U.S. patent application number 10/024079 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-24 for hyperbaric hypoxic fire escape and suppression systems for multilevel buildings, transportation tunnels and other human-occupied environments.
Invention is credited to Kotliar, Igor K..
Application Number | 20030074917 10/024079 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27419408 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030074917 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kotliar, Igor K. |
April 24, 2003 |
HYPERBARIC HYPOXIC FIRE ESCAPE AND SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS FOR
MULTILEVEL BUILDINGS, TRANSPORTATION TUNNELS AND OTHER
HUMAN-OCCUPIED ENVIRONMENTS
Abstract
Hyperbaric Hypoxic Fire Escape and Suppression System is
provided for multilevel buildings, transportation tunnels and other
human-occupied environments. The system produces and maintains a
hypoxic hyperbaric environment in a separate part of a building
(staircase shaft) or a tunnel (service tunnel) in order to provide
an entirely secure escape area in case of a fire emergency and
instantly extinguish an ongoing fire in a building or a tunnel by
releasing a breathable hyperbaric hypoxic fire-extinguishing
composition into location affected by fire. Additionally, the
system provides continuing adequate protection against biological
and chemical warfare and contaminants by filtering ambient air
before processing it by the system and by establishing breathable
fire-suppressive atmosphere at a positive atmospheric pressure
inside a building or tunnel.
Inventors: |
Kotliar, Igor K.; (New York,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Igor K. Kotliar
P.O. Box 2021
New York
NY
10159-2021
US
|
Family ID: |
27419408 |
Appl. No.: |
10/024079 |
Filed: |
December 17, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10024079 |
Dec 17, 2001 |
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09750801 |
Dec 28, 2000 |
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6418752 |
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10024079 |
Dec 17, 2001 |
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09854108 |
May 11, 2001 |
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6401487 |
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10024079 |
Dec 17, 2001 |
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09975215 |
Oct 10, 2001 |
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6502421 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/640 ;
169/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 53/22 20130101;
B01F 33/502 20220101; A62C 3/07 20130101; A62C 99/0018 20130101;
B01D 2257/104 20130101; B01D 2257/102 20130101; F17C 7/04 20130101;
A62B 7/14 20130101; A62C 3/0221 20130101; B01F 23/12 20220101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/640 ;
169/43 |
International
Class: |
F25J 003/00; A62C
002/00; A62C 003/00 |
Claims
1. A hyperbaric hypoxic fire safety system for buildings,
transportation tunnels and other human-occupied environments, said
system comprising: a pressurized compartment having a hypoxic
atmosphere inside at a pressure higher than standard atmospheric
pressure at the installation altitude; said hypoxic atmosphere
being a breathable hyperbaric hypoxic fire-extinguishing
composition having an oxygen content in the range from 7% to 14%;
an apparatus supplying said compartment with the hypoxic
composition and constantly maintaining a hyperbaric pressure
inside; said composition being filtered from dust particles,
biological and chemical contaminants; said compartment having
multiple entries, each with an airlock or a door, and selectively
communicating trough said entries with an adjacent normobaric
environment and providing an access in both directions; said
hyperbaric hypoxic composition being released from the compartment
into said adjacent environment in case of a fire in order to
extinguish it by replacing an ambient air in said adjacent
environment with a breathable fire-extinguishing atmosphere being
created as a result of the air mixing and replacing process.
2. The system according to claim 1 and said apparatus being a
hypoxic generator station consisting of an air compressor and an
oxygen-extraction device; said hypoxic generator station processing
ambient atmospheric air by filtering it from contaminants and
extracting a part of oxygen from it and providing an oxygen-reduced
gas mixture into said compartment at an increased pressure; said
oxygen-reduced gas mixture having comfortable temperature and
humidity provided by an air-conditioning unit.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said airlock having at
least two pressurized hermetic doors, one on each side; normally
said doors open selectively allowing entry via standard airlock
operation; said airlock doors open simultaneously in a fire
affected floor or a part of a tunnel by a signal from a fire
detector or a control station and releasing the hyperbaric hypoxic
composition from said compartment into the floor affected by fire;
after the hypoxic composition being released into a floor affected
by fire and a barometric pressure inside said pressurized
compartment drops to near standard level, all external airlock
doors open in the whole building allowing easier entry through an
internal door that can be opened by a signal from an optical sensor
or a motion detector initiated by an approaching person.
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said hypoxic
fire-extinguishing composition being released in case of a fire
directly into a unit or room affected by fire, said release is
provided via an emergency ventilation conduit connecting said
pressurized compartment with a unit or room affected by fire; said
conduit being normally closed on one or both ends by a closing
device that can be opened by a signal from a fire detector or
control station; the release of the hypoxic composition can be
provided into several units simultaneously in order to extinguish
possible multiple fires.
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein in order to provide
continuing adequate protection for a whole building or tunnel in
case of a biological or chemical warfare, said hypoxic composition
being released into multiple parts of the building or tunnel and
establishing a positive pressure inside that is maintained further
by said apparatus that continuously supplies sufficient flow of
said composition; said composition being produced from an ambient
atmospheric air cleaned from chemical and biological contaminants
by special intake filters and being additionally sterilized by a
high-efficiency outlet filter.
