GB2363569A

GB2363569A - Mobile fire simulator

Info

Publication number: GB2363569A
Application number: GB0027154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jason Steven Price; Wayne Christopher Bailey
Original assignee: ENVIRO FIRE TRAINING Ltd
Current assignee: ENVIRO FIRE TRAINING Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-07
Filing date: 2000-11-07
Publication date: 2002-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2020-11-07
Also published as: GB2363569B; GB0027154D0

Abstract

A mobile fire simulator, for simulating a variety of fire emergency situations for training fire crews, comprises a non-combustible cabinet (1) mounted on road wheels (2) and defining an enclosed gas cylinder storage chamber (5) and an open fire tray (10), the fire tray (10) being provided on the outside of the fire simulator and separated from the interior of the gas cylinder storage chamber (5) by a fire-impervious wall (17); and one or more gas pipes leading from the gas source to gas burners (11,13) arranged in the fire tray (10); the fire simulator having an ignition mechanism (16,18,19,20) for automatically igniting the gas burners (11,13), comprising a gas pipe leading to a downwardly oriented pilot flame burner nozzle (16) adjacent the burners (11,13), the pipe comprising means (20) for admitting ambient air into the gas pipe in admixture with the compressed gas flow, and downstream of the air admitting means (20) a spark generator (19) within the gas pipe for igniting the gas/air mixture in the gas pipe before it issues from the pilot nozzle (16), the spark generator (19) being located within the gas cylinder storage chamber (5), and the gas pipe downstream of the spark generator (19) passing through the fire-impervious wall (17) separating the gas cylinder storage chamber (5) from the fire tray (10).

Description

2363569 TITLE Mobile Fire Simulator

DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to mobile fire simulators for simulating a variety of types of domestic and industrial fire emergency situations for the purpose of training fire crews in the extinguishing of those fires Such fire simulators are known and create real flames by burning bottled gas, such as propane, but in conditions which simulate electrical fires, fuel spill fires, domestic fires and waste bin fires For each type of fire the fire crew under training needs to be trained in the correct procedure for extinguishing the fire.

Backqround Art In known fire simulators the apparatus comprises a metal cabinet which is mounted on a towing chassis to render it mobile The cabinet houses gas bottles, and gas pipes lead from the gas bottles to burners in a fire tray where the gas is ignited The fire tray comprises one or more different types of burner for simulating the different types of uncontrolled fire The simulation is that the fire is out of control In fact an operator can control valves between the gas cylinders and the burners and can extinguish the flames instantly simply by turning off the gas supply using a remote control pad linked by an umbilical cord or a microwave or radio link to servo valves in the gas pipes.

Ignition of the gas jets at the burners has always been a problem in such known apparatus Ignition has usually been by means of a spark in the vicinity of the burners, but this gives rise to a problem because the nature of the apparatus is such that it is frequently doused with water or foam from fire extinguishers being handled by the fire-fighters in training The water short- circuits the electronic spark-generating ignition system, so reignition after the apparatus has been subject to the action of a fire-extinguisher can be very erratic It is this problem which the invention seeks primarily to address.

Another problem with existing apparatus is the weight of any lid which is provided to cover the fire tray during transport The entire apparatus is designed from non-combustible materials Stainless steel sheeting is the most commonly used fabrication material, as it resists both the heat of the gas flames and the repeated soakings from fire extinguishers But a stainless steel lid can be very heavy, and existing designs have used gas struts, or pneumatic rams, to assist the movement of the heavy lid from a closed to an open position In the extreme conditions of usage, when the apparatus is subjected to the heat of the burning gas followed by the rapid quenching from the fire extinguishers, the gas struts have a very high failure rate It is therefore a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus which permits easy movement of the heavy lid whilst avoiding such regular failures.

