Air-guiding component

Abstract

The invention relates to an air-guiding component (1) for a pipe system, in particular for a pipe system for gaseous media preferably used in an aspirating fire detection and/or air-monitoring system. The air-guiding component (1) comprises a housing (7) having a gas inlet (12a) and a gas outlet (12b), wherein the gas inlet (12a) and the gas outlet (12b) are fluidically connected or connectable to the pipe system in order to form a flow path from the gas inlet (12a) to the gas outlet (12b) in the interior of the housing. A connection region with a port (6) is also provided for fluidically connecting, as needed or optionally, the housing interior to a maintenance/cleaning device.

Claims

1. A filtering air guide for an intake pipe system for gaseous media in an aspirating fire-detection or air-monitoring system (30), the air guide including a housing (7) having an interior and comprising: (a) a main housing (13) forming a component part of the housing (7) and having an opening (8), a gas inlet (12a) and a gas outlet (12b) and configured to receive a filter (5) interposed in a gas flow path between the gas inlet (12a) and the gas outlet (12b); and (b) a first component (10) forming a replaceable housing cover (14) that is an adapter part detachably connectable to the main housing (13) and closing the opening of the main housing (13) when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing, the first component (10) having (i) a fitting (6) with an opening into the housing interior through a wall region (11) of the housing cover (14), the fitting being connectable to a maintenance/cleaning device (22), and (ii) at least one shutoff element (16) projecting from the first component and positioned to register with the gas inlet (12a) or the gas outlet (12b) and reduce the effective cross section of the gas flow path when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing.

2. A filtering air guide in accordance with claim 1 wherein the at least one shutoff element (16) is formed as a plate projecting from the first component.

3. A filtering air guide in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first component (10) has two shutoff elements formed as plates both projecting from the first component, one plate positioned to register with the gas inlet (12a) and reduce the effective cross section of the gas flow path through the gas inlet (12a) when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing and the other plate positioned to register with the gas outlet (12b) and reduce the effective cross section of the gas flow path through the gas outlet (12b) when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing.

4. A filtering air guide in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a second component (21) forming an alternative, replaceable housing cover (14) detachably connectable to the main housing (13) and closing the opening of the main housing (13) when the second component is detachably connected to the main housing, the second component (10) having a wall region without a fitting and forming a continuously closed housing cover.

5. A kit for cleaning or maintaining a filtering air guide for an intake pipe system for gaseous media in an aspirating fire-detection or air-monitoring system (30), the air guide including a housing (7) having an interior and the kit comprising: (a) a maintenance/cleaning device (22) comprising a partial vacuum source or overpressure source, (b) a main housing (13) forming a component part of the housing (7) and having an opening (8), a gas inlet (12a) and a gas outlet (12b) and configured to receive a filter (5) interposed in a gas flow path between the gas inlet (12a) and the gas outlet (12b); and (c) a first component (10) forming a replaceable housing cover (14) that is an adapter part detachably connectable to the main housing (13) and closing the opening of the main housing (13) when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing, the first component (10) having (i) a fitting (6) with an opening into the housing interior through a wall region (11) of the housing cover (14), the fitting being connectable to the maintenance/cleaning device (22), and (ii) at least one shutoff element (16) positioned to register with the gas inlet (12a) or the gas outlet (12b) and reduce the effective cross section of the gas flow path when the first component is detachably connected to the main housing.

6. A kit in accordance with claim 5 and further comprising a second component (21) forming an alternative, replaceable housing cover (14) detachably connectable to the main housing (13) and closing the opening of the main housing (13) when the second component is detachably connected to the main housing, the second component (10) having a wall region without a fitting and forming a continuously closed housing cover.