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein a normal operation
pressure inside said compartment is maintained at a level from 1 to
6 atmospheres of absolute atmospheric pressure or up to 5
atmospheres of relative gauge pressure; said pressure can be
increased in some applications.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said compartment being a
staircase shaft of a building and said adjacent normobaric
environment being the remaining part of the building; said
staircase having multiple entries leading to each floor or section
of the building.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said compartment being
an external staircase shaft of a building and said adjacent
normobaric environment being a floor or a floor unit of the
building; said staircase shaft having pressurized doors
communicating with each floor or section of the building through
multiple escape bridges; said pressurized door open automatically
when pressure inside said compartment drops to near standard
atmospheric pressure.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein after said hyperbaric
composition being released from said compartment, said hypoxic
atmosphere becomes near normobaric and is kept hypoxic further at a
minor positive pressure by said apparatus.
10. The system according to claim 1 wherein after said hyperbaric
composition being released from said compartment, its internal
atmosphere becomes normobaric and normoxic and said apparatus
supplying said hypoxic composition into said adjacent
environment.
11. The system according to claim 1 wherein said compartment being
an escape tunnel selectively communicating with said adjacent
normobaric environment being a main-use tunnel or a tunnel
network.
12. The system according to claim 1 wherein said compartment being
a part of a human-occupied environment having said adjacent
normobaric environment as a main-use area.
13. The system according to claim 1 wherein said compartment being
a human-occupied environment inside an underwater structure,
submarine, military vehicle or other hyperbaric structure.
14. The system according to claim 2 and said oxygen-extraction
device employing an oxygen-enrichment membrane, molecular-sieve
adsorber or cryogenic air separator in order to extract a part of
oxygen from ambient air.
15. A fire escape and suppression system for buildings, said system
comprising: a pressurized staircase compartment having an internal
hyperbaric atmosphere therein at an absolute pressure in the range
from 1 to 2 atmospheres; said internal atmosphere consisting of a
hypoxic air having oxygen content below 14%; said hyperbaric
compartment selectively communicating through airlock means with
multiple normobaric human-occupied compartments containing an
ambient air at standard atmospheric pressure and, when needed,
releasing said hypoxic air into selected normobaric compartment(s)
in order to create a fire-extinguishing atmosphere inside by mixing
with and replacing said ambient air; a hypoxic air generation
device supplying said hyperbaric compartment with the hypoxic air
and constantly maintaining a hyperbaric pressure inside; said
hypoxic air generation device producing the hypoxic air from
ambient atmospheric air by means of extracting from it a part of
oxygen; said hyperbaric atmosphere being a breathable
fire-extinguishing composition having an oxygen partial pressure at
a safe human-respiration level; said staircase compartment being
accessible at any time for normal staircase operation or for
maintenance work; an emergency ventilation conduit for transmitting
said fire-extinguishing composition into a normobaric compartment
affected by a fire; said ventilation conduit being closed during
normal operation by a closing means that can be released by a
signal from a fire detection system; said fire detection system
comprising multiple fire and smoke detectors installed in each room
of the building and a main control panel communicating with the
detectors, said closing means, airlock doors locking devices, said
hypoxic air generation device and a back-up power supply unit.
16. The system according to claim 15 wherein said emergency
ventilation conduit being an aperture in a wall of said
human-occupied compartment, normally closed with a lid having a
locking device that can be unlocked by a signal from said fire
detection system.
17. The system according to claim 15 wherein said emergency
ventilation conduit being a ventilation duct leading from said
staircase into said human-occupied compartment, said duct being
normally closed with at least one lid having a locking device that
can be unlocked by a signal from said fire detection system.
18. The system according to claim 15 wherein said hyperbaric
atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure at a safe for human
respiration level of over 142 millibar.
19. A hyperbaric hypoxic fire escape and suppression system for
buildings, said system comprising: a building and an external
hyperbaric hypoxic fire escape staircase shaft; said staircase
shaft having an internal atmosphere of a breathable
fire-extinguishing composition at a hyperbaric pressure and
pressurized doors that, when open, communicate with the building's
floors through escape bridges, each having an entry door on the
building's side; said pressurized doors being normally closed and
inaccessible due to a hyperbaric pressure applied from inside of
said staircase shaft and release automatically by a spring-type
device installed in a door frame when said pressure drops to near
standard; said staircase shaft communicating with a building's
floor and/or floor unit through an emergency ventilation conduit
for releasing said fire-extinguishing composition from said shaft
in case of a fire; a device supplying said composition into the
staircase shaft under said hyperbaric pressure; said device having
an oxygen-extraction apparatus processing ambient air filtered from
biological and chemical contaminants.
20. The system according to claim 19 and said escape bridges being
enclosed structures providing an airlock-type operation; said
internal atmosphere remains hypoxic after said hyperbaric
composition being released into a part of the building and
continues to be kept at a slightly positive pressure by said device
providing a supplementary flow of said composition into said shaft
for its further delivery into the building.
21. The system according to claim 19 and said escape bridges being
open-air structures communicating with the external atmosphere;
said staircase shaft becomes normoxic after said hyperbaric
composition being released into the building that continues to be
kept at a slightly positive pressure by said device providing
supplementary flow of said composition into said part of the
building.
22. The system according to claim 19 and said hyperbaric pressure
being normally kept inside said staircase shaft is in the range
from 1 to 6 atmospheres of absolute pressure or higher, when
needed.
