MX2008001631A - Methods for treating plunge zone, heavy liquid, large tank, structural impediment and timing issues when extinguishing tank fires - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for extinguishing a full, or substantially full, surface liquid tank fire including addressing large tank, difficult fuel, structural impediment, timing and plunge zone issues, the attack including throwing at least one primary stream over a tank wall, the stream landing with a force of impact in, and defining, a plunge zone;the method including potentially achieving flame collapse leaving a plunge zone flame and subsequently, at least for a period of time, diminishing force of impact per unit area of a primary stream upon said plunge zone flame. Alternately, the method includes achieving a partial flame collapse including collapse against back tank wall portions and subsequently diminishing stream impact force upon a plunge zone including moving a plunge zone forward in the tank.

Description

METHODS FOR DEALING WITH IMMERSION ZONES. HEAVY LIQUID. LARGE TANKS, STRUCTURAL IMPEDIMENTS AND SYNCHRONIZED EMISSIONS WHEN THE EXTINGUISH FIRE IN A TANK Field of the Invention The field of the invention relates to attacking and extinguishing fires in the entire surface, or substantially all the surface in tanks with liquid, and more particularly in treating emissions in "immersion zone" as well as heavy liquid, large tank , structural impediment and synchronized emissions, that arise from an attack using one or more primary currents thrown on a wall of the tank. Background of the Invention The present invention comprises an extension of a family of inventions that originate with Dwight P. Williams and the Williams Fire & Hazard Control, Inc. Familiarity with certain patents and / or patent publications will be assumed by one skilled in the art. These patents and / or patent publications are: (Empirically Determining and Using a Footprint); US ,829,533 (Using Footprint plus External Wall Cooling); US 5,913,366 (Inner Tank Wall Cooling); WO98 / 03226 (Wall Cooling plus Dry Powder) and US Pub. 20030213602 (Smiley Face Treatment.) When full-surface fires are attacked in a tank with liquid, in large industrial tanks by throwing foam into the wall of the tank, the industry has The technique of "surrounding and drowning" what has been called a "fingerprint" method has been largely changed. The "footprint" method represents one or more main nozzles almost together, and preferably against the wind of the tank, as it relates to a six o'clock position in the watch. The nozzle (s) and volume of distribution are selected so that the foaming footprint (s) together with the foreseen "foam stroke" will, by design, be foam carried to the walls of the tank and create a adequate foam layer on the surface. The water in the foam layer cools; the foam layer eliminates vaporization; the foam layer deprives the fire of access to the oxygen that combustion usually requires. It is accepted in the industry that narrowly focused streams with footsteps that maximize the local application density "of the foam will optimize the creation of a foam layer.To attack and extinguish fires from the entire surface in a tank with liquid, the present inventor It has determined that two significant "immersion zones" can occur, one can occur before the flame collapses and the other can occur after the flame collapses, each "dip zone" is generally strongly affected by the nature of the particular liquid. The present invention teaches methodologies for the treatment of these emissions in the "immersion zone", having at least one more expensive objective which effectively extinguishes the fire.The present methodologies can now be critical to extinguish the fire. , in certain circumstances, or at least acceptably extinguish the fire within a period of ODO predetermined time. General Points - Notes and Definitions - Background Industrial liquid storage tanks vary in diameter from approximately 100 feet to 300 feet or more. The normal height of the wall is 50 feet. A fire of the entire surface in a tank with liquid for our purposes will be estimated to be a fire involving at least 90% of the liquid surface in a tank. Normally a tank with fire before any collapse of the flame would imply 100% of the surface of the liquid. However, a partially collapsed floating roof or the like can prevent fire in some small portion of the surface. Such fire in the tank should still be treated as total surface fire. A full-surface fire in a tank with liquid can be confronted, for example, with a fire in the sealed / enclosed tank where a floating roof limits the fire to essentially the annular ring around the inside of a tank wall.

