WO2009150478A4

WO2009150478A4 - Aircraft and method for forest fire extinguishing

Info

Publication number: WO2009150478A4
Application number: PCT/GR2009/000037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ioannis Kalivas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-13
Filing date: 2009-06-10
Publication date: 2010-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2010-12-13
Also published as: GR1006578B; WO2009150478A1

Abstract

The new method used with the new aircraft for forest fire extinguishing is a concept which consists of a new means by which the new method of fire extinction, especially forested areas, will be applied and consists of an aircraft that will fly with the help of 4 turbine engines of vertical reaction and with the support of propellers it will transport to the fire front water and materials for extinguishment and due to its peculiar shape it will be able to remain close to the fire and combat it with water, with an impulsive force of large amounts of gas that exit from its turbine engines, amounts that will contain oxygen, as well as be enriched with carbon monoxide or other extinguishing material that it possesses and will lower the temperature locally with the air currents that will be produced. This construction allows small speeds, and even idling in the air, which benefits the purpose of the fire extinction and allows the aircraft to land in small areas or close to the fire without danger but also to escape immediately if the direction of the wind changes etc. It can constructed in small, medium, or large sizes.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 12 January 2010

1. The new forest fire extinguishing aircraft is automotive, taking off and landing vertically, it has its four turbine engines (T) crossed on the outer part of the upper section of the frame (S)₅ rotating towards four directions (UK), (HC) for onward course and vertical landing-take-off with rudder (PH) of one direction, all controlled by an automatic electromechanical system, working together with a hydraulic and pneumatic system for stability, movement, its course through the air, fluctuation of spins, the rudder movement (PH) of the hose mechanism (MM), the water pump (AN), the parking stands (ST), etc. The adjusted propeller shafts (E) are equipped with a disengagement mechanism on the rotation point (STOP) so as not to send out clean air onto the fire, affording a remote control piece of equipment, and it will run on kerosene alternating with butane depending on the case. The upper shell made of synthetic light material (KE) is dome-shaped so as not to be affected by strong or oblique winds and upward currents of air and in its interior there are the control panels, the control gears and the two operators. The pipes lead up to the inner edges of the exhaust cones (KW) of the turbines (T) through which carbon monoxide powder is released in order to eliminate the fuel residues for better oxygen dissipation in the burning site, fuel and space temperature reduction and is stored in safe vessels (PU) in the lower shell (KK) of the aircraft. a) The new forest fire extinguishing aircraft is characterized by the position of the fuel tank (K) inside the water tank (N) for safety reasons in case of fall. b) It is also characterized by the centre of gravity position which is almost at the centre of the lower shell (KK), and this helps maintaining a much better stability in the air and being flexible without being influenced by either the winds or their change of direction, through the use of rudder (PH).

2. The new forest fire extinguishing method will be applied using as a primary tool the new forest fire extinguishing aircraft of Claim (1) and its main characteristic is that it will assume position between the strong wind and the fire, at a certain height so that its turbines (T) direct their exhaust cones (KW) low towards the fire, thus disorientating it, displacing the clean air with circular and spiral movements while the fumes contain carbon monoxide or other auxiliary elements and will release water at will (N).

3. The new forest fire extinguishing aircraft according to Claim (1) is characterized by its discoid shape with a circular frame (S), the upper dome shaped, aerodynamic shell (KE), in the interior of which there is the operators' cockpit, the control gears, with the lower shell (KK) more elongated (almost oval) in order to keep the centre of gravity low. This makes it flexible and able to immediately restrain the fire from expanding due to the winds or the rushing

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4. The new forest fire extinguishing method according to Claim (2) is characterized by the aircraft's ability to assume position in front of the fire's front in the absence of strong wind and divert it towards the burnt ground (DA) extinguishing it through the use of two of its four turbines (T1,T2) towards the fire, the other two (T3, T 4) will be supporting it, while the propeller shafts (El, E2) of the two turbines (T 1 και T2) extinguishing the fire will be immobile. 5, The new forest fire extinguishing method according to Claim (2) is characterized by the aircraft' s action, which apart from the use of water (N) as a fire extinguishing material, we can also use the rush, of the exhaust fumes for the transport of gas masses in such a composition so as to remove oxygen locally, for the forceful push of flames (hard blow) as well as the cooling of the burning area. These elements in strong winds conditions help the aircraft have the four exhaust cones (KW) of its turbines (T) turned towards the fire (FI) with a bigger gradient due to its construction. Therefore, it will approach the fire more closely and the rush of the fumes will be increasing at the same rate with the increasing strong winds. The enriched with carbon monoxide fumes block locally the entrance of fresh air towards the fire. Since there is no oxygen from the side of the unburned forest and due to the fact that smoke is pushed by the wind and the fumes, the result is immediately successful. On the one hand, the water through the hose will easily extinguish not flames but burned material, on the other hand, the aircraft will be able to remain in the area as long as it has both enough fuel and extinguishing materials and this is something that no other fire extinguishing aircraft is able to perform in this day and age.

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