JP2695453B2 - Aircraft fire damage control device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a fire damage suppressing device (fire prevention system) for an aircraft, and more particularly, to a device for suppressing damage caused by an aircraft fire using a system using a water-absorbing polymer. .

The disastrous consequences of an aircraft fire are well known and need not be detailed here. Therefore, any system or device is strongly desired as long as it can provide additional time for passengers and passengers to escape. The present invention seeks to solve this problem by surrounding a major area of the aircraft, such as all or most of the fuselage of the aircraft, with a polymer having a high water absorption. Such polymers are not only capable of absorbing large amounts of water per unit weight of polymer, but are also capable of rapid absorption. The water-absorbent polymer can be placed on the aircraft as a coating or layer on top of existing insulation and / or sound insulation that surrounds the fuselage or other parts of the aircraft, or it may be desirable to protect the aircraft. It can also be housed in a porous package which is fixed to the part.

Aircraft typically carry large amounts of water for consumption and toilet operation. For example, the 747 passenger plane holds more than 250 gallons (about 7 m ³ ) of water. The device of the present invention comprises means for supplying this water to the water-absorbing polymer in the event of a fire, thereby forming a water barrier surrounding the portion of the aircraft to be protected. . For this purpose, the device according to the invention comprises a piping system for guiding the water from the water source to the water-absorbing polymer.

The water barrier formed when the polymer absorbs water will shield the interior of the aircraft enclosed by the water barrier for a period of time after the water has been vaporized by the heat of the fire. Even a small amount of time could save many lives. In case of a fire, only a few seconds are important.

Water-absorbing polymers useful in the present invention are described in US Pat.
All polymers disclosed in 3,669,103, 3,670,731 and 3,935,099. Other superabsorbent polymers are also known, for example as used in hygiene products and diapers. As an example, starch graft copolymers containing gelled starch (gelatinized starch) and saponified polyacrylonitrile according to US Pat. No. 3,935,099 are commercially available, which can absorb up to 1,000 times their own weight of water. .

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional thermal insulation pad 1 for an aircraft comprises an inner layer 2 of conventional thermal insulation material and a water-absorbing polymer as disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,935,099. And an outer layer 3. The outer layer 3 is
It can be constituted by any conventionally known means such as fixing the fine particles, fibers or film made of a desired water absorbing polymer to the inner layer 2 with an adhesive.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of the present invention, in which the pad 4 contains fine particles made of a water-absorbing polymer and / or a fibrous batt 6. It is composed of a porous fabric (woven fabric) 5 in the form of a mesh or a net. To facilitate handling and containment of the fibrous batt or water-absorbent polymer 6, the pad 4 is sewn with stitches 7 to form a small subunit of the pad.

FIG. 5 shows a part of the structure having the outer wall 20, the inner wall 21 and the studs 22 (a part of the “sandwich structure” used in the design of an aircraft. As shown in FIG. 4 is fixed to the stud 22 in the space between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21. For ease of illustration, a fifth
Only two pads 4 are shown in the figure. Although FIG. 5 shows the pad 4 arranged between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21, all the pads used in the present invention can be used in an appropriate combination.

A header 23 and a distribution pipe 24 are further provided between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21. The header 23 is connected to a water source or reservoir of water and is adapted to distribute water to the pad 4 by means of a distribution pipe 24, as will be described in more detail below. As shown more clearly in FIG. 6, the distribution pipe 24 is made porous by the means of a large number of holes or small holes 24a. As can be seen, the water flowing through the header 23 and the distribution pipe 24 comes into contact with the polymeric material 6, which is under its own weight of 500-6.
Quickly absorb water on the order of 00 times. Therefore, a large amount of water is quickly diffused between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21 over a large area, thereby quickly forming a water barrier for protecting the interior of the aircraft.

In order to reduce the weight of the fire protection system of the present invention,
As shown, pads 4 may be placed between every other pair of studs 22. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the pad 1 can be arranged like a checkerboard.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which the pad 4'has a large number of internal distribution pipes.
4a, one of which is shown in FIG. The inner pipe 4a is porous and has the same structure as the distribution pipe 24. When using the pad 4 ',
The header 23 is provided with a short distribution pipe 25, which is located directly below the header 23 and which has an internal pipe 4a of the pad 4 '.
Friction fitted or fixed to. Each inner pipe 4a is fitted with a nipple or other element which is adapted to fit onto the inner pipe 4a just below the inner pipe 4a of the pad 4 '(not shown).

