408 are
separated from the exterior of the storage container 204 with a small
clearance to allow for
the guides 408 to move relative to the exterior surface of the storage
container 204. In some
embodiments, the guides 408 may be used in conjunction with rollers, trackers,
or some
other mechanism that allows them to guide the movement of the cover 402. The
guides 408
CA 2917327 2017-07-28
may be, for example, flexible bellows or a plurality of interconnected
segments that move
relative to one another by sliding, folding, compressing, or actuating in some
other manner.
The above-described embodiments of guides 408 for guiding the movement of the
container
cover 402 are examples only, and are not intended to limit embodiments of the
invention.
One skilled in the art will appreciate possible variations for guiding
movement of the
container cover 402.
[0076] As discussed above with respect to FIG. 14, embodiments may
include air
venting spacers 406 disposed between the container cover 402 and the vessel of
the
storage container 204. The water collection rate in each horizontal fluid
collection pan 202 is
determined by the rate of water level rise inside the corresponding storage
container 204,
which in turn can be determined by the rate of static pressure increase of
water column
inside the storage container 204. The static pressure may be measured by a
sensor 203,
such as a pressure transducer, in the storage container 204, as shown in FIG.
14. One of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other measuring devices may be
used. The
pressure transducer may be referenced to the ambient atmosphere. Therefore,
the
measurements of the pressure transducer may have better accuracy if the
pressure above
the water level inside the container is also at the ambient pressure. If the
air and vapor (e.g.,
water and possibly heptane) above the water level are not vented, the pressure
above the
water level will increase as the water level rises. A dedicated container
vent, as shown in
FIGS. 14, 16A, and 16B, allows the pressure in the space above the water level
to be vented
even when the water passage pipe is completely filled with water during
testing.
[0077] FIG. 16A shows a top view of the underside of the container cover
402, with a
relative position of a perimeter 410 of the storage container 204 indicated in
dashed lines.
Evenly distributed air venting spacers 406 are shown to space the container
cover 402 from
the perimeter 410 of the storage container 204. FIG. 16B shows a side view of
the container
cover 402 with spacers 406, including a detail view of the vent path VP that
allows the
interior of the vessel of the storage container 204 to vent and release
pressure to the exterior
of the container 204. As shown in the enlarged portion of FIG. 16B, the air
venting spacers
406 can be attached to the underside of the container cover 402, where a
bottom surface
406A of the spacer 406 rests on the container 204 to support the container
cover 402 above
the upper rim 204A of the storage container 204. Thus, a vent is formed in the
space
between the underside of the container cover 402 and the top rim 204A of the
container 204.
The vent may equalize the pressure in the space above the water level with the
ambient
pressure. However, it may not be necessary for the space above the water level
to be
completely equalized, and there may be some remaining vapor pressure in the
space above
the water level. However, in preferred embodiments, the total area of the vent
should be
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
sufficiently large to make the over-pressure above the water level negligible
as compared to
the accuracy level of the measuring device. According to embodiments, the
required vent
area can be determined by the expected maximum gas mixture mass in the
container 204
(i.e., at the lowest water level) and expected maximum water level rise rate.
To minimize
cooling water and foreign debris from getting into the container 204, a
substantially vertical
wall or lip 412 can extend downward from the cover's circumference, as shown
in FIG. 16B.
Other alternatives can be used to achieve the same venting and shielding
effect.
[0078] Besides the above venting measures, the following two provisions
can also be
considered in designing the water collection device 200.
[0079] Because the water flow from the horizontal fluid collection pan 202
to its
corresponding storage container 204 is governed by gravity, the pan's top
cross-sectional
area, volume, height and drain opening may be coordinated for the expected
maximum
water flux realized in the pan 202.
[0080] Furthermore, sufficiently tall, substantially vertical lips 420
located at the ridges
between pans (see, e.g., FIG. 14) may be provided to prevent high momentum
water sprays
from splashing water from one pan to adjacent pans, to ensure that the water
flux
measurement reflects the actual water distribution to the respective
horizontal fluid collection
pan.
[0081] According to embodiments, the horizontal fluid collection pans 202
may need to
be cooled to prevent the loss of water via vaporization. The incident heat
flux on the pan
surface below a 7-MW fire produced by the fire plume generator can be up to
150 kW/m2
due to their close proximity. To prevent the loss of water in the pan through
vaporization, the
pan's temperature during testing should be kept as close to the ambient as
possible.
[0082] For cooling all or part of each horizontal fluid collection pan
202, each pan 202
may be made of plate heat exchangers. Alternatively, the pans 202 may be
cooled by
employing water sprays from below the pans 202. Such an assembly can cool the
pans 202
economically and robustly, and may also be easy to maintain. Thus, water
sprays on the
underside of the horizontal fluid collection pans 202 may be used to cool the
pans, according
to some embodiments. To properly configure the water sprays below the pans
202, their
distribution and the impinging water flux can be optimized to achieve the best
possible
cooling effect.
[0083] As shown in FIG. 17, a network of water spray nozzles 500 can be
arranged
beneath the horizontal fluid collection pans 202, between the pans 202 and the
storage
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CA 2917327 2017-07-28
containers 204, to cool the collection pans 202 when exposed to the fire of
the fire plume
generator. FIG. 17 shows a plan view of the piping network 504 for supplying
water to the
water spray nozzles 500. The horizontal fluid collection pans 202 are denoted
in dashed
lines to show their relative positioning with the network of spray nozzles
500. As shown, the
network 504 is composed of eight slightly different piping arrangements
denoted as Patterns
A through H, depending on their locations in the apparatus. Patterns B, C, F
and G are
deployed in the central area of the apparatus, while Patterns A, D, E and H
are located at
the two ends.
[0084] Examples of Patterns A through H are illustrated in FIGS. 18A-
18H. Each pattern
may be constructed with approximately 11/1 in. (inside diameter) copper tubing
and fittings,
for example, however other embodiments are possible. The circles 500 in FIGS.
18A-18H
denote the nozzle locations. As shown, there can be 19 nozzles 500 in each of
the patterns
located at the two ends of the apparatus (i.e., Patterns A, D, E and H in
FIGS. 18A, 18D,
18E, and 18H, respectively), and 20 nozzles 500 in each of the patterns in the
central area
of the apparatus (i.e., Patterns B, C, F and G in FIGS. 18B, 18C, 18F, and
18G,
respectively), however, other quantities and distributions of nozzles 500 are
possible. The
nozzles 500 produce full-cone sprays with a spray angle of between 100 and
140 ,
preferably about 120 . The tips of nozzles 500 can be leveled at the lower end
of the drain
couplings of the pans 202, to ensure that the underside of the pans 202 are
substantially
completely exposed to the water sprays, however, other embodiments are
possible.
[0085] The embodiments illustrated and discussed in this specification
are intended only
to teach those skilled in the art the best way known to the inventors to make
and use the
invention. Nothing in this specification should be considered as limiting the
scope of the
present invention. The various features described herein can be used
interchangeably with
one another. For example, the features described in connection with FIGS. 14-
18H can be
used interchangeably and/or in combination with the features of FIGS. 11-13B.
All examples
presented are representative and non-limiting. The above-described embodiments
of the
invention may be modified or varied, without departing from the invention, as
appreciated by
those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to
be understood that,
within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the invention may be
practiced
otherwise than as specifically described.
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