PUMP SYSTEM FOR A FIREFIGHTING VEHICLE

• US 20080099213A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Voigt, Corey, Meilahn, Tim, Morrow, Jon, Steinberger, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/24
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 1/06 Multi-stage pumps F04D1/02, F04D13/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/14 the pumps being all of centrifugal type deviation valves F04D15/0016
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0072 Installation or systems with two or more pumps, wherein the flow path through the stages can be changed, e.g. series-parallel

Abstract

A firefighting vehicle having a dual pressure pump system includes a fluid supply, a first pump stage coupled to the fluid supply and configured to pump fluid at a first pressure, a second pump stage coupled to the first pump stage and configured to pump fluid at a second pressure, the second pressure being substantially different from the first pressure, a fluid manipulator; and a valving arrangement coupling the first pump stage and the second pump stage to the fluid manipulator, the valving arrangement being selectively adjustable between a first position forming a first fluid path and a second position forming a second fluid path, wherein the first fluid path provides the fluid to the fluid manipulator at a first output pressure and the second fluid path provides fluid to the fluid manipulator at a second output pressure.

Claims

1. A firefighting vehicle comprising:

a fluid supply;

a first pump stage coupled to the fluid supply and configured to pump fluid at a first pressure;

a second pump stage coupled to the first pump stage and configured to pump fluid at a second pressure, the second pressure being substantially different from the first pressure;

a fluid manipulator; and

a valving arrangement coupling the first pump stage and the second pump stage to the fluid manipulator, the valving arrangement being selectively adjustable between a first position forming a first fluid path and a second position forming a second fluid path,

wherein the first fluid path provides the fluid to the fluid manipulator at a first output pressure and the second fluid path provides fluid to the fluid manipulator at a second output pressure.

2. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pump stage and the second pump stage is formed of more than one pump stage.

3. The firefighting vehicle of claim 2, wherein the second pump stage is formed of at least 3 pump stages.

4. The firefighting vehicle of claim 2, wherein the first pump stage and the second pump stage are pump stages of a multistage pump.

5. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fluid manipulator comprises a turret mounted at a front end of the vehicle.

6. The firefighting vehicle of claim 5, wherein the turret comprises at least two output nozzles, wherein a user may select between at least a high pressure nozzle and a low pressure nozzle.

7. The firefighting vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a dry chemical system coupled to the turret.

8. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and second pump stages are substantially in series when the valving arrangement is selectively adjusted to form the first fluid path;

and,

wherein the first and second pump stages are partially in parallel when the valving arrangement is selectively adjusted to form the second fluid path.

9. The firefighting vehicle of claim 8, wherein the first fluid path provides a high pumping pressure.

10. The firefighting vehicle of claim 8, wherein the second pump stage is a high pressure pump stage.

11. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second fluid path substantially restricts fluid flow through at least one of the first pump stage and the second pump stage.

12. The firefighting vehicle of claim 11, wherein the second fluid path substantially restricts the fluid flow through the high pressure pump stage.

13. The firefighting vehicle of claim 12, wherein the second fluid path allows at least some fluid to flow through the high pressure pump stage whenever the low pressure pump stage is pumping fluid for cooling of the high pressure pump stage.

14. The firefighting vehicle of claim 13, wherein both the first and second pump stages pump fluid regardless of whether the valving arrangement is in the first position or the second position.

15. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control system configured to actuate the valving configuration.

16. The firefighting vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a multi-fluid fluid supply.

17. The firefighting vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a compressed air system coupled to the fluid manipulator.

18. The firefighting vehicle of claim 17, further comprising a foam supply system coupled to the fluid supply system.

19. A firefighting pump system comprising:

a pump having a first pressure stage configured to pump at a first pressure and a second pressure stage configured to pump at a second pressure, the first pressure being substantially different than the second pressure, each pressure stage having an output flow;

a conduit system coupled to the pump and defining a first fluid path and a second fluid path; and

a valving arrangement coupled to the conduit system and configured to selectively control the output flow of the second pressure stage relative to the output flow of the first pressure stage by selectively changing from the first fluid path to the second fluid path.

