Patent Description:
Document <CIT> discloses a method of and apparatus for automatically suppressing a detected fire in a building, vessel or vehicle. Document <CIT> discloses a vehicle comprising a fire extinguishing system.

In vehicles for passenger transportation, such as railway vehicles, coaches or cars, fire extinguishing systems are installed in order to allow fast containment of a fire for example inside a passenger compartment.

Such extinguishing systems, in particular together with a detection system, are also called fire fighting systems and are generally configured to distribute an extinguishing agent, such as water, to an area in which a fire is detected, for example a passenger compartment. In order to optimize and reduce the quantity of water stocked on board and provide effective extinguishing, such systems comprise sprinklers, each of them having a plurality of nozzles that disperse the extinguishing agent.

However, such sprinklers and the tubing connecting the sprinklers to a reservoir of extinguishing agent require much space in the passenger compartment.

In addition, the sprinklers with a plurality of nozzles are generally installed in predefined positions in order to achieve a good dispersion of the extinguishing agent. However, the available space on these predefined positions is often limited. This applies in particular, but not only, to vehicles having two superimposed floors, as in this case there may be only little or no space available for sprinklers due to small headroom.

An object of the present invention is thus to obtain a fire extinguishing system guaranteeing an effective extinguishing of a fire that saves space.

According to one aspect, an object of the present invention is a vehicle for passenger transportation comprising at least one fire extinguishing system according to claim <NUM>.

The fire extinguishing system is particularly space-saving as the sprinklers, having each a single nozzle, are very small. Indeed, no additional tubing inside each sprinkler is required to distribute the extinguishing agent to a plurality of nozzles of such a sprinkler. Therefore, the sprinklers are very space-saving, and thus the fire extinguishing system is very space-saving.

Also, the predefined aperture angle allows in particular to obtain a large amount of extinguishing agent in the form of mist to contact the fire, without contacting obstacles in a passenger compartment before a contact with the fire which would reduce the efficiency of the extinguishing agent.

Therefore, the nozzles guarantee an effective extinguishing of a fire.

Further embodiments may relate to one or more of the features according to any of claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

These features and advantages of the invention will be further explained in the following description, given only as a non-limiting examples, and with reference to the attached drawing, on which the single figure is a schematic partial view of a vehicle for passenger transportation comprising a fire extinguishing system according to the invention.

With reference to the figure, a part of a vehicle <NUM> for passenger transportation comprises a fire extinguishing system <NUM>.

The vehicle <NUM> is for example a railway vehicle, a bus, a car or an aircraft.

The vehicle <NUM> for example comprises at least two superimposed floors, not shown. Each floor is in particular configured such that passengers can walk on the floor.

According to a variant, the vehicle <NUM> is comprises single floor coaches.

The fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises a distribution pipe <NUM> intended to extend along a coach <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM> and a plurality of sprinklers <NUM> arranged and spaced apart from each other along the distribution pipe <NUM>.

For example, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises a main pipe <NUM> and at least one electrovalve <NUM> connecting the main pipe <NUM> and the distribution pipe <NUM>. The fire extinguishing system <NUM> also comprises, for example, at least one smoke and/or temperature detector <NUM>, and a control device <NUM>.

The fire extinguishing system <NUM> as described as an example in the present description comprises thus not only means for extinguishing a fire, but also means for detecting the fire, and controlling its extinction. Such a fire extinguishing system is also called fire protection system.

In the example of the figure, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises two electrovalves <NUM> and three smoke and/or temperature detectors <NUM>.

According to variants, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises only one electrovalve <NUM> or more than two electrovalves <NUM>.

According to variants, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises only one, two, or more than three smoke and/or temperature detectors <NUM>.

The distribution pipe <NUM> is configured to transport an extinguishing agent, not shown, able to extinguish a fire, in particular in a passenger compartment <NUM>. The extinguishing agent comprises for example water. In variants, the extinguishing agent is another liquid able to extinguish a fire.

