Valve

The invention relates to a valve for controlling a pressurized fluid medium according to the features of the preamble of the first claim.

Under fluid media liquids and gases are understood.

The valve is applicable in systems and devices, where it in a first switching state the flow of the medium prevents ieeg openings in containers or volume segments or pipes closes. If necessary, a second switching state is generated by an electric voltage or a voltage signal and the valve is opened and released the flow of the fluid medium. For the maintenance of both switching states no external foreign energy from batteries, accumulators or other external power supply is necessary.

The invention is widely applicable where fluid media are present as in the food, chemical and petro-chemical industry, drinking and industrial water supply and other industries.

In an advantageous embodiment, the fluid medium is a chemical, such as water, a water-foam mixture, a gas or a chemical extinguishing agents. Since some extinguishing agents also have a cooling effect, and a coolant is further understood by the term extinguishing agent.

The valve is in extinguishing systems and erasing devices applicable where pressure vessel assemblies, pipes or the volume segments are sealed with quenching or cooling equipment by a valve, and in case of need, for example, the valve is opened upon detection of a fire by an electric voltage or a voltage signal and the extinguishing agent flow releases.

<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP0824027A1"><text>EP 0824027 A1</text></patcit> describes an explosion protection device with electric triggering, the trigger means is operated by a spring and an electromagnet. The electromagnet is permanently supplied with current. As soon as the power supply for the electromagnet fails, the spring-back, so that a locking device is pulled back, the other on a

Mechanism acts. The device does not work energy independent and is also not suitable to be disposed at a quenching device.

<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE19945856B4"><text>DE 199 45 856 B4 </text></patcit>discloses a sprinkler with a valve, which opens at predetermined criteria, said valve is controlled by a sensor which responds quickly to parameters that result in a fire, wherein a plurality of sensors are provided, which drive by means of an evaluation algorithm the valve and the sensors may be responsive to various parameters of the fire. In one particular embodiment, the document describes a glass tube, to which a piezoelectric behavior is used to trigger an alarm. The power can be supplied by means of electrical cable and battery.

A disadvantage of this prior art that valves in existing plants the abovementioned areas of application, eg. As extinguishing devices are commonly controlled by solenoid valves or other driving devices, which presupposes an energy storage by batteries or a power supply cable.

Known solenoid valves for control of fluid media, for example for extinguishing media require a permanent power supply for the standby state and / or for the triggering condition. Especially in disaster or fire power points can be destroyed, which are provided for the current and voltage supply for control purposes of valves. In this case, failure of valves which require a permanent power supply for the maintenance of operating and / or trigger condition.

Furthermore, known solenoid valves have the disadvantage that they have a defined minimum electric power required for certain pressure ranges in order to reach the activated condition.

Other known systems are driven by assembly and material consuming strung cables or hydraulic / pneumatic Anregerleitungen.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a valve for which no external external energy such as batteries, accumulators or other external power supply to maintain the stand-by and the release state is necessary, wherein the electrical power for the switching operation to achieve the release state independently from the to be pressure of the incoming fluid medium.

This object is achieved by a valve according to the features of the first claim.

Dependent claims disclose advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The inventive solution relates to a valve for controlling a pressurized fluid medium, consisting of the housing with the fluid inlet port and the media outlet port, said inlet and outlet connections are connected together. According to the invention holds an electrically deactivatable permanent magnet valve by a double piston against the force of a spring in the standby state is closed until an electrical signal the permanent magnet disabled. Under deactivating the lifting of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet or its attenuation is understood so that the permanent magnet adhering parts are released.

Furthermore, the term stand-by state for the position of the valve used, which prevents the flow of the fluid medium, d. H, closes a container or a pipe segment, or any volume segment.

Under triggering condition, the valve position is understood that releases the flow of the fluid medium, for example, opens a pressure vessel or freeing a flow in a volume segment of a device or in a pipeline.

The electrically deactivatable permanent magnet is disposed in an advantageous manner in a separate removable housing, but it may also be arranged in the valve housing.

The piston rod of the double piston valve can be magnetized. It is also possible that between the double piston and electropermanent magnet, a magnetizable disk or other magnetic or magnetizable element is arranged, which may adhere to the permanent magnet.

It may also be advantageous that the electrically deactivatable permanent magnet is connected by cable to a detector or a control device.

Moreover, it may be advantageous that the piston of the double piston are the same dimensions, so that the valve is a pressure and forces neutral valve lock to which the pressure-loaded fluid medium acts. With the same dimensions it is meant that the surfaces of the pistons, on which the operating pressure of the fluid medium acts, are the same size, and thus cancel out by the physical relationship between pressure and surface forces in a double piston chamber to the piston.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that in the piston rod of the double piston has a longitudinal bore to reduce leakage of pressure is arranged.

