US2091197A - Fire extinguishing process - Google Patents

Description

J. EDMUNDSON FIRE EX'IIINGUISHING PROCESS Filed Feb. 4, 1955 E m m n o E w H i m I A v 9 5 Z 56 H 2 J M 6 3 5 J 5 Z 7 j w? M M v n. 0, m 2 EL M w W fi wi m wwfi W T g H m mmwmk Z re 06 m "m a l ww mm @M 7 9 Aug. 24, 1937.

Patented Aug. 24, 1937 Ubii'iED STATES rarer-ii orries 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a process for extinguishing fires in buildings or enclosures and more particularly a process utilizing a noncombustible cooling vapor or gas such as that obtained by vaporizing liquid or solid carbon dioxide.

It is one object of my invention to provide an improved fire extinguishing process of this character that shall be highly efficient and not result in the damage to property that is caused by the processes which have been in general use.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved process of this character that may be used effectively with all types of fires including those occurring in partitions or underneath piles of merchandise or in other inaccessible locations.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved process for extinguishing fires in buildings or enclosures which is readily carried out with a minimum of skilled supervision or accessory equipment.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein are shown apparatus for carrying out the improved process. In the drawing Fig. l is a diagrammatic view of one form of apparatus that may be used to carry out the preferred process according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the tank or container for solid carbon dioxide shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a modification of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus embodying the invention is intended to be mounted upon a portable truck which is connected through the hose connections I I and i2 respectively to the building or enclosure iii. The truck upon which the equipment is mounted may be an ordinary fire-engine truck and the motor of said truck may be employed for circulating combustion gases from the vicinity of the fire through the hose ii, the apparatus on the truck and returning the same to the building or enclosure l6 through the hose connection l2. Obviously the process may also be carried out with equipment installed in the building and connected to the area to be protected by means of similar hose or pipe connec- 50 tions or by means of a piping system similar to those employed in automatic sprinkler systems.

A pump or blower I3 is shown having the inlet thereof connected to the hose connection II and the outlet connected to a chamber 14 in which a 55 burner i5 is provided to consume the oxygen contained in the atmospheric gases from the burning building. The burner i5 is connected to a suitable fuel tank It; arranged to supply liquid or gaseous fuel to the burner. The outlet to the chamber it is connected by a pipe connection I! to a cooler Hi to cool the combustion gases to any desired extent. The cooler may be supplied with cooling water through an intake it which may be connected to a hydrant or other source. Water outlets as and 25 from the cooler l8 may be connected as indicated to the fire-engine water pump and to the fire hose respectively, the pump being used when the pressure of the water supply is insufficient for the fire hose.

The combustion gases after being cooled in the cooler 58 are preferably conducted through a pipe connection 25 to a tank 26 containing solid carbon dioxide as indicated at 2?. The outlet of the tank 26 is connected through the pipe connection 28 to the hose connection l2 whereby the combustion gases mixed with the cold carbon dioxide gas vaporized from the solid carbon dioxide blocks 21 may be forced under sufficient pressure into the burning building to blanket the fire by displacing air from the combustion space and further to prevent infiltration of air through doors, windows or the openings in the outside walls of the building iii. In this manner the fire may be quickly extinguished without the damage which results from the use of large amounts of water or chemicals such as are ordinarily employed. If desired the cool combustion gases from the cooler l8 may be discharged directly into the building or enclosure l0 through the pipe connection 29 which by-passes the tank 26, valves 38, 3! and 32 being provided in the pipe connections 25,28 and 29 for this purpose.

The tank 25 may be a welded metal tank having a charging opening 33 for filling the same with solid carbon dioxide ice or snow. The mixture of the combustion gases from the building or enclosure with the cold vapor or gas given off by the carbon dioxide ice or snow effects further cooling of the combustion gases and increases the volume thereof to permit the interior of the building or enclosure to be placed under positive pressure thereby preventing infiltration of outside air which would support combustion. Instead of carbon dioxide any suitable non-combustible vapor or gas having low boiling point, for example less than 180 F., may be employed. However the use of carbon dioxide is preferred because it is inert and non-corrosive so that damage to the building or its contents is minimized. As examples of other gases that might employed may be mentioned sulphur-dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas may be obtained from liquid carbon dioxide instead of from carbon dioxide ice or snow. This modification is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein a tank or container 35 of liquefied carbon dioxide is shown connected by the T-connection 36 to the pipe connection 25 and discharge pipe 3'! leading to the enclosure. When the apparatus is placed in operation, the expansion valve 38 on the container 35 is opened to d scharge vap'rr or gas from the tank into the stream of combustion gases in the pipe connection 25. The cooled gases being admitted to the building or enclosure where the fire is in progress blanket the fire and effectively extinguish the same without damage to the building or contents.

Various modifications in the process described above are deemed to fall within the scope of the invention if within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. The process of extinguishing a fire in abuild ing or enclosure comprising the steps of withdrawing gases from the building or enclosure, deoxygenating the gases, cooling the deoxygenated gases with water, admixing cold carbon dioxide gas therewith, by directing deoxygenated gases through a carbon dioxide containing chamber returning the mixture of gases to the building or enclosure to blanket the fire, and using said water after cooling said gases to aid in extinguishing the fire.

2. The process of extinguishing a fire in a building or enclosure comprising the steps of exhausting gases from the building or enclosure, cooling said gases with water, mixing a noncombustible gas therewith by direct contact in a suitable mixing chamber, returning the mixture of gases to the building or enclosure in sufficient volume to prevent infiltration of air through the openings in the outer walls of said building or enclosure, and using said water after cooling said gases to aid in extinguishing the fire.

3. The process of extinguishing a fire in a building or enclosure comprising the steps of withdrawing gases from the building or enclosure, deoxygenating said gases, cooling the deoxygenated gases with water, vaporizing a solid capable of evolving a non-combustible gas or vapor in contact with said gases, returning said mixture of gases into the building or enclosure in sufiicient volume to prevent infiltration of air through the openings in the outer walls of the building or enclosure, and using said water after cooling said gases to aid in extinguishing the fire.

4. The process of extinguishing fire in a building or an enclosure, including the steps of with drawing gases from the enclosure, cooling said gases by heat transfer relationship with water but out of contact with said water, then passing said gases in intimate contact with sublimating solid carbon dioxide so as to further cool and mix with said withdrawn gases additional non-combustible gases, forcing said mixture into the building or enclosure to blanket the fire, and using said water after cooling said gases to aid in extinguishing the fire.

5. The process of extinguishing a fire in a building or enclosure comprising the steps of withdrawing gases from the building or enclosure, deoxygenating the gases, cooling the deoxygenated gases, admixing cold carbon dioxide gas with the cooled deoxygenated gases and returning the mixture of gases to the building or enclosure to blanket the fire.

6. The process of extinguishing a fire in a building or enclosure comprising the steps of exhausting gases from the building or enclosure, deoxygenating the gases, cooling said gases, mixing a non-combustible gas therewith by direct contact, returning the mixture of gases to the building or enclosure in sufficient volume to prevent infiltration of air through openings in the outer wall of the enclosure.

JERONE EDMUN'DSON.

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