FIG. 10 shows the fire protection system of the present invention installed in the fuselage F of an aircraft. Although FIG. 1 shows a fire protection system using a pad 4'and an internal water pipe 4a, it should be understood that other pads useful in the present invention can be used. As shown in FIG. 10, the pad 4'is located between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21 of the aircraft and the studs 22 have been omitted for clarity. The internal distribution pipes 4a are connected to each other and also to the distribution pipe 25, which is connected to the header 23. Although only one header 23 is shown in FIG. 10, it should be understood that a number of headers 23 are spaced around the body F. Each header 23 is supplied with water from a suitable reservoir, such as a water tank 30 located in area C below cabin area P.
The water tank 30 and each header 23 are in fluid communication by a conventional distribution system (not shown).

In case of fire, water is supplied to the pad 4'and immediately absorbed by the water-absorbing polymer 6. The heat of the fire raises the temperature of the water absorbed by the polymer 6 of the pad 4 ', but this endothermic action gives the passenger additional time to escape from the passenger compartment P. At some point, the temperature of the water will rise to its boiling point and a large amount of vapor will be dissipated between the outer wall 20 and the inner wall 21. For this reason, a pressure reducing valve 31 is provided on the inner wall 21, one of which is shown in FIG. A sufficient number of pressure reducing valves 31 can be provided to appropriately discharge the steam. In order to prevent the steam from being dissipated into the atmosphere, it is preferable that the steam is dissipated to the region C (usually, this region C is a luggage compartment) via the pressure reducing valve 31.
Sudden decompression could cause more damage than a fire if the aircraft were to fly to high altitude without proper precautions if vapors could be released into the atmosphere. .

FIG. 11 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the water absorption formed by any of the above-mentioned fine particles, fibers or films on the floor 32 of the passenger area P. A layer 6 of functional polymer is provided. Floor 32
Is provided with a series of water distribution pipes 24 in contact with the layer 6, which are connected to a water tank or reservoir 30 by suitable means (not shown). Water is supplied by the header 23. In this way, a water barrier is also formed under the carpet 33 in the passenger compartment P, so that a more complete barrier against fire can be formed.

While the fire protection system of the present invention can be effectively applied to aircraft fuselages and / or floors, it can also be placed to form a water barrier around a washroom.

FIG. 12 shows diagrammatically the control of the fire protection system according to the invention. One or more water tanks 30 are connected to the header 23 via means of a control valve 40. Control valve 40
The thermal sensor 41 is opened in response to the sensor 41 when it detects a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined value, or is opened when a signal is transmitted to the control valve 40 by an occupant in the cockpit of the aircraft. Is designed. When the control valve 40 is opened, water flows through the header 23 and the distribution pipe 24 to the water-absorbing polymer. Pump 42 is preferably used to pump water from the water tank or reservoir 30. This pump 42 is also operated in the same way as the control valve 40. In some cases, the wastewater from the aircraft washroom is filtered,
It is better to be able to replenish the water in the water tank 30. Therefore, FIG. 12 shows a reservoir 34 for containing waste water collected from the washroom and a filter for removing solids from this waste water.
35 is shown. If desired, a suitable bactericide may be added, as is known, to purify the wastewater through the filter 35. The purified and filtered wastewater is fed to a water tank 30 as shown. Alternatively or additionally, filtered but unsanitized water is supplied to the load area header 23 via the pump 42 and the control valve 40, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. You may allow it.

In some cases, it is preferable to be able to supply water to the water-absorbent polymer from outside the airframe when the aircraft is on the ground. To do this, for example, the tip of an aircraft wing,
Plural water supply ports 50 are provided at places such as a nose portion and a tail portion of the body which are spaced apart from each other. Further, the water supply port 50 is connected to the desired header 23 by a suitable conduit (not shown). In case of fire protection, an external water source
51 is connected to the desired water supply port 50. For example, if a fire occurs in the nose of the aircraft when the aircraft is on the ground, it is safe to approach the tail of the aircraft.In such a case, from the water inlet 50 provided at the tail of the aircraft. Water can be introduced. The water inlet 50 can also be used when there is a risk of fire due to the aircraft being hijacked, in which case water should be introduced from the water inlet 50 while the aircraft is on the ground. A water barrier for protection can be formed.