The invention The invention provides a mobile fire simulator for simulating a variety of types of domestic and industrial fire emergency situations for the purpose of training fire crews in the correct use of fire extinguishers, comprising a non- combustible cabinet mounted on road wheels and defining an enclosed gas cylinder storage chamber and an open fire tray, the fire tray being provided on the outside of the fire simulator and separated from the interior of the gas cylinder storage chamber by a fire-impervious wall; the gas cylinder storage chamber being designed to accommodate a compressed gas source such as one or more gas cylinders, and incorporating one or more gas pipes leading from the compressed gas source to gas burners arranged in the fire tray to simulate a variety of fire emergency situations; the fire simulator having an ignition mechanism for automatically igniting combustion gas issuing from the gas burners, comprising a gas pipe leading from the compressed gas source to a downwardly oriented pilot flame burner nozzle adjacent the burners for igniting any combustion gas issuing from the burners, the said gas pipe of the ignition mechanism comprising means for admitting ambient air into the gas pipe in admixture with the compressed gas flow, and downstream of the air admitting means a spark generator within the gas pipe for igniting the gas/air mixture in the gas pipe before it issues from the pilot nozzle, the spark generator being located within the gas cylinder storage chamber, and the gas pipe downstream of the spark generator passing through the fire- impervious wall separating the gas cylinder storage chamber from the fire tray.

The ignition mechanism of the above fire simulator is protected from contamination by the water and foam used in fire extinguishing exercises by virtue of the fact that the pilot nozzle is directed downwardly so that it is unlikely that water or foam will penetrate upwardly as far the spark generator.

Also the spark generator is protected from contamination by extinguisher water or foam from above, because it is located within the gas cylinder storage chamber.

Preferably a thermocouple is provided in the path of the pilot flame, and is linked to a main gas flow control valve which ensures that the gas flow to the burners is completely cut off in the absence of a viable pilot flame That is a standard gas control safety precaution Additional solenoid-actuated control valves in the gas supply from the compressed gas source to the burners ensures that an operator can open and close each individual gas supply to different burners from a position of safety That remote control can be through an umbilical electrical connection to a control panel, or through an infrared or radio frequency control, or similar.

In use, the operator uses the remote control to pass gas to the pilot nozzle, and at the same time actuates the spark generator The pilot flame at the nozzle is ignited automatically, and as soon as the associated thermocouple senses the presence of a stable pilot flame, the operator can ignite gas flames at any chosen burner The fire crew in training then moves in to extinguish the simulated emergency fire, and if the correct techniques are used, the flames are extinguished and the operator can cut off the gas supply If the extinguishing of the simulated blaze has also extinguished the pilot flame, then the operator can reignite the pilot flame easily and reliably from his remote position The electrical elements of the spark generator are safely contained within the storage chamber, and completely isolated in the water, foam or chemicals of the fire extinguishing system that has been used.

The inventors have also addressed the problem of the handling of a heavy transport lid, by providing the lid with side arms extending down opposite sides of the cabinet to journal bearings mounted on the cabinet walls, so that the lid rotates bodily about their journal bearings when being moved from the closed transport position to the open position If desired, the lid movement can be assisted by gas struts, or pneumatic cylinders internally of the non- combustible cabinet or a motorised opening mechanism can be provided within the cabinet for opening and closing the lid Because the gas struts or motorised movement mechanism are provided internally of the cabinet, they are well protected from the flames and moisture experienced by the apparatus in use, and their long life reliability is assured Also the pivoting of the lid at a relatively low level around the journals at the ends of the side arms ensures that the lid can be moved from its closed to its open position with a minimum of lifting, so that even without motorised assistance the lid can easily be handled by one person.

Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mobile fire simulator according to the invention viewed from one side; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mobile fire simulator of Figure 1 viewed from the other side; Figure 3 is a front view of the fire simulator of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear view of the fire simulator of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a view downwardly into the fire tray, taken along a section line V-V of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a vertical section through the fire tray and gas ignition apparatus of the fire simulator of Figure 1.

