EP3042698B1 - Method and system to prevent and/or extinguish a fire - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a system for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire in an enclosed target area of a vehicle, in particular in a track-guided vehicle.

The technical fire safety in vehicles, especially in track-guided vehicles such as rail vehicles, is of increasing importance, as evidenced for example by the entry into force of many national and international standards and guidelines in recent years. For example, the TSI (Technical Specification Interoperability), EN45545 and EN50553 measures define to what extent rail vehicles should be equipped with active fire protection systems. These new requirements serve to ensure personal safety, to increase tunnel safety and, ultimately, to protect the property of rolling stock. Accordingly, there is an increased demand for effective fire protection systems for rail vehicles or the like track-guided vehicles.

However, the complexity of track-guided vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, usually requires an individual fire protection concept, which is not readily comparable to the solutions known from building fire protection, since the risks differ significantly in rail vehicles.

In addition to early fire detection with aspirating smoke detectors and automatic smoke detectors, automatic fire fighting also plays an important role. Typical applications include switchgear, control cabinets, roof and underfloor installations, sleeper or couchette cars, passenger compartments, drive units and other areas with an increased risk of fire.

As fire protection for isolated areas, such as control and switchgear cabinets, in particular, the inert gas extinguishing offers, since in such foreclosed areas a good maintenance of the necessary extinguishing concentration is possible.

In the inert gas extinguishing technique, the protected area (isolated area) with an oxygen-displacing gas, such as nitrogen, argon or CO ₂ (hereinafter also referred to as "inert gas"), at least partially flooded and thus rendered inert.

The prevention or extinguishing effect resulting from an inerting of a protected area is based on the principle of oxygen displacement. Normal ambient air is known to be about 21 vol .-% of oxygen, about 78 vol .-% of nitrogen and about 1 vol .-% of other gases. In order to effectively reduce the risk of fire in a given protection area, such as in an enclosed space, the oxygen concentration in the area concerned is reduced by introducing inert gas or an inert gas mixture, such as nitrogen. With regard to fire extinguishment of most solids, it is known, for example, that a extinguishing effect begins when the oxygen content drops below 15% by volume. Depending on the flammable materials present in the protection zone, further lowering of the oxygen content to, for example, 12 vol.% May be required.

In particular when used in track-guided vehicles, a preventive inerting of the relevant target areas during commissioning is advantageous. Likewise, due to the mobility and the minimal space of a corresponding vehicle, there are only minor possibilities for implementing a sufficient fire prevention and fire extinguishing system. Furthermore, neither normal operation nor safety-related functions of the vehicle may be influenced by such a system.

Existing systems for preventing and / or extinguishing fires within vehicles and / or aircraft provide in particular for the provision of nitrogen-enriched gas mixtures in storage containers and / or the provision of additional generators. Accordingly, conventional fire prevention and fire extinguishing systems have a large space requirement within the affected vehicle or can be used only for small volumes, in order to ensure a sufficient inerting of enclosed spaces can. Consequently, there is a need for even more space to house the components of an in-vehicle fire prevention and / or strip extinguishing system. Furthermore, such gas or water mist extinguishing systems according to the prior art only become active when a fire has already occurred and the affected components have been damaged in the respective vehicle area.

An alternative is that DE 10 2008 047 663 known system providing a controlled nitrogen atmosphere for transporting large quantities of fruit using an existing compressed air system aboard the ship. However, this system can also be used to generate nitrogen for cargo tanks of tankers to prevent fire and explosion hazards.

The invention has for its object to provide a particular for track-guided vehicles, such as rail vehicles, tailor-made fire protection concept to meet the respective requirements regarding the safety of people and / or property protection of the vehicle. In particular, an efficient and easy to implement method for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire in a vehicle, in particular track-guided vehicle should be specified, as well as a corresponding system. Accordingly, the system for fire prevention and / or fire extinguishment must be integrated in particular in the existing infrastructure of a track-guided vehicle and represent a cost-efficient and space-saving solution. Likewise, a sufficient inerting capacity of the system must be present in order to be able to carry out the inerting of a target area in the short term and to be able to maintain it during vehicle operation.

