초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for aerial fire suppression utilizing a potable fire retardant chemical dispensing system, readily adaptable, without extensive aircraft modification, to various makes of aircraft, for dispensing current types of forest and range fire fighting chemicals. The aerial delivery sy

A method and apparatus for aerial fire suppression utilizing a potable fire retardant chemical dispensing system, readily adaptable, without extensive aircraft modification, to various makes of aircraft, for dispensing current types of forest and range fire fighting chemicals. The aerial delivery system is self contained and reusable. It enables cargo/utility aircraft to carry and dump a load, under control. The aerial delivery system is capable of attachment at the wing box, pressurized delivery from the nozzles, and nozzles directed straight downward.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aerial fluid delivery system capable of association with an aircraft having a longitudinal dimension, comprising: an aboard area and an outer area of the aircraft; a plurality of storage tanks located in the aboard area of the aircraft along the longitudinal dimensio

The invention claimed is: 1. An aerial fluid delivery system capable of association with an aircraft having a longitudinal dimension, comprising: an aboard area and an outer area of the aircraft; a plurality of storage tanks located in the aboard area of the aircraft along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, the storage tanks capable of containing a fluid; an air accumulator including a plurality of air tanks located in the aboard area of the aircraft along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft and in pneumatic communication with the storage tanks, the air tanks being capable of containing pressurize air at a pressure sufficient for propelling the fluid contained in the storage tanks; an elongated dump manifold located in the aboard area of the aircraft and extending along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, the dump manifold being associated with the storage tanks to receive the fluid propelled from the storage tanks; and a plurality of dump outlets located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, each dump outlet having an input communicating with the dump manifold at a different location along the length of the dump manifold to receive a portion of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks and into the dump manifold, and an outlet located at a different location along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft at the outer area of the aircraft, the dump outlets arranged to direct the fluid propelled from the storage tanks by the pressurized air in the air tanks of the air accumulator downward from the aboard area of the aircraft for exit from the aircraft to the outer area of the aircraft. 2. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of at least a water, gel, decontamination compound, weather modification compound, oil spill treatment compound, and a firefighting compound. 3. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein the system is capable of association with the group consisting of an airplane, helicopter, and balloon. 4. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of storage tanks includes first and second strings of storage tanks, the first string of storage tanks being in serial fluid communication, and having a forward storage tank and an aft storage tank, and the second string of storage tanks being in serial fluid communication and located on a second side of the centerline of the aircraft along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, and having a forward storage tank and an aft storage tank, the storage tanks of the first string of storage tanks being capable of containing a first fluid and the storage tanks of the second string of storage tanks being capable of containing a second fluid different from the first fluid, the air tanks of the air accumulator being in pneumatic communication with the forward storage tank of both the first and second strings of storage tanks, the aft storage tank of the first string of storage tanks being in fluid communication with the dump manifold for communication of the first fluid to the dump manifold and the aft storage tank of the second string of storage tanks being in fluid communication with the dump manifold for communication of the second fluid to the dump manifold for mixing of the first and second fluids within the dump manifold prior to exit from the aircraft. 5. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 4 wherein the air tanks of the air accumulator extend forward of the storage tanks of the first and second strings of storage tanks, and are positioned within the aboard area of the aircraft at a first level below a second level at which the storage tanks of the first and second strings of storage tanks are positioned, and the air tanks of the air accumulator are at least partially immediately below at least the forward storage tank of the first and second strings of storage tanks. 6. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 5 wherein the storage tanks of the first and second strings of storage tanks extend rearward of the air tanks of the air accumulator, and the dump manifold is positioned within the aboard area of the aircraft at the first level and is at least partially immediately below at least the aft storage tanks of the first and second strings of storage tanks. 7. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 4 further including a first separation valve positioned between the aft storage tank of the first string of storage tanks and the dump manifold to control fluid flow from the aft storage tank of the first string of storage tanks to the dump manifold and a second separation valve positioned between the aft storage tank of the second string of storage tanks and the dump manifold to control fluid flow from the aft storage tank of the second string of storage tanks to the dump manifold. 8. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 7 further including a branching joint having a first input in fluid communication with the first separation valve to receive fluid propelled from the aft storage tank of the first string of storage tanks and a second input in fluid communication with the second separation valve to receive fluid propelled from the aft storage tank of the second string of storage tanks, and further having an output in fluid communication with the dump manifold to deliver the fluid propelled from the aft storage tanks of the first and second strings of storage tanks to the dump manifold. 9. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 8 wherein the branching joint is a branching T joint. 10. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 4 wherein aft storage tank of the first string of storage tanks is larger than the forward storage tank of the first string of storage tanks, and the aft storage tank of the second string of storage tanks is larger than the forward storage tank of the second string of storage tanks. 11. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein each dump outlet includes a valve for controlling the flow of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks through the outlet of the dump outlet, thereby providing a control of the quantity of fluid propelled from the storage tanks which exits from the aircraft. 12. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 11 further including a controller which controls operation of the valves of the dump outlets. 13. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein the air tanks of the air accumulator are elongated and oriented transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft. 14. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein each dump outlet includes a valve for controlling the flow of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks through the outlet of the dump outlet, thereby providing a control of the quantity of fluid propelled from the storage tanks which exits from the aircraft. 15. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of storage tanks includes a string of storage tanks in serial fluid communication and having at least a forward storage tank and an aft storage tank, the air tanks of the air accumulator being in pneumatic communication with the forward storage tank and the aft storage tank being in fluid communication with the dump manifold for communication of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks with the dump manifold, and wherein aft storage tank is larger than the forward storage tank. 16. An aerial fluid delivery system for use with an aircraft having a wing box and a longitudinal dimension, comprising: an air accumulator, the air accumulator capable of holding high-pressure air and being positioned forward of the wing box; a high pressure line; a plurality of material holding tanks located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft and in serial fluid communication, the material holding tanks capable of containing a fluid in sufficient volume for fire suppression when discharged from the aircraft, the material holding tanks connected to the air accumulator by the high pressure line, the plurality of material holding tanks including at least a forward tank located forward of the wing box and an aft tank located aft of the wing box; a high pressure regulator associated with the air accumulator, wherein the high pressure regulator allows the air accumulator to hold large amounts of air at high pressures so low and constant air pressure can be delivered to the material holding tanks; at least one separation valve associated with the aft tank of the material holding tanks; a dump manifold associated with the material holding tanks and in fluid communication with the separation valve to receive therethrough the fluid held within the material holding tanks; and a plurality of dump outlets located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, each dump outlet having an input communicating with the dump manifold at a different location along the length of the dump manifold to receive a portion of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks and into the dump manifold, and an outlet located at a different location along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft at the outer area of the aircraft; each dump outlet having an outlet end communicating with the exterior of the aircraft and sized to discharge the fluid held within the material holding tanks from the outlet ends under propulsion from the high pressure air from the air accumulator for delivery to a ground fire below the aircraft with sufficient volume, dispersal and discharge rate for fire suppression. 17. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 further comprising a faring housed over the dump outlets. 18. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the air accumulator is a pressure vessel tank. 19. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein each of the material holding tanks is a high pressure vessel. 20. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of material holding tanks includes a first plurality of material holding tanks located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft and in serial fluid communication and located to one side of a centerline of the aircraft and a second plurality of material holding tanks located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft and in serial fluid communication and located to an opposite side of the centerline of the aircraft, the first plurality of material holding tanks including at least a forward tank located forward of the wing box and an aft tank located aft of the wing box and the second plurality of material holding tanks including at least a forward tank located forward of the wing box and an aft tank located aft of the wing box, the aft tank of the first plurality of material holding tanks and the aft tank of the second plurality of material holding tanks being joined by a branching T joint which is in fluid communication with the dump manifold for delivery of fluid held in both the first and second material holding tanks to the dump manifold. 21. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 20 wherein the at least one separation valve includes a first separation valve located between the aft tank of the first plurality of material holding tanks and the branching T joint and a second separation valve located between the aft tank of the second plurality of material holding tanks and the branching T joint. 22. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the material holding tanks are made of steel. 23. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the separation valve is a butterfly valve. 24. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein each dump outlet includes a valve for controlling the flow of the fluid held in the material holding tanks through the outlet end of the dump outlet, and further comprising a drop controller which controls operation of the valves of the dump outlets, thereby providing a control of the quantity of fluid discharged for the dump outlets. 25. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of at least a water, gel, decontamination compound, weather modification compound, oil spill treatment compound, and a firefighting compound. 26. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the system is capable of association with the group consisting of an airplane, helicopter, and balloon. 27. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 26 wherein the airplane is a Boeing 747. 28. The aerial fluid delivery system of claim 16 wherein the dump manifold is elongated and extends along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, and the plurality of dump outlets are located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, each dump outlet having an input communicating with the dump manifold at a different location along the length of the dump manifold to receive a portion of the fluid held within the material holding tanks which passing through the dump manifold, and an outlet located at a different location along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft and communicating with the exterior of the aircraft. 29. An aerial fluid delivery system for use with an aircraft having a wing box and a longitudinal dimension, comprising: an air accumulator, the air accumulator capable of holding high-pressure air and being positioned forward of the wing box; a high pressure line; a plurality of material holding tanks in serial fluid communication, the material holding tanks capable of containing a fluid in sufficient volume for fire suppression when discharged from the aircraft, the material holding tanks connected to the air accumulator by the high pressure line, the plurality of material holding tanks including at least a forward tank located forward of the wing box and an aft tank located aft of the wing box; a high pressure regulator associated with the air accumulator, wherein the high pressure regulator allows the air accumulator to hold large amounts of air at high pressures so low and constant air pressure can be delivered to the material holding tanks; a dump manifold associated with the material holding tanks to receive the fluid held within the material holding tanks; and a plurality of dump outlets located along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft, each dump outlet having an input communicating with the dump manifold at a different location along the length of the dump manifold to receive a portion of the fluid propelled from the storage tanks and into the dump manifold, and an outlet located at a different location along the longitudinal dimension of the aircraft at the outer area of the aircraft; each dump outlet having an outlet end communicating with the exterior of the aircraft and sized to discharge the fluid held within the material holding tanks from the outlet ends under propulsion from the high pressure air from the air accumulator for delivery to a ground fire below the aircraft with sufficient volume, dispersal and discharge rate for fire suppression.