Portable Fire Fighting System Using Segmented Water and Abrasive Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire fighting systems using suspension water jet cutting technology face challenges with heavy and stiff high-pressure slurry-conveying pipes, limited manual deployability, and slow abrasive termination, which hinder effective and safe operation in confined spaces and marine environments.
Innovation Solution
A portable fire fighting system with a lightweight, pressurizable vessel and quick connection/disconnection mechanism, allowing for rapid vessel interchange and minimizing the length of slurry-containing pipe, combined with manual valves for immediate abrasive flow termination and integration with breathing equipment for safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a suspension system uses a slurry vessel designed to sustain full jet water pressure, then the system can maintain high-pressure water flow, but the vessel becomes heavy (tens of Kg) and limits manual deployability
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the water supply into two separate vessels: a lightweight water vessel containing only water, and a separate abrasive container. This segmentation allows the water vessel to be lightweight while the abrasive container handles the pressure-containing function, resolving the contradiction between pressure containment and weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the abrasive material from the high-pressure water stream and contains it separately in a dedicated container. This separation removes the need for the water vessel to contain both water and abrasive under high pressure, thereby reducing the vessel weight while maintaining pressure capability.
2Reliability
If the slurry vessel is made from steel in several litre configuration, then the vessel can sustain full jet water pressure, but the vessel weighs many tens of Kg making it difficult to deploy manually
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the pressure-containing function from the water supply function. The water vessel is lightweight and contains only water, while the abrasive container is separately designed to contain abrasive material. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, improving both reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite construction where the water vessel and abrasive container are designed as separate components with appropriate material selection. The water vessel can use lighter materials since it only contains water, while the abrasive container is designed to contain abrasive material under pressure, achieving both reliability and portability.
3Loss of time
If the supply of abrasive is stopped at the slurry vessel, then abrasive flow can be terminated, but premixed slurry remains in the pipe between the module and the nozzle head to be expelled before cutting stops
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the abrasive material from the water stream at the nozzle outlet rather than stopping it at the slurry vessel. This allows immediate termination of abrasive flow at the point of use, eliminating the delay caused by expelling remaining slurry from long pipes. The abrasive is contained separately and can be stopped instantly at the nozzle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the water flow to continue through the pipe while the abrasive flow is stopped independently at the nozzle. This skipping approach enables the abrasive to be terminated immediately at the point of use, bypassing the issue of remaining slurry in the pipes and reducing the termination time significantly.
4Productivity
If high-pressure slurry-conveying pipes are used, then the system can deliver abrasive slurry, but the pipes become larger diameter and thicker wall section making them significantly heavier and stiffer
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the water and abrasive delivery functions into separate vessels and conduits. The water can be delivered through standard lightweight hoses, while the abrasive is delivered through a separate, smaller-diameter conduit from the abrasive container to the nozzle. This segmentation eliminates the need for heavy, thick-walled slurry-conveying pipes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the abrasive material from the water stream and delivers it through a separate, lightweight conduit rather than through thick-walled slurry pipes. This extraction allows the use of lighter materials and smaller diameters for the abrasive delivery system, significantly reducing pipe weight while maintaining abrasive delivery capability.
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 rapid and safe deployment of high-pressure water jets for fire suppression, reducing operator risk and enhancing portability, with the system capable of piercing through thick materials and quickly stopping abrasive flow to minimize exposure.
Implementation Method 1
Suspension systems cut far more efficiently relative to the water pressure employed and nozzle diameter. This is because there are less energy losses within such a system's single jet focusing nozzle.
Implementation Method 2
spray a very high-pressure atomising water jet into the room to fight the fire
Implementation Method 3
Abrasive water jet cutting is a known technology
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to water jet cutting apparatus and methods of using same, particularly to manually portable suspension water jet cutting, fire fighting, cleaning, decontamination, surface preparation and decommissioning equipment.