System and method of conditioning and delivery of liquid fire extinguishing agent
AssigneeUTC Fire & Security Corporation
InventorJoseph Senecal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for delivery of a fire extinguishing agent includes an agent tank at least partially filled with a volume of liquid fire extinguishing agent and a supply of pressurizing gas operatively connected to inject pressurizing gas into the volume of liquid agent. A discharge valve is configured to open when the agent tank reaches a desired pressure due to the injection of pressurizing gas therein thereby delivering a flow including fire extinguishing agent with associated dissolved pressurizing gas from the agent tank. The flow of fire extinguishing agent and associated dissolved pressurizing gas is discharged from the agent tank.
Claims28
A system for delivery of a fire extinguishing agent comprising:
- an agent tank at least partially filled with a volume of liquid fire extinguishing agent;
- a gas inlet tube extending into the agent tank from above a liquid surface of the liquid fire extinguishing agent to below the liquid surface of the fire extinguishing agent to inject a supply of pressurizing gas operatively connected to inject pressurizing gas into the volume of liquid agent below the liquid surface of the liquid agent during operating of the system, the gas inlet tube expelling the pressurizing gas such that a first portion of the pressurizing gas is dissolved into the liquid fire extinguishing agent and a second portion of the pressurizing gas not dissolved in the liquid fire extinguishing agent pressurizes the agent tank;
- a discharge valve disposed at the agent tank configured to open when the agent tank reaches a desired pressure due to the injection of pressurizing gas therein thereby delivering a two-phase flow including:
- a liquid phase including liquid fire extinguishing agent and associated dissolved pressurizing gas;
- and
- a gas phase including pressurizing gas and fire extinguishing agent vapor;
- a gas inlet valve disposed on the agent tank configured to continue providing the supply of pressurizing gas into the agent tank after opening of the discharge valve, the gas inlet tube extending downwardly from the gas inlet valve into the agent tank;
- and
- a pressure-operated valve actuator in operable communication with the agent tank and with the discharge valve;
- wherein the pressure-operated valve actuator is configured to open the discharge valve when a pressure sensor disposed at the gas inlet valve indicates that a pressure in the agent tank reaches a selected level.
A method for delivery of a fire extinguishing agent comprising:
- injecting a flow of pressurizing gas into a volume of liquid fire extinguishing agent disposed in an agent tank below a liquid surface of the liquid fire extinguishing agent via a gas inlet tube extending into the agent tank from above the liquid surface of the liquid fire extinguishing agent to below the liquid surface of the fire extinguishing agent, the flow of pressurizing gas injected into the agent tank through a gas inlet valve disposed on the agent tank and through the gas inlet tube extending downwardly from the gas inlet valve;
- dissolving a first portion of the pressurizing gas into the liquid agent;
- increasing a pressure in the agent tank to a selected level via a second portion of the pressurizing gas not dissolved into the liquid agent;
- discharging a two-phase flow from the agent tank via a discharge valve disposed at the agent tank, the two-phase flow including:
- a liquid phase including liquid fire extinguishing agent and associated dissolved pressurizing gas;
- and
- a gas phase including pressurizing gas and fire extinguishing agent vapor;
- and
- continuing to inject the flow of pressurizing gas into the volume of liquid agent after an initial discharge of the two-phase flow;
- wherein the discharge valve is opened via a pressure-operated valve actuator in operable communication with the agent tank and with the discharge valve, the pressure-operated valve actuator configured to open the discharge valve when a pressure sensor disposed at the gas inlet valve indicates that a pressure in the agent tank reaches a selected level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.