DK177905B1 - Automatic High Capacity Filter Unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A component (1) for installation in a water mist and fine water spray system for fire protection, the component comprising a body having water inlet (5) and water outlet (7), said component cavity is divided by a perforated screen (2), into a hydraulic upstream cavity (3) and a hydraulic downstream cavity (4), said downstream cavity (4) is hydraulically connected to the water outlet (7), a debris collecting cavity 8, said debris cavity (8) comprising a debris opening (9), said component comprising a valve (20) and an seat (16) and a spring (21), said spring (21) applying a spring force pressing the valve (20) against a seat (15), when the water pressure increase in upstream cavity (3) due to debris collected in the cavity (3), the water pressure course the valve (20) traveling away from the seat (15), and collected debris flows out with water through cavity 8 and debris opening (9). Hereby the screen is automatically cleaned for collected debris inside the component (1).

Description

DK 177905 B1 i

Automatic High Capacity Filter Unit

Technical field:

The described Automatic High Capacity Filter Unit is a component for installation in 5 water mist and fine water spray systems for fire protection with water sprays from fixedly installed sprayers, which distribute water sprays where minimum 90% of the distributed water is distributed in water droplets having nominal diameters smaller than O.OOlmetres, for the removal of particles from water supply, which risk causing clogging of orifices and water ways in the hydraulic systems.

10 Background:

Water mist and fine water sprays for firefighting purposes are defined as water distribution spray where minimum 90% of the water is distributed in water droplets having nominal diameters less than O.OOlmeters.

Water mist and fine water sprayers often use energy from pressurized water to force 15 water jets with high velocities out of nozzle openings and water ways with typical opening diameters of 0.0001 meters to 0.003 meters to form water jets which break up into water mist and fine water sprays in the atmosphere outside the sprayer nozzles.

Fixedly installed fighting systems for distributing water mist and fine water sprays 20 may contain sprayers, which provide water spray coverage in large areas with dense sprays of water mist. Common nozzle coverage areas are 2m2 to 25m2 for indoor installed nozzles. The nozzle coverage area and necessary water densities for successful firefighting depend on the location, the application, ambient conditions, the fuels, the fire hazard and the water mist or the fine water spray characteristics 25 such as the droplet size distribution and the droplet velocities. The water flow through water mist and fine water sprayers is commonly between 60 and 600 liters per hour, and water mist and fine water mist systems are designed for spray duration times from 30 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the fire hazards the systems protects against fires, and also the authorities having the jurisdictions, requiring that 30 orifices and water ways of the sprayers does not clog or change flow characteristics from large volumes of water flowing through the tiny openings of the sprayer nozzles.

A problem with water mist and fine water spray systems is to prevent small water ways and orifices in system sprayers from clogging due to debris in commonly 35 available water reservoirs and water supplies.

2 DK 177905 B1 A common method to reduce the risks of the sprayer's nozzles clogging is to filter water supply that flows to the water mist and fine water systems. The water mist and fine water spray systems are often large systems, for which authorities having the jurisdictions often require water spray coverage capacities for up to 360m2 and 5 larger, depending on the location and the fire hazard class. This creates a demand for water mist and fine water spray systems to have very large water flows to be filtrated for very small particles in order to avoid clogging of water ways in the hydraulic spray systems. A known method to solve the above problem has been to locate centrally filtration systems on system water intakes to purify the water supply 10 to the whole water mist or fine water spray system from one simple to maintain location.

A problem with the above known method has been that upstream filter systems often become very large and technically complicated to allow large water flows to flow through the filters at very low pressure lose not causing cavitation to the system 15 pumps. This problem is known to have been tried solved from fitting central water supply filters downstream the system pumps.

The above mentioned method creates new problems with hard particles, as oxides and quartz, in the water causing abrasive wear of pumps which result in pumps losing pressure capacities, and in exceeded risks of filters busting from high water 20 pressures.

A known method to help this problem has been to fit filters having crude mesh upstream the system pumps, and to install filters with finer mesh downstream the system pumps.

The above solution does not help on another large problem with water mist and fine 25 water spray systems. The problem being small system water ways and orifices clogging from impurities from inside the system pipe system. Examples: dirt, corrosion of pipe materials, shavings from coating, shavings from cutting pipes and threads, sealants from joints and sealing of sprayers, and sediments from water in the pipe system, or lime from water evaporated.

30 This problem is known tried helped from installers cleaning pipes prior to installation, and pipe systems being rinsed with fresh water or compressed air after installation and prior to fitting the sprayers in the nozzle pipes, and from fitting sprayers with filters to protect the small water ways and orifices of the sprayers against debris in their water supplies.

