US2718927A - Fire extinguishing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

Filed Jan. 8, 1952 lnventors RMSSEZZ E D/LL JAMES 7.' IRWIN (Ittorneg United States Patent FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS AND METHOD Russell E. Dill and James T. Irwin, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 8, 1952, Serial No. 265,494

7 Claims. (Cl. 1694) This invention relates to a means and method for extinguishing fires in tanks containing highly volatile materials, such as oil, gasoline, grease, paint, alcohol, etc., the invention being particularly applicable to the prevention and extinction of fires in the large storage tanks that contain the products of oil refineries. Such tanks are frequently quite numerous and closely grouped in adjacency to a refinery. Accordingly, should one tank catch fire, the others of the group are subject to the hazard of fire from the one that is burning.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and means for not only; extinguishing the fire in a burning tank, but also to so condition the other tanks of a group as to prevent the same catching fire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel and improved fire-retarding and extinguishing method that entails the introduction, into the bottom of a tank, of two liquids or solutions that combine to form a foam which rises through the body of liquid in the tank to cover the surface thereof and, thereby blanket said liquid to the exclusion of combustion-supporting gases.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for introducing into a liquid-containing tank two solutions that form a foam when combined.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view partly in section, showing apparatus embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a multiple arrangement of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, the numeral 5 represents a liquid-holding tank of the type used for storing volatile liquids, it being understood that the size, shape and proportions of said tank are immaterial providing the same has a closed top 6, as shown. The level of liquid 7 in said tank varies and the same, at diiferent times, may be quite low and at others, quite high. In any case, there is an air space 8 above said liquid which will support combustion should said liquid catch fire.

The fireextinguishing apparatus comprises, generally, separate tanks 9 and 10, supply lines 11 and 12 extending from said respective tanks to tank 5, and each said line embodying a pump 13 for forcing liquid from tanks 9 and into tank 5, and means 14 in the bottom of tank 5 for intermingling the liquids conducted to said tank by lines 11 and 12.

The means 14, as shown, comprises a circular pipe or header 15 disposed in the bottom of tank 5 and provided with a plurality of nozzles or jets 16 directed toward the center of the tank. It will be clear, therefore, that liquid or solution, under pressure of the pump in line 11, is attenuated or broken up by nozzles 16 as the same spreads across tank 5 adjacent the bottom thereof. Means 14 further includes a battle or spreader 17 positioned above the outlet of line 12 and the same serves to laterally diffuse liquid or solution striking the under face thereof and, thereby, facilitate commingling of the two solutions of tanks 9 and 10 in the bottom of tank 5.

The solutions in tanks 9 and 10 are respectively known in the trade as A solution and B solution. A solution comprises an aluminum sulphate solution, and B" solution comprises bicarbonate of soda, licorice, and goulac. These solutions are intended as by way of example because, in practice, they vary in their makeup. In any case, it is intended that the A and B solutions have the property of creating a foamy or frothy mass when combined and that said mass be of such consistency as to smother or blanket combustion by exclusion of combustion-sustaining gases.

According to the present method, both solutions are pumped simultaneously into means 14 and commingled by said means in the bottom of the tank 5, the resultant foam then rises through the body of liquid 7 into the space above said liquid. The foam may fill said space but, in any case, being heavier than the air therein, will lay upon the surface of the liquid 7 to either prevent combustion or, if combustion is already in progress, smothering the same.

Since both solutions are usually of higher specific gravity than the liquid 7 or, at least, when such is the case, the solutions may be introduced serially into the bottom of liquid 7 and will remain at the bottom until the foam is formed. The foam will then rise to the surface as before.

After the foam has served its purpose, the same will, in time, condense into a liquid that may be drawn off from the top or, if it is heavier than the liquid 7, drawn 01f "Ice 'by means of a drain line 18. Check valves 19 may be provided in lines 11 and 12 so that the liquid 7 may not flow toward pumps 13.

