ES2784733A1 - Fire extinguishing pump for high intensity fires and high temperatures (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention refers to a fire extinguishing pumper especially suitable for high intensity fires and high temperatures that exceed the extinguishing capacity of conventional media. Characterized by having a water tank and a hopper for solid compositions equipped with a feeding and regulation system so that they are completely independent and are mixed only if required at the time of use in the appropriate proportion. Also characterized by having a special mixing and drive system for the resulting viscous fluids. Also characterized by having a pneumatic system to aid the projection of the extinguishing fluid. It develops the procedure for using the composition of patent application P201900026 and is proposed as an improvement in the procedure for using the compositions ES2310498B1 and ES2556912B2 or any other of the same nature. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Fire fighting pump for high intensity fires and high temperatures

Object of the invention

The present invention refers to a fire extinguishing pumper especially indicated for high intensity fires and high temperatures, where traditional fire extinguishing systems do not have the ability to act. Situation this common in the great fronts of the great forest fires (GIF).

This fire engine could also be used in industrial fires or of another type, which, due to its high intensity, exceeds the extinguishing capacity of traditional media, such as wheel tanks, large accumulations of combustible materials, etc. As long as the fuel is chemically compatible with water.

The present invention ensures, improves and develops the method of using the extinguishing and protective composition for high intensity fires and high temperatures proposed in patent application P201900026.

Likewise, it is proposed as an improvement in the procedure for using the fire-retardant compositions developed by patents ES2310498B1 and ES2556912B2, as well as any other of the same nature, as will be detailed throughout the description.

Background

In recent decades and even more so in recent years, a series of factors, including the abandonment of rural areas, deficiencies in forest policies and rural development, together with climate change, have produced a continuous change in forest fires. The number of large forest fires, GIF, as well as the surface and virulence of these has not stopped growing year after year.

Specialists in the field have been creating a classification based on the size and virulence of these that has not stopped increasing, beginning to consider since 2016 the most violent and destructive of these, sixth generation fires. This type of fire is difficult to combat or control because they far exceed the extinguishing capacity, are anarchic and unpredictable and are assuming a true civil emergency wherever they develop.

The extinguishing capacity with traditional water-based methods is estimated at around 10,000 kw / m, having been measured in some of the last fires such as the one in Pedrogao in Portugal, for example, peaks of up to 238,000 kw / m and an average of 138,000 kw / m then considering fires totally outside the extinguishing capacity and exceeding this sometimes up to almost 24 times.

The impossibility of being able to stop these powerful fronts is aggravated by the great increase in the urban forest interface produced in the last decades and turn these fires into a true civil emergency. We have recent examples of hundreds and even thousands of homes destroyed in the fires of Santa Rosa 2017 (California), Paradise 2018 (California), Fort Mc Murray 2016 (Canada), Portugal 2017, Greece 2018, ... in which the fire it entered the interface and it was impossible to stop it.

Traditional extinguishing methods based on extinguishing with water or enhanced with short-term retardants (foaming agents) are totally ineffective in attacking the large fronts of GIFs due to the limited extinguishing properties and thermal absorption of water and the great energy that these fronts give off so that extinction only becomes possible on secondary fronts.

The most effective indirect methods such as firefighting are difficult to use on many occasions due to the particular climatic conditions in which they develop and even generate these fires modifying the climate on a regional scale creating large wind currents sometimes from hundreds of kilometers by large currents convective forces and the zonal depression they produce. Likewise, on many occasions the great increase in the urban forest interface also represents a great added danger for the use of these techniques, which is why on many occasions they are impossible to use.

Short-term retardants (foaming agents) improve the properties of water by lowering the surface tension, giving it more adherence and adding air to it, making it easier to adhere to fuels, preventing it from draining, improving the cooling, protection and suffocation effect.

Even so, this improvement is not enough to be able to try to extinguish the large flame fronts of the GIFs directly, since the thermal absorption is similar to that of water, it evaporates quickly and a large percentage of it also ends up on the ground without perform any function, thus its suffocation and protection effect is also quite limited.