"The collapse of the flame" will be defined in the present as the collapse of at least 50% of the flame on the surface of the tank. "The collapse of the preferred flame" will be considered to refer to the collapse of at least 80% of the flame on the surface of the tank. The "partial collapse of the flame" will refer to the collapse of at least 20% of the flame on the surface of the tank. "The substantially total collapse of the flame" will indicate the collapse of at least 95% of the flame on the surface; the ghost effect or oscillation can remain. A "main nozzle" is a nozzle used in a primary attack on a full-surface fire in a tank with liquid to reach the collapse of the flame, the nozzle throws a stream of foam on the wall of the tank. The flow rates of the main nozzle normally vary from 1500 gpm to approximately 15,000 gpm. As discussed above, one or more primary nozzles are preferably placed almost together, against the wind of a tank, this location is referred to as the six o'clock position, where the combined footprint (s), volume (s) of The distribution and stroke of the foam are designed to establish and maintain a suitable foam layer. Due to the speed of advance of the landed foam and the wind, the "foam stroke" is usually larger towards the rear wall of the tank, ie towards the twelve o'clock position. Thus, the wettest and safest foam layer is usually created against a back wall. This wet layer tends to extend approximately to positions nine and three of the clock. The flames against the portions of the wall of the internal advance tank, centered approximately at the six o'clock position, sometimes referred to as "happy face" flares, tend to fade at the end. The air tends to be sucked in by the fire in the wall of the tank at the six o'clock positions of the clock or from the front wall of the tank when the main nozzle (s) is set at six o'clock. This supply of fresh oxygen along with the agitation caused by the influx of air provides an additional reason why the flames in the inner portions of the front wall of the tank can be extinguished at the end. An additional attack can be sustained against such a "happy face" to improve functioning. Generally, the additional main nozzle (s) is located from a tank, better, in terms of decreasing the risk of loss of equipment and personnel. Thus, the main nozzles with long intervals and / or main nozzles adjusted to maximize the interval may be preferred. A straight stream, narrowly focused from a nozzle is doubly preferred, not only because it maximizes the interval but also maximizes the "local application density", which is accepted while optimizing the formation of a foam layer. Preferably, a main nozzle has a capability to vary its current thrown from a "fog" or "change of angle" pattern to a narrowly focused straight stream or to a pattern with no change in angle. Preferably also a main nozzle can be raised and / or lowered, to vary the height or inclination of its path, and can move to oscillate or sweep, relatively fast, from side to side. A rapid oscillation would be considered to be a sweep of approximately a 45 degree angle in at least 30 seconds. The sweep would preferably take less than 20 seconds. Preferably also a main nozzle can vary the distribution volume (gpm) of its thrown foam and the ratio ratio of the foam concentrate can vary. Some main nozzles do not have all these capabilities. The efficiency is improved when such preferred main nozzles are available. The term "foam" is used to refer to the foam and water concentrate and / or the foam already formed. The foam", however, it is not necessarily limited to it. Liquids more exotic than water and more exotic than additives could be developed and applied. "Foam" shall be understood, as used herein, which also includes fair water, for convenience. "Foam thrown", normally however, is water and focused foam which expands before or until it is launched and / or at least extends to the landing. As discussed above, the foam extinguishes the fire partly by covering the surface of the liquid, cutting off access to air or oxygen. (Oxygen is necessary to maintain combustion.) The foam partly also extinguishes the fire by means of water in the evaporation of foam, in such a way that it removes the heat. (Heat is necessary to maintain combustion.) The foam also extinguishes the fire by suppressing vaporization. The water carried by the foam auxiliaries to weigh the foam down, thus helps to suppress the vaporization. (Often it is only vapor on the surface of a burning liquid.) In fact, with a lot of fire in the tank the liquid cools to a few inches below the burning surface.The exception is heavy liquids, such as crude, residue, asphalt and the like.) Dry foam, foam from which water has evaporated to a large extent, operates less and covers less. Dry foam has less weight and thus suppresses less vaporization. Dry foam has less water and so it cools less. The light, dry, dehydrated foam can even be an impediment, in that the presence of a lot of light dry foam can inhibit the fresh hydrated foam method. The "drainage time" foam is thus a defined industrial term. It is an important parameter that is measured. "Drainage time" is the time in which a foam loses 25% of its water. "Drainage time" normally runs between 2 and 8 minutes per foam. The drainage time foam is considered to be planning a fire attack on the entire surface of the tank. It has been found, in particular, that when working with new fuel mixtures, that drainage time can be further affected by the liquid in the tank. Hydrophilic fluids drain water out of the foam down into the liquid, so they prematurely dry the foam. New fuel mixtures have shown significant hydrophilic tendencies. This effect is also a function of the contact area and can thus yield a significant minimization of underlying liquid agitation by the fresh foam. An "immersion zone" is the landing area of a main stream on the surface of the liquid in the tank. As the current moves or alters, the immersion zone moves or alters. If the current is sufficiently extended, the current is a current that changes angle. A current that changes angle or extends has a larger immersion area than a narrower current without changing the angle. The impact force per unit area of a focused narrow current is greater than the impact force per unit area of a current that changes angle, giving the same volume of distribution. The volume of distribution refers to the distribution volume of "foam" and is generally in gpm. The "local application density" refers to the volume of distribution per area unit of a landing zone. The terms landing area, landing zone, immersion zone, area of immersion and footprint are sometimes used interchangeably. A focused narrow current, for a given volume of distribution, maximizes the "local application density". As mentioned above, the maximization of the "local application density" tends to be optimized, it is believed that, the total efficiency of the thrown foam forms a layer of foam and runs. "Changing the angle" of a current of the nozzle is used herein to mean at least the decrease of a local application density of the nozzle current. Generally a current of the angle change nozzle means the increase of the landing area while maintaining the same volumetric flow. The change of angle could be achieved, or assisted, by lowering the volume of distribution of the current. A landing area of the nozzle stream (alternatively referred to as the area of the dip zone or dip zone or tread) is normally increased by raising the nozzle to achieve a longer, longer path and / or varying the discharge angle of the nozzle, usually increasing the angle. The term "angle change current" herein, for convenience, will refer to a stream having a local application density of less than 0.5 gpm per square foot of the landing zone. A "preferred angle change current" will have a local application density of 0.3 gpm per square foot of the landing area or less. A "current without angle change" will be considered because it has a local application density of at least 0.05 gpm per square foot of the landing area. While the "current without preferred angle change" will have a local application density of 0.6 gpm per square foot of the landing area or greater. "Combing" an entire surface fire in a tank with liquid is used herein to refer to one or more "angle change stream" landings in at least 60% of the fire surface in a period of not more than a minute "Decrease", as used herein, is desired to include not only reducing but also totally reducing to zero, or stopping. That is, the impact force per unit area of a main current in an immersion zone can be "decreased" by redirecting the current so that there is no more impact in the original immersion zone. The impact force per unit area could also be decreased by changing the angle of the current so that the impact in the original immersion zone continues but the impact force is decreased per unit area, such as by separating the force in an area of larger or expanded immersion. "Re-addressing" can be achieved by "decreasing" the impact force per unit area of a main current in an original immersion zone by directing the current to another portion of the surface or directing the current out of the tank, such as by landing the stream out from the portions of the tank wall. "Scarring" in relation to a foam layer indicates a phenomenon where a layer of foam, perhaps together with a new foam, spreads in and fills a hole or a hole in a foam layer. The hole or gap could be in the middle of the layer or the edge of the layer, such as between a layer and a portion of a tank wall. "Scarring" should be understood to generally achieve extinguishing any flame in the hole or hollow, perhaps outside of and except for some oscillation or ghost image. The term "heavy liquid" will be used herein to refer to a liquid with a significant amount of "heavy". Crude, light crude, waste and asphalt are prime examples. (The heavy liquid as used herein will be understood to include solids at room temperature and pressure when they are liquids held in industrial storage tanks by the application of heat, for example, the asphalt and the residue are normally solid but can be maintained as liquids in an industrial storage tank by the application of heat can be heated to 300 degrees or greater.) The identification of a heavy liquid is significant because a fire of the entire surface in a tank with heavy liquid has been observed to behave different way. It is believed that the different behavior results in part from a phenomenon where the light ones are burned while the heavy ones sink. It is known that a full-surface fire in a tank with heavy liquid tends to become hot at depths between several inches to several feet. Heat waves, as they are referred to in the industry, descend from the surface of a heavy liquid towards the bottom of the tank. The heat wave can fall at an index of between several inches per hour to several feet per hour. Since tanks with a full-surface fire tend to absorb air in a portion of the front wall or in a profile, in an upward direction, the direction of a fire of the entire surface of heavy liquid in the direction of the wind, consequently, It may tend to have deeper heat waves. Emission of the First Immersion Zone - Flame of the Immersion Zone after the Flame Collapse. Issue. In a typical attack on an all-surface fire in the industrial tank with liquid, one or more coordinated currents of foam are thrown over the wall of the tank. The current (s) appears initially to disappear in the fire without apparent effect. After 10 to 40 minutes of a well planned attack, however, the "collapse of the flame" happens. Those skilled in the art can predict the collapse of the flame with quasi-scientific accuracy. Significant problems may remain after the collapse of the flame. First, a concerted attack must be continued to extinguish the remaining flames and prevent reignition. To the extent that the foam dries, it may stop helping and may even inhibit, so that time may be the essence. The hydrophilic nature of the burning liquid can be a factor with respect to efficient foam drying. Second, foam concentrate is expensive and combustion products can be expensive. (Fuels burn at approximately 6-18 inches per hour, and large tanks provide 30,000 to 90,000+ square feet of surface area.) The extinguishing time that you simply minimize, can significantly reduce the costs of loss, through the reduction of the foam concentrate used and the loss of product, not mentioning the reduction of the total risk to equipment, personnel and environment. For a variety of reasons, in this way, the methodologies adopted after the collapse of the flame may be important. The remaining flames after the "collapse of the flame" can be a function of a variety of factors. Fires from the entire surface in a tank should be treated individually. One factor is the nature of the burning liquid. The high vapor pressure and / or low boiling liquids and volatile fuels can have special behavior emissions. Minimizing the contact area of fresh foam with a significantly hydrophilic liquid can be important. The walls of the metal tank become hot at a rising fiery level and adjacent to the liquid, the walls are easily energized, vaporized and combusted. The foam layer must have sufficient authority to heal against these hot tank walls. Sacrifice the "Local application density" created by the main stream (s) narrowly focused to treat other emissions may risk the loss of flame collapse. With the understanding that one must take into account the above factors, the present invention addresses the first issuance of the "dip zone" as follows. The location where the released foam stream affects the liquid surface is defined as an "immersion zone". In the immersion zone the current sinks below the surface. The immersion depths can be a function of the impact force per unit area, which can be a function of narrowness and / or focus of the current. It has been observed that up to the collapse of the flame, especially with more volatile and newer fuel mixtures, an "immersion fire" or "immersion flame" may persist in the immersion zone. The impact force of the current that lands, perhaps increased by the agitation caused by the landing force, can prevent a layer of foam from scarring in the immersion area even if the flame collapses. To the extent that the liquid in combustion is significantly hydrophilic, the agitation of the foam that lands can increase the capacity of the liquid to drain water out of the foam, yielding more quickly dehydrated, light and dry new foam, and thus less efficient for suppress combustion. A combination of factors can result in the situation where, after the collapse of the flame, it remains a flame of immersion for an unacceptably long period of time, possibly, without further ado, indefinitely. Solutions The immersion flame can come out, of course, with a continuous application of the stream (s) narrowly focused. The foam layer can accumulate in the immersion zone despite the impact forces of a narrowly focused current so that the "immersion" is created, ceases to get down inside, and affect the underlying liquid. Yes, or when the impact of landing is largely absorbed by the same layer of foam, it is believed that the layer tends to heal and the immersion flame begins to subside.

