WO2009126089A1

WO2009126089A1 - Apparatus for generating smoke

Info

Publication number: WO2009126089A1
Application number: PCT/SE2009/000186
Authority: WO
Inventors: Torbjörn Fredriksson
Original assignee: Björnax AB
Priority date: 2008-04-11
Filing date: 2009-04-09
Publication date: 2009-10-15
Also published as: GB201018556D0; DE112009000889T5; SE0800820L; GB2472343A

Abstract

Apparatus for manufacturing smoke (8), said apparatus being characterised by: smoke being generated by small particles in powder form that, via a medium preferably compressed air, are made to leave their container (1) and, via a nozzle (2), leave said apparatus in a quantity and form that can be easily regulated. The smoke can be used for the functionality testing of units within a wide area of applications. It can also be used to create effects, e.g. in emergency situations, for entertainment purpose and hobby activities.

Description

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING SMOKE 11 April 2009

TECHNICAL AREA OF THE INVENTION This invention comprises an apparatus that has a wide area of use wherever it is sought to generate smoke and smoke-like effects. Smoke can be used to check the functionality of various units where the movement of air is involved. Making air flows visible, checking the functionality of smoke detectors and detecting leaks from containers are a few examples. There is also a need to use smoke, for example: to create effects in emergency situations; for "cultural" events such as films and plays; and, in various hobby activities.

Air flows can be made visible by observing how the smoke behaves. The smoke generator described herein generates visible smoke in a simple, unique and environment-friendly way. It can be used to observe air flows, an essential step not only in the optimum siting of smoke and gas detectors, but also in the optimisation of air flows for heating, ventilation, etc. For both large and small volumes of smoke, it can be advantageously used to create smoke effects for films and plays.

The smoke generator is just as simple as it is unique - the smoke it generates consists of a powder of small particles with an average size of less than 1 micron. This powder is blown out via a special air nozzle that sets up turbulence in order to create the smoke cloud. When the smoke leaves the nozzle, there is no thermal effect and can thus be manually directed wherever it is required. This is a big advantage. The design of the smoke generator can vary widely depending on the quantity of smoke that each application requires.

In its simplest design, it uses a rubber pump such as is used when, for example, measuring blood pressure by generating pressure in the cuff of a sphygmomanometer.

THE INVENTION'S BACKGROUND

In testing smoke detectors, a number of different principles have previously been used. One of these was pressurised aerosols or gases from various types of purpose-designed containers. These pressurised aerosols generate simulated smoke in the form of liquid particles. One of the disadvantages of these known devices is that the generated liquid particles reflect light poorly and thus give inferior results when testing smoke detectors with optical sensors. Furthermore, good light reflection is important when checking the siting of all types of smoke detectors. "Siting check" here means checking the interaction between a smoke detector and ventilation equipment that is already installed or is in the process of installation. It also extends to similar checking in relation to installations of doors, windows or other units that can have an impact on a smoke detector's ability to detect fumes generated in a fire. The simulated smoke generated by pressurised aerosols is more or less invisible when used in air. This makes it entirely unsuitable for siting checks.

A further disadvantage is that the simulated smoke generated by pressurised aerosols is short lived. This means that pressurised aerosols cannot be used to test the function of smoke detectors of the so-called sampling type. These sampling systems comprise a main unit that houses the smoke sensor. Attached to the main unit are one or more tubular transport hoses that, via negative pressure, can lead fumes a long way to the main unit. Testing the function of a sampling system requires a smoke particle with a very long life and good light reflection.

The weight and the designs of the applications are further disadvantages of testing the function of smoke detectors by using simulated smoke from pressurised aerosols in purpose-oriented containers. For it to be possible to activate said aerosol containers above a smoke detector, an unnecessarily complicated design is required This drastically increases the weight, which is yet a further disadvantage when one of the purpose-oriented containers is mounted on a long extension shaft for testing high up in a roof.

More disadvantages of the aerosol container and the pressurised liquids themselves are that these aerosols are mostly mixtures of an oil with one or more types of alcohols. From an environmental point of view, production of the packaging requires a lot of energy and most of the raw materials are finite resources. On top of this, being pressurised containers, aerosol packagings are surrounded by transport restrictions. A further method for generating smoke is to use titanium tetrachloride, which is a hydrochloric acid smoke. This smoke has great disadvantages in that it is both poisonous and corrosive. Available on the market, an apparatus from Germany uses this method. This apparatus is advanced and contains, amongst other things, control electronics. It is relatively expensive. The unit defined in this application generates smoke completely without any of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

In Europe, creating special smoke effects from model aircraft is a popular sport. Such effects currently offered by the market are of a pyrotechnic nature. The disadvantage of this is that, in several countries, there are age limits for buying and handling these products. Many tips are given on hazardous "home-made" mixtures that can be packaged in various ways. However, all of these have the disadvantage that they burn/smoulder and develop heat. The risks of this are obvious. The invention described in this document is both simpler and cheaper than the detailed pyrotechnic units. Furthermore, there are no age restrictions.

Swedish patent application 0700589-5 describes a smoke unit of a pyrotechnic nature which, when it burns, generates both smoke and carbon monoxide. A disadvantage of the smoke generated in this unit is that, as it is generated thermally, there is diffusion through thermal turbulence. The smoke is thus difficult to place/direct (e.g. along a table top or a floor). The invention described in this document makes it possible to "deploy" the desired quantity and type of smoke exactly where it is required.

