GB2436796A

GB2436796A - Extinguishing, supressing or controlling fire

Info

Publication number: GB2436796A
Application number: GB0606942A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Nathaniel Slater; Bryan Paul Cross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-06
Filing date: 2006-04-06
Publication date: 2007-10-10
Also published as: GB0606942D0

Abstract

A method and apparatus for extinguishing, suppressing or controlling a fire is provided. The method comprises the steps of forming a mixture of wood particles or saw dust and a liquid, transporting the mixture in a vehicle to the location of a fire and dispensing the transported mixture onto the fire by means of a pump and an application nozzle. It is suggested that the use of wood particles with a liquid (such as water) provides an enhanced substance for the suppression of fire and that the vehicle containing the mixture would be more stable when in motion, thus enabling the vehicle to move more quickly. Apparatus provided includes a production station and a transportation vehicle. The production station is configured to form the mixture. Wood particles received in a hopper 101 are passed on to a particle size regulator 102 and then to a particle-liquid mixer 103. Water is supplied from a mains supply 104. The mixture is then passed to a storage tank and dispensed from a dispensing pipe 105. The transportation vehicle comprises a storage tank, pump and an application nozzle.

Description

2436796

1

Extinguishing, Suppressing or Controlling Fire

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of extinguishing, suppressing 5 or controlling fire.

Brief Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fire, comprising the steps 10 of: forming a mixture of wood particles or sawdust and a liquid; transporting said mixture in a vehicle to the location of a fire; and dispersing the transported mixture onto said fire by means of a pump and an application nozzle.

In a preferred embodiment, the liquid is water or a water-based solution of fire retardant minerals.

15 According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fire, comprising: transportation means for transporting a mixture of wood particles or sawdust and a liquid to the location of a fire; said transportation means including a tank for holding said mixture, a pump for removing the mixture from said tank, and 20 a nozzle for directing said pumped mixture towards a fire.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a production station configured to form a mixture of wood particles or sawdust and a liquid; and 25 Figure 2 shows a transportation vehicle for tra nsporting the mixture shown in Figure 1.

Written Description of the Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Figure 1

30 A production station is shown in Figure 1, configured to form a mixture of wood particles or sawdust and a liquid for the purpose of extinguishing,

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suppressing or controlling fire.

Wood particles or sawdust are received in a hopper 101 on a regular basis. Preferably, the mixture is produced continually and hopper 101 ensures that source material always remains available.

5 Source material in the form of wood particles are transported from the hopper 101 to a particle regulator 102 configured to regulate the size of particles received form the hopper 101. Preferably, particles received within the hopper 101 are already of an appropriate size but should the particles include examples that are considered too large for this purpose, the regulator 10 102 will reduce the size of these particles so as to ensure consistency of particle mix within the final mixture.

A particle mixer 103 receives regulated particles from the particle regulator 102 and liquid water from a mains supply 104. The mixer 103 is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate mix of liquid and particulate matter 15 is achieved. In this respect, two parameters should be taken into account and, under some circumstances, it is possible that these parameters may, to some extent, be in mutual conflict. In particular, appropriate particles size and liquid/particulate mixing should be controlled in order to achieve optimum fire suppression. Thus, in this respect, it may be preferable to have a higher liquid 20 content compared to particulate matter content. In addition, however, the mixture should take account of transportation properties. In this respect, it has been suggested that a higher particulate matter content will assist with respect to transportation stability such that, when being transported, it has been suggested that the proposed mixture will have better transportation 25 characteristics compared to water alone. Thus, under these circumstances, a vehicle carrying a mixture of this type may be in a position to reach the location of a fire more quickly compared to a similar vehicle holding water alone.

It is therefore suggested that the use of wood particles with a liquid (such as water) provides an enhanced substance for the suppression of fire 30 when compared to the use of water alone It has been suggested that a vehicle containing a mixture of this type would be more stable when in motion

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compared to a vehicle carrying a similar quantity of liquid water. This allows the vehicle to move more quickly, particularly when negotiating bends etc which may result in the vehicle arriving earlier and thereby being in a position to achieve greater effect.

