Unwind winch for unwinding a fire hose from an aircraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to a roll-off winch for unrolling a fire service pressure hose from an aircraft, such as a helicopter, at least one roll-off axis around which the fire service pressure hose can be at least partially unrolled and rewound, at least one fastening device for releasably fastening the roll-off axis to the fastening device, which is characterized in that the fastening device, in addition to the fastening of the roll-off axis, also has a gyroscopic stabilization bearing of the roll-off axis, so that gyroscopic stabilization and thus directional stabilization of the roll-off axis can be generated.

Description

[0001] The present invention comprises a reel-off winch for reeling off a fire hose from an aircraft according to claim 1.

[0002] According to the invention, the unwinding winch for unwinding a fire pressure hose from an aircraft, such as a helicopter, comprises at least one unwinding axis around which the fire pressure hose can be at least partially unwound and rewound, at least one fastening device for releasably fastening the unwinding axis to the fastening device, which is characterized in that the fastening device, in addition to the fastening of the unwinding axis, also has a gyroscopic stabilization bearing of the unwinding axis, so that gyroscopic stabilization and thus directional stabilization of the unwinding axis can be generated.

[0003] According to at least one embodiment, the unwinding winch for unwinding a fire pressure hose from an aircraft is characterized in that the gyroscopic stabilization bearing keeps the unwinding axis essentially constant in direction by means of a displacement of weights, regardless of the inclination of the aircraft.

[0004] According to at least one embodiment, the unwinding winch for unwinding a fire pressure hose from an aircraft is characterized in that the unwinding axis itself is a stabilization axis in the sense of gyroscopic stabilization.

[0005] According to at least one embodiment, the unwinding winch for unwinding a fire pressure hose from an aircraft comprises a transport system which comprises at least the unwinding winch and at least one extinguishing device for air transporting it to a fire source.

[0006] According to at least one embodiment, the method for extinguishing a fire source comprises three steps: locating the fire source and alerting a fire engine, and then moving the fire engine, either by its own motorization or by means of a cargo vehicle, such as a helicopter.

[0007] According to at least one embodiment, the unmanned, preferably self-propelled firefighting vehicle comprises at least one mobile base frame, which can be moved from one location to the next either fully automatically or by external intervention of a user, and at least one means for extinguishing and / or smothering fires, smoldering fires or other sources containing toxic gases, wherein the means for extinguishing and / or smothering is either connectable to an external extinguishing agent source or the vehicle at least partially comprises an extinguishing agent source and further wherein the means for extinguishing and / or smothering is different from an irrigation vehicle.

[0008] The 2023 Canadian wildfires are a series of wildfires in Canada. They began in March 2023 and spread rapidly from May 2023 onwards, fueled by severe drought, heat, and the effects of climate change. Almost all provinces and regions of the country are affected. Particularly extensive and numerous fires are occurring in Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and Ontario; Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Yukon, and Newfoundland and Labrador are also affected.

[0009] Measured by area, the wildfire season is Canada's worst on record. As of November 21, 2023, 6,652 fires had occurred, of which 331 were active and 84 were out of control. They had burned an area of ​​approximately 185,000 km². 2 This is almost 2.5 times as much as in the previous record season in Canada and corresponds to more than half the area of ​​Germany (357,588 km 2). On average over the past ten years, approximately 22,000 km 2 yearly.

[0010] As a result, parts of Canada and the United States experienced massive, health-threatening air pollution, affecting over 100 million people. By August 22, nearly 200,000 people had to be evacuated, the highest number ever in Canada. Three firefighters and a helicopter pilot were killed fighting the fire.

[0011] The situation was exacerbated by a general shortage of firefighters and the fact that all Canadian provinces were affected simultaneously, making it difficult to exchange personnel and equipment such as firefighting aircraft. The Canadian military, among others, was deployed to fight the fires. In mid-June, around 5,000 firefighters from various countries, including the USA, Chile, Portugal, Spain, and others, also supported the firefighting efforts. Because the large fires are difficult to extinguish, the wildfire season is expected to last into the fall. The peak of the Canadian wildfire season typically occurs between June and August.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least bring distant fires or the like under control and ideally to extinguish them, even without firefighters.

[0013] The vehicle proposed here, preferably unnamed, is a solution to this problem. For example, the vehicle is an aerosol fire engine (also known as an exhaust gas fire engine or turbo extinguisher). This is a fire engine that aerosolizes (atomizes) a liquid and blows it into a fire at high pressure or over long distances (up to 100 m) in order to extinguish a fire or to suppress toxic fumes and smoke, and to facilitate access to the scene for firefighters. Extinguishing water or firefighting foam can be added to the exhaust jet of a movably mounted jet turbine or the airflow of a conventional turbine (propeller).

[0014] According to at least one embodiment, the vehicle has at least one drive element, for example, an electric motor or an internal combustion engine, by means of which the vehicle can be driven from a station location to a fire scene or can drive itself. A fuel tank can be installed in the vehicle, which allows the vehicle to travel more than 10 km, preferably more than 100 km, without needing to refuel.

[0015] The extinguishing agent source can comprise a fire pressure hose which is stored in the vehicle in a roll-up manner. Preferably, the hose is connected to an extinguishing agent reservoir on or in the vehicle or externally to such a reservoir. For example, the hose is a fire service pressure hose. Preferably, the hose and / or a pressure pump on or in the vehicle is designed, equipped and intended for an operating pressure of up to 17 bar. For example, the test pressure is 12 bar for A and F hoses and 16 bar for B, C and D hoses. The burst pressure is, for example, 25 bar; i.e. new hoses must preferably withstand 24 bar without bursting.

[0016] A fire extinguisher can be installed at the end of the hose. An extinguishing agent pump can be powered either by the engine or by another pump pressure generating unit on the vehicle.

[0017] Preferably, the hose is wound on a reel with a diameter of at least one meter, preferably at least 5 meters. The reel can be part of the vehicle.

[0018] According to at least one embodiment, it has at least one hose reel onto which the hose can be wound and unwound by itself or by the addition of mechanical force.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment, this has at least one controller element which transmits the data relevant for fire fighting, such as location, area extent, danger points or the like, to a control system and / or a drive element, and the control system is set up and intended to control the drive element in such a way that it moves to the location of the fire source fully or partially automatically, preferably without initial intervention by a monitor or user.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment, after arriving near the source, the vehicle positions itself, preferably fully automatically, near the source in such a way that the source is contained or extinguished by the vehicle, preferably fully automatically.

[0021] According to at least one embodiment, after a fluid-tight connection of the extinguishing and / or smothering means to a fluid tank and / or to an extinguishing fluid system, the vehicle moves, preferably fully automatically, along the source of the fire to contain or extinguish the fire using a turbine installed on the vehicle. This turbine diverts a portion of the fluid pressure to drive the turbine. The actual engine of the vehicle can be switched off.

[0022] The deletion process can be performed in rows and columns. The vehicle can be satellite-controlled for this purpose.

[0023] According to at least one embodiment, the vehicle has at least one sensor system that can detect characteristics of the source of the fire, such as location, surface area, heat, danger points, or the like. These values ​​are then transmitted to the control unit, enabling fully automatic containment or extinguishing of the source of the fire without further intervention by an operator or supervisor. For example, depending on the requirements for fire suppression, more than one vehicle may be activated automatically or by a supervisor.

[0024] This could involve a line of at least two of the vehicles described here, which would preferably drive to the stove fully automatically. Once the stove is integrated into the alarm system, either fully automatically or by the monitor, everything can happen fully automatically. It's also conceivable that a stove could be detected fully automatically by a monitoring system. Satellites or similar devices could be used for this, which could detect the stove in real time or when it reaches a certain size.

[0025] According to at least one embodiment, the fire engine, either by means of the operation of an operator of the fire engine or fully automatically after arriving in the area of ​​the fire, moves its hose connection to a water source laterally along an edge of a road or path at which the fire engine is stopped, so that a fire engine driving behind it, for example of the same type as described here, does not have to drive over the hose laid to the rear or is hindered by it.

[0026] According to at least one embodiment, a pressure compressor unit is mounted on at least one of the firefighting vehicles described here in order to at least partially, preferably completely, maintain an output pressure originating from an extinguishing water source. In other words, the pressure loss is at least partially maintained at least at one point, if several firefighting vehicles are arranged one behind the other, so that a firefighting vehicle cascade can be created.

[0027] For example, a hose diameter of the fire engine is at least 5 inches, preferably at least 10 inches and particularly preferably at least 11, for example at least 12 inches.

[0028] Therefore, water is forced under high pressure from the fire engine, for example through a fire hose described here, so that high-pressure spraying can take place.

[0029] In addition to the enormous amounts of water that are pressed and thrown out of the end of the hose in the direction of the stove, especially under high pressure, with a hose of this size, the stove is usually not only actually extinguished, but often also suffocated.

[0030] In the sense of the invention, “high pressure” means a pressure to which the extinguishing agent, for example the extinguishing water, is subjected to at least 5 bar, preferably at least 10 bar, in particular at least 40 and at most 200 bar.

[0031] The fire engine can form a so-called high-pressure extinguishing system.

[0032] A high-pressure extinguishing system (HDL for short, also called an ultrahigh-pressure extinguishing system in Austria) is designed to achieve the greatest possible extinguishing effect with as little water as possible. The principle of a high-pressure extinguishing system is that "the finer the water droplets, the faster the water evaporates, and the better the extinguishing effect." Water that doesn't evaporate is considered "waste" in extinguishing terms and is responsible for the notorious water damage that occurs in what is essentially a small fire.

[0033] Unlike a pulse extinguishing system, a high-pressure extinguishing system emits a constant jet, but both, depending on the type, operate at pressures in excess of 100 bar. The ultrafine atomization massively increases the surface area of ​​the extinguishing agent (water with or without foam concentrate), allowing for faster evaporation. A special feature is the rapid and highly efficient evaporation, which extracts an enormous amount of heat (2.3 MJ per liter of water) from the environment. Likewise, the air is displaced by immediate evaporation upon impact with the flames (approximately 1600 times the volume of the original water droplet), enabling rapid flame containment. In addition, there is an enormous cooling effect and efficient shielding from radiant heat for surrounding fire loads and nearby people.

[0034] It is conceivable that if at least two fire engines presented here are fed simultaneously, i.e. in parallel, from an extinguishing agent source, for example a lake or a hydrant, or are cascaded one after the other in a kind of series connection, i.e. connected one after the other, several launchers can fight a fire with approximately the same pressure conditions.

[0035] Furthermore, for the purposes of the application, the term "firefighting vehicle" refers to any moving or movable firefighting device. The term "firefighting vehicle" therefore includes not only vehicles with their own motor drive, such as a diesel, gasoline, or other combustion engine and / or electric motor, but also firefighting trailers or separate firefighting devices that do not have their own propulsion and are transported to the vicinity of the fire, for example, by helicopter or other air freight vehicle.

[0036] If a vehicle's sensors detect that additional vehicles are needed on site to contain or extinguish the fire, at least one additional vehicle is started, preferably fully automatically, or starts starting automatically.

[0037] According to at least one embodiment, after completion of the containment or extinguishing process, the vehicle returns fully automatically to a rest location, for example a fire department equipment shed.

[0038] According to at least one embodiment, GPS data or other geodata can be used to move the vehicle.

[0039] According to at least one embodiment, in the method for containing or extinguishing a (fire) source, a fire engine extinguishes or quenches a source after a source has been reported to a control center, possibly with initialization by a monitor.

[0040] In the following, the invention described here is presented in more detail with reference to a figure and the associated description.

[0041] Fig. 1A shows a side view of the unwinding winch 1 for unwinding a fire service pressure hose 2 from an aircraft 3, such as a helicopter, wherein the unwinding winch 1 comprises at least one unwinding axis 4, around which the fire service pressure hose 2 can be at least partially unwound and rewound, as well as at least one fastening device 5 for releasably fastening the unwinding axis 4 to the fastening device 5, which is characterized in that the fastening device 5, in addition to the fastening of the unwinding axis 4, also has a gyroscopic stabilization bearing 6 of the unwinding axis 4, so that gyroscopic stabilization and thus directional stabilization of the unwinding axis 4 can be generated.

[0042] In addition, Fig. 1A that the gyro stabilization bearing 6 keeps the roll axis 4 essentially constant in direction by means of a displacement of weights, regardless of the inclination of the aircraft 3, and that the roll axis 4 is itself at the same time a stabilization axis in the sense of gyro stabilization.

[0043] Fig. 1A also shows a transport system 1000 which comprises at least the unwinding winch 1 and at least one extinguishing device 7 for supplying the air to a stove.

[0044] The Fig. Figure 1B shows all the above-mentioned features in a rear view of the aircraft 3. List of reference symbols 1 unwind winch 2 fire hoses 3 Flying machine 4 Rolling axle 5 Fastening device 6 Gyro stabilization bearings 7 extinguishing device 1000 transport system

Claims

[1] Unwinding winch (1) for unwinding a fire hose (2) from an aircraft (3), such as a helicopter, the unwinding winch (1) comprising: - at least one unwinding axis (4) around which the fire hose (2) can be unwound and rewound at least partially, - at least one fastening device (5) for releasably fastening the rolling axle (4) to the fastening device (5) characterized by that the fastening device (5), in addition to the fastening of the rolling axis (4), also has a gyroscopic stabilization bearing (6) of the rolling axis (4), so that gyroscopic stabilization and thus directional stabilization of the rolling axis (4) can be generated. [2] Unwinding winch (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the gyro stabilization bearing (6) keeps the roll axis (4) essentially constant in direction by means of a displacement of weights, regardless of the inclination of the aircraft (3). [3] Unwinding winch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the roll axis (4) is at the same time a stabilization axis in the sense of gyroscopic stabilization. [4] Transport system (1000) comprising at least the unwinding winch (1) and at least one extinguishing device (7) for supplying the air to a hearth.

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