Rotatable Hose Reel for Fire-Fighting Vehicle Water Hammer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire-fighting systems struggle to quickly and safely discharge a large amount of high-pressure water to a fire site, especially in nuclear reactor fires, due to the difficulty in handling thick hoses and the risk of water hammer, which can cause the vehicle to tip over.
Innovation Solution
A water-discharging machine with a rotatable hose reel on a vehicle, where the hose is spirally wound and connected to a pump behind the vehicle, with a water discharge nozzle mounted above the reel, allowing for automatic or remote-controlled operation and minimizing water hammer by ensuring air-free water supply through a rotary joint and vent valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a thick hose is used to supply high-pressure water for nuclear reactor fire, then water discharge capability is improved, but the hose becomes too thick for firefighters to grasp and handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hose handling function from manual operation by mounting the hose on a reel attached to the vehicle. The hose is automatically paid out from the reel as the vehicle approaches the fire site, eliminating the need for firefighters to manually grasp and handle the thick hose. This allows the use of thick hoses for high water discharge capability while maintaining ease of operation through automated hose deployment.
2Speed
If water is supplied quickly to the hose during vehicle movement, then response time is improved, but water hammer occurs causing the vehicle to tip over
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing air vents at the hose reel and at heights of 1/4 and 3/4 of the hose length. These vents are positioned in advance to allow air to escape gradually as water fills the hose during vehicle movement. This preliminary arrangement of venting pathways prevents sudden pressure surges (water hammer) while maintaining quick water supply capability.
3Device complexity
If the vehicle is equipped with only hose and nozzle for simple structure, then device complexity is reduced, but automatic operation and remote control capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the hose reel system to serve multiple functions: it enables automatic hose deployment during vehicle movement, supports remote-controlled water discharge, and maintains operational simplicity. The reel mechanism universally handles both hose storage and automated payout, while the system can operate in both manual and automated modes, achieving multi-functionality without significantly increasing complexity.
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 safe and efficient discharge of high-pressure water close to the fire site without causing water hammer, allowing the vehicle to operate closer to the fire and reducing the risk of tipping, even in situations where manual operation is not possible.
Implementation Method 1
a hose (7) having a shape retaining property is spirally wound around the rotary shaft (11) on the hose reel (5)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fire-fighting system that has a very simple structure with only a hose and a water discharge nozzle mounted on a vehicle, can bring the vehicle close to the fire site by automatic operation or remote control, and minimizes the occurrence of a water hammer when water is supplied. A hose reel is installed on a base which is installed on a vehicle, so as to be rotatable around a rotary shaft extending vertically, a hose having shape retaining property is spirally wound around the hose reel and around the rotary shaft, the lower end of the hose is connectable to a water discharge pump installed behind the vehicle, and the upper end of the hose passes through the rotary shaft of the hose reel and is connected to a water discharge nozzle installed at the upper position of the vehicle.