Monitoring and extinguishing device
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.
1 . A device for monitoring and controlling an extinguishment of a source of a danger for flammable goods flowing in a pipeline, wherein sensors are successively disposed in a direction of a flow of the flammable goods for detecting the source of the danger and wherein an extinguishing nozzle for introducing an extinguishing agent is disposed downstream of each of the sensors, and each of the extinguishing nozzles is embedded in a pipe wall of the pipeline and is configured to open when a pressure is applied, wherein the source of the danger is at least one source selected from the group consisting of a spark, glowing embers, and a fire, the device comprising:
a central main controller configured for successively detecting and extinguishing the source of the danger by way of a respective one of the extinguishing nozzles which is downstream of a respective one of the sensors in a direction of the flow of the flammable goods in the pipeline;
a multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices, each one of said multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices configured for monitoring a function of a respective valve unit and at least one of the extinguishing nozzles that is connected downstream from a valve of the respective valve unit and to which the extinguishing agent is to be applied; and
a respective feedback from each one of said multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices to said central main controller.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , 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.
3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein said first and second pressure sensors and said valve form a structural unit.
4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said central main controller is configured to monitor physical and/or chemical properties of the extinguishing agent.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said respective 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.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said respective valve unit includes an electrical solenoid valve which, by virtue of an electrical wiring thereof, delivers current and voltage values to an associated one of said multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices.
7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein one of said multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices has a microcontroller configured for monitoring a functionality of said valve and/or of said at least one of said extinguishing nozzles by comparing actual variables with predefined characteristic curves.
8 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein a number of switching cycles of said valve is stored in a memory.
9 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device has a temperature sensor configured for measuring an ambient temperature or a temperature of said valve.
10 . The device according to claim 1 , which comprises a shut-off element arranged upstream of said valve in a flow direction of the extinguishing agent.
11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein an output device for a fault analysis is connected to a housing of said monitoring device.
12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said monitoring device has a housing, and said housing with electrical connections thereof are explosion-proof.
13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pipeline is configured to transport flammable bulk goods and the source of a danger is a source of fire.
14 . An assembly, comprising:
a pipeline for transporting flammable goods;
a plurality of sensors successively disposed in a transport direction of the goods for detecting potential sources of dangers, wherein each of the potential sources of the dangers is independently selected from the group consisting of a spark, glowing embers, and a fire;
extinguishing nozzles embedded in a pipe wall of said pipeline, said extinguishing nozzles being configured to introduce an extinguishing agent into said pipeline;
a central main controller configured for successively detecting and extinguishing at least one of the potential sources of the dangers by way of a respective one of said extinguishing nozzles located downstream of a respective one of plurality of sensors in the transport direction;
a multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices, each configured for monitoring a function of a valve unit, which has a valve, and at least one of said extinguishing nozzles that is connected downstream from the valve of said valve unit and to which the extinguishing agent is to be applied; and
a feedback connection from each of said multiplicity of decentralized monitoring devices to said central main controller.
15 . A device for monitoring and controlling an extinguishment of a source of a fire for flammable goods flowing in a pipeline, wherein sensors are successively disposed in a direction of a flow of the flammable goods for detecting the source of the fire and wherein a plurality of extinguishing nozzles include an extinguishing nozzle for introducing an extinguishing agent disposed downstream of each of the sensors, and each of the plurality of extinguishing nozzles is embedded in a pipe wall of the pipeline and is configured to open when a pressure is applied, the device comprising:
a central main controller configured for successively detecting and extinguishing the source of the fire by way of a respective one of the plurality of extinguishing nozzles which is downstream of a respective one of the sensors in the direction of the flow of the flammable goods in the pipeline;
a decentralized monitoring device configured for monitoring a function of a valve unit and at least one of the plurality of extinguishing nozzles that is connected downstream from a valve of the valve unit and to which the extinguishing agent is to be applied; and
a feedback from said decentralized monitoring device to said central main controller.