EP0623365B1 - Spraying device comprising several emitting sources - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a series of hoses (1) connected together via tees (3) by quick-connection means (2, 4, 5). On the tees are mounted, by screwing, rigid tubes, or poles (10, 11), which have means (15) for spraying droplets at their opposite end. Holding means are used for holding the rigid tubes in the desired position, which is generally vertical. These means may include a support (7), arms (16) or a tripod (17) placed on the ground, or a foot (19) to be implanted in the ground, or magnets (21) mounted on the tube, to be fixed on a suitable metal object already existing. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for producing a cloud of droplets, this cloud occupying a volume above the ground, and constituting, in particular, a means of fighting fires, atmospheric dust, toxic aerosols, "gas clouds", smoke or powdery clouds, especially forest fires.

The device according to the invention was developed during studies for the implementation of the "misting" methods, described in documents FR-A-2,624,750 and 2,667,808.

When we want to fight, in particular, against a fire, it is advantageous to make a barrier against the fire using a cloud of droplets which forms a barrier over a significant distance, this solution has the advantage of be more efficient than usual, while saving water. It is therefore necessary to quickly implement a large number of means of production and projection of droplets arranged in a straight or curved line depending on the problem.

Conventional fittings and in particular so-called "firefighters" fittings require specialized tools and tightening and blocking manipulations which require effort, time and careful control, because only one fitting is required. not tightened properly so that the entire device is out of service. The object of the present invention is not only to considerably increase security but also to greatly facilitate the speed of implementation, which is essential for this type of emergency device.

• un té tubulaire rigide, présentant deux ouvertures opposées, communiquant entre elles et pourvues chacune d'une partie cylindrique équipée d'un joint torique d'étanchéité, et une troisième ouverture, communiquant avec les deux autres et pourvue d'un filetage,
• deux embouts tubulaires montés chacun sur une extrémité de l'un parmi deux tubes souples différents, ces embouts étant de diamètre calculé pour être liés par emboîtement chacun avec une des extrémités portant les ouvertures opposées du té, et pour coopérer, en disposition emboîtée, avec le joint torique pour procurer une liaison étanche,
• des colliers, montés sur lesdits embouts tubulaires, et portant chacun au moins un crochet apte à venir en prise avec un relief correspondant du té, et un moyen élastique apte à maintenir ledit crochet en prise, et assurer ainsi une liaison fixe, mais démontable, du tuyau souple avec le té,
• un tube rigide, dont une extrémité est filetée et peut se monter par vissage sur la troisième ouverture du té, et dont l'autre extrémité est raccordée rigidement au moyen de projection de gouttelettes et porte ce moyen,
• des moyens pour maintenir ledit tube rigide dans une position déterminée par rapport au sol.

To obtain this result, the invention provides a device for the production of a cloud of droplets, this cloud occupying a volume above the ground, this device comprising a series of droplet projection means arranged in line above the ground. , and flexible tubes connecting these projection means to a source of pressurized liquid, this device having for particularity that each droplet projection means is associated with:

• a rigid tubular tee, having two opposite openings, communicating with each other and each provided with a cylindrical part equipped with an O-ring seal, and a third opening, communicating with the other two and provided with a thread,
• two tubular end pieces each mounted on one end of one of two different flexible tubes, these end pieces being of diameter calculated to be connected by interlocking each with one of the ends carrying the opposite openings of the tee, and to cooperate, in a nested arrangement, with the O-ring to provide a tight connection,
• collars, mounted on said tubular end pieces, and each carrying at least one hook capable of engaging with a corresponding relief of the tee, and an elastic means capable of holding said hook in engagement, and thus ensuring a fixed, but removable connection, flexible pipe with the tee,
• a rigid tube, one end of which is threaded and can be mounted by screwing onto the third opening of the tee, and the other end of which is rigidly connected by means of projection of droplets and carries this means,
• means for holding said rigid tube in a determined position relative to the ground.

It is understood that the implementation of such a device can be very rapid, because the different operations can be carried out by different teams, in the most flexible way: installation of flexible pipe elements, installation of tubes rigid carrying the means for projecting droplets, fitting tees, these can moreover be connected in advance to rigid tubes, connections of flexible pipes to tees, connection of rigid tubes to tees, if this is not the case. was not done in advance, and mounting means to maintain the rigid tubes in the desired position.

