Focused stream, aerated foam projecting nozzle including fixed wand system and method as well as possibly portable center pointing nozzle
The invention includes components and methodology for fixed and semi-fixed systems for extinguishing fire in large industrial flammable liquid storage tanks, including aerated foam projecting nozzles discharging substantially focused streams together with aeration chambers and risers.
1. A fixed firefighting system for industrial tanks, comprising:
two connected nozzles, each nozzle structured to project aerated foam at a flow rate of at least 100 gallon per minute (gpm) at 100 pounds per square inch (psi) in substantially focused streams and in roughly opposing directions;
the two connected nozzles attached downstream of, and in fluid communication with an ambient air aeration chamber;
a third centrally directed nozzle structured to project aerated foam at a flow rate of at least 100 gpm at 100 psi, located and structured in combination with the two connected nozzles to discharge a substantially focused stream toward a center of an industrial tank;
a stream shaper located in a cylindrical tip portion of the third centrally directed nozzle; and
the three nozzles structured for fixed attachment proximate a wall surface of the industrial tank.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project in a horizontal direction plus or minus 30 degrees.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project in the horizontal direction plus or minus 15 degrees.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project in directly opposite directions plus or minus 15 degrees.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project toward a center of the industrial tank plus or minus 30 degrees.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project aerated foam of between 100 gpm and 1000 gpm.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project aerated foam of between 100 gpm and 1000 gpm.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project such that at least 60% of the foam discharge remains within a 20 degree cone around a third discharge axis.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ambient air aeration chamber is structured to produce aerated foam with an expansion ratio of between 2-to-1 and 8-to-1.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ambient air aeration chamber is structured to produce aerated foam with an expansion ratio of between 3-to-1 and 5-to-1.
11. The system of claim 1 including a riser for communicating water and foam concentrate, attached to, and in fluid communication with the two connected nozzles and the third centrally directed nozzle.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project aerated foam of at least 1100 gpm.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project aerated foam of at least 1100 gallons per minute gpm.
14. A fixed firefighting system for industrial tanks, comprising:
a plurality of systems of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of systems are attached proximate the wall surface of the industrial tank.
15. A fixed firefighting system for large industrial tanks, comprising:
two connected nozzles, each nozzle structured to project aerated foam at a flow rate of at least 150 gallons per minute (gpm) at 100 pounds per square inch (psi) roughly horizontally and in roughly opposing directions;
the two connected nozzles attached downstream of, and in fluid communication with an ambient air aeration chamber;
a third centrally directed nozzle structured to project aerated foam at a flow rate of at least 150 gpm at 100 psi, located and structured in combination with the two connected nozzles to discharge a substantially focused stream toward a center of an industrial tank;
a stream shaper located in a cylindrical tip portion of the third centrally directed nozzle; and
the three nozzles structured for fixed attachment proximate a wall surface of the industrial tank.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project in the horizontal direction plus or minus 15 degrees.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are each structured to project in directly opposite directions plus or minus 15 degrees.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project toward a center of the industrial tank plus or minus 30 degrees.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the two connected nozzles are structured to project aerated foam of between 150 gpm and 1000 gpm.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project aerated foam of between 150 gpm and 1000 gpm.
21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project such that at least 60% of the foam discharge remains within a 20 degree cone around a third discharge axis.
22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the ambient air aeration chamber is structured to produce aerated foam with an expansion ratio of between 2-to-1 and 8-to-1.
23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the ambient air aeration chamber is structured to produce aerated foam with an expansion ratio of between 3-to-1 and 5-to-1.
24. The system of claim 15 including a riser for communicating water and foam concentrate, attached to, and in fluid communication with the two connected nozzles and the third centrally directed nozzle.
25. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third centrally directed nozzle is structured to project in a horizontal direction plus or minus 30 degrees.
26. A fixed firefighting system for industrial tanks, comprising:
a plurality of systems of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of systems are attached proximate the wall surface of the industrial tank.