HVAC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM

Abstract

A next generation, integrated HVAC platform incorporating an automated fire sensing, alarm, emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system, and a clean agent total flooding fire suppression and control system. The fire sensing-alarm and wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system systems comprise one or more portable self-contained combustion detection-notification and wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert appliances deployed at one or more physical locations. The system comprises one or more fire suppressing agent, agent storage container, agent release valve, agent delivery route, and agent dispersion means. The platform incorporates a clean agent total flooding control system comprising an integrated communication means, sensors and wireless devices, to communicate and control one or more HVAC, fire-sensing, fire suppression/protection, and wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management systems, components, or appliances. In the event of a fire, the system enables comprehensive early detection, alarm, alert, and intervention while minimizing potential physical harm to occupants and damage to property.

Claims

1. An interior fire suppression system comprising: an air handler, the air handler comprising a housing, a blower, and a return air plenum; at least one fire suppression agent container coupled to an interior portion of the air handler, the at least one fire suppression agent container containing a pressurized fire suppression agent, the at least one fire suppression agent container being positioned downstream of an air flow path of the blower; and, a release valve operably engaged with the at least one fire suppression agent container to selectively release the pressurized fire suppression agent from the at least one fire suppression agent container, the release valve having an electronic actuator, the electronic actuator being configured to selectively open and close the release valve.

2. The interior fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising a controller operably engaged with the air handler and the electronic actuator.

3. The interior fire suppression system of claim 2 further comprising at least one fire detection sensor operably engaged with the controller.

4. The interior fire suppression system of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to control a fan speed of the blower in response to sensor data from the at least one fire detection sensor.

5. The interior fire suppression system of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to engage the electronic actuator in response to sensor data from the at least one fire detection sensor.

6. The interior fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising a dispersion nozzle operably engaged with the at least one fire suppression agent container.

7. An interior fire suppression system comprising: an air handler, the air handler comprising a housing, a blower, and a return air plenum; at least one fire suppression agent container coupled to an interior portion of the air handler, the at least one fire suppression agent container containing a pressurized fire suppression agent, the at least one fire suppression agent container being positioned downstream of an air flow path of the blower; a release valve operably engaged with the at least one fire suppression agent container to selectively release the pressurized fire suppression agent from the at least one fire suppression agent container, the release valve having an electronic actuator, the electronic actuator being configured to selectively open and close the release valve; one or more motorized dampers configured to be installed in one or more ducts of an interior ventilation system, the one or more motorized dampers being configured to selectively open and close an airflow path; one or more fire detection sensors configured to be installed in one or more interior rooms of a dwelling; and, a controller operably engaged with the blower, the electronic actuator of the release valve, the one or more motorized dampers, and the one or more fire detection sensors, the controller being configured to execute a plurality of fire suppression commands in response to a fire detection input from the one or more fire detection sensors.

8. The interior fire suppression system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring a fan speed of the blower.

9. The interior fire suppression system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise engaging the electronic actuator to open the release valve.

10. The interior fire suppression system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring at least one motorized damper of the one or more motorized dampers to a closed position.

11. The interior fire suppression system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring at least one motorized damper of the one or more motorized dampers to an open position.

12. An interior fire suppression system comprising: an air handler, the air handler comprising a housing, a blower, and a return air plenum; at least one fire suppression agent container coupled to an interior portion of the air handler, the at least one fire suppression agent container containing a pressurized fire suppression agent, the at least one fire suppression agent container being positioned downstream of an air flow path of the blower; a release valve operably engaged with the at least one fire suppression agent container to selectively release the pressurized fire suppression agent from the at least one fire suppression agent container, the release valve having an electronic actuator, the electronic actuator being configured to selectively open and close the release valve; one or more motorized dampers configured to be installed in one or more ducts of an interior ventilation system, the one or more motorized dampers being configured to selectively open and close an airflow path; one or more fire detection sensors configured to be installed in one or more interior rooms of a dwelling; a controller operably engaged with the blower, the electronic actuator of the release valve, the one or more motorized dampers, and the one or more fire detection sensors, the controller being configured to execute a plurality of fire suppression commands in response to a fire detection input from the one or more fire detection sensors; and, an application server operably engaged with the controller over a wireless communications network, the application server being operable to communicate a fire detection event to one or more third-party systems.

13. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 further comprising a smart device operably engaged with the application server over the wireless communications network, the smart device being configured to configure one or more system settings of the controller.

14. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring a fan speed of the blower.

15. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise engaging the electronic actuator to open the release valve.

16. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring at least one motorized damper of the one or more motorized dampers to a closed position.

17. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of fire suppression commands comprise configuring at least one motorized damper of the one or more motorized dampers to an open position.

18. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 further comprising one or more occupant detection sensors configured to be installed in the one or more interior rooms of the dwelling.

19. The interior fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein the one or more third-party systems comprise an external fire management system or emergency management control system.

20. The interior fire suppression system of claim 18 wherein the controller is configured to communicate sensor data from the one or more occupant detection sensors and the one or more fire detection sensors to the application server over the wireless communications network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a portable self-contained combustion detection-notification appliance, according to an embodiment;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a system diagram highlighting the components of an integrated HVAC platform incorporating a fire suppression/protection system, according to an embodiment;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a system diagram of a wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system, according to an embodiment; and,

[0024] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating the process flow of the integrated HVAC fire detection, suppression, and alert system, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Exemplary embodiments are described herein to provide a detailed description of the present disclosure. Variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Moreover, certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. For example, the words right, left, top, bottom, upper, lower, inner and outer designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The word a is defined to mean at least one. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

[0026] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the factors and limitations of prior art fire detection, alert, and fire suppression systems are solved with a next generation, integrated HVAC platform incorporating an automated fire sensing, alarm, emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system, and a clean agent total flooding fire suppression and control system. In the event of a fire, the integrated platform enables comprehensive early detection, alarm, alert, and intervention while minimizing potential physical harm to occupants and damage to property.

[0027] FIG. 1 is an illustration 100 of a portable self-contained combustion detection-notification appliance 102 deployable at one or more physical locations within said platform, building, structure, house, or the like. The combustion detection-notification appliance 102 comprises a central controller motherboard 104 operating to send or receive electrical signals from one or more sensor(s) 106, a wireless transceiver module 108, and a broadcast alarm module 110. The appliance and its electronics components are energized by power source 112, including but not limited to a battery, an AC, DC, photovoltaic, or the like. In various embodiments, motherboard 104 contains special-purpose hardware (e.g., FPGA, ASIC, PLD, etc.), programmable circuitry, or combinations thereof, incorporating one or more microcontroller, CPU, voltage input, analog-digital I/O, analog-digital converter, modulation I/O, memory device (e.g., flash memory, PROM, RAM, SRAM, etc.), UART, SDA & SCL pins, and crystal oscillator. Motherboard 104 is electronically configured or programmed with firmware and/or software to send or receive data to communicate or control the operation of one or more sensors 106, which include at least one of optical, gas, temperature, electro-chemical, ionization, particle, piezoelectric, ultrasonic, RF, CCD sensor, CCD array, sensor array, or sensor(s) suite for sensing the presence of combustion, flame, fire, or the like.

[0028] In various embodiments, sensor(s) 106 may include a motion sensor for detecting the movement or presence of an occupant. Depending on the type of sensors (e.g., 02, CO & CO.sub.2 gas sensors, methane, butane, etc.) employed, motherboard 104 is configured to convert analog sensor signals to digital for further processing and operation. One or more microcontroller or CPU may be programmed to determine one or more parameters (e.g., signal threshold, motion, etc.) from data generated by a sensor. In a similar manner, motherboard 104 is configured to send or receive data to communicate or control the operation of transceiver module 108. In various embodiments, transceiver module 108 comprises at least one wireless communication transmitter-receiver device capable of executing one or more network communication protocol or standard, including but not limited to 802.11n wireless LAN, Bluetooth, BLE wireless fidelity (WIFI), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), ZigBee, near field communication (NFC), magnetic secure transmission, radio frequency (RF), RFID, or body area network (BAN). In various embodiments, motherboard 104 is configured to enable the remote identification or location of smoke, flame, combustion, or fire via transceiver module 108 and one or more wireless network routers (e.g., WiFi Router). The location of appliance 102 may be determined through the assignment of an IP or MAC address for transceiver module 108 and determining a physical location assigned to the module corresponding with its IP or MAC address, such information retrieved from a database. In various embodiments, motherboard 104 is configured to enable the remote identification or location of smoke, flame, combustion, or fire via transceiver module 108 incorporating cellular communication hardware, middle, firmware, software, or combinations thereof, to enable triangulation and or GPS geo-location/fencing. In various embodiments, the combustion detection-appliance 102 incorporates wireless communication means of transceiver module 108 to enable wireless mobile notification of the initiation or emergence of smoke, flame, combustion, fire, or the like, to one or more occupants of a building or home or externally to a fire department or first responder. The wireless notification includes but is not limited to text message, SMS text, audible alarm, voice, image, video, or the like. In another similar manner, motherboard 104 is configured to send or receive data to communicate or control the operation of broadcast alarm module 110 which may include at least one non-limiting alarm indication means such as light, sound, bullhorn, audible alarm, or vibrating means, to alert, audibly or visually, occupants or emergency responders to the initiation, emergence, or presence of a fire or the like.

