KR-20260067570-A - Multi-zone smoke detector for vehicle and fire extinguishing system including the same

Abstract

A smoke detector for multi-zone monitoring is disclosed, comprising: a housing configured to allow air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector from a fire monitoring zone to pass through, said smoke detector; a light-emitting element installed in said housing; and a plurality of light-receiving elements installed in said housing to face the light-emitting element, each of which converts light received from the light-emitting element into an electrical signal and outputs it, wherein the housing is configured for each of said fire monitoring zones to allow air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector from each of said fire monitoring zones to pass through, and each of said smoke detector is connected to and each of said light-receiving elements is installed in a plurality of sensing chambers, and a fire suppression device for a vehicle including the same.

Inventors

• 신현기

Assignees

• 현대자동차주식회사
• 기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241106

Claims (20)

1. A housing configured to allow air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector from a fire monitoring zone to pass through, connected to a smoke detector; A light-emitting element installed in the above housing; and It includes a plurality of light-receiving elements installed in the housing so as to face each of the light-emitting elements and converting light received from the light-emitting elements into an electrical signal and outputting it. The above housing is provided for each of the fire monitoring zones so that air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector tube from each of the fire monitoring zones passes through each of the fire monitoring zones, and includes a plurality of sensing chambers to which the smoke detector tube is connected and to which the light receiving element is installed.
2. In claim 1, A smoke detector for multi-zone monitoring in which the plurality of sensing chambers and the plurality of light receiving elements are arranged along the periphery of the light-emitting element with the light-emitting element at the center.
3. In claim 2, The above plurality of sensing chambers are a smoke detector for multi-zone monitoring arranged at equal intervals along the periphery of the light-emitting element.
4. In claim 2, The light-emitting element is provided in a cylindrical shape, and On the circumferential surface of the light-emitting element, a plurality of grooves are formed so that boundary portions between sensing chambers that partition the space between adjacent sensing chambers in the housing can each be fitted therein. A smoke detector for multi-zone monitoring in which light blocking between adjacent sensing chambers is achieved by a structure in which each boundary portion of the housing is fitted into the corresponding groove of the light-emitting element.
5. In claim 4, A multi-zone monitoring smoke detector in which each of the above grooves is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting element from the circumferential surface of the light-emitting element.
6. In claim 2, The above light-receiving element is, It is provided in the shape of a plate of a fixed thickness, and A multi-zone monitoring smoke detector attached to the inner surface of each sensing chamber at a position opposite to the light-emitting element.
7. In claim 2, The above housing is provided in the shape of a '＋', and The light-emitting element is installed in the center of the above-mentioned '＋' shaped housing, and A multi-zone monitoring smoke detector in which the sensing chamber and the light receiving element are respectively positioned at four positions centered on the light-emitting element.
8. In claim 1, In the above housing, the front of each sensing chamber area is provided with an inlet port to which the smoke detection tube is connected, through which air or air containing smoke is introduced. A multi-zone monitoring smoke detector having an outlet port on the rear of each of the above-mentioned sensing chamber areas through which air or smoke-containing air that has passed through the inside of the sensing chamber is discharged.
9. Smoke suction and fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipes, each installed in a plurality of fire monitoring zones set in the vehicle and equipped with nozzles for spraying fire extinguishing liquid; A smoke detection pipe connected via a control valve to selectively communicate with the above smoke suction and fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe; An air compressor connected to apply suction pressure to the above smoke detector tube; A multi-zone monitoring smoke detector configured to detect smoke in the air sucked in through the nozzle and the smoke-sucking/fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe from each of the plurality of fire monitoring zones by the suction pressure of the air compressor acting on the smoke-sucking/fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe through the smoke detection pipe; A controller that determines that a fire has occurred when smoke is detected through the smoke detector and outputs a control signal to spray a fire extinguishing agent through the nozzle into the fire monitoring zone where the fire has occurred; and A fire suppression device for a vehicle comprising a fire extinguishing liquid supply device configured to supply fire extinguishing liquid to a smoke-absorbing and fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe within a fire monitoring zone where a fire has occurred, according to a control signal output by the above controller.
