Automatic nitrogen fill for a fire sprinkler system
AssigneePotter Electric Signal Company, LLC
InventorsJoshua Tihen, Timothy Decker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas supply system primarily designed for use with fire sprinkler systems which includes a control system which uses flow demand to automatically determine the mode of operation and switch between providing air and nitrogen. The gas supply system can operate either in standard nitrogen generation mode where nitrogen is supplied to the reservoir tank and/or sprinkler system or in a bypass mode, where sufficient pressure is only obtained by directly supplying air. The gas supply system can provide for improved safety in operation as well as the ability to operate the sprinkler system primarily when filled with nitrogen supervisory gas.
Claims19
A fill system for automatically supplying nitrogen and air to a fire sprinkler system, the fill system comprising;
- a reservoir tank wherein gas in said reservoir tank is provided to a sprinkler system when a pressure in said sprinkler system is below a predetermined threshold, said gas in said reservoir tank being maintained at a pressure greater than said pressure in said sprinkler system;
- a separation system for obtaining nitrogen from atmospheric air and supplying said nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
- a compressor, for supplying atmospheric air;
- a bypass valve, said bypass valve directing air from said compressor alternatively to said separation system and directly to said reservoir tank;
- a sensor for detecting a gas pressure in said reservoir tank over time;
- and
- a controller supplying gas to said reservoir tank when said gas pressure in said reservoir tank drops below a target pressure by activating said compressor and:
- configuring said bypass valve to direct air to said separation system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time below a rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
- or
- configuring said bypass valve to direct air directly to said reservoir tank when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time above said rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
- wherein said target pressure of said reservoir tank is above said pressure in said sprinkler system.
A fill system for automatically supplying nitrogen and air to a fire sprinkler system, the fill system comprising;
- a reservoir tank wherein gas in said reservoir tank is provided to a sprinkler system when a pressure in said sprinkler system is below a predetermined threshold;
- a separation system for obtaining nitrogen from atmospheric air and supplying said nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
- a compressor, for supplying atmospheric air;
- a bypass valve, said bypass valve directing air from said compressor alternatively to said separation system and directly to said sprinkler system;
- a sensor for detecting a gas pressure in said sprinkler system over time;
- and
- a controller;
- wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air to said separation system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time below a rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
- and
- wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air directly to said sprinkler system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time above said rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank.
A fill system for automatically supplying nitrogen and air to a fire sprinkler system, the fill system comprising;
- a separation system for obtaining nitrogen from atmospheric air and supplying said nitrogen to said sprinkler system;
- a compressor, for supplying atmospheric air;
- a bypass valve, said bypass valve directing air from said compressor alternatively to said separation system and directly to said sprinkler system;
- a sensor for detecting a gas pressure in said sprinkler system over time;
- and
- a controller;
- wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air to said separation system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time below a rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said sprinkler system;
- and
- wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air directly to said sprinkler system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time above said rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said sprinkler system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.