On-board mixing system for firefighting chemicals

US11123587B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Barracuda Environmental Services Inc. · CA

Inventors

• Michael S. Schnarr · Roseville, US
• Dennis Hulbert · Grass Valley, US
• Marshall Graves · Rancho Cordova, US
• Danny Milligan · Chiloquin, US
• Gerald Geissler · Roseville, US
• Duane Floden · Drayton Valley, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 9, 2018
• Grant date: Sep 21, 2021
• Expiry date: Jul 5, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01F23/471
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A system for mixing fire-suppressant gel with water on board an aircraft includes a gel reservoir mounted in the aircraft, a pump for injecting gel into a flow of water into an aircraft-mounted payload tank, and a control system for controlling gel-water mix ratios. The control system monitors water volume flowing into the water tank, and regulates the gel pump to inject gel in appropriate amounts to produce gel-water emulsions having precise gel-water ratios. Settings for the control system are set by the pilot before water flow water is initiated. Once the aircraft is in flight, the gel-water mixing process is automatically controlled through a trigger on the pilot's control stick. The aircraft may be a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft adapted to load water from a lake or other source while in flight, or a fixed-wing aircraft adapted to load water on land from a pressurized water source.