# US 2006/0048951 A1 · Method and system for extinguishing a fire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2006/0048951 A1 - Document ID: US20060048951A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/517,737 - Filed: 2003-06-24 - Published: 2006-03-09 - Earliest claimed: 2002-06-28 - Assignees: Marioff Corporation Oy - Inventors: Goran Sundholm; Maarit Tuomisaari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060048951A1 ## CPC - A62C 3/0221: {for tunnels} - A62C 2/08: Water curtains (nozzles A62C31/02) - A62C 3/00: Fire prevention, containment or extinguishing specially adapted for particular objects or places ({in oil wells E21B29/08, A62C35/00; in mines or tunnels E21F5/00} ; for nuclear reactors G21C9/04) - A62C 3/0264: {by creating water curtains} - A62C 3/0292: {by spraying extinguishants directly into the fire (A62C3/0242 takes precedence)} - A62C 35/58: Pipe-line systems - A62C 37/11: heat-sensitive - A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10) ## Abstract Method for extinguishing a fire in a space, especially in a tunnel or equivalent, in which method an extinguishing medium is sprayed in the space by means of spraying heads. In a first stage of the method, the flow and temperature of the hot gases produced by the fire are influenced by spraying an extinguishing medium into the space, especially by creating in the space at least one curtain (7) of extinguishing medium, and at least some spraying heads (11, 12) in the space are pre-activated into a state of readiness, and in a second stage at least one spraying head is activated to produce a spray of extinguishing medium. The invention also concerns an apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for extinguishing a fire in a space, especially in a tunnel or equivalent, in which method an extinguishing medium is sprayed in the space by means of spraying heads, characterized in that, in a first stage of the method, the flow and temperature of the hot gases produced by the fire are influenced by spraying an extinguishing medium into the space, especially by creating in the space at least one curtain (7) of extinguishing medium, and at least some spraying heads (11, 12) in the space are pre-activated into a state of readiness, and in a second stage at least one spraying head is activated to produce a spray of extinguishing medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the first stage, the curtain (7) of extinguishing medium is formed in a substantially transverse direction relative to the space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the curtain (7) of extinguishing medium is formed by means of spraying heads (6) arranged in a transverse direction relative to the space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the spraying heads (1 1, 12) are to be pre-activated into a state of readiness, a protective means protecting at least one nozzle and/or heat-activated triggering means of the spraying head is re-leased. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the method, the space is divided into zones (4). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the space is divided into fire zones (4), and at least one curtain (7) of extinguishing medium is formed in each one of said zones when necessary and at least some of the spraying heads (11, 12) in the fire zone in question are pre-activated into a state of readiness either manually or on the basis of a signal given by a fire detector (17). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the extinguishing medium used is an aqueous liquid and/or a mixture of an aqueous liquid and a gas. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a mist of extinguishing medium, especially water mist, is sprayed through the spraying heads. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the extinguishing medium is sprayed at a high pressure, preferably 10-300 bar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that adjacent fire zones are so formed that they partially overlap at least in their edge areas. ### Claim 11 Apparatus for extinguishing a fire in a space, especially in a tunnel or equivalent, said apparatus comprising spraying heads arranged in the space and a piping system for conveying an extinguishing medium to the spraying heads, characterized in that the apparatus comprises first nozzles, preferably mounted on first spraying heads, for forming at least one curtain (7) of extinguishing medium in the space and a number of spraying heads (6, 11, 12) provided with a protective element, such as a protective cup, for protecting at least one nozzle and/or heat-activated triggering means of the spraying head, said apparatus being used in a stage-wise manner, wherein in a first stage the flow and temperature of the hot gases produced by the fire are influenced by spraying an extinguishing medium into the space, especially by forming at least one curtain (7) of extinguishing medium, preferably by means of the-first nozzles of the first spraying heads (6), and a number of second spraying heads (11,12) are pre-activated by releasing the protecting element covering the nozzle and/or heat-activated triggering means, and in a second stage one or more of the second spraying heads (11,12) are activated to produce a spray of extinguishing medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the nozzles used to form a curtain of extinguishing medium have been arranged to form a curtain (7) of extinguishing medium in a substantially transverse direction relative to the space. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, in a non-activated state, the spraying heads (6, 11, 12) are provided with protective elements protecting at least one nozzle and/or heat-activated triggering means of the spraying head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the apparatus has been divided into several fire zones (4). ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the apparatus has been divided into several fire zones by means of valve elements (126,16′) and/or check valves (14, 15). ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the apparatus comprises at least one detector (17) for detecting a fire. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the apparatus comprises spraying heads (11) disposed in the edge areas of the space. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that at least the spraying heads (11) disposed in the edge areas are placed at a height of 3-5 m from the floor level of the space