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US 6,615,675 B1Granted
Nofoam system for testing a foam delivery system on a vehicle
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsRance Tetsuo Kudo, Raymond John Cappillino, Jesse Lynn McNolty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A NoFoam system which permits the testing of the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle's foam delivery system. The NoFoam system includes the piping, valves, and connecting elements to interface with the fire vehicle's foam delivery system, while minimizing the release of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) to the environment.
Claims20
A foam free system which provides for an environmentally safe testing of a foam delivery system on a fire fighting vehicle, comprising:
- a mobile platform adapted for movement to a location having said fire fighting vehicle;
- a surrogate fluid storage tank mounted on said mobile platform, said surrogate fluid storage tank containing an environmentally safe surrogate fluid, said surrogate fluid storage tank having an inlet/outlet port;
- a flow sensor located on said mobile platform, said flow sensor including a paddle wheel flow transmitter connected to the inlet/outlet port of said surrogate fluid storage tank and a flow indicator electrically connected to said paddle wheel flow transmitter, said flow indicator providing a measurement of a fluid flow rate of said surrogate fluid through the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor;
- a first ball valve located on said mobile platform, said first ball valve having an inlet port connected to the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor and an outlet port;
- a flexible hose having one end connected to the outlet port of said first ball valve;
- a second ball valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said second ball valve having an inlet port connected to the other end of said flexible hose and an outlet port, said first ball valve and said second ball valve being open when said foam free system is testing the foam delivery system on said fire fighting vehicle, said first ball valve and said second ball valve when open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through said first ball valve and said second ball valve;
- a check valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of said second ball valve and an outlet port;
- a double ball valve having a first valve and a second valve, the first valve of said double ball valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of said check valve, the first valve of said double ball valve being open when said first ball valve and said second ball valve are open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through the first valve of said double ball valve;
- a multi-metering manifold valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said multi-metering manifold valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of the first valve of said double ball valve and a discharge port, said multi-metering manifold valve controlling a flow rate of said surrogate fluid through said multi-metering manifold valve;
- a supply tank for providing an environmentally safe pressurized liquid, said supply tank having an outlet port;
- and
- an eductor located on said fire fighting vehicle, said eductor having a first inlet port connected to the outlet port of said supply tank, a second inlet port connected to the discharge port of said multi-metering manifold valve, said eductor receiving said pressurized liquid from said supply tank, said pressurized liquid creating a vacuum within said eductor that draws said surrogate fluid into said eductor, said eductor mixing said surrogate fluid with said pressurized water to form a surrogate fluid mixture under pressure discharging said surrogate fluid mixture through the discharge port of said eductor;
- and
- said check valve insuring that fluid flow of said surrogate fluid through is in one direction from said second ball valve to the first inlet port of said eductor.
11 more elements
A foam free system which provides for an environmentally safe testing-of a foam delivery system on a fire fighting vehicle, comprising:
- a mobile platform adapted for movement to a location having said fire fighting vehicle;
- a surrogate fluid storage tank mounted on said mobile platform, said surrogate fluid storage tank containing an environmentally safe surrogate fluid, said surrogate fluid storage tank having an outlet port;
- a flow sensor located on said mobile platform, said flow sensor including a paddle wheel flow transmitter connected to the outlet port of said surrogate fluid storage tank and a flow indicator electrically connected to said paddle wheel flow transmitter, said flow indicator providing a measurement of a fluid flow rate of said surrogate fluid through the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor;
- a first ball valve located on said mobile platform, said first ball valve having an inlet port connected to the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor and an outlet port;
- a first flexible hose having one end connected to the outlet port of said first ball valve;
- a second ball valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said second ball valve having a first inlet/outlet port connected to the other end of said first flexible hose and a second inlet/outlet port, said first ball valve and said second ball valve being open when said foam free system is testing the foam delivery system on said fire fighting vehicle, said first ball valve and said second ball valve when open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through said first ball valve and said second ball valve;
- a check valve having an inlet port connected to the second inlet/outlet port of said second ball valve and an outlet port;
- a double ball valve having a first valve and a second valve, the first valve of said double ball valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of said check valve, the first valve of said double ball valve being open when said first ball valve and said second ball valve are open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through the first valve of said double ball valve;
- a multi-metering manifold valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said multi-metering manifold valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of the first valve of said double ball valve and a discharge port, said multi-metering manifold valve controlling a flow rate of said surrogate fluid through said multi-metering manifold valve;
- a supply tank for providing an environmentally safe pressurized liquid, said supply tank having an outlet port;
- an eductor located on said fire fighting vehicle, said eductor having a first inlet port connected to the outlet port of said supply tank, a second inlet port connected to the discharge port of said multi-metering manifold valve, said eductor receiving said pressurized liquid from said supply tank, said pressurized liquid creating a vacuum within said eductor that draws said surrogate fluid into said eductor, said eductor mixing said surrogate fluid with said pressurized water to form a surrogate fluid mixture under pressure discharging said surrogate fluid mixture through the discharge port of said eductor;
- said check valve insuring that fluid flow of said surrogate fluid through is in one direction from said second ball valve to the first inlet port of said eductor;
- a second flexible hose having one end connected to the first inlet/outlet port of said second ball valve prior to testing the foam delivery system on said fire fighting vehicle;
- a primary concentrate storage tank positioned at the other end of said second flexible hose, said primary concentrate storage tank receiving aqueous film forming foam concentrate drained from said foam delivery system prior to testing said foam delivery system, said second ball valve being open allowing said aqueous film forming foam concentrate drained from said foam delivery system to flow through said second ball valve and said second flexible hose into said primary concentrate storage tank.
