FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fire resistant storage room, in particular to a fire
resistant storage room for storage of lubricating oil, grease and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lubricating oil is an important petroleum based product essential to extending the life
of machinery. Most lubricating oils and greases deteriorate with time, so proper
storage is critical to maintaining a clean and potent fluid. The storage environment
C greatly affects the shelf life of lubricant oils and greases. Many times, these are stored
within a building to prevent contamination due to outside elements. Lubricating oils
and greases are generally combustible in nature, so improper storage may pose a
threat to the fire safety of the building in which they are stored.
Hence, there is a need to develop a method and system for efficient indoor storage of
oils and greases. The present invention provides a special storage room for safe
storage of lubricating oil and grease inside a building.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, is provided a fire resistant
storage room for the storage of lubricating oil, grease and the like, comprising:
a) a fire resistant enclosure defined by a floor, ceiling and a plurality of
walls and door(s) made from fire resistant materials;
b) a smoke detecting means;
c) a heat detecting means; and,
d) a fire extinguishing means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, is provided a fire resistant
storage room, wherein the fire extinguishing means comprises a Modular Cylinder
with sprinkler type fire extinguisher for automatically releasing a fire retardant
material upon detection of fire.
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In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention is provided a fire
resistant storage room, wherein the smoke detecting means, heat detecting means and
fire extinguishing means are provided on the ceiling of the storage room.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention is provided a fire
resistant storage room, wherein the floor of the fire resistant enclosure is provided
with a toe wall defining a preferred area for placement of reservoirs containing
lubricating oil and/or grease; said toe wall preventing the spread of any leaked
lubricating oil and/or grease.
C In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention is provided a fire
resistant storage room, wherein the floor of the fire resistant enclosure is at a lower
elevation in comparison to the floor level in the surrounding areas for preventing any
spilled oil from spreading outside the storage room.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention is provided a fire
resistant storage room, wherein the ceiling and/or walls of the storage room are made
from Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC). In accordance with yet another
embodiment of the invention, the walls of the storage room are made from bricks
plastered on both sides, and the ceiling is made fi-om RCC.
C DESCRIPTION
Discussed below are some representative embodiments of the present invention. The
invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative
devices and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described in this section in
connection with the embodiments and methods. The invention according to its various
aspects is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the appended claims read
in view of this specification, and appropriate equivalents.
It is to be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular
forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise. The terms "room" and "storage room" are used interchangeably throughout
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the description, and refer to "an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and
ceiling".
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, is provided a room for
storage of lubricating oil comprising means for detecting and suppressing fire. The
floor of the storage room is provided with a toe wall defining an area for placing
reservoirs containing lubricating oil and similar fluids. The toe wall prevents spread
of any lubricating oil that may leak from the reservoirs. The reservoirs are preferably
cylindrical in shape and made from durable materials like plastics and metals.
The ceiling of the room comprises apparatuses for detecting and subsequently
C suppressing a fire. In one embodiment, the room has a smoke detector and heat
detector for detecting fire or dangerous conditions that may cause a fire. Thus, an
alarm may be activated in case the value of the temperature or smoke concentration
inside the room is more than the prescribed safety limits.
The storage room also has means for automatically extinguishing a fire in case it does
break out. This is done using a modular cylinder with sprinkler type fire extinguisher
which is designed to be operated automatically. The modular cylinder has a mixture
of ABC dry powder and dry nitrogen stored under pressure. It has a glass bulb which
shatters as soon as the temperature reaches a predefined value, thereby allowing the
contents to be released as a mist which spreads throughout the room. This helps cut
6 off the oxygen supply to the fire so as to extinguish it. This type of fire extinguisher is
much more effective than the other conventional fire extinguishers which are not
generally suited to oil related fires.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, the ceiling of the
storage room is made from reinforced cement concrete (RCC). The walls are made
from bricks and plastered on both sides to increase their fire resistance rating to at
least two hours. The door is also made using a fire resistant board or other material
having a fire resistance rating of at least two hours. The floor is also made from
concrete or other similar fire resistant material. Since concrete is inherently fire
resistant, and the walls and door also have good fire resistance, the walls, door(s),
ceiling and floor together define a fire resistant enclosure for storage of lubricating
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oil. Thus, any fire inside the storage room does not spread out for several hours.
Optionally, the walls of the room may also be made from RCC.
The storage room may hrther be provided with a layer of sand on the floor in order to
absorb any lubricating oil that leaks from one or more reservoirs, thereby preventing
spreading of the same. Sand may be replaced with other suitable absorbent and/or
adsorbent materials known to any person skilled in the art. In accordance with another
preferred embodiment, the floor of the storage room is at a lower elevation in
comparison to the floor level in the surrounding areas. This prevents any spilled oil
from spreading outside the storage room. One may optionally also provide a fire
resistant coating on the walls, floor, door(s) and/or ceiling to further improve the fire
G resistance rating of the storage room.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described and
illustrated by way of example and numerous modifications and variations would be
apparent to a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the
appended claims.

Claim:
1. A fire resistant storage room for the storage of lubricating oil, grease and the
like, comprising:
a) a fire resistant enclosure defined by a floor, ceiling and a plurality of walls
and door(s) made from fire resistant materials;
b) a smoke detecting means;
c) a heat detecting means; and,
d) a fire extinguishing means.
2. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the fire extinguishing means comprises a Modular Cylinder with
sprinkler type fire extinguisher for automatically releasing a fire retardant
material upon detection of fire.
3. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the smoke detecting means, heat detecting means and fire
extinguishing means are provided on the ceiling of the storage room.
4. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the floor of the fire resistant enclosure is provided with a toe wall
defining a preferred area for placement of reservoirs containing lubricating oil
and/or grease; said toe wall preventing the spread of any leaked lubricating oil
and/or grease.
5. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the floor of the fire resistant enclosure is at a lower elevation in
comparison to the floor level in the surrounding areas for preventing any
spilled oil from spreading outside the storage room.
6. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the ceiling and/or walls of the storage room are made from
Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC).
7. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein
the walls of the storage room are made from bricks plastered on both sides,
and the ceiling is made from RCC.
8. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the fire resistant enclosure has a fire resistance rating of at least two
hours.
9. The fire resistant storage room as claimed in any of the preceding claims,
wherein the floor is provided with a layer of sand or other absorbentladsorbent
material for absorbingladsorbing any lubricating oil that leaks from one or
more reservoirs to prevent spreading of the same.