This object of the invention is achieved by a method and a system according to the independent claims 1 and 8, wherein advantageous developments are given in the appended claims. Furthermore, a corresponding vehicle for accommodating a system according to the invention of the present invention according to claim 15 is disclosed.

Accordingly, the claimed method is applicable to a fire in a enclosed target area of a track-guided vehicle to prevent and / or delete. For this purpose, the track-guided vehicle has a central compressed air source on, which serves to provide a supply of compressed air in a compressed air buffer tank. From the compressed air buffer tank compressed air can be supplied to a gas separation device, as required, which is provided as a result of a gas separation, a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture at the outlet of the gas separation device. This may subsequently be introduced, if necessary, into the target area, with the aim of achieving a desired inerting level in the target area of the track-guided vehicle. In this context, the present invention is characterized in particular by the fact that there is only temporarily a fluid connection to the supply of compressed air between the outlet of the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank.

Under a track-guided vehicle, in connection with the present invention, in particular a rail vehicle, such as e.g. Trams, goods or passenger trains understood. Likewise, in the context of the present invention, it is believed that the claimed invention is applicable to track-guided vehicles of any type, as well as magnetic levitation trains and similar vehicles which rely on a predetermined guidance.

Furthermore, the demand-based introduction of compressed air into the compressed air buffer tank and / or the introduction of a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture into the target area describes a process which is carried out manually by at least one user and / or automatically by a control unit and / or a control device can be executed. Thus, the advantage is achieved that a necessary inerting level can be achieved in the target area and maintained for a desired period of time. In particular, this can be done on the basis of a fully automatic control, as well as a semi-automatic control with appropriate user input is to be understood as a possible embodiment of the invention.

By means of a gas separation device, a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is provided, which is used in the context of the present invention as an inert gas. The gas separation device may in this case be, for example, a membrane nitrogen generator, a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) plant or another known from the prior art Be module for producing a corresponding inert gas. In particular, the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture described should be used as an inert gas for inerting the target area, as this results in the advantage of being able to continuously provide the necessary inert gas for inerting by means of the ambient air. Furthermore, it is spoken of a gas mixture, since no pure inert gas, such as a noble gas, is provided from the ambient air, but only a gas mixture with an increased proportion of nitrogen is available. Thus, other components from the ambient air, such as low levels of oxygen, may also be present in the provided nitrogen-enriched gas mixture.

The supply of compressed air buffer tank with compressed air in the context of the present invention via a temporary flow connection between the central compressed air source of the track-guided vehicle and the compressed air buffer tank. In particular, such a fluid connection is present when no compressed air is taken from a consumer circuit of the vehicle from the central compressed air source.

According to an embodiment of the method according to the invention, a first lowering of the oxygen concentration in the target area before and / or after the activation of the vehicle is started. The initial lowering is completed before and / or after the start of the journey of the track-guided vehicle. Preferably, the Erstabsenkung is completed before the vehicle passes, for example, a tunnel or comparable routes. After the end of the drive, the inerting is ended, so that a normal atmosphere in the target area is established and, for example, maintenance work can be carried out by persons in the target area.

To carry out the initial lowering, the oxygen concentration in the target area is determined and compared with a control concentration or a control range which is preferably preset. As a result, compressed air is supplied as needed to the gas separation device and provided with nitrogen-enriched gas mixture for the purpose of introducing into the target area at the output of the gas separation device, wherein the introduction as required is terminated if the control concentration or the control range is reached in the target area. If there is subsequently a fluctuation of the oxygen concentration in the target area, for example due to leaks or leaks in the target area, in the context of the invention, nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is tracked so that the preferably preset control concentration or control range can be maintained continuously.

