Fire extinguishing actuator and method for engine righting test

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of solid rocket engine vertical test, and discloses a fire extinguishing execution mechanism and a fire extinguishing method for engine vertical test. The fire extinguishing execution mechanism comprises a walking unit, a translation driving unit, an outer gas ring fire extinguishing unit, a central fire extinguishing unit and a control unit. The trolley of the walking unit is slidably arranged on a track, the translation driving unit comprises a driving piece and a scissor linkage assembly, and the driving piece drives the trolley to translate on the track through the scissor linkage assembly. The outer gas ring fire extinguishing unit and the central fire extinguishing unit are arranged on the trolley, the outer gas ring fire extinguisher is used for spraying fire extinguishing medium to the outer periphery of the engine, the central fire extinguisher is located in the central region of the outer gas ring fire extinguisher and is used for spraying fire extinguishing medium to the inside of the engine, and the control unit independently controls the lifting and spraying actions of the two. The fire extinguishing execution mechanism realizes rapid positioning of the trolley in a mechanical transmission mode, and simultaneously extinguishes the inside and outside of the engine through the inner-outer cooperative fire extinguishing layout.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of solid rocket motor upright testing technology, and in particular to a fire extinguishing actuator and fire extinguishing method for upright engine testing. Background Technology

[0002] After the upright test of the solid rocket engine, the high-temperature residual fire inside the engine continues to burn. The insulation layer and other components decompose at high temperatures, producing combustible gases. The flames are ejected along the vertically downward-pointing nozzle and, as the internal pressure decreases, they rise upwards, posing a risk of burn damage to the test product and sensors. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly cool and extinguish the fire in the combustion chamber after the test.

[0003] Currently, there are several main methods for post-test fire extinguishing in China. First, high-pressure water jets are used for long-distance spraying. Operators must approach within two minutes of the engine finishing operation. At this time, the flames are not completely extinguished, the ground temperature is high, and unignited pulses from failed multi-pulse tests may be ignited, posing a significant safety hazard. Second, manual sealing is used, employing self-made mechanical plugs to seal the nozzles. Whether the flames are completely extinguished depends on the manufacturing precision of the plugs, and the high-temperature, high-frequency vibration environment during large engine tests prevents personnel from approaching. Third, robots or robotic arms are used for fire extinguishing, delivering the nozzles to the extinguishing point via an external drive device. Existing solutions use hydraulic trolleys and guide rails for horizontal movement, with multi-stage self-extending hydraulic cylinders controlling nozzle lifting and lowering; other solutions use rocker arms in conjunction with a rotary mechanism and linear telescoping devices to swing the nozzles into position. While these solutions achieve remote control and reduce response time to 10-20 seconds, their actuators rely on hydraulic systems, sensors, or complex drive devices, resulting in insufficient reliability in the high-temperature, high-vibration environment of the test site.

[0004] Furthermore, most existing fire extinguishing devices use a single nozzle, which can only spray the extinguishing medium into the engine nozzle. However, after the upright test, both the combustion chamber inside the engine and the upward-turned flames on the outer periphery need to be treated, and a single nozzle cannot extinguish the fire in both areas simultaneously.

[0005] Therefore, how to quickly position a highly reliable actuator and simultaneously extinguish fires inside and around the engine is a problem that has not yet been solved by existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a fire extinguishing actuator and method for upright engine testing, aiming to solve the technical problems of insufficient reliability of existing automatic fire extinguishing devices in the post-test fire extinguishing process of solid rocket engines under high temperature and strong vibration environments due to the use of complex driving methods such as hydraulic systems or electronic sensors, and the inability of a single nozzle to simultaneously extinguish the internal combustion chamber and the upward-turning flames on the outer periphery of the engine. The technical solution is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, a fire extinguishing actuator for an engine in an upright test is provided, characterized in that it comprises: a traveling unit, including a fixed track and a trolley slidably mounted on the track; a translation drive unit, including a drive member and a scissor linkage assembly, one end of the scissor linkage assembly being connected to the output end of the drive member and the other end being connected to the trolley; the scissor linkage assembly having a displacement amplification function, wherein the displacement of the output end of the drive member is less than the translational displacement of the trolley; the drive member drives the trolley to translate on the track via the scissor linkage assembly, thereby switching the trolley between a preset standby position and a fire extinguishing position directly below the engine; and an outer ring fire extinguishing unit, mounted on the trolley, including an outer ring fire extinguisher and a first lifting drive assembly for lifting and lowering the outer ring fire extinguisher, wherein the outer ring fire extinguisher has an annular pipe structure with a spray nozzle on its inner side for spraying fire extinguishing medium onto the outer periphery of the engine; A central fire extinguishing unit, mounted on the trolley, includes a central fire extinguisher and a second lifting drive assembly for raising and lowering the central fire extinguisher. The central fire extinguisher's vertical trajectory passes through the central area of ​​the outer ring fire extinguisher, and the central fire extinguisher can pass through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher and extend into the engine nozzle for spraying extinguishing media into the engine's internal space. A control unit, signal-connected to the drive assembly, the first lifting drive assembly, and the second lifting drive assembly, is used to control the translational movement of the trolley, the raising and lowering of the outer ring fire extinguisher, and the raising and lowering of the central fire extinguisher. The control unit is configured to independently control the raising and lowering and spraying actions of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher. The outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher can be raised and lowered simultaneously or at different times, and can spray simultaneously or at different times.

