Introducing water mist expertise – Part 2

Water mist know-how remains to be a relatively new concept when it comes to fireplace suppression, but it is proving to be an exciting development within the business. As the industry evolves, so do the regulations, laws and necessities to have the ability to improve security and allow growth. These can differ largely from country to country, and even region to area.
The method in which a water mist system operates is an identical mechanism to the standard sprinkler system in that the nozzles are normally activated via a bulb which blows at a particular temperature allowing for the activation of the mist through a low-pressure water piping system.
Here we have a look at how some water mist nozzles are produced and put in – from arriving as a big ‘bar’ of steel, to turning into the efficient water mist nozzles we see put in in lots of new projects/developments throughout much of the globe at present.
The metal arrives for slicing
Here at Dual Mist Ltd, Stainless Steel 304 is used for many elements as this can be very durable and corrosion resistant in comparison to different similar metals. The body is machined out of Brass CZ121, which arrives as large bars of metal that are delivered to the warehouse in 3m lengths. This is then reduce into two smaller components able to insert into the machine. Not all water mist firms have the power to machine the elements they require in-house although it could show very useful for price and manufacturing purposes as we are about to see.
Machining
The metal is fed to a Nakamura WT150 CNC lathe. This high-performance Japanese machine tool is provided with carbide tooling and high-pressure through coolant methods, with the twin-spindle and twin-turret making haste of the otherwise sophisticated components. A Citizen M532 Sliding Head Lathe is used for the smaller components.
A Citizen L12 also makes the filters with a capability of drilling 365 holes in 51 seconds, utterly automated – this means it could turnover an incredible four,000 filters in a weekend utterly unmanned.
The brass heads are also de-burred on the machine, eradicating all sharp edges earlier than being polished and sent for Electroless Nickel Plating. This supplies a corrosion-proof coating to the brass, enabling it to turn out to be much more sturdy. All parts are then inspected for dimensional accuracy earlier than the meeting stage.
This Technifor Laser machine engraves each nozzle in preparation for the testing phases.
Assembly
There are many small components of various sizes and shapes that make up the nozzle – In the DM4R nozzle, (as seen on the leak-testing pic) there are a complete of 13 elements or ‘components’. These components are then meticulously put together and assembled by the manufacturing staff requiring a good quantity of labour before the ultimate product is achieved. Various phases include tightening with specially adapted instruments, urgent using a hand-press and utilizing a specific ‘Locktite’ method at some levels which is a threadlock that stops fixings from coming unfastened through the operational lifetime of the product. The final stage of meeting is fastidiously loading the bulb and making use of the right load to it utilizing a torque wrench.
The assembled nozzles are then positioned on another machine in order to be labelled and uniquely recognized utilizing a serial number. At Dual Mist Ltd that is accomplished on a Technifor Laser Engraver fitted with a 4th axis unit earlier than they are able to be positioned via the assorted stages of testing.
Testing
Cull Testing
Also known as bubble testing in layman’s terms, this take a look at is to make sure no damage has occurred to the bulb throughout meeting and is a critical take a look at for LPCB approval. The take a look at involves using a high-powered microscope to measure the dimensions of the bubble in each bulb before putting in warm water so as to shrink the dimensions of the bubble to nothing. Once this is checked, the nozzles are then left to relaxation and return to room temperature before the bubble is measured as quickly as once more so as to guarantee it has returned to the original size inside a small tolerance.
Leak Testing
Every nozzle is also stringently tested for leaks by making use of 24-bar stress for 1 hour and making certain no water has escaped. It is rare for any leaks on the manufacturing line, but this is a particularly important stage of the testing as leaks may happen if filth is trapped inside the seal face.
Activation Testing
On a monthly foundation, random nozzles are additionally tested for activation by inserting the nozzle on a pressure jig at numerous pressures and making use of heat to the bulbs. เกรดวัดแรงดัน should all activate cleanly throughout the complete strain vary specified to that nozzle.
A member of the production staff uses a microscope and software program to determine the size of every bubble within the bulb.
Approvals
At Dual Mist Ltd, these checks aren’t simply to guarantee the quality of the manufacturing line but are also an essential part of the LPCB Approval. These approvals allow clients to recognise that the products they’re buying are made to the highest possible high quality standard in the region.
The disadvantage to that is that the Approval Testing system can be both costly and time-consuming – generally needing to be booked a quantity of months in advance and requiring years of exhausting work to attain.
The nozzles produced by Dual Mist have been put through their paces at BRE Global by means of each hearth testing and component/type approval.
Tamper proofing
In order to guarantee that no person is tempted to interfere with the grub screw holding the bulb, a small plastic bung is pressed into the grub screw. The stress load setting on the bulb is then subsequently fastened.
The nozzles are then able to be packaged and despatched off for installation.
Here is an example of a control panel having been installed in The Claridges Hotel, London, UK. This is where the system is operated.
Installation
Rather than having to make use of the heavy and labour-intensive metallic pipes often utilized in high-pressure techniques, low-pressure water systems can use CPVC piping. This is a special type of fire-resistant plastic enabling quick installation. Instead of threading each pipe, a heated glue can be utilized to quickly build giant pipe networks. These networks are approved to deal with as much as 12 bar pressure. The nozzles are screwed right into a particular pipe adaptor utilizing a half-inch gas fitting.
An electrical control panel is fitted for the system control along with pumps and a water tank, usually with a mains feed.
The system is tested, signed off and handed over to the consumer.
The final product as soon as put in. This shows how we count on to see the nozzles once a project has been accomplished.
Conclusion
As we can see there are many stages to go from steel to nozzle head with each nozzle taking a major effort by numerous professionals to finish to the permitted normal.
Not only do water mist nozzles require a quantity of phases of machining and assembling, they want to also undergo a string of tests so as to be approved for installation. Once installed, there are even additional checks undergone, sometimes by third-party organisations to guarantee that the entire fireplace suppression system to finally be handed over to the consumer.
Water mist expertise assures security, high quality and assurance through the stringent testing that’s required.
With the latest publication of water mist requirements, particularly in Britain over current years, building developers can now be assured that the quality required for water mist techniques is now at an equivalent commonplace to other suppression systems.
For extra data, go to www.dualmist.com
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