THE INVENTION'S SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PURPOSES The present invention aims to eliminate all the disadvantages of the above-cited technical solutions for creating smoke. One basic purpose is to eliminate the negative environmental impact that is one of the disadvantages of the oil or acid drops in the above-detailed methods. A further purpose is to simplify and to decrease the cost of currently used equipment. Yet a further purpose is that deployed smoke should not be disturbed by thermal effects or by any compressed air/gas used to spread the smoke. Besides being free of these vices, the meagre weight of the powder in the present invention gives the smoke a weightless character in comparison to the heavier particles of today's smokes. Thus, said purposes are fulfilled in a particularly pleasing manner. The invention also enables the quantity of smoke leaving the nozzle at any point of time to be selected with great precision. This quantity can vary from a thin strip to a large cloud. In films and plays, large quantities of smoke are used - the present method is excellent for this.

The low weight and volume of the present apparatus means that, using a shaft or telescopic arm, it is easy to deploy smoke for tests at heights. The invention can be remotely controlled using known technologies (no particular need to be specified). The smoke, which is small particles, can be supplemented with other powder-like substances that have special properties (e.g. colour, scent and taste). If the powder is supplemented by a "whitener", the ability to observe smoke using, for example, lighting is increased. Where a powder is supplemented with ingredients that have radar-reflective properties, observation can be carried out using a suitable instrument. This can be of importance in emergency situations, etc.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 shows one design of the apparatus. Figure 2 shows another design in aerosol packaging. Figure 3 shows yet another design.

Figure 4 shows a unit on an extension shaft.

PREFERRED DESIGN A container (1), as in figure 1 , is designed to have a powder line (3) that runs into a nozzle (2) where the air from a pump (5) that is connected via a hose (4) whirls up the powder (6) into a cloud (8). To create a direction of air flow and simplify smoke formation and handling, a non-return valve (7) can advantageously be used. The design of the nozzle (2) ensures that the air becomes turbulent and is thus mixed with the powder (6) in the container (1) and the air blown in as a flow from the rubber bulb. This is a simple design, but the invention is not limited by said design. As an alternative to a hand pump, various forms of motor-powered pumps/compressors can, of course, be used. To a minor extent, the turbulence of the air that mixes the powder extends outside the nozzle. This gives an important property that is lacking in the other smoke generators available on the market. Said property means that the smoke can be easily applied anywhere and, if so desired, near physical surfaces.

The mixing ratio between "smoke-generating powder" and "free-flow powder" is not critical and can be varied within wide limits. However, this does affect the smoke's characteristics to a certain extent.

One alternative design could be to pack the powder in an aerosol packaging (28) with a propellant gas (29) - see figure 2. Carbon dioxide is widely used as a propellant gas in similar applications. However, this does not exclude the use of other alternatives.

A further example design is shown in figure 3 where a pressurised container (31) holds, preferably, compressed air and, via the injector mechanism/effect in the injector (33), the powder (34) is sucked up to the nozzle (32).

Figure 4 shows how the smoke generator has been mounted on a shaft (41) to provide simple testing of smoke sensors placed high on a ceiling The puff of air necessary to form the smoke can be created by: a rubber pump; a small motor; an electrically powered oscillating membrane; or, an apparatus (42) with an equivalent function. The control panel (43) can conveniently be on the shaft (41) and communication can be via cables or wireless. The unit can be equipped with lighting, this also preferably operated from the control panel. For the sake of ready clarity, these details have been omitted from the figure. Nevertheless, the function is easy to understand.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Apparatus for manufacturing smoke, said apparatus being characterised by: smoke being generated by small particles in powder form that, via a medium preferably compressed air, are made to leave their container and, via a nozzle, leave said apparatus in a quantity and form that can be easily regulated.

2. Apparatus as per patent claim 1 , characterised by: the smoke being formed by a free-flow powder (e.g. ZEOFLO^® TL) and said mixture being spread via a medium, preferably compressed air.

3. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: the smoke being formed by, for example, a "myanite powder" that is mixed with a free-flow powder e.g. ZEOFLO^® TL and said mixture being spread via a medium, preferably compressed air.

4. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said nozzle being so designed that it creates the turbulence which distributes the small particles so as to form a smoke, the turbulence being such that when said smoke leaves the nozzle the smoke is homogenous.

5. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder for generating smoke being preferably composed of a powder with an average particle size of less than 1 micron.

6. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder using an ingredient that has a hexagonal surface, thereby giving a greater reflection.

7. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder using an ingredient that has a radar-reflective property, thereby giving the possibility of detecting generated smoke on a radar screen.

8. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder having ingredients added to it in order to create other effects, in particular, various colours, scents or tastes.

9. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder having a "whitener" and/or equivalent added to it in order to increase the possibility of detecting a small leak in an enclosed space filled with smoke, the outer surface of the enclosure being illuminated by an ultraviolet light or similar.

10. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and simple apparatus for the manufacturing of smoke being so formed that, in a lightweight design, they are suitable for smoke effects from model aircraft.

11. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and apparatus being so formed as to achieve smoke effects and/or skywriting from a flying unit, preferably a sports aircraft.

12. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and apparatus for the manufacturing of smoke being so formed as to create smoke effects e.g. shell bursts and mist in the making of films.

13. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and apparatus for the manufacturing of smoke being so formed as to create smoke effects and be activated by installed remote control with or without wire connections.

14. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and apparatus for the manufacturing of smoke being so executed as to create smoke for the leak testing of specific volumes, e.g. chimneys, tanks, etc.

15. Apparatus as per one or more of the foregoing patent claims, characterised by: said powder and apparatus for the manufacturing of smoke being so executed as to create smoke for emergency signalling, e.g. emergency signals for boats, mountain walkers, etc.