Aerial fire suppression system
AssigneeSimplex Manufacturing Co.
InventorsMark D. Zimmerman, David M. Kruithoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from a vehicle configured for flight is disclosed, comprising a foam and water held in separate containers aboard the vehicle that when mixed forms a fire retardant, a pump driven by an electric motor to pressurize the fire retardant, the pump including an air induction valve where air is drawn into a suction end of the pump and pressurized together with the fire retardant, and an aimable boom connected to the pump by a conduit, the boom including a nozzle on a distal end of the boom from which the pressurized fire retardant and air is dispensed toward a target.
Claims20
A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from a helicopter, comprising:
- a water tank for housing water, the water tank configured for attachment to the helicopter;
- a foam tank for housing a foam, the foam tank housed inside the water tank, wherein the water tank is configured to receive the foam from the foam tank that when mixed with the water in the water tank forms a batch of a liquid fire retardant in the water tank, and
- a centrifugal pump supportable by the helicopter, the pump including a radial outflow impeller and driven by an electric motor, the pump including an air induction valve with an electrically variable valve opening disposed at and connected to a suction end of the pump so as to form an air inlet, wherein air and the fire retardant are drawn into the suction end and pressurized by the pump for discharge toward a target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.