35 To help the problem with clogging of sprayers the authorities having the jurisdictions often require water mist and fine water spray pipe installations to be made of non- 3 DK 177905 B1 corrosive materials, and installers to clean internal system pipe surfaces after installation. A problem with these requirements is that mix of different pipe materials, such as stainless steel and galvanized steel, often risk resulting in galvanic corrosion of the pipe system, and in risks of that not all debris are fully rinsed or 5 flushed out of the pipe system. Another problem with both the mentioned methods is that they raise the system costs without fully removing the risks of water mist and fine water spray sprayers clogging from debris.

Further most water mist and fine water spray sprayers are fitted with filters or strainers with water ways having openings, which are smaller than the smallest 10 water way in the sprayers.

A problem with the above method is that the sprayers are often very small, and that the sprayer filters therefore are small size filters with very small debris capacities, and that nozzle filters therefore risk costing high water pressure loses to the hydraulic systems, and that the nozzle filters risk clogging from debris.

15 The clogging of sprayer filters is known to have been tried helped by installing filters in riser pipes and inlets to nozzle pipes, to collect debris from multiple system locations, hereby trying to limit water flow containing debris to the single sprayer filters.

A problem with the above method has been that the entire pipe systems must be 20 hydraulically calculated and dimensioned for all filters in the hydraulic pipe system being full with debris. It is also a problem to maintain all filters in the hydraulic system, and to empty all filters after system activation.

Summary:

It thus remains desirable to provide more comprehensive and industrial solutions to 25 the described problems for Water Mist and Fine Water Mist Systems.

The invention provides water mist systems and fine water spray systems with means of removing debris with risks of clogging of system water ways from system water without risks of high water pressure losses and water ways clogging, and it makes it simple for system designers to hydraulic design water mist and fine water spray 30 systems.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a component for installation in water mist and fine water spray pipe systems for fire protection, in particular a filter component for separating particles from a fluid flow e.g. a fluid flow such as a water flow.

Embodiments of the component comprise a body having one or multiple internal 35 cavities which have one or multiple hydraulically inlets and one or multiple hydraulic 4 DK 177905 B1 outlets in which one or multiple screens, which are perforated with multiple water ways are located to be hydraulically down-stream of the inlet openings and hydraulically up-stream of the outlet openings from the cavities, and which is characterized by the screen being perforated with waterways having maximum hold 5 circle diameters of between 0,0001meters to 0,003meters, and where the maximum hold circle diameter of water ways in the screen is less than 90% of the minimum hold diameter of water ways, which are located in water mist or fine water spray pipe systems which are located hydraulically down-stream the perforated screens of the component.

10 The component is fittable as a part of fine water spray and water mist pipe system in locations hydraulically up-stream of the sprayers. Water supply to the sprayers thus passes through the component inlet ports into the cavities, here water flows through the waterways in the perforated screens, which inhibit particles having larger hold diameters than that of the water ways in the screens to pass to the water mist or fine 15 water spray systems parts which are hydraulically located down- stream the component.

An embodiment of the above described component is characterized by that the component has one or multiple inlet openings into its cavities, which opening center lines are located in parallel with the surface of the perforated screen, or with the 20 opening center(s) being orientated in tangential angles to the screens surfaces. The angle may be chosen so as to cause the water flow to flow across the surface of the perforated screen and to remove particles and debris from the surface.

An embodiment of the component described herein is characterized by that there in a cavity surface, which is located hydraulically up-stream a perforated screen is one 25 or multiple openings to free, which are sealed with one or multiple movable bodies.

During operation of the above embodiments water from water mist or fine water spray system upstream of the component flows through the inlet openings to the cavities, and from here the water flows along the screen surface and through the screen openings to down-stream the screen, while water also flushes collected 30 debris of the screen surfaces and creates turbulences in clogged water ways of the screen, and flushes the loose debris away from the screen surface, to a location away from the screen surface, preventing the water ways in the screen from being clogged from debris. When a movable body, which closes an opening into the cavity upstream the screen moves, the opening into the cavity up-stream the screen opens.

35 Water hereafter flows from hydraulically up-stream the screen to free flushing the cavity located up-stream the screen free of collected debris, emptying the component from collected debris.

