Design and Fabrication of an Automatic Sprinkler Fire Fighting System Abdalsalam Ahmed, Abdulsalam Mansor, and Abdulgani Albagul Faculty of Electronic Technology Baniwald, Tripoli Road, Baniwalid, Libya {abci7854,abci1987ncir}@gmail.com, albagoul@yahoo.com Abstract. This paper attempts to integrate microcontrollers into smoke detector circuitry and other components for safety purpose. This can be achieved by placing some sensors and devices in the building. In the proposed system, a smoke detector upon senses smoke activates its alarm, sends a low voltage signal to microcontrollers. The microcontroller will activate the relays which are connected to other components to alert residents that one of the smoke detectors has sensed smoke by means of voice and flashing lights. At the same time, it will send signals to valves, air suckers and the water pump. The solenoid valve will operate the water pump which delivers water to the room through pipes installed inside the building to attack the fire. Meanwhile, the air sucker will suck the smoke from the room to prevent suffocation. The proposed design is aiming to have cost efficient system, compact design, easily expandable, simple to install and replaceable components. Keywords: safety systems, smoke detection, microcontrollers, mechatronics system. 1 Introduction Fire is a phenomenon which is familiar to everyone, It is used daily to cook our meals and heat our homes during the cold season, when harnessed, the power and energy from fire serve us as well. Meanwhile when it is uncontrolled, a fire can quickly consume and destroy whatever lies in its path. Fires are classified into four classes; Class A which involves solid material, such as wood, clothes, papers, rubbers and plastics. Class B involves inflammable liquids, oil, tars and flammable gases. Class C involves gases. Class D involves metals. Class K fires involve combustible cooking media such as oils and grease commonly found in commercial kitchens (Ted Boothroyd et al. 2005). All fire classes produce dangerous smokes which is a visible suspension of carbon or other particles in the air which emitted from a burning substance. Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires. Thus, awareness and consciousness of the importance of smoke detection system must be planted on people mind. In addition, fires are more dangerous at night. Therefore, smoke detector must be placed at the major © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015 M. Chouchane et al. (eds.), Design and Modeling of Mechanical Systems - II, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17527-0_5 41 42 A. Ahmed, A. Mansor, and A. Albagul area inclusive every rooms. It is very important issue to take suitable measures and steps to prevent the fire from spreading and keep it under control until it is extinguished completely. There are two ways to fight fire; manually and automatically by different approaches. A fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection measure, consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure and flow rate to a water distribution piping system, onto which fire sprinklers are connected. Although historically only used in factories and large commercial buildings, systems for homes and small buildings. Fire sprinkler systems are extensively used worldwide, with over 40 million sprinkler heads fitted each year. In buildings completely protected by fire sprinkler systems, over 99% of fires were controlled by fire sprinklers alone (Puchovsky, M 2003). This paper is devoted to design and implant an automatic way to extinguishing fire using water for class A 2 Related Work Many works have been conducted in the area of fire fighting over years. There are many ways to fight fires ranging from conventional manual methods to more sophisticated ones. The cost of sophisticate system is very high but effective. Ambrose Godfrey created the first successful automated sprinkler system in 1723. He used gunpowder to release a tank of extinguishing fluid (Ted Boothroyd et al. 2005). In 1812, the first modern recognizable sprinkler system was installed in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the United Kingdom. The system which was designed by William Congreve consisted of a cylindrical airtight fed by a (250 mm) water main which branched to all parts of the theatre. A series of smaller pipes fed from the distribution pipe were pierced with a series of (13 mm) holes which pour water in the event of a fire (Gelb, Michael J 1989). From 1852 to 1885, perforated pipe systems were used in textile mills throughout New England as a means of fire protection. However, they were not automatic systems; a person had to operate the system. Inventors first began experimenting with automatic sprinklers around 1860. The first automatic sprinkler system was patented by Philip W. Pratt in 1872. Henry S. Parmalee of New Haven, Connecticut is considered the inventor of the first automatic sprinkler head. Parmalee improved upon the Pratt patent and created a better sprinkler system (Bryan 1990). Bryan states that an Automatic sprinkler system is a system of pipes, tubes, or conduits provided with sprinklers or nozzles, which is automatically activated and (in some types) deactivated, utilizing the sensing of fire-induced stimuli consisting of light, heat, visible or invisible combustion products, and pressure generation, to distribute water and water-base extinguishing