Regular testing and upkeep ensure a maximum service life and functional and failure-related security of technical home equipment. The identical applies to foam-based hearth extinguishing systems and the froth proportioners installed in them.
Up to now, such testing and maintenance have required the presence of personnel on-site. However, it might be simpler and extra cost-efficient for extinguishing system operators if this was potential in a fully computerized and remote-controlled method. For instance, this would also make regular upkeep personnel journey to remotely situated proportioners redundant. In addition, this may ensure that necessities by the producer, requirements and sets of regulations are observed without any practical deviations and unsuitable time intervals.
The remote testing system throughout the ‘Smart Proportioner’ growth framework has been created only for this purpose. It is an development of the distant monitoring system.
Brief overview of the remote monitoring system
The distant monitoring system is used for proportioner monitoring in testing mode throughout maintenance and live firefighting operations.
In the course of distant monitoring, the proportioning price and other working parameters are determined, recorded and forwarded to the system operator if necessary. Thus, the sleek performance and operational readiness of the system are monitored and ensured this way.
A remote monitoring system consists of a control system, including an optionally available local display unit (HMI) if relevant, and sensor technology. The sensor expertise includes, at least, the likelihood to determine the water motor’s number of revolutions and to find out the foam agent move rate. These values are used to calculate the proportioning price. This figure is the core characteristic in the course of the operation and testing of a foam proportioner. Further sensor know-how is on the market on an optionally available foundation.
The remote monitoring system supports the working and repair personnel on-site. It can be suitable for distant monitoring of the froth proportioner.
However, it’s a primary fact that personnel are all the time needed to carry out the maintenance work or the proportioning fee testing on-site because the system performs a monitoring position only. It does not actively interact with the functioning of the proportioner.
In the course of distant monitoring, the proportioning price and other operating parameters are decided, displayed and forwarded. Images provided by Author / Contributor
Evolution – from distant monitoring to remote testing
The query is how to additional decrease the maintenance effort on foam proportioners.
The resolution lies within the remote testing system, the subsequent step of the intelligent FireDos proportioners. The remote testing system permits monitoring of the proportioner and particular person upkeep, together with proportioning rate testing.
The situation of the proportioner could be checked without having to begin up the fire extinguishing system. No personnel are required on-site. Proportioners in a remote place or which may be only not often inspected by personnel on-site could be checked without upkeep workers and associated expenses, corresponding to journey expenditure. In specific, rising the testing interval is possible without extra efforts. The instruction handbook for FireDos proportioners requires common starting-up, utilizing the service crank manually as a minimum. เกจวัดแรงดันออกซิเจน is meant to prevent deposits inside the equipment, impairing its ease of movement and thus conserving the proportioner’s functionality. The distant testing system can adopt these regular movements and check the proportioning fee, growing the service life and useful safety of the proportioner.
What is the design of a distant testing system?
The remote testing system is mostly based mostly upon the remote monitoring system. It is, nonetheless, notably prolonged by means of actuators. This is because they permit the fully impartial operation of the remote testing system; i.e., the proportioning price of the proportioner is tested without activating the water pumps of the fire extinguishing system.
The core components include a central control system, with an elective HMI, sensor expertise, electrical ball valve drives, an electrical drive for the proportioner and a bypass line past the water motor.
The connection of the electrical drive and the proportioner is designed in order that the electrical drive may have no interference with the proportioner’s performance in the case of a fire. This method, some great benefits of the mechanical proportioning principle are preserved.
How does the distant testing system work, and the way can the proportioning price be checked with out activating the water pumps?
If in ready-to-operate mode, the proportioner is at all times within the proportioning place. Upon initiation of an computerized testing course of, regardless of if after an outlined time interval, upon request by way of a cloud resolution or from the hearth extinguishing system/a local operator, the proportioner is put into testing operation. Specifically, the management system places the proportioner into testing operation using an electrically actuated ball valve drive whereas the froth agent isn’t combined into the extinguishing water but returned to the foam agent tank. At the identical time, it opens the electrically actuated ball valve within the bypass line past the water motor. Next, the electric drive of the proportioner is activated, driving the whole proportioner at its start-up circulate rate. The start-up circulate fee is the lowest operating point of a proportioner to reach its nominal proportioning fee.
Due to the external electrical drive, the water motor works like a pump and generates a water flow by way of the bypass from the water motor’s outlet to the water motor’s inlet. The operation causes no change of stress in the extinguishing water line. The hearth extinguishing system is therefore not influenced when the proportioner is tested.
As the extinguishing water flow fee simulated by the external drive is also known due to the known ratio of the water motor’s number of revolutions and the water move price, just the foam agent circulate price should be determined to permit the next calculation of the proportioning fee. This is done by a volumetric flow meter between the proportioning pump’s outlet and the ball valve, which switches between returning and proportioning mode. This allows dedication of the froth agent circulate fee, both in testing mode and while proportioning in case of an alarm.