20. The firefighting pump system of claim 19, wherein the first fluid path substantially places the output flow of the first pressure stage and the second pressure stage in series.

21. The firefighting pump system of claim 19, wherein the second fluid path substantially restricts the output flow of the second pressure stage.

22. The firefighting pump system of claim 21, wherein the second fluid path causes the output flow of the first pressure stage to substantially bypass the second pressure stage.

23. The firefighting pump system of claim 19, wherein the first pressure stage is a low pressure stage and wherein the second pressure stage is a high pressure stage.

24. The firefighting pump system of claim 23, wherein the high pressure stage is formed of more than one pump stage.

25. The firefighting pump system of claim 23, wherein the second pressure stage is configured to provide at least double the highest pressure the first pressure pump stage is configured to pump.

26. The firefighting pump system of claim 25, wherein the second pressure stage is configured to provide a pumping flow pressure of at least 600 pounds per square inch.

27. The firefighting pump system of claim 19, further comprising a fluid supply wherein the fluid supply is a multi-fluid fluid supply.

28. The firefighting pump system of claim 27, wherein the fluid supply is configured to provide a liquid firefighting agent.

29. A method of providing both a high pressure pumping operation and a low pressure pumping operation for a firefighting vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a pump system having a first pressure stage and a second pressure stage;

providing the high pressure pumping operation by pumping an output flow from the first pressure stage to the second pressure stage and providing an output flow from the second pressure stage to a fluid manipulator;

providing the low pressure pumping operation by pumping substantially all of the output flow from the first pressure stage around the second pressure stage and to the fluid manipulator;

allowing at least a portion of the output flow from the first pressure stage to enter the second pressure stage during the low pressure pumping operation; and

providing a valving arrangement to selectively change between the high pressure pumping operation and the low pressure pumping operation.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first output stage is a low pressure output stage and the second output stage is a high pressure output stage.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising configuring the high pressure output stage to provide a pumping flow pressure of at least 600 pounds per square inch.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming the high pressure output stage of more than one pump stage.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing the pump system as a single multistage pump.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising configuring the fluid manipulator as a turret mounted at a front end of the vehicle.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising powering the first and second pressure stages during both the high pressure operation and the low pressure operation.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the fluid flow is a liquid firefighting agent fluid flow.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising supplying the fluid flow by a fluid supply configured to store multiple fluids.

38. A firefighting pump system comprising:

a low pressure pump stage configured to provide an output flow at a first pressure;

a high pressure pump stage configured to provide an output flow at a second pressure, the second pressure being greater than the highest pressure of the low pressure pump stage; and

a single conduit system having an input that is in fluid communication with the low pressure pump stage and the high pressure pump stage and an output that is configured to be in fluid communication with a fluid manipulator.

39. The firefighting pump system of claim 38, wherein single conduit system defines a first fluid path allowing the output flow of the low pressure pump stage to enter the high pressure pump stage and a second fluid path allowing the output flow of the low pressure pump stage to substantially bypass the high pressure pump stage.

40. The firefighting pump system of claim 39, further comprising a valving arrangement coupled to the single conduit system and configured to selectively control the flow pressure at the output of the single conduit system by selectively opening and closing the second fluid path.

41. The firefighting pump system of claim 39, wherein the first fluid path substantially places the output flow of the low pressure pump stage and the high pressure pump stage in series.

42. The firefighting pump system of claim 41, wherein the second fluid path substantially places the output flow of the low pressure pump stage and the high pressure pump stage in parallel.

43. The firefighting pump system of claim 38, wherein the high pressure pump stage is formed of more than one pump stage.

44. The firefighting pump system of claim 43, wherein the low pressure pump stage and the high pressure pump stage are pumps stages of a single multistage pump.