Patent Publication Number: US-2022219031-A1

Title: Sensor units for use with fire suppression systems

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to fire suppression systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems for monitoring fire suppression systems. 
     Fire suppression systems are commonly used to protect an area and objects within the area from fire. Fire suppression systems can be activated manually or automatically in response to an indication that a fire is present nearby (e.g., an increase in ambient temperature beyond a predetermined threshold value, etc.). Once activated, fire suppression systems spread a fire suppression agent throughout the area. The fire suppressant agent then extinguishes or controls the fire. 
     SUMMARY 
     At least one embodiment relates to a sensor unit for a fire suppression system. The sensor unit includes a sensor module, a display module, a controller, and an antenna. The sensor module includes a first housing including a fitting configured to be coupled to a tank containing a fluid, a pressure sensor located within the first housing and configured to sense a pressure of a fluid and provide pressure data related to the pressure of the fluid, and a temperature sensor located within the first housing and configured to sense a temperature and provide temperature data related to the temperature of the fluid. The display module includes a second housing selectively attached to the first housing such that the display module is selectively removable from the display module and a user interface configured to display the pressure data to a user. The controller is operatively coupled to the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor. The antenna is operatively coupled to the controller and configured to transfer the pressure data and the temperature data to a network. 
     Another embodiment relates to a fire suppression system including multiple storage tanks, each storage tank configured to store a pressurized fluid, and multiple sensor units, each sensor unit coupled to one of the storage tanks; and a cloud-based computing system. Each sensor unit includes a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure and provide pressure data related to a pressure of the pressurized fluid, a temperature sensor configured to sense temperature and provide temperature data related to a temperature of the pressurized fluid, and an antenna configured to transfer the pressure data and the temperature data. The cloud-based computing system is configured to receive the transferred pressure data and the temperature data from the sensor units. The cloud-based computing system is programmed to store the transferred pressure data and temperature data, calculate a normalized pressure for each of the storage tanks based on the pressure data and temperature data for that storage tank, determine if the normalized pressure for each of the storage tanks indicates fluid leakage from that storage tank, and generate a notification of a leak in one of the plurality of storage tanks when the determination indicates fluid leakage from that storage tank. 
     Another embodiment relates to a sensor unit for a fire suppression system. The sensor unit includes a housing configured to be coupled to a tank containing a fluid, a pressure sensor coupled to the housing and configured to sense a pressure of the fluid and provide pressure data related to the pressure of the fluid, a display coupled to the housing and configured to display the pressure data to a user, an input device coupled to the housing and configured to receive an input from the user, an antenna coupled to the housing and configured to wirelessly transfer the pressure data, a battery coupled to the housing and configured to provide electrical energy, and a controller operatively coupled to the pressure sensor. In a sleep mode, the controller is configured to disable the pressure sensor, the antenna, and the display such that the pressure data is not sensed by the pressure sensor, transferred by the antenna, or displayed by the display. In a wake mode, the controller is configured to at least one of (a) control the pressure sensor to sense the pressure of the fluid, (b) transfer the pressure data using the antenna, and (c) control the display to display the pressure data. 
     This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic of a fire suppression system, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a monitoring system of the fire suppression system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tank, an actuator, and a sensor unit of the fire suppression system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the tank, the actuator, and the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side section view of the actuator and the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the actuator and the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a sensor module of the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the sensor module of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a tank, an actuator, and a sensor unit of a fire suppression system, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the tank, the actuator, and the sensor unit of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a display module of the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 12  is a rear view of the display module of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a rear view of the display module of  FIG. 11  with a housing removed. 
         FIGS. 14-16  are perspective views illustrating the assembly of the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 17  is a block diagram of the monitoring system of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 18  is a block diagram of a method of monitoring leakage within a fire suppression system, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a graph of a pressure, a temperature, and a normalized pressure of a fluid within a tank of a fire suppression system, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 20  illustrates graphical user interfaces of a menu system for a display of the sensor unit of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     Overview 
     Water is commonly used in fire suppression systems that suppress fires in different types of areas (e.g., office buildings, homes, schools, etc.). Water is effective at extinguishing fires fueled by common flammable materials such as wood, paper, and cloth. However, in certain scenarios, water is undesirable for use as a fire suppressant agent. When extinguishing fires near certain types of objects, such as books or electronic components, exposure to water can damage the objects that the fire suppression system is designed to protect. Accordingly, in certain environments, such as power plants, telecommunications facilities, aircraft, transport, data centers, medical facilities, and museums, application-specific chemicals are used to suppress fires instead of and/or in addition to water. These chemicals may be configured to suppress or control fires without causing damage to sensitive objects or requiring extensive clean-up. 
     Chemical fire suppression systems can include a pressure vessel or tank containing a pressurized fire suppressant agent, such as an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon), a halocarbon, or carbon dioxide. A valve or actuator controls the flow of agent from the tank. When the actuator is activated, the agent expands outside of the tank, travelling along a length of pipe to one or more nozzles. The nozzles disperse the agent into the surrounding area (e.g., into a room or space). The agent reduces the concentration of oxygen in the room and/or reduces the heat of any items that are burning, extinguishing the fire. 
     Fire suppression systems are commonly left in an unused, standby state for long periods of time, but are required to be available for use at all times. Accordingly, even a small leak in a tank of a fire suppression system can permit a large portion of the agent to escape the tank over time. If too much agent leaks from the tank, then the fire suppression system may no longer have the capability to effectively suppress a fire. As such, repeated monitoring of the pressure within the tank is required to sense leakage from the tank. 
     To accomplish this monitoring, some tanks of fire suppressant agent are outfitted with switched pressure gauges. These gauges visually indicate the pressure within the tank. Additionally, the gauges include an electrical switch that activates when the measured pressure decreases below a predetermined threshold pressure. In some systems, this activation takes the form of changing from a closed circuit to an open circuit. The switch may be electrically coupled to a monitoring circuit such that an alarm is activated when the switch creates an open circuit. In systems that include multiple tanks, each tank may be outfitted with a switched pressure gauge, and the switches may all be organized in series such that the activation of any one of the switches causes the whole system to register as an open circuit, activating the alarm. However, these monitoring systems can only sense when the pressure within a tank decreases below a predetermined pressure. If a tank is subjected to a changing temperature (e.g., if the tank is located within a room that is poorly insulated), then the pressure within the tank can fluctuate greatly without the amount of agent in the tank changing. Accordingly, the switched pressure gauges have no way of differentiating between an alarm activation caused by a leak and an alarm activation caused by a decrease in ambient temperature. Switched pressure gauges may also fail to identify a leak due to an increase in pressure caused by an increase in ambient temperature. 
