Fire suppression system and firefighting aircraft equipped with the same

Abstract

The present invention is for solving three drawbacks (geographical constraints, inefficiency of the fire extinguishing method itself, and very low flight risk) of the currently used wildfire extinguishing methods, and relates to a fire suppression system and a fire fighting aircraft equipped with the same. The fire suppression system of the present invention is a fire suppression system installed in the cargo hold of an aircraft to suppress fires, and includes a fire extinguishing agent container mounted in the cargo hold for storing a fire extinguishing agent, a pump connected to the fire extinguishing agent container by a first fire hose for pumping the fire extinguishing agent, and a launcher for launching the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump to suppress fires. The launcher includes a launch tube provided with a nozzle connected to the pump by a second fire hose for injecting or spraying the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump, a support portion installed in the cargo hold, a rotating portion installed between the support portion and the launch tube for enabling the launch tube to rotate vertically, horizontally, and in all directions, and a handle portion installed so as to surround the launch tube for handling the direction of the nozzle of the launch tube vertically, horizontally, and in all directions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire suppression system and a fire-fighting aircraft equipped with the same.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, large-scale wildfires have been continuously occurring all over the world, and the likelihood of their continued occurrence due to the impact of global warming, which is expected to increase in the future, is growing.

[0003] Wildfires, like any form of fire, are extremely important in terms of initial suppression. If the timing of this initial suppression is missed, it will spread to large-scale wildfires in many mountains and forests, immediately causing not only significant losses in ecological, economic, and social aspects, but also resulting in the deaths of firefighters and civilians. In the long term, it takes 40 to 100 years to restore the mountains and forests burned by these wildfires back to their original state, which requires continuous efforts and costs. However, a bigger problem is that such large-scale wildfires have been occurring almost every year recently, and it is highly likely that the frequency will increase further.

[0004] To extinguish such wildfires, most countries mobilize firefighters, fire trucks, of course, as well as dedicated fire helicopters, dedicated fire aircraft, and even civilians for fire suppression. However, it often spreads to large-scale wildfires, and in reality, the efforts of the fire authorities seem minimal. That is, in the case of a certain large-scale wildfire, many fire trucks and firefighters, as well as many helicopters and civilians, participate in wildfire suppression, but in reality, it seems insufficient in terms of extinguishing the wildfire. The reason why it is difficult to extinguish wildfires like this is due to the difficulties of the current extinguishing methods being used.

[0005] Currently, the main fire extinguishing equipment used in mountain fire suppression includes dedicated fire helicopters and dedicated fire aircraft. However, these have three major drawbacks. First, there is the drawback of geographical constraints. In the case of dedicated fire aircraft, they have to travel to and from the aircraft's takeoff and landing sites. In the case of helicopters, the distance between the water source (river or lake) and the fire area is also an important factor determining the efficiency of mountain fire suppression. At this time, it is fortunate if the water source is nearby. Otherwise, that is, if it is far away, a lot of time will be wasted in the round trip. Moreover, even in a situation where a mountain fire is reported initially and every moment counts, water cannot be directly loaded and taken to the fire scene. If the water source is very far away, there may be cases where one has to make a detour to that very far location. Second, there is the inefficiency of the fire extinguishing method itself. Different from the case where firefighters at a general on-land fire scene extinguish the fire, these cannot aim the fire hose and spray water while observing the fire situation. Instead, they simply pour water onto the fire, which is very inefficient. This method easily leaves residual fire on tree branches or anywhere else, and due to this residual fire, the helicopter has to go back to the water source again, which is also inefficient in terms of water and helicopter fuel. Third, there is the danger of low-altitude flight. Fire helicopters are accompanied by the danger of having to fly very low over the water surface every time to draw water from the water source. Due to the characteristics of helicopters, very low-altitude flight is very dangerous.

[0006] In response to the increasing trend of wildfires due to climate change, countries around the world, including the United States and South Korea, have established separate research departments for wildfire suppression equipment and are researching and developing such equipment. However, for some reason, they are still using methods that are 50 years old or older. That is, even in the case of fire-fighting helicopters, there has been no major development other than enhancing the performance of the helicopters so that they can lift more water than in the past. If forests burn due to wildfires in various parts of the world, the earth's ability to purify carbon dioxide will decrease only in the burned forest areas. Moreover, this may further exacerbate global warming and strengthen the vicious cycle of increasing the frequency of wildfires. Therefore, it is urgent to develop technologies that overcome the above three drawbacks.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the above three drawbacks of the existing technology and first aims to suppress wildfires at an early stage. However, even if the early suppression fails due to strong winds or other reasons and the wildfire spreads on a large scale, it is created for the purpose of suppressing wildfires in a much more efficient way than the conventional wildfire suppression methods. Here, early suppression means that, on the premise that the occurrence of a wildfire and its notification are carried out almost simultaneously, an aircraft completely suppresses the wildfire within 2 hours or a maximum of 3 hours.

[0008] Therefore, in order to overcome the practical difficulties described above in the present invention, the following matters must be resolved. First, in order to overcome the difficulty of geographical constraints, the fire department needs to be able to set the location of the water supply source that can supply water by itself. By doing so, regardless of the location of rivers or lakes, a systematic and efficient wildfire suppression plan can be established. Second, in order to overcome the inefficiency of simply pouring water on the fire, more developed technologies are required. That is, an efficient fire suppression method is needed such that a firefighter on the ground can use the hose of a fire truck to efficiently suppress the fire while observing the fire situation. Third, in order to reduce the danger of a fire helicopter, first, the danger of flying very low over the water surface must be eliminated, and the number of flights must be reduced as much as possible.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0009] A fire suppression system according to one aspect of the present invention is a fire suppression system installed in the cargo hold of a flying object to suppress a fire, including a fire extinguishing agent container mounted in the cargo hold for storing a fire extinguishing agent, a pump connected to the fire extinguishing agent container by a first fire hose for pumping the fire extinguishing agent, and a launching device for launching the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump to suppress the fire. The launching device includes a launching pipe provided with a nozzle connected to the pump by a second fire hose for injecting or spraying the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump, a support portion installed in the cargo hold, a rotating portion installed between the support portion and the launching pipe for enabling the launching pipe to rotate vertically, horizontally, left, and right, and a handle portion installed so as to wrap around the launching pipe for handling the direction of the nozzle of the launching pipe vertically, horizontally, left, and right. , each It can include a control unit that is linked to a display that displays various function buttons and informs about the current situation, and is linked to various sensors that sense the handling of the handle portion and the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent container.

[0010] Specifically, the rotating part can include a rotating gear box fixedly installed on the upper part of the supporting part, and a rotating member installed between the rotating gear box and the firing tube, which can rotate forward, backward, left, and right according to the handling of the handle part.

[0011] Specifically, the control unit can control the pump by selecting the presence or absence (on or off) of the operation of the pump on the display, control the rotating part by selecting the forward, backward, left, and right rotation function (manual function or semi-automatic function) of the rotating part on the display, control the nozzle by selecting the firing method (spraying method or scattering method) of the fire extinguishing agent sprayed through the nozzle on the display, and control the nozzle by selecting the firing pressure (high pressure, medium pressure, or low pressure) of the fire extinguishing agent sprayed through the nozzle on the display.

[0012] Specifically, when the control unit selects the forward, backward, left, and right rotation function of the rotating part as a manual function on the display, it can control the operation of the rotating gear box to be in an off state so that the rotating member can rotate freely according to the handling of the handle part.

[0013] Specifically, when the control unit selects the forward, backward, left, and right rotation function of the rotating part as a semi-automatic function on the display, it can control the operation of the rotating gear box to be in an on state, and the rotating member can be forced controlled to rotate or be forcibly fixed according to the presence or absence of the handling of the handle part.

[0014] Specifically, when handling is detected by a sensor that senses the handling of the handle portion, the control unit controls the gear rotation of the rotary gear box to be performed, and the rotating member is forced to rotate in any one of the front-rear, left-right directions corresponding to the handling direction of the handle portion, so that the nozzle of the launch tube moves in any one of the up-down, left-right directions. When handling is not detected by the sensor that senses the handling of the handle portion, the control unit controls the gear rotation of the rotary gear box to stop, and the rotating member is forcibly fixed while there is no handling of the handle portion, so that the launch tube can be fixed while maintaining the nozzle direction.

[0015] Specifically, the control unit can display the remaining amount value measured by the sensor that senses the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent container on the display in real time, and issue an alarm when the measured remaining amount value reaches a preset value.

[0016] Specifically, the support portion is installed on a guide rail provided in the cargo hold, can slide back and forth along the guide rail for position adjustment, and can be fixed by a stopper provided on the guide rail during fire suppression.

[0017] Specifically, the fire extinguishing agent container can include a main body that stores the fire extinguishing agent, an inlet provided on the upper surface of the main body for storing the fire extinguishing agent inside the main body, an outlet provided on the side surface of the main body for supplying the fire extinguishing agent stored in the main body to the launching device and fastened to the first fire hose, and a plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body for mounting on the cargo hold of the aircraft on land.

[0018] Specifically, the fire extinguishing agent container will be loaded from land onto the aircraft by a loading device provided in the cargo hold, and can be detachably mounted on a container fixing device provided in the cargo hold.

[0019] Specifically, the fire extinguishing agent container can further include a sloshing suppression device installed inside the main body in order to prevent the movement of the flying object from being hindered by the sloshing of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the main body.

[0020] Specifically, the sloshing suppression device can be formed by any one or a combination of a perforated plate installed at least one or more at a certain height upward from the lower surface of the main body, and a plurality of baffles installed at a certain height in the inner side direction from the inner side surface of the main body.

[0021] Specifically, the sloshing suppression device can include a buoyancy plate covering the upper surface of the fire extinguishing agent and having a plurality of flow holes, a plurality of guide members installed vertically on the side surface of the main body and arranged at regular intervals in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of slide members having one end connected to each of the plurality of guide members so as to be able to move up and down according to the upper surface level of the fire extinguishing agent, and the other end fixedly connected to the edge of the buoyancy plate.

[0022] Specifically, the pump is a combined water supply and drainage pump installed in the cargo hold of the flying object or a part of the fire extinguishing agent container. During fire suppression, it operates as a drainage pump, and the fire extinguishing agent is fired at the nozzle through the first fire hose connected to the outlet of the fire extinguishing agent container and the second fire hose connected to the firing tube of the launching device. When replenishing new fire extinguishing agent during flight with the fire extinguishing agent container mounted in the cargo hold, it operates as a water supply pump. After separating the first fire hose from the outlet, it is connected to the inlet of the fire extinguishing agent container. After separating the second fire hose from the firing tube, it is connected to a third fire hose to replenish the new fire extinguishing agent.

[0023] Specifically, one end of the third fire hose is connected to the second fire hose and has a length extending to an onshore water source. The other end has a cylindrical body with an empty interior, and an inlet pipe for the new fire extinguishing agent can be provided at the upper part of one side of the body to prevent the inflow of foreign objects.

[0024] The fire-fighting aircraft according to another aspect of the present invention includes the fire suppression system according to claim 1 and the aircraft on which the fire suppression system is installed. The aircraft includes a cockpit, a cargo hold separated by a partition wall and on which the fire extinguishing agent container is mounted, a loading ramp provided behind the cargo hold for loading or unloading the fire extinguishing agent container from / onto land, and an access part provided on the side of the cargo hold where the launching device is located.

[0025] Specifically, it further includes a loading device installed on the partition wall side of the cargo hold for loading the fire extinguishing agent container from land into the cargo hold. The loading device can be a winch that connects the fire extinguishing agent container with a wire and pulls it into the cargo hold.

[0026] Specifically, it further includes a container fixing device provided at the bottom of the cargo hold for fixing the fire extinguishing agent container. The container fixing device includes a front fastening part installed corresponding to the front width of the fire extinguishing agent container and fixedly installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to fix the front of the fire extinguishing agent container, a rear fastening part installed corresponding to the rear width of the fire extinguishing agent container and variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to avoid interference when loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold and to fix the rear of the fire extinguishing agent container, and a wheel fastening part installed corresponding to a plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body of the fire extinguishing agent container and variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to avoid interference when loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold and to fix the plurality of wheels.

[0027] Specifically, when loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold, it can further include a wheel guide part extending from the loading ramp to the partition wall side so as to guide a plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body of the fire extinguishing agent container.

[0028] Specifically, a guide rail can be further included, which is installed so as to extend a certain length from the access part to the inside of the cargo hold, and a stopper is provided for sliding the launching device back and forth to adjust the position and fixing the position of the launching device after the position adjustment of the launching device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0029] The fire suppression system according to the present invention and the fire fighting aircraft equipped with the same can overcome the three drawbacks of the above-described conventional wildfire extinguishing methods.

[0030] First, it has the drawback of geographical constraints. The fire suppression system according to the present invention and the fire fighting aircraft equipped with the same can overcome the geographical constraints of the conventional fire extinguishing methods. That is, the fire fighting aircraft of the present invention is provided with a fire extinguishing agent container that can be mounted and replaced in the aircraft body, so that the fire extinguishing agent container filled with the fire extinguishing agent can be directly placed on the wildfire suppression site and moved. Therefore, at the initial stage of the wildfire report, regardless of the water source, it can quickly go to the wildfire suppression site together with the fire extinguishing agent. This is the same principle as a land fire truck directly taking water to the fire site along with the fire report. This is the response method of the fire department that has nothing to do with the water source at the initial stage of the wildfire report, but the fire department can formulate a fire suppression plan for the entire possible wildfire area without being related to the water source. For example, suppose there is a huge possible wildfire area. Then, there should be many cities and villages around or within that possible wildfire area. Assuming that the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment also uses tap water as the fire extinguishing agent like a land fire truck, the cities and villages where tap water comes out will become the target areas of the fire extinguishing agent (water) supply sites. Appropriately select several locations from these target areas and arrange the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment. At this time, when the area to be responsible is unavoidably large at the place of arrangement, a plurality of the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment are arranged proportionally, and when the area to be responsible is small, a small number are arranged proportionally. Of course, a takeoff and landing site for the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment is provided in the selected area, and a pump facility that can fill the empty fire extinguishing agent container, that is, play the role of a large faucet, is built. To prepare for a large wildfire, it is advisable to build a plurality of such pump facilities. This is to fill a plurality of empty fire extinguishing agent containers at the same time. In addition, sufficient extra fire extinguishing agent containers are also prepared. This is also for the same reason. Then, when a wildfire report comes in, the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment closest to the selected fire extinguishing agent supply site starts to engage in fire suppression. And while they are engaged in fire suppression, the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment from other farther places come to support the fire suppression. To this extent, considering the speed of the fire fighting aircraft of this embodiment, it is probably possible to suppress the fire.However, for example, if the fire-fighting aircraft of the present embodiment that took off first fails to extinguish the mountain fire during the first takeoff and further fire-extinguishing operations are required, it will return to the fire-extinguishing agent supply area again, quickly replace it with a fire-extinguishing agent container filled with the fire-extinguishing agent, and then go to the mountain fire area again. At the fire-extinguishing agent supply area, a plurality of water supply facilities (pump facilities) are used to fill the empty fire-extinguishing agent containers simultaneously. Thus, if the fire-fighting aircraft of the present embodiment that has arrived at the mountain fire site for the second time and is performing fire-extinguishing operations also fails to complete the fire extinguishing, it will also come to this nearby area to replace the fire-extinguishing agent container. Of course, if the fire-extinguishing agent supply facility (such as a pump facility) at the fire-extinguishing agent supply area closest to this mountain fire area lacks the ability to fill the empty fire-extinguishing agent container of the returning fire-fighting aircraft of the present embodiment with the fire-extinguishing agent in time, the same operation will be repeated at the fire-extinguishing agent selection area next closest to the mountain fire area. This is fully possible through wireless communication among the pilots and between the fire-extinguishing agent supply areas.

[0031] Second, it is a drawback of the inefficient fire-extinguishing method. The fire suppression system according to the present invention and the fire-fighting aircraft equipped with it can overcome the inefficient fire-extinguishing method of the conventional fire-extinguishing method. That is, the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention is equipped with a fire suppression system such as a fire-extinguishing agent container, a pump, and a fire hose on the aircraft, similar to the method of a firefighter extinguishing a fire on land. When extinguishing a mountain fire, the firefighter boards the aircraft together. Thus, the firefighter can directly observe the situation of the fire spreading through the window of the helicopter from the air at the mountain fire site and intensively spray or scatter the fire-extinguishing agent such as water only where it is needed. This fire-extinguishing method is much more effective than the conventional method. This is because it is no different from the method of a land firefighter spraying water only where it is needed on land. Also, due to such an effective fire-extinguishing method, the waste of the fire-extinguishing agent (water) will be greatly reduced.

[0032] Thirdly, there are drawbacks in the risk of low-altitude flight. The fire suppression system according to the present invention and the fire-fighting aircraft equipped with the same can reduce the flight risk of the conventional fire suppression method. That is, unlike the conventional method, the pilot of the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention only focuses on flying without pumping water from a water source or spraying the water onto the fire. In other words, since the fire suppression itself is the responsibility of the firefighters who board the aircraft together, the pilot can only focus on flying, and the flight accidents can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, since the fire suppression method itself is much more efficient than the conventional method, not only the waste of water is reduced, but also the number of flights is reduced accordingly. Most importantly, the risk of having to fly extremely low over the water surface is eliminated.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0033] [Fig. 1] It is a schematic diagram of a fire suppression system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a fire-fighting aircraft equipped with the same. [Fig. 2] It is a plan sectional view of a fire suppression system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a fire-fighting aircraft equipped with the same. [Fig. 3] It is a plan sectional view of the state where a fire extinguishing agent container is mounted on the aircraft of FIG. 2. [Fig. 4] It is a configuration diagram for explaining the fire suppression system of the present invention. [Fig. 5] In the fire suppression system of the present invention, it is a side sectional view for explaining an embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container. [Fig. 6] In the fire suppression system of the present invention, it is a side sectional view for explaining another embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container. [Fig. 7] In the fire suppression system of the present invention, it is a plan sectional view for explaining another embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container. [Fig. 8] It is an enlarged view of the 'A' part in FIG. 7.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0034] The objects, specific advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferred embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings. In this specification, when attaching reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that, for the same components, as long as they are the same, they are given the same numbers as much as possible even if they are shown on other drawings. Also, when explaining the present invention, if it is determined that a specific explanation of related known technologies may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

[0035] The fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention is manufactured mainly centered around a helicopter, not an airplane. This is because it is almost impossible for an airplane to stay in one place in the air for a long time, making it difficult for a firefighter in the fire-fighting aircraft to concentrate on spraying a fire extinguishing agent (water) in one place. Then, it is assumed that the door on the rear side of the helicopter opens wide. Also, a large helicopter like the Chinook is good because the amount of water that can be loaded in the helicopter is large. Thus, a fire extinguishing agent container, that is, a water tank, and a high-pressure pump for water injection are installed in the helicopter, and the helicopter goes to the wildfire site with the firefighter. Then, the firefighter uses the water in the fire extinguishing agent container and the hose connected to the high-pressure pump from the air at the fire site to spray water towards the fire through the window of the helicopter or the side entrance of the helicopter, that is, in a way that the outside can be seen from inside the helicopter. This is the basic concept of the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention.

[0036] For such a configuration of the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention, four major pieces of equipment or devices are required. First, a fire extinguishing agent container (water tank) and fire extinguishing equipment for extinguishing the fire itself. Second, a device for mounting and fixing the fire extinguishing agent container. Third, several warning devices and a water shield film for stable flight. Fourth, other equipment or devices for more efficient fire extinguishing.

[0037] In the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention, the window of the helicopter, whether it is a window of the helicopter or a side entrance of the helicopter, means a part where a firefighter can spray water while looking outside the helicopter from inside the helicopter. In the fire-fighting aircraft of the present invention, its position is considered to be on the rear right side of the pilot. (Even if it is an entrance of the helicopter, the door of the entrance of the helicopter is made into two parts, the upper and the lower. When the lower part of the door is closed, the upper part that is still open also serves as a window.)

[0038] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fire suppression system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a fire-fighting aircraft equipped therewith. FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of a fire suppression system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a fire-fighting aircraft equipped therewith. FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of the aircraft of FIG. 2 with a fire extinguishing agent container mounted thereon. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram for explaining the fire suppression system of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view for explaining an embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container in the fire suppression system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side sectional view for explaining another embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container in the fire suppression system of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan sectional view for explaining another embodiment of a sloshing suppression device installed inside a fire extinguishing agent container in the fire suppression system of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part 'A' of FIG. 7.

[0040] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a fire-fighting aircraft 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can include an aircraft 2 and a fire suppression system 3.

[0041] The aircraft 2 can include a cockpit 21, a cargo hold 22, a partition 23, a loading ramp 24, and an access part 25.

[0042] The cargo hold 22 can be separated by the cockpit 21 and the partition 23, and provides a space where a fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be mounted.

[0043] The loading lamp 24 can be provided behind the cargo hold 22 for loading the fire extinguishing agent container 31 from land or unloading it onto land.

[0044] The access part 25 can be provided on the side of the cargo hold 22, and the launcher 33 of the fire suppression system 3 can be located there.

[0045] The above-described aircraft 2 can further include a loading device 26 installed on the side of the partition wall 23 of the cargo hold 22 for loading the fire extinguishing agent container 31 from land into the cargo hold 22.

[0046] The loading device 26 can be a winch 261 that connects the fire extinguishing agent container 31 with a wire 262 and pulls it into the cargo hold 22, and it is not limited to this. Needless to say, it may include a device that can load and unload the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0047] Also, the aircraft 2 can further include a container fixing device 27 provided at the bottom of the cargo hold 22 for fixing the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0048] The container fixing device 27 can include a front fastening part 271, a rear fastening part 272, and a wheel fastening part 273.

[0049] The front fastening part 271 can be installed to correspond to the front width of the fire extinguishing agent container 31 and can fix the front of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0050] Such a front fastening part 271 can be called the main fastening part for fixing the fire extinguishing agent container 31, and since it does not interfere when loading the fire extinguishing agent container 31 into the cargo hold, it can be fixedly installed at the bottom of the cargo hold 22.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of front fastening parts 271 can be installed to fix the front both-side corner portions of the fire extinguishing agent container 31. In this embodiment, the description will be made assuming that a pair of front fastening parts 271 are installed, but it is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that they may be installed so as to be able to fix the entire front surface including the front both-side corner portions.

[0052] The rear fastening part 272 can be installed so as to correspond to the rear width of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, and can fix the rear of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0053] Such a rear fastening part 272 may be variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold 22 in order to avoid interference because there is a possibility of interference when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed inside the cargo hold 22 via the loading ramp 24.

[0054] That is, a pair of rear fastening parts 272 can be installed to fix the rear both-side corner portions of the fire extinguishing agent container 31. As shown in FIG. 2, it is located wider than the width of the fire extinguishing agent container 31 before the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed in the cargo hold 22, and as shown in FIG. 3, when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is loaded in the cargo hold 22, it can be variable so as to be able to fix the rear both-side corner portions of the fire extinguishing agent container 31. The rear fastening part 272 can be variably changed in reverse when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is unloaded from the cargo hold 22 to land.

[0055] When a plurality of wheels 314 are provided on the lower surface of the main body 311 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, the wheel fastening part 273 can be installed so as to correspond to the plurality of wheels 314, and can fix the plurality of wheels 314 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0056] Such a wheel fastening part 273 may be variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold 22 in order to avoid interference because there is a possibility of interference when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed inside the cargo hold 22 via the loading ramp 24.

[0057] That is, a plurality of wheel fastening parts 273 can be installed to fix a plurality of wheels 314 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31. As shown in FIG. 2, before the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed on the cargo hold 22, it is located at a portion that avoids the path through which the plurality of wheels 314 pass. As shown in FIG. 3, when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is mounted on the cargo hold 22, it can be varied so as to fix the plurality of wheels 314. The wheel fastening part 273 can be variably changed conversely when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is lowered from the cargo hold 22 to land.

[0058] When a plurality of wheels 314 are provided on the lower surface of the main body 311 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, the flying object 2 can further include a wheel guide part 28 for guiding the plurality of wheels 314.

[0059] When the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed on the cargo hold 22, the wheel guide part 28 can be installed so as to extend from the loading ramp 24 toward the partition wall 23 side so as to guide the plurality of wheels 314.

[0060] Such a wheel guide part 28 can vary according to the type of the wheel 314. As an example, when the wheel 314 is of a tire type, the wheel guide part 28 can be installed in the form of a groove, and when the wheel 314 is of a rail type, it can be installed in the form of a rail.

[0061] When the launcher 33 of the fire suppression system 3 is variable, the flying object 2 can further include a guide rail 29 for guiding the launcher 33.

[0062] The guide rail 29 is installed so as to extend a certain length from the entrance / exit part 25 to the inside of the cargo hold 22, so that the launcher 33 can be slid back and forth to adjust the position, and a stopper (not shown) for fixing the launcher 33 after the position adjustment can be provided.

[0063] As described above, the flying object 2 of the present invention basically includes a cockpit 21, a cargo hold 22, a load lamp 24, and an entrance / exit section 25. In addition to these, for the fire suppression system 3 including the mobile fire extinguishing agent container 31 that can be mounted in the cargo hold 22, it can be further configured to include a loading device 26, a container fixing device 27, a wheel guide section 28, and a guide rail 29.

[0064] Also, although not shown in the drawings, the flying object 2 of the present invention may further include components necessary for suppressing wildfire fires, such as headlights, proximity warning devices, heat detection warning devices, cameras, and the like.

[0065] The headlights are equipment necessary for night-time fire suppression. The headlights in this embodiment are generally not for the purpose of night-time flight. As an example, they can be provided near the launcher 33 so that a firefighter on board the flying object 2 can use them during night-time fire suppression.

[0066] The proximity warning device is a device that emits a warning sound when another flying object approaches the vicinity of the flying object 2, and can be installed on both sides of the flying object 2, which are blind spots.

[0067] Generally, when multiple flying objects cooperate to perform operations during wildfire suppression, especially during night-time fire suppression, the pilot of the flying object often cannot recognize the approach of other flying objects and is often exposed to dangerous situations. However, the proximity warning device can inform the pilot of such dangerous situations to ensure flight safety.

[0068] The heat detection warning device is a device that emits a warning sound when the flying object 2 approaches near the fire site, and can be installed below the flying object 2.

[0069] Generally, during wildfire suppression, due to the topographical characteristics of mountains with different heights and valleys, etc., there may be situations where the pilot approaches near the fire site in a situation that cannot be recognized. However, the heat detection warning device can inform the pilot of such dangerous situations to ensure flight safety.

[0070] The camera can be installed at the lower part of the flying object 2 so that it can be seen when a fire breaks out unexpectedly directly below the flying object 2 during the suppression of a mountain fire, or when extinguishing remaining fires. The camera can be interlocked with the display 336. At this time, six buttons (for example, left / right / up / down arrow buttons and zoom in / zoom out buttons) are provided on the display 336, and a small red cross shape is drawn in the center of the screen. When the "zoom in" button is pressed, that part is enlarged, and when the "zoom out" button is pressed, it is reduced. If the part to be enlarged is in another part of the screen, the left / right / up / down buttons can be used to move the cross shape.

[0071] The camera can include a thermal detection camera. The thermal detection camera is not only useful for extinguishing fires at night, but can also be useful for extinguishing remaining fires in places such as thick forests that are difficult to confirm with the naked eye even during the day.

[0072] The fire suppression system 3 installed on the above-mentioned flying object 2 will be specifically described below.

[0073] The fire suppression system 3 can include a fire extinguishing agent container 31, a pump 32, and a launcher 33, and can be installed on the flying object 2 in a manner similar to the way a firefighter extinguishes a fire on land. However, the fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be configured to be stored on land and mounted on the flying object 2 during the suppression of a mountain fire.

[0074] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 is a container for storing the fire extinguishing agent FA. Ordinarily, it is stored on land and can be mounted on the cargo hold 22 of the aircraft 2 during mountain fire extinguishment. In this embodiment, it is described assuming that the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is mounted on the cargo hold 22 of the aircraft 2, but it goes without saying that it may be fixedly installed in the cargo hold 22. Further, in this embodiment, the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is shown as a rectangular parallelepiped, but it is not limited thereto. That is, the fire extinguishing agent container 31 does not necessarily have to be a rectangular parallelepiped. The pump 32 is placed between the firefighter and the front seat, and when the launcher 33 is attached to the window of the helicopter between the side entrance of the aircraft 2 and the pump 32, a space remains between the firefighter and the rear door. Thus, in order to be able to further place the fire extinguishing agent FA, this part can be used to expand and use the fire extinguishing agent container 31 in the concept of adding a small rectangular parallelepiped. This is possible because the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is placed from the rear of the helicopter. However, in this case, it is necessary to strengthen the container fixing device 27. This is because there is a high possibility that the four corners receive different forces from each other. Further, the fire extinguishing agent container 31 may be provided with an entrance at the upper part through which a person can enter for cleaning and maintenance inside the container, etc.

[0075] Here, the fire extinguishing agent FA can include water and / or foam as well as a moisture enhancer such as a gel, but is not limited thereto.

[0076] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 will be loaded onto the aircraft 2 from land by the loading device 26 provided in the cargo hold 22 and can be detachably mounted on the container fixing device 27 provided in the cargo hold 22. In this embodiment, it is described that the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is loaded and unloaded using loading device 26, but it is not limited thereto. Needless to say, a forklift or the like may be used, and the forklift may directly lift the container and push it into the rear door.

[0077] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 can include a main body 311, an inlet 312, an outlet 313, and wheels 314.

[0078] The main body 311 can store the fire extinguishing agent FA and can be manufactured in a shape suitable for the cargo hold 22. In this embodiment, the main body 311 is described as a hexahedron, but it is not limited thereto. Needless to say, it may be manufactured in various shapes so that the loading capacity of the fire extinguishing agent FA can be maximized.

[0079] The inlet 312 can be provided on a part of the main body 311, for example, on the upper surface, so that the fire extinguishing agent FA can be stored from the outside into the inside of the main body 311.

[0080] The outlet 313 can be provided on a part of the main body, for example, on the rear side surface, so that the fire extinguishing agent stored in the main body 311 can be supplied to the launcher 33, and can be connected to the pump 32 that is fastened to the first fire hose 34. An opening and closing device such as a faucet can be installed at the outlet 313 so that it can be opened and closed when connecting or disconnecting from the fire hose.

[0081] A plurality of wheels 314 can be provided on the lower surface of the main body 311 so that the fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be loaded from the land into the cargo hold 22 of the aircraft 2 or unloaded from the cargo hold 22 to the land.

[0082] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 configured as described above can be loaded from the land into the cargo hold 22 or unloaded from the cargo hold 22 to the land by the loading device 26 provided on the aircraft 2, and when loading or unloading, the plurality of wheels 314 can be guided by the wheel guide portion 28 installed so as to extend from the loading ramp 24 of the aircraft 2 to the partition wall 23 side.

[0083] Further, when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is mounted in the cargo hold 22, it can be fixed to the bottom of the cargo hold 22 by a container fixing device 27 including fastening portions such as a front fastening portion 271, a rear fastening portion 272, and a wheel fastening portion 273 so as to prevent shaking during flight of the aircraft 2 or during extinguishing a mountain fire.

[0084] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 can further include sloshing suppression devices 315 and 316 installed inside the main body 311 in order to prevent the movement of the flying object 2 from being hindered by the sloshing of the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the main body 311, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0085] First, in the fire suppression system 3 of the present invention, the sloshing suppression device 315 installed inside the fire extinguishing agent container 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0086] The sloshing suppression device 315 can include a perforated plate 3151 and a baffle 3152.

[0087] The perforated plate 3151 is a plate having a certain height with a plurality of flow holes through which the fire extinguishing agent FA can flow, and at least one or more can be installed at a certain height upward from the lower surface of the main body 311.

[0088] Such a perforated plate 3151 can prevent a large amount of the fire extinguishing agent FA from being biased to one side instantaneously, and can reduce the impact load applied to the side plate of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0089] The baffle 3152 can be installed in a plurality at a certain height in the inner direction from the inner surface of the main body 311.

[0090] The plurality of baffles 3152 can protrude to a preset length toward the inside of the main body 311 and be spaced apart at a preset interval along the vertical direction.

[0091] Here, the plurality of baffles 3152 can be parallel to the upper surface of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, perpendicular to the side surface, and formed in a flat plate shape having a preset thickness. However, the plurality of baffles 3152 are not limited to this, and may be formed in a protruding shape that protrudes into the main body 311 by a preset length, such as a triangular or trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

[0092] When such a plurality of baffles 3152 cause a sloshing phenomenon of the fire extinguishing agent FA inside the fire extinguishing agent container 31 due to the flight of the flying object 2, and when the fire extinguishing agent FA flowing left and right or front and back hits the side plate of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, an air pocket is generated between the fire extinguishing agent FA hitting the side plate and the side plate. Thereby, the air pocket plays a buffering role between the fire extinguishing agent FA and the side plate, and the impact pressure applied to the fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be reduced.

[0093] The sloshing suppression device 315 can be formed by a combination of the above-described perforated plate 3151 and the baffle 3152, and is not limited thereto, and may be formed by either one of the perforated plate 3151 and the baffle 3152.

[0094] In the fire suppression system 3 of the present invention, another sloshing suppression device 316 installed inside the fire extinguishing agent container 31 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0095] The sloshing suppression device 316 can include a buoyancy plate 3161, a flow hole 3162, a guide member 3163, and a slide member 3164.

[0096] The buoyancy plate 3161 can be installed in a plate form that can cover the entire upper surface of the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31, and can have a plurality of flow holes 3162 penetrating vertically at regular intervals so that the fire extinguishing agent FA can flow into the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0097] In this way, by forming a plurality of flow holes 3162 in the buoyancy plate 3161, not only does the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31 naturally flow into the fire extinguishing agent container 31 through the flow holes 3162 from above the buoyancy plate 3161, but also when a sloshing phenomenon of the fire extinguishing agent FA occurs inside the fire extinguishing agent container 31 due to the flight of the flying object 2, the water surface of the fire extinguishing agent FA is suppressed to suppress the sloshing of the fire extinguishing agent FA, and the impact pressure applied to the fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be reduced.

[0098] The above-mentioned buoyancy plate 3161 will always be located on the upper surface (water surface) of the fire extinguishing agent FA regardless of the high or low level of the fire extinguishing agent FA by the guide member 3163 and the slide member 3164.

[0099] The guide member 3163 is installed vertically on the side surface of the main body 311 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31, and a plurality of them can be arranged at regular intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0100] The guide member 3163 can be formed in the form of a groove so that the slide member 3164 can slide up and down in the inserted state. The guide member 3163 can have various cross-sectional shapes such as a square, a polygon, a T-shape, etc. based on the cross-sectional shape, and a groove into which one end of the slide member 3164 can be inserted can be formed.

[0101] A plurality of slide members 3164 can be formed corresponding to the guide member 3163. One end is connected to each of the plurality of guide members 3163 so as to be able to move up and down according to the upper surface level of the fire extinguishing agent FA, and the other end can be fixedly connected to the edge of the buoyancy plate 3161.

[0102] As described above, the sloshing suppression device 316 can effectively suppress the sloshing of the fire extinguishing agent FA by the buoyancy plate 3161 always being located on the upper surface (water surface) of the fire extinguishing agent FA regardless of the high or low level of the fire extinguishing agent FA by the guide member 3163 and the slide member 3164.

[0103] The pump 32 can pump the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31. The pump 32 can be connected to the fire extinguishing agent container 31 by the first fire hose 34 and can be connected to the firing tube 331 of the firing device 33 by the second fire hose 35.

[0104] The pump 32 can be installed in the cargo hold 22 of the flying body 2 and can be a high-pressure pump for both water supply and drainage. Needless to say, the pump 32 may also be installed in a part of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0105] The pump 32 can operate as a drainage pump during fire suppression. At this time, it can pump so that the fire extinguishing agent FA is fired at the nozzle 3311 through the first fire hose 34 connected to the outlet 313 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31 and the second fire hose 35 connected to the firing tube 331 of the launcher 33. The second fire hose 35 should preferably have a sufficient length. This is because the firing tube 331 is set at a downward angle close to vertical, and the pressure when spraying the fire extinguishing agent FA with strong pressure must be considered.

[0106] Also, when the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is mounted on the cargo hold 22, if all the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is used up, away from the storage location of the fire extinguishing agent container 31 filled with the fire extinguishing agent FA, and the water source is nearby, the pump 32 can operate as a water supply pump so that the empty fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be filled with water (new fire extinguishing agent) from the water source.

[0107] When the pump 32 operates as a water supply pump, after separating the first fire hose 34 from the outlet 313, connect it to the inlet 312 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31. After separating the second fire hose 35 from the firing tube 331, connect it to a third fire hose (not shown), lower the third fire hose to the water source, and pump the water (new fire extinguishing agent) from the water source into the empty fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0108] In the above, the third fire hose can be separately provided in a storage box 36 provided in the cargo hold 22 and can be a fire hose having a length sufficient to reach from the flying body 2 to the water source. Here, the storage box 36 can store not only the third fire hose but also fire-related members such as the first fire hose 34 and the second fire hose 35, tools for maintenance, etc., and can be installed in the empty space of the cargo hold 22.

[0109] Such a third fire hose has one end connected to the second fire hose 35 and has a length extending to an onshore water source. The other end has a hollow cylindrical body. To prevent the inflow of foreign objects, an inflow pipe through which water (new fire extinguishing agent) from the water source flows can be provided at the upper part of one side of the body.

[0110] As described above, in this embodiment, the pump 32 is used as a combined water supply and drainage pump, and a separate third fire hose is provided. When all the fire extinguishing agent FA in the fire extinguishing agent container 31 mounted on the cargo warehouse 22 is used up during the extinguishment of a mountain fire, without moving the fire extinguishing agent container 31 storing the fire extinguishing agent FA to the storage location on land and replacing it with a new fire extinguishing agent container, it can move to the nearest water source at the mountain fire extinguishing site to replenish the new fire extinguishing agent.

[0111] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 of this embodiment can be always provided at a designated storage location on land in consideration of areas where many mountain fires occur. However, when a mountain fire breaks out at a long distance from the storage location, it can be transported to an open space at the mountain fire occurrence site using a vehicle such as a trailer, and the flying body 2 can replace the fire extinguishing agent container 31 at a short distance.

[0112] The fire extinguishing agent container 31 configured as described above can also be manufactured to a size that is easy to transport on land with a forklift or the like. For example, the fire extinguishing agent container 31 can be manufactured to a size such that two of them can be placed in series on a flying body 2 with a long interior like a Chinook helicopter. The fire extinguishing agent container 31 manufactured in this way may include a configuration in which a fire hose is connected to the lower part so that the fire extinguishing agent FA can be moved to adjacent fire extinguishing agent containers 31 when connected in series.

[0113] The launching device 33 can be installed near the access part 25 of the flying body 2 and can launch the fire extinguishing agent FA pumped from the pump 32 to suppress the fire.

[0114] The launcher 33 can include a launch tube 331, a support portion 332, a rotating portion 333, a handle portion 334, a control portion 335, and a display 336, and will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0115] The launch tube 331 can be connected to the pump 32 by the second fire hose 35 and can be provided with a nozzle 3311 for injecting or spraying the fire extinguishing agent FA pumped from the pump 32.

[0116] The launch tube 331 can be configured to be rotatable at a certain angle vertically, horizontally, and in all directions by handling the handle portion 334. Thereby, the fire extinguishing agent FA can be injected or sprayed at various angles to efficiently suppress the fire. The angles of rotation vertically, horizontally, and in all directions can be set to any angle considering that when the nozzle 3311 of the launch tube 331 faces the flying object 2, it may be dangerous due to the water pressure being ejected. Also, the upward angle of the launch tube 331 is preferably set to an angle of 30 degrees upward so that while maximizing the firing distance of the fire extinguishing agent FA, the fire extinguishing agent FA is not fired up to the helicopter's propeller. The downward angle of the launch tube 331 is preferably made close to 90 degrees downward so that the fire directly below the flying object 2 can be extinguished.

[0117] The support portion 332 can be installed in the cargo hold 22 and can support and fix the launch tube 331 so that it can withstand the water pressure.

[0118] The support portion 332 can be installed on the guide rail 29 provided in the cargo hold 22. The support portion 332 can be arranged at an optimal position during fire suppression and can be slid back and forth along the guide rail 29 so that it can be safely stored after fire suppression. Needless to say, the support portion 332 may not be installed on the guide rail 29 and may be fixedly installed on the floor of the cargo hold 22.

[0119] The rotating part 333 is installed between the supporting part 332 and the firing tube 331, and can enable the firing tube 331 to rotate vertically, horizontally, and in all directions. The rotating part 333 can include a rotating gear box 3331 and a rotating member 3332.

[0120] The rotating gear box 3331 can be fixedly installed on the upper part of the supporting part 332.

[0121] The rotating gear box 3331 can be operated so that the rotating member 3332 rotates freely or is forced to rotate according to the handling of the handle part 334. Such an operation will be described later.

[0122] The rotating member 3332 can be installed between the rotating gear box 3331 and the firing tube 331.

[0123] The rotating member 3332 can be rotated forward, backward, left, and right according to the handling of the handle part 334 in conjunction with the operation of the rotating gear box 3331.

[0124] The handle part 334 is installed so as to wrap the firing tube 331 and can handle the direction of the nozzle 3311 of the firing tube 331 vertically, horizontally, and in all directions. After the handle part 334 horizontally moves the supporting part 332 so that the firing tube 331 further protrudes outside the flying object 2, and then rotates the firing tube 331 so that the nozzle 3311 faces downward, the downward angle of the nozzle 3311 can be sufficiently ensured during fire suppression. Also, the handle part 334 can be configured to be adjustable in height. Thus, after vertically moving the handle part 334, the firing tube 331 is rotated downward so that the downward angle of the nozzle 3311 can be sufficiently ensured during fire suppression. Also, the supporting part 332 is composed of a fixed part and a rotating part. At this time, the fixed part is a guide rail route 2 It is installed at 9, and the rotating part is rotatably installed at the upper end of the fixed part by using an angle adjusting device (not shown). Thus, after horizontally moving the fixed part so that the launch tube 331 further protrudes outside the flying object 2, by rotating the rotating part so that the downward angle of the launch tube 331 approaches vertical, the downward angle of the nozzle 3311 can be sufficiently ensured during fire suppression.

[0125] The control unit 335 is linked with a display 336 on which various function buttons (not shown) are displayed to inform the current situation, and is linked with various sensors (not shown) that sense the handling of the handle part 334 and the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31, so as to control each of the pump 32, the rotating part 333, and the nozzle 3311, and can inform the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent FA.

[0126] In the above, the display 336 may be a button - type display that is directly pressed instead of a touch - screen type. Due to the characteristics of fire suppression, the firefighter should have moisture on their hands (although they may touch the launch part, there is a possibility that moisture remains on their hands when performing operations such as changing containers), so it is better to install the display 336 in a button - type that is directly pressed rather than a touch - screen type. Since the display 336 has only a few functions and buttons are possible, the part that controls the control unit 335 should be made in such a structure considering moisture. To solve the problem caused by moisture, a waterproof transparent vinyl may be covered on the screen of the display 336.

[0127] In this embodiment, it is shown that the display 336 is installed on the handle part 334, but it is not limited thereto. That is, it goes without saying that the display 336 may be installed anywhere that is easy for the firefighter to see and operate.

[0128] The control unit 335 can control the pump 32 by selecting the operation state (on or off) of the pump 32 on the display 336.

[0129] The control unit 335 can control the rotating unit 333 by selecting the front-back, left-right rotation function (manual function or semi-automatic function) of the rotating unit 333 on the display 336.

[0130] In the above case, when the control unit 335 selects the front-back, left-right rotation function of the rotating unit 333 as a manual function on the display 336, it can control the operation of the rotary gear box 3331 to be in an off state, so that the rotating member 3332 can rotate freely according to the handling of the handle portion 334.

[0131] Also, when the control unit 335 selects the front-back, left-right rotation function of the rotating unit 333 as a semi-automatic function on the display 336, it controls the operation of the rotary gear box 3331 to be in an on state, and the rotating member 3332 can be forced controlled to rotate or be forcibly fixed according to the presence or absence of the handling of the handle portion 334.

[0132] In addition, when the handling is sensed by a sensor that senses the handling of the handle portion 334, the control unit 335 controls the gear rotation of the rotary gear box 3331 to be performed, so that the rotating member 3332 is forcibly rotated in one of the front-back, left-right directions corresponding to the handling direction of the handle portion 334, and thus the nozzle 3311 of the launch tube 331 can move in one of the up-down, left-right directions.

[0133] In addition, when the handling is not sensed by a sensor that senses the handling of the handle portion 334, the control unit 335 controls the gear rotation of the rotary gear box 3331 to stop, so that the rotating member 3332 is forcibly fixed while there is no handling of the handle portion 334, and thus the launch tube 331 can be fixed while maintaining the nozzle 3311 direction.

[0134] The control unit 335 can control the nozzle 3311 by selecting the firing method (spraying method or scattering method) of the fire extinguishing agent FA sprayed through the nozzle 3311 on the display 336.

[0135] The control unit 335 can control the nozzle 3311 by selecting the firing pressure (high pressure, medium pressure or low pressure) of the fire extinguishing agent FA sprayed through the nozzle 3311 on the display 336.

[0136] The control unit 335 causes the remaining amount value measured by the sensor that senses the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent FA stored in the fire extinguishing agent container 31 to be displayed on the display 336 in real time, and can issue an alarm when the measured remaining amount value reaches a preset value. Here, the preset value can be the remaining amount value corresponding to the height of the outlet 313 of the fire extinguishing agent container 31.

[0137] As described above, in this embodiment, it has been described that the fire suppression system 3 is electrically controlled by the control unit 335. However, there should be a lot of the fire extinguishing agent FA such as water remaining inside the flying object 2, or in the case where the fire suppression system 3 malfunctions due to a certain collision or electrical error, there is a possibility that the fire cannot be suppressed. Therefore, all electrical elements such as the control unit 335 may be removed from the fire suppression system 3 and it may be configured only with mechanical elements necessary for fire suppression.

[0138] In this way, this embodiment can overcome the geographical constraints of the conventional fire suppression methods. That is, the fire fighting flying object 1 of the present invention is provided with a fire extinguishing agent container 31 that can be mounted and replaced inside the flying object 2, so that the fire extinguishing agent container 31 filled with the fire extinguishing agent can be directly placed on the wildfire suppression site and moved. Therefore, at the initial stage of the wildfire report, regardless of the water source, it can quickly go to the wildfire suppression site together with the fire extinguishing agent. It is the same principle as a land fire truck directly taking water to the fire site along with the fire report.

[0139] In addition, this embodiment can overcome the inefficient fire extinguishing method of the conventional fire extinguishing method. That is, the fire fighting aircraft 1 of the present invention is provided with a fire suppression system 3 on the aircraft 2 so as to be similar to the method in which a firefighter extinguishes a fire on land. Thus, the firefighter can directly observe the wildfire scene and intensively inject or scatter a fire extinguishing agent such as water, and can effectively extinguish the wildfire without unnecessary waste of the fire extinguishing agent.

[0140] In addition, this embodiment can reduce the flight risk of the conventional fire extinguishing method. That is, unlike the conventional method, the pilot of the fire fighting aircraft 1 of the present invention focuses only on the operation without pumping water from a water source or pouring the water on the fire. In other words, since the fire extinguishing itself is the responsibility of the firefighter who rides on the aircraft 2 together, the pilot can focus only on the operation, and the flight accident can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, since the fire extinguishing method itself is much more efficient than the conventional method, not only the waste of water is reduced, but also the number of flights is reduced accordingly. Above all, the risk of having to fly extremely low over the water surface is eliminated.

[0141] As described above, the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment can overcome the three problems (inefficient fire suppression method, geographical constraints, and flight risks) of the conventional wildfire suppression method described above. Therefore, the fire department can establish a systematic wildfire suppression system. That is, for example, suppose there is a large area where wildfires are possible. Then, there should be many cities and villages around or within that wildfire-prone area. Assuming that the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment also uses tap water as a fire extinguishing agent, similar to a land-based fire truck, cities and villages where tap water is available become the target areas for the fire extinguishing agent (water) supply sites. Appropriately select several locations from among these target areas and arrange the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment. At this time, when the area to be responsible for is unavoidably large at the location of the arrangement, a plurality of the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment are arranged in proportion to it. When the area to be responsible for is small, a smaller number are arranged in proportion. Of course, a takeoff and landing site for the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment is provided in this selected area, and a pump facility that can fill the empty fire extinguishing agent containers 31, that is, serve the role of a large faucet, is created. To prepare for a large wildfire, it is advisable to create a plurality of these pump facilities. This is for filling a plurality of empty fire extinguishing agent containers 31 simultaneously. Also, prepare a sufficient number of extra fire extinguishing agent containers 31. This is also for the same reason. Then, when a wildfire report is received, the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment closest to the selected fire extinguishing agent supply site starts the fire suppression operation. And while they are carrying out the fire suppression, the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment from other more distant locations come to support the fire suppression. To this extent, considering the speed of the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment, it is probably possible to suppress the wildfire. However, for example, if the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment that took off first cannot suppress the wildfire on its first takeoff and further fire suppression work is required, it returns to the fire extinguishing agent supply site again, quickly replaces it with a fire extinguishing agent container 31 filled with fire extinguishing agent, and goes to the wildfire area again. And at the fire extinguishing agent supply site, a plurality of water supply facilities (pump facilities) are used to fill the empty fire extinguishing agent containers 31 simultaneously. Then, if the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment that has arrived at the wildfire site for the second time and is carrying out the fire suppression work also cannot finish the fire suppression, it also comes to this nearby area to replace the fire extinguishing agent container 31.Of course, if the time taken for the fire extinguishing agent supply facility (such as a pump facility) at the fire extinguishing agent supply location closest to this wildfire area to fill the empty fire extinguishing agent container 31 of the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment when it returns is insufficient, the same operation is repeated at the fire extinguishing agent selection location next closest to the wildfire area. This is fully possible through wireless communication among the pilots and between the fire extinguishing agent supply locations.

[0142] If the number of the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment is sufficient and the above-described method is used, and if the wind is not so strong that the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment cannot take off, it is fully possible to extinguish any wildfire at an early stage. However, even if the wildfire grows larger unavoidably due to strong winds or some other conditions, if sufficient extra fire extinguishing agent containers 31 are prepared in advance, fire extinguishing can be carried out much more systematically and efficiently than the conventional method. This is because once the fire extinguishing method itself is efficient and the supply of the fire extinguishing agent can be smoothed.

[0143] Also, different from the conventional method, the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment does not have the risk of having to fly very low and at a very low altitude over the water surface of the water source area. Therefore, if a headlight is appropriately attached to the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment, night flight is not difficult. In any case, the fire extinguishing agent supply location is illuminated as brightly as during the day, and the fire itself is conspicuous in the wildfire area.

[0144] Also, the fire-fighting aircraft 1 of this embodiment can also be used for rescue activities and emergency transportation activities in remote areas, which are additional tasks of the fire department. This is because the fire extinguishing agent container 31 is separable.

[0145] As described above, the present invention has been described centering on the embodiments of the present invention, but this is merely an example and does not limit the present invention. Those having ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention pertains will understand that various combinations, deformations, and applications not illustrated in the embodiments are possible without departing from the essential technical content of this embodiment. Therefore, the technical content related to the deformations and applications that can be easily derived from the embodiments of the present invention should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A fire suppression system installed in the cargo hold of an aircraft to suppress fires, comprising: a fire extinguishing agent container mounted in the cargo hold for storing a fire extinguishing agent; a pump connected to the fire extinguishing agent container by a first fire hose for pumping the fire extinguishing agent; a launching device for launching the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump to suppress a fire; wherein the launching device includes: a launching pipe connected to the pump by a second fire hose and provided with a nozzle for injecting or spraying the fire extinguishing agent pumped from the pump; a support portion installed in the cargo hold; a rotating portion installed between the support portion and the launching pipe for enabling the launching pipe to rotate vertically, horizontally, and in all directions; a handle portion installed so as to surround the launching pipe for handling the direction of the nozzle of the launching pipe vertically, horizontally, and in all directions; a control portion, which is displayed with various function buttons, is linked to a display for informing the current situation, and is linked to various sensors for sensing the handling of the handle portion and the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent container.

2. The rotating portion includes: a rotating gear box fixedly installed on the upper portion of the support portion; a rotating member installed between the rotating gear box and the launching pipe and capable of rotating forward, backward, left, and right according to the handling of the handle portion. The fire suppression system according to claim 1.

3. The control portion: controls the pump by selecting the operation state (on or off) of the pump on the display; controls the rotating portion by selecting the forward, backward, left, and right rotation functions (manual function or semi-automatic function) of the rotating portion on the display; controls the nozzle by selecting the launching method (injecting method or spraying method) of the fire extinguishing agent injected through the nozzle on the display; controls the nozzle by selecting the launching pressure (high pressure, medium pressure, or low pressure) of the fire extinguishing agent injected through the nozzle on the display. The fire suppression system according to claim 2.

4. When the control portion selects the forward, backward, left, and right rotation function of the rotating portion as a manual function on the display: it controls the operation of the rotating gear box to be in an off state so that the rotating member rotates freely according to the handling of the handle portion. The fire suppression system according to claim 3.

5. The control portion: ​ When the front, rear, left, and right rotation functions of the rotating part are selected as semi-automatic functions on the display, The operation of the rotary gear box is controlled to be in an on state, and the rotating member is controlled to rotate the steel material or be forcibly fixed according to the presence or absence of handling of the handle part. The fire suppression system according to claim 3.

6. The control unit, When handling is detected by a sensor that senses the handling of the handle part, the control is performed so that the gear of the rotary gear box rotates, and the rotating member is forcibly rotated in any one direction of the front, rear, left, and right directions corresponding to the handling direction of the handle part, whereby the nozzle of the launch tube moves in any one direction of the up, down, left, and right directions. When handling is not detected by a sensor that senses the handling of the handle part, the control is performed so that the gear rotation of the rotary gear box stops, and the rotating member is forcibly fixed while there is no handling of the handle part, whereby the launch tube is fixed while maintaining the nozzle direction. The fire suppression system according to claim 5.

7. The control unit, The remaining amount value measured by a sensor that senses the remaining amount of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the fire extinguishing agent container is displayed on the display in real time, and an alarm is issued when the measured remaining amount value reaches a preset value. The fire suppression system according to claim 3.

8. The support part, It is installed on a guide rail provided in the cargo hold, It is slidable back and forth along the guide rail for position adjustment, During fire suppression, it is fixed by a stopper provided on the guide rail. The fire suppression system according to claim 1.

9. The fire extinguishing agent container, A main body for storing the fire extinguishing agent, An inlet provided on the upper surface of the main body for storing the fire extinguishing agent inside the main body, An outlet provided on the side surface of the main body for supplying the fire extinguishing agent stored in the main body to the launching device and fastened to the first fire hose, A plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body for mounting on the cargo hold of the flying object on land. The fire suppression system according to claim 1.

10. The fire extinguishing agent container, It will be loaded from land onto the flying object by a loading device provided in the cargo hold. The fire suppression system according to claim 9, which is detachably mounted on the container fixing device provided in the cargo hold.

11. The fire extinguishing agent container The fire suppression system according to claim 9, further comprising a sloshing suppression device installed inside the main body to prevent the movement of the flying object from being hindered by the sloshing of the fire extinguishing agent stored in the main body.

12. The sloshing suppression device The fire suppression system according to claim 11, which is formed by any one or a combination of a perforated plate installed at a certain height upward from the lower surface of the main body and a plurality of baffles installed at a certain height inward from the inner side surface of the main body.

13. The sloshing suppression device A buoyancy plate that covers the upper surface of the fire extinguishing agent and has a plurality of flow holes, A plurality of guide members installed vertically on the side surface of the main body and arranged at regular intervals in the horizontal direction, The fire suppression system according to claim 11, including a plurality of slide members, one end of which is connected to each of the plurality of guide members so as to be able to move up and down according to the upper surface level of the fire extinguishing agent, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to the edge of the buoyancy plate.

14. The pump Is a combined water supply and drainage pump installed in a part of the cargo hold or the fire extinguishing agent container of the flying object. During fire suppression, It operates as a drainage pump, and the fire extinguishing agent is fired at the nozzle through the first fire hose connected to the outlet of the fire extinguishing agent container and the second fire hose connected to the firing tube of the launching device. When replenishing new fire extinguishing agent during flight with the fire extinguishing agent container mounted on the cargo hold, It operates as a water supply pump. After separating the first fire hose from the outlet, it is connected to the inlet of the fire extinguishing agent container. After separating the second fire hose from the firing tube, it is connected to a third fire hose to replenish the new fire extinguishing agent. The fire suppression system according to claim 9.

15. The third fire hose One end is connected to the second fire hose and has a length extending to a water source on land. The other end has a cylindrical body with an empty interior, and an inlet pipe for the new fire extinguishing agent to flow in is provided at the upper part of one side of the body to prevent foreign matter from flowing in. The fire suppression system according to claim 14.

16. The fire suppression system according to claim 1, And the flying object on which the fire suppression system is installed. The flying object is a cockpit, a cargo hold separated by a partition wall and equipped with the fire extinguishing agent container, a loading ramp provided behind the cargo hold for loading the fire extinguishing agent container from land or unloading it onto land, and an access part provided on the side of the cargo hold where the launching device is located, and is a fire-fighting flying object.

17. It further includes a loading device installed on the partition wall side of the cargo hold to load the fire extinguishing agent container from land into the cargo hold, The loading device is a winch that connects the fire extinguishing agent container with a wire and pulls it into the cargo hold. The fire-fighting flying object according to claim 16.

18. It further includes a container fixing device provided at the bottom of the cargo hold to fix the fire extinguishing agent container, The container fixing device is a front fastening part installed corresponding to the front width of the fire extinguishing agent container, fixedly installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to fix the front of the fire extinguishing agent container, a rear fastening part installed corresponding to the rear width of the fire extinguishing agent container, variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to avoid interference when loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold, and to fix the rear of the fire extinguishing agent container, and a wheel fastening part installed corresponding to a plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body of the fire extinguishing agent container, variably installed at the bottom of the cargo hold to avoid interference when loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold, and to fix the plurality of wheels. The fire-fighting flying object according to claim 16.

19. When loading the fire extinguishing agent container into the cargo hold, it further includes a wheel guide part extending from the loading ramp to the partition wall side to guide a plurality of wheels provided on the lower surface of the main body of the fire extinguishing agent container. The fire-fighting flying object according to claim 16.

20. It further includes a guide rail installed to extend a certain length from the access part to the inside of the cargo hold to slide the launching device back and forth to adjust the position and fix it after the position adjustment of the launching device. The fire-fighting flying object according to claim 16.

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