5 DK 177905 B1

An embodiment of the component described herein is characterized by the component cavity having a T-shape defining a main pipe-shaped cavity and a branch pipe cavity in fluid connection with the main pipe -shaped cavity. The component comprises one or multiple perforated cylindrical screens located in the main pipe-5 shaped part of the cavity, where the cylindrical screen defines a screen cavity volume surrounded by the screen and a free flow space surrounding the screen and defined between the screen and the cavity wall of the main pipe-shaped cavity. In some embodiments the cylindrical screen is positioned coaxially with the main pipe-shaped cavity. The screen is made of wire mesh or perforated sheet materials. The 10 component inlets are located at one end of the main pipe-shaped cavity, the components having openings into the screen cavity volume, and the screen having a free flow space surrounding the screen, and where the flow space is fluidly connected to the branch pipe cavity of the T-cavity, and where there are one or multiple hydraulic outlet port openings in the branch pipe cavity, and where the end 15 of the main pipe cavity opposite the inlets ports to the cavity are closed with an end plate having one or multiple openings into the screen cavity volume.

A variation of the above described embodiment of the component is characterized by that one or multiple openings fluidly connecting the screen cavity volume to free is closed with one or multiple movable bodies.

20 During operation of the above described embodiments, water from a water supply flows through the water inlets at the end of the T-pipe into the cavity volume defined by the cylindrical screen, at a tangential angle to the inside screen surface. This makes the water swivel around inside the screen cavity volume, and water to flow flush with the inside screen surface. As the water pressure builds up, water flows 25 through the water ways perforating the screen, and into the flow space surrounding the outside surface of the screen, and from here to the branch cavity, from where the water flows through the outlet opening to enter the pipe system down-stream the component. The debris having too large hold diameters to pass the water ways of the screen is collected inside the screen cavity and in the openings in the end plate 30 which seals the T-pipe end and which openings are sealed with a movable body.

When the movable body is moved not to seal the openings, water and debris flows through the opening and away from the screen cavity.

An embodiment of the above described component is characterized by a movable body hydraulically sealing one or multiple cavities, located hydraulically upstream of 35 a perforated screen and being operable by a sealing force from one or multiple springs.

6 DK 177905 B1

During operation of the above embodiment, water flows form the up-stream pipe work into the component cavities hydraulically up-stream of one or multiple perforated screens. The water pressure presses the water through the water ways in the screen and into the component cavities hydraulically located down- stream of 5 the screens, and from here the water flows into the down-stream system pipes. In the component cavities hydraulically up-stream of the screen, the water inlet pressure acts on one or multiple bodies which are sealed with the force of one or multiple springs. The inlet water pressure in the cavity and the hydraulic forces on the bodies depends on the pressure loss over the screen, and the supply pressure on 10 the water. If the screen clogs from debris the inlet water pressure rises. The movable body seal opens and water and collected debris flow automatically through the broken seal, when a clogging of the water ways in the screen causes the inlet pressure to rise to deliver a force on the movable body, which are larger than the pre-set spring force on the movable body.

15 An embodiment of the component described herein is characterized by having one or multiple openings from one or multiple cavities, which are hydraulically located up-stream of a perforated screen, and which are hydraulically sealed with one or multiple movable bodies at which a hydraulic pressure from a location hydraulically down-stream of the perforated screen reacts on the surface to provide a force in a 20 direction which causes the body to seal the opening. And where hydraulic water pressure from up-stream the perforated screen reacts on the surface of the movable body in the opposite direction providing a force trying to break the seal of the opening to free or drain from the upstream cavity.

During operation of the above embodiment, water from system pipes up-stream of 25 the component flows through the inlet ports of the component and into a cavity which is hydraulically located up-stream of a perforated screen. The inlet water pressure presses the water through the water ways in the perforated screen, and into a down-stream cavity which hydraulically is located down-stream of the perforated screen. From here the water flows through the outlet ports of the 30 component and into the down-stream system pipes. Debris larger than the water ways of the perforated screen is collected in the up-stream cavity. The up-stream cavity has an opening which is closed with a movable body. The sealing force of the opening into the up-stream cavity decreases with increase in pressure loss over the perforated screen inside the component. The movable body automatically opens for 35 the opening to the up-stream cavity allowing water with debris to flow from the up stream cavity should the pressure loss become larger than a present pressure loss, which may be adjusted by the tensions on an additional spring force, or by the area 7 DK 177905 B1 ratio on the areas on the movable body the up-stream and the down-stream water pressures re-act on.

An embodiment of the component described herein is characterized by being made in a non-metallic material, or in metals which are covered with a non-metallic 5 coating.