It is also advantageous if the electrical voltage or the voltage signal to trigger the electrically deactivatable permanent magnet by a strange self-powered detector, a control device or a fire detection and / or extinguishing control panel is done.

The valve consists of a double piston with the piston rod and the actuating direction, which may be the valve is a pulse valve, which is equipped with the electrically deactivatable permanent magnet which is connected via a cable with an actuating device and can be triggered on this. The supply of the fluid medium as a gas, a fluid or an extinguishing agent can be effected via a line and / or from a storage container such as an extinguishing agent reservoir. The reservoir, for example the supply of extinguishing agent container is pressure-charged.

The valve in the feed of the fluid medium such as an extinguishing agent in extinguishing agent-carrying components or on a pressure-charged supply of extinguishing agent container has a double piston, which is biased via a spring. Spring and double piston located in a housing with Löschmitteleintritts- and outlets that are connected to a channel. For generating the switching states of the valve, a permanent magnet and a coil are arranged. These components form an electrically deactivatable permanent magnet having electrical connections for applying a voltage.

The electrically deactivatable permanent magnet is arranged in the valve housing, wherein the double piston in the standby state, that is in the closed position, the permanent magnet is liable electrically deactivatable. In a further advantageous embodiment, the electrically deactivatable permanent magnet is in a detachable from the valve body housing. For this purpose, between the valve housing and the housing with the permanent magnet such as a bayonet connection, a screw or other connection known in the art.

Advantageously, a disc of magnetizable material, eg. As a steel plate arranged between the piston and the electric permanent magnet. Further, a circlip may be present. In addition, it is advantageous in the housing a non-return valve, a seal and the connection for a pressure gauge or to arrange a pressure indicator.

One of the double piston is positioned in the standby state in the valve body between the Löschmitteleintritts- and the extinguishing agent outlet opening and closes a communication passage therebetween. In tripped condition, the magnetic field of the permanent magnet is canceled or mitigated. Thus, the adhesive directly on the permanent magnet piston rod or the liability of the piston via a magnetic disc or another magnetic or magnetizable element is released. This piston is moved through which relaxing spring so that the connection channel is free, and the fluid medium such as a gas or a liquid such as an extinguishing medium can flow to the outlet opening of the valve.

The trigger condition is achieved by applying a voltage, a voltage pulse or a voltage signal to a coil for demagnetization of the permanent magnet.

The voltage or the voltage signal to the actuation or tripping of the valve can come from a control device which generates, if necessary, this voltage signal, or from a sensor or a detector. For the application in extinguishing devices and extinguishing systems, it is advantageous this voltage signal from fire detectors, or to ask of fire detection and / or extinguishing control panels or other suitable device available.

The voltage, a current or voltage signal can be generated by the state change thermal tripping elements and which are passed over the cable to the permanent magnet, whereby the adhesive forces of the magnets are removed and the double piston is moved by the spring force. The valve is opened and the pressurized liquid medium as an extinguishing agent is fed through the valve and through the lines to at least one extinguishing nozzle and thus the fire.

The valve according to the invention has the advantage that no external external energy such as batteries, accumulators or other external power supply are necessary for maintaining the standby state and of the tripping state, the release state via the demagnetization of a permanent magnet is achieved by applying a voltage, whereby a reliable, inexpensive and little material elaborate valve is available.

A further advantage of the valve according to the invention is that it can be used for an arbitrarily large pressure range of the applied fluid medium. The pressure range is limited only by the compressive strength of the valve assembly and the valve housing. The operating pressure of the fluid medium and whose force action will not affect the dimensioning of the valve closure (piston) and the strength of the required driving force. An increase or decrease the operating pressure does not affect the position of the valve. The operating pressure of the fluid medium acting on this valve only in a double piston chamber, the pressure chamber, which is formed by two interconnected same flask. The forces of the operating pressure to the same dimensions pistons cancel each other out and the valve can remain in the closed position at any pressure increase and without effort. The electrical power for the switching operation to reach the trip condition is thus independent of the pressure of the applied fluid medium.