Before the novel ignition device can be described, the remainder of the mobile fire simulator will be described in detail The simulator comprises a non- combustible cabinet 1 mounted on road wheels 2 and provided with an integral trailer hitch 3 to enable it to be towed behind a motor vehicle when being transported from site to site It will be seen from Figures 3 and 4 that the road wheels 2 are mounted on stub axles 4 which are formed integrally with the cabinet 1 The whole is made according to a monocoque construction.

That is to say, the cabinet 1 is not built separately and then placed on a pre- built trailer The cabinet, trailer frame, towing hitch 3 and stub axles 4 are built as a unitary whole.

The cabinet 1 is internally divided down approximately an axial centre line into a gas cylinder storage chamber 5 and an equipment storage chamber 6, as indicated schematically in Figure 3 The gas cylinder storage chamber 5 contains one more cylinders of compressed combustion gas such as propane.

Access is obtained through a side door 7 as seen in Figure 2 The storage chamber 6 can usefully store fire extinguishers and other equipment for use by fire crews, optionally together with first aid equipment Access is obtained through side door 8 as seen in Figure 1.

Accessible from a small door 9 on the front of the cabinet is a compartment for the electrics and electronics of the fire simulator By keeping all the electrics well removed from the fire tray 10 at the rear of the cabinet, the possibility of electrical failure due to the ingress of moisture is minimized.

The fire tray 10 is shown in plan view in Figure 5 and in section in Figure 6 It comprises an open-topped tray to the rear of the cabinet, containing a rectangular main burner 11 which carries multiple flame jets for creating a simulated fiercely burning conflagration If desired, the fire tray 11 may if necessary be partially filled with water to below the level of the jets in the main burner 11, so that when those jets are lit, the ball of flame above the water gives a very good simulation of a burning fuel oil spillage.

An array of steel supporting bars 12 above the main burner 11 permits non-

combustible articles to be supported over the main burner, and within the wall of flame created by that main burner, to simulate burning articles of varying degrees of potential hazard.

At one side of the main burner 10 is a smaller auxiliary burner 13, for simulating a smaller and more localized fire For example, if a stainless steel bottomless container 14 is placed on the support bars over the auxiliary burner, then the auxiliary burner 14 can be used to simulate a waste bin fire.

Mounted on the rear wall of the cabinet above the fire tray is a simulated electrical cabinet 15 Inside that cabinet 15 are smoke generating orifices, through which the operator can cause artificially-generated smoke to issue, to give the appearance of an internal fire within the cabinet 15 Also included within the cabinet 15 are pyrotechnic devices which can be triggered by the operator, so that if the trainee fire-fighter attacks the simulated electrical fire with an appropriate fire extinguisher such as a carbon dioxide extinguisher, then the operator simply has to discontinue the smoke emission If the trainee fire-fighter uses a water-based extinguisher, then the operator will detonate one or more of the pyrotechnic devices, to simulate, safely, the potentially lethal consequences of attacking an electrical fire with a water-based extinguisher.

All of the controls for the different flame generation and smoke generation elements of the fire simulator are on a remote control pad held by an operator at some distance from the cabinet 1 In use, the only combustible material used by the fire simulator is the compressed gas from the gas cylinders within the compartment 5, so that at any stage the operator can turn off the gas supply and extinguish the flame immediately.

It is clear that the area within and around the fire tray 10 is an extremely hostile environment, so that it is necessary to ignite the gas jets from the operator's remote position To achieve that, a pilot flame is established, at a pilot nozzle 16 as seen in Figure 6 The pilot nozzle is downwardly extending, so that it does not fill with water during the use of fire extinguishers around the fire tray The gas pipe supporting the nozzle passes through the partition wall 17 separating the fire tray 10 from the gas cylinder storage compartment 5.

Within the compartment 5 is an ignition mechanism comprising a solenoidoperated control valve 18 and a spark generator 19 The spark generator 19 may be a conventional motor vehicle spark plug, connected to a suitable high tension spark source which is preferably contained within the electronics compartment 9 Between the control valve 18 and the spark generator 19 is a bleed vent 20 for bleeding ambient air into the compressed gas passing through the control valve 18 The gas/air mixture is then ignited by the spark generator 19, and instantly and reliably establishes a stable pilot flame at the pilot nozzle 16 Because the spark generator 19 and control valve 18 are contained within the chamber 5, they are completely protected from the moisture that prevails externally of the chamber 5, and the problem of unreliable ignition at the fire tray 10 is thereby avoided.

