WO2024089307A1 - Modular anti-forest-fire device and forest fire containment system comprising the device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular anti-forest-fire device and a fire containment system comprising the device. The device is formed by multiple interior hose sections interconnected in the form of a lattice, which are connected to a perimeter hose that has a higher flow and surrounds them completely, thereby forming a module in the form of a grid with coupling elements that allow new modules to be attached or a water supply source to be connected, the interior hose sections incorporating uniformly distributed water sprinklers, and the perimeter hose incorporating high-capacity sprinklers. The system comprises: a warning system with temperature sensors; a series of anti-fire devices; a cleared area at least 100 m wide between the line of devices and the inhabited area; a water connection; a line of hydrants; a control unit; a water tank; and an electricity source with solar panels.

Description

Modular anti-forest fire device and installation for containing forest fires that includes said device Technical field of the invention

The present invention is related to means of containing forest fires that approach an inhabited area, whether urban centers, industrial or agricultural areas. Specifically, with a modular device type hydraulic anti-forest fire network, as well as an installation for the same purpose that includes said device, which is adapted to carry out homogeneous and constant sprinkling of water on the land in which it is available, counting said device with temperature sensors that allow automated activation of the water flow.

Background of the invention

Currently, forest fires are a recurring problem that seriously affects forests and, on many occasions, endanger inhabited, industrial or agricultural areas, causing a high risk to the lives of people and animals, as well as serious economic damage due to the destruction of homes, property, fields or industries.

During forest fires, the spread of flames is produced by the combined action of heat transfer media such as: convection, radiation and conduction, as well as by particles with fire that are displaced by the wind, initiating new outbreaks.

To contain forest fires, means such as fire units and aircraft are usually used to disperse large volumes of water over the areas towards which the fire is directed. These means are limited by their availability and the times required to reach the fire zone.

The use of zones called firebreaks is also known in the state of the art, which corresponds to a strip between ten and fifteen meters wide, in which all vegetation is eliminated, forming a clear space to prevent the advance of fires by eliminating combustible media between forested areas, these firebreaks are currently considered obsolete since they tend to be inefficient when gusts of wind displace particles with fire that generate new outbreaks.

To protect homes and inhabited areas, some systems incorporate rotating water sprinklers installed specifically on the perimeter of a home, which can be activated manually or automatically by wetting some section of the contour of the home or the home itself.

For example, document US6360968B1 entitled: “Wildfire protection system” describes a forest fire protection system intended for a home, which uses rotating sprinklers supported on structures that allow them to be placed temporarily or indefinitely on the roofs of houses, said rotating sprinklers can humidify no not only roofs, but also nearby trees, bushes and areas protected from sparks and burning particles. Rotating sprinklers are preferably made of lightweight plastic.

The document: US 2008/0000649 A1 entitled: “Method, system and sprinkler head for fire protection”, describes a method for protecting a home against fire that comprises the following steps: making a water supply system soak at least one part of the property in response to the detection of a fire, detecting the arrival of a fire front in the vicinity of the property, and causing the water supply system to deliver a mist in the vicinity of the property in response to the detection of the fire front. Also described are a sprinkler head that is installed on the roof of a home and a fire protection system to carry out the above method.

In these known systems, the devices are located in the home or in the immediately surrounding area, with the objective of humidifying parts of the home and its surroundings, which is inefficient against the spread of fire given the abundance of combustible materials in the home. inhabited areas and the speed of spread under adverse conditions. These known solutions are also not applicable to agricultural areas, their scaling for the general protection of towns is complex and leaves unprotected areas where fire sources can be generated.

In conclusion, the known solutions do not solve the containment of forest fires that approach populated, agricultural or industrial areas. For this reason, it is necessary to find a solution that can overcome the inconveniences or disadvantages, with a modular system, adaptable to the terrain and capable of carrying out a preventive sprinkling of water in a homogeneous and constant manner, lowering the temperature and controlling the particles with fire that can be transported through the air.

Summary description of the invention

The object of the present invention is a modular device type hydraulic firebreak network.

