Conflagration simulator and method of operating
AssigneeCanCode Safety Services, Inc.
InventorsGary T. C. Joice, Graham A. Huxley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for igniting and maintaining a simulated training fire for the purpose of teaching individuals to combat, contain and extinguish various classes, signatures and intensities of fires. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pilot flame ignition apparatus for use with a combustion tank, to provide a substantially inextinguishable pilot flame during and subsequent to the presence of a conflagration in the tank, the pilot flame being substantially impervious to the ingress of fire fighting agents into the tank.
Claims19
A pilot igniter flame apparatus for continuously igniting combustible gases comprising, a housing defining a housing chamber therein and having a combustible fuel source for providing a combustible fuel to the housing chamber, a first oxygen source for providing a first source of combustion oxygen to the housing chamber, and an ignition source connected thereto;
- an elongate flame tube, comprising a tubular wall portion, projecting from the housing for the outward passage there through of combusting gas, the flame tube extending substantially horizontally from said housing and defining a first outlet aperture extending along a lower portion of the flame tube and opening through the tube wall for the passage of combusting gases there through, said first outlet aperture being disposed so as to provide a pilot flame source along an extended portion of the length of said flame tube to cause combustible gases to which said pilot igniter is exposed, to combust.
A method of operating a conflagration simulator system having a substantially inextinguishable pilot flame generator for use in combination with a portable water combustion system comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the water combustion system a desired location for fire fighting and filling it with water to a predetermined level;
- (b) making a first combustion fuel source connection to the water combustion system;
- (c) making an oxygen source connection and an ignition energy source connection to the water combustion system;
- (d) activating the ignition energy source and the connected fuel supply and the oxygen supply to establish a pilot flame adjacent the surface of the water contained in the water combustion system;
- (e) activating the connected combustion fuel source so as to cause combustion fuel to rise through the water and be ignited into a conflagration flame by the pilot flame;
- (f) maintaining the pilot flame alight during activation of said connected combustion fuel source;
- and
- (g) maintaining the level of water in the water combustion system at said predetermined level while the conflagration flame remains alight.
A conflagration simulator for fire fighting training, comprising:
- a combustion tank comprising a tank bottom portion and an upstanding sidewall portion extending from said bottom portion and defining an interior volume therein for containing a water bath therein;
- a burner assembly comprising a burner pipe, disposed within the combustion tank, for providing a distributed supply of fluid combustion fuel within said combustion tank;
- a pilot ignitor assembly for continuously igniting the combustion fuel supplied by said burner assembly;
- a combustion fuel source and a combustion oxygen source for supplying a fluid combustion fuel and combustion oxygen to said burner assembly and said pilot ignitor assembly;
- a control assembly for selectively controlling the flow of said fluid combustion fuel and said combustion oxygen to said burner assembly and said pilot ignitor assembly;
- and
- water level control means for maintaining a predetermined level of water in said combustion tank, said water level control means including a water level overflow tube defining a tube bore therethrough and having a submerged end disposed in liquid fight engagement with said combustion tank such that said tube bore opens to the atmosphere, and an opposed overflow end extending a predetermined level above the bottom portion of said combustion tank such that as the water level of the water bath contained in the combustion tank increases to a level greater than the predetermined depth, water will flow over and into the overflow end, through the tube bore and out the submerged end so as to maintain the water level at the predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.