Device for extinguishing a fire

Abstract

Extinguishing a fire by pressurizing a tank containing an extinguishing liquid. According to the invention, the tank containing the liquid is provided with an expulsion outlet at a front end, a gas generator (17) is installed at a rear end, and a diaphragm forming an inflatable bag (19) is installed inside the tank, being folded prior to triggering in a confinement space at the front of the gas generator, the outlet from the generator being associated with a deflector (47) including a rearwardly-directed ejection passage (49).

Claims

1. A device for feeding a fire extinguishing liquid to an expulsion circuit for the fire extinguishing liquid, the device comprising: a tank containing the fire extinguishing liquid and provided with an expulsion outlet at a front end thereof; a gas generator installed inside the tank at a rear end thereof, the gas generator enclosed in a rigid confinement enclosure fastened to the tank, the gas generator includes a gas outlet; a diaphragm installed inside the tank to push back the fire extinguishing liquid towards the expulsion outlet under drive from a gas given off by the gas generator; and a deflector connected to the rigid confinement enclosure, and arranged between the rigid confinement enclosure and the diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm forms an inflatable bag connected in gastight manner to the gas outlet of the gas generator, the opening of the inflatable bag being directly fastened to the outside surface of the rigid confinement enclosure, the deflector being contained in the inflatable bag, the deflector includes an ejection passage for directing the gas given off by the gas generator rearwards of the tank and then to fill the inflatable bag, and the inflatable bag being folded prior to triggering of the gas generator in a confinement space defined by a cover and located inside the tank at a front of the gas generator.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the gas generator is a pyrotechnic gas generator emitting combustion gas.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rigid confinement enclosure comprises a base fastened to the tank and a lid provided with a ring of exhaust holes, the deflector comprising an annular part fastened to the lid and provided with a rear skirt surrounding the ring of holes to define the rearwardly-pointing ejection passage.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the opening of the bag is fastened to the outside surface of the lid along a junction line situated between the base and the ejection passage.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the gas generator and the bag are enclosed, prior to triggering, in the above-mentioned cover, and wherein the cover has a breakable wall and is connected to the base in order to define the confinement space.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the cover is a thin casing having incisions encouraging it to splay open rearwards.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein said cover is a thin metal casing.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the cover is made of flexible material.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein flexible material is an elastomer.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the flexible material of the cover includes an outer protective metallic film coating.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the tank comprises a generally cylindrical body and fastener means suitable for positioning the body approximately horizontally, wherein the gas generator is fastened to a first end wall of the tank in an axial direction relative to the cylindrical body, and wherein the expulsion outlet is defined in the bottom portion of the body, in the vicinity of an opposite second end wall of the tank.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable bag has at least two compartments separated by a flow constriction system enabling the compartment closest to the ejection passage to be inflated on a priority basis.

13. An extinguisher comprising the device according to claim 1.

14. A variable-trim moving body comprising at least one extinguisher which includes at least one device according to claim 1.

15. An aircraft provided with at least one extinguisher comprising at least one device according to claim 1.

16. A device for feeding a fire extinguishing liquid to an expulsion circuit for the fire extinguishing liquid, the device comprising: a tank containing the fire extinguishing liquid and provided with an expulsion outlet at a front end thereof; a gas generator installed inside the tank at a rear end thereof; and a diaphragm installed inside the tank to push back the fire extinguishing liquid towards the expulsion outlet under drive from the gas given off by the gas generator; wherein the diaphragm forms an inflatable bag connected in gastight manner to a gas outlet of the gas generator, the bag being folded prior to triggering of the gas generator in a confinement space defined by a cover and located inside the tank at a front of the gas generator, and wherein the gas outlet is associated with a deflector comprising a generally annular ejection passage that is directed rearwards, the tank comprises a generally cylindrical body and fastener means suitable for positioning the body approximately horizontally, the gas generator is fastened to a first end wall of the tank in an axial direction relative to the cylindrical body, the expulsion outlet is defined in the bottom portion of the body, in the vicinity of an opposite second end wall of the tank, and the two compartments in the folded state are held one against the other by a breakable connection extending along a non-closed line and situated essentially in the bottom portion of the tank.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the breakable connection is stitching.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the non-closed line is a circular arc substantially parallel with an edge of the bag in the folded state.

Description

(1) The invention can be better understood and other advantages thereof appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a device for feeding a fire extinguishing liquid in accordance with the principle of the invention, given purely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a general diagrammatic view in elevation and in section of a device in accordance with the invention, before triggering;

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic detail view of the liquid expulsion system, before triggering;

(4) FIG. 3 is a view analogous to FIG. 1, showing the operation at the beginning of a liquid-expulsion stage;

(5) FIG. 4 is a view analogous to FIG. 3 showing the state of the system at the end of this expulsion stage; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic detail view looking along arrow V of FIG. 2 and showing a breakable temporary junction of two compartments of the bag, prior to triggering.

(7) With reference to the drawings, there can be seen a feeder device 11 for feeding a fire extinguishing liquid, which device is connected to an expulsion circuit 12 for the extinguishing liquid. This circuit is connected to one or more spray heads directed towards a subassembly that might constitute the source of fire, such as for example an airplane jet.

(8) The device 11 comprises a tank 14 containing the extinguishing liquid 15, a gas generator 17 for delivering gas under pressure, the generator being installed inside the tank, and a bag-shaped diaphragm 19 installed inside the tank to push out the liquid 15 under drive from the gas emitted by the gas generator towards an expulsion outlet 21 of the tank that is connected to the circuit 12. More precisely, the expulsion outlet 21 is arranged at a front end of the tank while the gas generator is installed at a rear end of the same type.

