EP1727598B1 - Rupture pipe for fire extinguishing systems - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a bursting hose for use in fire extinguishing systems according to claim 1.

STATE OF THE ART

Such bursting tubes made of thermoplastic materials can be laid along possible sources of fire and can be used either in direct-acting systems in which the extinguishing agent is passed directly through the bursting hose through the rupture point to the fire, or in indirectly acting systems in which the hose as Sensor tube is connected to a pressure sensor and filled with a pressurized gas, wherein the pressure drop occurring in the bursting hose when bursting the hose due to strong heat exposure triggers the actual extinguishing process by means of extinguishing agent from separately laid lines (eg DE 198 40 863 A1 . DE 101 63 527 C1 ). Sensor hoses can also be used to switch off electrical systems and to actuate flaps or the like. be used.

From the German patent application DE 102 24 505 A1 is a fire extinguishing system for buildings, tunnels, public facilities, hospitals, etc. with at least one extinguishing agent leading extinguishing medium known, which is supplied via at least one extinguishing agent source. It should be released by heating the extinguisher by fire exposure a plurality of recesses of the extinguishing agent line. The extinguishing medium line is formed from a heat-insensitive basic line with a plurality of radial recesses and a sheath enclosing the base line. The basic line is made of a temperature-resistant material such as plastic, metal or composite material. The jacket melts when heated by fire, and the recesses in the baseline are then released for the discharge of extinguishing water.

From the U.S. Patent 1,087,989A For example, a fire extinguishing system is known which comprises a compressed carbon dioxide pressure vessel and a perforated pipe connected thereto. The perforations are sealed with plugs of fusible material which melt upon reaching an excessively high temperature and then release the pressurized carbon dioxide for extinguishment. The plugs may also be made of soft metal. They can protrude a bit out of the pipe and thereby form a larger area in the heated atmosphere in case of fire. The melting process is thereby accelerated.

Commercially available bursting hoses are extrusion molded from polyamides and have an outer diameter of 6 mm with an inner diameter of 4 mm, i. a wall thickness of 1 mm. The bursting behavior of such bursting hoses is largely determined by the hose material, by the wall thickness, by the height of the internal pressure and of course by the external action temperature.

Burst hoses must have a high gas-tightness to maintain the internal gas pressure over long periods of time so that the extinguishing system remains operational. Decreases the pressure Leakage in the hose increases the temperature at which the hose bursts. In practice, it has been found that sometimes temperatures of approximately 200 ° C are required to bring the hose to burst. At low pressure and low temperatures around 100 to 120 ° C it can come to the melting of the hose, which makes the hose useless and the extinguishing system thus ineffective.

Both in direct and indirect acting systems, it is desirable that the bursting hose breaks as quickly as possible under the action of the internal pressure when an inadmissible heat, such as direct flame at the source, and thus triggers the direct or indirect deletion or possibly other control functions.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a bursting hose, which reacts in the operating state when heat inadmissible high temperature occurs with the least possible time delay by bursting at the point of heat.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Further advantageous or expedient embodiments of the subject invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and are also explained in more detail below.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

According to claim 1, the invention proposes a particular use for fire extinguishing bursting hose, which is extrusion molded from a thermoplastic material, even at gas internal pressures up to about 32 bar diffusion-tight and pressure-retaining, for installation on potential fire in tight spaces is flexible and at one with a temperature within a specified temperature range occurring heat action and depending on the applied internal gas pressure with the release of an extinguishing gas, gas or fire extinguishing agent bursts, wherein on or in the wall of the hose elements are arranged, which cause an accelerated weakening of the wall of the hose at the relevant point when the heat occurs.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the burst hose is provided with elements which enhance the transfer of heat to the thermoplastic material of the hose, i. accelerate, so that the hose at the point of heat inadmissibly high temperature quickly reaches the softening temperature of the thermoplastic material and burst under the action of the hose internal pressure with the desired consequences.

In pursuit of the inventive concept, the elements according to claim 2 consist of a material which has a much higher thermal conductivity compared to the thermoplastic material of the wall of the hose. Particularly suitable for this purpose are elements made of metal, in particular of pure metals, as specified in claim 3. The thermal conductivity of metals is characterized by the material value of the thermal conductivity. Pure copper, a preferred material for use according to the invention, even at 20 ° C has a thermal conductivity of 350 kcal / m h grd. After the mechanism of action according to the invention, the elements heat up quickly and quickly pass the heat absorbed to the thermoplastic of the tube wall.

