ANALYZER

BACKGROUND

[0001] The following description relates to fire protection systems and, more specifically, to a fire protection water distribution system and a performance analyzer for a fire protection water distribution system.

[0002] A typical fire protection water distribution system for a structure (e.g., a building, a ship, a tunnel, etc.) has an unknown amount of air in it. This amount can change due to multiple reasons and is unique for each system. The amount of air also has a known effect on system behavior by introducing a delay for detecting pressure changes. The delays, especially those within large systems, lead to increases in the time required to trigger automatic activation of protection systems. In some cases, these increases go beyond approved limits.

[0003] Removing the air from the systems, or de-airing, can be done but it is normally a labor intensive process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0004] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of operating a fire protection water distribution (FPWD) system is provided. The method includes logging an initial value of a condition of the FPWD system, running an FPWD system component to drive a pumping of fluid through the FPWD system until a predefined end value of the condition is reached, determining a length of time the FPWD system component is run, logging a new value of the condition following a predefined wait time and calculating an amount of air in the FPWD system based on at least the initial and new values of the condition and the determined length of time.

[0005] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the condition includes a fluid pressure. [0006] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the FPWD system component includes a pump configured for the pumping of the fluid and a motor configured to drive operations of the pump.

[0007] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the fluid includes at least one of water and water mixed with one or more additives or chemicals.

[0008] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the calculating of the amount of air in the FPWD system is based on the initial and new values of the condition, the determined length of time and a capacity and operational parameter of the FPWD system component.

[0009] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes logging the calculated amount of air and resetting the FPWD system.

[0010] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of operating a fire protection water distribution (FPWD) system is provided. The method includes logging an initial value of a fluid pressure of the FPWD system, running a motor to drive a pumping of water through the FPWD system until a predefined end value of the fluid pressure is reached, determining a length of time the motor is run, logging a new value of the fluid pressure following a predefined wait time and calculating an amount of air in the FPWD system based on at least the initial and new values of the fluid pressure and the determined length of time.

[0011] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the FPWD is in a stand-by state prior to the logging of the initial value.

[0012] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the FPWD system component includes a pump configured for the pumping of the water and the motor is configured to drive operations of the pump.

[0013] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the running of the motor includes checking a rate of increase of the fluid pressure. [0014] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the calculating of the amount of air in the FPWD system is based on the initial and new values of the condition, the determined length of time and a capacity and operational parameter of the FPWD system component.

[0015] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes logging the calculated amount of air.

[0016] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes determining whether an alarm is required in accordance with the calculated amount of air, triggering the alarm in accordance with results of the determining and stabilizing the FPWD system.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a fire protection water distribution (FPWD) system is provided and includes a driving element interposed between a fluid supply and a fluid distribution system, a sensor configured to sense a condition of the fluid distribution system and to output an indication thereof as a first signal and a controller. The controller includes at least one of first and second components configured to start and stop a driving of fluid from the fluid supply to the fluid distribution system by the driving element, an interface configured to display the indication in accordance with the first signal and to operate the first component in accordance with a command received thereby and to output a second signal and a control component configured to output the first signal to the interface and to operate the second component in accordance with the first signal and at least one of the second signal and an automatic trigger received thereby.

[0018] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the method further includes a housing to house the controller with a portion of the interface being user accessible.

[0019] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor includes a fluid pressure sensor to sense fluid pressure within the fluid distribution system. [0020] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the driving element includes a pump configured to pump the fluid from the fluid supply to the fluid distribution system and a motor configured to drive operations of the pump.

[0021] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the first and second components are independently powered by a power source.

[0022] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the first component includes at least one of a contactor and a soft starter and the second component includes at least one of a variable frequency drive (VFD), a contactor and a soft starter.

[0023] In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the driving element is a low and/or high pressure driving element, the FPWD system further includes at least one or more additional low and/or high pressure driving elements interposed between the fluid supply and the fluid distribution system and the controller controls an operation of the at least one or more additional low and/or high pressure driving elements in accordance with at least a performance of the low and/or high pressure driving element.

[0024] These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is graphical illustration of an operation of a fire protection water distribution system in accordance with embodiments; [0027] FIG. 2 is graphical illustration of an operation of a fire protection water distribution system in accordance with embodiments;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating a fire protection water distribution system in accordance with embodiments;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating a fire protection water distribution system in accordance with embodiments; and

[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a fire protection water distribution system in accordance with embodiments.