Fig. 2 shows how tanks 9 and 10 may be connected to supply solution to a plurality of tanks 5, 5a, selectively. By opening valves 20 and 21, tank 5 may be served, by opening valves 20a and 21a, tank 5a may be served, and by opening all of said valves, both tanks 5 and 5a may be served. Three or more tanks may be connected to receive solutions from tanks 9 and 10 in the above manner.

No matter how lines 11 and 12 are brought to tank 5, the introduction of the solutions is directly to or adjacent the bottom. Also, the solutions may be conducted by gravity flow, by siphoning, or comparable ways other than pumps 13.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It it, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tank for storing volatile liquids, a nozzleequipped circular header within the lower portion of said tank and adapted to discharge one solution into the lower interior of said tank, a pipe discharging into the central lower portion of the tank and adapted to inject a second solution into said lower interior of the tank, and a dif fusing element above the point of discharge of said pipe to direct the second solution directly toward the discharge of the header to facilitate foam-forming commingling of the two solutions.

2. A method for extinguishing the ignited liquid contents of a storage tank that consists in discharging within the ignited liquid of said tank and closely adjacent the bottom thereof two solutions that form a foam when combined, directing said solutions laterally toward each other while adjacent the tank bottom and then allowing the resultant foam to move upward through the liquid to cover the surface thereof.

3. A method for extinguishing a fire consuming a volatile liquid in a closed storage tank that consists in simultaneously discharging into said liquid closely adjacent the bottom of the tank two solutions that form a foam when combined, directing said solutions laterally toward each other while adjacent the tank bottom and then allowing the resultant foam to rise through the liquid to blanket the top surface thereof.

, 4. A method for extinguishing a fire consuming a volatile liquid in a closed storage tank that consists in simultaneously discharging two foam-forming solutions into said liquid closely adjacent the bottom of the tank, diffusing said solutions to facilitate their commingling while at the bottom of the tank and thereby hasten their foamforming properties, and allowing the foam formed at the bottom of the tank to rise through the liquid to blanket the top surface thereof.

5. In a tank for storing a volatile liquid, means for discharging a first fluid into said liquid at the lower interior of said tank, means for discharging a second fluid into said liquid at the lower interior of said tank, the two fluids forming a foam upon their commingling, and means to diffuse one of said fluids into the other, upon discharge, to facilitate foam-forming commingling of the two fluids.

6. In a tank for storing a volatile liquid, means for separately storing first and second fluids which form a foam when combined, means for discharging said first fluid from said storage means into said volatile liquid at the lower interior of said tank in a plurality of paths directed toward the central lower portion of said tank, and means for discharging the second fluid from said storage means into said volatile liquid at the lower interior of said tank in a manner to diffuse said second fluid with said first fluid adjacent the tank bottom and facilitate foam-forming commingling of the two fluids.

7. A method for extinguishing a fire consuming a volatile liquid in a closed storage tank that consists in discharging two foam-forming fluids into said volatile liquid at the bottom of the tank, diffusing said solutions at substantially their level of discharge into the tank to facilitate their commingling and hasten their foam-forming properties and allowing the foam to move upward through said liquid because of the lower density of the foam and thereby cover the surface of said liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 671,240 Shuman Apr. 2, 1901 1,118,952 Sheufigen Dec. 1, 1914 1,356,207 Holmes Oct. 19, 1920 1,364,799 Patterson et a1. Jan. 4, 1921 1,813,101 Taylor July 7, 1931

Claims (1)

1. IN A TANK FOR STORING VOLATILE LIQUIDS, A NOZZLEEQUIPPED CIRCULAR HEADER WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TANK AND ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE ONE SOLUTION INTO THE LOWER INTERIOR OF SAID TANK, A PIPE DISCHHARGING INTO THE CENTRAL LOWER PORTION OF THE TANK AND ADAPTED TO INJECT A SECOND SOLUTION INTO SAID LOWER INTERIOR OF THE TANK, AND A DIF-

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