The elements can be arranged in different ways on or in the wall of the tube. Advantageously, according to claim 4, they can already be molded into the wall of the hose by coextrusion during the extrusion molding of the hose or molded onto it. The elements may also have particle shape and the thermoplastic material be added before its tube-forming extrusion, as indicated in claim 5.

The elements may be according to claim 6 on the outer wall of the finished tube at the desired locations and in the desired distribution on the outer wall of the finished tube and in close contact with threaded metal plates. This alternative embodiment allows the application of the invention also in conjunction with commercially available Berstschläuchen.

The elements can be in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention according to claim 7 also metal profiles, which are pressed after the extrusion molding of the tube warm into the outer peripheral surface of the tube and thus secured to the hose. As in the case of the embodiment specified in claim 6, in this case the elements can be specifically attached to those sections of the bursting hose where the possibility of the occurrence of high action temperatures is particularly probable.

According to further embodiments of the invention according to claims 8 to 10, the elements, possibly after adhesion-promoting pretreatment of the hose, be printed on the outer peripheral surface of the hose, vapor-deposited or glued, which also offers the possibility to attach the elements only on certain sections of the hose ,

In order to increase the resistance of the bursting hose against chemical and / or climatic effects, in a further advantageous embodiment of the hose, as specified in claim 11, including the elements disposed thereon of a thin protective sheath made of a thermoplastic material with high chemical resistance and low water permeability or absorption capacity be tightly enclosed. As wrapping material, polyethylene and polypropylene are well suited.

The protective cover may be suitably shrunk onto the bursting hose or formed by wrapping the hose, as indicated in claims 12 and 13.

The bursting hose can be designed in continuation of the inventive concept according to claim 14 in length sections of its length to different bursting temperatures or be composed of lengths which are designed for different bursting temperatures. By the above-mentioned different possibilities of training and arrangement of the elements which cause accelerated weakening of the hose wall when critical heat occurs, a continuous hose in predetermined areas of its length may be designed to respond to different temperatures, so that the hose depending on the extinguishing system a compressed gas source or an extinguishing agent source is connectable and has the same internal pressure at each point. This design makes it possible to lay the bursting hose through zones or chambers of different temperature expectations. If according to the second alternative of claim 14, the bursting hose is composed of individual lengths, which are equipped in different ways with elements for thermal wall weakening, the bursting hose is also under a uniform internal pressure and can equally be laid by zones or chambers of different temperature expectation. Here, the composition of the individual lengths are expediently at a zone boundary point or on chamber partitions.

The elements for accelerated weakening of the wall of the tube when critical temperatures occur can be metal elements according to claim 15, from the side on hoses or hose sections, even on already finished laid hoses or hose sections, firmly adhering and enclosing the outer wall of the hose in close contact are. These metal elements may according to claim 16 slotted annular discs or helically coiled Be metal strips, which are each rib-like projecting from the wall of the hose to the outside after attachment to the hose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 bis 6

Querschnitte durch unterschiedlich ausgebildete Berstschläuche,

Fig. 7

in perspektivischer Darstellungsweise einen Berstschlauchabschnitt mit daran angebrachter geschlitzter Ringscheibe,

Fig. 8

in perspektivischer Darstellungsweise einen Berstschlauchabschnitt mit daran angebrachtem gewendelten Metallstreifen und

Fig. 9

einen in Kammern oder Zonen unterteilten Schaltschrank mit einem in den Kammern verlegten Berstschlauch.

Further details of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the different exemplary embodiments representing schematic drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1 to 6

Cross sections through differently shaped bursting hoses,

Fig. 7

in a perspective representation, a bursting hose section with attached slotted annular disk,

Fig. 8

in perspective representation a Berstschlauchabschnitt attached thereto coiled metal strips and

Fig. 9

a divided into chambers or zones control cabinet with a laid in the chambers bursting hose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In the FIGS. 1 to 8 the bursting hose and the elements arranged on or in its wall are considerably enlarged, while Fig. 9 drawn in a scale of reduction. The bursting hose has in all the illustrated embodiments, the commercial diameter, namely 4 mm inner diameter and 6 mm outer diameter. But there are also other diameter ratios possible, for example, an inner diameter of 6 mm and an outer diameter of 8 mm. The burst hose is extrusion molded in all embodiments of polyamide-6 and has due to this material and its dimensional relationships an elastic-stiff consistency and could therefore also be referred to as a tube.