The above described embodiment of the component makes an electrical isolation between the water mist and fine water spray system parts up-stream and downstream the component, which prevents ions from transfer between the up-stream and the down-stream systems, allowing the up-stream and down- stream system to 10 be made in materials having electrical potential differences with little risks of galvanic corrosion. Examples may include galvanized iron and stainless steel etc.

List of figures

Figure 1, shows examples of hole diameters of water ways and debris.

15 Figure 2, shows an example of a component, which includes a perforated screen which is rinsed by water inlet flow.

Figure 3, shows an example of a component having a T-pipe housing and a pipe shaped perforated screen.

Figure 4, shows an example of a component having automatic pressure loss control.

20 Figure 5, shows an example of a component having automatic absolute pressure control.

Figure 6, shows an example of a component having automatic debris and pressure loss control.

Figure 7, shows an example of a component having automatic debris and absolute 25 pressure control, which is suitable for installation upstream water mist and fine water sprayers.

Figure 8, shown an example of a component with automatic debris empty function from relative pressure control, suitable for installation upstream water mist and fine water sprayers.

30 Figure 9, Shows an example of a component with swivel inlet to upstream screen cavity.

8 DK 177905 B1

Examples:

Figure 1 shows a definition of hole diameter for a water way. The hole diameter is the diameter of the largest circle which is in the cross section area of the water way openings.

5 Figure 2 shows an example of the performances of fundamental components, where water from upstream water mist or fine water spray system pipes flows through the inlet port (5) of the component housing (1) into the component cavity, which a perforated screen (2) divi des into a hydraulic upstream cavity (3) and a hydraulic downstream cavity (4). The inlet port nozzle opening (6), directs the entering water 10 flow in a small angle to the screen surface, where the angle is chosen such that the water flows flush with the screen surface, flushing the surface free from debris and preventing debris from settling on the screen surface, and hereby the entering water flow helps debris (11) getting into the cavity (8) in the upstream cavity. At the mean time the water pressure in the upstream cavity causes water to flow through the 15 water ways in the perforated screen (2) and into the downstream cavity (4) from where the water flows out through the outlet port (7) of the component. When the opening (9) is opened, the upstream water pressure causes water to flow out of the opening (9) flushing out the particles which the screen (2) has rejected access to the downstream cavity (4).

20 Figure 3 shows an example of a component (1) with a T-shape defining a T-bar or main pipe cavity portion (A) and a branch portion (B). The component (1) comprises a perforated screen (2) having a cylindrical pipe shape installed inside the T-bar cavity portion (A), and where the component (1) has its water inlet (5) in the one end of the T-bar cavity portion (A) and its water outlet (7) in the branched portion 25 (B), and where there is a free space (14) between the screen and the inner wall of the component (1), and where the cavity defined by the cylindrical screen forms the hydraulically upstream cavity (3) of the component, and the free space (14) and the branched off cavity (B) together form the downstream cavity (4) of the component.

The screen (2) is installed in the cavity so that all incoming water has to pass the 30 water ways in the screen (2), and the end of the T-bar cavity (A) is closed with a flange (23) with an opening (10) which is closed with a plug (9). When water flows into the upstream cavity (3), the water flows along the screen (2) surface, flushing the surface for debris settling on the surface, and debris settles in the opening (10) and on the bottom (8) of the upstream cavity. When the plug (9) is removed the 35 upstream inlet pressure flush out the debris from the upstream component cavity (3), making it simple to empty the upstream cavity from the collected debris.

9 DK 177905 B1

Figure 4 Shows an example of the component (1) which is built into a T-piece with flanged connections, with a pressure loss control system built into an end flange (23). The housing (1) is a T-pipe with flanged connections. A pipe-formed perforated screen (2) is built into the straight T-pipe cavity (A) of the housing, in such a way that 5 the screen (2) in its one end seals to the end flange (23) and via a seal ring (24) at the opposite end also seals (25) to the cavity wall of the housing, and that there is a free space (14) which surrounds outer screen surface (2). The end flange (23) has an outlet (9), and a built-in control arrangement, which consists of a spring-loaded spool body (20), which is located in the string of two cavities (32,43) in the flange (23), 10 which are connected via an opening (16) between the cavities (32,42), and where a spring (21) applies a load to the spool body (20), which holds a hydraulic seat (15) between the spool body (20) and the opening between the cavities (8) and (26) closed.