However, especially with the more volatile and newer fuel mixtures, an immersion flame may remain significantly and unacceptably for a long period of time after the flame collapses, even after achieving the substantially complete collapse of the flame, the Absent use of the most specialized techniques are taught in the present. The present invention teaches specialized techniques and methodologies to more effectively treat such immersion flames. (And although as a less favored alternative to the modality, the invention teaches a technique to anticipate an immersion flame emission and adopt a strategy to reduce the risk of an immersion flame problem arising.) Once again the synchronization of the application of the methodology of the present invention requires a fact and an assessment of risk circumstances. Decreasing the forces of impact on the application of foam to an immersion zone, such as changing the angle of a current or redirecting the current or cutting the current and / or reducing the volume of distribution, reduces the density of local application. The collapse of the flame can be lost. This risk should not be taken lightly, and caution and prudence suggest something like a fundamental initial rule to maximize the foam run by, ten minutes after the collapse of the foam, whose period should include the time necessary to extinguish any face happy. Preferably, the only other flames remaining when returning to treat an immersion flame would be a certain ghost image or oscillation of flames along the walls of the tank. A sufficient layer of foam around an immersion flame preferably exists such as a layer of foam that can move rapidly in and heal an area of immersion flame until the impact forces of the current per unit area in the flame decrease. of immersion. If you choose to reduce impact forces by re-directing the immersion zone to a different area in the tank, such as moving the area laterally, care should be taken not to start a new immersion fire in the new immersion zone (s), as may happen by moving the immersion zone closer to the little remaining fire in the tank. Treated Emission of the Second Immersion Zone Initial Behavior of the Immersion Zone (Heavy Liquid). Issue. Observation and experience have taught the present inventor that a fire in the fully occupied tank of a heavy liquid becomes violent and difficult to control when it first strikes with a narrowly focused stream of foam. In the usual case, at the time the nozzles are placed and the attack is initiated, the heavy liquid from a tank with fully occupied fire is very hot, above the boiling point of the water, down several inches if not several feet below Of the surface. In fact, heavy liquid such as asphalt and debris may have been maintained at 300 degrees or higher simply to keep liquid substances in the tank. Until the surface temperature drops significantly with respect to the boiling point of the water, a layer of foam will have difficulty establishing or maintaining itself. The heat that boils the water out of the bubbles, and the immersion force per unit area of a focused narrow stream tends to create a splattering effect, splashing the burning liquid out of the tank. In addition, a significant percentage of water released with a narrow stream sinks through the surface of the liquid. The water from the deeply sinking foam may boil below the surface, causing further agitation of the burning liquid. Solutions It has been found that in a full-surface fire in the tank with heavy liquid, such as crude, waste and asphalt, before a customary application of a foam stream, designed to maximize the density of local application and optimize the formation of the foam layer, it is advisable, in fact this can be imperative, create a different "immersion zone". An initial "immersion zone" should be designed and created to reduce impact forces per unit area and maximize the removal of heat from a large portion of the surface with fire, via the water returning to the steam. The local application density necessary to create and maintain a foam layer can be sacrificed during this period The present invention teaches initially to "comb" the fire with a current or currents having a wide immersion zone and a low local application density, Normally including sweeping the dip zone (s) back and forth to cover a significant percentage of the burning surface, currents that decrease the impact force per unit area decrease the immersion depth and boiling effects created. It is preferable to continue combing for a few minutes, or until it is possible to reach a partial collapse of the flame, to take heat and anger from the fire and decrease the temperature of the burning surface, such that a layer of foam can later be established more easily. A broad landing pattern of the angle change is preferably used at this stage, the pattern oscillating relatively rapidly through the burning surface, from the left wall to the right wall and back again, to cover as much as possible. possible the surface. The angle change current can be swept or wobbled completely off the burning surface for a second or two. The volume of distribution of this angle change stream may be less than the volume of distribution required to establish a foam layer, and one may reduce or eliminate the amount of foam concentrate involved. It has been found that two to four minutes of such initial "combing" of an all-surface fire in a tank with 150-foot crude can significantly "evaporate" the intensity or anger of the fire. A significant amount of water from the angle-change stream returns in vapor to the surface, taking not only heat from the fire but covering the surface with steam, in such a way, it is believed, that it prevents the access of air. As mentioned above, a partial collapse of the flame can occur as a result of this initial hairstyle. Again, as discussed above, during this styling period the volume of distribution of the stream (s) can be lowered and the percentage of the foam concentrate provided in the foam can be lowered or eliminated. Subsequently, the usual narrowly focused current (s) maximizing the local application density optimizes the establishment of a foam layer that can be applied with greater effect. Large Tank Problem - Re-execution of the Secondary Footprint The size of the tank has increased significantly over time. Now a 200 'diameter tank is today a "medium" tank. A 270 'diameter tank is a "large" tank. Over a tank of 400 'diameters are being built and put into service. (This size can only be referred to as "huge"). A launch interval of 400 feet can be taken as a normal maximum interval for focused and well-constructed nozzles in general. The intervals closer to 500 feet can now be achieved with some nozzles. Large nozzles, especially those that release foam of 400 feet or larger, impart a significant forward speed to the foam on impact. The nozzles are usually placed against the wind and the wind imparts an additional speed in the direction of the wind or in front of the foam, returning to the wall of the tank. The fresh foam tends to run, thus, first towards the portions of the rear wall of the tank. From there it spreads to the left, right and behind and to the center of the tank. The new occurrences of foam, or bouncing back, of an older foam, bouncing to the front, from the portions of the front wall of the tank. The older foam acts as a "new wall", reflecting back in effect the new foam forward.

Table II indicates typical nozzle marks characterized by their volume of distribution or gallons per minute (gpm.) Although the maximum theoretical foam that now runs is approximately 100 ', the present inventor advises only to rely on the practice until approximately the 80% of maximum theoretical foam run. This would be approximately 80 '. (It is additionally advisable to rely solely on achieving approximately 75% of the maximum theoretical foam run, or approximately 75 ', in the direction of the front wall of the tank.) Reviewing Table II together with the above information, can be seen that a footprint of a 10,000 gpm nozzle should, thus, only be preferably reliable up to 150 '+ 80' + 75 ', or 305' of the diameter of the tank. (The multitude of tracks are placed from side to side to cover, along with the foam run, the lateral width of a tank.) For a long time, large nozzles were not available. Thus, for large tanks and especially for extra large ones, the present inventor teaches in the present a "secondary execution technique". The nozzles are preferably placed first so that the initial fingerprint (or the set of fingerprints) ensures that the foam running reliably reaches the back wall. After a convenient period of time, which can be 12 to 15 minutes, the angle of inclination of one or more nozzles can be lowered. This moves one or more footprints forward in the tank, towards the portions of the front wall of the tank. One or more tracks are moved to a "secondary" execution position, preferably within 75 'of the portions of the front wall of the tank. This technique of secondary execution facilitates the foam stroke reaching the portions of the front wall of the tank. In some cases secondary execution may be imperative. If a "happy face" is created, the reaction lines can be effectively used against the "happy face" to ensure efficiency.

The present inventor teaches the recommended distribution volumes for hydrocarbon storage tanks according to the tank diameter. See Table I. The recommended application for tanks up to 150 'is a standard of 0.16 gpm per square foot. While the size of the tank diameter increases, the volume of distribution recommended by the present inventor increases. These recommended distribution volumes have been developed by experience and tested over time. There are no hard and made rules but they approximate the indices marked. To illustrate how Table I can be used, a 200 'diameter tank has approximately 31,400 square feet of surface area. Multiplying 31,400 x 0.18 yields approximately 5,650 gpm "recommended". The tank with a diameter of 300 'would have a surface area of approximately 70,650 square feet. Multiplying 70,650 square feet x 0.25 volume of distribution yields a "recommended" distribution volume of 17,660 gpm. In the case of the 200 'tank, a 6,000 gpm nozzle could doubtfully cover the surface without secondary execution. In the case of the 300 'tank, three 6,000 gpm nozzles could be used to achieve the recommended volume of distribution. Running the foam from an initial tread for these three nozzles, however, should not be relied on until it runs to the back wall portions and the front wall portions (as well as both sides) in a timely manner. . Thus, an initial footprint (set) from an initial execution of the nozzles ensures better that the foam runs from the initial footprint (set) that reaches back to the portions of the tank wall. Subsequently, the technique of lowering the angle of inclination of the nozzles can achieve a secondary execution and footprint (set) where the stroke of the foam should bounce off the older foam to reliably reach the portions of the front wall. (While the foam builds up against the portions of the back wall the foam itself forms a "wall" that bounces off the fresh foam that returns to the front wall portions.) To summarize the problem and solution of the large tank, given the size of the development of modern tanks and the limited degree of proper reliable run of the foam, the foam from an initial footprint execution can not be reliable until it arrives properly and in time to the portions of the front wall of the tank. Thus, run a secondary (set) footprint later in the tank, preferably 12 to 15 minutes after starting the foam attack, and preferably lowering the angle of inclination of at least some nozzles used in establishing the initial footprint (set) , can effectively treat the problem. Synchronize Stages in Attack Emission A suitable foam layer can initially be defined as at least 3"of foam and preferably at least 5" of foam. As a general rule, 0.62 gallons of liquid water / foam concentrate yields an inch of "liquid" over one square foot of surface. If the rate of expansion of the water / foam concentrate is 3 to 5, then one inch of "liquid" should yield three inches to five inches of foam on the square foot. Preferably, an initially adequate layer is created in at least 30 minutes of starting the foam attack, and more preferably in 15 minutes. (In 40 minutes of starting a foam attack, giving foam drainage time, significant amounts of foam are likely to be dried.) The dried foam, as discussed above, can be a significant obstacle to finishing a foam layer and To create a suitable foam layer, the drainage time of the foam, thus, makes the critical time, in view of the above, since the dry foam can form ridges, "plastic fences" that impede the movement of the fresh foam. ) The synchronization of the stages in a well thought attack, in this way, can be critical. Possible stages in a well-thought attack may include: (1) as described in the Co-pending Application Published, such as the North American Publication 2003/0213602, directly treating a remnant of "happy face" with secondary reaction lines to facilitate ( or give speed) to the stroke of the foam to reach the portions of the front wall of the tank; (2) use a technique to extinguish the flame of the immersion zone, discussed above, especially with the more volatile fuels that improve the emissions of the immersion zone, to allow a layer of foam (at least expeditiously) to heal above all the remaining fire; (3) Given the large size of the tank, deal with the execution of the secondary footprint.