10. In claim 9, A fire suppression device for a vehicle, wherein the plurality of fire monitoring zones include one or more of a PE room in which power electric (PE) components are installed, a battery room in which a battery is installed, and a stack room in which a fuel cell stack is installed.
11. In claim 9, A fire extinguishing liquid supply pipe supplying fire extinguishing liquid from the above fire extinguishing liquid supply device is branched and extended to each of the above fire monitoring zones, and A fire suppression device for a vehicle, wherein each of the branched fire extinguishing liquid supply pipes is selectively connected via the control valve to a fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe for smoke suction within each fire monitoring zone.
12. In claim 11, Each of the branched fire extinguishing liquid supply pipes, the fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipes combined with smoke suction within each fire monitoring zone, and the smoke detection pipes provided for each fire monitoring zone are each connected via the control valve, and Each of the above control valves is, A fire suppression device for a vehicle in which the opening state is controlled by the controller to connect the fire extinguishing liquid supply pipe with the fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe for smoke suction or to connect the smoke detection pipe with the fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe for smoke suction.
13. In claim 9, The above-mentioned multi-zone monitoring smoke detector is, A housing configured to allow air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector from a fire monitoring zone to pass through, connected to a smoke detector; A light-emitting element installed in the above housing; and It includes a plurality of light-receiving elements installed in the housing so as to face each of the light-emitting elements and converting light received from the light-emitting elements into an electrical signal and outputting it. A fire suppression device for a vehicle, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of sensing chambers, each having a smoke detector connected thereto and a light receiving element installed therein, such that air or smoke-containing air sucked in through the smoke detector from each of the plurality of fire monitoring zones passes through each of the respective fire monitoring zones.
14. In claim 13, A fire suppression device for a vehicle, wherein the plurality of sensing chambers and the plurality of light receiving elements are arranged along the periphery of the light-emitting element with the light-emitting element as the center.
15. In claim 14, The light-emitting element is provided in a cylindrical shape, and On the circumferential surface of the light-emitting element, a plurality of grooves are formed so that boundary portions between sensing chambers that partition the space between adjacent sensing chambers in the housing can each be fitted therein. A fire suppression device for a vehicle in which light blocking between adjacent sensing chambers is achieved by a structure in which each boundary portion of the housing is fitted into the corresponding groove of the light-emitting element.
16. In claim 13, In the above housing, the front of each sensing chamber area is provided with an inlet port to which the smoke detection tube is connected, through which air or air containing smoke is introduced. A fire suppression device for a vehicle, wherein the rear of each of the above-mentioned sensing chamber areas is provided with an outlet port through which air or smoke-containing air that has passed through the inside of the sensing chamber is discharged.
17. In claim 16, The smoke detector tubes connected to each of the above-mentioned outlet ports are combined and connected to a suction tube, and A fire suppression device for a vehicle configured such that the suction pipe is connected to an air compressor, and the suction pressure of the air compressor acts on each smoke detector through the suction pipe.
18. In claim 9 , The above digestive fluid supply device is, A digestion tank in which digestion liquid is stored; and It includes a pressure transfer plate that is moved by the pressure of the working fluid supplied to the pressure chamber of the fire extinguishing liquid tank and pressurizes the fire extinguishing liquid filled in the fire extinguishing liquid chamber of the fire extinguishing liquid tank, thereby allowing the fire extinguishing liquid to be discharged from the fire extinguishing liquid tank to the fire extinguishing liquid supply pipe . A fire suppression device for a vehicle in which the above working fluid is compressed air supplied by the above air compressor .
19. In claim 9, The above nozzle is, A nozzle pipe having a first end connected to communicate with the smoke suction and fire extinguishing liquid discharge pipe, through which air or smoke-containing air inside the fire monitoring zone is sucked in or the fire extinguishing liquid is discharged and sprayed; and A fire suppression device for a vehicle comprising a filter member installed in the nozzle tube to remove foreign substances contained in air or smoke sucked in through the second end of the nozzle tube by the suction pressure of the air compressor.
20. In claim 9, The above controller is, A fire suppression device for a vehicle that determines the smoke concentration in the air inhaled from each of the plurality of fire monitoring zones based on an electrical signal of a smoke detector for multi-zone monitoring indicating the smoke concentration in the air inhaled from each of the plurality of fire monitoring zones, the speed (RPM) of the air compressor, and the speed (RPM) of a cooling fan installed in the corresponding fire monitoring zone.

