JP7755545B2 - Fire extinguishing system - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a fire extinguishing system that utilizes foam released from a foam generator.

Many fire extinguishing systems have been proposed in the past that use fire detectors to detect and extinguish fires (see, for example, Patent Document 1). These conventional systems are effective against fires that spread from small sparks.

Fires are classified according to their combustion characteristics as shown in Table 1 below.

Conventional systems function effectively against Type A fires. However, for Type B fires, it may take time for the fire detectors to activate, which could result in a delay before water can be sprayed. Furthermore, as shown in Table 1, there is the problem that Type B fires are difficult to extinguish with water.

In recent years, Type B fires caused by arson and other factors have become a social problem. Type B fires, in particular, have the tendency to spread quickly. Therefore, fire extinguishing equipment has been proposed that uses foam generated from a fire extinguishing agent and air instead of water to extinguish fires (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

The packaged foam fire extinguishing system described in Non-Patent Document 1 is a packaged foam fire extinguishing system that does not require piping work, power supply work, water sources, pumps, etc., and is lightweight, compact, and easy to install.

Furthermore, by adopting an inside air system that allows indoor air, which may contain smoke and heat, to be used as the air needed to generate the bubbles, there is no need to introduce fresh outside air.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-078638

Nohmi Bosai website: Packaged foam fire extinguishing equipment "MIDEX III" (https://www.nohmi.co.jp/product/bubble_fire_extinguishing/midex3.html) Nohmi Bosai website, high-foam fire extinguishing equipment "Perf-Ex" (https://www.nohmi.co.jp/product/bubble_fire_extinguishing/perf-ex/index.html)

However, the conventional techniques have the following problems.
In the case of arson, there is a risk that flammable materials may be scattered on the floor, etc., causing a fire that spreads instantly. In order to prevent such arson, it is desirable to be able to install a packaged foam fire extinguishing system in the dead space currently available in the room.

For example, in waiting rooms in hospitals and other facilities, it would be desirable to be able to install a packaged foam fire extinguishing system on the floor beneath chairs or tables. This type of installation allows for effective use of dead space and allows foam to be quickly released onto the floor.

However, in order to use the inside air method and generate foam, it is essential that indoor air be continuously drawn into the foam generator. However, if a packaged foam fire extinguisher is installed on the floor, there is a risk that the foam released from the foam generator will fill up the foam generator's intake port. In this case, it will be impossible to continuously draw indoor air through the intake port, and it may be impossible to generate foam.

In addition, even with foam fire extinguishers other than packaged types, if the air intake becomes completely filled with foam released from the foam generator, it may become impossible to continuously take in indoor air through the air intake, and foam may no longer be generated.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a fire extinguishing system configured to continue to provide indoor air to the foam generator even after foam has been generated.

The fire extinguishing system of the present disclosure comprises a chemical tank containing a foam water solution, a pressurized cylinder containing compressed high-pressure gas for pressurizing the foam water solution, and a foam generator having an intake port for taking in indoor air and extinguishing a fire by releasing foam generated from the foam water solution pressurized by the high-pressure gas and the indoor air, and further comprising an extension intake pipe having one end connected to the intake port and the other end protruding to a position higher than the intake port , the foam generator being installed on the floor surface so that the generated foam can be quickly released toward the floor surface, and the extension intake pipe is designed to be positioned high so that the other end cannot be buried by the foam released by the foam generator depending on the installation environment, and so that indoor air can continue to be provided to the foam generator even after the foam has been released toward the floor surface .

This disclosure provides a fire extinguishing system configured to continue providing indoor air to the foam generator even after foam has been generated.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a fire extinguishing system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a layout of a fire extinguishing system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a fire extinguishing system that discharges foam by manual operation according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the fire extinguishing system of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
The fire extinguishing system of the present disclosure has a technical feature in that it is equipped with an extended intake pipe having one end connected to the intake port and the other end protruding to a position higher than the intake port, so that indoor air can be continuously supplied to the intake port of the foam generator.

Embodiment 1.
1 is an overall configuration diagram of a fire extinguishing system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The fire extinguishing system according to the first embodiment is configured to include a chemical tank 10, a pressurized cylinder 20, a foam generator 30, a heat-sensitive release joint 41, and a housing 100.

The housing 100 also includes a structural wall 101 and an opening 102, and each component is attached to the housing 100 to form a packaged fire extinguishing system. The structural wall 101 is a structure for guiding the foam released from the foam generator 30 to the outside of the housing 100. The opening 102 is always open so that the foam released from the foam generator 30 can be released to the outside of the housing 100.

The opening 102 can also be covered with a lid that is normally closed and opens when foam is released. In this case, the lid can be configured to switch from a closed state to an open state when the ambient temperature exceeds the allowable temperature by supplying a foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas.