The distribution pipe <NUM> comprises for example at least one check valve <NUM>.

According to examples, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> comprises a plurality of distribution pipes <NUM> without check valves, connected as independent branches to the main pipe <NUM>.

In the example of the figure, the distribution pipe <NUM> comprises two check valves <NUM> that are in particular disposed such that one check valve <NUM> allows a flow of the extinguishing agent along a first direction, and another check valve <NUM> allows a flow of the extinguishing agent along a second direction opposite to the first direction.

According to variants, the distribution pipe <NUM> comprises no check valve, only one check valve <NUM> or more than two check valves <NUM>.

Each sprinkler <NUM> is intended to be positioned on a wall, not shown, of the vehicle <NUM>. This allows in particular to save space near the ceiling (not shown) of the coach <NUM>. This is in particular beneficial if the vehicle <NUM> comprises two superimposed floors, so as to present a large headroom on each floor.

According to a variant, each sprinkler <NUM> is intended to be positioned on a ceiling inside the passenger compartment.

Each sprinkler <NUM> comprises a single nozzle <NUM> configured to disperse the extinguishing agent in form of a mist for extinguishing the fire in the passenger compartment <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM>.

In particular, the nozzles <NUM> are distributed along the distribution pipe <NUM> at predefined distance one from another.

By "distributed along the distribution pipe <NUM>", it is understood that the nozzles <NUM> are arranged in parallel to an axis of the distribution pipe <NUM>. This allows in particular to avoid or at least to reduce water being dispersed on the wall.

Each nozzle <NUM> forms in particular a single opening for the extinguishing agent from the distribution pipe <NUM>.

By "mist", it is in particular meant a dispersion or nebulization of the extinguishing agent in droplets, for example water droplets.

The dispersion in the form of a mist allows reducing the quantity of extinguishing agent to be used in case of a fire, and ensures at the same time effective extinguishing of the fire.

Each nozzle <NUM> is configured to disperse the extinguishing agent within a single cone <NUM> defined by the nozzle <NUM> and a predefined aperture angle α.

The angle α is for example equal to or smaller than <NUM>°,preferably equal to or smaller than <NUM>°. The fact that the angle α is equal to or smaller than <NUM>° allows in particular to obtain a large amount of extinguishing agent in the form of mist to contact the fire, without contacting obstacles in a passenger compartment before a contact with the fire. For example, the aperture angle α allows at least to reduce the quantity of extinguishing agent contacting a wall of the vehicle before contacting the fire. Such a contact with the wall would modify the mist form of the extinguishing agent into a liquid form. The person skilled in the art understands that such the extinguishing agent in mist form is more effective for extinguishing the fire than the extinguishing agent in liquid form.

If the angle is equal to or smaller than <NUM>°, this effect is even more improved, as less or none of the extinguishing agent comes into contact with the wall.

For visibility reasons, in the figure, the cone <NUM> is only shown for one of the sprinklers <NUM>. The corresponding cones <NUM> defined by the nozzles <NUM> of the other sprinklers <NUM> are for example identical.

The main pipe <NUM> extends for example along a longitudinal direction of the coach <NUM>, and is for example connected to a reservoir, not shown, configured to contain the extinguishing agent. For example, the main pipe <NUM> is configured to connect via corresponding pipes in adjacent coaches, not shown, to the reservoir.

Each electrovalve <NUM> is moveable from a closed position interrupting a flow of the extinguishing agent between the main pipe <NUM> and the distribution pipe <NUM>, to an open position enabling a flow of the extinguishing agent from the main pipe <NUM> to the distribution pipe <NUM>.

Each electrovalve <NUM> connects in particular the main pipe <NUM> with a respective end <NUM> of the distribution pipe <NUM> so as to enable, in the open position, a flow of the extinguishing agent from the main pipe <NUM> into the distribution pipe <NUM> via said respective end <NUM>.

