Patent ID: 8973669
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: A62C

Abstract:
1. A mist system for fire protection of a light and ordinary hazard occupancy, the system comprising: a fluid supply; and a plurality of nozzles spaced about the occupancy and coupled to the fluid supply so as to provide fluid to the nozzles at an operating pressure of less than about 500 pounds per square inch (psi) and define a hydraulic demand being the greater of: (i) five hydraulically remote nozzles each having a coverage area ranging from 36 sq. ft. to a maximum of about 256 sq. ft; or (ii) a hydraulic design area ranging from about 900 square feet to about 1044 square feet; wherein the plurality of nozzles includes at least one of: (a) a first mist device comprising: a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion defining an internal passage having an inlet and an outlet for the discharge of a fluid to define a K-factor of less than 1 gpm/psi a pair of frame arms extending between the upper and lower body portion and centered about the device axis; a seal assembly disposed in the outlet including a thermally sensitive element to support the seal assembly; a diffuser assembly including: a load screw engaged with the lower body portion; and a diffuser element disposed atop the load screw so as to be located between the upper and lower portions of the body internally of the frame arms centrally aligned along the device axis, the diffuser element including: (b) a second mist device comprising: a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion defining an internal passage having an inlet and an outlet for the discharge of a fluid to define a K-factor of less than 1 gpm/psi a pair of frame arms extending between the upper and lower body portion and centered about the device axis; a seal assembly disposed in the outlet including a thermally sensitive element to support the seal assembly; and a diffuser element, the diffuser element being disposed about a distal end of the lower portion of the body externally of the frame arms centrally aligned along the device axis, the diffusing element including: (c) a third mist device comprising: a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion defining an internal passage having an inlet and an outlet for the discharge of a fluid to define a K-factor of less than 1 gpm/psi a pair of frame arms extending between the upper and lower body portion and centered about the device axis; a seal assembly disposed in the outlet including a thermally sensitive element to support the seal assembly; a diffuser element axially spaced from the outlet to define a coverage area of the device of maximum of 256 sq. ft. at a maximum ceiling height of about ten feet for an operating fluid pressure at the inlet ranging between 140 psi. to 250 psi, the diffuser element having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of channels; wherein when the device is installed 78 inches above a collection area to determine a spray pattern distribution for the device given a fluid test pressure at the inlet of the device to generate a volume of flow from the device, the collection area having three zones: zone one, zone two and zone three, zone one being defined by a sixty degree span about a first plane intersecting the device axis and perpendicular to a second plane intersecting the device axis, the pair of frame arms being disposed in the second plane, zone three being defined by a sixty degree span centered about the second plane, and the zone two being defined by a thirty degree span about a third plane intersecting the device axis and disposed between the first and second planes and extending forty-five degrees relative to each of the first and second planes, the spray pattern of the device providing: (i) wherein the test pressure is 100 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having a two foot radial width with its outer edge located six feet (6 ft.) about the device axis with over 58% of the total volume being distributed in a region eight to twenty feet about the device axis; (ii) wherein the test pressure is 175 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having a two foot radial width with its outer edge located six feet (6 ft.) about the device axis with over 50% of the total volume being distributed in a region eight to twenty feet about the device axis; and (iii) wherein the test pressure is 245 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having a two foot radial width with its outer edge located six feet (6 ft.) about the device axis with over 33% of the total volume being distributed in a region eight to twenty feet about the device axis; and (d) a fourth mist device comprising: a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion defining an internal passage having an inlet and an outlet for the discharge of a fluid to define a K-factor of less than 1 gpm/psi a pair of frame arms extending between the upper and lower body portion and centered about the device axis; a seal assembly disposed in the outlet including a thermally sensitive element to support the seal assembly; and a diffuser element disposed axially from the outlet of the body to define a maximum coverage area of the device of 144 sq. ft. at maximum ceiling height of about 17 ft. for an operating fluid pressure at the inlet ranging between 110 psi. to 250 psi, the diffuser having a plurality of slots and a plurality of through holes; wherein when the device is installed 78 inches above a collection area to determine a spray pattern distribution for the device given a fluid test pressure at the inlet of the device to generate a volume of flow from the device, the collection area having three zones: zone one, zone two and zone three, zone one being defined by a sixty degree span about a first plane intersecting the device axis and perpendicular to a second plane intersecting the device axis, the pair of frame arms being disposed in the second plane, zone three being defined by a sixty degree span centered about the second plane, and zone two being defined by a thirty degree span about a third plane intersecting the device axis and disposed between the first and second planes and extending forty-five degrees relative to each of the first and second planes, the spray pattern of the device providing: (i) wherein the test pressure is 100 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having an inner edge and outer edge with a one foot radial distance between the inner and outer edge, the outer edge located fourteen feet (14 ft.) about the device axis with over 45% of the total volume being distributed in a region twelve to twenty feet about the device axis; (ii) wherein the test pressure is 175 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having an inner edge and outer edge with a one foot radial distance between the inner and outer edge, the outer edge located eight feet (8 ft.) about the device axis with over 63% of the total volume being distributed in a region eight to twenty feet about the device axis; and (iii) wherein the test pressure is 245 psi., the distribution pattern including the highest percentage of the flow volume distributed in a ring centered about the device axis having an inner edge and outer edge with a one foot radial distance between the inner and outer edge, the outer edge located sixteen feet (16 ft.) about the device axis with over 33% of the total volume being distributed in a region eight to twenty feet about the device axis.