Water flows from the upstream water mist or fine water spray pipe system through 15 the water inlet (5) into the upstream cavity volume (3) inside the perforated screen (2), the water pressure in the upstream cavity (3) presses the water with debris with diameters, which are smaller than the hole diameters of the screen (2) water way openings, through the water ways in the perforated screen (2) into the free volume (14), which surrounds the outside of the screen (2). From here water with small 20 particles flow out through the exit port (7) of the component, from where water with particles smaller than the hole diameters of the screen (2) water ways flow to into the downstream water mist or fine water spray system pipes and to the system sprayers, from where water with small particles are distributed in the vicinities of fires to fight fires. Particles in the water, which are larger than the hole diameters of 25 the screen (2) water ways do not pass the screen (2), but is collected in the screen upstream cavity chamber (3). When water flows into the component water inlet (5) water also flow via one or multiple openings (30) into a hydraulic connection (31), which hydraulically connects the component inlet (5) with a chamber (32), which is located in the string of cavities at the end (23) of the spool body. Here the water 30 pressure from upstream (3) the component (1) applies a hydraulic force on the first end of the spool body (19), which are balanced in an equilibrium of forces, which consists of the sealing force between the spool body (20) and the opening (16) between the string cavity (8), which via a hydraulic connection is connected to the screen cavity volume (3), and the force of a spring (21) which is located in a cavity 35 (42) at the second end (18) of the spool body (20) to supply a spring force on the second end (18) of the spool body (20), and a force from the water pressure in a cavity (42) which is located at the second end of the spool body (20) and which via a hydraulic connection (41) is hydraulically connected to the component downstream 10 DK 177905 B1 (4) water pressure at the component outlet (7), and where the tension of the spring (21) is controlled on a tension screw, which seals the spring chamber (42).

During operation of the component (1), water flows from the upstream water mist and fine water spray pipe systems into the component inlet (5) and enters the screen 5 cavity (3), from where the water is pressed through the water ways of the perforated screen (2) into the cavity (14), which surrounds the screen (2), and from here the water flows through the component outlet (7) and from here into the downstream water mist or fine water spray system where sprayers are fitted. When water flows through the water ways of the perforated screen (2), particles larger than the hole 10 diameters of the screen (2) water ways are being collected inside the screen cavity (3). The concentration of particles in the screen cavity (3) hinders water from flowing to and through the water ways of the perforated screen (2). This causes a change in the difference between the water pressure at the component inlet port (5) and the component outlet port (7), where the hydraulically upstream water inlet pressure 15 increases and the hydraulically downstream water outlet pressure decreases. This causes the water pressure at the first end (19) of the spool body (20) in cavity (32) to rise and the water pressure at the opposite end (the second end) of the spool body (20) in cavity (42) to decrease. This changes the equilibrium of forces on the spool body (20). For the spool body (20) to compensate, for the increased upstream water 20 pressure acting on the spool body (20) end the hydraulic downstream connected cavity (42) and the reduced downstream water pressure acting on the second end (18) of the spool body, the spool body (20) compress the spring (21), for the spring to supply a higher force on the second end (18) of the spool body. The travel of the spool body (20) causes the spool body to break the hydraulic seat (15) between the 25 spool body (20) and the opening (16) between the cavity (8) to which the screen cavity(3) has a connection, and the cavity (26) which has a connection to open drain (9). This allows the water pressure in the screen cavity (3) to press debris (11) and water to flow from the screen cavity (3) through connection into the connected cavity (8) and through the open opening (16) into the cavity (26) and through the 30 passage (9) to open drain. The hydraulic connection (31) between the inlet port (30) and the control chamber (32) allows the upstream control water pressure to stay higher for longer, and the water flow from the screen cavity (3) to flow longer to flush the screen cavity (3) better for debris, than if the upstream water pressure for the control cavity (32) had been taken from a location being deeper within the 35 screen cavity (3), where debris collects.

Figure 5 shows an example of the component (1) where the component body consists of a T-pipe with flanged connection, and where the T-pipe is open at one end, water inlet (5), and closed with an end flange (23) in the other end and where a 11 DK 177905 B1 pipe-shaped perforated screen (2) is located inside the T-house pipe, and where the perforated screen (2) in one end seals (24,25) to the inside housing surface and at the other end seals to the end flange (23), and where the end flange consists (23) of a housing (17) with a port (10) into the screen cavity volume (3) and a debris cavity 5 volume (8) with a seat (15) on which a valve (20) is seated to make a hydraulically seal, and where the valve (20) is sealed to the flange housing (17) by the means of a diaphragm (27), and on which a spring package (21) apply a spring force pressing the valve against the seat (15). The diaphragm (27) and the valve (20) and the seat (15) and the flange housing (17) together form a chamber (52), which has a hydraulic 10 opening (28) to free outside the chamber. The diaphragm (27) makes a hydraulic seal to the chamber (52) in the flange housing (17) where a spring package (21) is located, and which are closed with a lid or plug (29) which allows the spring package load (21) to be adjusted and serviced. The spring chamber (52) has a leakage to free (not illustrated at the figure) outside the chamber, which allows the valve and the 15 diaphragm freely to travel inside the cavity without changes to the pressure inside the cavity.

