Patent Publication Number: US-2016236021-A1

Title: Extended Height Overlapping Nozzle Protection

Description:
PRIORITY DATA &amp; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/117,933, “Extended Height Overlapping Nozzle Protection,” filed on Feb. 18, 2015, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to fire protection systems, and more particularly fire suppression systems using nozzles for the protection of kitchens. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Known fire suppression systems for kitchens include nozzles suspended from pipes that extend into the kitchen space including into spaces occupied by kitchen personnel or area subject to grease and other particles. Thus, the suspended nozzles and associated piping can cause one or more of the following problems for maintaining proper operation of both the fire protection and the kitchen functions: (i) being a source of or create a contamination issue or risk; (ii) present a physical obstruction and source of injury for kitchen personnel; (iii) be subject to tampering; (iv) impede work operations within the kitchen; (v) occupy space such that the nozzles and piping can limit the space for cooking appliances. Moreover, the nozzle and associated piping can be aesthetically unpleasant. It is therefore desirable to have a fire suppression systems for kitchens with nozzles suspended at higher heights than currently available in order to minimize, prevent or otherwise eliminate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred fire suppression system for fire protection of kitchens is provided. The system includes a nozzle location zone for locating a fire suppression nozzle in a manner that overcomes the problems and disadvantages addressed above. The preferred nozzle location zone provides for nozzle installations at suspended heights greater than previously known. The increased height moves the nozzles out of the kitchen spaces to minimize or more preferably eliminate the risks of contamination, injury and interference to kitchen operations and personnel. 
     One preferred embodiment of a fire protection system for a cooking appliance located in a hazard zone includes a firefighting supply and one or more nozzles coupled to the supply for generating a spray pattern to address a fire in the hazard zone. The nozzle have an outlet for discharge of a firefighting agent. The system includes a preferred nozzle location zone to locate the nozzle outlet at a nozzle height from the hazard zone. The nozzle location zone has a first linear edge and a second linear edge spaced from the first linear edge with each of the first and second linear edges being parallel to the hazard zone. The second linear edge of the nozzle location zone is closer to the hazard zone than the first linear edge to define a minimum nozzle height and the first linear edge is at a distance ranging from sixty inches (60 in.) to sixty-eight inches (68 in.) from the hazard zone to define a maximum nozzle height. 
     The preferred systems and nozzle location zones also provide for preferred methods of fire protection for hazard zones that includes supplying a firefighting agent to a nozzle and locating the nozzle in a preferred nozzle location zone defining a maximum nozzle height and a minimum nozzle height. The maximum nozzle height preferably ranging from sixty inches (60 in.) to sixty-eight inches (68 in.) from the hazard zone. 
     Alternatively or additionally, a preferred method of fire protection of a includes obtaining a fire protection nozzle; and distributing the nozzle for installation in a nozzle location above a hazard zone in which the hazard zone defines a maximum nozzle height and a minimum nozzle height. The maximum nozzle height preferably ranges from sixty inches (60 in.) to sixty-eight inches (68 in.) from the hazard zone. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic elevation view of a preferred kitchen suppression system; and 
         FIG. 2  is a partial schematic plan view of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Shown in  FIGS. 1  is a schematic illustration of kitchen K having a floor  2 , a ceiling  4  at a vertical distance above the floor  2  with a defined hazard zone HAZ defined above a volume  5 . As used herein, a “hazard zone” is a theoretical rectangular plane, as shown in plan in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , disposed parallel to the floor that includes all the cooking hazards of the appliances to be protected by a fire protection system. The hazard zone HAZ defines the area for location of kitchen appliances and the area to be targeted preferably by overlapping nozzle appliance protection. A cooking appliance can completely fill the hazard zone HAZ or a portion thereof. For the purposes herein, “overlapping nozzle appliance protection” is the protection of cooking appliances by nozzles spaced uniformly at uniform elevations. 
