Consolidated aerial high capacity foam firefighting system
AssigneeWestern States Fire, Inc.
InventorLARRY SUKAY
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerial firefighting system has a foam production unit attached to an aircraft. The foam production unit has a single unit variable block high expansion foam generator; a light weight bladder tank system for collection and storage of water; a light weight bladder tank system for storage of a foaming agent; a telemetry unit for adjusting air flow, foam agent proportioning, and water pressure; and tubing for foam stream straightening. The foam production unit also has a fan capable of delivering at least 75,000 cubic feet per minute of air. The incorporation of a high-CFM fan increases foam production capability more than tenfold over existing aerial firefighting systems. The volume of firefighting foam produced is in excess of 50,000 cubic feet of foam per minute.
Claims20
An aerial firefighting system, comprising:
- a stream straightener comprising tubing having an entrance and an exit;
- a plurality of nozzles disposed upstream of and proximate to the entrance of the tubing;
- a foam production unit comprising:
- a water storage apparatus,
- a foaming agent storage apparatus,
- a foam proportioning system coupled to the nozzles and configured to mix water and foaming agent in a predetermined ratio and send the mixed water and foaming agent through the nozzles, and
- a fan configured to provide an airflow through the stream straightener;
- and
- an aircraft,
- wherein the foam production unit is carried by the aircraft, and
- wherein the stream straightener extends from the foam production unit and is configured to deliver foam from the foam production unit to a fire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.