Dynamic fire suppression system and method i'hereof
A fire suppression system having a first triggering mechanism capable of being remotely triggered in response to a fire condition and a second manual triggering mechanism. More particularly, the fire extinguisher includes a valve for a fire extinguisher capable of manual and automatic operation. The system further includes a mechanism to notify of inoperable local status. During automatic operation, the system can be being triggered by a control panel in electrical communication, such as in response to a signal from smoke detectors. This system may also be manually triggered or in response to a temperature threshold sensor or other sensors. The valve includes an actuator that provides a separate area to place a safety pin for storing securely, and which provides feedback to the control system that the safety pin is properly stored and therefore, the fire extinguisher is active.
1. A pre-engineered fire suppression system configured to release pressurized material to extinguish fires, said pre-engineered fire suppression system comprising:
a control panel;
a sensor capable of detecting a fire condition and in communication with said control panel;
at least one fire extinguishing unit in communication with said control panel and including an activation device coupled to a tank capable of holding the pressurized material and wherein said activation device includes a first triggering mechanism capable of being triggered by said control panel and a second manual triggering mechanism;
a lock pin and a lock pin recess on said activation device and wherein when said lock pin is inserted into said lock pin recess, said first and second triggering mechanisms are immobilized; and
a lock pin retention mechanism including a lock pin status sensor in communication with said control panel.
2. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said activation device includes a valve body portion having said lock pin receiving recess, and an activation portion, and wherein said activation device also includes said lock pin retention mechanism.
3. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 2 wherein said lock pin recess on said valve portion upon receiving said lock pin is configured to prevent releasing of the pressurized material from said tank.
4. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said lock pin retention mechanism includes a magnet configured to magnetize said lock pin when said lock pin is received in said lock pin retention mechanism.
5. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 4 wherein said lock pin status sensor is a reed switch, triggered when said lock pin is magnetized by said magnet.
6. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 4 wherein said magnet secures said lock pin in said recess and lock pin status sensor communicates a ready and active signal upon stowing of said lock pin in said lock pin retention mechanism to said control panel.
7. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 4 wherein said lock pin status sensor communicates a fault signal to said control panel when no lock pin is stowed in said lock pin retention mechanism.
8. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 , further including a third triggering mechanism, in addition to the frst and second triggering mechanisms.
9. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 8 wherein said third release mechanism is a glycerin bulb configured to shatter upon reaching a set temperature condition.
10. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 further including an activation portion and a valve portion and a lever mechanism extending between said activation portion and said valve portion and wherein said valve portion includes a valve body and a valve movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said valve body.
11. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 10 wherein said lever mechanism includes a valve lever coupled to an actuation lever.
12. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 11 wherein said actuation lever is coupled to said second manual triggering mechanism.
13. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein said second manual triggering mechanism is a pull loop on said actuation lever.
14. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 12 wherein said second manual triggering mechanism is a pull cable coupled to said actuation lever.
15. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 14 wherein said activation portion includes an activation body having a recess configured to hold an end of said pull cable.
16. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 15 wherein said first triggering mechanism is a metron actuator.
17. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 16 wherein said metron actuator includes an extendable pin and a base and when triggered said extendable pin pierces said base and applies a force to said actuation arm on said actuation lever, which in turn applies a force to said valve lever breaking said breakable pin.
18. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 10 wherein said valve lever is constrained to movement substantially within a plane by a slot in said valve body.
19. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 18 wherein said valve is held in a closed position by a breakable pin held in compression between by said valve body.
20. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 19 wherein said breakable pin is held in compression between a threaded adjustment and said valve.
21. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 19 wherein said valve lever is coupled to said breakable pin.
22. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 21 wherein said valve lever is coupled to said breakable pin with a loop.
23. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 21 wherein said valve lever includes an interlink hole and a lock pin hole between said interlink hole and said loop.
24. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 23 wherein said actuation lever includes an activation arm and a link arm and wherein said link arm includes a link slot and said valve lever is coupled to said link arm to allow said valve lever to have a limited amount of movement relative to said link arm on said actuation lever.
25. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 24 wherein said loop pivots on said breakable pin until said breakable pin breaks when said actuation lever exerts a force on said valve lever.
26. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 24 wherein said actuation lever is substantially constrained to planer movement by a slot in said activation portion.
27. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a smoke detector and said control panel is in electrical communication with a plug on said actuation device of said fire extinguishing unit.
28. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 1 further including a test device to test communication of said at least one fire extinguishing unit with said control panel.
29. A pre-engineered fire suppression system configured to release pressurized material to extinguish fires, said pre-engineered fire suppression system comprising:
a control panel;
a sensor capable of detecting a fire condition and in communication with said control panel;
at least one fire extinguishing unit in communication with said control panel and including an activation device coupled to a tank capable of holding the pressurized material and wherein said activation device includes a first triggering mechanism capable of being triggered by said control panel and a second manual triggering mechanism;
a lock pin status sensor in communication with said control panel;
a breakable pin held in compression and wherein said breakable pin is configured to be broken upon said first triggering mechanism being triggered; and
an activation portion and a valve portion and a lever mechanism extending between said activation portion and said valve portion, wherein said lever mechanism includes a valve lever coupled to an actuation lever, and wherein said valve lever includes a valve lever hole capable of being aligned with a lock pin receiving recess on said valve portion, and the lock pin, and wherein when a lock pin is placed in said aligned lock pin receiving recess and said valve lever hole said fire extinguishing unit is placed in a safe state.
30. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 29 wherein said valve lever is constrained to movement substantially within a plane by a slot in said valve body and said actuation lever is constrained to movement substantially within said plane by a slot in said actuation portion.
31. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 29 wherein said valve portion is held in a closed position by said breakable pin held in compression between by said valve portion and wherein said valve lever is coupled to said breakable pin with a loop at least partially encircling said breakable pin.
32. The pre-engineered fire suppression system of claim 31 wherein said valve lever includes an interlink hole and a lock pin hole between said interlink hole and said loop and wherein said actuation lever includes an activation arm and a link arm and wherein said link arm includes a link slot and said valve lever is coupled to said link arm with an interlink to allow said valve lever to have a limited amount of movement relative to said link arm on said actuation lever.