Figure 1 shows the overall configuration when foam is released when the ambient temperature exceeds the allowable temperature. Next, each component will be described in detail.

The chemical tank 10 contains a foam solution, which is a mixture of foam concentrate and water. The pressurized cylinder 20 contains compressed high-pressure gas used to pressurize the foam solution. Nitrogen or other gases can be used as the high-pressure gas. The foam solution is supplied to the foam generator 30 using the pressure within the pressurized cylinder 20, thereby eliminating the need for a commercial power source.

The foam generator 30 is a mechanism that extinguishes fires by releasing a foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas as foam, and is housed inside the housing 100. When the ambient temperature exceeds the allowable temperature, the foam released from the foam generator 30 housed inside the housing 100 passes through the opening 102 and is released outside the housing 100. The foam generator 30 also has an air intake 31 for taking in the indoor air needed to generate foam, as will be described in more detail below.

The installation position of the housing 100, the installation positions of the foam generator 30 and air intake 31 within the housing 100, the position of the opening, the shape of the structural wall 101, etc. will be determined so that foam can be emitted from the foam generator 30 in the appropriate direction depending on the various fire monitoring sites. From the standpoint of fire extinguishing capacity, it is desirable for the foam generator 30 to be able to emit highly expanded foam with a high foaming ratio.

Here, regarding the expansion ratio of the foam, low expansion, medium expansion, and high expansion can generally be defined as the following expansion ratio ranges.
Low expansion: Magnification 20 or less Medium expansion: Magnification over 20 and 80 or less High expansion: Magnification over 80 and 1000 or less

The heat-sensitive release joint 41 is installed on the supply path that sends the foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas from the chemical tank 10 to the foam generator 30. The heat-sensitive release joint 41 normally blocks the supply path, but when the ambient temperature exceeds the allowable temperature during fire monitoring, the valve opens mechanically, functioning as a heat-sensitive operating mechanism that switches the supply path from a blocked state to an open state.

As an example, the heat-sensitive release joint 41 has a glass bulb as a valve body that is mechanically destroyed when the ambient temperature exceeds approximately 70 degrees, and this glass bulb is positioned so that it is located outside the housing 100.

The primary side of the supply path provided within the heat-sensitive release joint 41 is connected to the chemical tank 10 via piping, and the foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas is supplied from the chemical tank 10 to the primary side of the heat-sensitive release joint 41.

Meanwhile, the secondary side of the supply path provided within the heat-sensitive release joint 41 is connected to the foam generator 30 via piping. When the ambient temperature does not exceed the allowable temperature, the supply path of the heat-sensitive release joint 41 is in a blocked state. Therefore, the foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas is supplied to the primary side of the heat-sensitive release joint 41, but is not supplied to the secondary side.

If the ambient temperature subsequently exceeds the allowable temperature, the glass bulb in the heat-sensitive release joint 41 is mechanically destroyed, opening the supply path of the heat-sensitive release joint 41 and entering the foam release state shown in Figure 1. In other words, when the supply path of the heat-sensitive release joint 41 opens, the foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas is supplied to the foam generator 30 via the piping connected to the secondary side of the heat-sensitive release joint 41.

As a result, foam is released from the foam generator 30. Furthermore, the foam released from the foam generator 30 passes through the opening 102 and flows out of the housing 100.

The foam generator 30 according to this first embodiment has an intake port 31 for taking in indoor air, and employs a mechanism that mixes a foam solution pressurized by high-pressure gas with indoor air to generate foam using the inside air method, and then releases the foam. Furthermore, the foam generator 30 according to this first embodiment is intended to be installed on the floor, for example, under a chair or table, making use of existing dead space in the room.

Therefore, if the foam generator 30 itself generates foam and releases it toward the floor, filling up the air intake 31, the foam generator 30 will be unable to take in indoor air and will no longer function properly as a foam generator.

The fire extinguishing system according to this first embodiment is therefore equipped with an extended intake pipe 200, one end of which is connected to the intake port 31 and the other end of which protrudes higher than the intake port. The extended intake pipe 200 can be composed of a first intake pipe 200a and a second intake pipe 200b.

One end of the first intake pipe 200a is connected to the intake port 31, and the other end extends horizontally along the floor surface. Furthermore, one end of the second intake pipe 200b is connected to the other end of the first intake pipe 200a, and the other end extends upward relative to the floor surface. In this way, the extended intake pipe 200 has an L-shape formed by the first intake pipe 200a and the second intake pipe 200b, and can take in indoor air at a position away from the floor surface.

The extension length of the second intake pipe 200b is adjusted appropriately depending on the height of the foam piled up in the monitored area. In other words, the extension intake pipe 200 is adjusted appropriately depending on the installation environment so that the other end of the second intake pipe 200b has a shape with a height that will not be buried by the foam released from the foam generator 30.