The invention in one embodiment, and four figures is explained in detail. The figures show:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Figure 1:</dt><dd>Schematic representation of the inventive valve</dd><dt>Figure 2:</dt><dd>Schematic representation of the valve to an extinguishing device with an external power, independent detectors.</dd><dt>Figure 3:</dt><dd>Representation of the valve actuation via a control device</dd><dt>Figure 4:</dt><dd>Schematic representation of the valve for extinguishing agent release and distribution of an extinguishing agent tank </dd><dt>Figure 5:</dt><dd>Schematic representation of the valve in the line for the transport of the fluid medium.</dd></dl>

<figref idrefs="f0001"><i>figure 1</i></figref> shows the valve according to the invention 2, consisting of the housing 2.1 out using a double piston consisting of two piston 2.3.1 on a piston rod 2.3, a guide bush 2.6 for the piston rod 2.3 and the locking ring in a groove 2.5 2.16. Using compression spring 2.4 is a piston 2.3.1 of the double piston against the bushing 2.6 tensioned. The disc 2.8 of magnetic material can be fixedly connected to the piston or the piston rod 2.3. The permanent magnet 2.9 is surrounded by a coil 10 with electrical terminals 15 for applying a voltage signal to the demagnetization of the permanent magnets 2.9. Furthermore, the media inlet nozzle 2.10, the media outlet nozzle 2.11 and one or more ports for printing advertisements 2:12 in the housing 2.1 are arranged.

The double piston with the piston rod 2.3 is held in operative (closed) position with its piston 2.3.1 against the force of the tensioned spring 2.4 from permanent magnets 2.9. The double piston liable on the magnetic element 2.8 on the permanent magnets 2.9. In the cocked position the piston form a locked 2.3.1 pressure chamber 2:15 communicating with media inlet nozzle 2.10 and the connections for the pressure display 2:12.

Pistons 2.3.1 are the same size to enable to 2:15 cancel acting on the double piston forces at any desired pressures in the pressure chamber. Thereby, the piston 2.3.1 remain at any pressure increase without effort in the closed position and in a static state. With the same dimensions of the piston 2.3.1 is meant that the surfaces of the piston in the pressure chamber 2:15 acted on the operating pressure of the fluid medium, or have the same size approximately the same size, and thus and by the physical relationship between pressure area, the forces cancel the two pistons 2.3.1 in the pressure chamber 2.15.

Pistons 2.3.1 and the guide bushing 2.6 are sealed against the housing 2.1 with seals 2.7.

2.2 the magnet housing with the permanent magnets 2.9 and the coil 10 is connected with screws 14.2 with the housing 2.1 of the valve. Alternatively, other, not shown fasteners used or the permanent magnet 2.9, the coil 10 and the terminals 15 are arranged directly in the housing of the valve 2.1.

A bore 2:13 in the piston rod 2.3 connects the spring chamber 17.2 and the medium outlet port 2:11. In order for these volumes can communicate. By bore 2:13, a leakage pressure (pressure build-up) in the spring chamber 2.17 caused by a leak in the seal of the piston 2.7 2.3.1, mined in the open extinguishing media outlet nozzle 2.11 and are thus preventing erroneous operation of the valve. 2

By applying an electric voltage or a voltage signal to the terminals 15 of the coil 10 a magnetic opposing field is formed, which cancels the magnetic field of the permanent magnets 2.9 and 2.3, the adhering piston rod of the double piston with the magnetic disk 2.8 are free. Characterized the double piston is moved by the tensioned spring 2.4 in the open valve position.

The <figref idrefs="f0002"><i>figure</i> 2</figref> 2 shows the valve according to the invention in a quenching device. The piezo detectors 3 is positioned above the protected object 6 to allow at a defined temperature a signaling, control or switching operation.

The cable 4 connects the terminals 15 of the piezoelectric element 3.1 and the detector 3 with the terminals of the electrically triggerable valve 2. The valve 2 closes the opening of the extinguishing agent container 1 in which the propellant gas and the extinguishing agent 1.2 1.3 located. The riser pipe 1.1 is used for discharging the extinguishing agent 1.3 via the valve 2 to the extinguishing nozzle 5 above the protected object 6. The activation of the valve 2, is carried out in case of fire the thermal release element 3.2.

The detector 3 consisting of a piezo element 3.1, the thermal triggering element 3.2 and the coupling element 11 and the mounting or housing 3.3. The thermal release element 3.2 represents a sprinkler bulb or a fusible link. In achieving a defined temperature, there is a state change of the heat responsive element 3.2, it will burst the sprinkler bulb or melts the fusible link.

The arrangement of the heat responsive element 3.2, the coupling element 11 and the piezoelectric element 3.1 in the housing / holder 3.3 is designed so that the state change of the heat responsive element 3.2 at a defined temperature via the coupling element 11 a force or a mechanical pressure on a piezo element 3.1 is applied and generated via the piezoelectric effect, a voltage signal.