[0008] Optionally, the scissor linkage assembly includes two sets of scissor linkage mechanisms connected in series. The two sets of scissor linkage mechanisms are connected in series through hinge points. The telescopic end of the drive member is connected to the power input end of one set of scissor linkage mechanisms, and the power output end of the other set of scissor linkage mechanisms is connected to the trolley.

[0009] Optionally, the first lifting drive assembly includes four screw lifts, a first drive motor, and multiple right-angle commutators. The drive motor is connected to the four screw lifts via the multiple right-angle commutators, and the four screw lifts move up and down synchronously to drive the outer gas ring fire extinguisher to move up and down.

[0010] Optionally, the second lifting drive assembly includes a gear and rack mechanism, wherein the rack of the gear and rack mechanism is vertically arranged and fixedly connected to the central fire extinguisher, and the gear of the gear and rack mechanism is driven to lift and lower the central fire extinguisher through the meshing of the gear and rack.

[0011] Optionally, the track is provided with limiting members corresponding to the positions of the standby position and the fire extinguishing position, respectively. The limiting members are used to abut against the trolley to limit the movement range of the trolley, so that the trolley stops accurately on the track at the standby position or the fire extinguishing position.

[0012] Optionally, it also includes a fire extinguishing medium supply system, which is connected to the outer gas ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher respectively through flexible pipelines. The flexible pipelines have redundant length for the translation of the trolley, and the flexible pipelines are constrained by a drag chain mechanism or a suspension pulley mechanism to prevent the flexible pipelines from getting tangled or interfering with the scissor linkage assembly during the translation of the trolley.

[0013] Optionally, the trolley is also equipped with a camera assembly, which is signal-connected to the control unit and used to collect image information of the working status of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher.

[0014] Optionally, the extinguishing medium is at least one of water, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide; the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher are respectively connected to the extinguishing medium supply system through independent extinguishing medium supply pipelines, and can be sprayed using the same or different types of extinguishing medium.

[0015] Secondly, a fire extinguishing method for an engine in an upright test, using the aforementioned fire extinguishing actuator, includes the following steps:

[0016] Translation and positioning steps: The control unit issues a command, and the drive unit drives the trolley to translate along the track through the scissor linkage assembly, so that the trolley moves from the standby position to the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine;

[0017] First positioning step: The control unit controls the first lifting drive assembly to drive the outer gas ring fire extinguisher to rise to the outer working position of the engine nozzle;

[0018] The second positioning step: The control unit controls the second lifting drive assembly to drive the central fire extinguisher through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher and rise to the working position that extends into the engine nozzle; the lifting and positioning action of the outer ring fire extinguisher is independent of the lifting and positioning action of the central fire extinguisher, and the two are carried out simultaneously or at different times.

[0019] Fire extinguishing procedure: Fire extinguishing medium is sprayed onto the outer periphery of the engine through the spray nozzle inside the outer ring fire extinguisher, and fire extinguishing medium is sprayed into the internal space of the engine through the central fire extinguisher; the spraying action of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the spraying action of the central fire extinguisher are independent of each other, and the two are carried out simultaneously or at different times.

[0020] Optionally, after the spraying extinguishing step, the method further includes: a continuous spraying step: maintaining the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher to continuously spray the extinguishing medium until a stop command is received from the control unit; and a reset step: the control unit issues a reset command, and the drive unit drives the trolley to retract from the extinguishing position directly below the engine to the standby position via the scissor linkage assembly.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include at least the following:

[0022] Firstly, the fire extinguishing actuator provided in this application uses a scissor-type linkage assembly as its translation drive unit. The scissor-type linkage assembly is a purely mechanical structure, independent of hydraulic systems or electronic position sensors, offering higher reliability in the high-temperature, high-vibration environment of solid rocket engine test sites. The scissor-type linkage assembly has a displacement amplification function; the displacement at the output end of the drive component is less than the actual translational displacement generated by the trolley. The drive component only needs to output a small displacement to drive the trolley quickly from the standby position to the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine, with a short arrival time. The displacement amplification function, combined with the limiting components on the track, ensures that the trolley can accurately stop at both the standby and fire extinguishing positions, achieving both rapid translation and ensuring repeatability. The trolley also integrates an outer gas ring fire extinguishing unit and a central fire extinguishing unit. The outer gas ring fire extinguisher has a ring-shaped pipe structure with a spray nozzle on the inner side. After rising to the periphery of the engine nozzle, it sprays the fire extinguishing medium onto the outer circumference of the nozzle to suppress flames that rise along the outer circumference of the nozzle after the test. The central fire extinguisher is located in the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher. Its vertical trajectory passes through the center of the outer ring and extends into the engine nozzle to spray extinguishing media into the combustion chamber. The two are concentrically nested in space, covering the outer and inner fire extinguishing zones of the engine respectively, forming a coordinated internal and external fire extinguishing layout. The control unit independently controls the raising, lowering, and spraying actions of both the outer ring and central fire extinguishers. They can be positioned simultaneously or separately, and can spray simultaneously or separately. These two fire extinguishing strategies can be flexibly switched according to the actual fire situation.