In the context of the invention, a control concentration or a control range of the oxygen concentration describes a value which is preferably defined in advance, in which a fire in the target area can be prevented and / or extinguished by means of a reduced oxygen concentration. Both a control concentration and a control range can be specified as the limit of a control in order to achieve an adequate and efficient control behavior of the demand-initiated introduction of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture.

A control range contains at least one upper or at least one lower limit, preferably an upper limit and a lower limit, for controlling the oxygen concentration in the target range. By contrast, a control concentration corresponds to a preferably preset, specific value of a concentration. These definitions of a control range or a control concentration should apply to all control processes in the context of the invention.

In a further embodiment, the method according to the invention has the detection of at least one fire parameter on the basis of a fire detection device. This fire detection device is preferably an aspirative fire detection device. Upon detection of a fire parameter and the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value of the detected fire parameter, a full inertization of the target region can be carried out, which corresponds to one and / or a preferably preset oxygen concentration and / or oxygen concentration range. A Vollinertisierung the room air of the target area corresponds in the context of the present invention known from the prior art limits of oxygen concentration. With the help of an aspirative fire detection, as used in accordance with the present invention, the advantage can be achieved to achieve a sensitive for the entire volume of the target area detection of at least one fire characteristic by the removal of representative air samples.

As used herein, the term "fire characteristic" is understood to mean physical quantities that are measurable changes in the environment of a fire subject, for example, the ambient temperature or the solid, liquid or gas content in the ambient air, such as smoke particles, smoke aerosols, steam or combustion gases.

According to the method according to the invention, a consumer circuit is designed as a main consumer circuit, wherein preferably a secondary consumer circuit is provided in the following. In this context, in particular, there is also a fluid connection between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank, provided that a compressed air consumer of the secondary consumer circuit extracts or consumes compressed air from the central compressed air source. The subdivision of the consumer circuit of the track-guided vehicle into a main consumer circuit and a secondary consumer circuit is based on their safety relevance.

A main consumer circuit preferably includes safety-related compressed air consumers of a track-guided vehicle. In particular, in the context of the present invention, compressed air consumers of the braking devices, air spring systems, compartment doors and outer doors and other safety-relevant components of a track-guided vehicle are understood to mean this.

A secondary consumer circuit includes all other compressed air consumers of a track-guided vehicle with a lower priority. These are preferably understood to be compressed air consumers of the sanitary facilities and other consumers without safety relevance for vehicle operation. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to provide a plurality of secondary consumer circuits within the consumer circuit, which may have different priorities for supplying compressed air.

For the purposes of the claimed invention, there is no fluid connection between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank, if a consumer removes or consumes compressed air from the central compressed air source from the main consumer circuit. In particular, this provides the advantage that safety-relevant consumers of the main consumer circuit can be supplied at any time with compressed air from the central compressed air source. The method according to the invention thus does not affect vehicle safety despite the temporary stress on the central compressed air source. There is the possibility of safety-relevant compressed air consumers at any time from the main consumer circuit with compressed air from the central compressed air source to supply.

A fluid connection between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank is preferably in the event that no compressed air is removed from the central compressed air source or consumed a consumer of the secondary consumer circuit, with less safety relevance, compressed air. Supplying the fire prevention and / or fire extinguishing system with compressed air consequently does not affect the vehicle safety or safety-relevant compressed air consumers of the track-guided vehicle at any time.

Upon detection of a so-called "fire characteristic" and the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value of the detected fire parameter, according to the method according to the invention, there is in particular no fluid connection to a secondary consumer circuit. If there is a fluid connection at the time of detection of a fire parameter, such a fluid connection is separated to a secondary consumer circuit, preferably through a valve or similar device. Thus, it is always ensured that the compressed air buffer tank can be supplied with sufficient compressed air from the central compressed air source upon detection of a fire characteristic, without affecting the operation of the vehicle safety relevant consumers of the consumer circuit in their function.