[0031] These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] With reference to FIG. 1, an amount of air in a fire protection water distribution system (FPWD) of a structure (e.g., a building, a ship, a tunnel, etc.), for example, reduces a sensitivity of the system to small leakages which are a natural part of its or any piping system and can lead to a relatively large amount of water escaping from the system before certain components (e.g., a stand-by or jockey pump) can be started. The reduced sensitivity results from the spring-effect associated with an expansion of the air during periods in which the internal system pressure declines. The expanding air may, in some cases, lead to a prolonged stand-by pumping period that exceeds maximum allowable time periods.

[0033] With reference to FIG. 1, an operation of a FPWD during a normal stand-by period is shown. Time period 1 is representative of a natural pressure variation in a given FPWD, time 2 is a moment at which the FPWD detects a declined pressure and the stand-by pump activates to elevate pressure and time 3 is a default time (e.g., 10 seconds) by which the FPWD should reach the stand-by pressure. Here, the time period between times 2 and 3 may be extended, in some cases excessively, by excessive air in the FPWD. That is, excessive air in the FPWD results in the default time being insufficient for the stand-by pump to elevate pressures in the FPWD to the stand-by pressure and may result in unintended activations of various components of the FPWD. The excessive air in the FPWD thus should be removed by de-airing or an extending stand-by pumping time if permitted.

[0034] With reference to FIG. 2, an operation of a FPWD during a system activation for fire-fighting purpose is shown. Time period 1 is representative of a moment when a sprinkler activates to cause a rapid pressure decline in the FPWD, time 2 is a moment at which the FPWD detects a declined pressure and the stand-by pump activates to elevate pressure, time 3 is a default time (e.g., 10 seconds) by which the FPWD activates and time 4 is a moment at which a required working pressure is reached at the sprinkler. Here, the time periods between times 1 and 2, 2 and 3 and 3 and 4 may all be extended, in some cases excessively, by excessive air in the FPWD. That is, excessive air in the FPWD can prolong a time for the declining pressure to reach the triggering level to start stand-by pumping during the time period between times 1 and 2. The excessive air in the FPWD can also increase the time required for stand-by pumping between times 2 and 3 as well as the time needed for air compression between times 3 and 4. Thus, the excessive air can increase a total activation time of the FPWD and may cause a delay in the FPWD reaching the full working pressure in the required time.

[0035] As will be described below, an electrical pump unit (EPU) in an FPWD can be utilized to conduct an air amount analysis automatically or on demand. The analysis will be conducted by raising system pressure from one level to another by a motor and a pump that are run at predefined speeds with a frequency converter. A relative air amount in the FPWD can then be calculated using added water amount and pressure change information. The EPU or another similar component in or external to the FPWD may have logic installed therein to execute a suitable algorithm for the associated calculations and results may be displayed on a user panel and/or logged into unit memory (it is to be understood that the logic need not be installed in the EPU or the FPWD and may be installed in a remote device and is described herein as being installed in the EPU or the FPWD for illustrative purposes only). In addition, during automatic monitoring, the EPU may generate an alarm whenever there is a need to de- air the piping in the FPWD in order to maintain accepted system performance levels or to adjust system settings. The on-demand analysis may show measured values and recommended amounts of air or system settings for certain conditions.

[0036] With reference to FIG. 3, a method of operating an FPWD system is provided. As shown in FIG 3, once it is started, the method includes logging an initial value of a condition of the FPWD system (block 301) and starting to run an FPWD system component to drive a pumping of fluid through the FPWD system while logging a start time of the FPWD system component (block 302). In accordance with embodiments, the condition of the FPWD system may be a fluid pressure within the FPWD system, the FPWD system component may be a fluid driving element, such as a pump configured for fluid pumping with a driving motor coupled thereto, and the fluid may be water or water mixed with one or more water treatment additives or chemicals.

[0037] The method further includes running the FPWD system component until a predefined end value of the condition is reached (block 303), stopping the FPWD system component at that point and logging the end time at which the FPWD system component is stopped (block 304). The method further includes waiting for a predefined wait time, such as 60 seconds or enough time to allow the FPWD system sufficient time to settle (block 305), and logging a new value of the condition following the predefined wait time (block 306).

