Mobile firefighting systems with breathable hypoxic fire extinguishing compositions for human occupied environments

• US 6,502,421 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firepass Corporation
• Original Assignee: Igor K Kotliar
• Inventors: Kotliar, Igor K.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAPOSSELA, RONALD C
• Application Number:
  US09/975,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 62/78, 622/39, 626/40, 629/11, 169/44, 169/46, 220/88.1, 220/88.3
• US Class Current: 62/640
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/14 for high-altitude aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0221 for tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/07 in vehicles, e.g. in road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0018 using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/104 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/12 with vaporisation of a liquid disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air A61L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/502 Vehicle-mounted mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0114 with interiorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 : gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0302 : by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0393 : using a vaporiser
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 : using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/025 : different fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 : Breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/04 : with change of state, e.g. vaporisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 62/911 : Portable

Abstract

Mobile fire-fighting systems and a method of producing breathable fire-suppression compositions are provided for extinguishing fires in buildings, and other human occupied structures, being also effective in suppressing fires under ruins of collapsed buildings. The systems employ a transportable high-pressure container having the breathable composition or nitrogen gas, or a liquid nitrogen container, vaporizer and a mixing chamber, wherein a vaporized nitrogen gas is mixed with an ambient air in order to produce said breathable fire-suppression composition. Refilling stations are provided for refilling the mobile systems with said composition, nitrogen gas or liquid nitrogen, all being generated at site from the ambient air. The method of producing said composition at a fire site employs mixing of nitrogen gas with ambient air or, alternatively, vaporizing of liquid nitrogen in necessary quantities and mixing it with ambient air in provided proportions. A method of delivery of the breathable fire-suppressive composition inside a building on fire is provided as well. The systems are also suitable for installation as a stationary fire-suppression system for a building or other structure. A breathable fire-suppression composition is provided for use in said mobile systems, said composition having an oxygen content below 16% or from 10% to 12% for the majority of civil applications.

Claims

1. A mobile firefighting system for providing a breathable hypoxic fire-extinguishing agent at a fire site, said system comprising:

a motorized platform for transport of said system to a location of fire;

a storage container for storing and transportation of said agent or its main component, said container being assembled on said platform;

an agent preparation and release system having multiple gas outlets to which gas delivery hoses can be connected in order to deliver said agent directly to the location of fire;

said fire-extinguishing agent being nitrogen-enriched air having oxygen content below 16% and, when released, providing fire extinguishing atmosphere that allows people to breath;

said storage container having an inlet for refilling at a refilling station;

said refilling station being installed separately at a fire station or on a separate mobile platform.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said storage container being a high-pressure vessel holding said agent compressed up to 500 bar;

said preparation and release system comprising a pressure-reducing device, a reduced pressure container and a distribution manifold having said gas outlets;

said refilling station comprising an oxygen-extraction device processing ambient air and producing said agent, a compressor that compresses said agent to a pressure up to 500 bar and a high-pressure gas storage container where said agent being stored;

said gas container having a refilling outlet for refilling said mobile system with the agent.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said storage container being a dewar-type vessel holding liquid nitrogen;

said preparation and release system comprising a cryogenic fluid pump that draws liquid nitrogen into a vaporizer where it transforms into a nitrogen gas, being further delivered into a mixing chamber for mixing with an ambient air supplied by an air pump, whereby said agent is produced and is further transmitted into a distributor having said gas outlets;

said refilling station comprising a cryogenic nitrogen plant and a liquid nitrogen storage vessel having an outlet for refilling said mobile system with liquid nitrogen;

said cryogenic nitrogen plant producing liquid nitrogen from ambient air at site.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said storage container being a high-pressure vessel holding nitrogen gas compressed up to 500 bar;

said preparation and release system comprising a pressure-reducing device, a mixing chamber, an air supply device and a distribution manifold having said gas outlets;

said refilling station comprising an oxygen-extraction device processing ambient air and producing nitrogen gas, a compressor that compresses said nitrogen gas to a pressure up to 500 bar and a high-pressure gas storage container where said nitrogen being stored;

said gas container having a refilling outlet for refilling said mobile system with the nitrogen gas.

5. The system according to claim 1 and

said breathable fire-extinguishing agent having an oxygen content of 10%-12% for a majority of civil applications in human-occupied environments.

6. The system according to claim 1 and

said gas delivery hoses connected to a distribution piping in a building or structure;

said piping leading to different floors, levels or areas of the building or structure and having clearly marked inlets accessible from the street, which allows firefighters to connect said gas hoses to the pipes leading to different floors, areas or levels affected by fire;

said breathable hypoxic fire-extinguishing agent being supplied through selected piping directly to the location of fire.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the functional equipment of said system being installed as a stationary fire-suppression system in a building, transportation tunnel, mine and other human-occupied structure.

8. A mobile firefighting system for providing a breathable fire-extinguishing composition at a fire site, said system comprising:

a high-pressure gas vessel containing said composition under a pressure of over 100 bar, said vessel having a refilling inlet with a one-way valve and an outlet;

said outlet communicating with a pressure-reducing device and transmitting said composition into a reduced-pressure container;

said reduced-pressure container communicating with a distribution unit having multiple gas outlets that communicate with gas delivery hoses and transmit said composition to the location of fire;

a motorized chassis for carrying said vessel and equipment of said system and delivering it to fire site;

a refilling station installed separately at a fire station or on a mobile platform;

said refilling station generating said composition from an ambient air and storing said composition in a high-pressure storage container;

said composition being breathable oxygen-depleted air having oxygen content below 16%.