The main short-term retardants used have proven to be polluting and harmful to aquatic fauna, so their use on a large scale is not advisable.

Long-term chemical retardants generally based on ammonium polyphosphate began to be used in the 1960s. Ammonium polyphosphate is a flame inhibitor that interrupts the chain reaction. This is recognized as an effective solution in indirect attack on large fronts of flames and in use in direct attack with aerial means. However, today its use is totally discouraged by the scientific community due to the contamination of aquifers and its harmful effects on aquatic fauna and the alterations it produces in the germination of plants.

Recently, in a totally innovative line, an Aragonese company, Sallenfire, has developed two fire extinguishing products based on the application of water with different minerals and other substances with long-term retardant properties and an approximate proportion of 45% of solid matter.

Patent ES2310498B1 describes a fire and protective composition composed of water, calcium carbonate, preservative, vegetable binder and calcium sulfate.

Patent ES2556912B2 describes a fire retardant composition composed of water, preservative, vegetable glue, glass microspheres, talc and silica sand.

These compositions being very effective and having long-term retardant properties, however, certain difficulties are encountered in their use with conventional extinguishing media, as well as in their transport.

In the mentioned patents, the composition is previously mixed with water in an approximate proportion of 45% by weight of composition and 55% by weight in water. The utilization of the compositions is carried out with conventional fire-extinguishing fire engines, these pumps having been designed to work with water or, where appropriate, mixed with short-term retardants (foaming agents).

This use is very forced because the impulsion systems of fire extinguishing pumpers are normally centrifugal rotary pumps designed to work with water, not being suitable for work with sludge, viscous fluids or solid particles.

This fact caused problems and wear in the pumpers due to the use of the composition of patent ES2310498B1, which led to a change and improvement of the composition with patent ES2556912B2 since talc is less aggressive than calcium carbonate and produces fewer problems. Even so, these hydraulic pumps are not suitable for this type of composition.

On the other hand, the permanence in the tank of the pre-mixed composition, with a solid part close to 45%, can cause settling and solidification and even more in periods of little work or between forest campaigns, in which the pumpers must remain prepared but hardly acting.

The present invention proposes a suitable working system for this type of compositions consisting of a solid part mixed with water. With the fire engine proposed in the present invention, the composition and the water would be used separately, mixing during use and only if necessary. Thus being able to extinguish only with water if the intensity of the front does not require the use of composition. Thus improving the logistics related to storage, transport, lowering costs and improving their use.

In a development line similar to the aforementioned patents, the patent application P201900026 was made. Consisting of an extinguishing and protective composition for high intensity fires and high temperatures. Composed of a fibrous clay selected from Sepiolite and Paligorskite, a stabilizer of the solution, a light insulating aggregate and a natural polymer compatible with fibrous clays.

Said composition has great extinguishing properties by smothering and separating the flame, thermal absorption and protection and is used in the form of a viscous fluid or light and adherent gel once mixed with water in the appropriate proportion (10 to 20% by weight of composition and 80 to 90% by weight of water) just before use. This composition has great properties as a long-term retardant.

The fire engine proposed in the present invention develops, ensures and improves the procedure for using this composition. It ensures the mixing in the required proportion at the time prior to its use, carries out the impulsion by compatible pumps with viscous fluids and improves its projection on the fuels if necessary.

With regard to the systems of the fire extinguishing pumpers, development today has been linked to the automation of the systems and it has been gradually introduced deposits of short-term retardants, foaming agents. . To date, almost all fire extinguishing pumpers have built-in foam concentrates tanks, which are usually in gel form and include systems for dosing and injecting it into the water in the required proportion.

The novelty of the line proposed by the aforementioned patents of long-term mineral-based retardants, means that nothing has been developed in this regard, or there is no knowledge of it or references have been found. In fact, for the same reason it has been forced to use it in conventional extinguishing pumpers, not being the most appropriate.

Description of the invention

The present invention refers to a fire extinguishing pumper especially indicated for high intensity fires and high temperatures that exceed the extinguishing capacity of conventional fire extinguishing means.

The fire fighting engine proposed in the present invention is characterized by having a water tank and a hopper for solid compositions so that they are completely independent and are mixed only if required at the time of use in the appropriate proportion .

