Abstract: A residential dwelling unit fire protection system for a residential dwelling unit. The fire protection system includes a pressurized liquid supply, a pressurized gas supply, a control valve coupled to the liquid and gas supplies, a network of pipes coupled to the control valve and the pressurized gas supply, a pressure sensor, an alarm, a fire detection device, a releasing control panel, and a quantity of residential fire sprinklers to protect the residential dwelling unit. The control valve is normally in a closed position and can be single interlocked with other devices to prevent liquid flow through the control valve. Each of the quantity of residential fire sprinklers is coupled to the at least one pipe so that the control valve can be pre-actuated by the releasing control panel based on at least one of the pressure sensor or the fire detection device. Various methods are also described.

Abstract: A residential dwelling unit fire protection system for a residential dwelling unit. The fire protection system includes a pressurized liquid supply, a pressurized gas supply, a control valve coupled to the liquid and gas supplies, the control valve being biased in a closed position to prevent liquid flow through the control valve based on a pressure differential between the liquid and gas supplies, a network of pipes coupled to the pressurized gas supply, a minimum quantity of residential fire sprinklers, and an alarm to indicate a flow of liquid through the network. Each of the quantity of residential fire sprinklers is coupled to the at least one pipe so that, upon actuation of at least one residential fire sprinkler, the control valve is actuated to deliver liquid from the liquid supply to at least one of the residential fire sprinklers for distribution over a protection area at a predetermined density in at least one compartment. Various aspects of the invention are also shown and described.

Abstract: A residential dwelling unit fire protection system for a residential dwelling unit. The fire protection system includes a pressurized liquid supply, a pressurized gas supply, a control valve coupled to the liquid and gas supplies, a network of pipes coupled to the control valve and the pressurized gas supply, a pressure sensor coupled to at least one pipe, an alarm coupled to the pressure sensor, and a quantity of residential fire sprinklers located adjacent each of the compartments. The control valve is normally in a closed position when unactuated to prevent liquid flow through the control valve. Each of the quantity of residential fire sprinklers is coupled to the at least one pipe so that, upon a reduction in gas pressure in the at least one pipe, the control valve is actuated by the pressure sensor to deliver liquid from the liquid supply to at least one of the residential fire sprinklers for distribution over a protection area at a predetermined density in at least one compartment.

Abstract: A residential dwelling unit fire protection system for a residential dwelling unit. The fire protection system includes a pressurized liquid supply, a pressurized gas supply, a control valve coupled to the liquid and gas supplies, a network of pipes coupled to the control valve and the pressurized gas supply, a pressure sensor, an alarm, a fire detection device, a releasing control panel, and a quantity of residential fire sprinklers to protect the residential dwelling unit. The control valve is normally in a closed position and can be single or double interlocked with other devices to prevent liquid flow through the control valve. Each of the quantity of residential fire sprinklers is coupled to the at least one pipe so that the control valve can be pre-actuated by the releasing control panel based on at least one of the pressure sensor or the fire detection device. Various methods are also described.

Abstract: A method of designing a residential fire protection system in a residential dwelling unit with fire-resistant plastic components and non-fire-resistant plastic components are shown and described. The residential dwelling unit has a plurality of compartments as defined in the 2002 National Fire Protection Association Standards 13, 13D, and 13R. The method can be achieved by: specifying a quantity and location of residential fire sprinklers in a residential fire sprinkler piping network having a main pipe filled with liquid and a branch pipe connected to the residential fire sprinklers filled with a gas to protect the plurality of compartments; and specifying the branch pipe as a fire-resistant plastic branch pipe with an opening having a cross-sectional area different than the cross-sectional area of the main pipe. Various aspects of the invention are also shown and described.

Abstract: A residential dwelling unit fire protection system for a residential dwelling unit. The fire protection system includes a pressurized liquid supply, a pressurized gas supply, a control valve coupled to the liquid and gas supplies, a network of pipes coupled to the control valve and the pressurized gas supply, a pressure sensor coupled to at least one pipe, an alarm coupled to the pressure sensor, a fire detection device, a releasing control panel, and a minimum quantity of residential fire sprinklers located adjacent each of the compartments. The control valve is normally in a closed position when unactuated to prevent liquid flow through the control valve.

Abstract: A method of designing a residential fire protection system in a residential dwelling unit that utilizes fire-resistant plastics are shown and described. The residential dwelling unit has a plurality of compartments as defined in the 2002 National Fire Protection Association Standards 13, 13D, and 13R. The method can be achieved by: specifying a quantity and location of residential fire sprinklers in a residential fire sprinkler piping network filled with a gas to protect the plurality of compartments; and specifying at least one component of the dry pipe residential fire sprinkler piping network as a fire-resistant plastic component. Various aspects of the invention are also shown and described.

Abstract: A method of designing a residential fire protection system in a residential dwelling unit are shown and described. The residential dwelling unit has a plurality of compartments as defined in the 2002 National Fire Protection Association Standards 13, 13D, and 13R. The method can be achieved by: determining a minimum quantity and location of residential fire sprinklers required to determine a hydraulic demand calculation of the residential fire sprinklers of a piping network filled with water and arranged to protect the plurality of compartments; and specifying the minimum quantity and location of residential fire sprinklers in a piping network filled with a gas. Various aspects of the invention are also shown and described.

Abstract: A method to model a complex system of pipes. The model takes into account the physical processes in a tree-type piping system and provides for an accurate modeling of a real world tree-type piping system. In a preferred embodiment, a computer program is provided for analyzing models of dry pipe systems. The computer program includes a user interface and a computational engine. The user interface allows a model of a dry pipe system to be defined and the computational engine determines a liquid flow time through the model of the dry pipe system. The computational engine provides a verification of the liquid flow time in a model of a referential dry pipe system within 20% of an actual liquid flow time in the referential dry pipe system.