EP1993082A1 - Detection and location identification of a fire - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves supplying air to detectors (D1, D2) by a suction unit (ASE) e.g. ventilator, via respective pipe conduits (R1, R2), where air speed in each pipe conduits is different. A time difference between the detection of a threshold value at the detector (D1) and the detection of the same threshold value at the detector (D2) is determined by an evaluation unit if the threshold value is detected. A location of fire (C) is determined according to the air speed in the pipe conduits using the determined time difference.

Description

The invention relates to a method, a fire detector and a fire alarm system for detecting and determining the location of a fire in at least one monitored room.

Detection units, such as optical fire detectors, gas detectors, etc., are used to detect a fire characteristic. A special type of fire detectors are the so-called aspirated smoke detectors. These fire detectors are supplied by an intake manifold by means of a suction device such as a fan or a fan, at least a portion of a room or equipment air and suck continuously air samples and analyze, for example, their smoke content. Often, the air is sucked in from several intake points of the pipe system. These points can be several meters apart and assigned to different objects or premises. If a fire characteristic is detected by the detector unit connected to the pipe system, it is important that the location of the fire is determined as accurately as possible, that measures for combating it can be initiated as quickly as possible.

Fire parameters are understood to be physical quantities which are subject to measurable changes in the environment of an incipient fire, for example the ambient temperature, the proportion of solid or liquid or gas in the ambient air or ambient radiation. In particular, the formation of smoke particles or smoke aerosols or the formation of steam or combustion gases is detected.

From the European patent EP 1634261 B1 For example, a method and apparatus for detecting and locating a fire is known. Upon detection of a fire characteristic, the sucked and located in the intake manifold air is blown out with a blow-out. This blower can be configured as a fan or fan. After blowing out the sucked air air samples are sucked in from the monitoring rooms again. On the basis of the time to re-detection of the fire characteristic then the location of the fire is determined.

The WO 02/095703 A2 also describes a way to locate and detect a fire. Again, a detector unit is supplied via an intake manifold air from the monitoring chambers. When a fire characteristic is detected, sub-detectors located at the intake openings are switched on, with the aid of which the location determination takes place.

The object of the present invention is to propose an efficient and cost-effective way to detect and locate a fire.

The object is achieved in each case by the subject matters of the independent claims. Further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

A core of the invention is to be seen in that for the detection and localization of a fire in at least one monitored space, a first detector unit and a second detector unit are used for detecting a fire characteristic. The two detector units are equipped with an evaluation unit for Evaluation of the detected fire characteristic connected. According to the invention, the first detector unit is supplied via a first pipeline and the second detector unit via a second pipeline at least part of the room air contained in the at least one monitored space. In this case, the first and the second pipeline are arranged in each monitored space and provided with suction openings. The room air is supplied by means of at least one suction unit, for example a fan, a fan, etc., the two detector units. According to the invention, the two pipes are such that the average air velocity of the supplied room air in the first pipe is different from the average air velocity in the second pipe. If at least one parameter of the fire characteristic variable is detected, at least one time difference between the detection of the at least one parameter or threshold value of the fire characteristic variable of the first detector unit and the detection of the same of at least one parameter of the second detector unit is determined by the evaluation unit. Together with the at least one specific time difference, the location of the fire is determined as a function of the average air velocities in the first and the second pipeline. The average air speed is determined, for example, on the basis of a given intake speed of the at least one intake unit and the geometry of the pipeline, for example when commissioning the detector units, during maintenance, when detecting a fire characteristic, etc., and stored or determined, for example, in the evaluation unit , The different air velocities between the first and the second pipeline can be achieved in that the pipes have at least a partially different inner diameter. The inner diameter of a pipe can therefore either on the entire length of Piping may be different from the other pipeline or only in a section of the pipeline, for example, by a taper, a widening of a pipe section, orifices, etc. Thus, for example, the first pipe at least partially have a smaller inner diameter than the second pipe. According to the invention it is also conceivable that a tube is used which has two separate flow paths of different inner diameter. Intake passages are ideally placed in both pipelines or pipe segments at the same locations, so that the suction holes of the first and second pipelines are adjacent. Thus, the two detector units and the suction ports of the first and second pipes are arranged such that the distances between the first detector unit and the suction ports of the first pipe are equal to the distances between the second detector unit and the suction ports of the second pipe. According to the invention, the two pipes can be guided parallel to each other. Also, the suction ports of the first pipe may have a different diameter than the suction ports of the second pipe. In principle, any type of detector for detecting a fire characteristic can be used as the detector unit, in particular an optical detector, a gas detector, etc. In this case, the two detector units can be of the same type or the same type, for example two optical detector units or two Gas alarm units used. The two detector units can be integrated in a single fire detector or represent separate units. According to the invention, the first and the second detector unit have the same sensitivity. The at least part of the room air can be sucked in by a suction unit, such as a fan, a fan, etc., and the two detector units via the respective Pipelines are supplied. However, it is also conceivable that a separate suction unit is used per pipe. Thus, for example, the intake speed of the intake room air can be varied, so that the average air speed is different in the two pipes.