In the in the Figures 1 and 2 illustrated cross sections of Berstschläuchen 1 and 1 'are as at a critical temperature wall-weakening elements each five metal profiles 2 to 6 or 2' to 6 'of different cross-sectional shape on the outer peripheral surface 7 and 7' arranged distributed. In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 the metal profiles 2 to 6 are either formed in the extrusion molding of the tube 1 or formed thereon or pressed after the extrusion molding of the tube 1 warm into the outer peripheral surface 7 of the tube 1. In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 the metal profiles 2 'to 6' are glued to the outer peripheral surface 7 '.

The metal profiles 2 to 6 and 2 'to 6' are in the Figures 1 and 2 only to illustrate the possibilities given in different cross-sectional shape and different cross-sectional dimensions. Of course, uniform cross-sectional shapes and cross-sectional dimensions can also be selected. The circumferential distribution and number of metal profiles can be varied according to the desired bursting behavior. The cross-sectional dimensions, cross-sectional shape and number of metal profiles can be selected within wide limits, as far as the desired flexibility of the bursting hose, which may be required for laying in tight radii of curvature, is not significantly affected. The metal profiles 2 to 6 or 2 'to 6' are mounted parallel to the center axis of the bursting hose 1 or 1 ', but also a helical shape on the outer peripheral surface 7 or 7' is possible. The metal profiles 2 to 6 or 2 'to 6' can be attached to the hose in shorter or longer sections, whereby the bursting behavior can already be influenced in sections during the production of the bursting hose. Also the bursting hose net-like enclosing metal structures can be used as thermal wall-weakening elements.

At the in Fig. 3 In the embodiment shown, the thermally wall-weakening elements have particle shape and are added to the thermoplastic material prior to its tube-forming extrusion and distributed uniformly in the plastic melt. The metal particles 8 may have different sizes and shapes as shown. At the points where particles 8 are located in the outer peripheral surface 7 "of the bursting hose 1", ie at or near the surface, the heat transfer to the hose wall and the heat conduction in the hose wall are particularly good in the event of a critical temperature.

The in the FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrated bursting hoses 1, 1 ', 1 "differ from those with respect to the FIGS. 1 to 3 Berstschläuchen described by the fact that the hoses, including the thermally wall-weakening elements disposed thereon or therein are each closely enclosed by a thin protective cover 9 made of a thermoplastic material. The protective cover 9 should have high water resistance and low water permeability or absorption capacity and protect the hose against mechanical, climatic and chemical attacks. The only thin protective cover 9, which is formed by shrinking or helically wrapping the hose and which is preferably made of PE or PP, does not appreciably reduce the desired rapid heat transfer to the burst hose when critical temperatures occur.

Like from the FIGS. 7 and 8 it can be seen, thermally wall-weakening elements need not be fixedly arranged on the bursting hose or integrated therein. The elements may also be plugged or threaded onto the outer wall of the finished tube and in close contact therewith. In Fig. 7 an element in the form of an annular metal plate 10 is shown, which on the tube 11 in the axial direction can be pushed, or if the annular metal plate 10 as shown has a slot 12, also by temporary and preferably elastic bending from the side on the hose 11 can be plugged. After attaching the metal plate 10 or a plurality of such metal flakes at the desired locations of the laid or laid hose 11, stands or the metal platelets rib-like from the tube 11 and expose to the ambient atmosphere, a significant area size, in the event of occurrence a critical temperature for a rapid heat transfer first on the or the metal plate and by heat conduction in the or the metal plate on the hose wall provides. The metal platelets can have any desired geometrical outer contour, ie the exposed areas of such metal platelets can be varied in shape and size depending on the mounting location and the expected critical temperature.

In Fig. 8 a variant of a metal plate in the form of a helical metal strip 13 is shown, which is elastically aufbiegbar, therefore also from the side on the hose 11 can be plugged and after the spring back into its original position with its coiled inner edge surface the tube 11 tightly encloses. Also in this variant, the thermally wall-weakening element is like a rib from the tube 11 from. The metal strip 13, a plurality of which can be arranged on the hose, should enclose the hose at least with one full turn. In the example shown, there are 1 1/4 turns.

As can be seen from the embodiments described above, the invention enables bursting hoses which have a thermally different bursting behavior. Therefore, the bursting hose can be designed in sections of its length to different bursting temperatures or composed of lengths, which are for different bursting temperatures are designed. Such an arrangement is based on a direct-acting extinguishing system in Fig. 9 shown.