[0023] Secondly, the fire extinguishing method provided in this application uses a scissor-type linkage assembly to drive the trolley to move horizontally, achieving rapid positioning of the trolley through purely mechanical transmission. Then, by independently controlling the lifting and spraying of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher, differentiated fire extinguishing can be achieved in different zones and at different times within and around the engine. The outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher operate independently in both the lifting and positioning and spraying stages, allowing them to operate simultaneously or sequentially, thus adapting to the fire extinguishing needs under different combustion conditions.

[0024] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the fire extinguishing actuator for an upright test of an engine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a top view of the fire extinguishing actuator for an engine upright test provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the outer air ring fire extinguishing unit of the fire extinguishing actuator for an upright test of an engine, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the central fire extinguishing unit of the fire extinguishing actuator for an upright test of an engine, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the trolley, outer air ring fire extinguishing unit, and central fire extinguishing unit with protective cover in the fire extinguishing actuator for engine upright testing provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0032] 1-Traveling unit; 11-Rail; 12-Trolley; 2-Translation drive unit; 21-Drive component; 22-Scissor fork linkage mechanism; 23-Balance frame; 3-Outer ring fire extinguishing unit; 31-Outer ring fire extinguisher; 311-Spray nozzle; 32-First lifting drive assembly; 321-Screw jack; 322-First drive motor; 323-Right angle commutator; 4-Central fire extinguishing unit; 41-Central fire extinguisher; 42-Second lifting drive assembly; 421-Gear and rack mechanism; 422-Second drive motor; 5-Limiting component; 6-Protective cover. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the relative positions of the corresponding components in the direction of gravity when they are in use, while "inner" and "outer" refer to their relative positions to the contours of the corresponding components themselves. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application are for distinguishing one element from another and do not imply sequentiality or importance. In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise explained, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements.

[0035] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the application.

[0036] First aspect: According to the embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figures 1 to 4 The fire extinguishing actuator mainly consists of five parts: a walking unit 1, a translation drive unit 2, an outer air ring fire extinguishing unit 3, a central fire extinguishing unit 4, and a control unit.

[0037] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The traveling unit 1 consists of a track 11 fixedly installed on the ground and a trolley 12 slidably mounted on the track 11. The track 11 extends horizontally from the standby area to the area directly below the engine. The trolley 12 carries all fire extinguishing actuators and moves back and forth along the track 11.

[0038] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The translation drive unit 2 is used to realize the rapid translation of the trolley 12. It consists of a drive component 21 and a scissor-type linkage assembly. One end of the scissor-type linkage assembly is connected to the output end of the drive component 21, and the other end is connected to the trolley 12. The scissor-type linkage assembly has a displacement amplification function, meaning the displacement at the output end of the drive component 21 is less than the actual translational displacement of the trolley 12. This displacement amplification is achieved by the extension / retraction end of the drive component 21 pushing a set of scissor forks in the scissor-type linkage assembly to produce a small-angle swing. Through the hinged series transmission of multiple sets of scissor forks, the small-angle swing of the linkage arm is converted into a large-amplitude horizontal displacement of the trolley 12. The drive component 21 can be an electric push rod. Specifically, when the extension / retraction rod of the electric push cylinder extends a short distance, the included angle between the hinge points of the scissor-type linkage assembly changes, significantly increasing the horizontal span of the scissor-type linkage assembly, thereby propelling the trolley 12 to the extinguishing position directly below the engine. This transmission method, which uses small displacement to drive large displacement, makes the translation process of the trolley 12 from the standby position to the fire extinguishing position less time-consuming, and can respond quickly after the command is issued.

[0039] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The outer ring fire extinguishing unit 3 is mounted on the trolley 12 and includes an outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and a first lifting drive assembly 32 for raising and lowering the outer ring fire extinguisher 31. The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 has an annular pipe structure with a hollow interior to contain the extinguishing medium. Multiple spray nozzles 311 are provided on the inner wall of the pipe. When the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 rises to the working position outside the engine nozzle, these spray nozzles 311 face the outer wall of the engine nozzle, that is, the spray direction points towards the center of the annular pipe. The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 is raised or lowered from the trolley 12 platform by the first lifting drive assembly 32 to adapt to the height position of different engine nozzle models.