[0029] Now referring to FIG. 2, a system diagram 200 highlighting the components of an integrated HVAC platform incorporating a fire suppression/protection system is shown. The integrated platform comprises flood system 202 of a clean agent total flooding system and sub-components 204 of an HVAC system whereby all components are electronically, operably connected, enabling electronic control by a system controller 206. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other components (not shown) may be included in the said HVAC platform. Flood system 202 comprises one or more agent storage containers (e.g., canister, tank, etc.) 208, containing one or more fire suppressing agent, operably connected to one or more agent release valve 210, agent delivery route 212, and agent dispersion means 214. In various embodiments, the fire suppressing agent comprises one or more chemical agent, gaseous agent, or clean agent. In various embodiments, the clean agent is a halocarbon, halogenated, pressurized gas (e.g., CO2, Nitrogen, etc.) or inert gaseous agents. In various embodiments, the agent storage container 208, release valve 210, delivery route 212, and dispersion means 214 incorporate one or more sensors, micro switches, or combinations thereof, to enable automatic remote actuation, feedback, status or function monitoring, fault detection, or maintenance. In some embodiments, the fire suppression system can monitor and report the status of agent storage container 208 using either existing micro switches or the physical position of agent storage container 208. HVAC system 204 comprises primary operably connected sub-components blower 216, air flow distributor 218, and one or more ductwork 220, supplying air to one or more location 222 within a building or residential structure. Air flow distributor 218 incorporates the use of one or more air flow damper actuators 224 enabling direct, selective, or total control of airflow into individual duct work 220, subsequently into for example a room, under the command of controller 206 via one or more communication route 226. Exemplary communication route 226 may include non-limiting direct electrical connection (shown as dotted lines), wireless transmission, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, controller 206 enables the direct, selective or total control of airflow in conjunction with one or more sensing units 228 via one or more communication route 230. In a preferred embodiment, sensing units 228 comprise one or more said combustion detection-notification appliance 102, of FIG. 1. Exemplary communication route 230 may include non-limiting direct electrical connection (shown as dotted lines), wireless transmission enabled by detection-notification appliance 102, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the agent delivery route 212 includes but is not limited to one or more HVAC plenum, ductwork or ventilation route. In various embodiments, the dispersion means 214 includes but is not limited to at least one nozzle. In various alternative embodiments, the nozzles are placed within one or more HVAC ductwork 220. In various alternative embodiments, the nozzles are placed to dispense the clean agent within the direct airflow of said HVAC, plenum, duct, vent, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the nozzles are placed to dispense the clean agent into one or more enclosed space 222 (e.g., room, office, hallway, closet, kitchen, etc.) of a building or residential structure. The total flood system 202 operates in conjunction with one or more said HVAC sub-components 204, wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system, and clean agent total flooding control system to enable early detection, alarm, alert, and intervention while minimizing potential physical harm to occupants and damage to property. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, system 200 may be comprised of two or more assemblies of flood system 202. The two or more assemblies of flood system 202 may be housed in or directly connected to the one or more HVAC ductwork 220. The two or more assemblies of flood system 202 may be operably engaged with HVAC flood system controller 206 to disperse the fire suppressing agent contained in one or more agent storage container 208 into one or more of the desired HVAC ductwork 220. This embodiment may be utilized in larger structures where a single, centralized embodiment of flood system 202 may be insufficient to adequately suppress an interior fire based on the volume of the subject space.