       FIG. 1  which shows a cross-section of the hazard zone HAZ in an axial plane AP. The hazard zone has a first edge H 1  and a second edge H 2  spaced from the first edge H 1  to define a hazard zone depth or width W in which a cooking hazard of a protected appliance is located. The hazard zone width W can range from 28 inches to 36 inches and can be any one of 30 inches and 34 inches. The hazard zone depth W has a midpoint between the first and second edge H 1 , H 2 . The hazard zone HAZ defines a vertical projection AZ of the hazard zone into the axial plane AP between the first and second edges H 1 , H 2  of the hazard zone. A central plane CP extends perpendicular to the hazard zone HAZ and axial plane AP and extends through the midpoint of the hazard zone depth W parallel to each of the first and second edges H 1 , H 2  so as to bisect the hazard zone HAZ and the vertical projection AZ of the hazard zone. 
     A preferred fire protection system  10  for an appliance(s) located within the hazard zone HAZ is shown. The preferred system  10  includes a firefighting supply  12  preferably having a tank of firefighting agent or preferred suppressant  12   a  and a releasing assembly or mechanism  32 . A distribution network of piping  12   c  connects the agent  12   a  to one and preferably more than one fire protection nozzle  20  to define the preferred overlapping nozzle appliance protection in the hazard zone. The releasing assembly or mechanism  32  is arranged with the supply  30  to control the release and delivery of the firefighting agent  30  to the nozzle  20  for effectively addressing a fire. The releasing assembly  32  can be electrically or mechanically controlled and can include automatic or manual actuating devices and associated fire detection equipment that can be mechanically linked or electrically interconnected by hard wired or wireless connections. The nozzle  20  is a device having an inlet  20   a  for receipt of the released agent or other firefighting fluid and an outlet  20   b  for spraying the agent over a distance to define the preferred spray pattern for addressing and more preferably suppressing the fire in the hazard zone HAZ. 
     The preferred system includes a nozzle location zone NL or region in which the outlet  20   b  of a nozzle  20  can be located above the hazard zone HAZ at which an effective spray pattern for addressing a fire can be generated. The nozzle location zone NL locates the one or more nozzle(s)  20  and more particularly its outlet  20   b  to defines a nozzle height from the hazard zone HAZ. In the preferred embodiments, the nozzle location zone HAZ locates a nozzle outlet  20   b  at increased heights above the hazard zone HAZ not previously achieved thereby eliminating the risk of contamination, injury and interference with kitchen personnel. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the nozzle location zone NL is preferably defined by a plurality of linear edges  102 . In preferred embodiments, the so as to more preferably define a polygon. Additionally or alternatively, the preferred geometric boundary can be defined by a number of linear edges to approximate a closed form having one or more arcuate edges such as, for example, a circle, ellipse or oval or any other closed form shape. 
     The plurality of linear edges  102  preferably include a first linear edge  102   a  and a second linear edge  102   b  each extending parallel to the hazard zone HAZ. The first linear edge  102   a  is the most remote or furthest from the hazard zone HAZ and the second linear edge  102   b  is the most proximate or closest to the hazard zone HAZ. Accordingly, the first linear edge  102   a  defines a maximum nozzle height V 1  and the second linear edge  102   b  defines a minimum nozzle height V 2  above the hazard zone. In a preferred embodiment, the first linear edge  102   a  is preferably disposed at a maximum distance from hazard zone HAZ to define a preferred maximum nozzle height V 1  that ranges from about 60 inches to about 68 inches (60-68 in.). In a preferred embodiment, the maximum nozzle height is sixty-eight inches (68 in.) and in an alternate embodiment, is sixty inches (60 in.). The second linear edge  102   b  is preferably disposed at a minimum distance from the hazard zone HAZ to define a minimum nozzle height that that is preferably over fifty inches (50 in.) and more preferably ranges from fifty-four to sixty inches (54 in.-60 in.). For the preferred overlapping nozzle appliance protection, the plurality of nozzles  20  are located and oriented with their outlets  20   b  in the preferred nozzle location zone NL at common or same height above the hazard zone HAZ preferably at a maximum nozzle height and more preferably at least sixty-eight inches above the hazard zone HAZ. Moreover, the plurality of nozzles  20  are preferably spaced apart along the length of the hazard zone HAZ to provide the preferred overlapping protection. 