An advantage of the method according to the invention is that the location of a fire can be localized by a very simple manner.

Another advantage is that with only two detector units, the number of possible rooms to be monitored is very large compared to the known methods. This requires much fewer detector units for a building, which can significantly reduce installation and maintenance costs.

Figur 1

ein erfindungsgemässes Brandmeldesystem im Normalbetrieb,

Figur 2

ein erfindungsgemässes Brandmeldesystem bei der Detektion eines Brandes,

Figur 3

ein erfindungsgemässes Brandmeldesystem bei der Bestimmung des Brandortes und

Figur 4

einen erfindungsgemässen Brandmelder.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in a figure. Show

FIG. 1

an inventive fire alarm system in normal operation,

FIG. 2

a fire detection system according to the invention in the detection of a fire,

FIG. 3

a fire detection system according to the invention in determining the location of the fire and

FIG. 4

a fire detector according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a fire detection system according to the invention in normal operation. Normal operation should mean here that no alarm case exists. In this example, the two detector units D1 and D2 are optical detector units and the suction unit ASE integrated in a housing. Of course, the evaluation unit AWE can also be contained in this housing. However, the evaluation unit AWE can, for example, also be integrated in a fire control panel connected to the two detector units. The first detector unit D1 is supplied via a first pipeline R1 and the second detector unit is supplied via a second pipe R2 at least a portion of the room air from the detector units D1, D2 to be monitored spaces. The two pipes R1, R2 are arranged in each monitored space and have suction holes ALR1, ALR2 for drawing in the room air from the monitored space. In this case, the intake openings ALR1 or holes of the first pipeline R1 can have a different size or a different diameter than the intake openings ALR2 of the second pipeline R2. The suction holes ALR1 of the first pipe R1 are the same distance to the first detector unit D1 as the suction holes ALR2 of the second pipe R2 to the detector unit D2. They are therefore ideally located directly adjacent. The two pipes R1, R2 may be separate pipes R1, R2 or integrated in a pipe. In this case, the two pipes basically have separate flow paths, they R1, R2 are therefore not connected to each other so that room air can flow from one pipe R1 into the other pipe R2. This also applies to the detector units D1 and D2. The first detector unit D1 is exclusively room air via the first pipe R1 and the second detector unit D2 is supplied exclusively room air via the second pipe R2. Due to a possible different geometry of the two pipes R1, R2 results in a different average air velocity in the two pipes. In this example, the first pipe R1 has a smaller cross section or a smaller one Inner diameter than the second pipe R2 and thus the average air velocity v ₁ in the first pipe R1 is greater than the average air velocity v ₂ in the second pipe R2 (see formula 1). $$\mathrm{formula}1:{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="v"\; filenames="imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">v</figure-callout>}}_1>{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="v"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">v</figure-callout>}}_2$$

The different mean air velocities in the pipes R1 and R2 are represented by the arrows of different sizes. For the suction unit ASE, a fan or a fan or other suitable unit can be used to aspirate the room air. In this example, only one suction unit ASE is used for the two detector units D1, D2. Of course, it would also be possible according to the invention to use one suction unit ASE per detector unit D1, D2. In particular, such an arrangement could be used to generate a different air velocity in the two pipes R1, R2. As a result, it would also be conceivable that the two pipes R1, R2 have the same inner diameter.