     Fire Suppression System 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a room, building, enclosure, volume, or area, shown as space  10 , is outfitted with a fire suppression system  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the fire suppression system  100  is a chemical fire suppression system. The fire suppression system  100  is configured to dispense or distribute a fire suppressant agent onto and/or around a fire within the space  10 , controlling or suppressing the fire. The fire suppression system  100  can be used alone or in combination with other types of fire suppression systems (e.g., a building sprinkler system, a portable fire extinguisher, etc.). In some embodiments, multiple fire suppression systems  100  are used in combination with one another to cover a larger area (e.g., each in different rooms of a building, multiple spaces  10 , etc.). 
     In some embodiments, the fire suppression system  100  is a clean agent system that is configured to suppress fires within the space  10  while limiting damage to nearby assets. The fire suppression system  100  may utilize a clean agent, such as an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon, etc.), a halocarbon agent, or carbon dioxide. Such clean agents may be stored as a superpressurized liquid configured to vaporize upon discharge, absorbing heat from the fire and/or from items that are fueling the fire to suppress or control the fire. By way of example, to bring the agent to a superpressurized state, the agent may be pressurized to the point of condensation into a liquid, and additional gas that condensates at a higher pressure may be added to further pressurize the agent. After absorbing heat, the agent may evaporate. Alternatively, the clean agents may be stored as a gas. The agent may reduce the concentration of oxygen within the space, extinguishing the fire. Both liquid and gaseous clean agents may suppress fires without leaving a residue that requires cleanup. The agents may also be electrically non-conductive. These properties make clean agents useful in certain applications where delicate and/or valuable items or information are stored. By way of example, the fire suppression system  100  may be used to protect telecommunication sites, data centers, archives, museums, oil and gas facilities, power plants, or other areas. In other embodiments, the fire suppression system  100  utilizes other types of agents. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the fire suppression system  100  includes a pair of fire suppressant tanks  102  (e.g., vessels, containers, vats, drums, tanks, canisters, cartridges, or cans, etc.). The fire suppressant tanks  102  each contain a pressurized fire suppressant agent. Each fire suppressant tank  102  is coupled to a valve, puncture device, or activator assembly, shown as actuator  110 . The actuators  110  are configured to selectively fluidly couple an internal volume of each fire suppressant tank  102  to a conduit (e.g., a hose, a pipe, a tube, etc.), shown as pipe  120 . The pipe  120  may be an assembly including one or more straight or bent sections of conduit and/or one or more fittings. The pipe  120  conveys the agent to one or more outlets, shown as nozzles  122 . The nozzles  122  generate a spray of agent (e.g., vaporized agent) that addresses one or more fires affecting one or more assets A (e.g., walls, spaces, furniture, vehicles, servers, museum pieces, etc.). The nozzles  122  may direct the agent directly toward the assets A and/or the nozzles  122  may direct the agent around the assets A (e.g., to surround the assets A). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the actuators  110  are operatively coupled to a controller  150 . In response to an indication that a fire has been detected, the controller  150  is configured to activate the actuators  110 , releasing the pressurized agent into the pipe  120 . The controller  150  includes a processing circuit or processor  152 . The processor  152  is in communication with a memory device or memory  154 . 
     The controller  150  is operatively coupled to one or more first activators, sensors, or user interfaces, shown as manual activator  160 . The manual activator  160  may include a pull station, lever, button, knob, switch, touch screen, or any other type of user interface device that facilitates interaction by a user. The manual activator  160  may be marked to indicate that a user should interact with the manual activator  160  (e.g., push a button, pull a pull station, etc.) in the event of a fire. In response to such an interaction, the manual activator  160  sends a fire detection signal to the controller  150  indicating that a fire has been detected within the space  10 . 
     The controller  150  is operatively coupled to one or more second activators, sensors, or fire detection devices, shown as automatic activator  162 . The automatic activator  162  may include temperature or heat sensors (e.g., thermocouples, linear detection wire, etc.), smoke detectors, optical sensors (e.g., cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), or other types of sensors configured to detect the presence of a fire or a sign of a fire within the space  10 . In response to detecting a fire within the space, the automatic activator  162  sends a fire detection signal to the controller  150 . 
     In response to receiving a detection signal, the controller  150  is configured to send an activation signal to the actuators  110 . In some embodiments, the activation signal is an electrical signal. In other embodiments, the activation signal is or causes a flow of pressurized fluid or a movement of a mechanical member (e.g., a cable, a lever, etc.). The controller  150  may send the activation signal to all of the actuators  110 . Alternatively, activation of one actuator  110  by the controller  150  may automatically trigger activation of the other actuators  110 . In response to receiving the activation signal, the actuators  110  activate, fluidly coupling the corresponding fire suppressant tank  102  to the pipe  120 . The pressurized fire suppressant agent is then forced through the pipe  120  to the nozzles  122 , where the agent is distributed about the assets A to suppress the detected fires. The fire suppression system  100  may supply fire suppressant agent through all of the nozzles  122  simultaneously. Alternatively, the fire suppression system  100  may supply fire suppressant agent through only a certain subset of the nozzles  122 . 
     Referring still to  FIG. 1 , the fire suppression system  100  further includes a leakage detection system, shown as monitoring system  200 . The monitoring system  200  includes a series of pressure monitoring assemblies, temperature monitoring assemblies, leakage detection assemblies, or sensor units (e.g., monitors, assemblies, etc.), shown as electronic gauges  202 . The electronic gauges  202  are fluidly coupled to the tanks  102  (e.g., directly, through the actuator  110 , etc.). Specifically, each tank  102  has an associated electronic gauge  202 . The electronic gauges  202  are configured to sense (e.g., detect, measure directly, measure a quantity related to, etc.) the pressure of the agent within the corresponding tank  102 . The electronic gauges  202  are also configured to sense (e.g., detect, measure directly, measure a quantity related to, etc.) a temperature of the agent within the tank  102 , a temperature of the ambient air surrounding the tank  102 , and/or a temperature of the tank  102  or a component coupled to the tank  102  (e.g., the actuator  110 ). Using the sensed temperature, the electronic gauge  202  is configured to generate a normalized pressure that accounts for changes in pressure due to variations in temperature. The normalized pressure is used to determine if the tank  102  is leaking or has leaked. 