[0040] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 The central fire extinguishing unit 4 is also mounted on the trolley 12, and includes a central fire extinguisher 41 and a second lifting drive assembly 42 that drives the central fire extinguisher 41 to rise and fall. The central fire extinguisher 41 is spatially located in the central region of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31, and its vertical lifting trajectory passes through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31. The central fire extinguisher 41 can pass through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and continue upwards into the engine nozzle. The central fire extinguisher 41 is used to spray extinguishing media into the engine's internal space.

[0041] The control unit is connected to the drive unit 21, the first lifting drive assembly 32, and the second lifting drive assembly 42 via signal lines. After the control unit issues a translation command, the drive unit 21 activates and drives the scissor-type linkage assembly, causing the trolley 12 to translate to the fire extinguishing position. Once the trolley 12 is in place, the control unit can independently control the lifting and lowering of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41; that is, the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 can rise simultaneously or sequentially. The spraying action of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 is also independently controlled by the control unit, allowing for simultaneous or sequential spraying of the extinguishing medium.

[0042] In the above structure, the scissor-type linkage assembly is a purely mechanical transmission structure, which can complete the rapid translation and precise positioning of the trolley 12 without relying on a hydraulic system or electronic position sensor, and has high operational reliability in high-temperature and high-vibration test environments. The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 form an internal and external coordinated fire extinguishing layout, which can simultaneously cover two fire extinguishing areas: the outer periphery of the engine nozzle and the interior of the combustion chamber.

[0043] According to the embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The scissor linkage assembly is implemented using two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22 connected in series. The two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22 are connected in series through hinge points: the output end of the first set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 is hinged to the input end of the second set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 by a pin, and the intersection point of the scissor arms of the two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22 is also connected by a pin.

[0044] A balance frame 23 connects the corresponding hinge points of the two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22. The balance frame 23 connects the corresponding hinge points of the two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22, ensuring that the two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22 maintain synchronous movement during extension and retraction. The balance frame 23 also serves as a sliding support for the two sets of scissor fork linkage mechanisms 22 on the track 11. One end of the balance frame 23 slides in conjunction with the track 11, bearing part of the self-weight of the scissor fork linkage assembly and reducing the driving load on the drive component 21. The balance frame 23 also limits the range of motion of the scissor fork linkage assembly in the vertical direction, preventing the linkage arm from deviating from the preset motion plane due to its own weight.

[0045] The telescopic end of the drive member 21 is connected to the power input end of the first set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22. When the drive member 21 telescopicates, it pushes the scissor arms of the first set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 to rotate around the hinge point. The rotation of the first set of scissor forks is transmitted to the second set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 through the series hinge point, and the two sets of scissor forks together generate horizontal displacement extension. The power output end of the second set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 is fixedly connected to the trolley 12, transmitting the total displacement generated by the series connection of the two sets of scissor forks to the trolley 12.

[0046] The tandem configuration of two sets of scissor forks amplifies the displacement. The drive unit 21 only needs to output a small displacement to drive the trolley 12 to produce a sufficiently large translational distance. This tandem configuration achieves a significant displacement amplification effect within a limited installation space, enabling the actuator to quickly switch between standby and fire extinguishing positions.

[0047] According to the embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 3 The first lifting drive assembly 32 adopts a combination structure of four screw lifts 321, one first drive motor 322, and multiple right-angle commutators 323. The four screw lifts 321 are vertically mounted on the trolley 12 platform and are respectively arranged at four equally spaced positions on the annular structure of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31. The top of the lead screw of each screw lift 321 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31.

[0048] The output shaft of the first drive motor 322 is connected to the input shafts of the four screw jacks 321 via multiple right-angle commutators 323. The right-angle commutators 323 are bevel gear transmission mechanisms that convert the horizontal rotational motion output by the drive motor into vertical rotational motion. After the first drive motor 322 starts, power is synchronously transmitted to the four screw jacks 321 via the right-angle commutators 323. The lead screws of the four screw jacks 321 rotate synchronously, driving their respective nuts (or the lead screws themselves) to rise and fall synchronously, thus achieving the smooth raising and lowering of the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31.

[0049] The synchronous drive configuration of the four spiral lifting mechanisms 321 ensures that the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31 maintains a horizontal posture during the lifting process, avoiding tilting of the outer gas ring due to asynchronous lifting on one side. The four-column synchronous lifting structure ensures that the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31 accurately reaches the working position around the engine nozzle in a horizontal posture.

[0050] According to the embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 4 The second lifting drive assembly 42 is implemented using a rack and pinion mechanism 421. In this rack and pinion mechanism 421, the rack is vertically arranged and fixed to the side wall of the central fire extinguisher 41, with the tooth surface of the rack facing one side. The gear meshes with the rack, and the gear is mounted on the output shaft of the second drive motor 422 for transmission connection.

