Optimization of fire sprinkler design for uniform water flux distribution using a micro-genetic algorithm

Abstract

The fire sprinkler head design was optimized using a micro-Genetic Algorithm to produce a uniform distribution of droplet size and water flux. The optimization process consisted of two steps. The first step optimized the injection pattern at a radial distance of 0.05 m from the center of the sprinkler head to produce a uniform water flux. In the second step, the sprinkler head design which produces the optimized injection pattern was derived. The optimized injection pattern was a sinusoid pattern with a large amplitude and wide width. Also, the water is targeted upward in the tine stream. The large amplitude of the injection pattern helped to achieve a uniform distribution of droplet sizes by delivering large droplets directly to the region near the sprinkler head at the floor level. Also, the water flux in the radial direction showed a more uniform distribution in the optimized design. The final optimized design shows that the section angle should be larger, the tines should be more protruding, and the slots should be more concave to improve the water flux distribution. Caution must be exercised in applying these results to conditions different from those used in this study.