During operation of the component (1), water from upstream water mist or fine water pipe systems flows through the inlet port (5) into the screen cavity (3) and from here through the water ways in perforated screen (2) and into the cavity (14) 20 which surrounds the screen (2) and from here out through the water outlet port (7) to which the downstream parts of the water mist or fine water pipe system are connected. When water passes the water ways in the perforated screen (2), particles having larger diameters than the hole diameters of water ways in the screen (2) are refused access through the screen (2), and are being collected in the screen cavity 25 volume (3). The debris which the screen collects in the cavity (3) and on the internal screen (2) surface causes a pressure loss of water from the up-stream water mist or fine water spray system's pipes flowing through the component (1). The increased pressure difference on both sides of the screen (2) causes exceeding tensions in the screen materials, which could cause the screen (2) to rupture. It may also cause too 30 little water supply to the systems sprayers, with sprayers not receiving sufficient water flows and water pressures to perform the firefighting job as originally intended. The spring package (21) in the component (1) is adjusted to meet a force, where the adjusted spring load divided with the valve (20) area which is exposed to the pressure in the screen cavity (3), meets a maximum pressure loss for the 35 component (1). As the perforated screen (2) collects more and more debris, the water pressure in the screen cavity (3) rises. When the water pressure in the screen cavity (3) exceeds the adjusted set pressure on the spring (21), the valve (20) travels away from the seat (15), and debris flows with water from the screen cavity (3) through the opening (10) to the valve (20), and through the opening (10) between 12 DK 177905 B1 the seat (15) and the valve (20) into the diaphragm chamber (26) and from here through the connection (9) to open drain. This way the screen cavity (3) empties for debris and the component (1) automatically controls the absolute pressure loss of the component (1), and protect the screen (2) and the upstream water mist or fine 5 water spray system against built up of high system way pressures caused in the component (1) and in downstream parts of the water mist or fine water spray system.

Figure 6 shows an example of the component (1) described herein. The component (1) comprises a housing with a water inlet (5) and a water outlet (7), and where in 10 the housing there is located a perforated screen (2) which defines an upstream volume (3) and a downstream volume (4).The downstream volume (14) is hydraulically connected to the water outlet port (7) of the component (1). The upstream cavity volume (3), which is located hydraulically upstream the perforated screen (2), is connected to a closed opening (10), which is kept closed by a valve (20) 15 which is resting on a seat (15), and where a spring package (21) supplies a force on the valve (20) to hold the valve (20) against the seat (15), sealing the opening (10) to the cavity volume (3) which is located hydraulically upstream the perforated screen (2) , and which in this embodiment is the cavity (3) of a pipe-shaped screen (2). Hydraulically downstream the sealing between the seat (15) and the valve (20), there 20 is located a diaphragm chamber (26). The chamber (8) is sealed between the seat (15) and the valve (20) and the housing (1) and a diaphragm (27), which seals the chamber to a spring chamber cavity (42). The diaphragm chamber (26) has an open connection (9) to free drain. On the other side of the diaphragm (27) of the diaphragm chamber cavity (26) is a cavity (42) where a spring package (21) is located, 25 to apply an adjustable force between an adjustment screw (29) and the valve (20).

The cavity (42) has a hydraulic connection (41) to water pressure downstream (14) the screen (2).

Water flows from the water mist or fine water system upstream the component (1) through the water inlet (5) into the cavity (3), which located upstream a perforated 30 screen (2). The upstream water pressure presses the water through the water ways in the perforated screen (2) into a hydraulic downstream located cavity (14) from where the water flows through the downstream water connection port (7) of the component and into the water mist or fine water spray system pipes, which are located downstream, and where system sprayers are located. The debris, which the 35 screen collects in the upstream cavity (3), hinders the upstream water from freely flowing pass the water ways in the screen (2). This causes the difference between the water pressures upstream (3) and downstream (4) the screen to increase. The upstream water pressure increases, the downstream water pressure decreases. This 13 DK 177905 B1 causes the force equilibrium to change on the valve (20). And when the force on the valve (20) from the upstream water pressure becomes larger than the force from the spring package (21) and the downstream water pressure together, the valve (20) moves away from the seat (15) allowing debris and water to flow from the upstream 5 cavity (3) to free drain (9), emptying the upstream cavity (3) from debris. The described embodiment activates from relative water pressure and not as the previously described example from absolute system pressures. The example does therefore require much less force from a spring package (21), and by designing the pilot camber (42) with a larger diaphragm (27) area, than the valve (20) area being 10 exposed to the upstream cavity (3), the component (1) will also perform without the spring package (21).