[0051] After the second drive motor 422 starts, the gear rotates, and through the meshing of the gear and rack, the rotational motion of the gear is converted into the linear lifting and lowering motion of the rack. Since the rack is fixedly connected to the central fire extinguisher 41, the lifting and lowering of the rack drives the central fire extinguisher 41 to lift and lower synchronously. When the gear rotates in the forward direction, the rack rises, and the central fire extinguisher 41 passes through the center of the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31 and extends into the engine nozzle; when the gear rotates in the reverse direction, the rack descends, and the central fire extinguisher 41 exits from the engine nozzle and returns to its original position.

[0052] The rack and pinion mechanism 421 features high transmission precision and strong load-bearing capacity, enabling precise control of the depth to which the central fire extinguisher 41 extends into the engine nozzle. By controlling the rotation angle and direction of the second drive motor 422, the lifting height of the central fire extinguisher 41 can be precisely adjusted to accommodate the different lengths and diameters of different engine nozzle models.

[0053] refer to Figure 5 A retractable protective cover 6 is also fitted around the periphery of the central fire extinguisher 41. The protective cover 6 has a cylindrical structure and is coaxially fitted around the periphery of the central fire extinguisher 41. When the central fire extinguisher 41 rises, the protective cover extends and always covers the outer periphery of the central fire extinguisher 41 above the trolley 12 platform; when the central fire extinguisher 41 descends, the protective cover 6 is compressed and folded and returns to its initial height. The protective cover 6 isolates the gear and rack mechanism 421 from the external spray area, preventing the extinguishing medium sprayed by the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31 from seeping into the working area of ​​the gear and rack mechanism 421 along the outer wall of the central fire extinguisher 41, avoiding corrosion or lubrication failure of the meshing surfaces of the gears and racks due to medium intrusion, and ensuring the lifting accuracy and operational reliability of the central fire extinguisher 41 during long-term use.

[0054] According to the embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The scissor-type linkage assembly is equipped with a corresponding limiting member 5, which is a stop block fixedly installed on the track 11. The two ends of the track 11 correspond to the standby position of the trolley 12 and the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine, respectively, and each stop block is fixed at the corresponding position on the track 11. The bottom of the trolley 12 is equipped with rollers, which roll on the track 11 when the trolley 12 moves horizontally along the track 11. When the scissor-type linkage assembly extends and drives the trolley 12 to move to the fire extinguishing position to its limit position, the roller at the bottom of the trolley 12 abuts against the stop block at the corresponding position of the fire extinguishing position, and the stop block prevents the roller from moving further, so the trolley 12 stops accurately at the fire extinguishing position; when the scissor-type linkage assembly retracts and drives the trolley 12 back to the standby position to its limit position, the roller abuts against the stop block at the corresponding position of the standby position, so the trolley 12 stops accurately at the standby position.

[0055] The positional relationship between the limiting component 5 and the scissor linkage assembly is as follows: the output end of the scissor linkage assembly pushes the trolley 12 to move. The reaction force generated when the rollers on the trolley 12 contact the stop on the track 11 is transmitted through the trolley 12 to the scissor linkage assembly, causing the scissor linkage assembly to stop further extension or retraction. The limiting component 5 does not rely on electronic sensors or hydraulic control components; it achieves precise positioning of the trolley 12 entirely through the physical contact between the rollers and the stop. In high-temperature, high-vibration test environments, the positioning accuracy of the limiting component 5 is unaffected by temperature changes and vibration interference, reliably ensuring that the trolley 12 accurately reaches the preset position each time.

[0056] According to an embodiment of this application, the fire extinguishing actuator further includes a fire extinguishing medium supply system. The fire extinguishing medium supply system is connected to the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 via flexible pipelines. One end of the flexible pipeline is connected to a fixed fire extinguishing medium source, such as a water tank or nitrogen cylinder group, and the other end is connected to the annular pipe inlet of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the pipe inlet of the central fire extinguisher 41, respectively.

[0057] The flexible conduit has sufficient length to allow for the translation of the trolley 12. When the trolley 12 moves from the standby position to the fire extinguishing position, the flexible conduit moves with the trolley 12, and the redundant length ensures that the conduit will not break due to stretching. The flexible conduit is constrained by a cable chain mechanism or a suspension pulley mechanism. The cable chain mechanism constrains the flexible conduit in segments within the chain links, and the conduit bends or extends with the cable chain; the suspension pulley mechanism suspends the flexible conduit on a slide rail above the track 11, and the conduit slides on the pulleys as the trolley 12 moves. The above constraint methods can prevent the flexible conduit from becoming entangled or mechanically interfering with the scissor-type linkage assembly during the translation of the trolley 12.

[0058] According to an embodiment of this application, a camera assembly is also provided on the trolley 12. The camera assembly is fixedly mounted on the platform of the trolley 12, with its lens facing the direction of the engine nozzle, and its field of view covering the working areas of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41.

[0059] The camera assembly is connected to the control unit via a signal line. The camera assembly captures video information of the working status of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41, and transmits the video signals to the control unit in real time. Operators can remotely observe the working status of the fire extinguishing actuators through a display device connected to the control unit, including whether the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 has accurately risen to the outer working position, whether the central fire extinguisher 41 has extended into the engine nozzle, and the changes in the flame when the extinguishing medium is sprayed.