(9) In the example described, the gas generator 17 is a pyrotechnic gas generator that emits a hot combustion gas on being triggered. This type of generator that is triggered electrically is conventional and is not described in detail. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that it is constituted essentially by a charge of solid propellant 25 enclosed inside a perforated metal casing 26, itself enclosed in a rigid confinement enclosure 28. Ignition of the charge is triggered electrically via an electrical connector 27.

(10) As shown, the tank comprises a body 29 that is generally cylindrical in shape and that is extended by two hemispherical end walls 22 and 23. Fastener means 31 are welded to the outside of the tank. In FIG. 1, these fastener means are arranged so that the tank is positioned approximately horizontally. Under such conditions, and as shown, the gas generator is fastened to a first end wall 23 (the rear end wall) of the tank in a direction that is axial relative to the cylindrical body. The expulsion outlet 21 is defined at the bottom portion of an opposite second end wall 22 (the front end wall) of the tank. The extinguishing liquid occupies the major fraction of the space available inside the tank, but it does not fill it completely in order to be able to accommodate potential expansion of the liquid as a function of temperature. Consequently, the top portion of the tank contains air. The liquid surface lies above the gas generator so that the gas generator is completely immersed inside the extinguishing liquid before it is triggered.

(11) The bag 19 is inflatable. It is connected in gastight manner to a gas outlet 35 of said gas generator. Before the gas generator 17 is triggered, the bag 19 is folded in a confinement space defined inside the tank 14 in front of the gas generator 17.

(12) More precisely, the gas generator 17 and the bag 19 are enclosed prior to triggering inside a cover 39 having a breakable wall. The cover is a thin metal casing having incisions 40 to facilitate the bag splaying out rearwards like the corolla of a flower as soon as the bag 19 begins to be inflated. An opening in the cover may be welded to the outside wall of the gas generator 17, i.e. to the edge of the base 41.

(13) As shown, the gas generator 17 is enclosed in the rigid enclosure 28 which comprises a base 41 fastened to the tank and a lid 42 provided with a ring of exhaust holes 44.

(14) The gas outlet 35 comprises the exhaust holes 44. It is thus defined in the side wall of the enclosure 28. This gas outlet 35 is associated with a deflector 47 co-operating with the rigid enclosure to define an ejection passage 49 that is generally annular and that points rearwards. The deflector 47 forms an annular part fastened to the lid 42. It comprises a rear skirt 51 surrounding said ring of holes 44 in order to define the rearwardly-pointing ejection passage 49. The opening in the bag 19 is fastened to the outside surface of the lid 42 via an annular collar 56 at a junction line situated between the base 41 and the ejection passage 49. The bag 17 thus begins to inflate around and behind the ejection passage 49.

(15) In the example, the inflatable bag 19 has at least two compartments 60 and 61 separated by a flow constriction system enabling the compartment 60 that is nearer to the ejection passage 49 to inflate on a priority basis. For example, the two compartments are separated by a wall 62 having calibrated holes 63 suitable for delaying the inflation of the front compartment 61 relative to the inflation of the rear compartment 60.

(16) According to another advantageous characteristic, the two compartments 60 and 61 while in the folded state, i.e. before the cover 39 has burst, are held against each other by a breakable connection extending along a line that is not closed and that is situated essentially in the bottom portion of the tank. As shown in FIG. 5, this breakable connection may be constituted by stitching 65, e.g. over a circular arc substantially parallel to the edge of the bag 19 in the folded state.

(17) The function of this stitching is to encourage the rear compartment 60 of the bag to inflate initially towards the rear top portion of the tank 14 so as to push away more thoroughly the liquid situated in this zone and consequently so as to prevent a portion of the liquid remaining trapped between the inside wall of the tank and the outside wall of the rear compartment 60 of the bag 17.

(18) After the stitching 65 has broken, inflation of the bag continues in a generally axial direction.

(19) Operation is as follows.

(20) After it has been installed, the device 11 is arranged substantially horizontally as shown in FIG. 1, the gas generator 17 and the inflatable bag 19 are enclosed prior to triggering inside the cover 39 having a breakable wall. The assembly projects axially into the inside of the tank 14 from the rear end of the tank. These elements are immersed in the liquid, but they are protected by the liquid-proof cover 39.

(21) When a fire is detected, an electrical signal is applied to the ignition system of the gas generator via the electrical connector 27. The pyrotechnic charge begins combustion and starts to fill the inflatable bag, and initially to fill mainly its rear compartment 60. Because of the stitching 65, the rear compartment begins to deploy mainly upwards and rearwards while causing the cover 39 to burst into a corolla shape. The elements of this split cover become pressed against the hemispherical rear wall 23. Once the rear compartment 60 has inflated sufficiently to break the stitching, it becomes pressed against the entire hemispherical rear wall 23 of the tank and it continues to progress forwards in a generally axial direction while the front compartment 61 also begins to inflate as the combustion gas penetrates therein, while being delayed by the vent provided between said compartments.

(22) The assembly continues to advance while pushing back the liquid towards the expulsion outlet 21 until all of the liquid has been pushed away into the circuit 12 and sprayed on the source of fire. Once the hot gas has finished deploying the inflatable bag 19, the bag is pierced in register with the internal orifice of the expulsion outlet 21, in particular, so that the liquid remaining in the circuit 12 ends up by being pushed out by the hot gas under pressure that results from the combustion.