     Although the monitoring system  200  has been described as monitoring the temperature and pressure of a gas within a clean agent system, in other embodiments, the monitoring system  200  may be used with any element of any type of fire suppression system where it is desirable to monitor, analyze, report, or otherwise utilize the temperature and/or pressure of a fluid within a vessel. The monitoring system  200  may be used to monitor the temperature and/or pressure of any fluid (e.g., any liquid or gas). Additionally or alternatively, the monitoring system  200  may be configured to monitor another quantity or condition that can be used to determine if the tank  102  is leaking (e.g., the conductivity of the fluid within the tank  102 ). The fire suppression system  100  may be a restaurant fire suppression system, a vehicle fire suppression system, a portable fire suppression system, a foam fire suppression system, or any other type of fire suppression system. The tank  102  may be a gas cartridge (e.g., an expellant gas cartridge), an agent tank, a canister of a portable (e.g., handheld) fire extinguisher, or any other type of vessel. 
     Electronic Gauges 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , a sensor unit, shown as electronic gauge  202  is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. The electronic gauge  202  includes a first portion or subassembly (e.g., a sensing assembly, a measurement assembly, a sensor module, etc.), shown as sensor unit  204 , and a second portion or subassembly (e.g., a display assembly, an interface assembly, a communication assembly, a calculation assembly, a computation assembly, a display module, etc.), shown as display unit  206 . The sensor unit  204  includes sensing components configured to sense (e.g., measure, detect, etc.) a temperature and pressure of gas within the tank  102 . The display unit  206  is configured to receive temperature and pressure data from the sensor unit  204 . The display unit  206  is configured to perform calculations and execute control logic using the temperature and pressure data, receive inputs (e.g., commands, etc.) from a user, and/or provide information (e.g., directly to a user through a display, to another device). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the sensor unit  204  includes a housing  210 . The housing  210  defines an internal volume configured to contain (e.g., completely, partially, etc.) the various components of the sensor unit  204 . In some embodiments, the housing  210  is made from multiple sections that are coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled, welded, adhered, etc.) to one another. In some embodiments, the housing  210  is substantially sealed. 
     The housing  210  includes a tank interface portion, shown as fitting  212 , configured to at least selectively couple to the tank  102 , the actuator  110 , and/or another device fluidly coupled to the internal volume of the tank  102 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the fitting  212  is inserted into a fluid sensing aperture  214  defined by the actuator  110 , through which the sensor unit  204  is fluidly coupled to the internal volume of the tank  102 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the actuator  110 . The fitting  212  may be sized (e.g., diameter, thread shape, thread pitch, etc.) to engage with the fluid sensing aperture  214  of a specific aperture. In some embodiments, the fitting  212  is threaded to facilitate engagement with the fluid sensing aperture  214 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the housing  210  includes a hexagonal interface portion or nut, shown as wrench interface  216 . The wrench interface  216  is configured to facilitate application of a torque to the sensor unit  204  (e.g., using a wrench) when threading the fitting  212  into the fluid sensing aperture  214 . In other embodiments, the fitting  212  is otherwise coupled to the actuator  110 . In yet other embodiments, the fitting  212  is directly coupled to the tank  102 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the display unit  206  includes a housing  220 . The housing  220  defines an internal volume configured to contain (e.g., completely, partially, etc.) the various components of the display unit  206 . In some embodiments, the housing  220  is made from multiple sections that are coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled, fastened welded, adhered, etc.) to one another. In some embodiments, the housing  210  is substantially sealed. As shown, the housing includes a pair of gaskets or seals  222  that facilitate such sealing. In some embodiments, the housing  210  and the housing  220  are sealed to an IP67 rating. The housing  220  includes a door or panel, shown as battery door  224 , that is selectively repositionable (i.e., selectively removable and reattachable in its entirety or movable between a closed position and an open position (e.g., via a hinge)) relative to the rest of the housing  220  to permit access to an internal volume of the housing  220  containing the power source  260  through an aperture, shown as battery aperture  226 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7, 8, 12, and 13 , the sensor unit  204  and the display unit  206  are selectively coupled to one another such that they can be separated from one another (e.g., during transport or assembly). The sensor unit  204  includes a first connector (e.g., a female connector), shown as connector  230 , and the display unit  206  includes a second connector (e.g., a male connector), shown as connector  232 , configured to engage one another. When engaged with one another, the connector  230  and the connector  232  facilitate the transfer of power (i.e., electrical energy) and/or data (e.g., sensor data, commands, etc.) between the sensor unit  204  and the display unit  206 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7, 8, and 14-16 , the housing  220  of the display unit  206  includes an annular or cylindrical protrusion, shown as connector boss  234 . In some embodiments, the connector boss  234  at least partially surrounds the connector  232 . A surface (e.g., an exterior surface, an interior surface) of the connector boss  234  is threaded. The housing  210  includes an annular or toroidal protrusion, shown as shoulder  236 , extending radially outward from the rest of the housing  210 . A fastener, shown as nut  238 , is configured to receive the housing  210  and is rotatably coupled to the housing  210 . A surface of the nut  238  (e.g., an interior surface, an exterior surface) of the nut  238  is threaded, corresponding to the thread of the connector boss  234 . To couple the sensor unit  204  to the display unit  206 , the connector  230  and the connector  232  are aligned and engaged with one another. The nut  238  is threaded onto the connector boss  234 , and a surface of the nut  238  engages the shoulder  236 . When tightened, the connector  230  and the connector  232  are substantially sealed between the housing  210 , the housing  220 , and the nut  238 . Accordingly, the electronic gauge  202  may be sealed (e.g., from liquids, from dust, to the IP67 standard, etc.) except for a sensor port defined by the sensor unit  204  that fluidly couples the interior volume of the tank  102  to a pressure and/or temperature sensor. 
