Kukkonen, Jari (Sylitie 2 D 17, Oulu, FIN-90800, FI)
Nissinen, Timo (Rusthollarintie 9 D 36, Helsinki, FIN-00910, FI)
Kukkonen, Jari (Sylitie 2 D 17, Oulu, FIN-90800, FI)
| 1. | A system, characterised in comprising, a combination of a first system, which is an extinguishing system including an extinguishing agent, and a second system, which is a heattransfer system, a deicing system or a hydraulic system and comprises an aqueous medium, whereby as said extinguishing agent and as said aqueous medium the one and same aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid is used. |
| 2. | A system as defined in claim 1, characterised in that the heattransfer system is an airconditioning, cooling, heating or heat recovery system for ships, industry or real estate. |
| 3. | A system as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said aqueous solution contains 20 to 70% by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, preferably 40 to 60% by weight of the potassium salt of carboxylic acid. |
| 4. | A system as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid is potassium formiate, potassium acetate or potassium propionate, or a mixture of these. |
| 5. | The use of an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid within the same system as the extinguishing agent in fire extinction and as a heattransfer, de icing or hydraulic medium. |
| 6. | The use of claim 5, characterised in that said aqueous solution contains 20 to 70% by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, preferably 40 to 60% by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid. |
| 7. | Application as defined in claim 5 or 6 characterised in that the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid is potassium formiate or potassium acetate or a mixture of these. |
| 8. | A method for fire extinction by means of an extinguishing agent, characterised in that the extinguishing agent is an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, which is taken from a system used for another purpose, which system for another purpose is a heattransfer system, a deicing system or a hydraulic system. |
| 9. | A method as defined in claim 8, characterised in that the heattransfer system is an airconditioning, cooling, heating or heat recovery system for ships, industry or real estate. |
| 10. | A method for deicing by means of a deicing agent, characterised in that the deicing agent is an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, which is taken from a system used for another purpose, which system for another purpose is an extinguishing system. |
| 11. | A method as defined in any of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that said aqueous solution contains 20 to 70% by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, preferably 40 to 60% by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid. |
| 12. | A method as defined in any of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid is potassium formiate, potassium acetate or potassium propionate, or a mixture of these. |
Aqueous solutions of potassium salts of a carboxylic acid, such as potassium formiate and potassium acetate, are widely used as heat-transfer liquids and de- icers. They are also increasingly used for fire extinction and hydraulic purposes.
FI patent specification 101547 B discloses a heat-transfer agent, which contains potassium formiate dissolved in water in a concentration of preferably 40 to 65% by weight of the solution. This heat-transfer agent is proposed for use in the cooling of an object, in refrigeration apparatuses, for instance.
FI patent application 19992592 A discloses a hydraulic medium for use in hydrostatic power transfer, the medium containing an aqueous solution of salt of formic acid, such as potassium formiate. The concentration of salt of formic acid may account for 5 to 75% by weight, preferably 5 to 60% by weight of the hydraulic medium.
WO-99/11327 discloses a fire extinguishing composition containing potassium acetate, boric acid and water. A preferred composition contains 40% by weight of potassium acetate, 2% by weight of boric acid and 58% by weight of water. The composition described can advantageously be used for extinguishing grease fires. In that case, a small-sized container containing this composition can be placed under the ventilation hood of the stove. The container is equipped with an automatic sprinkler, which is activated under the action of the heat generated by fire.
Consequently an aqueous solution of potassium acetate also acts as an extinguishing agent. Studies have indicated that this salt solution acts as a non-freezing extinguishing agent and extinguishes an object on fire better than water does.
According to literature, its quenching capacity is based on the fire-inhibiting effect of the potassium radical and on carbon dioxide generated by the decomposition of carboxylates. The hygroscopity of the solution is one of the reasons for more
effective fire extinction, because the water-binding effect reduces the risk of after- fire.
Potassium salts of carboxylic acids are effective heat-transfer liquids. They have high viscosity, thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. The phase diagram (e. g. potassium formiate, eutectic temperature about-80 °C) and low viscosity of these salts enables them to be used at even quite low temperatures. In addition, they are known as effective de-icing agents, at a faster rate and at a lower temperature than mineral salt, i. e. sodium chloride, which is widely used as a de-icer.
Potassium salts of carboxylic acids also have the benefit of low corrosive action, high operation safety and biodegradability, as well as good biostatics.
In the applications mentioned above, potassium salts are used either in one- component applications or in mixtures.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a system that acts simultaneously as a fire-extinction system and as a heat-transfer system, a de-icing system or a hydraulic system.
This invention is based on the idea of combining within the same system a heat transfer system and a fire fighting system, a de-icing system and a fire fighting system, or a hydraulic system and a fire fighting system, respectively, using the same medium, which is an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid.
In accordance with the invention, a system is thus provided, which comprises a combination of a first system that is an extinguishing system including a fire- extinction agent and a second system, which is a heat-transfer system, a de-icing system or a hydraulic system and includes an aqueous medium, whereby as said extinguishing agent and as said aqueous medium the one and same aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid is used.