The device comprises multiple interior hose sections interconnected in the form of a grid of regular geometry, said grid is connected to a hose section with a higher flow rate that completely surrounds them, forming a network-shaped module with couplings in each of its corners that allow attach new modules or connect the water connection.

Each of the inner hose sections has at least 3.75 meters in length so that, when forming the inner grid, for example, using a geometry of equilateral triangles, a modular device with at least 15 meters of length is formed. width and a length close to 30 meters. Said inner hose sections incorporate at least three water sprinklers distributed uniformly along their length, and located in such a way that they spray in the same direction. The device also incorporates a series of temperature sensors attached to the perimeter hose, which allow the opening of the water passage to be automated.

Also the object of the invention is an installation intended for containing forest fires that approach an inhabited, agricultural or industrial area. The firebreak installation is made up of: a warning system, composed of a series of temperature sensors located in the forested area at least one hundred meters within the outer limit of the same and parallel to said limit; a series of hydraulic firebreak network type devices, arranged longitudinally and parallel to the limit between the forested area and the inhabited area that needs to be protected; Next, a clear area of at least one hundred meters, in the middle zone of which there is a line of hydrants located parallel to the line of hydraulic network type devices, with a separation between hydrants in the range of 20 meters. The hydrant system and the hydraulic network type device are interconnected by means of a water connection, which incorporates a pressure pump, a non-return valve and an automated activation control unit with sufficient means to activate the pressure pump. according to the data received from the temperature sensors arranged in the installation.

Thus, an installation is achieved to contain forest fires or firebreaks, capable of generating a curtain of water that uniformly moistens the land in which it is located with the anticipation required to contain the spread of the fire to the inhabited areas that are protected. . This water curtain also makes it possible to extinguish the fire of particles that are carried by the air, preventing the generation of new outbreaks. The installation provides a last line of fire containment composed of hydrants, which, depending on the conditions of the fire, will allow any potential source of fire that could overcome the barrier generated by the curtain of water to be suppressed with hoses. In other words, the containment of forest fires is automated, and redundant extinction systems capable of dealing with high-impact forest fires are integrated.

This descriptive report is complemented with a set of illustrative figures of the preferred and never limiting example of the invention.

It represents a top view of the modular fire-fighting network type device.

It represents a detail view of the modular device, in which the location of sprinklers and temperature sensors are detailed.

It represents a perspective view of an alternative use of the modular device parallel to the ground.

It represents a perspective view of an alternative use of the modular device perpendicular to the ground.

It represents a top view of the forest fire containment facility that incorporates the modular fire-fighting device.

Detailed presentation of the invention

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is related to a modular device (1) type hydraulic network against forest fires.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the modular device (1) comprises multiple interior hose sections (1.1) interconnected in the form of a grid, of regular geometry; Said grid (1.2) is connected to a section of perimeter hose (1.3) with a higher flow rate that completely surrounds them, forming a network-shaped module with couplings (1.4) in each of its corners that allow new modules to be attached or a connection to be made. water connection.

As shown in Figure 1, each of the inner hose sections (1.1) has at least 3.75 meters in length so that, when forming the inner grid (1.2), for example, using a geometry of equilateral triangles, a modular device is formed with at least 15 meters wide (a) and a length (b) close to 30 meters.

The inner hose sections (1.1), as shown in Figure 2, incorporate at least three water sprinklers (1.5) distributed uniformly along their length, such that the sprinklers spray in the same direction. The perimeter hose (1.3) incorporates high-capacity sprinklers (1.6) distributed evenly along its entire length, conveniently arranged to humidify areas of up to 36 meters around the perimeter of the modular device (1). These sprinklers (1.5 and 1.6) are of the type that are activated with the increase in water pressure inside the hoses (1.1 and 1.3).

The hoses (1.1 and 1.3) that make up the device (1) can be joined together by threaded couplings (1.8) or by means of glue or any means that guarantees a solid union without losses or leaks.

