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 an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a water tank for housing water, the water tank configured for attachment to the aerial vehicle;
- a foam tank for housing a foam concentrate, wherein the water tank is configured to receive the foam concentrate from the foam tank that when mixed with the water in the water tank forms a batch of a liquid water/foam solution in the water tank;
- a water/foam pump supportable by the aerial vehicle, the water/foam pump including an impeller driven by an electric motor, the water/foam pump including a variable opening air induction valve disposed at and connected to a suction end of the water/foam pump so as to form an air inlet, wherein air and the liquid water/foam solution are drawn into the suction end and pressurized by the water/foam pump for discharge toward a target;
- and
- including one or more electronic controllers in operative communication with the electric motor and the air induction valve, wherein the one or more electronic controllers are configured to automatically open the air induction valve upon activation of the water/foam pump.
A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a water tank for housing water, the water tank configured for attachment to the aerial vehicle;
- a foam tank for housing a foam concentrate, wherein the water tank is configured to receive the foam concentrate from the foam tank that when mixed with the water in the water tank forms a batch of a liquid water/foam solution in the water tank;
- a water/foam pump supportable by the aerial vehicle, the water/foam pump including an impeller driven by an electric motor, the water/foam pump including a variable opening air induction valve disposed at and connected to a suction end of the water/foam pump so as to form an air inlet, wherein air and the liquid water/foam solution are drawn into the suction end and pressurized by the water/foam pump for discharge toward a target;
- and
- an aimable boom supportable by the aerial vehicle, the aimable boom including a nozzle configured to expel the pressurized air and liquid water/foam solution toward the target, wherein the boom is supported by the water tank opposite the water/foam pump and the electric motor to counterbalance the water/foam pump and the electric motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.