MONITORING AND EXTINGUISHING DEVICE

Abstract

A device for monitoring and controlling the extinguishment of a source of fire or the like in a conveyed material flowing in a pipeline. Danger sources are detected by a sensor system and controlled by introducing a fire extinguishing agent via extinguishing nozzles embedded in the pipe wall. For this purpose, a main controller and a large number of decentralized monitoring devices are provided for monitoring the functioning of each valve unit and of an extinguishing nozzle that is connected downstream to the valve of each valve unit and is to be supplied with the fire extinguishing agent. In the process, feedback is sent from the monitoring device to the central main controller.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A device for monitoring and controlling the extinguishment of a source of danger for flammable goods flowing in a pipeline, wherein sensors are disposed following one another in a direction of flow of the goods for detecting potential sources of danger and wherein an extinguishing nozzle for introducing an extinguishing agent is disposed downstream of each sensor, and each nozzle is embedded in a pipe wall of the pipeline and is configured to open when pressure is applied, the device comprising: a central main controller for successively detecting and extinguishing a source of danger by way of a respective extinguishing nozzle which is downstream of a respective sensor in the transport direction; a multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices for monitoring in each case a function of a valve unit and at least one extinguishing nozzle that is connected downstream to the valve of the valve unit and to which the extinguishing agent is to be applied; and a feedback from each said monitoring device to said central main controller.

14. The device according to claim 13, which comprises a first pressure sensor upstream of a said valve, and a second pressure sensor downstream of said valve, for determining at least one of the following: an existing pressure, an opening of the valve during an extinguishing operation, a flow rate during an extinguishing operation, or a leak of the valve.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein said first and second pressure sensors and said valve form a structural unit.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein said central main controller is configured to monitor physical and/or chemical properties of the extinguishing agent.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein said valve unit includes a solenoid valve to be switched by said main controller via an electronic switch, and wherein a delay time of a solenoid coil of said solenoid valve is less than 1 ms.

18. The device according to claim 13, which comprises an electrical solenoid valve which, by virtue of an electrical wiring thereof, delivers current and voltage values to an associated said monitoring unit.

19. The device according to claim 13, wherein said monitoring device has a microcontroller configured for monitoring a functionality of said valve and/or of said extinguishing nozzle by comparing actual variables with predefined characteristic curves.

20. The device according to claim 13, wherein a number of switching cycles of said valve is stored in memory.

21. The device according to claim 13, wherein said monitoring device has a temperature sensor for measuring an ambient temperature or a temperature of said valve.

22. The device according to claim 13, which comprises a shut-off element arranged upstream of said valve in a flow direction of the extinguishing agent and said monitoring device is configured to capture a position of said shut-off element.

23. The device according to claim 13, wherein an output device for a fault analysis is connected to a housing of said monitoring device.

24. The device according to claim 13, wherein said monitoring device has a housing, and said housing with electrical connections thereof are explosion-proof.

25. The device according to claim 13, wherein the pipeline is configured to transport flammable bulk goods and the source of danger is a source of fire.

26. An assembly, comprising: a pipeline for transporting flammable goods; a plurality of sensors disposed following one another in a transport direction of the goods for detecting potential sources of danger; extinguishing nozzles embedded in a pipe wall of said pipeline, said extinguishing nozzles being configured to introduce extinguishing agent into said pipeline; a central main controller for successively detecting and extinguishing a source of danger by way of a respective extinguishing nozzle downstream of a respective sensor in the transport direction; a multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices for monitoring in each case a function of a valve unit and at least one extinguishing nozzle that is connected downstream to the valve of said valve unit and to which the extinguishing agent is to be applied; and a feedback connection from each of said monitoring devices to said central main controller.

Description

[0033] FIG. 1 indicates a section of a pipeline 1 in which flammable transported goods, such as bulk goods, flow in the direction of the arrow 2. Three sensors 4-6 are embedded here by way of example in the pipe wall 3. A main controller 7 detects sparks, glow nests, fires or similar sources of danger in the transported goods by means of the sensors 4-6.

[0034] If such a source of danger is detected, the main controller 7 initiates an extinguishing operation. In this case, an extinguishing agent 10 is introduced into the pipeline 1 by extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 which are embedded in the pipe wall 3 downstream of the sensors 4-6 in the direction of flow according to arrow 2.

[0035] The extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 have a valve function and are closed during normal operation. The extinguishing valves 8, 9 switch to passage, indicated by the switching symbols 11, 12, only when the pressurized extinguishing agent 10 is applied to them.

