Fire extinguishers – Special applications
Patent
1996-04-04
1998-05-12
Pike, Andrew C.
Fire extinguishers
Special applications
169 60, 169 61, 340584, A62C 300
Patent
active
057494207
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a detector or sensor arrangement, which functions to detect those particles in a stream of loose particles or loosely formed material that have such a high temperature and/or such a high energy content as to constitute an incitement to fire or explosion in a downstream particle-collecting risk zone.
By loose material is meant all types of material that can be transported with the aid of a gas or gas mixture, normally air, in which the particles of material are spaced from one another.
Material of the kind meant here may consist in extremely fine, dust-like particles. The material may also consist in powder or granular particles, and will also include wood chips, pellets, straw, and like transportable materials.
The inventive detector arrangement is intended for use in a preventive safety system that can be used in a process in which loose process material is produced in a first unit and transported therefrom to a receiving, second unit, and in which the treatment to which the material is subjected in the first unit can result in individual particles or several particles being heated to a temperature which is sufficiently high to initiate a fire and/or an explosion within at least the second part or unit of the system, wherein as the loose material is transported from the first unit to the second unit it will pass through a stabilizing zone or disturbance zone, a high-temperature particle indicating zone, an effectuating zone, and a risk zone located in the proximity of or in the second unit.
The stabilizing zone is intended for particles of low energy content which do not constitute a fire risk or explosion risk within the downstream zones, and particularly in the risk zone. The stabilizing zone is effective in reducing the energy content of such particles so that they will not be indicated in the indicating zone located immediately downstream of the stabilizing zone.
The indicating zone includes one or more sensors or detectors which are intended to indicate the presence of hazardous particles whose energy content is likely to cause a fire in the downstream zones, and then particularly in the risk zone. The sensors coact with an indicating and activating unit, such that sensing of the presence of hazardous particles will result in the activation of a device or an arrangement which delivers an extinguishing agent and/or which functions to remove particles from the system and which is included in the extinguishing zone.
The indicating zone is followed by an effectuating zone whose length is adapted so that the device activated within the extinguishing zone will have time to effectuate an extinguishing barrier before or when the hazardous particle reaches said zone.
The extinguishing zone may have the form of a valve which functions to deflect a particle collection containing said hazardous particles from the transportation path leading to the risk zone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A preventive safety system of the aforedefined kind is known to the art and is marketed by Firefly AB, Huddinge, Sweden, this preventive safety system being intended to indicate the presence of sparks and glowing particles and to apply extinguishing or smothering means so that glowing particles will not reach the downstream process unit, such as a filter, a silo, or like device, or the risk zone, in which fire and/or an explosion might otherwise occur.
The preventive safety system utilizes different detector systems for sensing the aforesaid particles.
These detector systems for sensing the aforesaid particles which are used in industrial processes react too slowly to limit the extent to which damage is caused.
It is known to utilize temperature sensors, although practical experiences have shown that such sensors often remain inactive until a fire has actually started.
It is true that flame detectors are sensitive to small flames, but such detectors react much too late and cannot therefore be used in a preventive safety system.
It is also known to use pressure detectors or sens
REFERENCES:
patent: 3824392 (1974-07-01), Tibbling
patent: 3909954 (1975-10-01), Zoukourian
patent: 5193622 (1993-03-01), Tibbling
"Unit for Smouldering Particles Detection in Pneumo Transport Ducts-Using Light Conductors Whose Receiving Ends Are Situated in Fan, and Are In Plane Perpendicular to Material Flow Direction", Derwent's Abstract, No. 93-115518/14, week 9314, Abstract of SU 1729528 (Optical Inst Vavilov), 30 Apr. 1992.
Firefly AB
Pike Andrew C.
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