Spray head for a uniform fluid distribution and a fluid distribution system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spray head for effective fire fighting. The spray head according to the present invention provides a uniform distribution of a fluid, such as pressurized water, over a relatively large area. To achieve this, the spray head comprises a body defining a central axis and further comprising a fixation structure for fixing the spray head to a fluid supply system, a fluid inlet, directing fluid in a first direction, a plurality of outlet holes arranged around the central axis, and a flow path between the inlet and the holes, wherein a first set of holes are located in such a way, that the fluid is leaving the first set of holes in a second direction opposite to the first direction and wherein the body further comprises an arrangement for holding a fire actuation member.

Claims

1. A spray head comprising: a body defining a central axis and further comprising a fixation structure for fixing the spray head to a fluid supply system, a fluid inlet, directing fluid into an interior of the body in a first direction, a plurality of outlet holes arranged around the central axis, each outlet hole of the plurality of outlet holes comprising an initial passage section fluidly connected directly to the interior of the body, and a flow path through the interior of the body between the inlet and the holes, wherein a first set of the plurality of outlet holes is oriented to direct the fluid leaving the first set of the plurality of outlet holes in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the body further comprises an arrangement for holding a fire actuation member, wherein an angle formed between the first direction of the fluid and the second direction is in the range between 140-160 degrees, wherein the first set of the plurality of outlet holes is located at a smaller radial distance from the central axis than a second set of the plurality of outlet holes, wherein the first set of the plurality of outlet holes is located closer to the fluid inlet than the second set of the plurality of outlet holes, wherein the second set of the plurality of outlet holes is oriented to direct the fluid leaving the second set of the plurality of outlet holes in a third direction, wherein an angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is in the range between 89-139 degrees, and wherein the initial passage section takes an essentially cylindrical shape, and being in fluid communication with an expansion section having an essentially conical shape extending all the way from the initial passage section to an exterior of the body.

2. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the first direction of the fluid and the second direction is in the range between 145-155 degrees.

3. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is 104-124 degrees.

4. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least a first and a second circumferential surface part, the first and second circumferential surface parts forming first and second angles respective to the central axis, the first set of the plurality of outlet holes being arranged in the first circumferential surface part, and the second set of holes being arranged in the second circumferential surface part.

5. The spray head according to claim 4, wherein the second set of the plurality of outlet holes comprises a larger number of holes than the first set of the plurality of outlet holes.

6. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein each initial passage section of the plurality of outlet holes comprises a first cross sectional size, the initial passage section being in fluid communication with the expansion passage section comprising a second cross sectional size, the second cross sectional size being larger than the first cross sectional size.

7. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement for holding the fire actuation member is arranged opposite the inlet opening.

8. A fluid distribution system comprising a length of a pipe and a spray head according to claim 1, wherein the spray head is fixed on the top side of the pipe length.

9. The spray head according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is between 111-120 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described in further details with reference to the accompanying drawings, where

(2) FIG. 1 shows a bottom, a side and a top view of the spray head according to the present invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view and a cross-sectional view of a closed spray head according to a first embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view and a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment with activated spray head,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view and a cross-sectional view of a closed spray head according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows the spray head of FIG. 4 with activated spray head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In its broadest aspect the present invention relates to a fire fighting spray head capable of distributing fluid in a uniform manner when the spray head is fixed on the top side of a supply pipe. By uniform is meant that an area is provided with an essentially evenly distributed amount of fluid, such as water. This is done with a sufficient amount of fluid to control or extinguish the fire. In addition, the fire fighting spray head of the present invention is capable of distributing a fluid, such as water over a larger area compared to conventional spray heads, whereby the number of required spray heads forming a fire fighting system can be significantly reduced.