Preferably a thermocouple (not shown) is provided in the path of the pilot flame, with a feedback to the solenoid-actuated valves which can be actuated to feed the gas to the main burner or auxiliary burner Thus the main gas supply can be disabled if there is no stable pilot flame established.

Another feature of the mobile fire simulator of the invention is the mounting of a lid 30 which can be brought down over the fire tray 10 when the unit is in transit The lid is shown over the fire tray in the closed condition in Figure 1, and rotated to the open position in Figure 2 The lid is supported on two side plates 31 and is rotatably mounted on journals 32 in the side walls of the cabinet The lid will typically be made of stainless steel, like the rest of the fire simulator, and can be very heavy Lifting it to its open position is considerably assisted by the pivotal mounting at a relatively low level by the journals 32, and if desired there may be provided internally of the cabinet 1 means for countering the weight of the lid during lifting For example, torsion springs may be provided to assist the lifting of the lid to its open position; or gas struts may be provided acting on integral lever portions of the supporting arms 31 internally of the compartments 5 and 6 It is even feasible that the lid might be motorised, with a lead screw or piston and cylinder assembly actuating movement, from within the compartments 5 and/or 6.

Claims

1 A mobile fire simulator for simulating a variety of types of domestic and industrial fire emergency situations for the purpose of training fire crews in the correct use of fire extinguishers, comprising:

a non-combustible cabinet mounted on road wheels and defining an enclosed gas cylinder storage chamber and an open fire tray, the fire tray being provided on the outside of the fire simulator and separated from the interior of the gas cylinder storage chamber by a fire- impervious wall; the gas cylinder storage chamber being designed to accommodate a compressed gas source such as one or more gas cylinders, and incorporating one or more gas pipes leading from the compressed gas source to gas burners arranged in the fire tray to simulate a variety of fire emergency situations; and the fire simulator having an ignition mechanism for automatically igniting combustion gas issuing from the gas burners, comprising a gas pipe leading from the compressed gas source to a downwardly oriented pilot flame burner nozzle adjacent the burners for igniting any combustion gas issuing from the burners, the said gas pipe of the ignition mechanism comprising means for admitting ambient air into the gas pipe in admixture with the compressed gas flow, and downstream of the air admitting means, a spark generator within the gas pipe for igniting the gas/air mixture in the gas pipe before it issues from the pilot nozzle, the spark generator being located within the gas cylinder storage chamber, and the gas pipe downstream of the spark generator passing through the fire-impervious wall separating the gas cylinder storage chamber from the fire tray.

2 A mobile fire simulator according to Claim 1, wherein a thermocouple is provided in the path of the pilot flame, and is linked to a main gas flow control - valve which ensures that the gas flow to the burners is completely cut off in the absence of a viable pilot flame.

3 A mobile fire simulator according to either preceding claim, wherein additional solenoid-actuated control valves in the gas supply from the compressed gas source to the burners ensure that an operator can open and close each individual gas supply to different burners remotely from a position of safety.

4 A mobile fire simulator according to Claim 3, wherein the remote control of the additional solenoid-actuated control valves is through an umbilical electrical connection to a control panel, or through an infrared or radio frequency control.

A mobile fire simulator according to any preceding Claim, wherein the fire tray has a transport lid which has side arms extending down opposite sides of the cabinet to journal bearings mounted on the cabinet walls, so that the lid rotates bodily about the journal bearings when being moved from a closed transport position to an open position.

6 A mobile fire simulator according to Claim 5, wherein the lid movement is assisted by gas struts, pneumatic cylinders or a motorised lid opening mechanism provided internally of the cabinet.

7 A mobile fire simulator substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.