A further embodiment of the invention has a limiting pressure, wherein the air pressure in the compressed air buffer tank is kept equal and / or above this minimum pressure. If there is a flow connection between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank, the air pressure in the compressed air buffer tank is always kept equal and / or above this minimum pressure and thus ensures the operational readiness of the system according to the invention for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire. This is especially true in the event that compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank, e.g. for inerting the target area, is taken or the adjacent compressed air system has one or more leaks.

Furthermore, the method according to the invention provides that the need for supplying compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank to the gas separation device can be controlled by means of a control device. For controlling In this process, the oxygen concentration in the target area is determined and compared with a preferably preset control concentration / range. Depending on the result of this comparison, a valve is actuated to supply compressed air to the gas separation device as needed. The control device can thus always maintain a preferably preset control concentration and / or a preset control range of an oxygen concentration in the target area. Consequently, the possibilities of fire prevention and / or fire extinction in the target area during use of the method according to the invention are given at any time.

In addition to a method, the present invention further claims a system for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire in an enclosed target area in a track-guided vehicle. The vehicle has for this purpose a central compressed air source, wherein the system according to the invention further comprises a compressed air buffer tank, a gas separation device and at least one valve. The compressed air buffer tank and the central compressed air source of the vehicle as well as the gas separation device and the target area are at least temporarily connected in terms of flow. In particular, the system according to the invention also has a control device in a first compressed air line. Thus, an inventive method for fire prevention and / or fire extinguishing within an enclosed target area in a track-guided vehicle by means of the system according to the invention is feasible. For this purpose, the valve station has at least one valve with at least one outlet.

In a further embodiment of the system according to the invention, the control device has at least one valve station and a control unit. Under the valve in this case is preferably a check valve, a directional control valve or other, comparable valve for on-demand supply of compressed air to at least one consumer and / or consumer circuit to understand. Preferably, the control device further includes a pressure and / or flow measuring device, which preferably serves to measure the compressed air consumption of the main consumer circuit. Likewise, it is also conceivable within the meaning of the present invention to arrange the pressure and / or flow measuring device within the control device in such a way that the compressed air consumption of the secondary consumer circuit or of all consumers connected in flow can be detected.

The control unit is suitable for controlling the valve station, preferably as a function of the pressure and / or flow measuring device. As a result, the control device with the aid of the control unit for controlling the valve station to control the supply of compressed air to the main consumer circuit, the secondary consumer circuit and the compressed air buffer tank as needed. For this purpose, it is possible to deposit the assignment of the individual compressed air consumers of the vehicle to the main consumer circuit and the secondary consumer circuit in the control unit, so that the control unit can distinguish the compressed air consumers with safety-relevant priority from the consumers lower priority. An optimal supply of the individual systems, in particular the main consumer circuit, the secondary consumer circuit and the system according to the invention are thus always guaranteed.

Preferably at least one pressure and / or flow measuring device can be used in this context to measure, determine, control, compare or otherwise utilize the consumption of compressed air by the individual system components, in particular the main consumer circuit. Thus, a secure distribution of the available compressed air from the central compressed air source is ensured and can be variably adjusted, controlled or regulated.

Another embodiment of the present invention includes a check valve between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank. Preferably, the check valve is designed as a check valve. Thus, a backflow of the present in the compressed air buffer tank compressed air to the central compressed air source can be prevented. The existing in compressed air buffer tank reservoir of compressed air is thus at any time for fire prevention and / or fire extinction in the target area available and can not be influenced by a pressure drop in the compressed air system of the vehicle. In a dangerous situation in which, for example, the track-guided vehicle is not able to operate and / or only to a limited extent due to a leak in the central compressed-air system, the fire prevention and / or fire extinction can consequently be maintained.

Furthermore, an embodiment in the target area can have a fire detection device, in particular an aspirative fire detection device, which can detect at least one fire parameter in the room air the target area is suitable. In the target area a sensitive detection of a fire characteristic is thus ensured over the entire volume of space by the removal of representative air samples and ensures the triggering of a fire extinguishing by reducing the oxygen concentration by means of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture in case of danger.