11 more elements
A foam free system which provides for an environmentally safe testing of a foam delivery system on a fire fighting vehicle, comprising:
- a mobile platform adapted for movement to a location having said fire fighting vehicle;
- a surrogate fluid storage tank mounted on said mobile platform, said surrogate fluid storage tank containing an environmentally safe surrogate fluid, said surrogate fluid storage tank having an inlet/outlet port;
- a flow sensor located on said mobile platform, said flow sensor including a paddle wheel flow transmitter connected to the outlet port of said surrogate fluid storage tank and a flow indicator electrically connected to said paddle wheel flow transmitter, said flow indicator providing a measurement of a fluid flow rate of said surrogate fluid through the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor;
- a first ball valve located on said mobile platform, said first ball valve having an inlet port connected to the paddle wheel flow transmitter of said flow sensor and an outlet port;
- a first flexible hose having one end connected to the outlet port of said first ball valve;
- a second ball valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said second ball valve having a first inlet/outlet port connected to the other end of said first flexible hose and a second inlet/outlet port, said first ball valve and said second ball valve being open when said foam free system is testing the foam delivery system on said fire fighting vehicle, said first ball valve and said second ball valve when open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through said first ball valve and said second ball valve;
- a check valve having an inlet port connected to the second inlet/outlet port of said second ball valve and an outlet port;
- a double ball valve having a first valve and a second valve, the first valve of said double ball valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of said check valve, the first valve of said double ball valve being open when said first ball valve and said second ball valve are open allowing said surrogate fluid to flow through the first valve of said double ball valve;
- a multi-metering manifold valve located on said fire fighting vehicle, said multi-metering manifold valve having an inlet port connected to the outlet port of the first valve of said double ball valve and a discharge port, said multi-metering manifold valve controlling a flow rate of said surrogate fluid through said multi-metering manifold valve;
- a supply tank for providing an environmentally safe pressurized liquid, said supply tank having an outlet port;
- an eductor located on said fire fighting vehicle, said eductor having a first inlet port connected to the outlet port of said supply tank, a second inlet port connected to the discharge port of said multi-metering manifold valve, said eductor receiving said pressurized liquid-from said supply tank, said pressurized liquid creating a vacuum within said eductor that draws said surrogate fluid into said eductor, said eductor mixing said surrogate fluid with said pressurized water to form a surrogate fluid mixture under pressure discharging said surrogate fluid mixture through the discharge port of said eductor;
- said check valve insuring that fluid flow of said surrogate fluid through is in one direction from said second ball valve to the first inlet port of said eductor;
- a second flexible hose having one end connected to the first inlet/outlet port of said second ball valve prior to testing the foam delivery system on said fire fighting vehicle;
- a primary concentrate storage tank positioned at the other end of said second flexible hose, said primary concentrate storage tank receiving aqueous film forming foam concentrate drained from said foam delivery system prior to testing said foam delivery system, said second ball valve being open allowing said aqueous film forming foam concentrate drained from said foam delivery system to flow through said second ball valve and said second flexible hose into said primary concentrate storage tank;
- a third ball valve located on said mobile platform, said third ball valve having an inlet/outlet port connected to the inlet/outlet port of said surrogate fluid storage tank and a drain/fill connector for receiving said surrogate fluid, said surrogate fluid passing through said third ball valve to said surrogate fluid storage tank filling said surrogate fluid storage tank with said surrogate fluid;
- said third ball valve being closed during said environmentally safe testing of said foam delivery system.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.