Fire extinguishing by explosive pulverisation of projectile based frozen gases and compacted solid extinguishing agents

• US 7,478,680 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ram Vairavan, Vinayagamurthy Sridharan
• Original Assignee: Ram Vairavan, Vinayagamurthy Sridharan
• Inventors: Vairavan, Ram, Sridharan, Vinayagamurthy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boeckmann; Jason J
• Application Number:
  US10/905,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20060162941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 169/28, 169/36, 169/46, 169/47, 169 52- 54, 169/56, 169/62, 169/68, 169/71, 102367-370, 102/393, 102/475, 102/489, 102/490, 239/171
• US Class Current: 169/36
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/025 Fire extinguishing bombs; Projectiles and launchers therefor launching apparatus for projectiles, missiles or torpedoes in general F41F1/00, F41F3/00, F41F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/50 by dispersion

Abstract

This invention relates to a forest, terrain and urban fire fighting device and method, and more particularly, to a fire extinguishing system and method offering reduced risk of fire spread and safety of firemen. This extinguishing device consists of an encapsulated cryogenic projectile with a payload of solidified and frozen mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, combination of gases and compacted solid extinguishing agents. These strategically located and cryogenically stored devices are launched at the outbreak of fire, aerially or terrestrially over a blaze. An embedded explosive charge is detonated at a predetermined and optimum height causing the solidified gases/compacted solid extinguishing agents to be dispersed instantaneously and forcefully over targeted and specified areas. The release of high pressure, low temperature oxygen exclusion gases penetrate the fire from above, chills the substrate and extinguishes the fire. As carbon dioxide is heavier than air it hangs as a cloud over the extinguished substratum effectively preventing reignition. Fly ash, fine quarry dust or any solid or semisolid extinguishing agent can also be made to disperse under force over the fires in the same mode which cuts off the oxygen supply to the burning substrates. By effectively checking and cooling the fuel complex substrate by successive pulverizations as needed this invention enables a low cost, scalable, and effective urban, terrain and forest fire intervention/extinguishing process.

Claims

1. A fire fighting device in the form and mode of a projectile meant to fight fires in forests, terrain and urban structures comprising:

an elongated, cylindrical shaped projectile having a front end and a rear end with a metallic frame, the metallic frame having a disc buffer at the rear end and a hinged hemispherical cover at the front end, the hinged hemispherical cover housing wireless receivers, altitude sensors, infrared sensors and detonation activation trigger relays and systems, ribs extending from the rear end to the front end of the cylindrical shaped projectile from a metal cladding and connected to a basal support bar, a tubular shaped explosive charge positioned under the metal cladding, the cylindrical shaped projectile having a containment area containing a frozen mixture of inert gases and an insulating sheath, the cylindrical shaped projectile containing two lower lateral hinged curved metallic doors that open upon detonation, and the projectile having a shape that ensures the ascent and descent of the projectile upon launching and is in a horizontal position with the metal cladding position upwards when in flight.

2. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the ribs extend in pairs from the rear end to the front end of the projectile.

3. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the tubular shaped explosive charge is positioned under a metallic angle fixed under the metal cladding.

4. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the frozen mixture of inert gases is insulated by a sheath of thermo coal encapsulating the projectile.

5. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the metal cladding is positioned above the explosive charge to direct flow of pulverized extinguishing agents over fires upon detonation.

6. The projectile of claim 1 where the projectile disperses the pulverized extinguishing agents on target and under pressure at a specific height over the fires as determined by a ground based or air borne fuzzy logic control system.

7. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the explosive charge upon detonation pulverizes said agents to form a downward propagated, pressurized cloud that engulfs a fire.

8. The fire fighting device of claim 1 where the tubular shaped explosive charge extends from the back end of the projectile to the front end of the projectile under the metal cladding that directs the flow of pulverized agents.

9. The device of claim 1 where the containment area is reinforced with the ribs extending from lateral rods to a base rod.

10. The device of claim 1 where the rear end is sealed with a solid steel buffer of sufficient width to withstand a launch.

11. The device of claim 1 where the two lower lateral hinged curved metallic doors hold the agents in the projectile and open outwardly on detonation allowing the agents to be released from the projectile.

12. The device according to claim 1 where the front end is sealed with an anterior flange upon which is where the hinged hemispherical cover is fixed.

13. The device of claim 1 where the wireless receivers, the altitude sensors, the infrared sensors and the detonation activation trigger relays and systems enable the projectile to be detonated at an appropriate height over fires.

14. The device according to claim 1 where the project has a longitudinally balanced weight.

15. The device according to claim 1 where the fins are fixed to the rear end, the front end and sides of the projectile.

16. The device according to claim 1 where projectile is enclosed by an insulating material that disintegrated on detonation.

17. The device according to claim 1 where rear end is fitted with a detachable cartridge case with a primer behind the buffer plate that holds a propellant charge that propels the projectile in its trajectory upon firing.

18. The device of claim 1 where a detonation location is controlled by a fuzzy logic control system a detonation location, detonation height, detonation angle, detonation timing is controlled by the ground based or air borne fuzzy logic control system.

19. The device of claim 1 where the projectile is launched by terrain based launcher systems.

20. The device of claim 1 where the projectile is launched by airborne flying systems.