Close proximity nozzle system

A fire suppression system for use with a vehicle including a surface, the fire suppression system comprising:

• a fire suppression tank containing a volume of liquid fire suppressant;
• a pressurized cylinder fluidly coupled to the fire suppression tank and containing a volume of pressurized expellant gas;
• a nozzle having an outlet at least selectively fluidly coupled to the fire suppression tank and configured to release a spray of the liquid fire suppressant therefrom, wherein the nozzle has a spray angle between 110 and 130 degrees and an effective suppression area of at least 3 square feet at the surface;
• a fire detection device configured to generate a signal in response to detecting a fire;
• a controller configured to receive the signal from the fire detection device and generate an activator signal;
• and
• an activator configured to selectively release the pressurized expellant gas from the pressurized cylinder to pressurize the fire suppression tank and release the liquid fire suppressant from the fire suppression tank in response to receiving the activator signal such that at least a portion of the liquid fire suppressant passes through the outlet of the nozzle, wherein all of the liquid fire suppressant remains in the fire suppression tank until it is released by the activator, and
• wherein the nozzle has a spray angle between 110 degrees and 130 degrees and is configured to be oriented such that the spray is directed toward the surface, and wherein the nozzle is configured to have an effective suppression area of at least 3 square feet at the surface when the nozzle is positioned less than 24 inches away from the surface.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a chassis;
• a body coupled to the chassis and defining an enclosure;
• a plurality of tractive elements coupled to the chassis;
• a driver extending within the enclosure and configured to output mechanical energy to drive at least one of the tractive elements, a portion of the driver defining a surface;
• and
• a fire suppression system, comprising:
• a fire suppression tank containing a volume of liquid fire suppressant;
• a pressurized cylinder fluidly coupled to the fire suppression tank and containing a volume of pressurized expellant gas;
• a nozzle having an outlet at least selectively fluidly coupled to the fire suppression tank and configured to release a spray of the liquid fire suppressant therefrom, wherein the outlet is positioned within the enclosure;
• and
• an activator configured to selectively release the liquid fire suppressant from the fire suppression tank such that at least a portion of the liquid fire suppressant passes through the outlet of the nozzle, wherein all of the liquid fire suppressant remains in the fire suppression tank until it is released by the activator,
• wherein the nozzle is oriented such that the spray is directed toward the surface, and wherein the nozzle is positioned less than 8 inches away from the surface and at least 6 inches away from the surface,
• wherein the nozzle has a spray angle of approximately 120 degrees, and
• wherein the nozzle is configured to have an effective suppression area of at least 3 square feet at the surface.