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US 12,758,808 B2Granted
Vent valve extinguisher for above ground storage tanks
OwnerCharles DelPapainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is a vent pipe extinguisher for an above ground tank. The invention uses an inert gas to smother the fire occurring at a vent valve included in a vent pipe. The invention uses a rotating door to block the flow of flammable gas from the vent pipe to the vent valve. The invention further uses a tag and cord system to release the rotating door and to visually and audibly indicate when the vent pipe extinguisher has been activated to extinguish a fire.
Claims14
An apparatus extinguishing a vent valve fire in an above ground storage tank vent pipe comprising:
- a. a housing, the housing including
- 1) a housing first open end, wherein the housing first open end is affixed to an above ground storage tank vent valve,
- 2) a housing second open end,
- 3) a housing first aperture,
- 4) a housing second aperture,
- 5) a housing channel formed from the housing first open end to the housing second open end, wherein the housing second open end is attachable to an above ground storage tank vent pipe, wherein the vent pipe is configured to provide gasses through the housing second open end, and
- b. a door inside the housing channel, the door having a door first end and a door second end, wherein the door second end is rotatably attached to the housing channel in proximity to the housing second open end, wherein the door is rotatable from an open position to a closed position,
- c. a pipe, the pipe having a pipe first open end and a pipe second open end, wherein the pipe first open end is in communication with the housing first aperture,
- d. an inert gas source in communication with the pipe second open end, the inert gas source for providing an inert gas to said pipe second open end, wherein the inert gas source provides the inert gas through the pipe to the pipe first open end and into the housing channel,
- e. a tagline having a tagline first end and a tagline second end, wherein the tagline included in the housing second aperture, wherein the tagline second end is detachably affixed to the door first end, and
- f. a tag removably attached to the tagline first end.
8 more elements
An apparatus extinguishing a vent valve fire in an above ground storage tank vent pipe comprising:
- a. a housing, the housing including
- 1) a housing first open end, wherein the housing first open end is affixed to an above ground storage tank vent valve,
- 2) a housing second open end,
- 3) a housing first aperture,
- 4) a housing second aperture,
- 5) a housing channel formed from the housing first open end to the housing second open end, wherein the housing second open end is attachable to an above ground storage tank vent pipe, wherein the vent pipe is configured to provide gasses through the housing second open end,
- b. a door inside the housing channel, the door having a door first end and a door second end, wherein the door second end is rotatably attached to the housing channel in proximity to the housing second open end, wherein the door is rotatable from an open position to a closed position,
- c. a pipe, the pipe having a pipe first open end and a pipe second open end, wherein the pipe first open end is in communication with the housing first aperture,
- d. an inert gas source in communication with the pipe second open end, the inert gas source for providing an inert gas to said pipe second open end, wherein the inert gas source provides the inert gas through the pipe to the pipe first open end and into the housing channel,
- e. a tagline having a tagline first end and a tagline second end, wherein the tagline included in the housing second aperture, wherein the tagline second end is detachably affixed to the door first end, and
- f. an electromechanical device detachably affixed to the tagline, the electromechanical device having:
- a. a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature at the vent valve, and for providing temperature sensor data relative to the temperature at the vent valve,
- b. a microprocessor for receiving the temperature sensor data and providing a control signal, and
- c. a grasping device in communication with the microprocessor, the grasping device for releasably holding the tagline first end.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.