System and methods for preventing ignition and fire via a maintained hypoxic environment
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
A62C-002/00
A62C-003/00
A62C-035/00
A62C-037/00
출원번호
UP-0339428
(2006-01-25)
등록번호
US-7594545
(2009-10-12)
발명자
/ 주소
Love, Ronald Jay
대리인 / 주소
Chipperson, Rita C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
12인용 특허 :
10
초록▼
Disclosed are systems and methods for preventing ignition and fire in maintained hypoxic environments. In one aspect of the present invention, the hypoxic environment is initially obtained via an initial release of large quantities of nitrogen and is thereafter maintained via use of nitrogen generat
Disclosed are systems and methods for preventing ignition and fire in maintained hypoxic environments. In one aspect of the present invention, the hypoxic environment is initially obtained via an initial release of large quantities of nitrogen and is thereafter maintained via use of nitrogen generation equipment, thereby eliminating the need for onsite nitrogen storage. In other aspects of the present invention, the hypoxic environment is initially obtained via the same equipment used to maintain the hypoxic environment. Additionally, venting is provided to prevent over-pressurization of the hypoxic environment or to otherwise regulate the pressure of the environment. Furthermore, ultra-sophisticated fire detection system is implemented to detect invisible by-product materials as they degrade during pre-combustion stages of an incipient fire, thereby detecting a fire as early as six hours prior to ignition. Finally, networked embodiments of such systems are disclosed for remote monitoring and maintenance of such systems and methods.
대표청구항▼
I claim: 1. A system for maintaining a hypoxic environment within a space comprising: at least one nitrogen supply device for supplying nitrogen; a distribution system coupled to said at least one nitrogen supply device for distributing said nitrogen throughout said space; at least one oxygen monit
I claim: 1. A system for maintaining a hypoxic environment within a space comprising: at least one nitrogen supply device for supplying nitrogen; a distribution system coupled to said at least one nitrogen supply device for distributing said nitrogen throughout said space; at least one oxygen monitoring device; at least one pressure relief device for performing at least one of the group consisting of relieving excess pressure in said hypoxic environment, positively pressurizing said hypoxic environment relative to an environment located external to said space, maintaining a static pressure of said space, and combinations thereof; at least one pressure monitoring device for measuring a pressure within said space; a control system coupled to said at least one nitrogen supply device, said at least one oxygen monitoring device, said at least one pressure relief device, and said at least one pressure monitoring device, said control system programmed to monitor said hypoxic environment and control said at least one nitrogen supply device and said at least one pressure relief device such that said hypoxic environment is maintained at a predetermined oxygen concentration setpoint and at a predetermined pressure setpoint; and at least one fire detection device coupled to said control system for detecting a fire prior to an ignition of said fire, wherein said at least one nitrogen supply device minimizes nitrogen storage by supplying nitrogen generated from compressed air. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one air compressor generates said compressed air. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said positively pressurizing minimizes infiltration of non-hypoxic air into said hypoxic environment. 4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said minimization of said infiltration of said non-hypoxic air into said hypoxic environment minimizes a required capacity of said at least one nitrogen supply device. 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined pressure setpoint is a static pressure setpoint. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure relief device is an automatically controlled damper. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hypoxic environment is initially created via introduction of a large quantity of nitrogen into said space from at least one of the group consisting of a removable liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a liquid nitrogen truck tank, a removable non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a non-liquid nitrogen truck tank, and combinations thereof. 8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one of the group consisting of a removable liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a liquid nitrogen truck tank, a removable non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a non-liquid nitrogen truck tank, and combinations thereof are temporarily coupled to said distribution system. 9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hypoxic environment is initially created via continuously operating said system until an oxygen concentration in said space falls from an ambient oxygen concentration level to a desired oxygen concentration level. 10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said desired oxygen concentration level is 15.5 percent. 11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said desired oxygen concentration level is adjustable. 12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said distribution system is at least one of the group consisting of piping, a forced air heating system, a ventilation system, an air-conditioning system, and combinations thereof. 13. A system according to claim 12, said system further comprising: at least one supply fan associated with said at least one of the group consisting of said forced air heating system, said ventilation system, said air-conditioning system, and combinations thereof for mixing said nitrogen with said ventilation air to evenly disperse said nitrogen throughout said hypoxic environment. 14. A system according to claim 1, said system further comprising: at least one of the group consisting of an exhaust fan, a return fan, and combinations thereof for removing a quantity of hypoxic air approximately equal to a quantity of supplied nitrogen-enriched air such that said hypoxic environment is continuously maintained. 15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one nitrogen supply device includes at least one of the group consisting of a nitrogen generator, an air compressor, an air dryer, an air filter, and combinations thereof. 16. A system according to claim 1, said system further comprising: at least one onsite nitrogen holding mechanism coupled to said distribution system for performing at least one of the group consisting of supplementing said at least one nitrogen supply device, operating as a backup to said at least one nitrogen supply device, initially creating said hypoxic environment, and combinations thereof. 17. A system according to claim 1, wherein maintaining said hypoxic environment minimizes a potential for at least one of the group consisting of fire, ignition of a fire, and combinations thereof. 18. A system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is a programmable logic controller. 19. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the group consisting of said at least one oxygen monitoring device, said at least one fire detection device, said at least one pressure monitoring device, and combinations thereof are interfaced to said control unit via at least one dedicated communications bus. 20. A system according to claim 1, said system further comprising: at least one operator workstation for monitoring at least one of the group consisting of data associated with said oxygen monitoring devices, data associated with said fire detection devices, data associated with said pressure monitoring devices, data associated with said nitrogen supply devices, and combinations thereof; wherein said at least one operator workstation is in communication with at least one of the group consisting of said oxygen monitoring devices, said fire detection devices, said pressure monitoring devices, said nitrogen supply devices, and combinations thereof. 21. A system according to claim 1, said system further comprising: a remote communication interface coupled to said control unit. 22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said remote communication interface is at least one of the group consisting of a modem, an Internet interface, and combinations thereof. 23. A system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said control units is networked to each other. 24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said networking includes an open protocol. 25. A system according to claim 23, wherein said networking allows a first of said networked control units to be controlled via a second of said networked control units. 26. A system according to claim 1, wherein an alarm generated by said system is automatically transmitted to facility personnel via at least one of the group consisting of printing said alarm, electronically mailing said alarm, transmission of said alarm to a paging system. 27. A method of maintaining a hypoxic environment within a space comprising the steps of: monitoring an oxygen concentration level of said hypoxic environment; supplying nitrogen to said space upon a rise in said oxygen concentration level relative to an oxygen concentration level setpoint wherein said supplying includes the sub-steps of: generating nitrogen from compressed air; distributing said nitrogen throughout said space; and terminating said supply of said nitrogen upon a fall in said oxygen concentration level relative to said oxygen concentration level setpoint; measuring a pressure within said space; controlling at least one pressure relief device for maintaining a pressure of said space at a pressure setpoint in response to said pressure measured within said space; and detecting a fire prior to an ignition of said fire. 28. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: installing at least one of the group consisting of a pressurization system, a ventilation system, and combinations thereof. 29. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: retrofitting at least one of the group consisting of an existing pressurization system, an existing ventilation system, and combinations thereof. 30. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: activating a fire detection alarm. 31. A method according to claim 30, wherein said fire detection alarm is activated upon an occurrence of at least one of the group consisting of said detecting a fire prior to said ignition of said fire, sensing by-product materials of pre-combustion stages of an incipient fire, sensing an abnormal smoke level in a monitored area, sensing that a smoke level has exceeded a predetermined setpoint, sensing an imminent fire, sensing an actual fire, and combinations thereof. 32. A method according to claim 27, wherein at least one air compressor generates said compressed air. 33. A method according to claim 27, wherein said controlling at least one pressure relief device minimizes infiltration of non-hypoxic air into said hypoxic environment. 34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said minimization of said infiltration of said non-hypoxic air into said hypoxic environment minimizes a required capacity of said at least one nitrogen supply device. 35. A method according to claim 27, wherein said pressure setpoint is a static pressure setpoint. 36. A method according to claim 27, wherein said pressure relief device is at least one of the group consisting of an automatically controlled damper, a vent, and combinations thereof. 37. A method according to claim 27, wherein said hypoxic environment is initially created via introduction of a large quantity of nitrogen into said space from at least one of the group consisting of a removable liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a liquid nitrogen truck tank, a removable non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a temporary non-liquid nitrogen holding mechanism, a non-liquid nitrogen truck tank, and combinations thereof. 38. A method according to claim 37, wherein said hypoxic environment is initially created via continuously performing said method until an oxygen concentration in said space falls from an ambient oxygen concentration level to a desired hypoxic concentration level. 39. A method according to claim 27, wherein said oxygen concentration level setpoint is 15.5 percent. 40. A method according to claim 27, wherein said oxygen concentration level setpoint is adjustable. 41. A method according to claim 27, wherein said nitrogen is distributed throughout said space via at least one of the group consisting of piping, a forced air heating system, a ventilation system, an air-conditioning system, and combinations thereof. 42. A method according to claim 41, said method further comprising: mixing said nitrogen with said ventilation air to evenly disperse said nitrogen throughout said hypoxic environment via at least one supply fan associated with said at least one of the group consisting of said forced air heating system, said ventilation system, said air-conditioning system, and combinations thereof. 43. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: removing a quantity of hypoxic air approximately equal to a quantity of supplied nitrogen-enriched air such that said hypoxic environment is continuously maintained via at least one of the group consisting of an exhaust fan, a return fan, and combinations thereof. 44. A method according to claim 27, wherein maintaining said hypoxic environment minimizes a potential for at least one of the group consisting of fire, ignition of a fire, and combinations thereof. 45. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: monitoring at least one of the group consisting of oxygen monitoring devices, fire detection devices, pressure monitoring devices, nitrogen supply devices, and combinations thereof via at least one operator workstation. 46. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: remotely monitoring at least one of the group consisting of oxygen monitoring devices, fire detection devices, pressure monitoring devices, nitrogen supply devices, and combinations thereof via at least one of the group consisting of a modem, an Internet interface, and combinations thereof. 47. A method according to claim 27, said method further comprising: automatically transmitted alarms to facility personnel via at least one of the group consisting of printing said alarm, electronically mailing said alarm, transmission of said alarm to a paging system.
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