Figure 7 shows an example on a variation of the component (1), where the housing has the shape of a T-pipe, and where the component has a water inlet (5) and a water outlet (7), which are located on a straight line at both ends of the T- pipe on 15 both sides of a perforated screen (2) which is positioned in the straight T- pipe with a convex surface facing the inlet port (5) and a concave surface facing the outlet port (7). One end of the screen (2) is located outside the pipe cavity branch (B) that branches off of the T-pipe, and a valve (20) in the form of a spring (21) loaded piston is located in the branched off cavity (B) with a port to free drain (9) and where the 20 spring (21) is positioned between the valve and an adjustable plug or screw (29) and where the valve (20) has an end stop (15), which is located in the straight Tee-pipe.

Water flows from the upstream water mist or fine water spray system pipes in through the water inlet port (5) into an upstream chamber (3), which is located upstream a perforated screen (2) in the pipe. The water flows through the water 25 ways in the perforated screen (2) and into a chamber (4), which is located downstream the perforated screen (2), and out through the outlet port (7) of the component (1) and from here into the downstream pipework of the water mist or the fine water system.

The particles in the water coming from the upstream water mist or fine water 30 system, which are larger than the water ways through the perforated screen (2) is rejected passage through the screen (2) and collects in the upstream chamber(3), where the collected debris causes the water pressure to rise. The water pressure acts on the valve (20). When the force from the water pressure on the valve (20) exceeds the spring force, the valve (20) travels to compress the spring (21) to supply a 35 matching force. This causes the valve (20) to open a passage (9a) to free drain (9), causing debris and water to flow from the upstream chamber (3) to free, and chamber (3) to release the debris which the screen (2) has collected, and it protects 14 DK 177905 B1 the component (1) from clogging, and the screen (2) and the upstream water mist or fine water spray system from high water pressures in the system pipe.

The component (1) example controls on the absolute system water pressure. The component (1) example shown in figure 7 has threaded inlet port connection (5a) 5 and threaded outlet port connection (7a), and the connection to free drain (9) is pointing downwards. This makes the component ideal to be installed directly upstream pendent installed sprayers both open and closed types, where the debris will be released into the water mist or fine water spray of the active sprayers.

Figure 8 shows an example of the component (1) described herein, where the 10 housing has the shape of a T-pipe, and where the component has water inlet (5) and water outlet (7), which are located on a straight line at both ends of the T- pipe on both sides of a perforated screen (2) which is positioned in the straight T- pipe (A) with a convex surface facing the inlet port (5) and a concave surface facing the outlet port (7), and where the screen (2) is located in front of the cavity of the 15 branched-off pipe (B). A valve (20) in the form of a spring (21) loaded piston (20) is located in the branched-off cavity (B) which has a port to free drain (9), which is sealed with the piston (20). A spring package (21) is positioned between the valve piston (20) and an adjustable plug or screw (29) in a spring chamber (42), which is formed from the back side of the piston and cylinder wall from the branch off pipe 20 (B) and an adjustment screw or plug (29). The spring chamber (42) has a hydraulic connection (41) to the cavity downstream (4) the perforated screen (2). The valve piston (20) is sealed to the branched-off chamber walls with dynamic axial seals (22), and the valve piston (20) has an end stop (15), which is located in the straight T-pipe portion (A).

25 Water flows from the upstream water mist or fine water spray system pipes through the water inlet port (5) and into the upstream chamber (3) located upstream the perforated screen (2). From here the water flows through the water ways in the perforated screen (2) into the downstream chamber (4) and from here the water flows through the outlet port (7) and into the downstream pipework of the water 30 mist or the fine water system.

Particles in the water, which are larger than the water ways through the perforated screen (2), are collect in the upstream chamber (3). Here the collected debris hinders water in freely flowing through the water ways in the perforated screen (2) this causes the water pressure to rise in the upstream cavity (3) and drop in water 35 pressure in the downstream cavity (4).