The proportioning rate is determined in accordance with the method as required in the requirements and rules EN 13565-1, NFPA 11, FM 4-12, and the Nordtest NT Fire 042 technique.
Foam agent flow fee [l/min]
(Extinguishing water flow price x a hundred = proportioning price %+ foam agent flow rate) [l/min]
After completion of the testing course of, the electric drive of the proportioner stops, the bypass line is closed, and the proportioner is returned to proportioning mode.
Sensor expertise installed as a further possibility or inside the electrical drive permits acquiring further information and conclusions in regards to the state and situation of the respective unit. It is checked, for instance, whether the ball valves are of their right positions or enough oil is within the crankshaft housing of the proportioning pump. In addition, the pressure values at the pump inlet/outlet and the strain at the water motor are recorded. Finally, measuring the entire system’s torque and the flow fee contained in the bypass line allows checking the overall situation of the proportioner.
The data may be displayed regionally or by way of a cloud solution. Controlling the maintenance operation can be potential through both interfaces.
What if there is an alarm during a testing process?
An essential query is: Does the proportioner work without any limitations and as usual if there may be an alarm? The answer is: Yes!
The distant testing system is designed in such a method that extinguishing water can flow via the water motor and begin it up at any time, even if the electrical drive is working on the similar time. In addition, a unique, totally computerized and purely mechanical decoupling mechanism ensures that the electrical drive doesn’t intervene with the proportioner’s functioning and readiness to function.
In case of an alarm, the ball valves within the bypass line and people for switching between returning and proportioning are instantly switched so that the proportioner is in proportioning mode for firefighting. Thus, the management system is put into alarm mode on this case. This alarm mode causes the disabling of all features not essential at that second and all ball valves to be set to their appropriate place.
Therefore, in case of an alarm during testing operation, the ball valves change to their correct position absolutely mechanically and the electrical drive is switched off. Even if the electric drive is still operating or coming to a cease, the extinguishing water can circulate by way of the water motor and drive the proportioning pump without limitations. The alarm mode of the control system prevents re-activation of the electric drive or any unintended ball valve switching.
What advantages does a remote testing system provide?
Compared with normal proportioners and people outfitted with a distant monitoring system, a distant testing system supplies various benefits. They function the next:
ν Proportione
Display view for testing operation of the FireDos remote testing system. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
cian need to be on-site.
Regular proportioning fee testing: Regular proportioning price testing ensures optimum functioning of the proportioner in case of a fire. If the proportioning fee is simply too low, the extinguishing success can be compromised. Overdosing causes the foam agent to be consumed faster than supposed, leading to the premature ending of the froth operation.
Increasing functional and failure security due to elevated testing intervals: An elevated test interval causes the proportioner to be tested fully automatically at shorter intervals of time. This notably reduces the risk of a failure remaining undetected for a longer time frame. In addition, extra frequent testing prevents the formation of deposits inside the water motor.
Early fault detection and diagnostics: Faults within the proportioner or components of the extinguishing system, instantly affecting the proportioner’s functionality, can be recognized at an early stage of time. This consists of, for example, pressure variations within the extinguishing water line or a jammed suction line.
Inclusion of all features and advantages of the remote monitoring system: All functions and benefits of the distant monitoring system are additionally present in the remote testing system, i.e. all relevant working parameters are recorded and processed constantly and accurately as well as documented in a log file. In addition, all data are displayed by a visualization.
Reduction of costs: Regular functional testing makes it possible to detect faults even earlier. This means, maintenance and repairs can take place earlier than any extra serious harm happens. The elevated functionality and fault security of the proportioner ensures that the service life of the proportioners is maximized and the probability of a failure is minimized. As a result, decreased service and operating workforce on-site reduce prices considerably, particularly if the proportioner is situated in a remote place. In addition, practical testing of the proportioner permits early identification, evaluation and presumably limiting a fault remotely. This makes service visits extra efficient and subsequently less expensive.
Summary and prospect
The distant monitoring system already offers various advantages and helps cut back costs, nevertheless it cannot cut back the workforce required on-site.
The distant testing system is a solution for reducing upkeep requirements. It is the subsequent evolution in the midst of growing clever FireDos proportioners.
The distant testing system allows lowering the workforce required on-site to a minimal, together with shorter testing intervals and elevated failure security. This will increase the proportioner’s service life.
If the proportioner is in a fault-free state, no additional maintenance by personnel on-site is important, apart from an oil change. The oil change may be carried out by the operator’s personnel, too, simply and with none deeper data of the working principle of proportioners. If a service go to or restore ought to nonetheless become essential, remote monitoring and early fault detection will make the planning and completion of such work more environment friendly.
Like the remote monitoring system, the distant testing system is an optimum symbiosis of mechanical proportioners and an intelligent electronic improve. Thus, the benefits from each know-how fields are mixed without compromising the functionality of mechanical FireDos proportioners.
For extra data, go to www.firedos.com
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