[0038] The method continues by calculating an amount of air in the FPWD system (block 307), logging the calculated amount of air (block 308) and resetting the FPWD system and ending the test processing (block 309). The calculation may be based on at least the initial and new values of the condition and the start and end times as well as a capacity and an operational parameter of the FPWD system component (i.e., how much water the pump can pump at any given time at a given operational pumping speed). The logged amount of air can be used to control various components of the FPWD system, such as one or more high pressure driving elements for driving or pumping fluid into and through the FPWD system, or for scheduling repair or maintenance of the FPWD system in an event the amount of air is determined to be excessive. [0039] In accordance with embodiments, the logging of the start and end times may be alternatively or effectively conducted by determining a duration or length of time during which the FPWD system component is run or operated. In such cases, the calculation may be based on at least the initial and new values of the condition and the determined duration or length of time as well as a capacity and an operational parameter of the FPWD system component.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 4, a method of operating an FPWD system is provided. As shown in FIG 3, once it is started, the method includes determining whether the FPWD system is in a stand-by state (block 401), logging an initial value of a condition of the FPWD system if the FPWD system is not in a stand-by state (block 402) and waiting for a predefined time, such as 60 seconds (block 403), and repeating the determining of block 401 if the FPWD system is in the stand-by state. Once the initial value of the condition is logged, the method may include starting to run an FPWD system component to drive a pumping of fluid through the FPWD system while logging a start time of the FPWD system component (block 404), determining whether the FPWD system component start was properly executed (block 405) and returning to the waiting of block 403 if the starting of the FPWD system component was improper. In accordance with embodiments, the condition of the FPWD system may be a fluid pressure within the FPWD system, the FPWD system component may be a fluid driving element, such as a pump configured for fluid pumping with a driving motor coupled thereto, and the fluid may be water.

[0041] If the FPWD system component start was proper, the method further includes iteratively running the FPWD system component (block 4041) until a predefined end value of the condition is reached (block 406), stopping the FPWD system component at that point (block 407) and logging the end time at which the FPWD system component is stopped (block 408). The method further includes waiting for a predefined wait time, such as 60 seconds or enough time to allow the FPWD system sufficient time to settle (block 409) and logging a new value of the condition following the predefined wait time (block 410). In accordance with embodiments, the iterative running of the FPWD system component until the predefined end value of the condition is reached may include a checking of a rate of increase of fluid pressure and a determining if a sprinkler is activated in accordance with a result of the checking.

[0042] The method continues by calculating an amount of air in the FPWD system (block 411), logging the calculated amount of air into a panel and a memory unit of the FPWD system (block 412) and resetting the FPWD system and ending the test processing (block 413). The calculation may be based on at least the initial and new values of the condition and the start and end times as well as a capacity and an operational parameter of the FPWD system component (i.e., how much water the pump can pump at any given time at a given operational pumping speed). The logged amount of air can be used to control various components of the FPWD system, such as one or more high pressure driving elements for driving or pumping fluid into and through the FPWD system, or for scheduling repair or maintenance of the FPWD system in an event the amount of air is determined to be excessive.

[0043] In accordance with embodiments, the logging of the start and end times may be alternatively or effectively conducted by determining a duration or length of time during which the FPWD system component is run or operated. In such cases, the calculation may be based on at least the initial and new values of the condition and the determined duration or length of time as well as a capacity and an operational parameter of the FPWD system component.

[0044] In accordance with additional embodiments, the method may also include determining whether an alarm is needed following the logging of the amount of air (block 414), triggering the alarm (block 415) and stabilizing the FPWD system before the resetting and ending in an event that no alarm is needed or in an event the alarm has been triggered in block (block 416).

[0045] With reference to FIG. 5, an FPWD system 501 is provided for executing the methods described herein (e.g., the methods and algorithms illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the accompanying text) and for managing fire protection and water distribution for a structure (e.g., a building, a ship, a tunnel, etc.) in which the FPWD system 501 is deployed. The FPWD system 501 may include a fluid or water supply (hereinafter referred to as a "water supply") 502, a water distribution system 503, piping 504, a driving element 505 and a sensing element 506. The water distribution system 503 is receptive of water from the water supply 502 by way of certain components of the piping 504 and the water is distributed throughout the water distribution system 503 by way of additional components of the piping 504. The driving element 505 may include a pump 5051, which is fluidly interposed along the piping 504 between the water supply 502 and the water distribution system 503 and thereby configured to pump the water from the water supply 502 into and throughout the water distribution system 503, and a motor 5052. The motor 5052 is mechanically connected with the pump 5051 via connection C and is configured to control operations of the pump 5051 in accordance with electrical power PI received thereby. The sensing element 506 may be provided as one or more sensors of various types including, but not limited to, fluid pressure sensors that are fluidly connected to and distributed throughout the water distribution system 503 and the piping 504 via fluid connections F to sense a condition of the FPWD system 501.