[0060] The real-time video information provided by the camera module allows operators to monitor the entire firefighting process from the control room without needing to observe closely at the test site, thus avoiding the threats to personnel safety posed by high temperatures and vibrations. Simultaneously, the video information can also serve as a basis for evaluating the firefighting effectiveness.

[0061] According to embodiments of this application, the applicable extinguishing media for the fire extinguishing actuator include at least one of water, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. The extinguishing media supply system is connected to the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 via independent extinguishing media supply lines. The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 is connected to a first supply line, and the central fire extinguisher 41 is connected to a second supply line; the two supply lines are independent of each other.

[0062] The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 can use the same type of extinguishing medium, such as nitrogen, for example, or they can use different types of extinguishing media. For example, the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 uses water mist to cool and extinguish the fire from the outside, while the central fire extinguisher 41 uses nitrogen to smother the fire from the inside. The selection and switching of the two extinguishing media are achieved through valve groups in the extinguishing media supply system. The control unit controls the opening and closing of the two supply pipelines and the switching of the media type according to the preset fire extinguishing strategy or the operator's instructions.

[0063] In one specific embodiment, the extinguishing medium is water. The water source is pressurized by a water pump and then transported via flexible pipelines to the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41. In another embodiment, the extinguishing medium is nitrogen gas, and the nitrogen cylinder group is pressurized by a pressure reducing valve and then transported to two flexible pipelines.

[0064] refer to Figures 1 to 4 The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates a specific embodiment to demonstrate the working principle of the fire extinguishing actuator.

[0065] The fire extinguishing mechanism is installed to the side of the upright test stand for the solid rocket engine. Track 11 is laid from the standby area to directly below the engine, and trolley 12 is initially parked in the standby position. After the upright test of the engine is completed, the engine nozzle is vertically downward, there is a high-temperature residual fire in the internal combustion chamber, and there are upward flames on the outer periphery of the nozzle.

[0066] After the control unit issues a fire extinguishing command, the drive unit 21, such as the electric push cylinder, is activated, and its telescopic rod extends. The telescopic rod pushes the scissor arms of the first set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 to rotate around the hinge point. The rotation of the first set of scissor forks is transmitted to the second set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 through the series hinge point, and the two sets of scissor forks together generate a horizontal displacement extension. The output end of the second set of scissor fork linkage mechanism 22 pushes the trolley 12 to move rapidly along the track 11 from the standby position to directly below the engine. When the hinge point of the scissor fork linkage assembly moves to contact the limiting member 5, the trolley 12 accurately stops at the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine. The extension displacement of the electric push cylinder is much smaller than the actual translation distance of the trolley 12, realizing rapid positioning with a small displacement driving a large displacement.

[0067] After the trolley 12 is in place, the control unit sends a lifting command to the first drive motor 322 of the first lifting drive assembly 32. The first drive motor 322 starts, and the power is synchronously transmitted to the four screw lifts 321 through multiple right-angle commutators 323. The lead screws of the four screw lifts 321 rotate and rise synchronously, driving the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 to rise smoothly to the working position outside the engine nozzle. The annular pipe of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 surrounds the outer circumference of the engine nozzle, and its inner spray nozzle 311 faces the outer wall of the nozzle.

[0068] The control unit then sends a lifting command to the second drive motor 422 of the second lifting drive assembly 42. The second drive motor 422 drives the gear to rotate, and the gear meshes with the rack to drive the rack to rise vertically and lift the central fire extinguisher 41. The central fire extinguisher 41 passes through the center of the outer gas ring fire extinguisher 31 and continues to extend upward into the engine nozzle, reaching the fire extinguishing position inside the combustion chamber.

[0069] The control unit issues a spray command. The extinguishing medium supply system is activated, and water, pressurized by a water pump, is delivered through flexible pipelines to the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41. Water delivered to the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 is sprayed from its inner nozzle 311 towards the center, forming a water mist or stream that covers the outer periphery of the engine nozzle, suppressing and cooling the rising flames. Water delivered to the central fire extinguisher 41 is sprayed from its front nozzle 311 outwards, directly entering the engine combustion chamber to cool and extinguish the high-temperature residual fire and the incandescent insulation layer. The spraying actions of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 occur simultaneously, providing coordinated internal and external fire suppression for both the engine's interior and exterior.

[0070] During the firefighting process, the camera module captures real-time images of the working status of the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41, and transmits the image signals to the control unit. Operators monitor the firefighting process through display devices in the control room. The extinguishing agent continues to be sprayed until the control unit issues a stop command based on the preset firefighting duration or the operator's judgment based on the images. The control unit sequentially stops the supply of extinguishing agent, lowers the central fire extinguisher 41 and the outer ring fire extinguisher 31, and then controls the drive component 21 to retract in the reverse direction, causing the scissor linkage assembly to fold and retract, driving the trolley 12 to return from the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine to the standby position, thus ending the entire firefighting process.