23. A hyperbaric hypoxic fire escape and suppression system for
transportation and communication tunnels and mines, said system
comprising: a normobaric tunnel or tunnel network having ambient
air environment inside and communicating with the outside
atmosphere; a pressurized tunnel having a hyperbaric hypoxic
atmosphere inside at an absolute atmospheric pressure above 1
atmosphere or 1.013 bar, said pressurized tunnel selectively
communicating during normal operation with the outside atmosphere
and said normobaric tunnel by multiple means of an airlock or a
depressurization chamber; said hyperbaric hypoxic atmosphere being
an oxygen-reduced air having an oxygen content in the range from 7%
and 14% and providing an oxygen partial pressure at a safe level
above 142 millibar; said oxygen-reduced air having a
fire-extinguishing property; an oxygen-extraction device
communicating with said pressurized tunnel and providing said
oxygen-reduced air at a hyperbaric pressure into said pressurized
tunnel; a fire-detection and control system that detects a fire in
said normobaric tunnel and opens the airlock closest to the fire
site, allowing said oxygen-reduced air to enter and flood the
normobaric tunnel or its portion affected by fire in order to
extinguish the ongoing fire rapidly.
24. The system according to claim 23 wherein said oxygen-extraction
device communicating with an emergency gas storage container
holding said oxygen-reduced air at a hyperbaric pressure that can
be released into said pressurized tunnel when needed.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of:
[0002] U.S. Ser. No. 09/750,801 "Hypoxic Fire Prevention and Fire
Suppression Systems and Breathable Fire Extinguishing Compositions
for Human Occupied Environments" filed Dec. 28, 2000,
[0003] U.S. Ser. No. 09/854,108 "Hypoxic Fire Prevention and Fire
Suppression Systems with Breathable Fire Extinguishing Compositions
for Human Occupied Environments" filed May 11, 2001 and
[0004] U.S. Ser. No. 09/975,215 "Mobile Firefighting Systems with
Breathable Hypoxic Fire Extinguishing Compositions for Human
Occupied Environments" filed Oct. 10, 2001.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention introduces the method, equipment, and
composition of a fire escape and suppression system that produces
and maintains a hypoxic hyperbaric environment in a separate part
of a building (preferably staircase shaft) or a transportation
tunnel in order to provide an entirely secure escape in case of a
fire emergency and instantly extinguish an ongoing fire on any
floor or level of a building or any part of a tunnel.
[0006] With its mode of action based on the generation, hyperbaric
storage and controlled release of breathable hypoxic
fire-suppressive gas mixtures, this human-friendly system is
completely non-toxic, fully automated and entirely self-sustaining.
Consequently, it is ideally suited to provide complete fire safety
in office and apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, shopping and
entertainment centers, multilevel parking garages, industrial
complexes, transportation tunnels, underground facilities, hermetic
objects including submarines and other enclosed compartments and
environments.
[0007] This invention is an important addition and improvement of
the Fire Prevention and Suppression Systems (FirePASS.TM.)
described in earlier patent applications provided above.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
[0008] Current fire suppression systems in buildings are
ineffective in saving human life, especially in a catastrophic fire
and destructive to property and valuables. Moreover, modem building
design itself does not provide reliable escape routes and safety
areas for trapped people. Staircases and elevator shafts may easy
become lethal traps for fire escapees who may die from smoke
inhalation or fire. Other human-occupied facilities like
transportation tunnels have virtually no fire safety systems at
all. The only tunnel having limited fire escape option is the
tunnel between UK and France called the Eurotunnel or Chunnel. It
provides a pressurized service tube between two main transport
tubes that can be accessed by fire escapees if they know how and
where to find pressurized entrances and are able access them.
Still, the minor Chunnel fire in 1998 claimed over a billion (US)
dollars from damages and business loss.
[0009] In addition, ventilation shafts and equipment (which are
present in virtually all multilevel buildings and tunnels) can
dramatically accelerate a fire's propagation and significantly
increase the risk of toxic inhalation. Survival in a toxic
environment like this is limited to only a few minutes. Statistical
analysis for the last decades shows that about 70-80 percent of
fire fatalities result from toxic smoke inhalation.
[0010] The present invention employs a radically different
approach: the use of a hyperbaric environment of breathable hypoxic
fire-preventative atmosphere as a reliable fire escape and for the
suppression of fire in a communicating area. This hypoxic
environment completely eliminates the ignition and combustion of
all flammable materials. Moreover, it is completely safe for human
breathing (clinical studies have proven that long term exposure to
a hypoxic environment has significant health benefits). Hypoxic
breathable air can be inexpensively produced in the necessary
amount through the extraction of oxygen from ambient air.
[0011] The described here invention can be also used for protection
of building occupants from inhalation hazards resulted from a
biological, radionuclide and chemical warfare, by means of instant
introducing and maintaining positive barometric pressure inside a
building. Positive pressure systems are used in military vehicles
and vessels for that purpose, however recent terrorist threats call
for introduction of similar systems also in civil building
construction.
[0012] The described here system allows synergistically combining
the advantages of hyperbaric hypoxic environment for protection of
building or tunnel occupants from respiratory hazards and
preventing or minimizing structural damage from catastrophic
fires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The principal objects of this invention are as follows:
[0014] The provision of a breathable fire-extinguishing atmosphere
under increased barometric pressure in a specific escape
compartment of a building (staircase shaft), tunnel (pressurized
escape tunnel) or other human-occupied structure that can be easily
accessed by escapees at any time.
[0015] A method for producing and maintaining a breathable fire
preventative, hyperbaric hypoxic atmosphere inside a human-occupied
environment or escape compartment.