In this way, fire-extinguishing compositions with long-term retardant properties such as those proposed in patents ES2310498B1, ES2556912B2 and patent proposal P201900026 can be formed. Compositions that carry a proportion of water and a proportion of solid composition. Ensuring its good condition for the long term avoiding caking and obstructions in vehicle tanks.

Also characterized by having a special feeding, mixing and drive system for resulting viscous fluids. Also characterized by having a pneumatic system to aid the projection of the extinguishing fluid.

The pumper is mounted on a chassis of a heavy vehicle (truck) which will preferably be of the BFP (heavy forestry pump) or BRP (heavy rural pump) type and preferably will have optionally operable four-wheel drive.

The fire truck has a water tank (1) and a hopper (2) for solid compositions. The calculations of the dimensions of both should be carried out in the most favorable way possible, taking into account the proportions of the mixtures of the compositions, it being preferred that the solid composition can accommodate charge to form a composition with at least two water tanks, given the greater ease to recharge this one.

Both the solid hopper (2) and the water tank (1) will preferably be distributed symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so that the variation of the amount of content in any one of the receptacles does not alter its stability. .

The drive system, hydraulic pump (3), will be a drive system suitable for sludge or fluids of a certain viscosity and will preferably be driven by a mechanical coupling (4), power take-off, derived from the vehicle transmission (5).

The hydraulic pump (3) must be according to the viscosity of the fluids to be used and the necessary working pressures, being selected from among rotary pump suitable for sludge or viscous fluids, helical screw pump or hydraulic piston pump. If necessary, if a helical screw or piston pump is used, it can have a by-pass system to absorb overpressures.

The hydraulic pump (3) must be located at a lower level than the water tank (1) to favor the suction of the same.

The hopper intended for solid composition (2) should preferably have at its bottom a feeding system (6) preferably formed by an endless screw preferably calculated according to the amount of substance necessary to displace in proportion to its revolutions and in proportion to the revolutions and flow rate of the pump so that the proportions are adjustable and controllable. This will push the solid composition contained in the hopper towards a mixing chamber (7) prior to the hydraulic pump (3) through an adjustable valve (8).

Both the feeding system (6) and the adjustable valve (8) must be able to be actuated so that they act jointly and in proportion to the hydraulic pump to carry out mixing and impulsion of the composition in the required proportion or disconnected to allow the impulsion exclusive of water by the hydraulic pump (3).

The feeding system (6) will preferably be driven by a mechanical coupling, power take-off (4), coming from the vehicle transmission (5).

The outlet valve (8) of the composition to the mixing chamber will preferably be adjustable in a way that allows it to be open, closed or to vary its opening so that it allows varying the percentages of the mixtures at the required proportion and will preferably be actuated by electrical or pneumatic way.

It will also be preferred that the regulation of the mixture is established by a speed variator system (9) in the mechanical coupling (4) from the transmission that gives mobility to the feeding system (6) or by some other system of regulation of the most recommended mixes.

A mixing chamber (7) will be located prior to the hydraulic pump (3) and preferably on its same axis, being able to be of dynamic or static operation. The mixing chamber (7) will have a direct water inlet from the tank through an opening valve (10) preferably pneumatically or electrically actuated (tank opening).

The mixing chamber (7) will also have an inlet for the solid composition coming from the composition hopper (2) through the adjustable valve (8) which will be arranged in such a way as to avoid the return while ensuring a certain Venturi effect.

If necessary due to the viscosity of the fluids of the resulting composition to be used, the fire engine will have a pneumatic system to support the projection in a similar way to plastering systems or shotcrete equipment.

The compressor (11) will preferably be driven by a mechanical coupling derived from the transmission of the vehicle (4), by an electric motor or by an independent combustion engine.

This will have pressure pots (12) and minimum flow rates and pressures depending on the work to be done.

The output of the composition resulting from the hydraulic pump (13) will be made through one or more outlets with fittings that can be of the barcelona, Storz, guillemín or any other type. used by any fire extinguishing body, with a diameter of 25, 32, 40, 45 or any other advisable.