agents in the fire area. In 1874, he installed his fire sprinkler system into the piano factory that he owned. Frederick Grinnell improved Parmalee's design and in 1881 patented the automatic sprinkler that bears his name. He continued to improve the device and in 1890 invented the glass disc sprinkler, essentially the same as that in use today. Until the 1940s, sprinklers were installed almost exclusively for the protection of commercial buildings. Over the years, fire sprinklers have become mandatory safety equipment in some parts of North America, in certain occupancies, including, but not limited to newly constructed hospitals, schools, hotels and other public buildings, subject to the local Design and Fabrication of an Automatic Sprinkler Fire Fighting System 43 building codes and enforcement. Sprinkler systems are a reliable way to protect property from fire damage. Since their invention in the late 19th century, they have served as a method of managing fires until firefighters arrive at the scene (C.L. Beyler 1977). The earliest sprinkler systems consisted of steel pipe networks with drilled holes or perforations provided along the length of pipe. The concept of employing a heat-actuated device dates back to approximately 1860 (Puchovsk 2003). Automatic sprinkler systems are thermosensitive devices designed to react at predetermined temperatures by automatically releasing a stream of water and distributing it in specified patterns and quantities over designated areas (Z.G. Liu and A.K. Kim 2000). 3 Types of Sprinkler Systems Sprinkler systems are a reliable way to protect property from fire damage. Since their invention in the late 19th century, they have served as a method of managing fires until firefighters arrive at the scene. The earliest sprinkler systems consisted of steel pipe networks with drilled holes or perforations provided along the length of pipe. Today, there are different types of sprinkler styles which serve many different purposes. The four most common styles of sprinkler systems are a standard spray upright, standard spray pendent, sidewall sprinkler, and the extended coverage sprinkler. 3.1 Wet Pipe System It consists of some pipes containing water under pressure. It is used in normal ambient conditions and the sprinkler pipes are always filled with water. The sprinklers on this system are heat sensitive and will only activate after reaching a designated temperature. With this system, each individual sprinkler can react to heat from a fire, operating to distribute water over the source of that heat (Fleming 2003). The heat from the fire will break a glass bulb, fusible link, or chemical pellet that is under pressure, releasing a spring which allows water to dispense out of the sprinkler (Wieder and Smith 1998). In 2007, 89% of reported fires involved only one or two sprinklers when wet pipe sprinklers operated (Hall 2010). 3.2 Dry Pipe System It uses heat sensitive sprinklers. It is commonly found in colder environments where there is the possibility of the wet pipe system freezing. Rather than being filled with water like the wet pipe system, this system is filled with air and is under pressure. When the heat sensitive sprinkler activates, the air is released and water flows to the open sprinkler where it is dispersed. Similar to the wet pipe system, only the sprinkler that reaches the designated temperature will discharge water. The water is held back in piping at a climate controlled environment to prevent freezing. According to (Gagnon 1997), this should take no longer than sixty 44 A. Ahmed, A. Mansor, and A. Albagul seconds, in accordance with NFPA 13. In 2007 when dry pipe sprinklers operated, 74% reported fires involved only one or two sprinklers (Hall 2010). 3.3 Preaction System It is a type of dry system that employs a deluge-type valve, fire detection devices, and closed sprinklers. This system only discharges water into the piping in response to a signal from the detection system. Once the detection system signals the preaction system, water will be discharged into the piping system like a wet pipe sprinkler system. The system will not disperse water onto the fire until each sprinkler head is activated. Preaction systems are typically found in spaces containing computer or communications equipment, museums, and other facilities where inadvertent water leakage from system piping is of major concern and it is critical that there are not accidental discharges of water in these areas (Puchovsky 2003). 3.4 Deluge System It is also like the dry pipe sprinkler system, but is equipped with open sprinklers and a deluge valve. This has all open sprinklers and allows the flow of water to be evenly spread throughout all of the sprinklers. This is activated by an alarm system that triggers the system and disperses the water. A concern of businesses looking into installing sprinkler systems is the fear that they will discharge accidentally, causing unnecessary water damage. However, sprinkler systems are designed in such a way that this accidental discharge rarely occurs. Sprinkler systems that accidentally discharge have typically been exposed to extreme heat or have been damaged (Tremblay and McCarthy 2002). 3.5 Foam Water System It is a special application system, discharging a mixture of water and low expansion foam concentrate, resulting in a foam spray from the sprinkler. These systems are usually used with special hazards occupancies associated with high challenge fires, such as flammable liquids, and airport hangars. Operation is as described above, depending on the system type into which the foam is injected. 