The invention also provides a method for extinguishing a fire by means of an extinguishing agent, which is an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid and is taken from a system used for another purpose, i. e. from a heat-transfer system, a de-icing system or a hydraulic system.
The invention further provides a method for de-icing by means of a de-icer, which is an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, which is taken from a system used for another purpose, i. e. from a fire-extinction system. Accordingly, automatic extinguishing systems constructed e. g. for bridges and tunnels are also usable for keeping the road free from ice.
The heat-transfer system mentioned above may be an air-conditioning, cooling, heating or heat recovery system for ships, industry or real estate.
A further object of the invention is the use of an aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid within one system as the extinguishing agent in fire extinction and as the heat-transfer medium, the de-icing medium or the hydraulic medium.
Said aqueous solution of a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid contains about 20 to 70 % by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, preferably about 40 to 60 % by weight of the potassium salt of a carboxylic acid.
Said potassium salt of a carboxylic acid may be potassium formiate, potassium acetate, potassium propionate or a mixture of these.
This invention is based on the idea of combining fire prevention with the use of the potassium salt of carboxylic acids, or a mixture of these in refrigeration, heating, heat recovery, de-icing or hydraulic technology, i. e. generally in systems requiring the use of cold solutions due to the low temperature of the environment. This combination may not in some cases be sufficient for the use as the sole quenching system due to its low pressure and/or small solution volume, but it can be used for the protection of critical objects, where the temperature of the environment is lower than the freezing point of water, allowing fire extinction to be started at once, without delay.
In accordance with the invention, a fire-extinction system can be incorporated to a system directed for another purpose, i. e. to heat transfer, de-icing or hydraulic systems by using conventional equipment, such as various spraying or sprinkling devices, which may be automatic and/or valves and/or pipe works, depending on the object of use.
The extinguishing system of the invention preferably generates a droplet size in the range from 10 to 2000 llm, especially preferably in the range from 100 to 1000 jum.
The invention advantageously enables the introduction of fire-extinction facilities to various locations, and accelerates the on-set of the fire extinction, since no separate dry systems are needed for low temperatures. Moreover, it allows quick reaction to surprising fires with the use of de-icing agents for airports and roads in connection with fires occurring in the neighbouring area. Furthermore, the automatic de-icing systems provided for bridges and tunnels can be used for fire prevention.
The invention also yields economic gains owing to the reduced investment cost of the combination of the invention, since separate systems will not be needed.
Moreover, in ships, for instance, there will be no extra weight caused by extinguishing systems.
The invention also has the advantage of lowering the threshold for building up an extinguishing system. In private houses, for instance, better extinction alertness is achieved with the combination of fire extinction and ground heat pumps The invention is described in further detail below by means of examples.
Example 1 Air-conditioning, cooling, heating and heat-recovery systems for ships Air-conditioning, cooling, heating and heat-recovery systems are provided for ships.
Due to low operating temperature, they often require the use of a cold solution instead of water. The solution circuit included in such a system, which contains a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, has been combined with an extinguishing system in accordance with the invention.
Example 2 Industrial air-conditioning, cooling, heating and heat-recovery systems Air-conditioning, cooling, heating and heat-recovery systems are provided for industries with the use of various cold solutions. The solution circuit included in
such a system, which contains a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, has been combined with an extinguishing system in accordance with the invention.
Example 3 Air-conditioning, cooling, heating and heat-recovery systems for real estate buildings Many real estate buildings comprise air conditioning, cooling, heating and heat recovery by means of cold solutions. The solution circuit included in such systems, which contain a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid, has been combined with a fire- extinction system in accordance with the invention.
Example 4 Ground heat pumps One of the most recent applications of cold solutions comprise ground heat pumps.
In these, a liquid containing a potassium salt of a carboxylic acid circulating in the ground circuit is extended in accordance with the invention also to the fire- extinction system of a garage, an attic or the like. Cooling facilities and a solar panel are frequently provided in connection with ground heat systems. In addition, the hot solution derived from the ground can also be circulated in a courtyard, resulting in fewer problems caused by snow and ice in the winter.
Example 5 De-icing of airports Aqueous solutions of a potassium salt of carboxylic acids are highly used at airports in the de-icing of runways and taxiways. In accordance with the invention, these substances can be simultaneously used in the initial extinction of an aircraft or the like that is on fire in the neighbourhood.
Example 6 Fire prevention of bridges and tunnels Automatic de-icing systems using solutions are frequently provided for bridges and tunnels. Such systems containing aqueous solutions of a potassium salt of carboxylic acids are used in accordance with the invention also as an initial extinction system for fires that may arise on bridges and in tunnels. Respectively, extinction systems provided for tunnels, for instance, can be used for keeping the roads free from ice.
Example 7 Hydraulics Hydraulic mediums used in forestry equipments or the like, which contain aqueous solutions of a potassium salt of carboxylic acids, are utilised in fire extinction in accordance with the invention.
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