[0036] A source of danger within the pipeline 1 must be tackled quickly. Long pipelines 13 between a reservoir 14 for the extinguishing agent 10 and a pump 15 that builds up an extinguishing pressure and is controlled by the main controller 7 should therefore be avoided. A valve unit 16 which is illustrated using dot-dashed lines in FIG. 1 is therefore arranged immediately upstream of the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 in the immediate spatial vicinity. The pipelines 17, 18 connecting the valve unit 16 to the downstream extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 may therefore be kept accordingly short.

[0037] A multiplicity of such valve units with downstream extinguishing nozzles which are fed by the pump 15, indicated by the double-headed arrow 21, are found over the entire length of the pipeline 1.

[0038] Each valve unit 16 has a valve 22 which is closed during normal operation. In the event of a fire etc., the main controller 7 opens the valve 22 electromagnetically, here by means of a solenoid coil 23. The extinguishing agent 10 is therefore applied to the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9. The solenoid coil 23 is switched on very quickly by the main controller 7 via an electronic switch 25, with the result that the delay time of the solenoid coil 23 is very short, in particular less than 1 ms. As indicated in FIG. 1, the solenoid coil 23 may possibly also be connected to an external voltage source 26 by means of the switch 25.

[0039] The functionality of the valve 22 and of the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 is decisively important for tackling a source of danger. A monitoring device 30 arranged in the immediate vicinity of the valve unit 16 monitors the functionality of the latter.

[0040] For this purpose, a first pressure sensor 31 is provided upstream of the valve 22 in the flow direction according to the arrow and a second pressure sensor 32 is provided downstream of the valve 22 in the flow direction. If there is a pressure drop at the first pressure sensor 31, this is an indication to the monitoring device 30 that the valve 22 has been opened. A malfunction of the valve 22, for example incomplete opening, may already be inferred by comparing the pressure drop measured by the first pressure sensor 31 with a predefined target value.

[0041] Forming the difference between the values measured by the first pressure sensor 31 and the values measured by the second pressure sensor 32 allows a flow rate of the extinguishing agent 10 to be determined and therefore also indicates whether the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 have opened.

[0042] In particular, the pressure measurement using the second pressure sensor 32 also allows a leak of a closed valve 22 to be determined. Since the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 are closed during normal operation, a pressure will build up in the lines 17, 18 toward the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 in the event of a leak of the valve 22 and this pressure build-up signals such a leak of the valve 22 to the monitoring device 30.

[0043] The electrical characteristic variables of current and voltage are also monitored by means of only indicated wiring 33 when the solenoid coil 23 is excited. Deviations from predefined characteristic curves allow conclusions to be drawn about wear of the valve 22 and also a defect of the solenoid coil 23. The number of switching cycles of the valve 22 can also be determined using this monitoring, with the result that necessary replacement of the valve is indicated, for example, when a number of cycles predefining the lifetime of the valve is reached.

[0044] A temperature sensor 34 is also provided for the purpose of monitoring the temperature of the environment and/or of the valve 22. It can therefore be ensured that the valve unit 16 and, in particular, the valve 22 are operated in a correct temperature window.

[0045] A shut-off element 35 is also provided upstream of the valve 22. A closed shut-off element 35 allows the valve 22 and the extinguishing nozzles 8, 9 to be easily maintained and serviced. After maintenance or servicing, the shut-off element 35 needs to be opened again in order to ensure the functionality of the fire extinguishing system overall. The position of the shut-off element 35 is therefore also monitored by the monitoring device 30.

[0046] If the monitoring device 30 identifies defects, these are indicated by an optical multicolor display 36 assigned to the housing of the monitoring device 30, with the result that it is easily possible to identify a faulty valve unit 16 in the case of a multiplicity of such units and the fault which has occurred can be quickly identified by means of an assigned color. In addition, a fault is indicated to the main controller 7, indicated by the arrow 37. Such a fault can then not only be centrally indicated by the main controller 7, but such a failure will also be taken into account during an extinguishing operation in which valve units which are downstream in the transport direction according to arrow 2 are addressed by the main controller 7.

[0047] So that the main controller 7 can carry out an extinguishing operation in an optimum manner, the physical and/or chemical properties of the extinguishing agent 10 are monitored by a sensor 38. This contributes to the main controller 7 being able to further optimize the duration of the extinguishing operation and the amount of extinguishing agent 10.