It is also preferred that the hoses (1.1 and 1.3) that make up the device are of the type that withstand high temperatures and working pressures, such as those constructed with a layer of chloroprene polymer (also known as neoprene) surrounded by polyester fibers. or cotton, such as those commonly used in firefighting.

The device (1) integrates temperature sensor means (1,7) uniformly arranged into the perimeter hose (1.3), so that they are capable of identifying temperature changes on the perimeter of the device (1) and sending a signal. alert that allows the automated activation of the water flow, for this purpose said sensors (1.7) have sufficient means (not shown in the figures) for wireless communication.

As shown in Figure 3, preferably the device (1) is arranged parallel to the ground, so that the sprinklers (1.5 and 1.6) face it. For this purpose, posts (2) with a height (h) of at least 15 meters are used, such that the height provided by the posts (2) exceeds the crowns of the nearby trees (not shown in the figures). Having at least one water connection (3), a pressure pump (4) and a non-return valve (5) that allow the water required for extinguishing to be available. The devices (1) can be attached successively with the use of the couplings (1.4).

Alternatively, the inventor foresees that, as shown in Figure 4, the device (1) can be arranged perpendicular to the ground, supported on posts (2), in such a way that the sprinklers (1.5 and 1.6) are oriented towards the front of the fire attack (not shown in the figures).

Optionally, the inventor considers that the modular device (1) can be transported and arranged as an emergency element directly on the ground, individually or by attaching successive modules, with the aim of moistening the ground to which a forest fire is approaching, for example, as a complement to the extinguishing work of firefighting units (not shown in the figures).

Regarding the installation for containing forest fires (6), also the subject of this application, as shown in figure 5, it includes:

- an alert system (15) composed of a series of temperature sensors (15.1) located in the forested area (7) at least 100 meters within the outer limit (7.1) of said forested area (7) and parallel to said outer limit (7.1);

- a series of devices (1) arranged longitudinally and parallel to the boundary between the forested area (7.1), and below;

- a clear zone (8) of at least 100 meters wide between the device line (1) and the inhabited area (10), in the middle zone of which is located:

- a line (9) of hydrants (9.1), located parallel to the line of devices (1) with a separation (i) in the range of 20 meters, and to which fire hoses (11) are attached. The hydrant line (9) and the devices (1) are interconnected by

- a water connection (3) that incorporates a pressure pump (4) and a non-return valve (5), and,

- a control unit (12) with sufficient means to automatically activate the pressure pump (4) according to the data received from the temperature sensors (15.1) arranged in the wooded area (7) and the sensors (1.7) of the device (1).

The inventor foresees that the installation can contemplate autonomous operation, that is, separated from the public water and electricity network (not shown in the figures), for which the installation (6) incorporates a water tank (13) arranged at the start of the water connection (3) and an electrical source (14) composed of solar panels. Without ruling out this, the system may be connected to the water and electricity network of the inhabited area (10).

Thus, through the installation (6), the containment of forest fires that approach a populated, industrial or agricultural area is achieved, using a first system of devices (1) with automated activation, and a second manual containment line. composed of hydrants (9.1).

The operation of the installation (6) is based on the need to detect fires approaching the inhabited area (10) sufficiently in advance to moisten the area near said area and contain the spread of the flames, for this purpose the Sensors (15.1) wirelessly send information about the detected temperature changes to the control unit (12), which automatically activates the pressure pump (4), increasing the pressure of the water inside the device (1) and consequently initiating the aspersion. Thanks to the use of high-power sprinklers (1.6) in the perimeter hose (1.3), it is possible to humidify up to a range of 36 m outside the perimeter of each device (1).

The water curtain (not shown in the figures) generated by the device (1) also allows the temperature to be lowered, reducing the possibilities of fire propagation by radiation, while moistening the particles with fire (not shown in the figures) transported through the air, preventing them from generating new sources of fire.

Additionally, the inventor foresees that the clear zone (8) established between the inhabited area (10) and the line of devices (1) has in its middle zone, a line (9) of hydrants (9.1) intended to connect hoses. fire (11) that allow manually suffocating particles with fire that can overcome the barrier formed by the water curtain (not shown in the figures) created by the device (1).