This results in an electrical control cabinet 14, which is divided into three chambers or zones 15, 16, 17 by partitions 18 and 19. To an outside of the cabinet 14 located under pressure extinguishing agent unit 20 is composed of three lengths sections 21, 22, 23 bursting hose connected, which extends in the example shown in multiple S-shaped turns through the three chambers 15, 16, 17. Pressure-tight composition sites 24 and 25 for the length sections 21, 22, 23 are located on the partitions 18, 19. The entire burst hose is under the uniform internal pressure of the extinguishing agent unit 20 and ends with a pressure-tight closure 26 in the last chamber 17th

It is proposed a bursting hose in various variants, which is intended for use in directly but also indirectly acting fire extinguishing systems and systems. The pressure-molded hose, which is extrusion-molded from a thermoplastic, is flexible for laying. In or on the wall of the tube elements are arranged, which cause a rapid deterioration of the wall of the tube by rapid heat transfer to the tube wall upon occurrence of a critical heat, for example, in the formation of a fire, and thus quickly bursting the hose and the exit of an extinguishing agent from the rupture point in direct fire extinguishing systems or to pressure loss in the hose in indirect fire extinguishing systems.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS:

1; 1'; 1''

Berstschläuche

2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 2 ', 3', 4 ', 5', 6 '

metal profiles

7, 7 ', 7' '

Outer circumferential surface

8th

particle

9

cover

10

metal plates

11

tube

12

slot

13

metal strips

14

switch cabinet

15

Chamber or zone

16

Chamber or zone

17

Chamber or zone

18

partition wall

19

partition wall

20

Extinguishing unit

21

longitudinal section

22

longitudinal section

23

longitudinal section

24

Constituent Agent

25

Constituent Agent

26

shutter

Claims (16)

1. Rupture pipe appropriate for use in fire extinguishing systems, which is extrusion moulded from a thermoplastic material, diffusion resistant and thus pressure-maintaining even with internal gas pressures of up to approx. 32 bar, is flexible for installation on potential sources of fire in narrow spaces and as a function of the applied internal gas pressure bursts by releasing an extinguishing gas, gas or fire extinguishing means with a heat effect occurring at a temperature within a defined temperature range, characterised in that elements (2 to 6; 2' to 6'; 8; 10; 13) which produce an accelerated weakening of the wall of the pipe (1; 1'; 1" ; 11) at the relevant point with the occurrence of the heat effect are arranged on or in the wall of the pipe (1; 1'; 1''; 11).
2. Rupture pipe according to claim 1, wherein the elements (2 to 6; 2' to 6'; 8; 10; 13) consist of a material, which, compared with the thermoplastic material of the wall of the pipe (1; 1'; 1''; 11), has a significantly higher thermal conductivity.
3. Rupture pipe according to claim 2, wherein the elements (2 to 6; 2' to 6'; 8; 10; 13) consist of metal, in particular of pure metals.
4. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements (2 to 6; 2' to 6') are moulded into the wall of the pipe (1; 1') or moulded thereon by means of extrusion when the pipe (1; 1') is extrusion moulded.
5. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements (8) have a particle shape and are added to thermoplastic material prior to their pipe-forming extrusion.
6. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements are on the finished pipe (11) and are strung metal plates (10) in close contact therewith.
7. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements are metal profiles (2 to 6; 2' to 6'), which, following the extrusion moulding of the pipe (1; 1'), are impressed warm into the outer peripheral surface of the pipe (1; 1') and are thus fastened to the pipe (1; 1').
8. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements are pressed onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.
9. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements are vapour deposited onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.
10. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elements (2' to 6') are glued onto the external peripheral surface of the pipe (1').
11. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 5 and 7 to 10, wherein the pipe (1; 1'; 1") including the elements (2 to 6; 2' to 6'; 8) arranged thereon is narrowly enclosed by a thin protective sleeve (9) made of a thermoplastic material with high chemical resistance and low water permeability or absorption capacity.
12. Rupture pipe according to claim 11, wherein the protective sleeve (9) is shrunk onto the pipe (1; 1'; 1").
13. Rupture pipe according to claim 11, wherein the protective sleeve (9) is formed by lagging the pipe (1; 1', 1'').
14. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein in longitudinal segments (21, 22, 23) of its length it is configured for different rupture temperatures or is composed of longitudinal segments, which are configured for different rupture temperatures.
15. Rupture pipe according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the elements (10, 12; 13) for accelerated weakening of the wall of the rupture pipe (11) when critical temperatures occur are metal elements, which can be clipped onto pipes or longitudinal pipe segments from the side in a bonded manner and tightly enclose the outer wall of the pipe.
16. Rupture pipe according to claim 15, wherein the metal elements are embodied as slotted annular discs (10, 12) or helically wound metal strips (13) and after attachment to the pipe (11) project outwards from the wall of the pipe (11) in the manner of a rib.

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