     Separating the sensor unit  204  from the display unit  206  may be advantageous when transporting and installing the electronic gauge  202 . In some embodiments, the sensor unit  204  may be more durable than the display unit  206 . Additionally, when connected to the sensor unit  204 , the display unit  206  extends away from the sensor unit  204  and the actuator  110 , increasing the potential for damage by exposing the display unit  206  to contact with other items during shipping, handling, installation, etc. During manufacturing, assembly, transportation, and installation of the tank  102 , the actuator  110 , and the electronic gauge  202 , the display unit  206  may be removed from the sensor unit  204 . By way of example, actuator  110  and the sensor unit  204  may be assembled with one another at a factory and transported together (e.g., within a single cap) to the installation site. The display unit  206  may be coupled to the sensor unit  204  as one of the final installation steps. Removing the display unit  206  may additionally make installation of the sensor unit  204  less cumbersome (e.g., by removing the obstruction caused by the display unit  206  blocking access to the wrench interface  216  of the sensor unit  204 ). In other embodiments, the sensor unit  204  and the display unit  206  are integrally formed, though the integral sensor unit does not provide all of the same advantages as the separable sensor unit  204  and display unit  206 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the sensor unit  204  includes a pair of sensors, shown as temperature sensor  240  and pressure sensor  242 , operatively coupled to the connector  230 . The temperature sensor  240  is fluidly coupled to the fluid within the tank  102  (e.g., through the fitting  212 ). The temperature sensor  240  is configured to sense a temperature of the fluid and provide temperature data related to (e.g., containing) the sensed temperature. By way of example, the temperature sensor  240  may include a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, a semiconductor, or another type of temperature sensor. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor  240  is configured to sense a temperature of an object or fluid that is in thermal communication with the fluid within the tank  102  (e.g., the ambient temperature of the air surrounding the tank  102 , the temperature of a wall of the tank  102 , a temperature of the actuator  110 , etc.). Such temperatures may be related to (e.g., approximately equal to) the temperature of the fluid within the tank  102  (e.g., in situations where the ambient temperature changes slowly), and thus may be used to determine the temperature of the fluid within the tank  102 . The pressure sensor  242  is fluidly coupled to the fluid within the tank  102  (e.g., through the fitting). The pressure sensor  242  is configured to sense a pressure (e.g., a gauge pressure) of the fluid and provide pressure data related to (e.g., containing) the sensed pressure. By way of example, the pressure sensor  242  may include a capacitive pressure sensor, a piezoelectric pressure sensor, an electromagnetic pressure sensor, an optical pressure sensor, or another type of pressure sensor. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor  240  and the pressure sensor  242  are integrated into a single component. By way of example, a model TI-1 OEM pressure transducer produced by WIKA may serve as both the temperature sensor  240  and the pressure sensor  242 . 
     In other embodiments, the sensor unit  204  additionally or alternatively includes another type of sensor that provides data indicative of the presence of a leak within the tank  102 . By way of example, the sensor unit  204  may include a conductivity sensor (e.g., an ohmmeter) configured to measure an electrical conductivity of the fluid within the tank  102 . Some fire suppressant agents may have an electrical conductivity that varies based on its density (e.g., the number of moles of gas within a unit volume) and/or concentration. By way of example, as agent leaks from the tank, the density of the agent may decrease, varying the electrical conductivity of the fluid and thus permitting detection of a leak based on the data from the sensor. By way of another example, the sensor unit  204  may include a mass or weight sensor (e.g., a scale, a strain gauge, etc.) configured to measure a total mass or weight of the tank  102  and the fluid. As the fluid leaks, the total mass may decrease, permitting detection of a leak based on the data from the sensor. By way of another example, the sensor unit  204  may include an actuator (e.g., a speaker, a striker, such as a hammer, etc.) configured to excite the tank  102 , causing it to vibrate, and a vibration sensor (e.g., an accelerometer, a microphone, etc.) configured to measure the resultant vibration of the tank  102 . As agent leaks from the tank  102 , the frequency and/or amplitude of the resultant vibration may vary, permitting detection of a leak based on the data from the sensor. By way of another example, the sensor unit  204  may include a distance sensor (e.g., an optical sensor such as an infrared sensor or camera, an ultrasonic sensor) configured to measure the height of the liquid within the tank  102 . As the agent leaks, the height of the liquid in the tank  102  may decrease, permitting detection of a leak based on the data from the sensor. 
     The display unit  206  includes a controller, processing circuit, or microprocessor, shown as radio controller  250 . The radio controller  250  is configured to communicate with and control operation of other components of the electronic gauge  202 . The communication may be one way communication or two way communication. The radio controller  250  includes a processor  252  and a memory device, shown as memory  254 . The memory  254  may be configured to store data (e.g., temperature data, pressure data, etc.). The memory  254  may additionally or alternatively be configured to store control logic that is executed by the processor  252  to operate the electronic gauge  202 . As shown, the radio controller  250  is operatively coupled to (e.g., in communication with) the temperature sensor  240  and the pressure sensor  242  through the connector  230  and the connector  232 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 13 , the display unit  206  includes a power source  260 . The power source  260  is configured to provide electrical energy to power the other components of the electronic gauge  202 . Although  FIG. 2  shows the power source  260  as providing power to the other components through the radio controller  250 , in other embodiments the power source  260  powers the other components directly. In some embodiments, the power source  260  includes a local power storage device (e.g., batteries, capacitors, etc.). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the power source  260  includes two batteries. These batteries may be accessed (e.g., for insertion, for removal, etc.) through the battery aperture  226 . In one embodiment, the batteries are 1.5 Volt, lithium-based AA batteries (e.g., model L91 by Energizer). In this embodiment, the batteries may be capable of powering the electronic gauge  202  for over a year prior to requiring recharging or replacement. The power source  260  may additionally or alternatively include a connection to an external power source, such as a generator, a solar panel, or a power grid. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 6, and 11 , the display unit  206  further includes a user interface  270  configured to provide information to a user and/or to receive information (e.g., commands) from a user. The user interface  270  is operatively coupled to the radio controller  250 . The user interface  270  includes an output device, shown as display  272  configured to provide information to a user. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 11 , the display  272  is a liquid crystal display (LCD). By way of example, the display  272  may include a model PE12864 display made by POWERTIP. The user interface  270  may include any type of output device that can provide information to a user, such as another type of display, lights (e.g., LED&#39;s), speakers, or vibrators. The user interface  270  further includes an input device, shown as buttons  274 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the user interface  270  includes three buttons  274  adjacent the display  272 . The user use the buttons  274  to provide commands, navigate through menus, input data, or otherwise provide information to the radio controller  250 . The user interface  270  may include any type of input device that can receive information from a user, such as buttons, knobs, switches, levers, joysticks, touchscreens, or microphones. In some embodiments, the display  272  is configured to display the temperature data and/or the pressure data to a user (e.g., as the current temperature and current pressure, etc.). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the display unit  206  further includes a communications interface (e.g., a network interface, a port, an antenna, etc.), shown as communications interface  280 , operatively coupled to the radio controller  250 . The communications interface  280  is configured to communicate with another device, shown as external device  282 . In some embodiments, the communications interface  280  communicates directly with the external device  282 . In other embodiments, the communications interface  280  communicates with the external device  282  through a network  284 . The communications interface  280  may provide one way or two way communication. The communications interface  280  may transfer data (e.g., pressure data, temperature data, etc.), commands, or other information between the radio controller  250  and the external device  282 . 