Advantageously, porous flexible tube is used, such as that used for forest fires, because it has the advantage of being covered with a slight runoff of water which prevents it from burning, which makes the even more reliable device.

According to an advantageous modality, the means for holding the rigid tube in its position comprise a rigid support, linked to the tee, provided with anchoring means on the ground, or simply resting on the ground. The holding means can be put in place very quickly, at the same time or just after the operations indicated above.

According to another embodiment, the means for holding the rigid tube in its position comprise magnets, integral with the rigid tube and able to maintain the latter in abutment against a suitable pre-existing metal support. This modality is even simpler than the previous one, but it requires that there be suitable supports nearby. This is frequently the case when it is necessary to fight, for example, against a fire in an industrial environment, where metal frames, drums, tanks, possibly even vehicles, can serve as supports for rapid installation, and a effective support, rigid tubes.

In this mode of use, we understand the advantage of such a device which is easy to implement and which makes it possible to effectively protect emergency vehicles and their personnel. Placed against the metal cladding of a hangar, they can also protect it from an outdoor fire or prevent the fire from crossing the cladding.

In one of the modes of use, this device is particularly advantageous for protecting the temporary storage of drums of flammable products, toxic or not, especially during deposits or in transit in stations or ports. Its ease of implementation and the possibility of enslaving it to an automatic trigger reinforces its interest.

According to another modality of the means for maintaining the rigid tube, hooks intended for its attachment have been provided, on tubes, angles, cables, screened surfaces, or forest trees.

Advantageously, a non-return valve is interposed between the tee and the rigid tube and secured to these parts by screwing. This arrangement makes it possible to protect the line against an incident occurring in the rigid tube or the means for projecting droplets. The valve, thus placed near the tee, that is to say in the immediate vicinity of the ground, does not affect the stability of the rigid tube. A valve may be adjacent to the valve.

The invention will now be described with the aid of a practical example, illustrated using the single figure, which is a schematic view in elevation.

The device comprises one or more lengths of flexible pipes, each pipe 1 is equipped at each end with a nozzle 2 which can be either glued, or "ringed", or crimped, or ligated and acting as a sleeve of a corresponding diameter when fitting a tee 3.

In another version, in particular for industrial use, provision has been made for the possibility of replacing the flexible tubes with rigid tubes, made of aluminum or other metal.

It is possible to use different materials for the end caps, such as aluminum, black or galvanized steel, copper, brass, PVC, fiberglass, carbon or composites. On these end pieces are fixed collars 4 provided with hooks 5 and springs 6. In one version, the pipe is glued inside the end piece, in another, the end piece penetrates inside the pipe and the collar 4, this collar is used for fixing the pipe to the end piece and for sealing it. The end piece thus formed is intended to be fitted into a tee produced either in cast aluminum, as they already exist in the trade, or in any other material, in particular for agricultural watering, this tee is possibly fixed on a support in the shape of iron in U 7 directly posed on the ground allowing it to remain on the ground. The tee 3 is tapped or threaded and has a groove with joints at the other two ends, the threading or tapping allows the screwing of a valve 8. This valve allows the installation of a rigid tube or "pole" 10 thanks to a connecting means 9 of diameter corresponding to the valve. It is also possible not to put a valve and to directly screw a pole 11 on the tee. There are also pipe extension sleeves, a universal adapter is provided to allow connection to conventional fittings, either fire or sprinkler.

The device can include several tens of pipes and tees thus equipped. A filter 12, a valve 13 and a non-return valve 14 are provided at the inlet of each device. At each end of the poles is placed a diffuser 15 allowing the production of fine droplets of identical or different diameters, which makes it possible to generate a cloud of "misted" water made up of myriads of water or liquid droplets, of sizes that can vary from 10 to 1000 microns depending on the choice of fogger. We can therefore choose to "mist" by choosing the size of the droplets, by acting on the pressure, or by choosing an appropriate type of diffuser, sometimes they will be very fine droplets to neutralize or reprecipitate, by coalescence effect, a toxic aerosol, or fumes covering the area under the influence of the device, other times, it will be fine and medium droplets to cool and humidify the area, sometimes it will be all the diameters together (the surface and the volume covered by the device is variable depending on the weather, drought, heat, wind), because we understand that with wind the surface influenced by the device can be considerably increased.