7. A kit in accordance with claim 5 wherein the maintenance/cleaning device (22) comprises a vacuum cleaner or vacuum pump as partial vacuum source or a compressed air container or a compressor as an overpressure source.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained hereafter on the basis of drawings. In the figures of the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a first exemplary embodiment of an air-guiding component according to the invention with an adjoining pipe system;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows an isometric view of a second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component according to the invention with a first component embodied as an adapter part;

(4) FIGS. 3 to 5 each schematically show an isometric view of the second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component according to the invention with a first component embodied as an adapter part and a quick-action closure;

(5) FIGS. 6 and 7 each schematically show an isometric view of a first component embodied as an adapter part without air-guiding component;

(6) FIG. 8 schematically shows the second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component according to the invention in a normal operating mode;

(7) FIG. 9 schematically shows the second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component according to the invention in a maintenance/cleaning operating mode;

(8) FIG. 10 shows a state diagram of the method according to the invention for maintaining and/or cleaning a pipe system;

(9) FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of a method according to the invention for maintaining and/or cleaning a pipe system;

(10) FIG. 12 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of an aspirating fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system with a pipe system and an exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The structure and the functionality of the air-guiding component 1 and the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part will be described in greater detail hereafter and with reference to the illustrations in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9.

(12) Briefly summarized, the air-guiding component 1 comprises a housing 7 having a gas inlet 12a and a gas outlet 12b, wherein the gas inlet 12a and the gas outlet 12b are fluidically connected or connectable to a pipe system associated with the air-guiding component 1 and consisting in the figures of pipes 2, 3, to thus form a flow path extending in the housing interior from the gas inlet 12a to the gas outlet 12b.

(13) In addition, a connecting region is associated with the air-guiding component 1, to fluidically connect the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1 to a maintenance/cleaning device 22 if needed or optionally.

(14) In this case, it suggests itself that the connecting region has a fitting 6 provided in or on a wall region 11 of the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1, via which the housing interior is fluidically connectable to the maintenance/cleaning device 22 if needed or optionally.

(15) In this context, it is conceivable that the wall region 11, in or on which the fitting 6 is provided, is embodied as an integral component of the housing 7 and is fixedly connected thereto.

(16) According to one alternative thereto, however, it is provided that the wall region 11, in or on which the fitting 6 is provided, is embodied as a wall region 11 of a first component 10, which is embodied as an adapter part and is detachably connected or connectable to the housing 7 via a connecting means 15 preferably embodied as a quick-action closure. As described in greater detail hereafter with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 in particular, the wall region 11 of the first component 10 can be designed to close a housing opening provided in the housing 7.

(17) In detail, FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component 1 according to the invention, which is fluidically connected on two sides to one pipe 2, 3 in each case of a pipe system, for example, a pipe system of an aspirating system for active fire-detection and/or air-monitoring. An airflow is guided through the pipe 3, the air-guiding component 1, and the pipe 2 from a room to be monitored (not shown) to a detection unit 4, for example, with the aid of an aspirating unit (not shown). The aspirated airflow is studied in the detection unit 4 for fire characteristic variables, for example, smoke particles or fire gases, air quality variables, or the air composition.

(18) The air-guiding component 1 is embodied in this and the following exemplary embodiments as a filter component. The air-guiding component 1 contains a filter insert 5 for prefiltering coarse dirt particles out of the airflow. To carry out maintenance work on the pipe system, for example, to clean the pipe system or to introduce a test gas for testing the function of the pipe or aspirating system or the detection unit 4, the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 in FIG. 1 has an integral fitting 6 connected fixedly to the housing 7. Via the fitting 6, the air-guiding component 1 can be connected to a maintenance/cleaning device 22, for example, shown in FIG. 9, such as an overpressure source or partial vacuum source or a test gas source, so that a fluidic connection exists between the maintenance/cleaning device 22 and the pipe system.