For example, each electrovalve <NUM> is moved in function of a fire detection signal from the closed position to the open position or from the open position to the closed position. According to an example, each electrovalve <NUM> is configured to receive an individual fire detection signal in function of a specific location of a detected fire, and is configured to move from closed to open position in function of this individual signal.

Each smoke and/or temperature detector <NUM> is configured to detect smoke in the passenger compartment <NUM> and/or measure the temperature, and to generate a measurement signal. The measurement signal comprises for example a ratio of smoke in the passenger compartment <NUM> and/or a temperature inside the passenger compartment <NUM>.

The control device <NUM> is configured to receive a measurement signal from the detector <NUM> and to generate a fire detection signal in function of the measurement signal. For example, if the ratio of smoke in the measurement signal is higher than a predefined threshold and/or if the temperature in the measurement signal is higher than a predefined threshold, the control device <NUM> is configured to generate the fire detection signal.

According to an example, the fire detection signal comprises an identifier of the smoke and/or temperature detector <NUM>. This allows in particular to identify a zone in which a fire is detected.

Each check valve <NUM> is configured to allow a flow of the extinguishing agent in one direction along the distribution pipe <NUM> only.

Each check valve <NUM> is configured for defining several distribution zones <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the distribution pipe <NUM> for the distribution of the extinguishing agent.

With reference to the figure, the two check valves <NUM> define a first distribution zone <NUM>, a second distribution zone <NUM> and a third distribution zone <NUM> of the distribution pipe <NUM>. The check valves <NUM> are in particular arranged such that, when a first electrovalve <NUM> is in the open position, the extinguishing agent is distributed into the first and the second distribution zones <NUM>, <NUM>, and when a second electrovalve <NUM>, distinct of the first electrovalve <NUM>, is in the open position, the extinguishing agent is distributed into the third and the second distribution zones <NUM>, <NUM>.

In the example of the figure, the first electrovalve <NUM> is positioned so that, in the open position, the extinguishing agent flows from the main pipe <NUM> via the first electrovalve <NUM> into the first distribution zone <NUM> and then into the second distribution zone <NUM>. The second electrovalve <NUM> is in particular positioned so that, in the open position, the extinguishing agent flows from the main pipe <NUM> via the second electrovalve <NUM> into the third distribution zone <NUM> and the into the second distribution zone <NUM>. In the example of the figure, the first electrovalve <NUM> is positioned on the left hand side and the second electrovalve <NUM> is positioned on the right hand side.

In particular, in each zone <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, a plurality of sprinklers <NUM>, for example four or eight sprinklers, are arranged along the distribution pipe <NUM>.

The fire extinguishing system <NUM> has many advantages.

Thanks to the plurality of sprinklers <NUM> arranged and spaced apart from each other along the distribution pipe <NUM>, where each sprinkler <NUM> comprises a single nozzle <NUM>, the fire extinguishing system <NUM> guarantees an effective extinguishing of a fire and saves space, as the single nozzles <NUM> are very small.

Claim 1:
Vehicle (<NUM>) for passenger transportation comprising at least one fire extinguishing system (<NUM>), the system (<NUM>) comprising:
- at least one distribution pipe (<NUM>) extending along a coach (<NUM>) of the vehicle (<NUM>), the distribution pipe (<NUM>) being configured to transport an extinguishing agent able to extinguish a fire;
- a plurality of sprinklers (<NUM>) arranged and spaced apart from each other along the distribution pipe (<NUM>), wherein each sprinkler (<NUM>) comprises a single nozzle (<NUM>) configured to disperse the extinguishing agent in form of a mist for extinguishing a fire in a compartment (<NUM>) of the vehicle (<NUM>),
each nozzle (<NUM>) being configured to disperse the extinguishing agent within a single cone (<NUM>) defined by each nozzle (<NUM>) and a predefined aperture angle (α).