EP2446933B1 - Method for extinguishing fires in buildings and facilities with photovoltaic modules - Google Patents

Description

Method of extinguishing fires on buildings and installations

The invention relates to a method for extinguishing fires on buildings and facilities.

In recent times, buildings and facilities with photovoltaic, that is, solar systems equipped for energy. Such photovoltaic systems have in a known manner multiple arrangements of interconnected in serial and parallel interconnected photovoltaic modules, which are arranged on the outer sides of buildings and facilities, especially roofs.

A major problem with such arrangements occurs in the event of a fire. The photovoltaic modules have a high voltage during exposure, which can typically be up to 1000 volts. If a fire now occurs, buildings and systems with photovoltaic modules can not be extinguished with extinguishing water or the like and often can not be entered without danger, as there is a risk of electric shock, which would mean a considerable risk for the extinguishing personnel. Therefore, one must be forced to completely burn down roof trusses or buildings with photovoltaic modules when fires occur on such buildings or facilities.

In order to counter this problem, attempts have been made to bring about an interruption in the operation of photovoltaic systems by means of circuit technology measures. Such devices may in particular have fuses, as in the JP 110 40 838 A described. The problem here is that the fire fighting personnel can not check whether the fuses actually respond or whether due to heat or aging the fuses are defective. But this leaves a high risk for the extinguishing personnel, which ultimately prevents deletion of the photovoltaic modules.

From the DE 10 2008 029 491 B4 is a protective device for a solar system known. In the event of a fault, especially in a fire, the power lines of the solar system with explosive capsules are separated and thus mechanically interrupted. Since the blasting process can be dangerous itself, as this arcs or the like may arise, the blasting caps are assigned to delete units.

However, such a protective device carries a continuing risk, since the blasting capsules on the building potential hot spots are installed. In addition, the functions of this protection device can not be tested.

In Casey C Grant: Fire Fighter Safety and Emergency Response to Solar Power System ", May 31, 2010 (2010-05-31), pages 1-93 , XP055060766, are executed as Vorrichtsmaßnahmen in case of fire, as far as off or isolate photovoltaic systems on burning buildings.

From the US 3,762,645 A It is known to meter abrasive material abrasive water jet.

The US 3,179,377 A. describes a mixer for mixing solid and liquid substances.

The invention has for its object to provide a method by means of which a safe, safe extinguishing of buildings and systems with photovoltaic modules is made possible.

To solve this problem, the features of claim 1 are provided. Advantageous embodiments and expedient developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

The invention relates to a method for extinguishing fires on buildings and installations with existing photovoltaic modules. To extinguish a water jet is led out of a water pipe. The water pipe hard body are supplied, which emerge with the water jet from the water pipe. This can smash the photovoltaic modules.

With the method according to the invention is a safe and safe for the extinguishing personnel extinguishing fires on buildings and facilities that Photovoltaic systems with photovoltaic modules on the outer sides, guaranteed.

The basic principle of the method according to the invention is that with the hard bodies, which are supplied to the water jet, the photovoltaic modules can be smashed quickly and efficiently, so that there no longer high voltages applied and thus the fire can be deleted without endangering the fire personnel.

A significant advantage here is that the hard body is guided by the water jet of the water pipe to a target object. The extinguishing personnel can thus align the water jet exactly on the target object and then align the hard body exactly following the path of the water jet safely and accurately to the target object. This ensures safe use of the hard body.

With the hard body, a selective energy input is generated on the target object, in particular a photovoltaic module. As a result, the target object is intentionally locally damaged, that is, the target object is torn open locally. With the water jet following the hard body, the tear point is enlarged rapidly, whereby the target object is smashed efficiently. If insufficient damage to the target object is still to be achieved in the event of a first impact of a hard body, this can be subjected to a freely selectable sequence of hard bodies.