[0071] During the aforementioned operation, the scissor-type linkage assembly, being a purely mechanical transmission structure, does not rely on a hydraulic system or electronic position sensors. It reliably completes the rapid translation and precise positioning of the trolley 12 in high-temperature, high-vibration test environments. The outer ring fire extinguisher 31 and the central fire extinguisher 41 form a coordinated internal and external fire extinguishing layout, simultaneously covering two fire extinguishing areas: the outer periphery of the engine nozzle and the interior of the combustion chamber. Four spiral lifts 321 are synchronously driven to ensure the outer ring fire extinguisher 31 is accurately positioned horizontally. The rack and pinion mechanism 421 precisely controls the depth to which the central fire extinguisher 41 extends into the engine nozzle. The limiting component 5 ensures that the trolley 12 accurately stops at the preset position each time. The camera assembly provides real-time remote monitoring. All components work together to achieve rapid, reliable, and comprehensive internal and external fire extinguishing after the upright test of the solid rocket engine.

[0072] Secondly, this application also provides a fire extinguishing method for extinguishing a test solid rocket motor using the aforementioned fire extinguishing actuator. This fire extinguishing method includes a translational positioning step, a first positioning step, a second positioning step, and a jetting fire extinguishing step.

[0073] During the translation and positioning process, the control unit issues a translation command, the drive unit is activated, and the trolley is driven along the track from the standby position to directly below the engine via the scissor linkage assembly. The displacement amplification function of the scissor linkage assembly allows a small displacement at the output end of the drive unit to drive the trolley to produce a large translation displacement, enabling the trolley to quickly reach the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine.

[0074] In the first positioning step, the control unit sends a command to the first lifting drive assembly, which drives the outer ring fire extinguisher to rise to the working position outside the engine nozzle. The outer ring fire extinguisher rises to a position where its annular pipe is coaxial with the engine nozzle and its inner spray nozzle is directly opposite the outer wall of the nozzle.

[0075] In the second positioning step, the control unit sends a command to the second lifting drive assembly, which drives the central fire extinguisher to rise. The rising path of the central fire extinguisher passes through the central area of ​​the outer ring fire extinguisher, passes through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher, and continues to extend upward into the engine nozzle, reaching the working position inside the combustion chamber.

[0076] The raising and lowering actions of the external air-ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher are independent of each other and are controlled separately by the control unit. They can be performed simultaneously or at different times.

[0077] During the spray extinguishing process, the control unit issues a spray command, and the extinguishing medium is delivered to the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher. The outer ring fire extinguisher sprays the extinguishing medium from its inner nozzle towards the outer periphery of the engine, while the central fire extinguisher sprays the extinguishing medium into the internal space of the engine. The spraying actions of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher are independent of each other; they can spray simultaneously or at different times.

[0078] The timing of the above steps can be flexibly adjusted according to actual fire extinguishing needs to adapt to fire extinguishing strategies for different engine models, different extinguishing media, and different fire conditions.

[0079] Furthermore, the spraying extinguishing step is followed by a continuous spraying step and a reset step.

[0080] During the continuous spraying phase, both the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher maintain a continuous spraying of the extinguishing medium. The extinguishing medium continuously acts on the outer periphery of the engine nozzle and the interior of the combustion chamber until the control unit issues a stop command. The stop command can be triggered by the arrival of a preset spraying duration, by the operator manually issuing the command after determining that the flames have been completely extinguished based on real-time images transmitted by the camera component, or by automatic triggering based on the combustion chamber temperature dropping below a safe threshold detected by the temperature sensor.

[0081] During the reset procedure, the control unit issues a reset command, causing the drive components to reverse their movement. This drives the trolley from the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine to the standby position via the scissor-type linkage assembly. Before the trolley retracts, the control unit can first instruct the first and second lifting drive assemblies to lower the outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher respectively, returning them to their initial positions on the trolley platform before executing the trolley's retraction.

[0082] The continuous spraying step ensures that the extinguishing medium has sufficient contact time to completely extinguish any remaining fire inside and around the engine, preventing reignition due to insufficient spraying time. The reset step returns the entire fire suppression mechanism to its initial standby state, preparing it for the next fire suppression test.

[0083] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this application will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0084] Furthermore, various different implementations of this application can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this application, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A fire extinguishing actuator for an engine in an upright test, characterized in that, include: The walking unit (1) includes a fixed track (11) and a trolley (12) slidably mounted on the track (11). The translation drive unit (2) includes a drive element (21) and a scissor linkage assembly. One end of the scissor linkage assembly is connected to the output end of the drive element (21), and the other end is connected to the trolley (12). The scissor linkage assembly has a displacement amplification function. The output displacement of the drive unit (21) is less than the translational displacement of the trolley (12). The drive unit (21) drives the trolley (12) to translate on the track (11) through the scissor linkage assembly, so that the trolley (12) switches between a preset standby position and a fire extinguishing position directly below the engine. An outer ring fire extinguishing unit (3) is installed on the trolley (12) and includes an outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and a first lifting drive assembly (32) for driving the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) to rise and fall. The outer ring fire extinguisher (31) has an annular pipe structure and a spray port (311) is provided on its inner side for spraying fire extinguishing medium to the outer periphery of the engine. A central fire extinguishing unit (4) is mounted on the trolley (12). The central fire extinguishing unit (4) includes a central fire extinguisher (41) and a second lifting drive assembly (42) that drives the central fire extinguisher (41) to rise and fall. The central fire extinguisher (41) moves vertically through the central area of ​​the outer ring fire extinguisher (31), and the central fire extinguisher (41) can pass through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and extend into the engine nozzle to spray fire extinguishing medium into the internal space of the engine. The control unit is signal connected to the drive unit (21), the first lifting drive assembly (32) and the second lifting drive assembly (42) respectively, and is used to control the translational movement of the trolley (12), the lifting movement of the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the lifting movement of the central fire extinguisher (41); The control unit is configured to independently control the lifting and spraying actions of the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the central fire extinguisher (41); the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the central fire extinguisher (41) can be lifted and positioned simultaneously or at different times, and can spray simultaneously or at different times.

2. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scissor linkage assembly includes two sets of scissor linkage mechanisms (22) connected in series. The two sets of scissor linkage mechanisms (22) are connected in series through hinge points. The telescopic end of the drive member (21) is connected to the power input end of one set of scissor linkage mechanisms (22), and the power output end of the other set of scissor linkage mechanisms (22) is connected to the trolley (12).

3. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first lifting drive assembly (32) includes four spiral lifts (321), a first drive motor (322), and multiple right-angle commutators (323). The drive motor is connected to the four spiral lifts (321) through the multiple right-angle commutators (323). The four spiral lifts (321) lift synchronously to drive the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) to lift.

4. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second lifting drive assembly (42) includes a gear and rack mechanism (421), the rack of the gear and rack mechanism (421) is vertically arranged and fixedly connected to the central fire extinguisher (41), the gear of the gear and rack mechanism (421) is connected to the second drive motor (422) for transmission, and the central fire extinguisher (41) is driven to lift through the meshing of the gear and rack.

5. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track is provided with limiting members (5) corresponding to the positions of the standby position and the fire extinguishing position. The limiting members (5) are used to abut against the trolley (12) to limit the movement range of the trolley (12) so that the trolley (12) stops accurately on the track (11) at the standby position or the fire extinguishing position.

6. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fire extinguishing medium supply system, which is connected to the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the central fire extinguisher (41) respectively through flexible pipelines. The flexible pipelines have redundant lengths for the translation of the trolley (12), and the flexible pipelines are constrained by a drag chain mechanism or a suspension pulley mechanism to prevent the flexible pipelines from getting tangled or interfering with the scissor linkage assembly during the translation of the trolley (12).

7. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trolley (12) is also equipped with a camera assembly, which is connected to the control unit for collecting image information of the working status of the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the central fire extinguisher (41).

8. The fire extinguishing actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The extinguishing medium is at least one of water, nitrogen or carbon dioxide; the outer ring fire extinguisher (31) and the central fire extinguisher (41) are respectively connected to the extinguishing medium supply system through independent extinguishing medium supply pipelines, and can be sprayed with the same or different types of extinguishing medium.

9. A fire extinguishing method for an engine in an upright test, using the fire extinguishing actuator as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Translation and positioning steps: The control unit issues a command, and the drive unit drives the trolley to translate along the track through the scissor linkage assembly, so that the trolley moves from the standby position to the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine; First positioning step: The control unit controls the first lifting drive assembly to drive the outer gas ring fire extinguisher to rise to the outer working position of the engine nozzle; The second positioning step: The control unit controls the second lifting drive assembly to drive the central fire extinguisher through the center of the outer ring fire extinguisher and rise to the working position that extends into the engine nozzle; the lifting and positioning action of the outer ring fire extinguisher is independent of the lifting and positioning action of the central fire extinguisher, and the two are carried out simultaneously or at different times. Fire extinguishing procedure: Fire extinguishing medium is sprayed onto the outer periphery of the engine through the spray nozzle inside the outer ring fire extinguisher, and fire extinguishing medium is sprayed into the internal space of the engine through the central fire extinguisher; the spraying action of the outer ring fire extinguisher and the spraying action of the central fire extinguisher are independent of each other, and the two are carried out simultaneously or at different times.

10. The fire extinguishing method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Following the spray extinguishing step, the method further includes: Continuous spraying procedure: The outer ring fire extinguisher and the central fire extinguisher continue to spray the extinguishing medium until a stop command is received from the control unit; Reset Step: The control unit issues a reset command, and the drive unit drives the trolley to retract from the fire extinguishing position directly below the engine to the standby position via the scissor linkage assembly.

Images