[0030] Now referring to FIG. 3, a system diagram 300 of a wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system is shown. The alert management system comprises one or more portable appliances 302, corresponding to detection-notification appliance 102, of FIG. 1, for placement in one or more locations within a room 304, 306 of a building or home structure. The location includes but is not limited to a floor, door, window, ceiling, room, hallway, kitchen, furniture, counter, closet, cabinet, basement, attic, HVAC ductwork, vent, garage, ceiling, front/back door, deck, porch, or the like. The appliance 302 incorporates one or more remote sensors 308 and wireless communication means 310 to enable detection of the presence of an occupant 312 in the vicinity. In various alternative embodiments, the communication routes may include non-limiting direct electrical connection (shown as dotted lines), wireless transmission enabled by detection-notification appliance 302, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the wireless communication means 310 enables the detection of the presence of one or more mobile communication devices 314 in possession or vicinity of one or more occupants. In various embodiments, the wireless communication means enables the transmission-reception of one or more text message, SMS text, audible alarm, voice, image, video, or the like to one or more mobile communication devices of one or more occupants. The transmission includes, but is not limited to, audible or visible building status, alerts, instructions, or directions for evacuation. In various embodiments, the detection-notification appliance 302 incorporates at least one speaker for broadcasting at least one audible status, alarm, alert, or instructions for evacuation. In various embodiments, one or more appliance 302 operates in conjunction to determine the presence or location of one or more occupants within the building or home structure. The wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system also comprises a controller unit 316 configured to operably control an integrated HVAC and fire suppression system 318 via HVAC flood system controller 206 illustrated in FIG. 2. Controller unit 316 may comprise a central controller motherboard electronically configured with hardware-software and programmed with firmware and or software to send or receive data to communicate or operate controller 206 and for wireless communication to/from a wireless router 320, or combinations thereof. Wireless router 320 is preferably placed at a location 320b near one or more detection-notification appliance 302 within a building or residential structure. The motherboard contains special-purpose hardware (e.g., FPGA, ASIC, PLD, etc.), programmable circuitry, or combinations thereof, incorporating one or more microcontroller, CPU, voltage input, analog-digital I/O, analog-digital converter, modulation I/O, RF circuit, RF transceiver, SIM module, GPS transceiver, memory device (e.g., flash memory, PROM, RAM, SRAM, etc.), UART, SDA & SCL pins, and crystal oscillator. In various embodiments, one or more portable appliance 302 routinely and systematically sends data from sensors, IP or MAC address, functional, operational information, or combinations thereof to router 320.

[0031] In various embodiments, controller 316 under logic queries router 320 for information and subsequently controls the airflow into a room 304, 306 under the operation of HVAC and fire suppression system 318 through airflow conduit 322 or 324 depending on the initiation or presence of smoke, combustion or fire, as well as the presence of occupant 312. In various alternative embodiments, controller 316 and wireless router 320 can be combined into one unit. In another alternative embodiment, HVAC and fire suppression system 318 may incorporate one or more controller 206, controller 316, and router 320 into a single unit. Controller unit 316 is also configured to operably connect to a cloud server 326 via Internet 328. Cloud server 326 is made accessible to one or more wireless mobile device 328 or a client computing device 330. Cloud server 326 comprises a database and software application, including an automated administration system (Admin), for user access to the alert management system 300. In various embodiments, controller unit 316 accepts one or more input from an external, remote, or wireless controller, thermostat, smart thermostat, smart mobile device (e.g., phone) 328, computing device 330, cloud server 326, or the like. In various embodiments controller unit 316 sends and receives data relating to the HVAC and fire alarm and suppression system settings using said hardware and software data communication means via local area network (LAN), local wireless, wide-area wireless, cellular, intranet, Internet, or the like. In various embodiments, the inputs for the system settings may be sent to the HVAC controller 206 using a computing application software stored in, for example, a remote control, computing device, smart mobile device, smart thermostat, or cloud server. In various embodiments, the application software may execute its instructions on a computing system, a computing device (e.g., device 330), computing mobile device, mobile phone, smart mobile phone (e.g., device 328), mobile app, cloud server (e.g., device 326), or the like. In various embodiments, the controller unit 316 may communicate and function with an external fire or emergency management control system, via for example, the Internet, intranet, short wireless, wireless, a LAN, a WAN, wireless cellular network, or the like.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 4, a functional block diagram illustrating the process flow of the integrated HVAC fire detection, suppression, and alert system is shown. At initial step 402, controller unit 316 accesses a list/inventory of Appliance 102 from a database located on cloud server 326. At a second step 404, controller unit 316 requests data from a specific appliance using said inventory. A decision is made at step 406, whereby controller unit 316 requests data to identify said specific Appliance 102 and If NO then controller unit 316 proceeds to step 408, querying another location from a next Appliance 102. If appliance data is YES at step 406 then controller unit 316 proceeds to request to receive sensor data from the appliance at step 410. Controller unit 316 then identifies at step 412 the specific appliance's location using information located within database. Controller unit 316 can then send a message to the automated Admin system to inform device status at step 414.

[0033] Controller unit 316 monitors at step 416 any reply from Admin. Another decision is made at step 418 whereby controller unit 316 determines the presence or absence of a combustion, smoke, flame, fire or combinations thereof using sensor data from an appliance. If data is equal to NO then the controller proceeds to step 420 where Admin is informed NO FIRE and subsequently sets the status of Alarm equal to zero with step 422. A decision of YES at step 418 advances the system to a status of FIRE being positive (e.g. equal to binary 1) at 424 triggering another decision step 426 in which case a NO decision leads to a setting of an alarm status to Null (e.g., equal to binary 0) at 428. A decision of YES would activate the said fire suppression system of FIG. 2 at step 430 and subsequently step 432, the activation of said wireless emergency geo-location/evacuation alert management system of FIG. 3.

[0034] The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its exemplary forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing description are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.