The problem of ensuring a suitable foam layer is preferably solved in no more than 40 minutes from the start of the attack, due to the tendency of the foam to dry and start to hinder rather than help. Therefore, for attacks on large tank fires, especially involving difficult fuels, it is important to correctly time the various stages in a well thought attack. For example re-running a secondary track would preferably be carried out within 15 minutes of the start of the attack. Attacking a happy face with reaction lines, if this is what you intend, must be carried out within 30 minutes of the primary attack. The decrease of the density of the volume of distribution (for example attacks in the immersion zone) must be carried out within 40 minutes of the beginning of the attack.

Rebuilt and Start Over - A Synchronization Technique The present inventor also teaches that putting out the fire and starting over again should never be totally discontinued as an option during a fire. The new fuels normally stored in tanks, fuels with a higher content of alcohols and / or polar solvents, can be much more difficult to extinguish. The availability of the concentrate in the best percentage for fuel can also be a significant factor. What at first appeared to be an optimum foam concentrate for a particular hydrocarbon fire may turn out to be not the best. A flame in the immersion zone can not have been detected and treated in a timely manner. When an attack has begun and has proven inadequate, for any of a variety of reasons, sections or segments of a dry foam layer may impede the effectiveness of a more appropriate attack. Cleaning burns and starting again, then, should be considered a viable option. Burning old dry foam cleaning should take approximately 20 minutes. Most hydrocarbons burn only about 6 to 12 inches per hour. Cleaning burns and starting again, thus, allows a fresh method with more optimal equipment and techniques and synchronization, with better designed methodologies for the particular fire, as learned through a previous unsuccessful attempt, without undue sacrifice of the product. technique, well, if things do not go well after 1 Vz to 2 hours of attack, you can stop applying the foam to the fire for at least 10 minutes to let the existing foam largely burn, then start an attack More advantageous Twenty minutes of burn-in may be necessary or preferable One can be properly warned to burn the old foam and start again, maybe even with a different foam concentrate Since in about 20 minutes the dry foam should be burned from a tank surface and the hydrocarbon product in the tank should only be burning at a rate of 6 to 12 inches per hour, burning Cleaning and starting again can be the cost-effective method if, enjoying retrospection, a more effective strategy could be implemented. Structural Impact Problem - Use of a Non-Narrowly Focused Current A "substantially total surface" fire in a tank with liquid will be considered in the present to be a fire that covers at least 60% of the interior surface of the tank A fire from the substantially total surface of a tank is more than a sealed fire / enclosure This may, however, involve the significant structure that interacts with the liquid surface This structure can significantly impede the foam stroke and the formation of a foam layer and can withstand "pressure type" fires or fires in regions of critical situation. In cases, like this, where partially collapsed or collapsed fixed roofs and / or floating roofs cause significant disruption of the liquid surface, and provides significant interruption and structural impediments for foam stroke or foam communication, special methodology can be called for this. This situation may apply for a selected use of "narrowly focused" and "cockroach" currents. Increasing the height or angle of inclination of a nozzle tends to create an angle change current, which is perhaps more appropriately described as a "not narrowly focused" current, as defined below. The term "rooster tail current" is used herein to refer to a current of one with a sufficiently high angle of inclination that the current landing path is "substantially vertical". By "substantially vertical" the trajectory of the landing should not be more than 30 ° from the vertical and preferably not more than 20 ° from the vertical. "Cockscomb" refers to applying a stream of cock's tail.

As nozzles improve to attack fire, higher volume distribution densities are achievable. The development of the nozzles creates a capacity to launch narrower and tighter footprints. One way to distinguish "currents without angle change" and "currents with change of angle", in view of this tendency, is to speak in terms of "narrowly focused" currents and "not narrowly focused" currents. To begin with, a "more narrowly focused" current will indicate in the present the achievement of a higher "density of the local distribution volume" of the nozzle. This can be referred to as generating the "best" fingerprint of the nozzle. (This footprint is "better" in the sense that the narrowly focused current better survives the updraft forces of the fire and achieves the best foam supply to maximize the density of the local distribution volume). It should be appreciated that, as is known in the art, some foam is always lost by "falling off" en route to a tank, and the edges of a landing of a footprint are defined inaccurately. The footprint of a nozzle, therefore, as the term is understood in the industry, generally refers to the landing area of approximately 80% of the initially released foam stream.) The current "more narrowly centered" or "better" it refers to the current that lands the smallest footprint for that nozzle (under the circumstances) the stream that ends with 80% of the foam with the density of the highest local distribution volume. The term "narrowly focused" current (for a nozzle and given circumstances), for our purposes herein, will be a stream that reaches a trace of no more than 1.5 times the size of the "best" fingerprint footprint. A current "not narrowly focused" (for a nozzle and given supply circumstances) for our purposes herein will be defined as current that achieves a footprint of at least 1.5 for the "best" footprint, or greater. The density of the volume of distribution of a current "not closely focused", should not be greater than 2/3 of the density of the volume of distribution of the current "more closely centered" (for a given nozzle in given circumstances). Preferably it should not be more than Vi. Petrochemical storage tanks often have a fixed upper outer roof and an interior floating roof, referred to as a float. The floating roof floats on top of the liquid and normally has seals that sweep along and seal against the inside walls of the tank. When there is a fire in a tank with a float, the float is twisted or moved frequently. Consequently, the float may be partially or totally submerged. The float can sink to the bottom, partly or completely. This can happen initially or during the process of a fire. It can happen while the product is being removed from the bottom of the tank. A fixed and / or upper roof may also be twisted and / or displaced in a fire. This can be snorted out or can collapse inside the tank, in part or all. If it collapses inside the tank, it can break and be partially or totally submerged, in part or all. As a result of the displacement of a float and / or of an upper roof, the surface of the liquid can be significantly affected. Intersecting and interrupting the surface of the liquid, the displaced float and / or the fixed roof and / or a structure associated therewith can significantly impede the stroke or communication of the foam. Other structures or substructures of the tank are, or may be submerged or partially submerged inside a burning tank. These structures include a calibration well, for example. The partially submerged tube, in particular from a calibration well or used as beams or supports for a float or fixed roof, can form the source of localized "pressure type" fires or fires in regions of critical situation. When the fire on the surface of the liquid is significantly extinguished, the partially submerged or similar tubes, due to the heat and the conversion of the product to gas and steam, can continue to support localized fires (where gas or vapor is vented to the atmosphere). ) The experience recently obtained in two fires in independent gasoline tanks that have fixed roofs and internal floats, which substantially collapsed and submerged inside the tank, indicate that the partially submerged pipes of the original tank structures can withstand the "pressure type" fires "located.