[0016] A method of extinguishing an ongoing fire in a building or
tunnel by releasing such pressurized fire-extinguishing hypoxic
atmosphere or composition from said escape compartment into an
environment affected by fire. This allows to replacing rapidly the
contaminated normoxic atmosphere in such environment with the
human-breathable hypoxic fire-extinguishing atmosphere and
suppressing any fire at once.
[0017] The provision of equipment that can produce the breathable
hypoxic fire-extinguishing composition and store it under increased
barometric pressure in a specific volume or an escape compartment.
Such equipment employs the processes of molecular-sieve adsorption,
membrane-separation, cryogenic separation and other oxygen
extraction technologies.
[0018] The provision of the hypoxic hyperbaric fire extinguishing
composition having an oxygen content ranging from 7% to 14% under
increased barometric pressure up to 1 atmosphere above standard,
which makes it absolutely safe for human breathing.
[0019] The provision of fire safety systems having hyperbaric
escape compartments with hypoxic fire-suppressive atmosphere inside
tunnels, buildings, mines and other public/industrial facilities.
Such hyperbaric compartments become depressurized in case of fire
and release the stored hypoxic atmosphere into an area affected by
fire.
[0020] The provision of a building's system design with a
pressurized staircase compartment.
[0021] The provision of a tunnel's system design with a pressurized
escape compartment.
[0022] The provision of a fire safety system providing protection
against biological and chemical hazard.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 presents a schematic view of a multilevel building
having Hyperbaric Hypoxic Fire Escape and Suppression System
(HHFESS).
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a working principle of the
building's HHFESS.
[0025] FIG. 3 presents a typical floor plan of a multilevel
building having HHFESS.
[0026] FIG. 4A presents a schematic view of an emergency
ventilation port--normally closed.
[0027] FIG. 4B presents a schematic view of the emergency
ventilation port during fire emergency.
[0028] FIG. 5A presents a schematic view of an emergency
ventilation duct--normally closed.
[0029] FIG. 5B presents a schematic view of the emergency
ventilation duct during fire emergency.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows schematically an interaction of all major
components of the building's HHFESS.
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates schematically a working principle of the
building's HHFESS having external hyperbaric staircase compartment
with enclosed escape bridges.
[0032] FIG. 8A shows a frontal view of an escape bridge between
external staircase compartment and building.
[0033] FIG. 8B shows a plan view of an escape bridge between
external staircase compartment and building.
[0034] FIG. 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the building's
HHFESS having external hyperbaric staircase compartment with
open-air escape bridges.
[0035] FIG. 10 presents a schematic view of the invented system for
transportation tunnels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0036] This invention is based on the Phenomenon of Ignition
Suppression and Combustion Elimination in hypoxic breathable air
and the Hypoxic Fire Prevention and Suppression System
(FirePASS.TM.), being described in previous patent applications and
the physiological effect of counterbalancing hypoxia in human body
by increasing environmental barometric pressure that leads to the
increase of the partial pressure of oxygen in the inspired hypoxic
air.
[0037] Hypoxic fire-preventative environments described in the
earlier patent applications are perfectly suitable for a long-term
human exposure in an atmosphere having oxygen content in the range
from 14% to 16%. A hyperbaric fire-preventative environment can
employ a much lower oxygen content that can be as low as 7%. For
instance, at standard atmospheric pressure a human body can
tolerate hypoxic air with an oxygen content of 7% (corresponding to
an altitude of 8.3 km or partial pressure of oxygen at 71.05
millibar) only for a few minutes before the oxyhemoglobin
saturation drops to a potentially dangerous level. However, the
same 7% O2 hypoxic air becomes perfectly suitable for breathing at
the increased barometric pressure of 1 atmosphere above the
standard. The partial pressure of oxygen in such atmosphere will be
142.1 Mb (millibar), which corresponds to 14% of oxygen in the
normobaric hypoxic air or an altitude of 3.25 km.
[0038] This physiological effect allows creating fire-safe
compartments with human-breathable hyperbaric atmospheres having
extremely low oxygen concentrations (from 7% to 12%) and without
imposing any risk to human health. This hyperbaric hypoxic
atmosphere can be used as a fire-preventative environment in
military bunkers, vehicles and submarines and as an extremely safe
fire escape compartment in many civil applications.
[0039] Moreover, the hyperbaric hypoxic atmosphere can be used as a
fire suppressant that upon its release from the pressurized fire
escape compartment can flood an area affected by fire. This
dual-function idea is employed in all embodiments provided further
in this work.
[0040] FIG. 1 presents a schematic view of the first preferred
embodiment 10 of the Hypoxic Hyperbaric Fire Escape and Suppression
System (HHFESS) that is most suitable for various types of
multilevel buildings and underground facilities.
[0041] A building 11 having a pressurized staircase shaft 12 is
equipped with hypoxic generation station 13 communicating with the
shaft 12 and maintaining in this shaft a hyperbaric atmosphere of
hypoxic gas mixture. The hermetic staircase shaft 12 can be build
as a monolith steel-reinforced concrete structure having an airlock
or pressure-equalizing chamber 31 with two pressurized doors (32
and 33 on FIG. 3) at every floor. In order to access the staircase
12, a user must first open an external door and enter the airlock.