(19) The housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 has, for example, openings 8 closable using a cover (not shown) for optionally introducing shutoff elements, to be able to interrupt the fluidic connection of the air-guiding component 1 to the pipe 2 or pipe 3 or both pipes 2, 3 during the maintenance/cleaning work. The shutoff elements are, for example, simple shutoff plates, which are possibly provided with a peripheral seal and can thus effectuate a simple but reliable disconnection of the connection to the adjoining pipe 2, 3. Guides 9 are provided for inserting and holding the shutoff elements.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component 1 according to the invention having a first component 10 embodied as the adapter part, which is embodied in this exemplary embodiment as a detachable housing cover for an air-guiding component 1. The air-guiding component 1 comprises a housing 7, which consists of the components main housing 13 and cover housing 14, which are detachable from one another. The main housing 13 comprises a gas inlet 12a and a gas outlet 12b for the connection to pipes 2, 3 of a pipe system, for example, of an aspirating system for active fire-detection and/or air-monitoring. The air-guiding component 1 can additionally contain, for example, a filter insert 5 shown in FIG. 1. The first component 10 embodied as the adapter part comprises the cover housing 14, a fitting 6, connecting means 15, and a fixedly connected shutoff element 16. The cover housing 14 is designed matching with the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 and closes it upon connection of the main housing 13 to the cover housing 14. The fitting 6 is provided with a feedthrough in the cover housing 14 and, for example, with a thread for connecting the fitting 6 to a maintenance/cleaning device 22 or to a line 23 (shown in FIG. 9) leading to such a maintenance/cleaning device 22. The connecting means 15 are used for the detachable connection of the cover housing 14 to the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 and are embodied in this figure as screws. The shutoff element 16 is a shutoff plate fixedly connected to the cover housing 14, which blocks the fluidic connection of the air-guiding component 1 to an adjoining pipe. Depending on the orientation in which the cover housing 14 is connected to the main housing 13, optionally the gas inlet 12a or the gas outlet 12b is closable using the shutoff element 16. Thus, for example, during a cleaning procedure, the fluidic connection to a mechanically sensitive detection unit 4 can be interrupted during the cleaning to protect the detection unit 4 from damage.

(21) FIGS. 3 to 5 show the second exemplary embodiment of the air-guiding component 2 according to the invention having a first component 10 embodied as an adapter part and connecting means 15 embodied here as a quick-action closure, which, in contrast to the variants shown in FIG. 2, enable a faster connection of the cover housing 14 of the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part to the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1. For this purpose, instead of the screw connection shown in FIG. 2, a clamp connection is used between cover housing 14 and main housing 13. The clamp connection is produced here using connecting means 15 embodied as spring clips, which are each clamped between a projection of the cover housing 14 and a projection of the main housing 13. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a protruding screw 17 is used as the projection of the cover housing 14 and a pipe fitting 18 is used as the projection of the main housing 13. A detachable and nonetheless reliable connection of the first component 10 to the air-guiding component 1 can be implemented in a very short time by the clamping. Connecting means 19, in this case screws, which fix a shutoff element 16 (visible in FIGS. 6 and 7) fastened on the first component 10, are also visible in FIGS. 3 to 5.

(22) FIGS. 6 and 7 show the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part with a quick-action closure embodied as spring clips in the case of detached connection to the air-guiding component 1. In these views, in addition the shutoff element 16 fixedly connected to the first component 10 and having a peripheral seal 20 is visible, which ensures a reliable and sealed closure of the air-guiding component 1 in relation to an adjoining pipe connection.

(23) FIGS. 8 and 9 are used for understanding the method according to the invention for operating a fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 shown in FIG. 12 in a normal operating mode 24 shown in FIG. 10 and in a maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26.

(24) FIG. 8 shows the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 in a normal operating mode 24 for fire-detection and/or air-monitoring. Via pipes 2, 3, an airflow is suctioned out of a room to be monitored and supplied to a detection unit 4 for studying the airflow for fire characteristic variables or air quality variables and/or the air composition. The airflow also flows through an air-guiding component 1 arranged between the pipes 2, 3. In this example, the air-guiding component 1 is a filter component having a filter insert 5 for prefiltering coarse dirt particles out of the airflow. The housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 comprises a main housing 13 and a second component 21, embodied as a housing cover, without fitting, which are connected to one another by means of detachable connecting means 15, for example, screws.