     In some embodiments, the communications interface  280  communicates over a wireless connection. In some such embodiments, the communications interface  280  communicates using the LoRa wireless protocol. LoRa communications may be require a relatively low power consumption and may function over large distances (e.g., up to 10 miles outdoors and up to 3 miles within a building). LoRa communications may operate over frequency bands specific to the country of operation (e.g., 867-869 MHz for Europe, 902-928 MHz for North and South America, etc.). To facilitate communication using the LoRa protocol, the communications interface  280  may include a LoRa controller or module (e.g., a MultiConnect xDot made by Multitech) operatively coupled to a LoRa antenna (e.g., a 915/868 MHz ISM Flexible Polymer antenna made by  2 J Antennas). The antenna may facilitate transmitting and receiving radio waves to communicate data. In some embodiments, the antenna is flexible to facilitate placement of the antenna within the housing  220  (e.g., adhered to an inner surface of the housing  220 ). In other embodiments, the communications interface  280  is configured to communicate using a different type of wireless communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared, radio, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the communications interface may be configured to communicate over a hardwired connection (e.g., a USB connection, an Ethernet connection, a fiber optic connection, etc.). 
     As shown, certain components are stored within the sensor unit  204  and the display unit  206 . In other embodiments, one or more of the components are moved to the other module or shared between both modules. By way of example, the radio controller  250  may be stored within the sensor unit  204 . In yet other embodiments, one or more of the components may be duplicated such that both modules include one or more of the components. By way of example, the sensor unit  204  and the display unit  206  may each include a power source  260 . 
     Network 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , the network  284  is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the network  284  is at least one of and/or a combination of a Wi-Fi network, a wired Ethernet network, a ZigBee network, a Bluetooth network, and/or any other wireless network. The network  284  may include a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, a building WAN, etc.) and may use a variety of communications protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.). The network  284  may include routers, modems, servers, cell towers, satellites, and/or network switches. The network  284  may be a combination of wired and wireless networks. 
     The network  284  includes a local network  300  and an external network  302 . The local network  300  may be contained within a single building or structure or spread across a campus or other group of related buildings. The components of the local network  300  may be physically located on-site. In some embodiments, the components of the local network  300  are distributed across multiple buildings. The external network  302  may extend outside of the local network  300  and include off-site devices. By way of example, the external network  302  may include one or more devices located in a remote datacenter. 
     The local network  300  includes one or more local network devices  310 . The local network devices  310  may facilitate communication between the electronic gauges  202  and/or one or more devices of the local network or the external network  302 . The local network devices  310  may include routers, gateways, switches, access points, or other devices. The local network devices  310  may be configured for wired or wireless communication. In some embodiments, the local network devices  310  include a cloud gateway that communicates directly with the electronic gauges  202  using the LoRa communications protocol. The cloud gateway may communicate with the external network  302  (e.g., with the Internet) through a cellular connection and/or through a router or modem. The cloud gateway may transfer information (e.g., temperature data, pressure data, etc.) from the electronic gauges  202  to a device within the external network  302  (e.g., the cloud platform  320 ). In some embodiments, the cloud gateway solely transfers information and does not process or analyze the information. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic gauges  202  are configured to communicate directly with one another. By way of example, one of the electronic gauges  202  may pass communications from another electronic gauge  202  to the local network devices  310  (i.e., the electronic gauges  202  may communicate through one another). In this arrangement, one of the electronic gauges  202  may configured to communicate directly with the local network device  310  (e.g., using an Ethernet connection), and the rest of the electronic gauges  202  can communicate with the local network device  310  without having to be directly connected to the local network device  310 . 
     The external network  302  includes one or more external network devices  312 . The external network devices  312  may facilitate communication between the local network  300  and one or more other devices of the external network  302 . The external network devices  312  may include cellular towers, datacenters, or any other components associated with transmission, processing, and/or storage of data. 
     The external network  302  includes a data storage and processing system, shown as cloud platform  320 , configured to store and process data (e.g., the temperature and pressure data, etc.). A cloud controller (e.g., a processing circuit, a microprocessor, a controller, etc.), shown as controller  322 , is implemented within the cloud platform  320 . The controller  322  may be a hardware-defined controller or a software-defined controller. The controller  322  includes a processor  324  and a memory device, shown as memory  326 . Although the cloud platform  320  is shown within the external network  302  (e.g., such that the electronic gauges  202  communicate with the cloud platform  320  through the Internet), the local network  300  may additionally or alternatively include a cloud platform  320 . In other embodiments, the cloud platform  320  is omitted. 