(8) The spray head comprises a body 1 defining a central axis 2. The body 1 may be seen as comprising two partsa fixation part 3 for connecting the spray head to a fluid supply system (not shown) and a distribution part 4 for distributing fluid for fire fighting according to wish. The spray head further comprises an arrangement 5 for holding a fire actuation member, here a glass ampoule (not shown). A gas bubble inside the glass ampoule will expand when the ampoule is heated, and eventually break the glass. The temperature at which the ampoule bursts can be controlled. This usually happens between 50 and 150 C. It should be noted that the fire actuation member may be implemented and configured in various ways. For example, externally positioned temperature sensors could also be used for activating the fire fighting system. Thus, the present invention should by no means be limited to any specific way of the implementing the fire actuation member.

(9) The spray head can be made of, for example, brass, stainless steel or any other heat resistant material. The overall length of the spray head depicted in FIG. 1 is around 50 mm whereas the width of the spray head is around 35 mm. The spray head is designed to withstand fluidic pressures as high as 300 bar.

(10) FIG. 1a shows a top view of a spray head, FIG. 1b a side view and FIG. 1c a bottom view.

(11) As seen in FIGS. 1b and 1c the distribution part 4 of the spray head comprises angled facets 9 and 10 arranged in a circumferential manner around the central axis 2. Two sets of outlet holes 6 and 7 are arranged in respective ones of angled facets 9 and 10. Thus, if a pressurised fluid, such as water, leaves through the two sets of holes, fluid leaving through the upper set of holes 7 will reach the longest distance from the spray head, whereas fluid leaving through the lower set of holes 6 will reach the shortest distance from the spray head. Fluid simultaneously leaving through all holes will form an essentially uniform fluid distribution over a given area on a plane below the spray head in case the spray head is mounted in a ceiling of a room or a building.

(12) In FIG. 2 a side view of the spray head is shown in FIG. 2a, whereas FIG. 2b shows a cross-section profile along cut A-A. The spray head of FIG. 2 is connected to a fluid supply unit 12, such as a water supply unit. In addition, the spray head of FIG. 2 is depicted in a closed state in that the fire activation member 13, here a glass ampoule, is intact. The glass ampoule 13 maintains the displaceable valve element 14 in a position, where the fluid conduit 15 is blocked. As seen, a fluid tight sealing is provided with sealing element 16, which can be an O-ring. A linear spring 17 biases the displaceable valve element 14 in a forward direction so that, when the spray head is exposed to temperatures sufficient to burst the glass ampoule 13, the linear spring 17 displaces the valve element 14 in a forward direction, whereby fluid is allowed to enter the interior 18 of the body of the spray device. From the interior 18 the fluid is allowed to leave through holes 19 and 20.

(13) FIG. 3 shows a spray head in an open state of operation. Thus, in FIG. 3 the fluid is allowed to enter the interior 23 of the spray head via conduit 24. As seen in FIG. 3, the displaceable valve element 25 has been displaced to a front position, thereby creating a free fluid passage from conduit 24 to outlet holes 26 and 27. The pressure of the fluid may be of various sizes, but in the case of water being the fluid to be distributed via the spray head, a pressure of around 100 bar will be typical.

(14) The holes of the spray head of the present invention have a cylindrically shaped initial passage section 29, 30 being in fluidic communication with a conically shaped expansion passage section 31, 32. The diameter of the cylindrically shaped sections 29, 30 is around 1 mm, whereas the opening angle of conically shaped sections is around 60. The diameters of the openings of the conically shaped sections are around 4.5 mm. The respective spraying angles, indicated by axes 33, 34, measured in relation to the first direction of the fluid from the fluid inlet 35, are 15025 for the first set of holes, the lower holes 29, 31, and 11425 for the second set of holes, the upper holes 30, 32.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 shows the second embodiment from FIG. 4 with activated spray head. The respective spraying angles, indicated by axes 43, 44 measured in relation to the first direction of the fluid from the fluid inlet 45 are 15025 for the first set of holes, the lower holes, and 91.525 for the second set of holes, the upper holes. The spray head according to the second embodiment is suitable for rooms with low ceiling height, like cavities, cable boxes, etc.

(16) While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.