Method and Device for Producing an Extinguishing Foam Containing an Extinguishing Gas

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing compressed-air foam and to a corresponding device. The method comprises providing fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, and foaming the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, with addition of compressed gas, wherein the compressed gas comprises a chemical extinguishing agent. The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention allow the production of an effective extinguishing foam due to the inhibitory effect of the chemical extinguishing agent.

Claims

1. A method for producing compressed-air foam, wherein the method comprises: providing fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, foaming the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, with addition of compressed gas, wherein the compressed gas comprises a chemical extinguishing agent.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chemical extinguishing agent comprises a chemical extinguishing powder.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed gas further comprises an inert gas or air.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of foaming is formed in two stages in the flow direction of the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, wherein, in a first foaming, the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent is conducted through an aerator having a siphon-like gas mixing-in means or a gas supply means with adjoining screen, and wherein, in a second foaming, the compressed gas is added.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent is foamed during a foaming section, wherein the compressed gas is added in a portion of the foaming section that has an increasing cross section, wherein the compressed gas is supplied via multiple nozzles, which are arranged on the portion having an increasing cross section.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the compressed gas is supplied via multiple nozzles, which are arranged on the portion having an increasing cross section and are arranged in multiple planes axially in relation to a flow direction of the foaming section.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fire-fighting water is provided via a fire-fighting water line, and wherein the foaming agent is admixed with the fire-fighting water via a foaming agent-admixing component which is situated in the fluid path of the fire-fighting water line, and wherein the foaming agent-admixing component includes a Venturi nozzle.

8. A method for fighting fires and/or for mitigating fault consequences, which comprises use of a compressed-air foam produced according to claim 1.

9. A device for producing compressed-air foam, wherein the device comprises: a fire-fighting water inflow component for the supply of fire-fighting water, a foaming agent-admixing component for the admixing of foaming agent with the fire-fighting water, a foaming component for the foaming of the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, with the addition of compressed gas, wherein the foaming component is arranged for addition of the compressed gas comprising a chemical extinguishing agent.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the foaming component comprises: a first foaming component which has a jet regulation component for the foaming of the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent including a siphon-like gas mixing-in means or a gas supply means with adjoining screen, and a second foaming component for the addition of the compressed gas.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second foaming component has a foaming section which has an increasing cross section, and wherein the second foaming component has multiple nozzles, via which the compressed gas is able to be supplied and which are arranged on the portion of the foaming section having an increasing cross section.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the multiple nozzles are arranged rotationally symmetrically about a central axis of the foaming section.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the multiple nozzles are arranged in multiple planes axially in relation to a flow direction of the foaming section.

14. (canceled)

15. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device is designed for mobile use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] FIG. 1 shows, schematically in cross section, a device according to the invention for producing compressed-air foam.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective schematic view, a further embodiment of a device for producing compressed-air foam according to a method according to the invention.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0055] FIG. 1 shows, in cross section or schematically in a side view, a device 10 for producing compressed-air foam. The cross section in FIG. 1 shows a flow path of the fire-fighting water along a central axis 12 of the device 10 from left to right, wherein this course, self-evidently, is not fixed with respect thereto and may also run differently, in particular in a curved manner, etc.

[0056] The device 10 has a fire-fighting water inflow component 20 for the supply of fire-fighting water. In the present example, a fire-fighting water hose or the like may be connected for example to the fire-fighting water inflow component 20 on the left-hand side.

[0057] In the flow path of the fire-fighting water, the fire-fighting water inflow component 20 is adjoined by a foaming agent-admixing component 30 for the admixing of foaming agent with the fire-fighting water. In the example, the foaming agent-admixing component 30 is designed as a Venturi nozzle, wherein the foaming agent is sucked in by negative pressure via an opening in the narrowed cross section of the Venturi nozzle during the throughflow of the fire-fighting water. Other configurations of the foaming-agent admixing means, which differ from the example shown of the foaming agent-admixing component 30, are also conceivable. In other examples, the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent may also already be provided in a suitable container (cf. FIG. 2), or the admixing may be realized by way of a pump or bladder tank without a Venturi.

[0058] In the flow path, the foaming agent-admixing component 30 is adjoined by a foaming component 40 for the foaming of the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent, with the addition of compressed gas. The foaming component 40 is of two-stage design, wherein firstly, a first foaming component 42 produces a first foaming. The first foaming component 42 has for example a screen or a chamber with a slightly higher external pressure, wherein the chamber ensures that gas/air admixing is always realized.

[0059] The first foaming component is adjoined by a second foaming component 44 for the addition of the compressed gas. The second foaming component 44 integrates a foaming section having an increasing cross section, with the result that widening of the diameter meanwhile occurs, which improves foaming.

[0060] In the region of the second foaming component 44, there are arranged multiple valves 46 through which the compressed gas, which comprises chemical extinguishing agent, is supplied. In the present example, the nozzles 46 are arranged in three axially parallel planes, for which in each case one valve 46 is shown indicated on an upper and a lower side of the cross section. The number and arrangement of the nozzles 46 are of course not limited thereto, wherein the nozzles 46, which are arranged preferably rotationally symmetrically about the central axis 12, make possible particularly uniformly produced extinguishing foam. Finally, the device 10 has a dispensing component 50, which is configured for the dispensing of the foamed extinguishing foam.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective schematic view, a device 10 for producing compressed-air foam. A dispensing component 50 designed as an extinguisher pistol, which is able to be removed from the housing shown via an extinguisher hose 52, can be seen.

[0062] An extinguishing-agent container 32 and an extinguishing-gas container 48 are connected to the dispensing component 50 via a mixing chamber head, which performs the function of the foaming component 40, via the extinguisher hose 52. An extinguishing gas which comprises a chemical extinguishing agent is already contained in the extinguishing-gas bottle 48 or is able to be introduced therein. The compressed gas contained in the extinguishing-gas bottle 48 acts as a blowing agent for the foaming, for example for the content of the extinguishing-agent container 32.

[0063] In the present example, the fire-fighting water admixed with foaming agent is already contained in the extinguishing-agent container 32. In other embodiments, it is also possible for a fire-fighting water supply means to be connected to the component designed as a mixing head, which then acts as a foaming agent-admixing component 30. By suitable modification or adaptation of an existing CAF device, it is thus possible for the advantage of the solution according to the invention to be achieved by replacing the compressed gas with a gas comprising a chemical extinguishing agent.

LIST OF UTILIZED REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0064] 10 Device [0065] 12 Central axis [0066] 20 Fire-fighting water inflow component [0067] 30 Foaming agent-admixing component [0068] 32 Extinguishing-agent container [0069] 40 Foaming component [0070] 42 First foaming component [0071] 44 Second foaming component [0072] 46 Nozzle [0073] 48 Extinguishing-gas container [0074] 50 Dispensing component [0075] 52 Extinguisher hose