FIG. 2 shows a fire alarm system according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 1 described in the detection of a fire. Smoke from a monitored room is sucked in via the intake holes ALR1 "Number or Room 3", ALR2 "Number or Room 3" and fed via the two pipes R1, R2 to the two detector units D1, D2. Due to the different geometries and thus the different air velocities in the pipes R1, R2, the first detector unit D1 first detects the fire characteristic and thus the fire. From the first detector unit D1, a corresponding alarm is output at the time t ₁ , which is forwarded, for example, to a fire alarm panel.

FIG. 3 shows that under Fig. 1 and 2 described fire detection system according to the invention and the determination of the location of the fire. At time t ₂ , the second detection unit D2 detects the fire and also outputs an alarm. An evaluation unit AWE connected to the two detector units determines the time difference between the first and second alarms (see formula 2). $$\mathrm{formula}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{:}{\mathrm{.delta.t}\mathrm{=}\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{2}}\mathrm{-}{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="t"\; filenames="imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">t</figure-callout>}}_{\mathrm{1}}$$

Together with the two air velocities v ₁ and v ₂ , the distance to the intake holes ALR1, ALR2 is then determined, via which the smoke-containing room air was sucked. This determines the location of the fire, ie the room in which the fire is located. In order to increase the accuracy of the distance determination from the detector units to the relevant suction holes, it is also conceivable that the time differences with respect to the detection of different successive parameters or threshold values of a fire parameter are permanently determined. The first time difference is thus determined upon reaching the threshold value 1, the second time difference on reaching the threshold value 2 and so on. The air velocities can either be determined empirically from the physical quantities, ie for given pipe geometries, intake hole diameter, intake speeds of the at least one suction unit, etc., or calculated or numerically approximated with the available physical quantities. The air velocities v ₁ and v ₂ can therefore be considered as average air velocities. Ideally, the distance d between the detector units D1, D2 and the Intake holes ALR1, ALR2 over which the smoke was sucked in, determine by $$\mathrm{formula}\mathrm{3}\mathrm{:}d=(v_1-v_2)\cdot \left(t_2-{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="t"\; filenames="imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">t</figure-callout>}}_1\right)$$

In general, the distance d is given by a function dependent on t1, t2, v1, v2, and must be approximated accordingly by mathematical methods.

FIG. 4 shows a fire detector according to the invention with a first detector unit D1, a second detector unit D2, a suction unit ASE and a connected to the two detector units evaluation unit AWE for performing the method according to the FIGS. 1 to 3 , The first detector unit D1 is connected to a first pipeline R1 and the second detector unit D2 is connected to a second pipeline R2. In this case, the pipelines are arranged in each monitored space and have suction holes ALR1, ALR2 for sucking the room air from the room.

Claims (15)