Description

Multi-zone smoke detector for vehicle and fire extinguishing system including the same The present invention relates to a smoke detector capable of monitoring the occurrence of a fire in multiple zones provided in a vehicle and accurately distinguishing and determining the zone where a fire has occurred among the multiple zones, and a fire suppression device for a vehicle capable of rapidly and automatically suppressing a fire that has occurred in the vehicle using the same. In general, vehicles use flammable fuel and contain numerous heat sources, and since various electrical wires are installed in a tangled mess, the risk of fire is ever-present. For example, since a vehicle's engine compartment is equipped with a high-temperature engine and various electrical devices, a fire may occur as the engine and electrical devices are damaged or malfunction due to causes such as collisions. In addition, there is a risk of fire occurring in the engine compartment even while the vehicle is in motion due to engine overheating or causes during the exhaust gas aftertreatment process. However, the only known method to respond to fires in vehicles is to have a fire extinguisher on hand, and if the driver fails to use the extinguisher in time, the fire may fail to extinguish and spread to the entire vehicle. Furthermore, since public transportation vehicles such as buses carry a large number of passengers, fire prevention management for passenger safety is essential, and if a fire occurs in a public transportation vehicle, it is highly likely to lead to a major disaster. Furthermore, since the driver is inside the vehicle while it is in motion, they may not notice a fire in the engine compartment until a large amount of smoke is produced; this is particularly difficult for the driver to detect in a bus, as the engine compartment is located at the rear of the vehicle, unlike in passenger cars. Therefore, if the driver fails to carry out rapid firefighting operations in the early stages of a fire, the fire may spread and lead to the complete destruction of the vehicle, increasing the risk of casualties. Even if the driver or passengers inside the vehicle become aware of the fire, it is difficult to extinguish it using only the small fire extinguisher provided in the vehicle. Recently, with the increasing use of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric cars and fuel cell vehicles, the risk of fire occurring in batteries or high-voltage electrical wiring due to external impacts or internal short circuits is growing. In particular, in the case of a large electric bus (xEV), a PE (Power Electric) room is located at the rear of the vehicle instead of an engine room, where various electrical devices and electrical wiring are installed. FIG. 1 is a diagram briefly illustrating the PE room (2) of a vehicle (1), such as an electric bus. As described, electrical components (PE components) and electrical wiring are complexly installed in the PE room (2). Although not shown in detail in the drawing, a motor for vehicle operation, a power converter LDC (Low voltage DC-DC Converter), low voltage/high voltage wiring, a water heating heater, a junction box, an air compressor, a cooling module, etc. are installed. When analyzing the possibility of fire occurring among the devices or parts installed in the PE room (2) as described above, it is known that the probability of fire occurring in the low-voltage/high-voltage wiring is the highest. When a fire simulation test was conducted by increasing the current by 100A using low-voltage/high-voltage wiring, smoke was generated at the point where the connector and cable came into contact, and based on the results of the fire simulation test, it was found that a gas (smoke) detector is suitable as a fire detection sensor for the PE room (2). While using a flame detector as a fire detection sensor is the most accurate method, flame detectors cannot detect a fire in its early stages; they can only detect a fire once it has spread significantly. Since temperature sensors can only detect a rise in temperature at the installation location, it is impossible to cover the entire space of the PE room for fire detection with only a small number of sensors, and installing multiple temperature sensors in the PE room results in a very complex layout. In the PE room (2) of the electric bus, a smoke detector can be used as a fire detection sensor, but the biggest problem when using a gas (smoke) detector is the presence of a cooling fan (electric fan). If a fire occurs while the cooling fan is operating, the smoke may not move to the smoke detector due to the cooling fan. Among the devices constituting the cooling module, the cooling fan that supplies air to the radiator is installed on the rear side of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 1, and the cooling fan sucks in external air and supplies it into the PE room (2). At this time, forced convection of air occurs inside the PE room (2) by air supplied by a cooling fan