     In some embodiments, the cloud platform  320  is configured to receive data from and/or control components of other systems. By way of example, the cloud platform  320  may control one or more systems of building containing the space  10  (e.g., as a building management system). The cloud platform  320  may communicate with one or more Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It should be noted that the components of the cloud platform  320  can be integrated within a single device (e.g., a supervisory controller, an IoT device controller, etc.) or distributed across multiple separate systems or devices. In other embodiments, some or all of the components of the cloud platform  320  can be implemented as part of a cloud-based computing system configured to receive and process data from one or more systems, devices, and/or components. In other embodiments, some or all of the components of the cloud platform  320  can be components of a subsystem level controller, a subplant controller, a device controller, a field controller, a computer workstation, a client device, or any other system or device that receives and processes data from IoT devices. 
     The local network  300  and/or the external network  302  include one or more devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptop computers, desktop computers, servers, etc.), shown as user devices  330 . As shown, the user device  330  includes a controller (e.g., a processing circuit, a microprocessor, etc.), shown as controller  332 . The controller  332  includes a processor  334  and a memory device, shown as memory  336 . The controller  332  of the user device  330  may be configured to store and/or process data. The user devices  330  may further include a user interface device, shown as user interface  338 . The user interface  338  may include any type of device used to provide or receive information (e.g., keyboards, mice, touchscreens, displays, microphones, speakers, lights, etc.). The user interface  338  may be configured to receive information (e.g., commands) from a user and/or provide information (e.g., as a notification, as part of a graphical user interface (GUI), etc.) to a user. The user devices  330  may be configured to communicate with the electronic gauges  202  and/or the cloud platform  320  directly and/or through the local network devices  310  and/or the external network devices  312 . 
     Processing of Temperature and Pressure Data 
     Referring to  FIG. 18 , a method of monitoring leakage within the fire suppression system  100  is shown as method  400  according to an exemplary embodiment. Using this method, the monitoring system  200  (including multiple electronic gauges  202  and a cloud platform  320  for data storage and processing) monitors the temperature and pressure of the fluid within each of the tanks  102 . The monitoring system  200  calculates a normalized pressure for each tank  102  that accounts for changes in pressure due to fluctuations in temperature. Based on the normalized pressure, the monitoring system  200  determines if one or more of the tanks  102  are leaking. The monitoring system  200  indicates the leakage status of each of the tanks  102  (e.g., whether or not each tank  102  is leaking) to a user. 
     In step  402 , a pressure of the fluid within a tank  102  is sensed. Specifically, each electronic gauge  202  uses the pressure sensor  242  to sense the pressure of the fluid within the associated tank  102  at a given time. The pressure of the fluid within each tank  102  may be referred to herein as pressure data. In some embodiments, the pressure data also includes the time at which each pressure measurement is taken. 
     In step  404 , a temperature of the fluid within the tanks  102  is sensed. Specifically, each electronic gauge  202  uses the temperature sensor  240  to sense the temperature within the associated tank  102  at a given time. In some embodiments, the pressure and the temperature are sensed at substantially the same time. The temperature of the fluid within each tank  102  may be referred to herein as temperature data. In some embodiments, the temperature data also includes the time at which the temperature measurement was taken. 
     In other embodiments, the temperature sensor  240  senses the temperature of the fluid indirectly. By way of example, the temperature sensor  240  may sense the temperature of an object or of a fluid that is in thermal communication with the fluid and, as such, has a similar temperature to that of the fluid. By way of example, the temperature sensor  240  may sense the temperature of a wall of the tank  102 , the ambient air surrounding the tank  102 , the electronic gauge  202 , the actuator  110 , or another object or fluid thermally coupled to the fluid. 
     In step  406 , a normalized pressure is calculated. Specifically, the monitoring system  200  employs a pressure normalization algorithm that takes the temperature data and the pressure data as inputs and provides the normalized pressure. Normalizing the pressure removes or decreases the effect of temperature on the pressure within the tank  102 . The tank  102  has a fixed volume. Accordingly, the normalized pressure represents solely or almost solely the amount of fluid in the tank  102  (e.g., a non-negligible or significant change in the normalized pressure can only be caused by a change in the amount of fluid within the tank  102 ). As such, a decrease in normalized pressure indicates that fluid has leaked from the tank  102 , regardless of the temperature of the fluid. Although the method  400  is described as using a normalized pressure having units of pressure (e.g., bar, psi, etc.), in other embodiments, the normalized pressure is another quantity that is calculated using the temperature data and the pressure data and represents the amount of fluid in the tank  102 . By way of example, the normalized pressure may be a dimensionless quantity. 
       FIG. 19  compares the temperature, the pressure, and the normalized pressure of a sealed tank  102  (i.e., a tank  102  that loses a negligible amount of fluid) over the course of a year. As shown, the temperature of the fluid changes approximately 30° C. throughout the year. The pressure of the fluid within the tank  102  closely correlates with the temperature. However, the normalized pressure remains substantially constant throughout the year, indicating that a negligible amount of fluid leaked from the tank  102 . 
     The pressure normalization algorithm used to calculate the normalized pressure may be determined mathematically (e.g., by treating the fluid as an ideal gas, etc.) and/or experimentally. Different algorithms may be used for different types of fluid. By way of example, fluids that remain gaseous at high pressures (e.g., the pressure within the tank  102 ) may have a different pressure-temperature relationship than fluids that change from a gas to a liquid at high pressures. The algorithms may be predetermined and stored in a memory (e.g., the memory  254 , etc.). During setup of the monitoring system  200 , the user may provide the identity of the fluid (e.g., the particular suppressant agent stored in the tank  102 ), and the monitoring system  200  may use this identity to determine which algorithm should be used. 
     In step  408 , it is determined if the normalized pressure indicates leakage. Specifically, the monitoring system  200  compares the normalized pressure against one or more criteria to determine if the normalized pressure indicates that the tank  102  has leaked. By way of example, the monitoring system  200  may compare the normalized pressure against a threshold normalized pressure. If the normalized pressure is below (e.g., below, a fixed amount below, a percentage below, such as 1.5% below, etc.) the threshold normalized pressure, then the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  has leaked or is leaking. In some embodiments, the threshold normalized pressure is the normalized pressure of the tank  102  determined when the tank  102  is known to be full (e.g., when the tank  102  is first installed). By way of another example, the monitoring system  200  may compare the rate of change of the normalized pressure to a threshold rate of change. If the normalized pressure is decreasing at greater than a threshold rate, then the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  is leaking. 