Photovoltaic modules typically have solar cells covered with glass covers. The hard body or particles striking such a photovoltaic module penetrate the glass covers and tear them off with the aid of the water jet. As a result, the solar cells are free, which can be destroyed with significantly lower energy inputs, which can be easily achieved with subsequent hard bodies. The solar cells destroyed in this way destroy the electrical cables of the photovoltaic modules and thus interrupted the links of the individual modules to multiple modules, which leads to the collapse of the voltage generated by the photovoltaic module. Thus, the building or the system can be deleted immediately without any dangers such as electric shocks or short circuits with the water jet immediately, so that the conditions are met to ensure the greatest possible preservation of the fabric during the deletion process. In addition, this reduces the risk of rescuing humans and animals by the extinguishing personnel.

It is advantageous that with the hard body selectively only the photovoltaic modules are destroyed, so that with the hard body in the fire fighting only that is destroyed, which can not be saved anyway.

The fragments that are formed by the fragmentation by the hard body fall only where no one may stay in case of fire, that is, this means no additional personal danger.

An advantage of the method according to the invention is further that in particular smaller fragments or splinters, which are formed when shattering the photovoltaic modules with the hard body, collected by the immediately flowing stream of water, that is bound so that they do not splash around freely. This further avoids hazards to persons.

Since the actuation of the hard body via the water pipe, which is used for deletion, an operator, that is, a firefighter on the one hand, use the water pipe for deletion and on the other hand selectively apply objects to the hard body. Both actions can be performed at a safe distance of typically more than 10 meters from the fire, so that there are no hazards to the operator, especially no electrical hazards. Particularly advantageous is the Operation of the water pipe so that the operator from above, such as a fire truck, can direct the hard body to the target objects.

On the other hand, by the coupling to the water pipe the range for the application of objects with the hard bodies adapted to the range of the water jet, which leads by the leadership of the hard body on the water jet to a high accuracy and on the other hand, the risk of unwanted ricochets or ricochets of the hard body minimized.

Another essential advantage of the invention is that the hard bodies used for the destruction of the photovoltaic modules themselves are not dangerous, that is, contain no explosive substances, propellants, springs, gases or toxic chemicals. As a result, the hard bodies can also be stored indefinitely and can also be recycled during exercises. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the hard body can be easily disposed of after fire use with the accumulating fire debris.

The trained as balls hard body can on the one hand consist of solid bodies, which may advantageously consist of steel. Other materials such as other metallic materials, ceramics or glass are conceivable. Such trained hard body can be produced inexpensively. Furthermore, the hard body may be formed as a hollow body, which may be arranged in these fire-retardant materials or fire extinguishing materials supporting. The hard bodies impinging on the target objects then burst so that the fire-retardant materials can escape, thereby speeding up the extinguishing process.

To carry out the method according to the invention, a metering device is associated with the water pipe. By means of the metering device, the hard bodies are supplied from a reservoir individually to the water pipe.

The dosing device is designed user-friendly so that it can be operated by the extinguishing personnel without special instruction. The function of the device is such that the hard bodies are introduced from the reservoir individually into the water pipe in order then to be discharged via the water pipe in the direction of a target object, in particular a photovoltaic module. Within the water pipe, an acceleration of the hard body takes place until it reaches the speed of the water jet.

To avoid tilting of the hard body in the guide to and in the water pipe, they are spherical. The inner diameter of the water pipe from the point of entry of the hard body to the outlet is slightly larger than the diameter of the hard body, so that they are performed with little play and thus with the least possible friction in the water pipe.

Advantageously, the metering device, a singulation unit for singulating the hard body. The separating unit operates, for example, by means of a piston drive, a ball gear or a mechanism.

With the singling unit it is achieved that only one hard body is introduced into the water pipe and then carried out over this. The supply of hard bodies in the water pipe by means of the singling unit preferably such that while the water jet is not affected in the water pipe, that is, there are no recoils on the nachdringenden water jet through the hard body. Thus, the water jet is interrupted only briefly until the hard body is accelerated in the water pipe to the speed of the water jet. This can be done by suitable dimensioning of the components of the metering device and the water pipe. Furthermore, this discharge openings can be provided in the water pipe, can escape through the excess water during insertion of the hard body into the water pipe. The relief openings may preferably be locked with valves or the like, which are typically closed when no hard body is supplied to the water pipe. Farther can be prevented with the discharge openings and a backflow of water into the metering device when just a hard body is supplied to the water pipe. Such a backflow of water into the metering device can also be precluded by a design of the singling unit in such a way that it has closure means which lock the singling unit into the water pipe immediately after a hard body has been carried out.