3.6 Water Spray System It is operationally identical to a deluge system, but the piping and discharge nozzle spray patterns are designed to protect a uniquely configured hazard, usually being three-dimensional components or equipment (i.e., as opposed to a deluge system, which is designed to cover the horizontal floor area of a room). The nozzles used may not be listed fire sprinklers, and are usually selected for a specific spray pattern to conform to the three-dimensional nature of the hazard (e.g., typical spray Design and Fabrication of an Automatic Sprinkler Fire Fighting System 45 patterns being oval, fan, full circle, narrow jet). Examples of hazards protected by water spray systems are electrical transformers containing oil for cooling or turbogenerator bearings. Water spray systems can also be used externally on the surfaces of tanks containing flammable liquids or gases (such as hydrogen). Here the water spray is intended to cool the tank and its contents to prevent tank r upture/explosion (BLEVE) and fire spread. 3.7 Water Spray System It is used for special applications in which it is decided that creating a heat absorbent vapor is the primary objective. This type of system is typically used where water damage may be a concern, or where water supplies are limited. Water mist is defined as a water spray with a droplet size of less than 1000 microns at the minimum operation pressure of the discharge nozzle. The droplet size can be controlled by the adjusting discharge pressure through a nozzle of a fixed orifice size. By creating a mist, and equal volume of water will create a larger total surface area exposed to the fire. The larger total surface area better facilitates the transfer of heat, thus allowing more water droplets to turn to steam more quickly. A water mist, which absorbs more heat than water per unit time, will more effectively cool the room, thus reducing the temperature of the flame. Water mist systems can operate with the same functionality as deluge, wet pipe, dry pipe, or pre-action systems. The difference is that a water mist system uses a compressed gas as an atomizing medium, which is pumped through the sprinkler pipe. 4 Sprinkler System Design and Components A fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection measure, consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure and flow rate to a water distribution piping system, onto which fire sprinklers are connected. In this paper the system is designed for a small prototype for pilot scale building. The system consists of hardware and software systems. 4.1 Hardware Design and Construction The hardware system consists of a small home with three rooms where smoke and heat sensors, fans and sprinkler nozzle are installed in each room as shown in figure 1. The sensors and other components are connected to the microcontroller through some circuitry as shown in figure 2. 46 A. Ahmed, A. Mansor, and A. Albagul Fig. 1 The prototype of a small home Fig. 2 The circuit diagram for the system The overall system consists of a PIC microcontroller, LM35 series are precision integrated circuit temperature sensors, relays, light-emitting diodes, booster pump, solenoid valve, smoke detectors, air fans, push buttons, sprinkler nozzles and an emergency key. Design and Fabrication of an Automatic Sprinkler Fire Fighting System 4.2 47 The Operation Procedures The system starts by reading the status of heat and smoke sensors. If anyone the smoke detectors is triggered or heat sensors provided a reading above 60˚ C, then the microcontrollers will send signals to turn on room lamp, triggers the alarm, flashing light and on the air fans to suck smokes outside the building. The system then will take some time delay for few seconds before it triggers the pump and solenoid valve to pump the water to fight the fire through the sprinkler nozzle. Once the smoking alarm goes off and temperature goes dawn, the system will take delay fore few seconds before it switches off the water pump and the alarm. Figure 3 shows the flowchart of the proposed technique. Fig. 3 The flowchart of the proposed technique 48 5 A. Ahmed, A. Mansor, and A. Albagul Conclusion The automatic window cleaning robot has been successfully designed and fabricated. The system works automatically and manually. However, if the sensor didn't work or was late in reaction, the manual emergency switch which is usually installed inside the building and is used to operate the fire system manually. The system consists of a number of devices, which are interconnected to perform the required task. The components used in this work are simple and cheap. The software programming is simple and can be modified and implemented easily. The automatic sprinkler system is an effective means to control fires in enclosed areas. In general the system works adequately as anticipated in the design process. The idea of mechatronics engineering can be seen where some of engineering display were encompassed in the system References Boothroyd, T., Ruane, T., Murnane, L.: Fire Detection and Suppression Systems, 3rd edn. Paperback (2005) Puchovsky, M.: Automatic sprinklers. In: Cote, A. (ed.) Fire Protection Handbook, 19th edn., vol. 2, Section 10, pp. 185–212. 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