After the external door is closed, the internal door opens slowly
allowing the barometric pressure inside the chamber to equalize
with the hyperbaric pressure inside the staircase shaft. The
pressure equalization may be achieved also through a pressure
relief valve in the internal door.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows schematically the working principle of the
embodiment 10. Compressor 21 intakes ambient atmospheric air
through filter 27 and sends it in compressed form into
air-separation module 22 where a part of oxygen is extracted. The
oxygen-enriched gas mixture can be disposed into the atmosphere
through outlet 28 or, preferably, send to a fuel-cell power plant
that can generate electricity for the object needs. The product
remaining after the oxygen extraction is an oxygen-depleted
(hypoxic) gas mixture, containing 12% of oxygen and about 88% of
nitrogen with traces of other atmospheric gases and moisture.
[0043] Oxygen-extraction technology is well known to those skilled
in the art and air-separation module 22 may employ
oxygen-enrichment membranes and pressure, vacuum or temperature
swing adsorption processes, cryogenic distillation and other
air-separation technologies. Suitable air-separation modules are
available from FirePASS Corporation and Hypoxico Inc. in New York,
and the working principles of these modules has been described in
previous patent applications provided above. The biggest advantage
of these modules is that they do not remove moisture and carbon
dioxide from the ambient air during the separation process that are
important for human respiration.
[0044] The hypoxic gas mixture is further transmitted into
staircase shaft 12, wherein it is constantly kept under a desired
positive pressure. An optional air-conditioning unit 23 can
regulate temperature and humidity of the transmitted gas mixture
and an additional HEPA filter 24 will provide its sterility.
[0045] The recommended barometric pressure is about 1 atmosphere
above the standard atmospheric pressure at given altitude and can
be lower or higher, if needed. The product with oxygen content of
12% becomes at this pressure perfectly safe for breathing for any
amount of time since the partial pressure of oxygen it this
hyperbaric environment will be 243.6 Mb, which is more than in
ambient air at sea level (212.1 Mb). This means that the staircase
can be accessed and operated normally at any time.
[0046] When fire is detected on floor 25, both doors leading to the
staircase 12 on this floor open slowly releasing hypoxic atmosphere
into the floor and allowing residents to escape into staircase 12.
Hypoxic fire extinguishing composition replaces the normoxic
atmosphere on the floor 25 that together with the combustion
products is forced outside through the ventilation shaft 26. At
this time all other ventilation equipment in the building must be
shut down. The volume of the hypoxic composition released into the
floor affected by fire will be equal to the internal volume of the
staircase shaft, if previously kept under pressure of 1 atmosphere
above the standard pressure. In most modern buildings this will be
enough for total flooding of any floor and instant fire
extinguishing. Buildings with larger floors should have multiple
hyperbaric staircase compartments.
[0047] After the hypoxic composition is released and the barometric
pressure in the staircase drops to near standard, the hypoxic
generation station 13 (consisting of the units 21, 22, 23, 24 and
27) starts working in its highest capacity providing more hypoxic
composition for the ventilation of the floor affected by fire. This
process can continue for as long as needed until the fire source is
located and eliminated. The hypoxic generation station 13 available
from FirePASS Corporation can be assembled in a 40-foot shipping
container and can supply up to 40 m3 per minute of the hypoxic
fire-extinguishing composition with oxygen content of 14% that is
recommended for the ventilation of the staircase 12 after in
becomes normobaric.
[0048] A typical building floor plan is provided for better
illustration on FIG. 3. The staircase 12 has a pressurization
chamber or airlock 31 on each floor separated by hermetic internal
door 32 and external door 33. It is advisable to make both doors of
the sliding type in order to provide safe operation during a
pressure equalization process that will take place during normal
entry. When somebody needs to use the stairs 12, he or she would
need to press a button on door 33 that will open automatically and
close after the person enters the airlock chamber 31. The pressure
inside chamber 31 becomes equalized with the hyperbaric pressure
inside staircase 12 through a special relief valve or simply by
depressurizing door 32. The door 32 opens and the person can enter
the staircase 12. The same procedure applies in reverse when
someone wants to enter a floor from the staircase 12. The door 32
opens automatically after the "open" button is pressed and chamber
31 equalizes its pressure with compartment 12, and a person can
enter the chamber 31. Door 32 closes and some internal air is
released into the floor in order to equalize the pressures, after
which the door 33 opens allowing the floor entry. All doors can be
also operated fully automatically by a signal from a motion
detector or an optical sensor detecting a person approaching a
door. All staircase entries should be monitored by a building
security via video cameras.
[0049] The fire-suppressive atmosphere inside a staircase of
apartment and office buildings during normal operation should
contain 12% oxygen that will provide even higher partial pressure
of oxygen than the ambient air at the gauge pressure of 1
atmosphere. Lower pressures can be used in many applications as
well. For instance, an internal gauge pressure of 0.5 atmospheres
(or absolute pressure of 1.5 atm) will provide 182.7 millibar of
oxygen partial pressure, which corresponds to an absolutely safe
altitude of 1200 meters. In some applications, a staircase can be
kept at a minor positive pressure that will not require an airlock
for entry--just one hermetic or semi-airtight door would suit in
this case.
[0050] When fire is detected in any room or apartment on the floor,
both doors 32 and 33 open slowly releasing hyperbaric hypoxic
atmosphere into the floor and flooding it completely. In modern
buildings there are always small gaps under the doors that will
allow hyperbaric hypoxic composition to enter into each unit while
forcing the internal ambient atmosphere out through the ventilation
shafts 26.
