Pneumatic Launcher for Remote Incendiary Projectile Ignition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current land and aerial ignition devices for prescribed burning face challenges such as high costs, safety risks, personnel intensity, limited flexibility, and terrain restrictions, particularly with conventional hand-held torches and flame throwers.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic apparatus mounted on a moving vehicle for launching incendiary projectiles, which includes a pneumatic launching assembly, a gas delivery system, and a projectile delivery assembly, allowing for controlled and efficient ignition of fires without the need for personnel to be present at the ignition point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If aerial ignition devices are used, then the range of ignition is improved, but the cost and safety risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a pneumatic launcher as an intermediary device mounted on ground-based vehicles to deliver incendiary projectiles to remote locations. This mediator enables long-range ignition (improving ignition range) while keeping operators safely distant from the fire zone (reducing safety risk), thus resolving the contradiction between range and safety.
2Device complexity
If hand-held drip torches are used, then the equipment simplicity is improved, but the personnel intensity and safety risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pneumatic launching system that uses compressed gas to automatically load, prime, and launch incendiary projectiles. This pneumatic automation eliminates the need for operators to manually handle torches and fuel (reducing personnel intensity) while maintaining operational simplicity through a self-contained system (preserving equipment simplicity).
Solution Approach 2:
The launcher is designed to automatically perform multiple functions: feeding projectiles from a magazine, piercing them with reactant, sealing them, and launching them. This self-service capability reduces the need for multiple operators and manual interventions, thereby reducing personnel intensity while keeping the system relatively simple.
3Length of moving object
If flame throwers are used, then the ignition range is improved, but the logistics complexity and safety risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ignition system into separate components: a magazine storing multiple unprimed projectiles, a pneumatic launching mechanism, and a reactant delivery system. This segmentation eliminates the need to transport and mix large quantities of gelled fuel (reducing logistics complexity) while maintaining the ability to launch projectiles at range (preserving ignition range).
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disposable incendiary projectiles that are pre-filled with incendiary material and sealed. These single-use projectiles eliminate the need for complex fuel storage, mixing, and disposal infrastructure associated with flame throwers (reducing logistics complexity) while achieving comparable or greater range through pneumatic launch.
4Reliability
If ground-based operations are used, then the safety risk is reduced, but the time delay and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic launching system enables ground-based operators to rapidly fire multiple projectiles in succession at distances up to 100 meters or more. This pneumatic propulsion eliminates the time delay associated with manually carrying and deploying ignition devices (reducing time delay) while keeping operators safely grounded (maintaining safety risk reduction).
Solution Approach 2:
The launcher is equipped with a magazine containing multiple projectiles and is designed for continuous operation, automatically reloading and firing projectiles in rapid succession. This continuous action capability allows ground-based operators to cover large areas quickly (reducing time delay) while maintaining safe distances (preserving safety risk reduction).
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
The apparatus enables safer, more efficient, and cost-effective prescribed burning by allowing for remote ignition, reducing personnel requirements, and increasing the range and flexibility of fire ignition, while minimizing safety risks and logistical challenges.
Implementation Method 1
a pneumatic launching assembly connected to the vehicle mount and operable to launch the projectiles using a volume of gas
Implementation Method 2
A delayed exothermic reaction between the incendiary material and the reactant within the spheres can produce a prescribed fire where the spheres land
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for launching incendiary projectiles is provided. The apparatus includes a support adapted to being mounted to a vehicle, a pneumatic launcher connected to the support and operable to launch a projectile that has been delivered to the launcher, a gas delivery system operable to deliver a volume of pressurized gas to the launcher for launching the projectile, a projectile delivery system operable to deliver projectiles to the launcher, an injector cooperating operable to receive projectiles from the projectile delivery system and to inject the projectiles with an amount of reactant suitable to produce a delayed exothermic reaction with the incendiary material to prime the projectile, and thereafter convey the primed projectile to the launcher; and a controller operable to operable to regulate the launching of the projectiles.