At the back of the pump, try to place large hose reels (16) preferably with automatic collection by electric motor and preferably of the semi-rigid type with the diameter and working fitting used, being advisable to arrange them in sections of at most 20m approximately to be able to use always the minimum lengths of hose necessary.

If a pneumatic system to support the projection is used, a reel with a joint pneumatic and hydraulic hose (17) will be used, each one with its respective fittings and advisable also in sections of approximately 20m.

In case of using pneumatic support for the projection, a mixed lance of the type used in shotcrete equipment must be used for the projection, of joint use of the resulting composition and air under pressure.

The pump will preferably have a centralized electrical control panel (15) from where the power take-off of the hydraulic pump (4) can be activated and the tank opening valve (10), the power take-off of the supply (4) if applicable, the opening or regulation of the adjustable valve of the composition hopper (8), the revolutions and pressure of the hydraulic pump (3), actuation and regulation of the pneumatic system (11,12), control of the mixture proportion by opening the adjustable valve (8), control of the speed variator of the feeding system (9) or any regulation system chosen to achieve the appropriate proportion, etc.

It is advisable for the pump to have a reserve tank of at least 200I for cleaning the mixing chamber, the pump and the hose sections used.

Brief description of the drawings

In Figure 1 a summarized diagram with hydraulic symbology of the fire engine system is drawn, according to the description made.

In figure 2 the pumper is drawn from a top view to appreciate the approximate distribution of its main systems.

Example of how to use

We want to form a fireproof protective barrier over a wooded area prior to the arrival of a large flame front in a high intensity GIF to defend a forest urban interface area.

The pumper is loaded with 2700I of water, 200I from an auxiliary cleaning tank, and 800kg of composition of the proposed patent P201900026 inside a covered hopper of two cubic meters located in the center of the vehicle. In such a way that we have enough composition to form more than 6000m liters of retardant gel with two water tanks. After placing the fire truck in the work area, the vehicle is left running and immobilized. The hydraulic pump power take-off is activated from the rear, which automatically opens the tank opening. Three sections of 20m of hose are deployed semi-rigid hydraulic and pneumatic joint of the reel as an improvement in the projection is necessary to reach the height of the trees.

Once the sections are deployed, a mixed lance is connected and connected to the pump. The hopper feeding system is connected, opening the adjustable valve, the feeding system is graduated to 13%. The hydraulic pump stopcock is opened and the required pressure is adjusted. The pneumatic system is activated by graduating it to 3bar to improve projection.

At the tip of the spear, a viscous composition is projected aided by pressurized air with a mixed lance on the vegetal barrier to be fireproof. The gel of the long-term retardant extinguishing composition, due to its special properties, remains adhered to the fuel, igniting it.

After the job is finished, the pneumatic system and the feeding system are stopped. The adjustable hopper valve closes and the hydraulic pump stops closing the tank opening.

To clean the system, cleaning foam balls are placed in the connection of the pump with the used hose and the hydraulic pump and the tank opening are connected again for a couple of minutes to clean the tank. The great hydrophilicity of the composition makes the water dissolve the composition residues contained in the pump.

Claims (11)