An aspirative fire detection device is characterized in that the monitored target area continuously or at predetermined times or events representative air samples are taken, these air samples are then fed to a corresponding fire characteristic detector.

In one embodiment, the system of the invention may include at least one oxygen meter in the target area to determine the oxygen concentration in the target area. Thus, it is possible at any time during system operation to make a concrete statement about oxygen concentration or the potential fire hazard in the target area with the system according to the invention.

In a further embodiment, a control device is provided for the present invention, which has connections to the at least one oxygen measuring device in the target area and to the at least one valve in a second compressed air line. The control device can thus convert measured data of the oxygen measuring device to control the valve, and control the supply of compressed air to the gas separation device by actuating the valve as required. A deviation of the oxygen concentration from a control range or a control concentration can be directly adapted by the control device on the basis of the valve control. There is thus the possibility of continuous condition monitoring of the target area in order to ensure safe fire prevention and / or fire extinction.

An embodiment of the system according to the invention preferably further comprises an auxiliary compressor for supplying compressed air to the gas separation device on demand. In particular, a so-called retaining flooding can be carried out with the auxiliary compressor, wherein an inerting level is maintained after the initial lowering of the oxygen concentration in the enclosed target area. Especially if leaks occur in the target area For example, the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture introduced for the inertization can exit from the target area. If, in this case, there is no retention flooding in the form of a follow-up of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture, an increasing oxygen concentration in the enclosed target area results.

In this case, compressed air is preferably supplied to the gas separation device on the basis of the auxiliary compressor and, as a consequence, the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is introduced into the target area. It is possible in this way to maintain an inerting level despite one or more leakages of the target area, without the additional compressed air from the central compressed air source having to be supplied to the compressed air buffer tank.

Furthermore, within the meaning of the system according to the invention, it is also conceivable that the auxiliary compressor can not only compensate for leaks in the enclosed target area by supplying compressed air to the gas separation device as required, but preferably can also perform an inerting, in particular a first decrease in the oxygen concentration, in the target area without having to remove compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank. Consequently, it is also not necessary in this case to establish a fluid connection between the central compressed air source and the compressed air buffer tank. A first reduction of the oxygen concentration in the enclosed target area can thus be done on the basis of the auxiliary compressor, at the same time consumers of the main consumer circuit are supplied with compressed air from the central compressed air source.

In addition to a method and system for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire, the present invention further claims a vehicle having a central compressed air source and an enclosed target area. Under a vehicle is to be understood in this context in particular a track-guided vehicle. The vehicle also includes, in particular, an inventive system for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire. It can be prevented and / or erased accordingly in such vehicles trained the outbreak of a fire in a target area using the proposed system, which are given optimized fire protection conditions during vehicle operation.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

schematisch der grundsätzliche Aufbau einer exemplarischen Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Systems zum Vorbeugen und/oder Löschen eines Brandes;

FIG. 2

schematisch die bei dem System gemäß FIG. 1 zum Einsatz kommende Steuereinrichtung mit strömungsmäßigen Verbindungen zu dem Hauptverbraucherkreis, dem Nebenverbraucherkreis und dem Druckluft-Puffertank.

Show it:

FIG. 1

schematically the basic structure of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for preventing and / or extinguishing a fire;

FIG. 2

schematically in accordance with the system FIG. 1 used control device with fluid connections to the main consumer circuit, the Nebenverbraucherkreis and the compressed air buffer tank.

In FIG. 1 schematically the basic structure of an exemplary embodiment of the vehicle 100 according to the invention with a central compressed air source 102 and a target area 101 and the system according to the invention for the prevention and / or extinguishment of a fire is shown. To the essential components of the system according to the invention in FIG. 1 In particular, a control device 110, a compressed air buffer tank 130, a control device 121 for controlling a valve 124 and a gas separation device 140 belong.

