A calibration and verification system and method for dynamically controlling sequential delivery of mixtures containing a fire suppression agent to detection locations to simulate an agent discharge during a flight operation of an aircraft and for allowing direct monitoring of the concentration amou
A calibration and verification system and method for dynamically controlling sequential delivery of mixtures containing a fire suppression agent to detection locations to simulate an agent discharge during a flight operation of an aircraft and for allowing direct monitoring of the concentration amounts at the detection locations to adjust a testing operation accordingly. Each of the mixtures is prepared with a precise concentration amount of the agent. The system and method include a remote test sequence unit for determining an optimal testing time period during a flight operation to remotely control the discharge and monitoring of the agent. Prior to the optimal testing time period, an airflow at an altitude of the flight operation is drawn through each of a plurality of detectors to tare out the characteristics of a surrounding environment using a processor, thereby establishing a measurement baseline for each of the plurality of detectors.
대표청구항▼
1. A calibration and dynamic flow control system connected to a processor for calibrating a fire extinguisher monitoring system and dynamically controlling flow in a closed-loop flow unit, the calibration and dynamic flow control system comprising: a pneumatic unit configured to be fluidly connected
1. A calibration and dynamic flow control system connected to a processor for calibrating a fire extinguisher monitoring system and dynamically controlling flow in a closed-loop flow unit, the calibration and dynamic flow control system comprising: a pneumatic unit configured to be fluidly connected to a first calibration container having a first mixture of at least a fire suppression agent with a first concentration amount and an airflow-simulating fluid for simulating airflow during a flight operation, anda closed-loop container configured to receive the first mixture from the first calibration container using the pneumatic unit, wherein the closed-loop flow unit includes the first closed-loop container and fluidly connects the first closed-loop container to each of a plurality of detection locations using at least one of a plurality of channels, the plurality of detection locations being monitored by a plurality of detectors, respectively;a mixing fan configured to maintain a homogenous flow within the closed-loop flow unit;an electrical control unit configured to electronically control operations of the calibration and dynamic flow control system; anda utility unit configured to control flow of mixtures in the closed-loop flow unit, wherein the processor is configured to tare out previous readings of the plurality of detectors to set a measurement baseline for each of the plurality of detectors, and the utility unit is further configured to draw the first mixture from the first calibration container through each of the plurality of detection locations when or after the processor sets the measurement baseline. 2. The calibration and dynamic flow control system of claim 1, wherein the closed-loop container is an inflatable bag, and the pneumatic unit is configured to be connected to a plurality of calibration containers, each of the plurality of calibration containers having a unique concentration amount of the fire suppression agent within a predetermined range of concentration amounts and connected via one of a plurality of valves to the pneumatic unit, the calibration and dynamic flow control system further configured to (a) purge contents of the inflatable bag;(b) open a first valve connected to the first calibration container and close each of the other plurality of valves;(c) draw, using the pneumatic unit, the first mixture from the first calibration container to the inflatable bag;(d) draw, using a vacuum source, the first mixture in the inflatable bag through each of the plurality of detection locations; and(e) generate, using the processor, concentration data indicating concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent at each of the plurality of detection locations, wherein the concentration data are capable of being monitored in substantially real time. 3. The calibration and dynamic flow control system of claim 2 further configured to perform steps (a)-(e) of claim 2 for each calibration container of the plurality of calibration containers in order to generate, using the processor, cumulative concentration data indicating a concentration amount of the fire suppression agent at each of the plurality of detection locations for the predetermined range of concentration amounts over a time period. 4. The calibration and dynamic flow control system of claim 1 wherein the closed-loop container is an inflatable bag that inflates when the first mixture is drawn from the first calibration container into the inflatable bag and deflates when the first mixture is drawn from the inflatable bag through the plurality of detection locations, andthe processor is configured to tare out previous readings of each of the plurality of detectors and generate a discharge-readiness signal when the previous readings are tared out, thereby indicating readiness for accurately monitoring a discharge of the fire suppression agent in substantially real time. 5. The calibration and dynamic flow control system of claim 1 wherein a vacuum source is configured to draw an ambient airflow through each of the plurality of detectors, and the processor is further configured to tare out an effect of the ambient airflow on an output of each of the plurality of detectors to set the measurement baseline. 