RU2178321C1 - Modernized fire-fighting system of tanks, fighting vehicles self-propelled guns - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: fire-fighting systems of tanks, fighting vehicles, self-propelled guns. SUBSTANCE: air from without is fed to the engine air filled through the inlet air duct, outdoor air is fed to the interior of the engine-transmission compartment through an air intake installed in which is an air damper, air to the radiators is forced by a fan from the interior of the engine- transmission compartment, another air damper is installed at the outlet from the radiators or, as an alteration, at the inlet to the radiators, at a normal functioning the air dampers are in the "open" position, in case of fire in the interior of the engine-transmission compartment they are changed-over to the "closed" position for creation of a relatively sealed volume in the interior of the engine-transmission compartment and provision of an interior forced circulation and agitation of gases and fed fire-extinguishing mixture in the closed volume of the interior of the engine-transmission compartment at running engine and fen, after completion of the fire-extinguishing cycle the air dampers are changed over to the "open" position by a command of the control unit. EFFECT: modernized fire-fighting systems on series armored objects at the expense of frugal expenditures, provided fire suppression in motion without shutdown of the engine and taking, for example, of the tank from under fire. 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to fire extinguishing systems for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery installations.

 The fire extinguishing system of tanks is widely known, in which, in the event of a fire in the engine-transmission compartment (MTO), a thermal sensor is triggered and the equipment gives a command to stop the engine and supply the extinguishing mixture after it is completely stopped (1). In a combat situation, the enemy finishes off a tanned and stopped tank.

 A known fire extinguishing system for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles (USSR patent N 1788901 A3, MKI A 62 C 27/00, publ. 15.01.93, bull. N2, author Yu.S. Burdakov) (2), adopted as a prototype in which the MTO is sealed during the fire fighting and due to the presence of air ducts that supply air from the outside to the engine air filter and to the radiators and exhaust air from the radiators outside the MTO, a stagnant gas zone is created in the MTO during fire fighting, so the fire is extinguished without engine shutdown.

 The prototype fire extinguishing system has a drawback, because it can only be used on promising armored vehicles, and serial vehicles cannot be modified due to the inability to place air ducts for supplying external air to radiators with a dense arrangement of units in the MTO, in addition, there is no forced gas circulation in the pressurized MTO volume during fire fighting, i.e., a more uniform distribution of the extinguishing mixture in the MTO gas environment is not ensured.

The problem solved by the invention is:
- providing fire extinguishing in the MTO without turning off the engine, therefore, dramatically increase the survival of the crew and the armored object;
- the ability to refine fire extinguishing systems as previously issued, as well as serial armored vehicles to provide fire fighting on the go;
- more uniform forced distribution of the extinguishing mixture throughout the MTO volume and, therefore, acceleration of the process of reliable fire fighting;
- the possibility of simultaneous supply of a fire extinguishing mixture and part of the exhaust gases to the MTO;
- the possibility of using the preemptive automatic feed part of the exhaust gases to create conditions in the MTO to prevent the occurrence of a fire after breaking through the armor (RF patent N 2119807 (13) C 16 A 62 C 3/07, publ. 10.10.98, bulletin N 28, author Yu.S. Burdakov, V.G. Morozov) (3);
- the possibility of reducing the volume of the extinguishing mixture.

 This problem is solved by the fact that the outside air enters the engine air filter through the intake air duct, the outside air enters the internal volume of the MTO through the air intake in which the damper is installed, the air from the internal volume of the MTO, at the outlet of the radiators, is pumped into the radiators by the fan, or (as an option ) a damper is installed at the radiator inlet, during normal operation, the shutters are in the “Open” position, in case of fire - in the “Closed” position to create a relatively hermetic volume and in MTO and providing internal circulation of gases and filed extinguishing mixture in a closed volume MTO with the engine running and the fan, after extinguishing the fire damper translated to "Open".

 A comparative analysis shows that the claimed technical solution differs from the prototype by the introduction of a damper at the air inlet to the MTO and a damper to shut off the air flow through the radiators, the absence of an air duct for supplying external air to the radiators and the presence of internal forced circulation of gases and extinguishing mixture in the relatively sealed volume of the MTO for a while fire extinguishing.

 Thus, the claimed modernized fire extinguishing system for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery systems meets the criteria of the invention of "novelty." In the study of other well-known technical solutions in this technical field, signs that distinguish the claimed invention from the prototype were not identified, and therefore they provide the claimed technical solution with the criterion of "significant differences".

 The drawing shows a cross section of a motor-transmission compartment.

 In the sealed housing 1 is the engine 2, the outside air is supplied to the engine 2 through the intake air duct 3 and passes through the air filter 4. The radiators 5 have an outlet air duct 6 in which the damper 7 is installed, for the convenience of the arrangement, the damper 7 can be placed in front of the radiators. At the entrance to the radiators 5, a fan 8 is placed, driven by the engine 2 and providing air pumping. In the internal volume of the MTO (9) through the air intake 10, external air enters with the open damper 11.