The voltage signal thus generated is routed via the cable 4 to the electric permanent magnets 2.9. The briefly applied voltage is sufficient to pick up the magnetic field of the permanent magnets 2.9 and its adhesive force. The double piston is released and moved by the spring force of the compression spring in the open valve position. This is under permanent pressure of a propellant 1.2 Extinguishing Media 1.3 is conveyed via a riser 1.1 at the extinguishing nozzle 5 and thus to the fire, so the fire is extinguished.

The <figref idrefs="f0003"><i>figure</i> 3</figref> shows a valve 2 with a control device 7. In this case, the control device 7 is a fire detection and / or extinguishing control panel. This is replaced in case of fire connected fire alarm, a fire alarm signal and generates a voltage signal that is passed through an electrical connection to the terminals 15 of entmagnetisierbaren permanent magnets 2.9. The valve 2 is placed over the connection to the fire detection and / or extinguishing control panel in the activated condition and gives the extinguishing agent 1.3 from the pressurized extinguishing agent container 1 via the nozzle 5 free. The deletion on protected object 6 is introduced.

The <figref idrefs="f0004"><i>figure 4</i></figref> shows a schematic representation of the control of the valve 2 with a control device 7, and the release of the extinguishing agent from an open extinguishant container 1. Between the extinguishing medium container 1 and the valve 2 are arranged a discharge line 8 and a pump. 9 Advantageously, the arrangement of several erase lines 8, or the branch of the discharge line 8 to the pump 9 into individual extinguishing wiring harnesses for several extinguishing zones, being arranged per extinguishing wiring harness and extinguishing section a valve 2 with extinguisher line at the media outlet nozzle and at least one nozzle 5 per extinguishing area. In the illustrated embodiment, the control device 7 is a fire detection and / or extinguishing control panel. This is replaced in case of fire on the connected smoke detectors, a fire alarm signal and generates a voltage signal, which is then passed through an electrical connection to the terminals 15 of the permanent magnet entmagnetisierbaren 2.9 of valves. 2

Also, the pump 9 can be driven by the driving device 7 (not shown).

After actuation of the pump 9 is located at the medium inlet connection of the valves 2 to the pressurized extinguishant. Selective one or more valves 2 of the control device 7 in the activated condition can now be added and the extinguishing agent to be released through the nozzle 5 in the controlled flooding zones.

The <figref idrefs="f0005"><i>figure 5</i></figref> 2 shows the valve in a conduit 8 for the transport of a fluid medium from a pressurized reservoir 12 in a different storage container 12. In the event that a tank 12 is empty, the additional reservoir 12 is to be filled.

By a sensor 13 it is determined that the one reservoir 12 is empty, whereupon the activation device 7 is an electrical Spanungssignal to the terminals 15 to the deactivation of the permanent magnet 2.9 of the valve 2 is and this opens, so that the pressurized fluid medium from a reservoir 12 can flow into the other reservoir 12th

List of reference numerals used

<dl id="dl0002"><dt>1</dt><dd>Extinguishing agent reservoir</dd><dt>1.1</dt><dd>riser</dd><dt>1.2</dt><dd>propellant</dd><dt>1.3</dt><dd>extinguishing Media</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>Valve</dd><dt>2.1</dt><dd>housing</dd><dt>2.2</dt><dd>magnet housing</dd><dt>2.3</dt><dd>piston rod</dd><dt>2.3.1</dt><dd>piston</dd><dt>2.4</dt><dd>compression spring</dd><dt>2.5</dt><dd>circlip</dd><dt>2.6</dt><dd>guide bush</dd><dt>2.7</dt><dd>poetry</dd><dt>2.8</dt><dd>steel disc</dd><dt>2.9</dt><dd>permanent magnet</dd><dt>2:10</dt><dd>Media inlet connection</dd><dt>2:11</dt><dd>Media outlet pipe</dd><dt>2:12</dt><dd>Connection for pressure gauge</dd><dt>2:13</dt><dd>drilling</dd><dt>2:14</dt><dd>screw</dd><dt>2:15</dt><dd>pressure chamber</dd><dt>2:16</dt><dd>groove</dd><dt>2:17</dt><dd>spring chamber</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>Piezo detectors</dd><dt>3.1</dt><dd>piezo element</dd><dt>3.2</dt><dd>thermal tripping element</dd><dt>3.3</dt><dd>Holders / Case</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>Electric wire</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>nozzle</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>protection object</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>driving device</dd><dt>8th</dt><dd>management</dd><dt>9</dt><dd>pump</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>Kitchen sink</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>reservoir</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>sensor </dd><dt>15</dt><dd>Electrical connections for the deactivation of the permanent magnet</dd></dl>