6. A remote test sequence unit for coordinating operations of a fire extinguisher monitoring system with a flight operation of an aircraft to determine a first optimal testing time period for discharging a fire suppression agent, the remote test sequence unit configured to receive a first start-sequence input during the flight operation for starting a first sequence of operations of the remote test sequence unit and the fire extinguisher monitoring system; andperform the first sequence of operations when the first start-sequence input is received, including automatically setting a standby indicator to a standby-on state until the first optimal testing time period has been reached,automatically drawing an airflow at an altitude of the flight operation through each of the plurality of detectors,automatically taring out, using a processor, previous readings of each of the plurality of detectors to determine a measurement baseline for each of the plurality of detectors, andautomatically setting the standby indicator to a standby-off state and a discharge-readiness indicator to a discharge-on state when the first optimal testing time period has been reached, wherein the processor is configured to generate concentration data in substantially real time corresponding to a plurality of concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent at a plurality of detection locations in the aircraft, respectively, over a time period. 7. The remote test sequence unit of claim 6, wherein the remote test sequence unit is further configured to re-perform the first sequence of operations when the remote test sequence unit receives a second start-sequence input during the flight operation. 8. The remote test sequence unit of claim 6, further configured to automatically set the standby indicator to the standby-off state when the first optimal testing time period has passed; andre-perform the first sequence of operations when the remote test sequence unit receives a second start-sequence input during the flight operation and the processor determines that either the fire suppression agent has not been discharged during the first optimal testing time period or a subsequent discharge of the fire suppression agent is requested. 9. The remote test sequence unit of claim 6, wherein the remote test sequence unit is further configured to determine a first optimal testing time instance, and the first optimal testing time period starts at the first optimal testing time instance and ends after a predetermined accurate testing time period has elapsed, the remote test sequence unit further configured to set the discharge-readiness indicator to a discharge-off state and the standby indicator to the standby-on state when the predetermined accurate testing time period elapses. 10. A method of calibrating and dynamically controlling a testing operation of a fire extinguisher monitoring system of an aircraft, the method comprising: drawing an ambient airflow through each of a plurality of detectors;providing a processor for taring out ambient airflow characteristics to determine a measurement baseline for each of the plurality of detectors;providing a closed-loop flow unit that includes a first closed-loop container with a known volume and fluidly connected to a plurality of detection locations using a plurality of channels, the plurality of detection locations being monitored by a plurality of detectors, respectively;providing a first calibration container having a first mixture of at least a fire suppression agent with a first concentration amount and an airflow-simulating fluid for simulating an on-flight airflow, the first calibration container configured to be fluidly connected to the closed-loop flow unit via a pneumatic unit;directing, using the pneumatic unit, the first mixture from the first calibration container into the closed-loop container;simulating, using the closed-loop flow unit, an on-flight discharge of the fire suppression agent by drawing, using a vacuum source, the first mixture in the closed-loop container through each of the plurality of detection locations;generating, using the processor, concentration data in substantially real time, the concentration data indicating a concentration amount of the fire suppression agent at each of the plurality of detection locations over a first time period; andadjusting a flow of the fire suppression agent within the closed-loop flow unit based on the concentration data. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the concentration amount and flow of the fire suppression agent within the closed-loop flow unit includes: monitoring the generated concentration data in substantially real time to determine whether a minimum concentration amount of the fire suppression agent is maintained for at least a predetermined minimum time period at each of the plurality of detection locations, andadjusting distribution of the first mixture or a second mixture with a second concentration amount of the fire suppression agent in the closed-loop flow unit based on the monitored concentration data. 