Suitably, the metering device has a machine and / or manual operating unit.

For safety reasons, it is advisable in any case to provide a manual operating unit, such as a hand crank, since it has no fault-prone electrical or mechanical components and is therefore fail-safe.

Such a hand crank can be designed so that one or more hard bodies are supplied to the water pipe per revolution. By a worm gear or the like, an undesirable accidental automatic rotation of the hand crank can be prevented, whereby an undesirable accidental supply of a hard body to the water pipe is prevented.

The ease of use can be further increased by the fact that a mechanical operating unit is provided which has, for example, an electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically operating motor.

In general, the operating unit as an additional securing means on a lock. An operator must then actively unlock the control unit to operate the control unit can. Accidental introduction of hard bodies in the water pipe is thereby excluded.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the water jet over the metering foam or foaming agent can be supplied with air.

In addition, a jet baffle can be applied to a mouthpiece arranged at the outlet of the water pipe. With the jet baffle, a spray water jet can be generated for extinguishing work at short range, which serves for example for self-protection or surface irrigation.

In this case, the jet baffle is preferably arranged foldable on the mouthpiece of the water pipe. The jet baffle is folded away to avoid damage when hard bodies are removed from the water pipe.

This can be fulfilled with a single water pipe different functions.

Figur 1:

Schematische Darstellung des vorderen Endes eines Wasserrohrs einer Löscheinrichtung mit einer zugeordneten Dosiervorrichtung zum Eintrag von Hartkörpern in das Wasserrohr bei aus dem Wasserrohr austretenden Wasserstrahl.

Figur 2:

Anordnung gemäß Figur 1 bei Austritt eines Hartkörpers aus dem Wasserrohr

The invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1:

Schematic representation of the front end of a water pipe of a quenching device with an associated metering device for the entry of hard bodies in the water pipe in emerging from the water pipe water jet.

FIG. 2:

Arrangement according to FIG. 1 at the exit of a hard body from the water pipe

The Figures 1 and 2 show the front end of a water pipe 1 of an extinguishing unit not shown below for extinguishing fires. The extinguishing unit can be formed in a known manner by a fire truck with a retractable and retractable ladder, the water pipe 1 on the ladder advantageous positionerbar is that an operator from the ladder with the water pipe 1 can extinguish a fire.

The water pipe 1 is associated with a metering device 2, by means of which each of the water pipe 1 spherical hard body 3 can be supplied.

The metering device 2 has a reservoir in the form of a storage container 4, in which a supply of hard bodies 3 is mounted. By means of a singling unit 5, individual hard bodies 3 can be individually carried out of the storage container 4 and introduced into the water pipe 1. The separating unit 5 is actuated by an operating unit 6. With each operation, a hard body 3 is supplied to the water pipe 1.

FIG. 1 shows the standard function of the water pipe 1, in which on the water pipe 1, a water jet 7 is discharged to extinguish a fire.

In the event that a fire is to be deleted on a building or system on the outside of which photovoltaic modules of a photovoltaic system are located, extinguishing the fire there is a risk of electric shock and short circuits, since the arrangement of the photovoltaic modules with high voltages, typically up to 1000 volts is charged.

To avoid this risk, the photovoltaic modules are intentionally smashed at the beginning of the deletion process with the hard bodies 3. For this purpose, a certain number of hard bodies 3 is removed individually from the reservoir 4 and fed to the water pipe 1, so that the respective hard body 3 is guided with the water jet 7 on the shattering photovoltaic module as needed.