[0051] The fire-suppression performance of the system can be
improved significantly by installing a special emergency
ventilation port 42 or ventilation duct 35 above each door on a
floor, as shown on FIGS. 4 and 5 (viewed from the inside of a
room). Cover 41 of the emergency ventilation port 42 is normally
closed by a locking device 43 that can be unlocked automatically by
a signal from a fire/smoke detector 44. From the outside the port
42 is protected from intrusion by a strong metal mesh or grid 45
that allows air through when cover 41 opens.
[0052] In case of a fire, detector 44 sends a signal that opens
port only in the fire affected unit or apartment 34. This will
allow the hypoxic composition released from staircase 12 to flood
the unit 34 rapidly and extinguishing any ongoing fire completely,
while providing breathable atmosphere for occupants. An open or
broken (e.g. by explosion) window will only help to replace the
normoxic atmosphere with the hypoxic fire-extinguishing composition
faster. Outside air will not be allowed in since the hypoxic
generation station 13 will provide sufficient flow of the hypoxic
composition in order to constantly maintain positive pressure
inside the building and particularly in the floor affected by fire.
An escape route to the staircase 12 can be easily found even in a
total darkness just by walking against the air current.
[0053] A signal from detector 44 is also transmitted to the main
security system of the building, which will expose the location of
fire immediately and allow backing up the operation of doors 32 and
33 and module 13.
[0054] The locking device 43 can be made as an electromagnetic lock
that opens when current is applied or cut off. The most preferred
device should have an electro-explosive or pressurized gas actuator
that would simply let off the cover 41. The actuators can be
similar to those used in automobile airbags and are available from
a number of manufacturers including FirePASS Corporation.
[0055] The following calculations will prove the effectiveness of
the HHFESS. A 30-story building with a floor size of 500 m2 would
have a floor internal air volume of about 1000 m3. Two staircases
(required in such buildings by fire safety standards) would have a
total air volume of 2000 m3 (provided they have at least 2 floors
below ground). This means that at a gauge pressure of 1 atmosphere
both staircases would contain additional 2000 m3 of hypoxic
composition ready to be released in case of a fire at any floor.
2000 m3 of hypoxic composition with 12% oxygen content can produce
over 3600 m3 of the hypoxic fire-extinguishing composition with
14.5% O2 by mixing with the ambient air. This amount is more than
sufficient to flood any floor affected by fire, regardless of the
hypoxic composition loss through the ventilation and elevator
shafts. Any fire would be extinguished immediately and the hypoxic
fire-suppressive atmosphere will be maintained at a positive
pressure for as long as needed by the hypoxic generation station
13.
[0056] A hyperbaric staircase atmosphere at a gauge pressure of 0.5
atmospheres will still produce 1500 m3 of hypoxic composition with
12% O2 or 2700 m3 of hypoxic composition with 14.5%, which would be
sufficient for the building with a 1000 m3 floor.
[0057] As an alternative solution shown on FIGS. 5A and 5B,
emergency ventilation port 52 can be connected to an emergency
ventilation duct 35 (as shown on FIG. 3) that can be installed
between staircase 12 and unit 34 (and all other units on the floor)
in order to provide direct discharge and efficient flooding of a
unit on fire with the hypoxic fire-extinguishing composition. In
this case, in addition to locking device 43, a locking device with
a gas release valve 36 will be installed in order to provide an
airlock-type assembly of the duct 35. Both locking devices 36 and
43 will be initiated to open by a signal from detector 44 and/or
control panel 61 allowing hypoxic composition to flow directly into
a unit affected by fire. In this case there will be no need to open
both doors 32 and 33 simultaneously and to flood the whole floor.
The hypoxic composition at hyperbaric pressure will rapidly flood
the whole unit 34 extinguishing any ongoing fire promptly.
[0058] This alternative solution is more cost-effective since only
a small portion of the hypoxic composition will be used from its
storage in hyperbaric staircase 12 and will need to be regenerated
by hypoxic generator station 13, the size and capacity of which can
be reduced substantially. Moreover, multiple fires in different
units and on different floors can be extinguished simultaneously,
which may be needed during an earthquake, wildfire, war or a
terrorist attack.
[0059] This solution also allows to substantially reduce the
initial hyperbaric pressure inside staircase compartment 12 to the
range from 1.01 to 1.1 atmospheres of absolute pressure or from
0.01 to 0.1 atm of gauge pressure and to use much lighter airlock
doors 32 and 33.
[0060] FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the working principle of
the HHFESS having main computerized control station 61 on the
ground floor. When a fire starts in apartment 34, the fire/smoke
detector 44 sends a signal to the computerized control station 61
and locking device 43 that opens the emergency ventilation cover 41
(or both 43 and 36, if an emergency ventilation duct 35 is
installed as shown on FIGS. 3 and 5). At the same moment both doors
32 and 33 depressurize and open gradually, allowing hypoxic
fire-suppressive atmosphere into the floor. Alternatively, when
duct 35 is installed, doors 32 and 33 stay pressurized and hypoxic
composition is released directly into unit 34. A video camera 62
helps to monitor the situation and exit of residents from the
floor. Even if, for some reason, the station 61 becomes inoperable,
the floor residents will be able to open both doors 32 and 33
manually using an emergency feature.