     When determining if a tank of fluid is leaking, other systems utilize solely pressure data. Specifically, other systems determine that a tank has leaked if the sensed pressure drops below a threshold pressure. However, because the pressure is dependent upon the temperature, this methodology may not be accurate when the fluid experiences large changes in temperature. As shown in  FIG. 19 , the sensed pressure varies approximately 40 bar overall for a temperature change of approximately 30° C. overall. This variation in the sensed pressure could lead to false determination that the tank  102  is leaking when no leakage has occurred or to delayed detection of leakage. As shown in  FIG. 19 , the normalized pressure is nearly constant, regardless of this change in temperature. Accordingly, in environments where the tanks  102  experience changes in ambient temperature, using the normalized pressure to determine if the tank  102  has leaked or is leaking is more accurate than using solely pressure data. Using normalized pressure reduces or eliminates false alarms as compared to conventional switched pressure monitor system, which may switch and indicate a low pressure alarm due to pressure variations caused by temperature change rather than a leak in the tank  102 . 
     Steps  406  and  408  may be completed by any device or combination of devices of the monitoring system  200  (e.g., an electronic gauge  202 , a cloud platform  320 , a user device  330 , etc.). By way of example, the radio controller  250  of the electronic gauge  202  may calculate the normalized pressure and determine if the tank  102  is leaking. By way of another example, the electronic gauge  202  may transfer the temperature data and the pressure data to the cloud platform  320 , and the cloud platform  320  may calculate the normalized pressure determine if the tank  102  is leaking. By way of another example, the electronic gauge  202  may transfer the temperature data and the pressure data to the cloud platform  320 , the cloud platform  320  may calculate the normalized pressure, the cloud platform  320  may transfer the normalized pressure to a user device  330 , and the user device  330  may determine if the tank  102  is leaking. 
     In other embodiments, leakage of the fluid from the tank  102  is detected using one of the other types of sensors described herein. By way of example, the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  has leaked in response to a change in the electrical conductivity of the fluid within the tank  102 . By way of another example, the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  has leaked in response to a decrease in the total mass or weight of the tank  102  and the fluid. By way of another example, the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  has leaked in response to a change in the frequency or amplitude of a response of the tank  102  to being excited (e.g., by striking the tank  102 ). By way of another example, the monitoring system  200  may determine that the tank  102  has leaked in response to a decrease in the height of a liquid within the tank  102 . 
     In step  410 , one or more users are notified of the leakage status. The electronic gauge  202 , the cloud platform  320 , and/or the user device  330  provide the leakage status (i.e., whether or not the tank  102  was determined to be leaking) to the user. The monitoring system  200  may provide the leakage status through the user interface  270 , the user interface  338 , or another user interface. By way of example, the user interface  270  may light up, flash, display a message, or otherwise notify a user in response to a determination that the corresponding tank  102  has leaked. By way of another example, the cloud platform  320  may provide a notification (e.g., an email, a text message, an application notification, etc.) to the user device  330  in response to a determination that one of the tanks  102  has leaked. Such a notification may identify the tank  102  that is leaking (e.g., by providing an identification number or location of the tank  102 ). 
     In some embodiments, the user device  330  runs an application or program that provides a graphical user interface (GUI). Through the GUI, the user may view the temperature data, the pressure data, the normalized pressure, that status of each tank  102 , and/or other information. By way of example, the electronic gauges  202  may be connected to a cloud platform  320 , and a user may register each of the electronic gauges  202  to an account on the cloud platform  320 . Upon logging into the account, the GUI may display information relating to all of the connected electronic gauges  202 . The GUI may provide a graph similar to  FIG. 19  that illustrates the temperature, the pressure, and the normalized pressure for each tank  102  over time. The GUI may indicate the status of the connection of the electronic gauges  202  to the cloud device (e.g., connected, disconnected, etc.), the charge level of the power source (e.g., if the power source  260  includes batteries), and whether or not each electronic gauge  202  requires maintenance. In response to detection of certain conditions, the GUI may provide instructions to a user. By way of example, in response to determining that one of the tanks  102  is leaking, the GUI may instruct the user to replace the tank  102  and/or provide the user with the contact information of a representative that will replace the tank  102 . 
     Providing a user with specific status information about each tank  102  in a system improves upon conventional pressure monitoring systems that monitor all tanks as a group. In such conventional systems, a low pressure or leak alarm only indicates that a leak or low pressure is present in one of the tank of the system, but not which specific tank. Indicating the specific tank  102  saves maintenance time and resources because the user can address the specific tank  102  in need of attention rather than having to manually check all of the tanks  102  in the system. 
     In embodiments where the cloud platform  320  provides the status information to a user, the cloud platform  320  may facilitate providing information to multiple users, regardless of the user&#39;s location. By way of example, the cloud platform  320  may provide information regarding the status of the fire suppression system  100  to experts in a remote location. These experts may evaluate the information to determine if a fault is present. The experts may then dispatch service personnel to address issues with the fire suppression system  100 . The monitoring system  200  may facilitate detection and correction of faults prior to the fire suppression system  100  experiencing downtime. Use of the cloud platform  320  may facilitate one expert evaluating the status of fire suppression systems  100  in multiple locations, reducing the need for additional personnel. By way of another example, the cloud platform  320  may provide information to a facility manager that is associated with a single facility. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary GUI provided by the display  272  of the electronic gauge  202 . As shown, the GUI provides text or icons indicating: the alert status of the electronic gauge  202  (e.g., requesting the user to check the status of a system); the signal strength of the connection between the electronic gauge  202  and the local network devices; the current date and time; the current charge level of the power source  260 ; the current sensed pressure; the current sensed temperature; and an indication of whether or not the normalized pressure is within a normal range. 
