Variable orifice proportioner
AssigneeTyco Fire Products LP
InventorJames A. Engman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire suppression system includes a water supply, a foam concentrate supply, and a venturi-principle foam proportioner fluidly coupled to each of the water supply and the foam concentrate supply. The venturi-principle foam proportioner controls a ratio of water and foam concentrate within a low pressure chamber to form a water and foam solution flowing out of the venturi-principle foam proportioner. The system also includes a variable foam concentrate orifice fluidly coupling the foam concentrate line to the low pressure chamber. The variable foam concentrate orifice includes an actuator configured to adjust an orifice area of the variable foam concentrate orifice based on a temperature of the foam concentrate.
Claims20
A fire suppression system, the system comprising:
- a water supply;
- a foam concentrate supply;
- a venturi-principle foam proportioner fluidly coupled to each of the water supply and the foam concentrate supply, the venturi-principle foam proportioner configured to proportion a concentration of water and a concentration of foam concentrate within a chamber to form a water and foam solution flowing from an outlet of the venturi-principle foam proportioner;
- and
- a variable foam concentrate orifice fluidly coupling the foam concentrate supply to the chamber, the variable foam concentrate orifice comprising an actuator configured to adjust an orifice area of the variable foam concentrate orifice based on a temperature associated with the foam concentrate.
A method for proportioning a foam concentrate in a fire suppression system, the method comprising:
- providing water from a water supply to a venturi-principle foam proportioner;
- providing a foam concentrate from a foam concentrate supply to the venturi-principle foam proportioner, wherein a viscosity of the foam concentrate is correlated with a temperature of the foam concentrate;
- forming, by the venturi-principle foam proportioner, a foam using the water and the foam concentrate according to a desired ratio;
- sensing a temperature associated with the foam concentrate;
- and
- adjusting, by an actuator, an orifice area of the venturi-principle foam proportioner based on the temperature to maintain the desired ratio.
A variable orifice device for proportioning foam concentrate, the device comprising:
- an inlet fluidly coupled to a foam concentrate supply;
- an outlet fluidly coupled to a proportioner configured to proportion water and a foam concentrate to form a water and foam solution;
- and
- a variable orifice fluidly coupling the inlet with the outlet, the variable orifice comprising an actuator configured to adjust a size of a cross-section of the variable orifice based on a temperature of the foam concentrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.