[0061] As both doors 32 and 33 (or alternatively, valve 36) open,
the pressure inside the staircase 12 drops rapidly, which at
certain point (e.g. 0.1 atm) is detected by a pressure transducer
63 that turns on the hypoxic generation station 13 and a back-up
power generator or fuel cell 64. Power generator 64 will produce a
sufficient amount of electricity to power for at least several
hours all of the building's emergency systems including hypoxic
generator station 13 and control unit 61. All other ventilation
equipment in the building must be shut down.
[0062] After hypoxic composition being released into a floor or a
unit affected by fire and barometric pressure inside staircase
compartment 12 drops to near standard level, all external airlock
doors 33 open in the whole building allowing easier entry through
one internal door that can be opened by a signal from an optical
sensor or a motion detector initiated by an approaching person.
[0063] A further important feature of the Building HHFESS is its
ability to provide adequate protection against biological and
chemical warfare agents. Firstly, the hyperbaric environment in the
staircase 12 provides constant safety against a fire, smoke,
biological and chemical contaminants, since:
[0064] nothing can be ignited inside making combustion
impossible
[0065] smoke from a floor cannot get in due to a constant pressure
difference
[0066] biological and chemical agents are filtered out by a the
intake filter 27 and additionally can be destroyed by the heat of
the compressor 21; a supplementary HEPA/carbon filter 24 provides
an additional sterilization and safety for the system.
[0067] Secondly, in case of a chemical or biological attack (that
can be detected by special sensors installed with the filter 27)
the HHFESS can convert the whole building into a protective zone by
simply opening all pressurized doors. This will provide a safe
positive pressure inside the building that will be maintained by
the hypoxic generator station 13. All other ventilation equipment
must be shut down in this case too.
[0068] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 present the most practical and
cost-effective embodiments of HHFESS that can be installed at any
existing high-rise building or incorporated in new projects.
[0069] Building 71 shown on FIG. 7 having an external HHFESS
compartment 72 that can be easily assembled from steel pipe
elements used in natural gas and oil industry. An escape staircase
74 is assembled inside staircase shaft 72 from light steel
elements. Compartment 72 is communicating with every floor of
building 71 through semi-airtight escape bridges 75 having a
standard semi-airtight entry door 81 on the building side and a
hermetic pressurized compartment door 80. The door 80 must be
strong enough to withhold internal compartment pressure, which is
constantly maintained at 5 atmospheres of higher, if desired.
[0070] Hypoxic generator station 73 initially creates an internal
hypoxic atmosphere inside compartment 72 that is further constantly
maintained at 5 atm gauge pressure. The recommended oxygen
concentration in this hypoxic atmosphere is 12%.
[0071] The most recommended 5 atm pressure inside compartment 72
would apply 100 metric ton pressure on the door 80, which will make
it absolutely inaccessible during normal operation. A maintenance
or inspection worker can still access compartment 12 through a
depressurization chamber 79, however he would have to spend several
hours in this chamber before he can get out, exactly as it is
required for divers returning from the 50 meter depth.
[0072] Additionally, compartment 72 is communicating with a floor
of building 71 through a gas release pipe 78 having a gas release
valve 82 on the end. Valve 82 is preferably a burst disc type
device having an electro explosive actuator initiated by a signal
from the fire detecting system. A simple air siren can be installed
on valve 82 in order to warn residents in case of a fire
emergency.
[0073] When fire is detected, valve 82 opens releasing hypoxic
fire-suppressive composition from compartment 72 into the floor
affected by fire. A gas distribution piping, similar to 35, can be
installed throughout a floor for more precise delivery of
fire-suppressive composition into a room or an area affected by
fire. Alternatively, emergency ventilation ports 42 can be
installed at any room on a floor. Breathable hypoxic
fire-suppressive composition will rapidly replace the internal
floor atmosphere that will be forced out through a ventilation
shaft 26. The internal pressure in compartment 72 drops to near
standard and hermetic escape doors 80 becomes open on every floor.
This can be easily accomplished by inserting springs into the
doorframe that will push the door open when internal pressure drops
or by using memory-shape gasket from a polymer or composite
material. A standard door spring or other closing device can open
doors 81 any time and close automatically.
[0074] At the same time hypoxic generator 73 starts its operation
providing about 40 m3 of hypoxic air with oxygen content of 14%,
most of which will be directed through an open pipe 78 into the
floor affected by fire. A fire-safe hypoxic atmosphere will be
maintained in staircase compartment 72 and its positive pressure
will guarantee that no smoke or fire will get in. Building
occupants can walk down the stairs 74 into lobby or basement and
leave the building 71. Submarine-type illuminators 76 will provide
day light into compartment 72 that also has to be equipped with an
emergency light supply.
[0075] The amount of the breathable hypoxic fire-suppressive
composition that can be discharged from a 30-story staircase
compartment 72 having 4 meters in diameter would be about 5000 m3,
provided it was kept under 5 atm pressure.
[0076] FIGS. 8A and 8B show escape bridge 75 in a frontal and plan
view accordingly. Gas release pipe 78 is installed above the doors
80 and 81 and is blocked by the gas release valve 82.