It was found in each of the two fires above that an initial attack, including the application of foam in a concerted stream in a "better" footprint, an attack that should have created a layer of foam on the surface of the tank within 15 minutes. minutes, and bring the collapse of the flame, in fact not result in the collapse of the flame. The structural impediments to movement and communication of the foam on the surface of the liquid appear to prevent the formation of a complete foam layer. In addition, the submerged structures withstood the "pressure type" fires. In these two circumstances, a methodology of first throwing a narrowly focused stream designed to cover the surface with foam, followed by an attack and / or combing of the surface with a non-narrowly focused current, and also a crow's tail, achieved the collapse of the flame. The "pressure-type" fires associated with the submerged structure, such as tubes that feed a hot fire in their interaction with the atmosphere, were extinguished by the rooster's tail. Treating a current in at least one partly submerged structure inside the tank with rooster tail sent the foam down the chimney, to say the least. Cocktail was achieved by raising the angle of inclination of the main nozzles of an appropriate inclination to throw a "narrowly focused" current towards a much more vertical inclination, yielding a rooster tail, arc-shaped trajectory and current " not narrowly focused. " The trajectory of the more vertical arch-shaped rooster tail tended to land the foam essentially vertically on and in not only the submerged tube structures but also pockets and holes created by the surface structure where the layer foam He was not able to communicate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention includes methods for extinguishing an entire surface fire in the tank with liquid comprising throwing at least one primary current without changing the angle in a tank wall, the landing of the current with a force of impact on, and defining, an immersion zone; reaches the collapse of the flame that leaves a flame of immersion in an area of immersion; and subsequent to the collapse of the flame, the impact force per unit area of a current in the immersion flame decreases to a current with an angle change or less, such that a foam layer heals the immersion zone. It is preferable to achieve the collapse of the preferred flame before decreasing the impact force of the current per unit area in an immersion flame and more preferable to substantially extinguish the flames against the portions of the inner wall of the tank, with the exception of the image phantom and oscillation, before decreasing the impact force of the current per unit area in an immersion flame.

A preferred method for decreasing the impact force per unit area of a primary current includes enlarging a cross section of the stream, enlarging its discharge angle and / or lifting the nozzle that releases the primary current. Additional methods to decrease the impact force of the current per unit area include reducing a nozzle distribution volume, cutting a current, such as at the nozzle, and / or redirecting a current, including outside the tank such as against the portions of the outer wall of a tank, for a period of time. Another method to decrease an impact force of a current in an immersion flame includes moving the immersion zone of the current inside the tank, such as laterally. As an alternative modality, the collapse of the partial flame could be achieved, including the collapse of the flame against rear portions of the tank wall, followed by the decrease of the impact forces of the current per unit area in an immersion zone. initial while moving a current to the immersion zone in the tank, such that it extinguishes the flame of the immersion zone prior to the substantially complete collapse of the flame. The invention includes a method for extinguishing a fire of the entire surface in a heavy liquid tank, the method comprising combing the fire for at least one minute with an angle change current followed by the application of a current without changing the angle of the fire. the foam designed by the substantial coating of the surface with foam. Preferably the fire would be combed for between 2-4 minutes or until a partial collapse of the flame occurs. The hairstyle preferably includes the oscillation of an angle change current so that the landing area of the angle change current oscillates or sweeps from the 3 position of the clock to 9 of the clock, or vice versa. Preferably an oscillation or a sweep can be carried out in 20 seconds. The stream can be briefly swept out of the burning surface of the heavy liquid. The invention also includes the re-execution of a secondary footprint. This is a method to extinguish a fire in at least the entire surface of an industrial-scale hydrocarbon tank by applying an effective gpm of foam with one or more nozzles in and generally against the wind of the tank, thereby creating one or more Primary tracks that land on at least 80% of the theoretical foam from a rear portion of the tank wall in the direction of the wind. The methodology then includes re-positioning one or more nozzles to create one or more traces that land on or within 75% of the theoretical foam that runs against the wind from a portion of the tank. (More preferably the secondary footprint would land within 60% of the theoretical foam that runs from a portion of the front wall of the tank against the wind.) Furthermore, preferably, re-positioning includes lowering the angle of inclination of one or more nozzles. who release the primary trace. The re-positioning is preferably within 15 minutes of beginning the application of the primary footprint and more preferably, in 12 minutes. Preferred embodiments of the invention also include the relative synchronization of the re-positioning of the tracks, the attack on the happy face and decrease of the impact in an immersion zone. The invention includes a method for extinguishing a fire in at least substantially the entire surface of the industrial-scale hydrocarbon tank that includes the application of approximately one gpm of computed foam from Table I with one or more nozzles set to and generally against the wind. of the tank, thereby creating one or more primary tracks that land on or within 80% of the theoretical foam that runs from a rear portion of the tank wall in the direction of the wind. The methodology also includes, subsequently, the execution of at least one of the stages of re-positioning of one or more nozzles to create a footprint further forward in the tank within at least minutes of starting the application; attacking a happy face with one or more reaction nozzles within at least 30 minutes of starting the application; and decrease the density of the volume of distribution in an immersion zone within at least 40 minutes of beginning the application.

The invention also includes the methodology for reburning and initiation, the methodology includes the application of the foam to a fire of at least 90 minutes without achieving the substantially complete collapse of the flame, then stop applying foam to the fire for at least 10 minutes. minutes, and then reapply at least about one gpm of computed foam from Table I.

