US 12,403,344 B2
Automatic nitrogen fill for a fire sprinkler system
Joshua Tihen, St. Louis, MO (US); and Timothy Decker, Florissant, MO (US)
Assigned to Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC, Hazelwood, MO (US)
Filed on Feb. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/680,892.
Application 17/680,892 is a continuation of application No. 15/884,049, filed on Jan. 30, 2018, granted, now 11,291,871.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/452,113, filed on Jan. 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0176178 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A62C 35/68 (2006.01); A62C 35/60 (2006.01); A62C 35/64 (2006.01); A62C 37/50 (2006.01); B01D 53/30 (2006.01); B01D 63/02 (2006.01); B01D 69/08 (2006.01); F17C 13/00 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01); A62C 35/62 (2006.01); B01D 53/22 (2006.01)
CPC A62C 35/68 (2013.01) [A62C 35/60 (2013.01); A62C 35/645 (2013.01); A62C 37/50 (2013.01); B01D 53/30 (2013.01); B01D 63/02 (2013.01); B01D 69/08 (2013.01); F17C 13/00 (2013.01); G05D 7/0635 (2013.01); A62C 35/62 (2013.01); B01D 53/22 (2013.01); B01D 2053/224 (2013.01); B01D 2256/10 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fill system for automatically supplying nitrogen and air to a fire sprinkler system, the fill system comprising;
a reservoir tank in fluid communication with said sprinkler system wherein gas in said reservoir tank is provided to said sprinkler system when a pressure in said sprinkler system is below a predetermined threshold;
a separation system for obtaining nitrogen from atmospheric air and supplying said nitrogen to said reservoir tank;
a compressor, for supplying atmospheric air;
a bypass valve, said bypass valve directing air from said compressor alternatively to said separation system and directly to said sprinkler system;
a sensor connected to said sprinkler system for detecting a gas pressure in said sprinkler system over time; and
a controller;
wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air to said separation system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time below a rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank; and
wherein said controller automatically configures said bypass valve to direct air directly to said sprinkler system when said sensor detects a gas pressure change over time above said rate at which said separation system can supply nitrogen to said reservoir tank.