[0077] FIG. 9 shows an alternative HHFESS embodiment 90 having
external hyperbaric compartment 92, similar to 72, and
communicating with building 91 through a pressurized piping circuit
94 having a vertical gas distribution pipe with gas release nozzles
96. Nozzles 96 are equipped with gas release valves, similar to 82,
and can be actuated by a signal from a fire detection system, in
which case the hyperbaric hypoxic composition contained in
compartment 92 under pressure of 5 or more atmospheres is released
into the floor or room affected by fire. A significant benefit of
the use of hyperbaric composition is that upon release it becomes
very cold due to depressurization, which will help to suppress fire
by additional thermal absorption. As soon as the pressure in the
system 92-94 drops, automatic valves 97 and 98 close and hypoxic
generator 93 starts pumping hypoxic air with 14% O2 through the
vertical part of pipe 94 and open nozzle 96 into the same floor
maintaining breathable fire-extinguishing atmosphere for as long as
needed.
[0078] At the same time pressurized doors 80 becomes open and
building's residents may escape into staircase 92 through door 81
and an open-air bridge 95. Staircase compartment 92 rapidly becomes
normoxic since ambient air will freely access it through the open
doors 80, and escapees may safely walk down the stairs, while
breathing ambient air, and exit compartment 92 through door 99.
[0079] FIG. 10 presents HHFESS for a transportation tunnel system
101 having two main transportation tubes 102 and 103 and a service
tunnel 104. Main tubes 102 and 103 are open at their ends for
traffic. Tube 104 is build as a hermetic structure pressurized up
to 1 atmosphere or higher, if needed. All entries into the tube 104
are equipped with hermetic airlocks (e.g. 105, 106 and 108) having
accordingly two pressurized doors each. Hypoxic generator stations
107 produce hypoxic air sufficiently to keep the tube 104 under
barometric (gauge) pressure of 1 atmosphere above the standard at
given altitude. Emergency storage containers 111 hold supplementary
amounts of hypoxic air at much higher (up to 500 atm) pressure in
order to provide additional safety in case of multiple fires in
different tubes of a tunnel network or natural disasters. When
needed these supplementary amounts of hypoxic air can be released
through a pressure reducing device into tunnel 104. The hypoxic air
or fire-extinguishing composition inside service tunnel 104
contains 10% of oxygen, which provides at 1 atm pressure a safe
human-breathable environment with a near normal partial pressure of
oxygen at 101.5 Mb, corresponding to a normobaric oxygen
concentration of 20% or an altitude of only 350 meters. Tunnel 104
can be entered or exited through the airlock doors 108 and can be
normally operated as a service tunnel providing access for
maintenance crews to different parts of the tunnel network. In some
applications the oxygen concentration may vary from 7% to 14%,
which would correspond to normobaric concentrations from 14% to
28%, being perfectly suitable for breathing.
[0080] The Tunnel HHFESS 101 can be easily applied to the existing
Eurotunnel since it already has a pressurized service tunnel
designed for 1 atm of gauge pressure and having corresponding
airlocks with hermetic doors. The only work that needs to be done
to install HHFESS is to replace current gigantic blowers that
maintain 1 atm pressure in the service tunnel with the hypoxic
generation stations 107 that would maintain hyperbaric hypoxic
atmosphere inside.
[0081] The working principle of the Tunnel HHFESS 101 is similar to
the Building HHFESS. When fire is detected in tunnel 103, the
nearest airlocks 105 and 106 open both doors automatically (by a
signal from the main control center) allowing hyperbaric hypoxic
composition to exit and flood the tube 103 or its part affected by
fire. The ventilation of the tunnel 103 (if any provided) and all
traffic must be stopped simultaneously. Even if the volume of the
service tunnel 104 were only a half of the tunnel 103, the amount
of the released hyperbaric hypoxic composition would produce
fire-extinguishing composition with 15% oxygen content in a
quantity equal to the volume of the tunnel 104. This will guarantee
that any fire will be extinguished within a few minutes, while
providing commuters with a safe breathable atmosphere.
[0082] At the same moment hypoxic generation stations 107 would
start producing hypoxic air with O2 content of preferably 14%-15%
and in quantities sufficient to keep positive pressure in the tube
103. This will permit keeping an absolutely safe human-breathable
fire-suppressive atmosphere for as long as needed. Trapped
passengers may escape the tunnel 103, via connecting tubes 109 and
110, and get into safety of the tunnel 104 just by walking against
the flow of the fresh hypoxic air, which would be possible even in
a total darkness that may occur after an explosion. Escape tunnels
109, 110 and service tunnel 104 should be equipped with sufficient
amount of respiratory support means, in order to provide
supplemental oxygen to all possible escapees.
[0083] The Most Valuable Advantage of the Invented HHFESS is its
Unique Quadruple Functionality:
[0084] 1. Full accessibility and function during normal operation
as service area having safe breathable atmosphere with near normal
partial pressure of oxygen.
[0085] 2. Instant suppression of an ongoing fire through the
release of the stored breathable hyperbaric hypoxic
fire-extinguishing composition into an area affected by fire.
[0086] 3. Providing a totally safe fire escape area with the
absolute guarantee that no fire or smoke can get in.
[0087] 4. Providing continuous adequate protection against chemical
or biological agents by converting a whole building or a tunnel
into a positive pressure area.
[0088] Breathable hyperbaric hypoxic fire-suppressive environments
can also be used in an underwater station, submarine, tank or other
military vehicle or marine vessel. An increased barometric pressure
inside such human-occupied compartments permits keeping oxygen
concentrations at extremely low levels (e.g. 7%-10%), while
providing near normal partial pressure of oxygen in the internal
atmosphere. This will allow providing great fire safety and
significantly decreasing a risk of fire from an internal detonation
or a penetration of a fire-initiating projectile.
* * * * *