1. Fire extinguishing pump for high intensity fires and high temperatures characterized by being mounted on a chassis of a heavy vehicle (truck) which will preferably be of the BFP (heavy forest pump) or BRP (heavy rural pump) type and which preferably It will have optionally operable four-wheel drive. Also characterized by having a water tank (1) and a separate hopper for solid compositions (2) in such a way that they are separated and can be mixed with water in the appropriate proportion and driven at the time of use. The calculations of the dimensions of both should be carried out in the most favorable way possible, taking into account the proportions of the mixtures of the compositions, it being preferred that the solid composition can hold charge to form a resulting fluid composition with at least two water tanks, given the easier to recharge it. The water tank (1) and the solid substance hopper (2) will preferably be distributed symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so that the variation of the amount of content in any one of the receptacles does not alter its stability. Also characterized by having a feeding system (6) located in the hopper and a mixing system (7) of the solid substances contained in the hopper with the water so that it is variable in dosage. Being able to use water exclusively in case it is not necessary to use solid compositions. Also characterized by having a drive system, hydraulic pump (3), according to the viscosity ranges of the fluids to be used and the necessary working pressures. The hydraulic pump will be suitable for sludge or fluids of a certain viscosity and can also be used only with water if required and will preferably be driven by a mechanical coupling, power take-off (4), derived from the vehicle transmission (5). 2. Fire extinguishing truck according to claim 1 in which the impulsion system, hydraulic pump (3), of the water or the fluids resulting from the mixing of the water with the substances in the hopper (2) will be selected from among pump rotary suitable for slurries or viscous fluids, helical screw pump or hydraulic piston pump. The hydraulic pump (3) will preferably be located at a lower level than the water tank to favor the suction of the same. 3. Fire extinguishing truck according to claims 1 and 2 in which the selected drive system (3) will be a rotary hydraulic pump suitable for sludge or viscous fluids, being able to transport solid particles according to the compositions used. 4. Fire extinguishing pump according to claims 1 and 2 in which the impulsion system (3) selected will be a hydraulic pump of the helical screw or Archimedean screw type, which can be fitted with an adequate bypass system if necessary. to avoid overpressures. 5. Fire extinguishing pump according to claims 1 and 2, in which the selected drive system (3) will be a hydraulic pump of the hydraulic piston pump type, which may include, if necessary, a suitable by-pass system to avoid overpressures . 6. Fire extinguishing auto-pump according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feeding system (6) will preferably be formed by an endless screw preferably calculated according to the amount of substance necessary to displace in proportion to its revolutions. and in proportion to the revolutions and flow rate of the pump so that the proportions are adjustable and controllable. This will be moved by a mechanical coupling, power take-off (4), coming from the vehicle transmission (5). The compositions will exit the hopper preferably through a valve (8). The composition outlet valve may be open or closed and will preferably be electrically or pneumatically actuated. 7. Fire extinguishing auto-pump according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet valve of the composition (8) is an adjustable valve being able to be open, be closed or vary its opening in a regulated and controlled way to vary the percentages of the mixtures to the required proportion. This will preferably be driven electrically or pneumatically. 8. Fire extinguishing truck according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing of the water contained in the tank (1) with the solid substances in the hopper (2) will be carried out in a mixing chamber (7) located prior to the drive system, hydraulic pump (3), and preferably located on the same axis, being able to carry mechanisms to promote mixing that can be static or dynamic operation. Being preferably moved in the latter case by the same transmission shaft that gives mobility to the hydraulic pump (3). The mixing chamber (7) will have a direct water inlet from the water tank (1), through an opening valve (10) preferably pneumatic or electric (tank opening) and will also have an inlet from the solid composition coming from the composition hopper (2) through a composition inlet valve (8), it being preferred that it be arranged in such a way as to avoid the return while providing a certain Venturi effect. 9. Fire extinguishing truck according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the mixture regulation system is established by a speed variator (9) in the mechanical coupling (4) from the transmission (5) that gives mobility to the feeding system (6). In such a way that the feeding system rotates at the appropriate speed, this being regulated according to the proportions of the mixtures required independently but provided to the impulsion system (3). 10. Fire extinguishing auto-pump according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized by having a pneumatic system to support the projection of resulting fluids and made up of a compressor system (11) and pots (12) of flow and pressure according to the work to be carried out having one or more pressurized air outlets (14) next to the pump outlets (13) to allow their joint use if necessary. The compressor (11) will preferably be driven by a mechanical coupling (4) derived from the vehicle transmission (5). It will also be preferred that it is driven electrically or by a separate internal combustion engine. 11. Fire extinguishing auto-pump according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has one or more outlets of the hydraulic pump (13) that makes up the drive system according to the preceding claims. These will be preferably selected from among the types Barcelona, Storz, Guillemín or any other used by one any fire extinguishing body or any other type more suitable for sludge and viscous fluids. It can be selected with a diameter of 25, 32, 40, 45 or any other advisable one, depending on the flow rates and working pressures and the viscosity of the resulting fluid.