[0046] In accordance with embodiments, the condition of the FPWD system 501 sensed by the sensing element 506 may be a fluid pressure within the FPWD system 501 and the water distribution system 503. In any case, the sensing element 506 may be further configured to generate and issue a first electrical signal S 1 in accordance with readings of the condition as an indication thereof. In accordance with further embodiments, the sensing element 506 may also be configured to generate and display a graphical readout or indication of the readings.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, the FPWD system 501 further includes a controller 510. The controller 510 includes at least one of first and second components 511 and 513, a user interface or panel (hereinafter referred to as a "panel") 514, a control component 515 and a housing 516. The housing 516 is configured to house each component of the controller 510 with at least an input portion and a display portion of the panel 514 accessible to a user or operator. The first and second components 511 and 513 are independently receptive of electrical power P2 and P3 from an electrical power supply and are configured to direct the electrical power PI to the driving element 505 to start a driving of fluid from the water supply 502 to the water distribution system 503 by the driving element 505 and to end such power supply to stop the driving element 505. The panel 514 is configured to display the indication in accordance with the first electrical signal S 1 and to operate the first component 511 by way of second electrical signal S2 and to output a third electrical signal S3 in accordance with a command OC received by the panel 514 from the user or operator.

[0048] The control component 515 may be provided as a processing unit that includes a processor, a memory unit and a networking unit by which the control component is communicative with other components of the FPWD system 501. The memory unit has executable instructions stored thereon, which are executable by the processor and which, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to operate as described herein. The control component 515 is thus configured to output the first electrical signal S 1 to the panel 514 along or by way of third electrical signal S3 and to operate the second component 513 by way of fourth electrical signal S4 in accordance with the first electrical signal SI and at least one of the second electrical signal S2 and an automatic trigger T received thereby (i.e., on-demand testing does not require that the control component 515 be receptive of the automatic trigger T).

[0049] In accordance with embodiments, the first component 511 may include or be provided as at least one of a contactor and a soft starter and the second component may include or be provided as at least one of a variable frequency drive (VFD), a contactor and a soft starter. For example, in the case of the second component 513 being provided as a VFD, the second component 513 may be receptive of a speed reference of the driving element 505 and may be able to control the driving element 505 to generate a flow of water relative to running speed (e.g., 10 liters per minute pump at nominal provides 5 liters per minute at 50% nominal).

[0050] Since the panel 514 and the control component 515 operate the first and second components 511 and 513 in accordance with a command OC, input or instructions received from a user or operator or in accordance with the automatic trigger T, the controller 510 as a whole may operate manually/selectively for on-demand analysis or automatically. [0051] In accordance with further embodiments, the driving element 505 may be provided as a low and/or high pressure driving element 505. Here, the FPWD system 501 may further include at least one or more (e.g., 2-9) additional low and/or high pressure driving elements 530. Such additional low and/or high pressure driving elements 530 may be generally configured similarly as the low and/or high pressure driving element 505 and may be fluidly interposed between the water supply 502 and the water distribution system 503. The controller 510 may be configured to control an operation of the at least one or more additional low and/or high pressure driving elements 530 in accordance with at least a performance of the low and/or high pressure driving element 505 and operations of the FPWD system 501 during executions of the methods of FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, the controller 510 may operate the additional low and/or high pressure driving elements 530 based at least in part on the determination of how much air is in the piping 504 of the water distribution system 503.

[0052] The above-described automatic analysis can provide evidence of system performance to an approval body during a lifetime of the system. Continuous monitoring and alarms can guide operators toward doing preventative maintenance to keep system performance at acceptable levels. The above-described on-demand analysis can improve and speed up de-airing processes of the system especially to an extent that each branch of the system can be separately analyzed and de-aired to acceptable levels.

[0053] While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.