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: calibrating the fire extinguisher monitoring system and dynamically controlling fluid flow in the closed-loop flow unit over a predetermined range of concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent by providing a plurality of calibration containers, each containing one of a plurality of mixtures, each mixture having a unique concentration amount of the fire suppression agent within the predetermined range of concentration amounts,sequentially drawing, using the pneumatic unit, each of the plurality of mixtures through the plurality of detection locations,generating, using the processor, concentration data indicating concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent at each of the plurality of detection locations for the predetermined range of concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent, anddetermining, based on the generated concentration data, whether each of a plurality of concentration amounts of the fire suppression agent at the plurality of detection locations, respectively, is maintained at or greater than the minimum concentration amount for at least a predetermined minimum time period for the predetermined range of concentration amounts. 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising: purging contents of the first calibration container and measuring a weight of the first calibration container;measuring a weight of the first calibration container containing the fire suppression agent; anddetermining a weight of the fire suppression agent based on the measured weight of the first calibration container and the measured weight of the first calibration container containing the fire suppression agent. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining a weight of the airflow-simulating fluid based on a desired concentration level of the fire suppression agent;measuring a weight of the first calibration container containing the fire suppression agent and the airflow-simulating fluid;determining a weight of the airflow-simulating fluid in the first container based on the measured weight of the fire suppression agent and the measured weight of the first calibration container containing the fire suppression agent and the airflow-simulating fluid; anddetermining the first concentration amount of the fire suppression agent in the first calibration container based on the measured weight of the fire suppression agent and the measured weight of the airflow-simulating fluid. 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising: taring out, using the processor, previous readings of each of the plurality of detectors, wherein the step of simulating the discharge of the fire suppression agent is performed after the previous readings are tared out. 16. The method of claim 10, further comprising: modifying distribution of the fire suppression agent through at least one of the plurality of detectors based on direct monitoring of the concentration data. 17. The method of claim 10, further comprising: providing a remote test sequence unit for coordinating operations of the fire extinguisher monitoring system with a flight operation of the aircraft to determine a first optimal testing time period for discharging a fire suppression agent;receiving, using the remote test sequence unit, a first start-sequence input during the flight operation for starting a first sequence of operations of the remote test sequence unit and the fire extinguisher monitoring system; andperforming, using the remote test sequence unit, the first sequence of operations when the start-sequence input is received, including automatically setting a standby indicator to a standby-on state until the optimal time for testing has been reached,automatically drawing, using the fire extinguisher monitoring system, an airflow at an altitude of the flight operation through each of the plurality of detectors,automatically taring out, using the processor, previous readings of each of the plurality of detectors to determine a measurement baseline for each of the plurality of detectors, andautomatically setting, using the remote test sequence unit, the standby indicator to a standby-off state and a discharge-readiness indicator to a discharge-on state when the first optimal testing time period has been reached, wherein the processor in signal communication with the remote test sequence unit and configured to generate concentration data in substantially real time that indicate a concentration amount of the fire suppression agent at each of a plurality of detection locations in the aircraft over a second time period. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: re-performing the first sequence of operations, using the remote test sequence unit, when the remote test sequence unit receives a second start-sequence input during the flight operation. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: automatically setting, using the remote test sequence unit, the standby indicator to the standby-on state when the optimal time period has elapsed; andre-performing the first sequence of operations when the remote test sequence unit receives a second start-sequence input during the flight operation and the processor determines that either the fire suppression agent has not been discharged during the optimal time period or a subsequent discharge of the fire suppression agent is desired. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: determining a first optimal testing time instance, wherein the first optimal testing time period starts at the first optimal testing time instance and ends after a predetermined accurate testing time period has elapsed at which time the remote test sequence unit sets the discharge-readiness indicator to a discharge-off state and the standby indicator to the standby-on state.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
Miller Ralph G. (Seattle WA), Fire extinguishment system for an aircraft passenger cabin.
Chattaway, Adam; Gatsonides, Josephine Gabrielle; Dunster, Robert G.; Simpson, Terry; Seebaluck, Dharmendr Len.; Glaser, Robert E., Fire suppression system and method.
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