     The nozzle location zone NL locates the outlet relative to the hazard zone. Moreover the nozzle location NL defines a nozzle axis A-A between a nozzle outlet  20   b  and a preferred target of the hazard zone HAZ. For example, a preferred target is at the intersection between the hazard zone and a central plane bisecting the hazard zone along its length. The nozzle  20  is preferably oriented at its nozzle height within the nozzle location zone such that the outlet is directed along the preferred nozzle axis A-A and aimed at the preferred target. Alternate targets in the hazard zone HAZ can be identified to alternatively orient the nozzle  20 . 
     With the one or more nozzles  20  located and oriented within the preferred nozzle location zone NL, the nozzle  20  in an actuated state of the system  10  generates a preferred spray pattern, preferably a conical spray pattern, about the nozzle axis A-A. A preferred spray pattern effectively addresses and more preferably suppresses a fire. Exemplary characteristics of a preferred spray pattern from a located nozzle  20  can be one or more combinations of spray angle about the axis A-A, a droplet size, a droplet velocity, a spray profile, and/or density over the hazard zone HAZ. Thus, factors affecting or defining the preferred spray pattern can be any one of working nozzle flow rates and/or fluid delivery pressure or working pressure of the nozzle at its nozzle height within the nozzle location zone NL. Accordingly, there are one or more preferred relationships between the firefighting supply  12  and the preferred nozzle location zone NL. With reference to  FIG. 2  and the located nozzle  20 , a preferred spray angle θ about a nozzle axis A-A ranges from 29°-46° degrees and more preferably range 29°-39° degrees and 36°-46° degree. Alternatively or additionally, a preferred working pressures and/or flow rates to the nozzle  20  and its outlet  20   b  at its preferred nozzle height are, for example, a working flow rate of 1.5-2 gallons per minute (gpm) and more preferably ranging 1.7-1.75 gpm and/or a working pressure of 30-140 psi and more preferably 80 psi. 
     For the preferred nozzle location zone NL and maximum nozzle height ranging from sixty inches to sixty-eight inches, there is a preferred relationship with the firefighting supply  12  to provide for the effective spray pattern at the increased heights. For example, the nozzle location zone NL and supply  12  define a preferred ratio of outlet maximum nozzle height-to-working fluid pressure that ranges from 2.3:1 to 0.5:1. Alternatively or additionally, the nozzle location zone NL and supply  12  defining a preferred ratio of maximum nozzle height-to-working flow rate from the nozzle that ranges from 45:1 to 34:1. 
     The nozzle location zone NL additionally or alternatively preferably defines a closed formed boundary in which to locate and orient a nozzle  20 . The first linear edge  102   a  and a second linear edge  102   b  are spaced apart from one another to define a vertical length D 1  of the nozzle location zone NL parallel to the central plane CP. The plurality of linear edges  102  further preferably includes a third linear edge  102   c  and at least a fourth linear edge  102   d  spaced apart from one another to define a horizontal width D 2  of the nozzle location zone NL parallel to the hazard zone HAZ. 
     In one preferred embodiment of the nozzle location zone NL, the nozzle location zone NL is spaced or off-set from the central plane CP in the axial plane AP. The third linear edge  102   c  is the most proximate or closest to the hazard zone central plane CP and the fourth linear edge  102   b  is the most remote or furthest from the central plane CP. The third linear edge  102   c  is preferably parallel to the central plane CP and in one embodiment, the fourth linear edge is skewed with respect to the central plane CP. In one preferred aspect a nozzle location zone NZ is substantially trapezoidal as shown. 
     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.