A solid foam stick manifold device provides solid stick foam additive to multiple discharge lines. The device includes a housing having an interior space defining a mixing chamber configured for holding a solid foam stick. An inlet extends from the housing and is in fluid communication with the interior space directly into the mixing chamber. An outlet extends from the housing and is in fluid communication with the interior space. The outlet is positioned such that flow through the inlet passes through the mixing chamber before being expelled through the outlet for expelling foam produced by mixing of water with the solid foam stick within the mixing chamber.

An exemplary fire suppression system includes a sprinkler nozzle. At least one conduit is connected to the nozzle for delivering a fire suppression fluid to the nozzle. The conduit and the nozzle establish a discharge path. A pneumatically driven pump is connected with the conduit for pumping fluid into the conduit. A gas source provides pressurized gas to the pump for driving the pump. The gas source also provides gas to the discharge path for achieving a desired discharge of the fluid from the nozzle.

A device and method for chemicals to be fed into a water system, treating the water system as it enters, for example, a fire protection mains and/or fire protection systems (FPS) to protect and maintain the longevity of the water system preventing damages to the water system or enhancing the operation characteristics of the system. This device is a treatment system that may be installed as a portable or permanent device with chemicals such as, corrosion inhibitors, wetting agents, polymeric dispersants, biocides, biostats or other water chemical enhancing effects with means for injecting the chemicals into the fire protection system or a bypass feed system utilizing the fluid means without the need for any electricity. Activation of the pump occurs when water enters the FPS mains and FPS sprinkler system from an outside source. Valving is included to isolate the pump and drums, storage tank to prevent backflow from the FPS.

A fluid distribution system includes a first flow meter configured to be positioned along an agent line, a metering valve configured to be positioned downstream of the first flow meter, a second flow meter configured to be positioned downstream of the first flow meter and an eductor, and a controller configured to selectively operate the fluid distribution system in a testing mode where the controller is configured to acquire a first flow rate of a fluid flowing through the first flow meter and a second flow rate of the fluid flowing through the second flow meter, determine a performance characteristic based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate, and modulate a current setting of the metering valve from a first setting to a second setting and conduct the testing mode sequence again at the second setting to verify the fluid distribution system is performing properly.

The system includes an intake assembly upstream of a pump within the bucket which selectively uses an outer port for drawing water outside of the bucket into the system and an inner port for drawing water from within the bucket into the system. A polymer gel port is interposed between the intake assembly and the pump for combination, mixing and activation of a water and polymer gel emulsion combination within the pump. A fill assembly is provided downstream of the pump which can selectively direct water back into the bucket. A discharge assembly is also provided downstream of the pump which leads to a nozzle or other outlet for water and/or polymer gel emulsion from the system. A control valve selects between delivery of water and/or polymer gel emulsion back into the bucket through the fill assembly or out of the bucket through the discharge.

A method as well as a liquid mixing system for providing a liquid mixture of water with at least one additive. The liquid mixing system comprises a first water reservoir, a first additive reservoir, a mixing unit, a conveying device and a line network. At least one first measurement value of the flow of the first additive conveyed to a mixing device is determined by an additive flowmeter. The total stream of the liquid mixture conveyed by the conveying device is measured by a liquid mixture flowmeter. The determined measurement values are transmitted to a control device, and from there passed on to a data storage device where they are stored.

A tank on a firefighting aircraft initially is loaded with water. A polymer gel emulsion vessel is provided but gel emulsion is not activated and mixed with water in the tank until such polymer gel preparation is initiated by an operator. When initiated, a pump pulls water from the tank and returns water back to the tank with a dose of gel emulsion supplied therein. Double elbows and/or the pump impeller fully activates the polymer gel. The activated polymer gel is mixed within the tank by one of a variety of systems including sparging with air, routing of return water from the pump through nozzles and providing a baffle for generating circulatory mixing flow within the tank, or utilizing a mixer element which moves dynamically within the tank. Hydrodynamic forces associated with the aircraft passing over a body of water can power dosing of the water with polymer gel emulsion.

An eductor includes inner and outer channels and a manifold region where these channels come together. The eductor has an outlet and inlets including a water inlet, a fire suppressant material inlet, and an air inlet. In certain embodiments, the eductor has mixing, rinse, and air purge configurations. In the mixing configuration, the eductor has both: i) a primary water flow path extending from the water inlet, through the outer channel, and into the manifold region, and ii) a fire suppressant flow path extending from the fire suppressant inlet, through the inner channel, and into the manifold region. In the rinse configuration, the eductor has a secondary water flow path extending from the water inlet, through the inner channel, and into the manifold region. In the air purge configuration, the eductor has an air flow path extending from the air inlet, though the inner channel, and into the manifold region.

The instant invention relates to an apparatus and method for enhancing the fire extinguishing properties of water for use with fire fighting aircraft. The apparatus and method includes the steps of, and equipment for, transferring media into a holding tank in aircraft; filling a reservoir hopper with water in the aircraft; calculating the amount of media to be added to the reservoir; drawing the calculated amount of media into the reservoir to form an enhanced fire fighting admixture while the aircraft is in flight, wherein the admixture is offloaded by a controlled discharge for use in fighting forest fires.

The system includes an intake assembly upstream of a pump within the bucket which selectively uses an outer port for drawing water outside of the bucket into the system and an inner port for drawing water from within the bucket into the system. A polymer gel port is interposed between the intake assembly and the pump for combination, mixing and activation of a water and polymer gel emulsion combination within the pump. A fill assembly is provided downstream of the pump which can selectively direct water back into the bucket. A discharge assembly is also provided downstream of the pump which leads to a nozzle or other outlet for water and/or polymer gel emulsion from the system. A control valve selects between delivery of water and/or polymer gel emulsion back into the bucket through the fill assembly or out of the bucket through the discharge.