Program-controlled robot-designer for selection of automatic fire extinguishing systems
Authors: Горбань Ю.И. , Немчинов С.Г. , Танклевский Л.Т. , Цариченко С.Г. 
Published: March 2023

Автоматические установки пожаротушения (АУП) широко применяются для защиты пожароопасных объектов, при этом выпускается большое количество АУП разных типов. Актуальная задача для проектировщиков – выбор АУП, обеспечивающих эффективную защиту объекта. Для выбора оптимального варианта важно провести сравнительную оценку возможных типов АУП. Для решения этой задачи предлагается использовать программный робот-проектировщик RPA. Разработана автоматизированная программа выбора АУП, которая выполняет функции робота-проектировщика, а пользователь ведет с ним диалог по исходным данным, оценке и выбору предлагаемых вариантов.

Automatic fire extinguishing systems (AFESs) are the basis for the protection of fire-hazardous facilities. Currently, a large number of AFESs of various types are produced. The issue of selecting AFES is of significant importance because it influences both the cost of the technical means used and the efficiency of the facility protection. Recommendations for the choice of automatic fire extinguishing system are given in the VNIIPO paper “Selecting the type of automatic fire extinguishing systems”. The calculation of technical means and efficiency indicators is carried out for each type of AFES for the comparative evaluation in accordance with these recommendations. The calculations are entered manually and require considerable time with the assistance of specialists. The estimated figures used are difficult to compare and are very approximate for the comparative analysis, because they are based on average data. The human factor has a significant impact on the objectivity of the evaluation. Automation of calculations, according to the established methods of calculation, would greatly simplify the selection of the AFES and make the choice objective. The use of estimated figures based on actual data increases the reliability of the evaluation significantly, including the starting of fire extinguishing response time and the response time of fire extinguishing process, being the most optimal criteria for evaluating the efficiency. The possibility of using AFES, accepted in SP 485.1311500.2020, should also be taken into account, including the rate of combustion propagation of combustible materials used. During the evaluation it is reasonable to take into account the damage from a fire, determined, for example, by the area exposed to fire. Reliability is the most important indicator of the AFES efficiency. Nowadays, program-controlled RPA robots are widely used to perform the control functions of typical processes in a dialogue with a human. The challenge was set to create a program-controlled robot for selecting the AFES, according to the initial data of the protected facility, being the same for all used AFESs. The robot performs an independent automatic evaluation of technical means and selection of the optimal AFES according to comparable estimated figures, based on actual data for all AFESs simultaneously. An automated program for selecting AFES was developed to accomplish this task. The program performs the functions of a program-controlled robot (Certificate of state registration No. 2022664536), and is presented in the Internet web application available at: https://firerobots.ru/calculate. A unified approach based on the general requirements of the code of practice SP 485.1311500.2020 makes it possible to compare different fire extinguishing systems. The initial data of the protected facilities entered into the program, and the system makes calculations of technical means, and determines the estimated figures for effective fire extinguishing. The proposed technical solutions make it possible to create an AFES selection system using a service program that performs the functions of a design robot, including: interactive input of information, automated calculations in accordance with regulatory requirements and calculation formulas, receiving the necessary objective evaluation data on efficiency and pricing, selection of the optimal AFES from a number of AFESs used for the protection of facilities