Triangular Intake Strainer with Guide Vanes for Fire Hose Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intake strainers for hoses are awkward to maneuver, unstable, and cause water whirlpooling, leading to inefficient water supply from portable holding tanks to fire hoses, resulting in reduced suction rates and potential strain on tank sidewalls.
Innovation Solution
A redesigned intake strainer with an elongated body, angled guide vanes, and elevating foot members to reduce whirlpooling, combined with a support plate for secure attachment to the tank frame, ensuring stability and efficient water flow, and optional flotation for surface operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional low level strainer is placed over the sidewall of the holding tank, then the strainer can be positioned to contact stored water, but the strainer causes whirlpooling of water which slows suction rate and puts stress on the tank sidewall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a sidewall-mounted strainer to a bottom-mounted strainer, changing the spatial dimension of installation. This allows the strainer to be positioned on the tank floor rather than against the sidewall, eliminating whirlpooling effects and stress concentration on vertical walls while maintaining water intake capability through the tank bottom
Solution Approach 2:
The strainer assembly is segmented into distinct components: the strainer body with intake openings, multiple leg members for support, and a cross member for structural reinforcement. This segmentation allows optimal positioning of each component to maximize water flow while distributing mechanical loads, preventing whirlpooling by creating stable support points across the tank bottom
2Stability of the object's composition
If the strainer is placed directly on the tank floor, then stability is improved, but the fabric or flexible walls of the holding tank are subjected to excessive strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support plate as an intermediary component between the strainer assembly and the tank structure. This support plate distributes the mechanical load from the strainer across a larger area of the tank floor and frame, preventing excessive strain concentration on flexible sidewalls while maintaining strainer stability during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The strainer is designed with multiple leg members that extend downward to contact the tank floor, creating a stable tripod or multi-point support structure. This dimensional adjustment from sidewall mounting to floor-based support improves stability while the support plate reinforces the connection to distribute loads away from vulnerable sidewall areas
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 solution enhances water supply efficiency by minimizing whirlpooling and stabilizing the strainer, allowing for higher suction rates and reduced strain on tank sidewalls, while maintaining maneuverability and adaptability for various water levels and applications.
Implementation Method 1
The body also includes a plurality of guide vanes being angled from the intake towards a central opening along a front side of the body. The guide vanes define channels, wherein each of the channels are preferably a similar width via the guide vanes being spaced evenly along the length of the bottom of the body.
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of foot members extending from the body for elevating the intake above the floor of a water holding tank
Implementation Method 3
The strainer may also be attached to a support plate for being affixed to a supporting frame of the holding tank so as to alleviate strain upon the fabric or flexible walls of the holding tank.
Data Source
AI summary
An intake strainer for establishing a sufficient water supply to a suction hose. The intake strainer includes a triangular-shaped body having an elongated bottom, a screened intake, and foot members extending from the body for elevating the intake. The body also includes interior guide vanes angled from the intake towards a central opening of the body to form water-receiving channels. Optional low water-level control blades may also be used with the intake. Extending from the side opening of the body is an outlet member which serves to fluidly connect to a hose, such as a fire hose, or a threaded coupler which would in turn connect to a threaded part of the fire hose. The strainer may be attached to a support plate for being affixed to a supporting frame of the holding tank or alternately may be used in a skimmer assembly and/or be attached to a flotation member.