 In the event of a fire in the MTO of the moving tank, it is not necessary to turn off engine 2, because the air enters from outside through the intake air duct 3. At the command of the control unit, the shutter 7 will block the air outlet from the radiators 5, and the shutter 11 will block the air supply to the 9 MTO and create closed relatively sealed volume 9, into which, at the command of the control unit, an extinguishing mixture of a standard fire extinguishing system is supplied, while the working fan 8 will be forced gas circulation, creating more than vnomernoe stirring extinguishing mixture throughout the volume of MSW 9 and reducing the quenching fire. After the fire extinguishing cycle (~ 15-60 s), at the command of the control unit, shutters 7 and 11 will open, air pumping through radiators 5 will resume.

 During the tests, check the need to install the shutter 11, with positive results on all grades of fuel and to simplify the design, the shutter 11 may not be installed.

 Extinguishing a fire with the engine turned off, for example, in a parking lot, is similar to extinguishing a fire on the go, but a larger amount of fire extinguishing mixture or the installation of an additional electric fan will be required to ensure forced circulation of gases in the MTO for the time of fire fighting.

 Fire extinguishing in the inhabited compartment of the tank is carried out according to the well-known scheme by regular means.

 The paradox of the proposed technical solution is the supply of an extinguishing mixture to the MTO volume with the radiator fan operating and the presence of one or more holes in the armor during the relative MTO sealing for fire extinguishing (by relative sealing we mean the isolation of the MTO volume with closed shutters 7 and 11 and the presence of one or more holes in the armor).

To date, it has been accepted:
- wind (forced air circulation in the MTO) enhances combustion;
- one or more holes in the MTO armor ensure the supply of fresh outboard air in the presence of ventilation.

Consider the process of burning and extinguishing without turning off the engine, that is, with the fan running, the total volume of the MTO is ~ 4 m ³ , the free volume (the volume of air in the MTO) is ~ 1 m ³ :
- there is no pressure difference between the volume inside the MTO and the outside atmosphere, except for the created expansion of gases in the MTO during combustion, which will cause the gaseous products of combustion and part of the extinguishing mixture to flow out through the hole, there is no fresh air, there is only the exit of gases from the MTO through the hole;
- if there is one hole in the left and right sides and the crosswind, fresh air will really come in, but the volume of air in 15-60 seconds is negligible compared to 1 m ^{3 of} free volume and, if necessary, can be neutralized by supplying simultaneously with the extinguishing mixture and parts of filtered and cooled exhaust gas to create a slight excess pressure inside the MTO and enhance the quenching effect.

 The irretrievable losses of tank armies in an offensive operation lasting 15-20 days amounted to ~ 25% of the initial number of tanks and self-propelled guns (4).

 The significance of extinguishing tanks on the go is confirmed by figures that 70% of irretrievably lost tanks were destroyed due to a secondary factor - the occurrence of a fire and an explosion of fuel and ammunition, and those damaged by artillery fire and cumulative ammunition, but not ignited tanks were restored in the repair organs of tank armies (5) .

 At the same time, the figure of 70% of irretrievably lost tanks refers both to the period of World War II, when the fire extinguishing system was not automatically turned on, and irretrievably lost tanks and crews in subsequent wars, which indicates the unsatisfactory state of existing automatic fire extinguishing systems that require shutdown engines and stopping the tank for ~ 2-3 min to extinguish the fire (6).

 The tank fire fighting system is not required to provide fire fighting in the MTO on the go, without turning off the engine (6).

 It seems optimal to use the invention on armored vehicles with the main fuel reserve in the MTO, and on the T-72 mass tank itself, of which ~ 30 thousand were produced - after the implementation of the technical solution set out in application N 200116985/02 of 06/30/2000, author Yu S. Burdakov (7).

Sources of information
1. Tank T-72A. Technical description and instruction manual. M., Military Publishing House, 1989. Book Two, part two, p. 143.

 2. USSR patent N 1788901 A3, MKI A 62 C 27/00, application N 4876114/12 of 10.19.90, publ. 01/15/93, bull. N 2 "Fire extinguishing system of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles", ed. Yu. S. Burdakov.

 3. RF patent N 2119807 (13) C1 6 A 62 C 3/07, publ. 10/10/98, bull. N 28, ed. Yu. S. Burdakov, V.G. Morozov.

 4. Radzievsky "Tank strike", M., Oborongiz, 1977, p. 217.

 5. Presnov "Fire and anti-nuclear protection systems", ed. Armored Academy, 1965, pp. 3-4.

 6. "Theory and design of the tank", Volume 10, Book 2, 1990, pp. 90-92.

 7. Application N 2000116985/02 (018231) from 06/30/2000, ed. Burdakov Yu.S.

Claims (1)

 An upgraded fire extinguishing system for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery systems, containing standard fire extinguishing means for the engine and transmission compartments, which are relatively sealed for extinguishing a fire, characterized in that the system additionally has an air supply duct from the outside to the engine air filter, an exhaust shutter flap air from radiators outside the engine compartment and the damper for blocking the air inlet from the outside into the internal volume engine compartment, and is also provided with a fan for forced internal circulation of gases in a closed volume of the engine compartment during the fire fighting process.