Method and apparatus for improving fire prevention and extinguishment
The instant invention relates to an eductor assembly for mixing polymeric material with water for fire extinguishment and retardation. An eductor assemblage provides a means of introducing the polymeric material to the flow of water. The eductor assemblage comprises of a source of super absorbent polymeric material and an eductor member. The eductor member is comprised of an inlet connectable to a source of water, an outlet connected to either the intake on a fire truck or a discharge line on a fire truck, and a conduit positioned between the inlet and outlet for addition of the dry polymeric material. The flow of water from the inlet to outlet through a removable nozzle educts the super absorbent polymers through the conduit by venturi and flows into the cylindrical housing forming a mixture for dispensing through the outlet onto combustible sources.
1 . An eductor assembly for use in combination with a mobile fire fighting vehicle to form a gel admixture having enhanced fire extinguishing properties comprising:
a housing defined by a cylindrical inner chamber having a wall surface, said housing having an inlet to said inner chamber securable to a mobile fire fighting vehicle high pressure water source and an outlet securable to a flexible fire fighting hose;
a nozzle positioned within said inlet having a flow thru aperture with an inlet aperture formed from a converging cone shape to reduce said aperture from a first diameter to a second diameter, said second diameter about the size of said first diameter with a nozzle discharge spaced apart from said wall surface of said cylindrical inner chamber constructed and arranged to create a pressure differential venturi effect;
a conduit fluidly coupled to said cylindrical housing, said conduit having a first opening juxtaposition to said nozzle discharge and a second opening coupled to a source of dry polymeric material;
a check valve positioned between said source of dry polymeric material and said conduit first opening;
whereby said eductor assembly is constructed and arranged to draw a dry polymeric material into said cylindrical housing by directing a pressurized water stream through said chamber to form a gel admixture for use as a fire extinguishing admixture.
2 . The eductor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said dry polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of cross-linked modified polyacrylamides, potassium acrylate, polyacrylamides, sodium acrylate, carboxymethylcellulose, alginic acid, cross-linked starches and crosslinked polyaminoacids.
3 . The eductor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said dry polymeric material is a dehydrated super absorbent polymer.
4 . The eductor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said inlet is securable to a mobile fire fighting vehicle by use of a conventional external collar having an internally threaded ring.
5 . The eductor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said check valve is further defined as a butterfly valve.
6 . The eductor assembly according to claim 1 including a manual shut-off valve positioned in said conduit.