9. The system according to claim 8 and

said composition having oxygen content in the range from 10% to 14%.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein

said refilling station utilizing an oxygen extraction device for producing said composition by reducing oxygen content in the ambient air;

said device utilizing molecular sieve adsorber, membrane separator or cryogenic separator.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein

said refilling station utilizing a process of mixing nitrogen gas with ambient air in order to produce said breathable fire-extinguishing composition.

12. A mobile firefighting unit for providing a breathable hypoxic fire-extinguishing agent at a fire site, said unit comprising:

a transportable liquid nitrogen container having a refilling inlet and liquid nitrogen outlet;

said container filled with liquid nitrogen when said mobile unit at service;

said liquid nitrogen outlet communicating with a vaporizer and, when in use, transmitting liquid nitrogen into it for vaporization;

a mixing chamber communicating with said vaporizer and receiving nitrogen gas from it for mixing with ambient air supplied by an air pump communicating with said chamber;

said breathable agent being prepared in said mixing chamber by adding ambient air to said nitrogen gas;

said agent having oxygen content below 16%;

a distribution device communicating with said mixing chamber and receiving said agent from it for distribution through multiple gas outlets;

multiple gas delivery hoses connected to said gas outlets and delivering said agent to location of fire;

said distribution unit having transducers for measuring pressure and oxygen content in said agent and allowing to regulate these parameters manually or automatically;

a truck or trailer platform for transporting equipment of said mobile unit to a fire site;

a refilling station installed separately on the ground or a mobile platform and having a liquid nitrogen production plant and a storage container designed for quick refilling of said mobile unit with liquid nitrogen.

13. The mobile unit according to claim 12, wherein

said transportable container being a dewar-type vessel filled with liquid nitrogen that, when in use, is drawn by a cryogenic liquid pump into said vaporizer where liquid nitrogen is heated and vaporized;

said vaporizer having a heater powered by microwave radiation or electrical induction or a heat exchanger that utilizes heat from a diesel or other fuel combustion device.

14. The mobile unit according to claim 12, wherein

said refilling station having a cryogenic cooling device for maintaining the temperature of the liquid nitrogen in said transportable container below its boiling point and for supplying additional liquid nitrogen in order to maintain said container fully refilled at any time.

15. The mobile unit according to claim 12, wherein

said agent having oxygen content from 10% to 12% for civil applications in human-occupied environments and from 0.1% to 10% for industrial fire hazards in non-occupied areas.

16. The mobile unit according to claim 12 having all equipment, excluding transporting vehicle, installed as a stationary fire-suppression system for a building, tunnel, mine and other human-occupied facilities and environments.

17. A mobile firefighting system for providing a breathable fire-extinguishing agent at a fire site, said system comprising:

a high-pressure gas container containing a nitrogen gas under a pressure of over 100 bar, said container having a refilling inlet with a one-way valve and an outlet;

said outlet communicating with a pressure-reducing device and transmitting said nitrogen gas into a mixing chamber;

said mixing chamber communicating with an air supply device and receiving an ambient air from said device for mixing with said nitrogen in order to produce said fire-extinguishing agent;

said mixing chamber communicating with a distribution unit having multiple gas outlets that communicate with gas delivery hoses and transmit said agent to the location of fire;

a motorized chassis for carrying said container and equipment of said system and delivering it to fire site;

a refilling station installed separately at a fire station or on a mobile platform;

said refilling station generating said nitrogen gas from the ambient air and storing said gas in a high-pressure storage vessel;

said breathable agent being a mixture of nitrogen and ambient air having an oxygen content below 16%.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein

said refilling station utilizing an oxygen extraction device for producing said nitrogen gas from ambient air; said device utilizing molecular sieve adsorber, membrane separator or cryogenic separator.

19. The fire fighting system according to claim 17, wherein

said system being installed as a stationary fire-suppression system in a building, transportation tunnel, mine and other human-occupied structure.

20. A method of producing a breathable fire-extinguishing composition, said method comprising:

generating of a necessary quantity of liquid nitrogen being stored in a dewar-type container;

transmitting said liquid nitrogen into a vaporizer;

vaporization of said liquid nitrogen being transformed into a nitrogen gas;

transmitting of the nitrogen gas into a mixing chamber wherein said gas being mixed with a corresponding amount of an ambient air delivered by an air pumping device and producing a breathable gas mixture having fire suppressive properties;

said gas mixture being delivered from said mixing chamber into a distribution and control unit equipped with oxygen and pressure monitoring devices that allow to control an oxygen content and a pressure in said gas mixture;

said gas mixture being supplied from said distribution unit into multiple gas delivery hoses for delivery of said breathable gas mixture to the location of fire in order to suppress combustion and providing fresh human-breathable atmosphere;

said breathable gas mixture having an oxygen content below 16%.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein

said generating of liquid nitrogen employs a cryogenic liquefier in order to liquefy nitrogen gas produced from ambient air using an oxygen-extraction device;

said oxygen-extraction device being selected from the group consisting of a membrane air separator, pressure-swing adsorber, temperature-swing adsorber, reversing heat exchanger and other oxygen extraction equipment.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein

said generating of liquid nitrogen employs a cryogenic liquefier in order to liquefy ambient air;

said liquid nitrogen being extracted from said liquefied air in a cryogenic distillation device or in a centrifuge.

23. The method according to claim 20, and

said vaporizer being a device using heat from a combustion engine, atmospheric air, microwave radiation, electrical induction, burning fuel, water and other available heat sources.

24. The method according to claim 20 and

said breathable gas mixture having an oxygen content in a range from 14% to 16% for use as a constant fire-preventative atmosphere in human-occupied environments, from 8% to 14% for use as a fire suppressant in human-occupied environments and from 0.1% to 8% in non-occupied environments.

25. The method according to claim 20, being applied to a stationary fire-suppression system in a building, transportation tunnel, mine and other human-occupied structure.