(25) FIG. 9 shows the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 in a maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26. In the maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26, the air-guiding component 1 is connected to a first component 10 embodied as an adapter part, by the second component 21 shown in FIG. 8, which is embodied as a housing cover, having been removed from the air-guiding component 1 and instead the cover housing 14 of the first component 10 having been detachably connected by means of the connecting means 15 to the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1. The first component 10 has a fitting 6, by which the air-guiding component 1 and the attached pipe 3 are fluidically connected via a line 23 to a maintenance/cleaning device 22, for example, a vacuum cleaner. However, the connection of the air-guiding component 1 to the pipe 2, which is connected to the detection unit 4, is blocked by the shutoff element 16 fixedly connected to the first component 10. The detection unit 4 is thus protected during the maintenance of the pipe system from damage due to, for example, strong partial vacuum or overpressure occurring during cleaning.

(26) FIG. 10 shows the method according to the invention as a state diagram. The normal operating mode 24 is an operating state of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 in which it suctions an airflow out of a room to be monitored and monitors the airflow for fire characteristic variables, air quality variables, or the air composition with the aid of a detection unit 4.

(27) In the maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26, the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 is in a maintenance state, in which it is cleaned in particular, wherein, for example, the fluidic connection to the detection unit 4 is interrupted.

(28) The transition 25 from the normal operating mode 24 to the maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26 is primarily characterized by the establishment of a fluidic connection between a maintenance/cleaning device 22 and a fitting 6 on an air-guiding component 1 of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 or between a maintenance/cleaning device 22, a first component 10, embodied as an adapter part, having a fitting 6, and an air-guiding component 1 of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39. For example, during the transition 25, a second component 21 of the air-guiding component 1 embodied as a housing cover is detached and the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part is connected as a cover to a main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1.

(29) The transition 27 from the maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26 to the normal operating mode 24 is primarily characterized by the disconnection of a fluidic connection between a maintenance/cleaning device 22 and a fitting 6 on an air-guiding component 1 of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 or between a maintenance/cleaning device 22, a first component 10, embodied as an adapter part, having a fitting 6, and an air-guiding component 1 of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39. For example, during the transition 27, the first component 10 is detached as a cover and a second component 21, embodied as a housing cover, of the air-guiding component 1 is connected to a main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1.

(30) FIG. 11 shows an exemplary flow chart for carrying out the method according to the invention for maintaining and/or cleaning a pipe system, in particular an aspirating fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39. The individual steps of the method are described hereafter.

(31) During the start 28, the method for maintaining and/or cleaning the pipe system is started, for example, because of the passage of a maintenance interval, because of a fault message of the airflow monitoring of the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39, or, for example, after startup to test the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 using a test gas. In general, before the start 28 of the method, the air-guiding component 1 and/or the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 is already in a normal operating state 24, in which it suctions an airflow out of a room to be monitored and monitors the airflow for fire characteristic variables, air quality variables, and/or the air composition with the aid of a detection unit 4.

(32) Steps 29, 30, and 31 are used to prepare step 32 for carrying out the maintenance/cleaning and accordingly the transition 25 of the air-guiding component 1 and/or the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 from a normal operating mode 24 into a maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26. In step 29, the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 is opened by a second component 29 embodied as a housing cover being detached from the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 by detaching and/or removing the connecting means 15. In step 30, the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 is closed by placing a first component 10 embodied as an adapter part onto the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 and fixing it by means of the connecting means 15. The gas inlet 12a of the air-guiding component is also reduced or closed by a shutoff element 16 fixedly connected to the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part, for example, to fluidically disconnect a detection unit 4 connected via a pipe 2 to the air-guiding component 1 from the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1. In step 31, a maintenance/cleaning device 22, for example, a compressed air source, a vacuum cleaner, or a test gas source, is fluidically connected via a line 23 to the fitting 6 of the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part and thus to the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1.