The water pressure in the upstream cavity (3) supply a front force on the valve piston (20), which try to push the valve piston (20) into the branched off cavity (10). The 15 DK 177905 B1 force is out balanced in force equilibrium on the valve piston (20), which consists of the force acting on the front of the valve piston (20), two forces acting on the back of the valve piston (20) supplied from the spring load (21) and the water pressure in the downstream cavity (4) via the hydraulic connection 41. When the force on the front 5 of the valve piston (20) exceed the forces acting on the back of the of the valve piston (20), the valve piston (20) tries to establish an equilibrium by traveling into the branched off cavity (42) to compress the spring (21) until an equilibrium of forces is reestablished on the valve piston (20). The travel causes the valve piston (20) to expose the outlet (9) to free and water with collected debris flows from the 10 upstream cavity (3) into the branched off cavity (10) and from here through the exposed outlet (9) to free.

The water pressure of the downstream cavity (4) being a force parameter in the valve piston (20) equilibrium makes the variant example automatically release collected debris in the order to control that the pressure loss of water flowing 15 through the component (1) does not become higher than a pre-set value, which is adjusted on the adjustment (29) of the spring load (21). This way the variant example works independent of absolute system water pressures.

The variant example has threaded inlet (5a) and outlet (7a), which makes the variant example ideal for being fitted directly upstream sprayers, and to dump the collected 20 debris into the water mist or fine water spray when the sprayer is active.

Figure 9 shows an example of a component (1) where the inlet (5) to the cavity (3), which is located hydraulically upstream of a pipe-shaped perforated screen (2), consists of one or multiple nozzle openings (6), which are positioned in an angle to the screen surface (2) to direct the water, which flows into the screen cavity (3), to 25 flow flush to the screen surface (2) forming a vortex of water inside the cavity (3), with water swivelling along the screen (2) surface inside the cavity (3) preventing debris (11) from settling on the screen (2) surfaces and inhibiting water from flowing through the water ways in the perforated screen (2) and in to the cavity (14), which surrounds the outside surface of the screen (2), and from here to the hydraulic outlet 30 (7) and from here to the downstream water mist or fine water spray pipe system.

From swivelling water in the upstream cavity (3), the water inhibits debris (11) from settling on the screen (2) surfaces, and hereby increases the capacity of the component toward water flow and debris (11) in water flowing through the component (11).

35 The invention has mainly been described with reference to water flow. It will be appreciated however, that the component described herein may also be used for separating particles from other fluid flows.

Claims (11)

A component (1) for installation in a fog and water spray spray system for fire protection, wherein the component comprises a body defining a component cavity with water inlet (5) and water outlet (7), which component cavity by means of a perforated screen body ( 2) is divided into a hydraulic upstream cavity (3) and a hydraulic downstream cavity (4) wherein the upstream cavity is hydraulically connected to the water inlet (5) and the downstream cavity (4) is hydraulically connected to the water outlet (7), wherein the upstream cavity (3) comprises a waste collection cavity (8), said waste cavity (8) comprising a waste opening (9), characterized in that the component comprises a valve (20) and a seat (15) and a spring (21) for pressing the valve against the seat. The component of claim 1, wherein the screen body (2) is perforated to form multiple waterways having a maximum hole circle diameter of between 0.0001 meters and 0.003 meters. A component according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the screen body (s) of the component (1) is perforated to form multiple waterways with a maximum hole circle diameter of less than 90% of the minimum hole diameter of the hydraulic downstream of the component. waterways or water spray spray systems located. Component according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein component (1) has a T-shape having a straight T-tube cavity (A) and a latch (B). A component according to claim 4, wherein the perforated screen body (2) is tubular and built into the straight T-tube cavity (A) of the component (1) and the valve (20) and seat (15) are located in the main tube. -cavity portion (A) of component (1). The component of claim 4, wherein the perforated screen body (2) has a convex surface facing the inlet opening (5) and the valve (20) is located in the latch (B) of the T-shaped component (1). DK 177905 B1 2 A component according to claim 5, wherein the water inlet (5) consists of one or more nozzle openings located at an angle to the surface of the screen body (2), whereby the water is conducted in such a way that a vortex 5 of water is formed. inside the cavity. A component according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the valve cavity (42) containing the spring (21) has a hydraulic connection (41) to the downstream cavity (4). The component of claim 8, wherein the valve (20) has a first end (19) defining a first valve cavity (32), wherein the first valve cavity (32) has a hydraulic connection (31) to the upstream cavity (3). The component of claim 9, wherein the hydraulic connection (31) to the upstream cavity (3) has one or more openings (30) located in the upstream cavity (3) at the water inlet (5). Component according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the component is made of a non-metallic material or covered 20 with an electrically insulating material.