It is assumed below that in the exemplary embodiments of the system according to the invention shown in the drawings, nitrogen or a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture is used as the inert gas, although this should not be construed as limiting. Of course, other inert gases or inert gas mixtures or extinguishing gases for fire prevention and / or fire extinguishment can be used.

At the in FIG. 1 schematically illustrated embodiment of the system according to the invention, the output 102a of the central compressed air source 102 of the vehicle 100 is fluidly connected to the control device 110. Connected to the control device 110 is a load circuit 114, preferably with a main consumer circuit 114a and a secondary consuming circuit 114b, as well as the input 130a of the compressed air buffer tank 130, so that compressed air can be forwarded from the central compressed air source 102 to these components.

In particular, it is provided that the central compressed air source 102 supplies the compressed air buffer tank 130 with compressed air when no compressed air from the central compressed air source 102 is removed or when only compressed air for at least one consumer of the secondary consumption circuit 114b is removed from the central compressed air source 102. In this context, the removal of compressed air for a consumer means that compressed air is supplied to a consumer or compressed air is taken from a reservoir by the consumer so that it can fulfill its intended function. If a consumer of the main consumer circuit 114a extracts or uses compressed air from the central compressed air source 102, the fluid connection between the central compressed air source 102 and the compressed air buffer tank 130 is interrupted or blocked by the control device 110, so that no further compressed air is supplied to the compressed air buffer tank 130 can be forwarded. Thus, according to the method of the invention, a temporary supply of the compressed air buffer tank with compressed air from the central compressed air source 102 is available, without restricting functions of vehicle safety during operation of the vehicle 100.

Between control device 110 and compressed air buffer tank 130, a check valve 132, for example in the form of a check valve, is provided in a first compressed air line 131 in order to prevent a backflow of compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank 130. Accordingly, an amount of compressed air present in the compressed air buffer tank 130 preferably can not flow back into the compressed air system of the vehicle and is available exclusively for fire prevention and / or fire extinction in the enclosed target area.

After the initial reduction in the oxygen concentration in the enclosed target region 101, leakage of the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture from the target region and an associated undesired increase in the oxygen concentration can subsequently occur due to leaks in the enclosed target region 130. In order to prevent such a loss of the inerting level after the initial lowering of the oxygen concentration in the target region 130, it may be necessary to supplement a gas mixture enriched with nitrogen, if necessary. On the basis of such a retaining flood, an inerting level can also be enclosed in one Target area 101, which has one or more leaks are maintained.

For the purposes of the present invention, an auxiliary compressor 134 is preferably used for retaining flooding. This auxiliary compressor 134 is configured to supply compressed air to the gas separation device 140 as needed and to maintain an inerting level in the enclosed target area 101 in this manner. Likewise, according to the present invention, it should not be ruled out that the auxiliary compressor 134 can also be used to initially lower the oxygen concentration in the target region 101, in particular if the main consumer circuit 114a takes compressed air out of the central compressed air source 102. For this purpose, with the auxiliary compressor by means of a control device 121, by a comparable independent control means and / or manually from the driver's area, preferably by the driver, compressed air, if necessary, the gas separation device 140 are supplied.

A second compressed air line 133 fluidly connects the compressed air buffer tank 130 to the inlet 140a of the gas separation device 140. In this second compressed air line 133, a valve 124 is further provided, which can be controlled by the control device 121. The control of the valve 124 is effected in dependence on the oxygen concentration determined in the target area 101 by the oxygen measuring device 122. An additional display means 123 may provide information, such as the oxygen concentration in the target area 101, to the user, preferably the driver, adjacent to the target area 101 and / or in the vehicle operator area 103.

If the control device 121 controls the valve 124 to supply compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank 130 to the gas separation device 140 on demand, compressed air flows via the second compressed air line 133 to the inlet 140a of the gas separation device 140. After the gas separation has been carried out, oxygen (O ₂ ) and optionally further components from the second output 140c of the gas separation device via the O ₂ -Ableitung 143 are discharged to the environment. The nitrogen (N ₂ ) enriched gas mixture is passed via the first output 140 b of the gas separation device 140 by means of a flow connection 141 to the target area 101 and introduced via a nozzle 142 in the target area 101. In this way, if necessary, the oxygen concentration in the target area 101 is lowered.