5 It is also suggested that the mixture reduces the extent to which the fire spreads due to the flowing of a flammable liquid. This flowing effect is retarded by the wicking action of the mixture which in turn results in a localised and immobile fire seat which is then easier to control and suppress by the application of more of the mixture or by the application of just water. Thus, it is 10 suggested that the mixture described herein would be appropriate for being applied to a fire first, prior to the application of water which, in many circumstances, could be derived from a local supply

In addition to being dispersed from a land-based vehicle, it is also possible for the mixture to be dispersed from a aircraft. In this respect, it is 15 again suggested that the mixture would provide a payload with greater mechanical stability thereby improving the handling and manoeuvrability of the vehicle which in turn could provide significant benefits when operating in a hazardous environment. Thus, a vehicle of this type could be used as a means of controlling woodland or forest fires when dispersed from an appropriate 20 aircraft. It is also appreciated that in applications of this type the mixture does not cause any further environmental damage given that its constituents are fully biodegradable.

It is also possible for bags of the mixture to be dropped from an aircraft. In addition, particularly when controlling forest fires, explosives can be set off 25 so as to disperse the material over a large area. In this way, the material may be sprayed over trees so as to prevent the fire spreading. Alternatively, the fire may be controlled by filling large plastic bags with the sawdust mixture. The bags are then located on platforms (for example the platforms could be raised four metres above the ground) and an explosive is then set off prior to the fire 30 reaching the protected area. Again, this results in a spray of material over trees so as to prevent the propagation of the fire.

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Structures in the pathway of a fire can be protected by spraying the sawdust mixture onto the exterior of the structures.

The mixture may have particular application for controlling fires in high-rise buildings. In this application, it is possible for bags of the mixture to be 5 shot through windows at higher elevations than would normally be reached by conventional fire fighting equipment. The bags include an explosive charge such that this charge can be set off after the shot has gone through the window and has landed on an internal surface. Thus, in this way, it is possible to extinguish fires in a localised area.

10 In a preferred embodiment, the mixture is made up entirely of water and particulate wood. However, it is also appreciated that other mineral constituents could be included that may enhance fire suppression capabilities.

After being mixed within the mixer 103, the mixture is supplied to a storage tank 104 and dispensed from a dispensing pipe 105 under the control 15 of an appropriate tap.

Figure 2

A transportation vehicle is illustrated in Figure 2. The transportation vehicle includes a storage tank 201 that receives mixture from the dispersing 20 pipe 105, shown in Figure 1 When the tank 201 is full, an inlet 202 is closed and the vehicle is ready for use.

After arriving at the scene of a fire, mixture is removed from storage tank 201 by means of a pump 203 which supplies mixture, under pressure, to an application nozzle 204.

25 The transportation vehicle shown in Figure 2 is very diagrammatic,

given that it may be land-based or air-based and includes many different known mechanisms for achieving energisation and vehicular traction.

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Claims

1. A method of extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fire, comprising the steps of:

forming a mixture of wood particles or saw dust and a liquid;

5 transporting said mixture in a vehicle to the location of a fire; and dispensing the transported mixture onto said fire by means of a pump and an application nozzle.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said wood particles are

10 derived as a by-product of wood milling operations.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said liquid is water

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4. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said liquid is a water-based solution of fire-retard ant minerals.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mixture is transported over land or by air.

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6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the relative quantities of liquid and particulate matter are arranged so as to enhance vehicle stability during transportation.

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7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the relative quantities of liquid and particulate matter are arranged to facilitate dispersal over a woodland fire from an aircraft.

8. Apparatus for extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fire,

30 comprising:

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transportation means for transporting a mixture of wood particles or saw dust and a liquid to the location of a fire;

said transportation means including a tank for holding said mixture, a pump for removing the mixture from said tank, and 5 a nozzle for directing said pumped mixture towards a fire.

9. A method of extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fires substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures.

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10. Apparatus for extinguishing, suppressing or controlling fires substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2.