The entry of a hard body 3 in the water pipe 1 is such that the water jet 7 is interrupted only briefly. The front end of the water pipe 1 forms an acceleration section, in which the hard body 3 through the following water jet 7 is accelerated to the speed of the water jet 7 and then in the same direction as the water jet 7 from the water pipe 1 exits ( FIG. 2 ) and is guided with this on the photovoltaic module. The path of the hard body 3 is thus predetermined by the water jet 7 and can be easily controlled by the operator.

The diameters of the hard bodies 3 are adapted to the diameter of the water pipe 1 so that they are guided in the water pipe 1 with little play and thus friction. The hard body 3 are formed in the present case as a solid body, for example in the form of ball bearing balls or glass balls, which are inexpensive to produce. Alternatively, the hard body 3 may be formed as a hollow body, in which fire-retardant substances are included. Upon impact of the hard body 3 on target objects burst on them, so that the fire-retardant substances can escape. In any case, the hard bodies 3 are such that they form purely passive bodies, which themselves pose no danger such as explosions.

The separating unit 5 of the metering device 2 operates in such a way that the hard bodies 3 are fed individually to the water pipe 1 so that the water jet 7 in the water pipe 1 is not disturbed, that is to say interrupted only briefly when the hard body 3 is introduced. Then, however, the water jet 7 flows immediately unhindered and accelerates the hard body 3 in the water pipe 1 until it is finally discharged at the speed of the water jet 7 from the water pipe 1.

Furthermore, the singling unit 5 is designed so that when introducing a hard body 3 into the water pipe 1, no water flows back into the singling unit 5.

The separating unit 5 may have a piston unit which can be actuated with the operating unit 6, wherein a piston guided in a guide tube has a piston performs oscillating movement to perform a hard body 3 from the reservoir 4 in the water pipe 1. By means of a suitable mechanism is thereby ensured that is introduced in the only one hard body 3 in the guide tube. Furthermore, at the output of the guide tube, a closure mechanism is provided which locks the guide tube immediately when a hard body 3 is inserted from this into the water pipe 1. As a result, an inflow of water is avoided in the guide tube.

Alternatively, the singling unit 5 may comprise a ball gear in which a single embodiment of hard body 3 is provided to the water pipe 1 by a suitable screw and appropriately designed aisles of a housing.

The operating unit 6 consists in the present case of a hand crank which is mechanically operated. In addition, a motor drive with an electric motor, a pneumatics or hydraulics can be provided as an operating unit 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(1)

water pipe

(2)

metering

(3)

hard body

(4)

reservoir

(5)

separation unit

(6)

operating unit

(7)

waterjet

Claims (14)

1. Method of extinguishing fires at buildings and installations where photovoltaic modules are present, wherein for the extinguishing a water jet (7) is delivered from a water pipe (1) and wherein supplied to the water pipe (1) are hard bodies (3) which issue from the water pipe (1) together with the water jet (7) and by which the photovoltaic modules can be shattered.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the hard bodies (3) are centred on a target object by means of the water jet (7).
3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the hard bodies (3) consist of materials which do not give rise to risks.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the hard bodies (3) are spherical.
5. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the hard bodies (3) are solid bodies.
6. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the hard bodies (3) form hollow bodies, in the interior space of which fire-inhibiting materials or materials assisting fire extinguishing are located.
7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that associated with the water pipe (1) is a metering device (2) by means of which hard bodies (3) can be individually fed from a reservoir to the water pipe (1).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the metering device (2) comprises a singling unit (5) which operates by means of a piston drive, a ball drive or a mechanism, for singling the hard bodies (3).
9. Method according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterised in that the metering device (2) comprises a mechanically and/or manually operating control unit (6).
10. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the metering device (2) comprises means by which the hard bodies (3) can be fed to the water jet (7) without disturbing this.
11. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the metering device (2) comprises means preventing inflow of water during feed of a hard body (3) into the water jet (7).
12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that relief openings are provided in the water pipe (1).
13. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterised in that foam or foam-forming agent together with air can be fed to the water jet (7) by way of the metering device (2).
14. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that jet-destroying means can be mounted on a mouthpiece arranged at the outlet of the water pipe (1).

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