FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM FOR AIR DUCTS

摘要

A system for suppressing fires generated within air ducts. The system can include a duct with an aperture, a reservoir containing fire retardant material adjacent to the aperture, and a temperature-sensitive sidewall. The aperture can be sealed with the temperature-sensitive sidewall creating a temporary barrier to fluid communication with the interior of the duct and the reservoir. When a source of heat exists within the duct, the temperature-sensitive sidewall melts or ruptures, expelling fire retardant material. The temperature-sensitive sidewall can be a fusible plug or a frangible tube positioned within the duct in a non-obstructive fashion. The fire retardant material stored in the attached reservoir can be expelled into the interior of the duct, suppressing or retarding the source of heat in response to a temperature in excess to a predetermined value.

主权项

1. In a fire suppression system (18) for a duct (20) with a first end (22) and a second end (24) and at least one sidewall (26) extending between the first and second end, wherein the sidewall (26) defines an interior volume (28) of the duct (20), the improvement comprising:
a reservoir (30) for storing a volume of fire retardant material (32); and a temperature-sensitive sidewall (34) in fluid communication with the reservoir (30) and exposed to the interior volume (28) of the duct (20) through an aperture (36) formed in the at least one sidewall (26) allowing introduction of the fire retardant material (32) into the interior volume (28) of the duct (20), the temperature-sensitive sidewall (34) substantially flush with respect to the at least one sidewall (26) of the duct (20), wherein the temperature-sensitive sidewall (34) includes a frangible tube (40) insertable through the aperture (36) formed in the at least one sidewall (26) of the duct (20), and wherein the at least one sidewall (26) of the duct (20) includes a groove (42) formed therein with a depth dimension of sufficient distance to support the frangible tube (40) in a substantially flush position with respect to the at least one sidewall (26) of the duct (20).