Furthermore, in the target area 101 according to FIG FIG. 1 a fire detection device 150 may be provided, which is preferably designed as an aspirative fire detection device. Regardless of the exact position of a potential fire, a sensitive detection of at least one fire parameter can thus be achieved over the entire volume of the target area 101 by taking and analyzing representative air samples.

FIG. 2 2 also schematically shows the structure of the control device 110 with preferably at least one pressure and / or flow measuring device 113, a valve station 111 and a control unit 112. A data connection between the pressure and / or flow measuring device 113 and the control unit 112 is based on the control of the valve station 111 obtained measurement data. Likewise, a control device 110 without a pressure and / or flow measuring device 113 can be used. The control of the valve station 111 by the control unit 112 can thus take place without the utilization of measurement data of a pressure and / or flow measuring device 113, for example based on stored compressed air consumption quantities for different consumers. Furthermore, it is provided for the system according to the invention that manual control can preferably take place by the vehicle driver or a person authorized to do so on the basis of sufficient input means.

Compressed air is according to FIG. 2 supplied from the central compressed air source via a fluid connection of the valve station 111. If necessary, according to the control command of the control unit 112, from there compressed air to the compressed air buffer tank 130 are passed. According to the illustrated embodiment, the valve station 111 for this purpose has three valves each having an output 111a; 111b; 111c on. Of two of these outputs 111a; 111b flow connections to the consumers of the main consumer circuit 114a and the sub-consumer circuit 114b. Depending on the valve position of the valve station 111, an exclusive supply of the consumers of the main consumer circuit 114a is accordingly possible in order to ensure safety-relevant functions of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, the consumers of the sub-consumer circuit 114b and the compressed air buffer tank 130 may be supplied with compressed air from the central compressed air source 102.

The invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments shown schematically in the drawings, but results from a synopsis of all the features disclosed herein.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

Tracked vehicle

101

target area

102

Central compressed air source

102

Output of a central compressed air source

103

Vehicle guides

110

control device

111

valve station

111

First exit

111b

Second exit

111c

Third exit

112

control unit

113

Pressure and / or flow measuring device

114

consumer circuit

114a

Main consumer circuit

114b

In addition to consumer circuit

121

control device

122

Oxygen measuring device

123

display means

124

Valve

130

Compressed air buffer tank

130a

Input of compressed air buffer tank

131

First compressed air line

132

check valve

133

Second compressed air line

134

auxiliary compressor

140

Gas separation device

140a

Entrance of a gas separation device

140b

First exit of a gas separation device

140c

Second exit of a gas separation device

141

Fluid connection to the target area

142

jet

143

O ₂ derivative

150

Fire detection device

Claims (15)

1. A method for preventing and/or extinguishing a fire in an enclosed target area (101) in a vehicle, particularly in a railway vehicle (100), wherein the vehicle (100) comprises a central compressed air source (102) for supplying compressed air as needed to a load circuit (114), and wherein the method comprises the following method steps:

   - providing a supply of compressed air in a compressed air buffer tank (130);

   - supplying compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank (130) to a gas separation device (140) as needed;

   - performing a gas separation in the gas separation device (140) and providing a nitrogen-enriched gas mixture at an outlet (140b) of the gas separation device (140); and

   - introducing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture into the target area (101) as needed,

   characterized in that
   in order to provide the supply of compressed air, an inlet (130a) of the compressed air buffer tank (130) is at least intermittently fluidly connected to an outlet (102a) of a central compressed air source (102) such that compressed air can be supplied to the compressed air buffer tank (130), wherein a fluid connection between the central compressed air source (102) and the compressed air buffer tank (130) is provided when the load circuit (114) is not drawing any compressed air from the central compressed air source (102).
2. The method according to claim 1,
   wherein an initial lowering of the oxygen concentration in the target area (101) begins upon and/or subsequent activation of the vehicle (100), terminates prior to and/or subsequent the start of travel, and comprises the following method steps:

   - determining the oxygen concentration in the target area (101);

   - comparing the oxygen concentration determined in the target area (101) to a preferably preset control concentration/control range;

   - supplying compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank (130) to the gas separation device (140) as needed;

   - providing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture at an outlet of the gas separation device (140b); and

   - introducing the nitrogen-enriched gas mixture into the target area (101) as needed until the control concentration/control range has been reached in the target area (101).
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
   wherein at least one fire characteristic can be detected in the target area (101) by a fire detection device (150), preferably an aspirative fire detection device, and the oxygen concentration in the ambient air of the target area (101) can be reduced from a full inerting level upon a fire characteristic being detected if the detected fire characteristic exceeds a predefined threshold, wherein the full inerting level corresponds to a preferably preset oxygen concentration and/or oxygen concentration range.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
   wherein the load circuit (114) is designed as a main load circuit (114a) with an ancillary load circuit (114b) being further provided, wherein a fluid connection is also provided between the central compressed air source (102) and the compressed air buffer tank (130) when the ancillary load circuit (114b) draws compressed air from the central compressed air source (102).
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   wherein upon a fire characteristic being detected, there is no fluid connection provided to the ancillary load circuit (114b), or an existing fluid connection to the ancillary load circuit (114b) is disconnected, if the detected fire characteristic exceeds a predefined threshold.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
   wherein the pressure in the compressed air buffer tank (130) is kept at and/or above a minimum pressure.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
   wherein a control device (121) controls the need-based supply of compressed air from the compressed air buffer tank (130) to the gas separation device (140), wherein the following method steps are performed:

   - determining the oxygen concentration in the target area (101);

   - comparing the oxygen concentration determined in the target area (101) to a preferably preset control concentration/control range; and

   - controlling a valve (124) for the need-based supplying of compressed air to the gas separation device (140), wherein the need-based supply is regulated as a function of the comparing of the oxygen concentration determined in the target area (101) to a control concentration/ control range.
8. A system for preventing and/or extinguishing a fire in an enclosed target area (101) in a vehicle, particularly in a railway vehicle (100), wherein the vehicle (100) comprises a central compressed air source (102) for supplying compressed air as needed to a load circuit (114), and the system comprises the following:

   - a compressed air buffer tank (130) which is at least intermittently fluidly connected to the central compressed air source (102);

   - a gas separation device (140) which is at least intermittently fluidly connected to the target area (101); and

   - at least one valve (124);

   wherein a control device (110) is provided which is designed to implement a method in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. The system according to claim 8,
   wherein the control device (110) comprises at least one valve station (111), preferably at least one pressure gauge and/or flowmeter device (113), and a control unit (112), wherein the control unit (112) is suited to controlling the valve station (111), preferably subject to the pressure gauge and/or flowmeter device (113).
10. The system according to claim 8 or 9,
    wherein a check valve (132), preferably a non-return valve is provided between the central compressed air source (102) and the compressed air buffer tank (130).
11. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10,
    wherein a fire detection device (150), particularly an aspirative fire detection device, is provided in the target area (101) which is suited to detecting at least one fire characteristic in the ambient air.
12. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 11,
    wherein at least one oxygen measuring device (122) is provided in the target area (101).
13. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 12,
    wherein a control device (121) which is connected to the at least one oxygen measuring device (122) in the target area (101) and to the at least one valve (124) is provided for controlling the valve (124).
14. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 13,
    wherein an auxiliary compressor (134) is provided for the need-based supplying of compressed air to the gas separation device (140), particularly for effecting extended flooding in the enclosed target area (101).
15. A vehicle (100), particularly a railway vehicle, having a central compressed air source (102) and an enclosed target area (101), wherein the vehicle comprises a system in accordance with any one of claims 8 to 14.

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