Firefighting water delivery system and method

• US 20040244996A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alexander I. Kravkov
• Original Assignee: Alexander I. Kravkov
• Inventors: Kravkov, Alexander I.
• Application Number:
  US10/850,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244996A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/5
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0292 by spraying extinguishants directly into the fire A62C3/0242 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a firefighting system able to supply a continuous flow of water to remote locations over great distances with varied terrains and conditions. The system can encompass multiple independent units, or reservoir assemblies each including portable water storage reservoirs with special design connections, conduits such as standard fire hoses, and pumps to induce the water flow as required. Each reservoir assembly unit represents a part of an integral system, a purpose of which is to transport water used in extinguishing fires from a water source where water is plentiful (such as, for example, a river, lake, or well) to the fire site, which can be at a remote location where it is difficult or expensive to supply water using traditional means.

Claims

1. A firefighting water delivery system for supplying continuous, large quantities of water from a water source at a first location to a fire site at a second location, the second location being dispersed from the first location, the system comprising:

a reservoir assembly provisioned at an intermediate location along a route from a water source at a first location to a fire site at a second location, wherein the second location is remote from the water source at the first location;

a first conduit connecting the water source and the reservoir assembly to convey water from the first location to the intermediate location for temporary storage in the reservoir assembly; and

a second conduit connecting the reservoir assembly and the fire site to convey water from the intermediate location to the second location for application at the fire site.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the reservoir assembly includes one or more portable reservoirs interconnected so as to provide an aggregate volume of water in the reservoir assembly.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the interconnected reservoirs includes at least one connection portal for connecting the reservoir to at least one other reservoir in the reservoir assembly so that the aggregate volume of water in the reservoir assembly can flow between the one or more reservoirs.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each portable reservoir is rectangular and includes a connection portal on each vertically disposed planar surface.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more portable reservoirs include waterproof fabric suspended upon a generally rigid support frame to hold a volume of water.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the interconnected reservoirs are connected by one-way valves to permit water flow in single direction between two interconnected reservoirs.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first pump controlling flow through the first conduit; and

a second pump controlling flow through the second conduit; and

wherein the first and second pumps can be operated independently so as to deliver a desired volume of water from the water source to the fire site on a continuous basis.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a controller for regulating the first and second pumps.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the controller regulates the first and second pumps wirelessly.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sprinkler nozzle disposed at the second location and connected to the second conduit so as to distribute water at the fire site without ongoing human operation.

11. A firefighting system for conveying continuous quantities of water to remote locations, comprising:

a water source at a first location remote from a fire site at a terminal location;

at least one reservoir assembly placed at one or more intermediate locations selected along a route from the water source to the fire site; and

one or more conduits connecting the water source and reservoir assemblies to establish a continuous supply chain for conveying water from the water source to the fire site.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the intermediate locations are selected so that the route includes a plurality of reservoir assemblies connected in parallel.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the intermediate locations are selected so that the route includes a plurality of reservoir assemblies connected in series.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the intermediate locations are selected so that the route includes a plurality of reservoir assemblies connected in both parallel and series.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising a second fire site at a second terminal location;

wherein the intermediate locations are selected so that the conduits establish the supply chain to convey water from the water source to both the first fire site and second fire site.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one controller for regulating the flow of water through the conduits to supply water to the first site and second site independently.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

wirelessly controlled pumps to induce flow through the conduits;

a wireless controller for regulating the flow through the conduits based on water demand at the fire site.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein each reservoir assembly includes a plurality of portable reservoirs.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the portable reservoirs can be collapsed for easy transport to or from the intermediate site.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the portable reservoirs are sized so as to be transported by helicopter.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the reservoirs include waterproof fabric suspended on a substantially rigid frame structure.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein each reservoir includes at least one connection portal to connect the reservoir to at least one other reservoir among the plurality of reservoirs in the reservoir assembly.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the reservoirs are connected with one way valves permitting unidirectional flow between connected reservoirs in the reservoir assembly.

24. The system of claim 11 wherein the conduits are fire hoses.

25. The system of claim 11 wherein the conduits are channels.

26. A method for supplying water from a water source to a fire site at a remote location, the method comprising the steps of:

provisioning a reservoir assembly at each of one or more intermediate locations along a route from a water source to a remote fire site;

interconnecting the reservoir assemblies with conduit to enable water flow between reservoir assemblies;

supplying water from the water source to the interconnected reservoir assemblies to provide the reservoir assemblies with a persistent supply of water; and

conveying water through interconnected reservoir assemblies to the fire site.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of providing a plurality of pumps to establish water flow from the water source through the interconnected reservoir assemblies, and to the fire site, whereby water can be supplied to the remote fire site on a substantially continual basis.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the pumps are operated wirelessly.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the reservoir assemblies can be interconnected to provide water flow in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein provisioning the reservoir assemblies includes assembling one or more portable reservoirs to provide a desired aggregate water storage capacity at the corresponding intermediate location.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of conveying water to the fire site further includes the steps of:

provisioning a sprinkler nozzle at the fire site; and

conveying the water from the interconnected reservoir assemblies to the sprinkler nozzle so that water can be supplied at the fire site without a human operator remaining present at the fire site.

32. A portable water reservoir comprising:

a substantially rigid support frame that can be collapsed during transport and assembled at a desired location;

a waterproof fabric suspended from the support frame so as to enable water storage; and

a plurality of connection ports within the waterproof fabric to connect one or more additional reservoirs and allow water to flow between the connected reservoirs for providing an aggregate volume of water.