Preferably, the installation (6) works autonomously from the water and electricity network, having an electrical source (14) preferably composed of solar panels, and a water storage tank (13).

The inventor foresees that the device (1) can be arranged in the installation (6) parallel to the ground, as shown in Figure 3, or alternatively, if the ground conditions require it perpendicularly as shown in Figure 4, with the sprinklers oriented towards the area of possible fire spread (not shown in the figures).

It is not considered necessary to make the content of this description more extensive so that an expert in the field can understand the scope and advantages derived from the invention, as well as develop and put into practice its object. However, it must be understood that the invention has been described according to a preferred embodiment thereof, so it may be susceptible to modifications without this affecting or implying any alteration of the basis of said invention. That is, the terms in which this preferred description of the invention has been stated must always be taken with a broad and non-limiting nature.

Claims (10)

1. Modular forest fire fighting device (1), characterized in that it comprises: multiple interior hose sections (1.1) interconnected in the form of a grid, of regular geometry, said grid (1.2) being connected to a perimeter hose section (1.3) with a higher flow rate. that completely surrounds them, forming a network-shaped module with couplings (1.4) in each of its corners that allow new modules to be attached or a water connection to be connected; the inner hose sections (1.1) incorporating at least three water sprinklers (1.5) uniformly distributed along its length, and the perimeter hose (1.3) high-capacity sprinklers (1.6) uniformly distributed along its entire length.
2. Device according to claim 1, in which the inner hose sections (1.1) are at least 3.75 meters long so that, when forming the inner grid (1.2), a modular device (1) is formed with at least 15 meters wide (a) and a length (b) close to 30 meters.
3. Device according to claim 1, in which the perimeter hose (1.3) incorporates high-capacity sprinklers (1.6), conveniently arranged to humidify areas of up to 36 meters around the perimeter of the modular device (1).
4. Device according to claim 1, in which the hoses (1.1 and 1.3) that make up the device (1) can be joined together by threaded couplings (1.8) or by means of glue or any means that guarantees a solid union without losses or leaks. .
5. Device according to the previous claims, in which the hoses (1.1 and 1.3) that make up the device are of the type that withstand high temperatures and working pressures, such as those constructed with a layer of chloroprene polymer (also known as neoprene). surrounded by polyester or cotton fibers.
6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it integrates temperature sensor means (1.7) into the perimeter hose (1.3).
7. Use of device according to the previous claims, arranged parallel to the ground on posts (2) with a height (h) of at least 15 meters, such that the height provided by the posts (2) exceeds the crowns of nearby trees and The sprinklers (1.5 and 1.6) face the ground.
8. Use of the device according to claims 1 to 6, arranged perpendicular to the ground, supported on posts (2), in such a way that the sprinklers (1.5 and 1.6) are oriented towards the attack front of the fire.
9. Use of the device according to claims 1 to 6, transported and arranged as an emergency element directly on the ground, individually or by attaching successive modules.
10. Installation for containment of forest fires that includes: - a warning system (15) composed of a series of temperature sensors (15.1) located in the forested area (7) at least 100 meters inside the outer limit (7.1) of said forested area (7) and parallel to said outer limit (7.1);
    - a series of devices (1) arranged longitudinally and parallel to the limit of the forested area (7.1), and then;
    - a clear zone (8) of at least 100 meters wide between the device line (1) and the inhabited area (10), in the middle zone of which is located:
    - a line (9) of hydrants (9.1), located parallel to the line of devices (1) with a separation (i) in the range of 20 meters, to which fire hoses (11) are attached,
    - a water connection (3) that incorporates a pressure pump (4),
    - a non-return valve (5), and,
    - a switchboard (12),
    characterized bythat It comprises at least one device (1) according to claims 1 to 8, and a control unit (12) that has sufficient means to automatically activate the pressure pump (4) according to the data received from the temperature sensors (15.1). ) arranged in the forested area (7) and the sensors (1.7) of the device (1).