(33) In step 32, the maintenance and/or cleaning is carried out, for example, by the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1 and the attached pipe 3 or pipe system being blown out with the aid of the maintenance/cleaning device 22 embodied as a compressed air source, or by the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1 and the attached pipe 3 or pipe system being suctioned out, for example, with the aid of the maintenance/cleaning device 22 embodied as a vacuum cleaner, or, for example, by the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 being tested with the aid of the maintenance/cleaning device 22 embodied as a test gas source. In step 32, the air-guiding component 1 and/or the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 is in a maintenance/cleaning mode 26 in which, for example, parts of the pipe system are fluidically disconnected from the air-guiding component 1 with the aid of one or more shutoff elements 16 and the air-guiding component 1 is connected via a fitting 6 to the maintenance/cleaning device 22. Step 32 is ended when the maintenance and/or cleaning of the pipe system and/or the air-guiding component 1 is completely finished.

(34) Steps 33, 34, and 35 correspond to the transition 27 of the air-guiding component 1 and/or the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 from a maintenance/cleaning operating mode 26 into a normal operating mode 24. In step 33, the maintenance/cleaning device 22, for example, a compressed air source, a vacuum cleaner, or a test gas source, is disconnected from the fitting 6 of the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part and thus fluidically disconnected from the housing interior of the air-guiding component 1.

(35) In step 34, the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 is opened by detaching the first component 10 embodied as an adapter part from the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 by detaching and/or removing the connecting means 15. In step 35, the housing 7 of the air-guiding component 1 is closed by the second component 21 embodied as a housing cover being placed on the main housing 13 of the air-guiding component 1 and being fixed by means of the connecting means 15. Since the second component 21 does not have a shutoff element, in this step a flow path extending from the gas inlet 12a to the gas outlet 12b in the interior of the housing 7 is formed again, so that the pipe system attached to the air-guiding component 1 and the further components such as the detection unit 4 are now again fluidically connected to the air-guiding component 1. The air-guiding component 1 and/or the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39 is thus again in the normal operating mode 24 at the end 36 of the method.

(36) FIG. 12 shows a schematic illustration of a pipe system of an aspirating fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39, which is associated with a monitoring region 37. A single intake pipe 3 is shown here as representative of the pipe system. In the illustrated embodiment, the pipe 3 is attached by means of hose clamps, for example, below the ceiling of the monitoring region 37. Air is aspirated out of the monitoring region 37 through intake openings 38 in the pipe 3. For this purpose, an intake unit 40 is used, which is integrated into the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39. The intake unit 40 and the pipe system are monitored via an airflow sensor.

(37) After the aspirated air sample has passed the airflow sensor, it flows through a detection unit 4 embodied, for example, as a smoke sensor or oxygen sensor, into the aspirating detector. The smoke sensor studies the aspirated airflow for existing smoke particles, for example, using scattered light measurements. The oxygen sensor measures the oxygen concentration of the air sample, which represents a mean value of the oxygen concentration in the air of the monitoring region 37. The measured value is compared to threshold values in the fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39.

(38) As schematically indicated in FIG. 12, at least one air-guiding component 1 according to the invention, which can be, for example, a filter component, is associated with the pipe system of the aspirating fire-detection and/or air-monitoring system 39.

(39) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 air-guiding component 2 pipe 3 pipe 4 detection unit 5 filter insert 6 fitting 7 housing 8 opening 9 guide 10 first component 11 wall region 12a gas inlet 12b gas outlet 13 main housing 14 cover housing 15 connecting means of first/second component 16 shutoff element 17 screw 18 pipefitting 19 connecting means of shutoff element 20 seal 21 second component 22 cleaning/maintenance device 23 line 24 normal operating mode 25 transition 26 maintenance/cleaning operating mode 27 transition 28 start 29 removal of second component 30 installation of first component 31 fitting of maintenance/cleaning device 32 carrying out maintenance/cleaning 33 disconnection of maintenance/cleaning device 34 removal of first component 35 installation of second component 36 end 37 monitoring region 38 intake opening 39 fire-detection/air-monitoring system 40 intake unit