AU5265199A - System for the timely extinction of fires in forests, national parks, zoological gardens, etc - Google Patents

Description

WO 99/51305 PCT/GR99/00014 Description SYSTEM FOR THE TIMELY EXTINCTION OF FIRES IN FORESTS, NATIONAL PARKS, ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, ETC. During the past few years, more specifically since 1993 to Present the extinction of forest fires all over the world, either by air ( aeroplanes, helicopters, etc.), or by land, ( fire engines, forest guards, etc. ) has been very cumber some. This is due to the many break out points of fire with devastating results, rendering at the same time human inter 10 vention very difficult. The enormous destructions, such as those of Hollywood in 1995. New Castle, Ausrralia in 1994, Sumatra, Borneo in 1998 were not only costly but claimed human lives as well. 45 In the most damaging cases, forest fires leave behind them barren land and upset the equilibrium of environmental eco systems. Water bearing underground layers cannot be sufficiently en 20 riched by rain water- since there are no trees and roots and this results in a universal reduction of agricultural pro ducts. The most important fact however is that such destructive forest .2.5 fires create a thick layer of smoke bearing several particles. This smoke layer firstly hovers over the fire area but then , depending an prevailing high winds, is transferred over popula ted areas causing the death of many people as we all know. Needless to say that this litters the atmosphere excessively 30 and destructively. The usefulness, therefore, and necessity of timely forest fire extinction becomes imperative because of the above mentioned reasons. For the confrontation of this great problem,a system of compu 35 ter science, automation and drillings ('for water)is suggested. The combination - planning consists of : 1. Camentpillars,higher than the tree hight , scattered within the forest area. These pillars are equipped with a cement 40 stair case leading to a small chamber drawingg I ).

SUBSTIUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO99/51305 2 PCT/GR99/00014 This chamber is equipped with several instruments such as a revolving video camera with a lens bearing a thermal sensor of infra red radiation and photo cell, a special electronic computer processor bearing a special program and a transmit Ster. 2. On the forest area ground there must be a series of dril lings scattered around ( drawing 2 ) the depth of which va ries according, to the morphology of the ground,as the supply of water from each drilling is always different. 4( Each drilling bears its pump room inside which there is a sign receiver an electromagnetic realy, an electric switch and a. time switch. In addition, each drilling is permanently connected, through a joint, with an ironpipe the length and cross section of which 4. has been specified according to its supply of water. At the end of the iron pipe there is a branching in two diffe rent directions approximately 20 meters in length each. Each branch is connected - through a joint ( head ) with a revolving sprinkler installed vertically to the branch, '0 and the hight of which varies according the hight of thetrees and ground morphology.The sprinklers must be grounded(earthed). Outside each pump room there must be a pylon on the upper part of which a plate has been placed with an anemometer (with gaugo and a wind indicator so that the direction and intensity ofwind can be observed. 3. More over in the forest areas (drawing 3) there must be scat tered reservoirs connected to the drilling through an ironpipe. These reservoirs must always be full of water and the distances between one another should vary according to the supply of water .~C from the drilling.They should also carry portable pressure pumps The supply of electric energy to the instruments housed in the cementpillars is done by batteries of nominal strength.In the more inaccessible areas the charging of batteries is effected by a accumulator Panel of photovoltaic energy ( conversion 3b of solar energy to electrical ). In the drillings themselves, the supply of electric energy is done by electric current ( that of towns and cities ) via underground cables. This does not exclude the on land supply SUBSTM rr IuTsr mI I rm WO 99/51305 PCT/GR99/00014 3 of electric energy in inaccessible areas. How the system operates : In the cementpillars, as soon as the revolving video-camera 5 teledetects the thermal incident, the infrated radiation through a photocell is converted to an electric sign ente ring the processor of the electronic computer which in turn processes, filtrates the noises of the sign and if the sign exceeds the threshold allowed for the manifestation of an 10 incident ( fire ), than it channels the net sign to the trans mitter, inside the chamber. The transmitter then modulates and wirelessly transmits the sign of a specific frequency to the receiver of the pump 15 house of the drilling. The receiver will amplify it and convert it to electric current capable to put into operation the electromagnetic Relay of the pump house, and via the electrical switch the pump of the drilling is set into operation. The pumped 20 up water is delivered to the ironpipes at the end of which it is distributed through branching in two dire ctions and finally it is launched through the revolving water sprinklers for the extinction of the fire. SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims (4)

1. On land planning consists of : A.Cement pillars (dr.l-) in the chamber of which these is : I1) A revolving video-camera with a lens, a thermal sensor of infra red radiation and a photocell. 40

2) A Special electronic computer Processor bearing a special system.

3) A transmitter B. A layout of drillings (dr.2 ) with their corresponding pump rooms which are equipped with : 151) A sign receiver 2) An electromagnetic Relay 3) An electric switch

4) A time switch Each drilling is permanently connected through a joint to Z0 an hotizontal ironpipe the length and cross section of which depends on its supply of water. At the end of the pipe there is a branching which through a joint is connected to the water sprinkler. The said sprinkler is installed verti cally to the branch and in a hight corresponding to the tree 15 coverage and ground morphology. The sprinklers are grounded ( earthed ). C. The supply of electric current to all pillar instruments (videocamera, computer, transmitter ) as well as to the pump rooms (sign receiver, electromagnetic Relay and electric switch except the drillings ; is done by batteries of nominal 30 strength. In the more inaccessible areas of the cementpillars the charging of batteries is done by a panel of photovol taic energy ( conversion of solar energy to electric one ) . The supply of electricity to the drilling pumps is done by alternating current from electricity stations, the cables 35 of which reach the drilling underground. D. Outside the pumprooms there is a pylon on the plate of which there is an anemometer and a wind indicator so that SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO99/51305 PCT/GR99/00014 5 the direction and intensity of the wind can be known. E.Water reservoirs connected to the drillings (;dr.2) with iron pipe so that they can be fed with water.These reservoirs bear 5 portable pressure pumps connected with a gazoline engine or a petrol motor. The reservoirs are always full of water , scattered and of various capacities. Claim/Req.II. 40 The water reservoirs, as mentioned in Req. I can be used independently(by themselves) in case of need or system bloc kage. Claim/Req. III. Uay the system operates 15 As mentioned in Req. I the system operates as follows : As soon as the revolving videocamara in the cementpillars teledetects the thermal incident, the infra red radiation through the photocell is converted to an electric sign which enters the processor of the special electronic com 20 puter which in turn processes and filtrates the noises of the sign. If the sign exceeds the threshold ( limits ) allowed for the manifestation of an incident ( fire ) the Processor channels the net sign to the transmitter inside the chamber. SThe transmitter in turn modulates and transmits the sign of specific frequency wirelessly to the receiver of the pumproom in the drilling. The receiver will amplify it and convert it to electric current capable of putting into operation the electromagnetic relay of the pump room. 3C The relay through an electric switch puts into opera tion the pump of the drilling. The water pumped from the drilling is delivered to the ironpipes at the end of which it is distributed through branching in two directions and finally it is launched through the ,3 two revolving water sprinklers for the extinction of the fire. SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)