Automatic sprinklers or automatic sprinklers are a fire extinguishing system. They are generally part of a fire fighting system based on a water reserve to supply the system and a network of pipes of which they are terminal elements. They are generally activated when detecting the effects of a fire, such as the increase in temperature associated with the fire.

Contenido

Los rociadores automáticos disponen de un orificio para la salida del agua, un mecanismo de disparo y un deflector para convertir el chorro de salida en una rociada de agua por la zona donde haya fuego de incendio.

El disparo del rociador puede hacerse por dos mecanismos: por un elemento termosensible o por un detector de incendios:.

thermosensitive element

In this type of sprinkler, the jet has a plug that prevents the escape of water and a device for releasing the plug. The trigger mechanism in this case is a device for releasing the plug, which consists of a thermosensitive element that is designed to be destroyed at predetermined temperatures, automatically causing the release of the plug and the release of a jet of sprayed water, which must extinguish the fire right in the area where it has started. This device can be of two types:

These processes may take more or less time depending on the rate of heat release surrounding the sprinkler, the distance between the sprinkler and the ceiling, the distance between the sprinkler and the floor, the inclination of the ceiling and other factors that have been widely studied by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), UL (Underwriters Laboratories), FM (Factory Mutual), among other research and development organizations in fire protection systems.

Fire detector trip

Another way to activate the sprinkler is with an associated fire detector, which opens the sprinkler closure, which in this case is a solenoid valve (solenoid valve) when a fire occurs in the area protected by the sprinkler (at the same time sounding the fire alarm). The advantage of this system is that, once the fire is out, the water outlet is cut off and, if it reignites, it is reopened. With the heat-sensitive element system, someone would need to turn off the power or the water damage could outweigh the fire damage.