Method for detecting and determining the location of a fire in at least one monitored space, comprising a first detector unit (D1) and a second detector unit (D2) for detecting a fire characteristic, wherein an evaluation unit (AWE) connected to the two detector units is used to evaluate the detected fire characteristic .
characterized,
in that the first detector unit (D1) is supplied via a first pipeline (R1) and the second detector unit (D2) via a second pipeline (R1) at least part of the room air contained in the at least one monitored room, the first (R1) and the second conduit (R2) is arranged in each monitored space and provided with suction openings (ALR1, ALR2), wherein the room air by means of at least one suction unit (ASE) the two detector units (D1, D2) is supplied and wherein the average air velocity of the supplied room air in the first pipeline (R1) is different from the mean air velocity in the second pipeline (R2),
in that at least one time difference between the detection of the at least one threshold value in the first detector unit (D1) and the detection of the same at least one threshold value in the second detector unit (D2) is determined by the evaluation unit (AWE) upon detection of at least one threshold value of the fire characteristic variable;
that with the at least one specific time difference as a function of the average air velocities in the first (R1) and the second pipeline (R2) the location of the fire is determined. Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
that for the first pipe (R1) at least partially a different inner diameter than for the second pipe (R2) is used. Method according to claim 2,
characterized,
that for the first pipe (R1) at least partially a smaller inner diameter than for the second pipe (R2) is used. Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that a tube with two separate flow paths of different inner diameters is used as the first (R1) and second (R2) tubes. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the two detector units (D1, D2) and the suction openings (ALR1, ALR2) of the first (R1) and the second pipeline (R2) are arranged such that the distances between the first detector unit (D1) and the suction openings (ALR1) of the first pipe (R1) equal to the distances between the second detector unit (D2) and the suction ports (ALR2) of the second pipe (R2). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the suction openings (ALR1) of the first pipe (R1), a different diameter than the suction openings (ALR2) of the second pipe (R2) is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the first (R1) and the second pipeline (R2) are guided parallel to one another. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that either an optical detection unit or a gas detection unit is used as the detector unit (D1, D2). Method according to claim 8,
characterized,
that for the two detector units (D1, D2) is respectively the same type of detector unit used. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the detector units (D1, D2) either integrated in a fire alarm or separate units. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that for the first (D1) and the second detector unit (D2) have the same sensitivity is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that a fan and / or a fan are used as at least one suction unit (ASE). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that for the first (R1) and second pipe conduit (R2) each have their own suction unit (ASE) is used. Method according to claim 13,
characterized,
in that in the first (R1) and in the second pipeline (R2), a different suction speed of the room air supplied to the detector units (D1, D2) is generated by the respective suction unit (ASE). Fire alarm system for the detection and location of a fire in at least one monitored room, - With a first detector unit (D1) and a second detector unit (D2) for detecting a fire characteristic, wherein the first detector unit (D1) via a first pipe (R1) and the second detector unit (D2) via a second pipe (R2) at least one Part of the contained in at least one monitored room Room air is supplied, wherein the first (R1) and the second pipe (R2) arranged in each monitored space and provided with suction openings (ALR1, ALR2), with at least one suction unit (ASE) for supplying the room air into the two detector units (D1, D2), - With an evaluation unit (AWE) connected to the two detector units (D1, D2) for evaluating the fire characteristic, upon detection of a fire to determine at least one time difference between the detection of at least one threshold value of the fire characteristic in the first detector unit (D1) and the detection thereof at least one threshold value at the second detector unit (D2) and for determining the location of the fire with the at least one specific time difference as a function of the air velocities in the first (R1) and the second pipeline (R2) - with a fire alarm panel to give an alarm stating the location of the fire. 16. Fire detector for the detection and location of a fire in at least one monitored room, - With a first detector unit (D1) and a second detector unit (D2) for detecting a fire characteristic, wherein the first detector unit (D1) via a first pipe (R1) and the second detector unit (D2) via a second pipe (R2) at least one Part of the room air contained in at least one monitored space is supplied, wherein the first (R1) and the second pipe (R2) arranged in each monitored space and provided with suction openings (ALR1, ALR2), with at least one suction unit (ASE) for supplying the room air into the two detector units (D1, D2), - With an evaluation unit (AWE) connected to the two detector units (D1, D2) for evaluating the fire characteristic, upon detection of a fire to determine at least one time difference between the detection of at least one threshold value of the fire characteristic in the first detector unit (D1) and the detection thereof at least one threshold value at the second detector unit (D2) and for determining the location of the fire with the at least one specific time difference as a function of the air velocities in the first (R1) and the second pipeline (R2).

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