       FIG. 20  illustrates a series of exemplary GUI&#39;s that are provided by the display  272  of the electronic gauge  202 . A user can navigate through the various GUI&#39;s (e.g., using the buttons  274 ) to access various information and settings. In a first menu, a user can view a QR code corresponding to the electronic gauge  202 . Using a camera-enabled device (e.g., a smartphone), a user can scan the QR code to identify the electronic gauge  202  and facilitate connecting the electronic gauge  202  to the cloud platform  320 . In a second menu, a user can view and/or edit current settings for: the type of agent in the tank  102 , the desired filling pressure of the agent; the temperature at which the agent was filled; and pressure thresholds for various warnings. In a third menu, a user can view and/or edit: the units of pressure used by the electronic gauge  202 ; the units of temperature used by the electronic gauge  202 ; backlight settings; wireless network settings; and a PIN that is required to access the settings of the electronic gauge  202 . In a fourth menu, a user can reset the electronic gauge  202  to factory settings. In a fifth menu, a user can view the current software version running on the electronic gauge  202 . In a sixth menu, a user can view various statistics regarding the total hours of operation of the electronic gauge  202 . 
     Power Management 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electronic gauge  202  may be configured to minimize power consumption and thereby increase the operating time between recharges (e.g., replacing or recharging batteries). In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  is configured to selectively operate in a low power, sleep, or stop mode of operation. In the stop mode, certain functionalities of the electronic gauge  202  are disabled, reducing the power consumption of the electronic gauge  202 . In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  disables all functionality of the electronic gauge  202  except for the volatile memory portions of the memory  254  that require power to maintain data (e.g., RAM) and a clock or timing functionality of the processor  252  that monitors the passage of time. By way of example, the radio controller  250  may disconnect the temperature sensor  240 , the pressure sensor  242 , and the display  272  from the power source  260  (e.g., using a switch, such as the TPS2286 analog switch produced by Texas Instruments, while in the stop mode. 
     In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  is an ultra-low power consumption controller (e.g., a 32-bit MCU ARM-based Cortex-M3 microcontroller, etc.) that consumes approximately 1.5 μA of current when in the stop mode. In some embodiments, a DC to DC voltage converter is electrically coupled to the radio controller  250  and the power source  260  and configured to boost the voltage supplied to the radio controller  250  from the power source  260 . When operating in the stop mode, the voltage converter may be reconfigured to pass through the electrical energy from the power source  260  to the radio controller  250  without boosting the voltage, reducing the energy consumption of the voltage converter (e.g., by 200 nA). 
     The stop mode may be disabled by an external input, reconfiguring the electronic gauge into a wake mode. By way of example, a user may provide an external input (e.g., a wake command) through the buttons  274  that wakes the electronic gauge  202  from the stop mode. By way of another example, the stop mode may be disabled in response to receiving an external input (e.g., a wake command) from another device (e.g., over the network  284 ). 
     The stop mode may be disabled periodically by the radio controller  250 . By way of example, the processor  252  may include clock functionality that monitors the passage of time. The processor  252  may be configured to provide a wake command to wake the electronic gauge  202  from the stop mode every time a wake period has passed. The wake period may be preset or specified by a user. By way of example, the wake period may be 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. 
     In the wake mode, the electronic gauge  202  may activate the display  272 , record sensor data, send data to another device, or perform another function. After performing this function (e.g., immediately after, after a time period has expired since completing the function), the electronic gauge  202  may automatically return to the stop mode. The type of action performed by the electronic gauge  202  in the wake mode may vary based upon the circumstance that caused the wake command. By way of example, in response to receiving a wake command through the buttons  274 , the radio controller  250  may activate the display  272  to provide information to a user. 
     In some embodiments, in response to the wake period expiring, the radio controller  250  is configured to command the pressure sensor  242  and the temperature sensor  240  to record pressure and temperature data and to check the battery capacity of the power source  260 . If the temperature, the pressure, or the battery capacity has changed more than a threshold amount since the previous recording, the radio controller  250  may transfer the temperature data, the pressure data, and the battery capacity data to the cloud platform  320 . If the temperature, the pressure, or the battery capacity has not changed more than the threshold amount since the previous recording, the radio controller  250  may not send the temperature data, the pressure data, and the battery capacity data to the cloud platform  320 . This saves energy if the data to be transferred does not indicate an important or unexpected condition. In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  transfers the temperature data, the pressure data, and the battery capacity data at least once per a maximum transmission delay period, regardless of the change in temperature, pressure, or battery capacity. In one embodiment, the maximum transmission delay period is two hours. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic gauge  202  permits a user to vary the wake period and/or the maximum transmission delay period to vary the battery life of the electronic gauge  202 . In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  and/or the cloud platform  320  are configured to estimate the battery life based on the settings selected by the user and provide the estimated battery life to the user. This may facilitate a user making a selection that balances the need for rapid identification of fault conditions with the desire for maximized battery life. If the user selects the wake period and/or the maximum transmission delay period using the cloud platform  320 , the cloud platform  320  may provide the settings to the electronic gauge  202  (e.g., over the network  284 ) to reconfigure the radio controller  250 . 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, the power source  260  has a 3,500 mAh capacity. In this embodiment, the electronic gauge  202  is configured to consume approximately: 5 μAh in the stop mode; 35.4 μAh to transmit data (e.g., assuming a transmission occurs once every 2 hours); 52.7 μAh to perform sensor readings (e.g., assuming a reading occurs once every 30 minutes); and 4.8 μAh to operate the display  272  (e.g., assuming the screen  272  is used 24 times per year and for two minutes each session), for a total battery life of approximately 4 years. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic gauge  202  is configured to notify a user (e.g., through the display  272 , through the cloud platform  320 , etc.) when the power source  260  should be changed or recharged. This notification may come at a predetermined time (e.g., two years after the power source  260  was last changed). This notification may be provided when the power source  260  is depleted beyond a predetermined battery capacity. The electronic gauge  202  may additionally or alternatively provide the current battery capacity to the user (e.g., through the display  272 ) and/or to the cloud platform  320 . The radio controller  250  may determine the current battery capacity using the voltage of the batteries and the discharge temperature (e.g., using a predetermined formula). Lithium ion batteries typically have a voltage curve that is relatively flat until the battery reaches 20% capacity (i.e., 80% of the battery capacity has been depleted), after which the voltage drops off sharply. In some embodiments, the radio controller  250  provides the notification when the capacity reaches 20% capacity. 
     Configuration of Exemplary Embodiments 
     As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims. 
     It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples). 
     The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic. 
     References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. 
     The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicably connected to the processor via a processing circuit and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) the one or more processes described herein. 
     The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions. 
     Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps. 
     It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the fire suppression system as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein.