Aerial Fire Suppression Conduit with Drone Carrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Firefighting units face challenges in accessing and extinguishing wildfires due to inaccessible locations, lack of water supply, and limitations of fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters, including high operating costs, limited payload, and restricted operational duration.
Innovation Solution
A fire extinguishing device comprising a conduit arrangement of longitudinal and transverse elements with connecting elements for distributing fire extinguishing agents, supported by a flight-capable carrier device for aerial deployment and continuous supply from ground-based or natural reservoirs, allowing flexible and continuous fire suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters are used to deliver extinguishing agents from great height, then flexibility and coverage of inaccessible areas are improved, but operating costs increase and availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-fighting system is segmented into multiple independent aerial units (drones) that can operate autonomously or in coordination. Each drone carries its own extinguishing agent reservoir and conduit arrangement, eliminating the need for a single large aircraft to make repeated trips to base for refilling, thereby improving continuous availability while maintaining the flexibility to access inaccessible areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous fire-fighting operation by equipping aerial drones with large-capacity extinguishing agent reservoirs that can be filled at base before deployment. The drones can remain on station for extended periods, delivering extinguishing agents continuously without the need to return to base for refilling, thus achieving uninterrupted useful action and improved availability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fire-fighting aircraft and helicopters are used, then ability to reach inaccessible areas is improved, but payload capacity for extinguishing agents is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a single aircraft with limited payload capacity, the system uses multiple smaller aerial drones, each capable of reaching inaccessible areas. The collective extinguishing agent capacity of multiple drones exceeds that of a single large aircraft, while maintaining the ability to access the same difficult-to-reach locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-point delivery model (one aircraft dropping agent at a time) to a distributed multi-point delivery model. Multiple drones can simultaneously deliver extinguishing agents to different locations or to the same location from different angles, effectively increasing the total quantity of agent delivered while maintaining accessibility to remote areas.
3Quantity of substance
If ground-based extinguishing technology is used, then water supply availability is improved, but ability to cover large areas and reach inaccessible locations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses aerial drones as intermediary carriers that pick up large quantities of extinguishing agent from ground-based water supplies (lakes, rivers, reservoirs) and transport them to inaccessible fire areas. This intermediary approach allows the system to combine the advantage of abundant ground-based water supplies with the ability to deliver agents to locations inaccessible to ground equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the aerial dimension to water supply logistics. Instead of being constrained to ground-based delivery, the system uses aerial drones to transport extinguishing agents from water sources to fire areas, enabling coverage of large and inaccessible areas while utilizing abundant ground-based water supplies.
4Adaptability or versatility
If fire-fighting aircraft are used, then operational flexibility is improved, but fuel consumption limits operational duration and radius
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fire-fighting mission into multiple smaller aerial units that can operate independently. Each drone is equipped with sufficient extinguishing agent capacity to complete extended missions without returning to base, and can be deployed in a coordinated manner to cover large areas over extended periods, thereby increasing operational duration while maintaining flexibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective and flexible fire suppression above wildfires with continuous agent delivery and reduced operational limitations, avoiding turbulence issues and extending operational duration without the need for frequent refueling or resupply.
Implementation Method 1
at least one flight-capable carrier device arranged on the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement or mechanically loadably connected to the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement and suitable for lifting the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement with the outlets and at least a part of the extinguishing agent supply line to a distance from the ground surface and for keeping there it at least temporarily
Data Source
AI summary
A fire extinguishing or fire prevention device comprises an extinguishing agent conduit arrangement. The extinguishing agent conduit arrangement comprises a plurality of longitudinal conduit elements each adapted to conduct a fire extinguishing agent therethrough, and a plurality of transverse conduit elements each adapted to conduct a fire extinguishing agent therethrough. Each of the longitudinal conduit elements is connected to one of the transverse conduit elements by at least one connecting element, the connecting elements each being suitable for further conducting the fire extinguishing agent from a longitudinal conduit element into a transverse conduit element or from a transverse conduit element into a longitudinal conduit element. Further, the fire extinguishing or fire prevention device comprises at least one extinguishing agent supply line; which is arranged at the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement and adapted to provide the fire extinguishing agent into at least one of the longitudinal conduit elements or the transverse conduit elements. Further, the fire extinguishing or fire prevention device comprises a plurality of outlets disposed on the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement and adapted to discharge the fire extinguishing agent from the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement. At least one flight-capable carrier device is disposed on the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement and adapted to lift and at least temporarily keep the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement with the outlets and at least a part of the fire extinguishing agent supply line in a distance from the ground surface. The extinguishing agent supply line of the fire extinguishing or fire prevention device is connected to an extinguishing agent reservoir adapted to provide the fire extinguishing agent to the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement while the extinguishing agent conduit arrangement is lifted or kept by the at least one flight-capable carrier device.