The present invention includes treating tank surfaces with fire that have structural impediments. This comprises the methodology for extinguishing fire in at least substantially all the industrial scale hydrocarbon surface having substantial structural impediments in an interior surface. The steps include launching a current without angle change to the inner surface of the tank, designed to cover the surface, and then comb the inner surface with a current of changing angle. Alternatively, the methodology includes launching a narrowly focused current on the surface, designed to cover the interior surface of the tank with foam, and subsequent to the collapse of the flame, attacking the pockets of fire on the interior surface with a current not narrowly focused. The methodology may also include the cock's tail in a structure submerged at least partially within the rear tank of at least the partial collapse of the flame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments are considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates an industrial storage tank having a layer of Foam established on most of the surface, an immersion zone defined by two main nozzles and a remaining happy face flame. Figure 2 illustrates the extinction of the happy face of figure 1 with a remaining immersion flame in the immersion zone. Figure 3 illustrates a relatively straight narrowly focused stream that maximizes local application density, the method normally used to optimize the creation of a foam layer. Figure 4 illustrates a current with angle change that can be used to decrease the impact forces per unit area. Figure 5 illustrates a partial collapse of the flame with two unfocused currents and a layer of foam set against the back portions of the wall. Figure 6 illustrates a forward movement in a tank of the dip zones of two nozzles in Figure 5, the foam layer now covering the surface of the tank. Figure 7 illustrates the application of a current with oscillating angle change to a surface of the tank, the surface of the tank probably involved in a fire of the entire surface of heavy liquid. Figure 8 illustrates a side view of the application of a broad cone energy stream to the tank of Figure 7. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the calculations for the secondary execution of the tracks by a tank of 405 feet in diameter and a tank of 345 feet in diameter respectively Photos 1-13, presented as figures 11 - 23, illustrate some problems presented by the structural impediments on the surface of a liquid in a tank fire, and some solutions of them, polished for a current event. The drawings are mainly illustrative. It will be understood that the structure could have been simplified and details omitted to convey certain aspects of the invention. The scale can be sacrificed to clarity. Description of the Preferred Modalities (Preliminary Notes: Subsequently as used in the claims means "at least subsequently", not "only later". Dry powder, to the extent available, can be used to improve the extinguishment of any tank with fire, including immersion flame emissions. The problem with dry powder is the limited degree to which one can rely on its synchronization and adequate availability. Thus, the use of dry powder is not addressed herein. That is, there is no assurance of the availability of dry powder.) Figure 1 illustrates a crude oil storage tank T in which a layer of FB foam has been established on the surface that had a fire on the entire surface in a tank. The flames of the happy face SF remain inside the portions of the front wall of the tank, generally at the six o'clock position and extend from the three o'clock position or nine o'clock position. Two main PN nozzles have been placed in the general position of the six o'clock clock. They release the currents without changing the NFS angle on the surface of the liquid in the tank T, landing in and defining the PZ immersion zones. The foam stroke from the primary nozzles has created the foam layer FB. Tank T of figure 1 exhibits the collapse of the flame. In a preferred methodology the reaction lines would be set relatively quickly after the collapse of the flame attacks the happy face's flares. The reaction lines are preferably placed at the three and nine o'clock position. Figure 2 illustrates two reacts the lines displayed as above, treating the fire in the usual positions of the three to nine of the clock against the portions of the front wall of the tank, thereby extinguishing the happy face flares. Figure 2 illustrates, however, that a PF immersion flame remains in the primary immersion zones ZP of the primary nozzle. In a side view, figure 3 illustrates a main nozzle BP that releases a narrowly focused current without change of angle NFS in the liquid surface of the tank T. Figure 4, on the contrary, illustrates the main nozzle PN that releases a current of change of angle FS in the liquid surface of tank T. The current that has changed angle in figure 4 lifts the nozzle and changes the throwing pattern from a closely focused pattern closer to an "energy-cone". The pattern of the angle change foam tends to minimize the impact forces per unit area from the stream and thus tends to minimize the immersion of the foam in and through the flammable liquid surface. In determining the change from a narrowly focused current of Figure 3 to an angle change current of Figure 4, the operator must decide in the circumstances when and for how long to change the angle in a current to adopt an attack plan of immersion flame. Many factors should be considered, including in particular the exact nature of the burning liquid. Although it is not necessary, it is preferable to extinguish the flames of the happy face before the attack to the flames of the immersion zone. Figure 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment where two PN primary nozzles are launching narrowly focused currents without NFS angle change that land towards the rear of tank T and create a substantial foam layer FB initially against rear portions of the wall. Significant flares and / or happy face flames SF exist in the middle of the front portions of the tank. The PF immersion flame may exist in the two PZ immersion zones. Figure 6 illustrates a period subsequent to that of Figure 5 where the two main PN nozzles have changed their pattern to create more streams with change of angle FS, the immersion zones PZ become larger and the immersion zones that are move towards the front of the tank. The foam layer FB continues to exist now in the rear portions of the tank but also thus filling over the front portions of the tank. further, the previous existing immersion flame PF in the original immersion zones PZ of figure 5 has been healed over by the FB immersion flame. The immersion flame in the immersion zones PZ of figure 6 has also been prevented or healed over, due in part to the impact force decreased by the area unit of the streams with change of angle FS in figure 6. the operation, a preferred method of extinguishing a fire of the entire surface of the tank with liquid involves at least one current being thrown without changing the primary angle on the wall of the tank. Preferably this primary stream without angle change is a narrowly focused stream of foam that maximizes the local application density. If one or more currents are required, it depends on the surface area of the tank and the size or capacity of the available nozzles. The attack that includes throwing at least one primary current without changing the angle of the tank wall is an attack designed to cover the burning surface at an efficient and effective cost. The current or currents land with an impact force on, and define, an immersion zone. Probably, at least for a period of time, there will be a flame of immersion in the immersion zone. In many cases, especially with new fuels, the collapse of the flame will be achieved while an immersion flame remains in the immersion zone. After at least one collapse of the flame, if it does not collapse the preferred flame or collapse the substantially complete flame, the impact force per unit area of at least one current in an immersion flame will be decreased. The decrease can be handled by different techniques. Especially if the substantially total collapse of the flame has been achieved, including the collapse of any happy-face flame, the decrease may preferably take the form of redirecting the landing zones or currents of the currents laterally to the side of the tank. In such a way the full distribution volume of the foam can continue to land on the surface of the tank with the maximized local application density. The landing of currents narrowly focused towards one side of the tank wall will tend to have a possibly beneficial effect of rotating a layer of foam existing in a tank. Another way to decrease the impact force per unit area of at least one current is to change the angle of the current. Changing the angle of a current has the additional benefit of continuity to add fresh foam to the immersion zone and to the immersion flame, just with the impact diminished per unit area. Preferably the decrease of the maneuver is not started until a suitable foam layer has accumulated around the immersion zone and the immersion flame. Thus, even if the impact force is diminished by the re-directioning of one or more currents, a suitable foam layer exists to heal over the immersion zone and extinguish the immersion flame, once the intense agitation of the area of immersion is decreased. The re-routing of one or more currents from the surface of the fiery liquid in the tank to the portions of the front wall of the tank has the added benefit of at least cooling the outer portions of the tank wall. Experiments have shown that cutting all currents in the nozzle can be successful in allowing an existing foam layer to heal in an immersion zone and extinguish an immersion flame. A conceivable less favored modality would decrease the impact force of the current per unit area creating a foam that lands more lightly. This could involve creating a foam with larger and / or larger bubbles, and may involve changing the foam concentrates to a foam concentrate that created larger bubbles and / or that has a larger extension. Another possible but less favored modality, involves initially casting at least one primary foam stream over the tank wall and landing this in a dip area towards the rear portions of the tank wall. A partial collapse of the flame is first achieved against the rear portions of the tank wall. At that point the invention teaches the decrease of the impact force of the current per unit area on the initial immersion zone while moving an immersion zone forward in the tank. The initial immersion zone can heal on top with the foam layer formed against the rear portions of the tank wall. The immersion zone moved forward in the tank can continue to maximize the local application density or it can be a current with more angle change. Either way, the objective is to achieve the substantially total collapse of the flame where the flames of the immersion zone have also been extinguished. This methodology could involve a separate attack on flames of the happy face, or not. An immersion zone, as it moves forward of the tank, towards position six of the clock, would land in pre-established foam to a certain degree. Figure 7 illustrates the tank T includes within it a heavy liquid HL. One must imagine that tank T involves a fire of all the surface. Figure 7 illustrates a method of oscillating an angle change current FS from one of two PN primary nozzles. Figure 7 illustrates an oscillating angle change current FS to the right and back to the left and back to the right. Current FS oscillates on the right and left sides of the tank walls momentarily. A preferred oscillation takes less than 20 seconds. If two primary nozzles are set to achieve the volume of distribution necessary to establish and maintain a foam layer, for the initial combing of a fire of the entire surface of heavy liquid preferably only one nozzle would be used. Also, if the dispensing volume of the nozzle was 10,000 gpm, the nozzle can be cut again at 5000 gpm for the combing operation. Fig. 8 illustrates a typical path of an angle change current as used in Fig. 7, the angle change current is a broad cone energy current largely achieved by raising the current path of the nozzle So the current lands slightly. What is not illustrated in FIG. 8, but which would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, is that with an angle change current there would be a significant drop of water and / or foam in the area between the main nozzle PN and the tank T. Therefore, with the angle change currents a higher percentage of the released liquid can reach the tank. The function of combing is to take heat or "anger" from the surface of the fire. The objective is not the water of the current released to sink below the surface of the burning heavy liquid but for the water of the released stream that returns in vapor to the surface of the burning heavy liquid. The depth of the dive should be minimized. The focus of the hairstyle is to cool the surface of the liquid. It would be allowed to reduce or eliminate the foam concentrate during combing. Even during the combing of some product can expel outside the tank. The angle change current used for combing is preferably somewhere between a straight stream, which has a zero degree of divergence approximately, and a "cone energy", which has a divergence angle of approximately 30 degrees. In operation, the method for extinguishing an entire surface fire in the tank with heavy liquid, in at least one preferred embodiment, combs the fire before applying a current without changing angle of the foam to the surface to substantially cover the surface with foam. The combing of the fire is preferably achieved by oscillating a current of change of angle from left to right through most of the surface of the fire, where a sweep or swing takes approximately 20 seconds. The vapor of the angle change current created in the fire surface takes a substantial amount of heat from the fire and tends to cover the surface, preventing access to oxygen. It has been found that when a current without change of angle is subsequently applied to the surface of the fire, a good part of the tumultuous behavior of the fiery liquid is pacified. Preferably the hairstyle will take two to four minutes. A partial flare collapse has been observed from a single initial hairstyle. Figure 9 illustrates the computations and methodologies involved in determining a secondary fingerprint execution. The assumptions of Figure 9 are of a 405 'diameter tank, a nozzle interval of 475 feet and four main nozzles of 8,000 gpm. The remote edge of the primary fingerprints PF from the four nozzles of 8,000 gpm are set to land approximately 75 feet (or less) from the most distant edge of the rear portions FE of the tank, or position 12 of the clock. By the next count the 8,000 gpm nozzles can be placed approximately 145 feet from the leading edge LE of the tank or from position 6 of the watch. A diameter of 405 'of the tank would have 202.5' radii and have approximately 128,760 square feet of liquid surface area. The application of the foam in a volume of distribution of 0.25 gpm per square foot would indicate a required distribution volume of 32,190 gpm in total. Four nozzles of 8,000 gpm could achieve approximately this volume of distribution. Figure 9 further illustrates a secondary execution of the four nozzles of 8,000 gpm, (preferably achieved by simply lowering their angle of inclination.) Preferably after 12 to 15 minutes of the primary execution of the nozzles, described above, the secondary execution of the landing Secondary footprints SF within approximately 65 feet of the leading edge or near portions of the tank wall. The foam should hopefully be applied in the secondary execution of the footprint for approximately 12 to 15 minutes to achieve the collapse of the flame. If a "happy face" was created in the collapse of the flame, it could be attacked optimally with one or more reaction lines and the nozzles located in positions 6 to 9 and 6 to 3 of the clock, the reaction lines and the nozzles They direct their currents to face the surface areas of the tank. Preferably after the collapse of the flame in a tank with a diameter of 405 'four reaction lines would be located in positions 9 and 7:30 and 3 and 4:30 of the clock. An inch of the reaction line could supply the launch of the 1,500 gpm nozzles. Figure 10 illustrates calculations and methodologies similar to the 345 'tank. The primary currents are shown landing on the primary PF tracks 60 feet away from the wall wall of the FE tank. Secondary execution is shown by landing the SF secondary tracks within 45 feet near the portions of the tank wall. The 345 'diameter tank would have a radius of 172.5 feet and approximately 93,435 square feet of surface area. In a volume of distribution of 0.24 gpm per square foot, which is slightly but approximately the gpm per square foot recommended by Williams for this tank size reflected in Table I, it would be called to release approximately 22,424 gallons per minute. Two 6,000 gpm nozzles and two 5,000 gpm nozzles would launch approximately 22,000 gpm and could be used. The nozzles could be placed approximately 165 'away from the portions of the front wall of the tank or the 6-position of the clock by similar calculations as above, assuming that the nozzles could reach an interval of 450'. If the "happy face" goes to jnnzzaa hhaassttaa eell ccoollaappssoo ddee llaa ffllaammaaThe first and second repetition of reactions placed between positions 6 and 9 and 6 and 3 of the watch could be used to efficiently extinguish the remaining flame in the area of the "happy face." The secondary execution of two 6,000 and two primary nozzles 5,000 gpm, preferably by lowering its angle of inclination, shows where its tracks land approximately 45 feet from the portions of the front wall of the tank.The two reaction nozzles could be 1500 gpm nozzles.