In an experiment to prove the success or failure of the present invention, US Pat.
The polymer according to 935,099 was placed in a container, a predetermined amount of water was added, and the time until the water was completely absorbed was measured. As a result, it took 5.5 seconds for 1 part by weight of the polymer to absorb 57 parts by weight of water, and 18 seconds for 1 part by weight of the polymer to absorb 84 parts by weight of water. In all cases, the water temperature was 75 ° F (about 24 ° C). Also, in each case, water was absorbed very quickly.

In another experiment, a double-walled metal chamber with a diameter of 20 cm and closed at one end was exposed to an open flame at 75 ° F.
℃) to 100 ° F (about 38 ° C), 150 ° F (about 66 ° C) and 300 ° F
Heated to (about 149 ° C). As a result, 75 ° F (about 24 ° C)
14 seconds to raise the temperature from 100 ° F to 38 ° C
It takes 16 seconds to raise the temperature from 5 ° F (about 24 ° C) to 150 ° F (about 66 ° C) and the temperature rises from 75 ° F (about 24 ° C) to 300 ° F (about 149 ° C). Took 17.8 seconds. This experiment was repeated except that the space between the double walls was filled with a gelled starch / saponified polyacrylonitrile polymer that absorbed about 568 times its own weight of water. Polymer is He
It is manufactured by nkel. In this experiment, 18
The temperature was maintained at 75 ° F (about 24 ° C) for 11 minutes and did not reach 150 ° F (about 66 ° C) until 21 minutes and 47 seconds after the start of the experiment. This experiment demonstrates that the fire protection system of the present invention can significantly extend the time it takes for the temperature in the cabin of an aircraft to reach an unbearable level.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a heat insulating material provided with a layer of a water absorbing polymer. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a fire protection system mounted on an aircraft. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing in detail the structure of the pipe used to supply water to the fire protection material. FIG. 7 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 5 showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 5 showing still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a detailed view showing another fireproof material used in the present invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a part of an aircraft equipped with a fire protection system according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a detailed partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a fireproof material is installed on the floor of an aircraft cabin. FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing the operation of the fire protection system according to the present invention. 1 ... Insulation pad, 4, 4 '... Pad, 4a ... Internal distribution pipe, 4b ... Nipple, 5 ... Porous fabric, 6 ... Fibrous pad (cotton), 20 ... Outer wall, 21 ... Inner wall, 22 ... Stud, 23 ... Header, 24, 25 ... Distribution pipe, 24a ... Hole, 30 ...
Water tank (reservoir) 34 ... Waste water reservoir, 40 ... Control valve, 41 ... Thermal sensor, 42 ...
Pump, 50 ... Water inlet, 51 ... External water source.

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for shielding an area of an aircraft from the adverse effects of a fire, comprising wall means surrounding at least a portion of the aircraft to be shielded, and a superabsorbent polymer operatively associated with the wall means. It has a reservoir for storing water, conduit means for establishing fluid communication between the reservoir and the polymer, and distribution means for flowing water from the reservoir through the conduit means to the polymer. A device for shielding an area of an aircraft from the adverse effects of a fire, characterized by: 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said aircraft has a fuselage and said wall means is at least a portion of said fuselage of the aircraft. 3. The aircraft has an outer surface that surrounds the interior, and the wall means includes an inner wall that faces the interior of the aircraft.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an outer wall forming an outer surface of the aircraft, the polymer being provided between the inner wall and the outer wall. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said aircraft comprises a cabin area within said fuselage and said wall means surrounds at least a portion of said cabin area of the aircraft. 5. The polymer is supported by a heat insulating material between the inner wall and the outer wall.
Or the apparatus according to 4. 6. The polymer according to claim 3, wherein the polymer is contained in a porous container, and a plurality of the porous containers are provided between the inner wall and the outer wall. The described device. 7. The cabin area comprises a floor and a carpet on the floor, a layer of the polymer is provided between the floor and the carpet, and the conduit means comprises the reservoir. 7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for establishing communication between the layer and the layer. 8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are provided for supplying to the reservoir waste water collected from an aircraft washroom. 9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means are provided for fluid communication between the polymer and a water source located outside the aircraft. 10. The polymer has at least about its own weight.
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is capable of absorbing 500 times as much water.