The poles 10, 11 can also be held in place using horizontal arms 16, articulated on the support 7 to form, on the ground, a star with three or four branches, or more. One can also provide foldable tripods 17, retaining the pole using locking collars 18 mounted at their top, or feet 19 sunk into the ground and also provided with locking collars 18. A particularly interesting solution consists in provide, along the pole, necklaces 20 carrying permanent magnets 21, which can be fixed on a pre-existing support. In the figure, on the right, there is shown such a support in the form of a metal frame 22, forming, for example, an industrial building. The permanent presence of these necklaces and these magnets saves the time of setting up other support means, whenever possible.

There is also shown, at 23, a hook also serving to hold the pole on the frame 22.

The device allows the very rapid installation of an evolving "misting dam", from small to very long lengths, for example a standardized fire pump having a flow rate of 1000 liters minutes at 15 bars can supply a device length of several hundreds of meters in length. Indeed, by spacing 10 meters the "misting poles" with a flow rate of 10 liters per minute, even with the cumulative pressure drops, there will be enough pressure to operate the device over the entire length.

When installing a large number of "misting poles", the "misters" are calibrated according to the pressure to produce a flow of "misted" water adapted to the needs. In the event that the calibration has not been carried out, this will only have a limited importance on the flow rate of the first "misters".

References 24 and 25 respectively designate a solenoid valve and a control member thereof with automatic triggering, equipped with sensors. It is thus possible to set up the device, for example at the start of a fire, and the control member acts on the solenoid valve only when the danger becomes clearer. The control member can be thermal, pyrotechnic, ionic, or infrared. It can also be remote controlled.

A solenoid valve and its control member can also be arranged so as to control only a droplet emitting device, or a group of these devices.

Claims (8)

1. A device for producing a cloud of droplets, this cloud occupying a volume above the ground, this device comprising a series of means (15) for spraying droplets located in a line above the ground, and hoses (1) connecting these spraying means to a source of liquid under pressure, characterized in that there are associated with each means for spraying droplets:

   - a rigid tubular tee (3), exhibiting two opposite openings, communicating with each other and each provided with a cylindrical part equipped with an O-ring seal, and a third opening communicating with the other two and provided with a screw thread,

   - two tubular end fittings (2) each mounted on one end of one of two different hoses (1), these end fittings being of a diameter calculated so that each can fit into one of the ends carrying the opposite openings of the tee, and interact, in the fitted-in arrangement, with the O-ring in order to give a sealed connection,

   - collars (4), fitted on said tubular end fittings, and each carrying at least one hook (5) capable of coming into engagement with a corresponding relief in the tee, and an elastic means (6) capable of holding said hook in engagement, and thus provide a fixed, but removable, connection of the hose and the tee,

   - a rigid tube (10, 11), one end of which is screw threaded and can be fitted, by screwing, onto the third opening of the tee, and the other end of which is rigidly coupled to the means (15) for spraying droplets and carries this means,

   - means (7, 16 to 21) for keeping said rigid tube in a given position with respect to the ground.
2. The device of Claim 1, characterized in that the means for keeping the rigid tube in its position comprise a rigid support (7, 16 to 19), connected to the tee, provided with means for anchoring to the ground, or simply resting on the ground.
3. The device of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means for holding the rigid tube in its position comprise magnets (21), secured to the rigid tube and capable of keeping the latter bearing against an already existing suitable support (22) made of an appropriate metal.
4. The device of any of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a nonreturn valve (8) is interposed between the tee and the rigid tube and secured to these components by screwing.
5. The device of any of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tubes are made of a porous material intended to make them nonflammable.
6. The device of any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is further equipped with at least one solenoid valve (24) and with a member (25) for controlling the latter, the solenoid valve being placed between the source of liquid and at least one means (15) for spraying droplets, and the control member (25) being one which is triggered automatically or by remote control.
7. Application of the device according to any of claims 1 to 6 to the protection of an industrial installation, such as a store of hazardous products.
8. Application of the device according to any of claims 1 to 6 to the protection of forests against fire.

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