Pictures 1 - 13 (Figures 11 - 23) illustrate aspects of embodiments of the present invention when dealing with structural impediments to the surface of the tank. The photos were taken of a fire in the gas tank in mid-July, 2006, in Glenpool, Oklahoma. The present inventor, along with Williams Fire & Hazard Control, extinguished the fire of the 373 gas tank. (To our knowledge, the present inventor along with Williams Fire &Hazard Control is the only entity that has extinguished fire of "flammable liquids" in tank with fire of 140 'in diameter Others may have extinguished "combustible liquid" fires in the tanks they classify, however, combustible liquids have a flash point above 100 ° F and usually have to be heated before they can be burned. fuels such as diesel, well, are much more easily extinguished, and in fact can be extinguished with water.) Glenpool Tank Fire, Oklahoma July, 2006 was a mixed gasoline fire, octane 87+. The tank was of a height of 45 'with (initially) an interior floating roof and a fixed roof. The fire was lit by lightening. The tank had approximately 43 'of the product. It took approximately 14 hours to arrive, install the equipment and supply to begin an attack and so that the owner will remove approximately 20 feet of the bottom product. This left approximately 10 feet of the product in the tank. The product was too hot to get more. (The heat was so great that the gas and vapors were vented from the "vent holes in the eyebrows" of adjacent tanks - in fact, the nearby tanks were dangerously close to combustion, there was a shortage of water again) . Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate the progress of the fire and the deterioration of the tank before the initiation of the attack. Figure 4 illustrates the execution. Figure 5 shows the initiation of the primary foam attack. The nozzles 2000 gpm, in the center of the figure, and a 1000 gpm nozzle, to the left in the painting, were focused on the fire. Despite a lack of possible visual impression, the two nozzles are penetrating the "updraft" of the fire and determine its foam in tight footprints at or above the center of the burning surface of the tank. The "fog" visible on the streams of the nozzle represents the typical consequences of the nozzle. The currents are narrowly focused. In minutes, illustrated by Figure 6, the collapse of the flame (at least 50%) has been achieved. Most of the fire has been extinguished. The 1000 gpm nozzle in figure 16, in fact, has changed its footprint to the remaining fire that falls to the left in the tank. The 2000 gpm nozzle keeps the foam layer.

Interestingly, approximately 95% of the fire was extinguished using less than three distribution boxes of foam concentrate. Almost all of the remaining fifteen foam concentrate distribution boxes, however, were used to extinguish the remaining 5% of the fire. This illustrates the difficulty encountered with the structure that prevents the communication of the foam on a liquid surface. In simple cases, William hopes to achieve the total collapse of the flame with 30 minutes. In figure 17 the main nozzles have started the angle change. His prints are enlarged. Their trajectories can be oscillating. Figure 18 illustrates 2000 gpm primary nozzles now changed in angle or amplified in a cock tail configuration. The utility of the trajectory of the cock's tail is illustrated by figure 19, a photo taken by the helicopter, showing two regions in a critical situation remaining on the surface of the tank. These are what are referred to as "pressure type" fires that would not be extinguished by the foam layer. The effect of rooster tail of the 2000 gpm nozzles managed to land foam down the "chimney", so to speak, of the structures that support these pressure type fires. The ponytail also helps to land foam in hollows and pockets surrounded by the structure. The structure was preventing the foam layer from running on the total surface.

Figure 20 shines the tank with the fire out. In Figure 20 there is approximately one foot of foam layer approximately 9 feet of remaining product in the tank, remaining that is 10 feet present when the attack was started. Subsequent figures 21, 22 and 23, taken after the remaining product and the foam have been drained, illustrate the degree to which the roof and other structures that were contained within the tank are covered. Effective cost is always a key consideration. The tank held approximately 115,000 gallons per vertical foot. At $ 2.00 a gallon for gasoline, the value of the product was approximately a quarter of a million dollars per foot of height. The total cost of extinction may have worked approximately one third of a million dollars, which is slightly more than the cost of a vertical foot of the product in that tank. Again, the best knowledge of the inventor, Williams is the only organization that has directed the successful extinction of flammable liquid fire in tanks of 140 'in diameter or greater.

For the best knowledge of the inventor others who have tried such without consulting Williams have had to let the product burn, despite throwing extensive amounts of foam in or around the tank. Knowledge of the appropriate methodology and timing is crucial.

To recapitulate, FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate methods for extinguishing a fire of at least substantially all of the surface in an industrial-scale hydrocarbon tank comprising primary run traces followed by secondary run traces. Preferably the re-addressing is achieved by lowering the angle of inclination of the main nozzles. Figures 9 and 10 also illustrate synchronization problems in selecting the optimal methodology. After determining a primary footprint and then a secondary footprint, a happy face area can be attacked. Not illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 but illustrated in Figures 1-8, is the potential fire problem of the immersion zone. The synchronization of an immersion zone attack should be calculated and integrated into the synchronization of the primary and secondary execution, if necessary, and attacking a happy face, if possible. Not illustrated by the figures, but always possible, it is the scorching of old foam and initiation of an initial attack (as when for example the incorrect concentrate of foam may have been used for the fire) not to have resulted in a collapse of the flame after At least an hour and a half of attack.