That is, one end of the extended intake pipe 200 is connected to the intake port of the foam generator 30, and the other end is shaped to protrude at a height that will not be buried by the foam released by the foam generator 30, depending on the installation position of the foam generator 30. By designing the extended intake pipe 200 to have such a shape according to the installation environment, it is possible to prevent the tip of the extended intake pipe 200 from being buried by the foam released by the foam generator 30, and indoor air can be continuously provided to the foam generator 30 even after foam is generated.

In other words, the extension intake pipe 200 has one end connected to the intake port and the other end protruding higher than the intake port, which allows the intake port to be positioned substantially higher than when the extension intake pipe 200 is not connected. As a result, a fire extinguishing system can be realized that is configured to continuously provide indoor air to the foam generator 30 for a longer period of time than when the extension intake pipe 200 is not connected.

Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the layout of a fire extinguishing system according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 2 shows, as a top view, two chairs 2a and 2b installed in a room 1, a housing 100 installed in the dead space below chair 2a, and an extended intake pipe 200 placed in the dead space 3 created between chairs 2a and 2b.

This layout allows the packaged foam fire extinguishing system disclosed herein to be installed by utilizing the existing dead space 3 in the room 1, without the need for piping or power supply work. Furthermore, by installing the extended intake pipe 200 in the dead space 3 in the corner of the room 1, it is easy to realize a configuration that allows indoor air to continue to be supplied to the foam generator 30 installed on the floor or other surface, even after foam has been released into the room 1.

Note that Figure 1 describes a fire extinguishing system that is configured to automatically release foam when the heat-sensitive release joint 41 detects that the ambient temperature has exceeded an allowable temperature and opens the supply path of the heat-sensitive release joint 41. However, the fire extinguishing system according to this embodiment 1 can also be configured to manually release foam.

Figure 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a fire extinguishing system that manually releases foam according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Compared to the configuration shown in Figure 1, the fire extinguishing system shown in Figure 3 is configured with a manually operated valve 42 instead of a heat-sensitive release joint 41.

The fire extinguishing system shown in Figure 3 is configured so that foam can be immediately released by manually opening the manually operated valve 42 depending on the situation. A fire extinguishing system equipped with such a configuration for manually releasing foam can also be installed inside the room 1 shown in Figure 2 above. In this case, the manually operated valve 42 would be placed in a location that makes it easy to perform manual operation.

As described above, the fire extinguishing system according to this first embodiment has the fire extinguishing performance to handle even Type B fires, can be easily installed by effectively utilizing dead space, and can reduce costs.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, we have described a case in which a packaged foam fire extinguishing system housed in a housing is installed under a chair, but this configuration is not limited to this. Even in a configuration in which the foam generator used in the system described in Non-Patent Document 2 is installed on the floor or the like, the intake port can be positioned at an appropriate height using an extended intake pipe.

In other words, by applying the extended intake pipe of the present disclosure to various configurations in which a foam fire extinguisher is installed on the floor, etc., it is possible to realize a fire extinguishing system that can continue to provide indoor air to the foam generator even after foam has been generated.

In addition, to prevent foreign objects from entering the interior of the extended intake pipe 200, a punched metal or net-like material may be provided at the tip of the second intake pipe 200b. This prevents clogging of the extended intake pipe 200 due to tampering or other reasons.

If the entire extended intake pipe 200 has a structure such as punched metal, the tip of the second intake pipe 200b (the side not connected to the first intake pipe 200a) may be sealed with a lid or the like.

10 Chemical tank, 20 Pressurized cylinder, 30 Foam generator, 31 Intake port, 41 Heat-sensitive release joint, 42 Manually operated valve, 100 Housing, 101 Structural wall, 102 Opening, 200 Extended intake pipe, 200a First intake pipe, 200b Second intake pipe.

Claims (2)

a chemical tank containing a foam solution;
a pressurized cylinder containing compressed high-pressure gas for pressurizing the foam solution;
a foam generator having an intake port for taking in indoor air and discharging foam generated from the foam aqueous solution pressurized by the high-pressure gas and the indoor air to extinguish the fire;
an extended intake pipe having one end connected to the intake port and the other end protruding to a position higher than the intake port ,
The foam generator is installed on a floor surface, so that the generated foam can be quickly released toward the floor surface,
The extension intake pipe is designed to be at a high position so that the other end of the extension intake pipe can be prevented from being buried in foam discharged by the foam generator according to the installation environment, and so that indoor air can be continuously supplied to the foam generator even after the foam is discharged toward the floor surface.
Fire extinguishing system. 10. The fire suppression system of claim 1, further comprising a structural wall provided as a structure for guiding the foam so that it can be released in an appropriate direction from the foam generator .