Figures 11 to 23 illustrate the attack and combing of a surface by applying angular change currents narrowly focused to the remaining flames, and by the tail of a rooster.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is presented for the purposes of illustration and description, and it is not intended that the invention be exhaustive or limiting to the exact form or manner described. The description was selected to better explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable other experts in the art to better utilize the invention in various modalities. Several modifications are contemplated that are more convenient for the particular use. It is desired that the scope of the invention is not to limit the specification, but to be defined by the claims set forth below. Since the foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, the various changes in size, shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated device can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is claimed using terminology that depends on a historical presumption that the relation of a single element covers one or more, and the relation of two elements covers two or more, and the like. Also, the drawings and illustration herein have not necessarily been produced to scale.

Table I Distribution Volumes Recommended by Williams for Hydrocarbon Storage Tanks Up to 150 '- 0.16 GMP / Ft2 151' - 200 - 0.18 GM / Ft2 201 '- 250' - 0.20 GMP / Ft2 251 '- 300' - 0.22 GMP / Ft2 300 + - 0.25 GMP / Ft2 Table II

Claims (45)

1. Method for extinguishing a tank fire with complete surface liquid, comprising: launching at least one main stream without change of angle on a tank wall, the current lands with an impact force on, and defining, an immersion zone; reach the collapse of the flame that leaves a flame of immersion in an area of immersion; and after the collapse of the flame, decrease the impact force per unit area of a current on the immersion flame to that of a current without angle change or less, such that a foam layer repairs the immersion zone.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes collapsing the preferred flame before decreasing the impact force of the current per unit area during the immersion flame.

The method of claim 2 which substantially includes extinguishing the flame against the internal wall portions of the tank before decreasing the impact force of the current per unit area on the immersion flame.

4. Method of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the decrease includes the enlargement of the immersion zone of a main stream.

The method of claim 4, wherein the decrease includes reducing the volume of distribution of a primary nozzle.

The method of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the decrease in the impact force of the current per unit area includes at least one of cutting a current in a nozzle and redirecting a main stream against a portion outside of the tank wall.

The method of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the decrease in the impact force of the current per unit area on the immersion flame includes moving a location of the immersion zone of a stream within the tank.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the movement of the immersion zone includes moving the immersion zone laterally in the tank.

The method of claim 8, wherein the movement of the immersion zone includes lateral movement of the immersion zone to cause the rotational movement of a foam layer within the tank.

The method of claim 1, wherein the decrease in the impact force of the current per unit area on an immersion flame includes creating a light fall foam.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein creating a light landing foam includes creating a foam with larger bubbles.

The method of claim 10, wherein creating a light landing foam includes the option of exchanging the foam concentrates.

The method of claim 10, wherein creating a light landing foam includes creating a foam with greater expansion.

14. Method for extinguishing a tank fire with complete surface liquid, comprising: casting at least one main stream of foam on a wall of the tank, landing the stream with an impact force on, and defining, an area of immersion; perform a partial collapse of the flame, including, against the rear portions of the tank wall; and subsequently, decrease an impact force of the current per unit area over an initial immersion zone, while moving an immersion zone forward in the tank, thereby extinguishing the flame from the immersion zone prior to substantially complete collapse of the flame.

15. Method for extinguishing a tank fire with full surface heavy liquid, comprising: combing the fire for at least one minute; and subsequently, applying at least a portion of the surface a current without angle change of the foam designed to substantially cover the surface with foam.

16. The method of claim 15 including combing the fire from two minutes to four minutes.

17. Method of claim 15 including combing the fire until at least partial collapse of the flame.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein combing includes oscillating a current without changing the angle so that a sweep of the landing area of the angle-shifting current is in the 3 to 9 position of the clock., and / or vice versa.

The method of claim 18 wherein an oscillating sweep is achieved within 20 seconds.

20. Method to extinguish a fire of at least the entire surface of the tank with industrial scale hydrocarbon, comprising: applying an effective gpm of foam with one or more nozzles placed outwardly and generally against the wind of the tank, creating such mode one or more primary tracks that land at least on or within 80% of the theoretical foam stroke of a rear portion of the tank wall in the direction of the wind; and subsequently, re-executing one or more nozzles to create one or more traces that land on or within 75% of the theoretical foam stroke of a portion of the front wall of the tank against the wind.

The method of claim 20 wherein the diameter of the tank is at least 200 feet.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the re-execution includes lowering the angle of inclination of one or more nozzles.

23. Method of claim 20 wherein the re-execution is performed within 15 minutes of having started the application.

24. Method of claim 20 wherein the re-execution is performed within 12 to 15 minutes of having started the application.

The method of claim 20 wherein the application includes the application of at least one gpm of foam computed from Table I.

26. Method for extinguishing a fire of at least substantially the entire surface of a hydrocarbon tank at scale industrial, comprising: (A) applying at least about one gpm of foam computed from Table I with one or more nozzles placed outwardly and generally against the wind of the tank, thereby creating one or more footprints that land on or within 80% of the theoretical foam stroke of a portion of the rear wall of the tank in the direction of the wind; and (B) subsequently, performing at least one of the steps of: (1) re-executing one or more nozzles to create a footprint further forward in the tank within at least 15 minutes after the application has begun; (2) attacking a happy face with one or more reaction lines within at least 30 minutes of having started the application; and (3) decrease the density of the volume of distribution in an immersion zone within at least 40 minutes after the application has begun.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the diameter of the tank is at least 200 feet.

The method of claim 26, wherein the re-execution includes lowering the angle of inclination of one or more nozzles.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the re-execution includes re-executing within 12 to 15 minutes of having started the application.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein attacking a happy face includes attacking within at least 25 minutes of having started the application.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein decreasing the density of the volume of distribution includes decreasing within at least 30 minutes of the start of the application.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein decreasing the density of the distribution volume includes lowering one or more nozzles to impact a front portion of the tank.

33. The method of claim 26, further including, after step (a), performing at least one of: (4) cooling the tank wall; and (5) apply dry powder to the surface of the tank.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein subsequently the execution includes further developing at least two of the steps of (1), (2) and (3).

35. The method of claim 26, wherein subsequently the execution includes executing three of the steps of (1), (2) and (3).

36. Method for extinguishing a fire of at least substantially the entire surface of an industrial scale hydrocarbon tank, comprising: applying the foam concentrate to the fire for at least ninety minutes without substantially reaching the collapse of the entire flame; subsequently, stop applying foam to the fire for at least 10 minutes; and subsequently further, reapplying at least about one gpm of foam computed from Table I with one or more nozzles placed outwardly and generally against the wind of the tank, thereby creating one or more footprints at or within 80% of the Theoretical foam run from a portion of the tank wall in the direction of the wind.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein subsequently ceasing to apply includes subsequently ceasing to apply the foam for approximately 20 minutes.

38. The method of claim 36, which includes, subsequently reapplying, further performing at least one of the following steps: (1) re-executing one or more nozzles to create a footprint further forward in the tank within at least 15 minutes after starting the subsequent reapplication; (2) attacking a happy face with one or more reaction lines within at least 30 minutes of having begun the subsequent reapplication; and (3) decrease the density of the volume of distribution in an immersion zone within at least 40 minutes of having begun the subsequent reapplication.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the diameter of the tank is at least 200 feet.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the subsequent reapplication includes using a different concentrate percentage of foam concentrate.

41. Method for extinguishing a fire of at least substantially the entire surface of an oil-scale tank on an industrial scale that has substantial structural impediments on an interior surface, comprising: launching a current without changing the angle to the interior surface of the designed tank to cover the surface; and then comb the interior surface with a current of change of angle.

42. The method of claim 41 includes releasing a current without angle change for at least ten minutes before combing with an angle change current.

43. Method for extinguishing a fire of at least substantially the entire surface of a hydrocarbon tank on an industrial scale having substantial structural impediments on an interior surface, comprising: launching a narrowly focused stream on the surface, designed to cover the surface tank interior with foam; and after the collapse of the flame, attack the pockets of fire on the inner surface with a current not narrowly focused.

44. The method of claim 43, including combing with a non-narrowly focused stream.

45. Method of claim 41 or 43, which includes using the glue of the rooster on at least one partially submerged structure within the rear tank at least partial collapse of the flame.