Title of Invention: COMBINED FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM

FOR A SHIP

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates generally to a combined fire extinguishing system for a ship, more particularly to a combined fire extinguishing system for a ship that is constructed by integrating a deck foam fire extinguisher and a high expansion foam fire extinguisher, which have been installed individually on board of a ship. Background Art

[2] Generally, the carrying of matches, metal tools or other flammable materials is prohibited within all kinds of ship for transporting inflammable, combustibles materials by law. In detail, the crew and the passenger must not put on any metal- heeled shoe. Except for a designated smoking area, a smoker must not smoke in areas those inflammable, combustibles materials are loaded and unloaded such as a deck of the ship or in the vicinity thereof or a ventilating opening extending there from. Also, the law prohibits the use of all firearms within such areas.

[3] Although such great caution and restrictions have provided in the hope of preventing fires, a large-scale fire may be caused by carelessness and thereby resulting in the occurrence of serious damage to men and the ship. Accordingly, it is necessary to install fire extinguishing/suppression systems in protected areas that the probability of fire occurrence is high.

[4] One case that has widely known to the general public is a deck foam fire extinguishing system, which is capable of generating and discharging fire extinguishing foam to a deck of the ship where a fire takes place.

[5] Another case that has also known to the general public is a high expansion foam fire extinguishing system, which is capable of generating and discharging fire extinguishing foam under high expansion state to an engine room or a pump room of the ship where a fire takes place.

[6] In the meantime, the fire extinguishing foam is commonly used to extinguish the

"B "-grade fire that may take place within the ship by the combustion of some combustibles materials such as crude petroleum or oil. In use, it is mixed with fresh water or seawater and then bubble-type foam may be generated by further processing the mixed solution. This bubble-type foam is typically stored in the foam storage tank install in the body of the ship in normal time, but when fire started, it may be ejected toward the deck of the ship right after opening a valve of the foam storage tank.

[7] FIG. 1 shows a construction of the deck foam fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the prior art.

[8] Referring now to FIG. 1, the conventional deck foam fire extinguishing system comprises a foam storage tank 11 for storing a deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent, a pump PI l for discharging the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent from the foam storage tank 11, a pump P13 for discharging seawater, a mixer 13 for mixing the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped out from the pump PI l and sea water pumped out from the pump P13, a foam ejector 17 for ejecting the mixed foam- type fire extinguishing agent, a plurality of valves VI l, V 13, V 15, V 17, V 19 for controlling the flow of fluids that flow through pipes 19 for fluid-communicating constitutional elements, and a control unit 15 for controlling operations of the valves Vl 1,Vl 3, V 15, V 17, V 19 and the pumps Pl 1,Pl 3 so as to spray the mixed foam- type fire extinguishing agent when fighting a fire in the ship.

[9] If a user wants to fight a fire in the ship by using the conventional deck foam fire extinguishing system 10, he or she must begin to operate the control unit 15 so as to further operate the valves Vl 1,Vl 3, V 15, V 17, V 19 and the pumps Pl 1,Pl 3. Then, the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped out from the pump PI l and sea water pumped out from the pump Pl 3 are mixed together within the mixer 13 and there after the mixed foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be sprayed to a place where a fire takes place.

[10] FIG. 2 shows a construction of the high expansion foam fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the prior art.

[11] Referring now to FIG. 2, the high expansion foam fire extinguishing system comprises a foam storage tank 21 for storing a high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent, a pump P21 for discharging the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent from the foam tank 21, a pump P23 for pumping sea water, a mixer 23 for mixing the high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent pumped out from the pump P21 and sea water pumped out from the pump P23, a foam ejector 27 for ejecting the mixed foam-type fire extinguishing agent, a plurality of valves V21,V23,V25,V27,V29 for controlling the flow of fluids that flow through pipes 29 for fluid-communicating the constitutional elements, and a control unit 25 for controlling operations of the valves V21,V23,V25,V27,V29 and the pumps P21,P23 so as to spray the mixed foam- type fire extinguishing agent when fighting a fire in the ship.

[12] Accordingly, if a user wants to fight a fire in an engine room or a pump room of the ship by using the conventional high expansion foam fire extinguishing system 20, he or she must begin to operate the control unit 25 so as to further operate the valves V21,V23,V25,V27,V29 and the pumps P21,P23. Then, the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped out from the pump P21 and sea water pumped out from the pump P23 are mixed together within the mixer 23 and there after the mixed foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be sprayed to a place where a fire takes place.

[13] However, a disadvantage with such known deck foam fire extinguishing system 10 and high expansion foam fire extinguishing system 20 is that they must to be installed in the ship together so as to fight a fire with effect in accordance with a place where a fire takes place because they have a separate and distinct purpose of firefighting, respectively.

[14] When the deck foam fire extinguishing system 10 and the high expansion foam fire extinguishing system 20 are installed in the ship together, common constitutional elements such as a foam storage tank, a pump, a valve and so on must to be installed in their fire extinguishing system, respectively. Accordingly, this leads to a waste of space required for installing constitutional elements in the ship.

[15] Also, this results in the economical waste for the manufacture of desired fire extinguisher because an addition is made to perform the process of manufacturing it. More particularly, individual control units of the deck foam fire extinguishing system 10 and the high expansion foam fire extinguishing system 20 must to be operated, respectively when fighting a fire in the ship so that it would have detrimental effect on efficient installation and operation of the fire extinguisher. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[16] In consideration of the above-mentioned disadvantages or inconveniences of the conventional techniques, an object of the present invention is to provide a combined fire extinguishing system for a ship that is constructed by integrating a deck foam fire extinguisher and a high expansion foam fire extinguisher, which have been installed individually on board of a ship. In this combined fire extinguishing system, a foam storage tank, a pump, a valve and a pipe can be commonly used and be integrally controlled by a control unit. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce product costs and the number of steps in manufacturing of a deck foam fire extinguisher and a high expansion foam fire extinguisher. Also, it is possible to save space required by the deck foam fire extinguisher and the high expansion foam fire extinguisher. Since the deck foam fire extinguisher and the high expansion foam fire extinguisher can be controlled by using only one control unit, it is convenient for use. Solution to Problem

[17] In order to achieve the objects, the present invention provides a combined fire extinguishing system for a ship, comprising:

[18] a common foam storage tank 31 for separately storing a deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent and a high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent therein, in which a deck foam outlet 31a for discharging the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent and a high expansion foam outlet 31b for discharging the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent are formed at a one side of a separate compartment within the common foam storage tank 31, respectively;

[19] a first deck foam valve V31 which is fluid-communicated with the deck foam outlet

31a;

[20] a first high expansion foam valve V32 which is fluid-communicated with the high expansion foam outlet 31b;

[21] a first common pump P31 for introducing and discharging the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent and the high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent, in which an inlet side of the first common pump P31 is fluid-communicated with the first deck foam valve V31 and the first high expansion foam valve V32;

[22] a second deck foam valve V33 for controlling a discharge of the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent, the second deck foam valve V33 being fluid-communicated with an outlet side of the first common pump P31 for the first common foam storage tank 31;

[23] a second high expansion foam valve V34 for controlling a discharge of the high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent, the second high expansion foam valve V34 being fluid-communicated with the outlet side of the first common pump P31 for the common foam storage tank 31 ;

[24] a second common pump P33 for introducing and discharging seawater, in which an inlet side of the second common pump P33 is fluid-communicated with a seawater inlet 41 of the ship;

[25] a common valve V35 being fluid-communicated with an outlet side of the second common pump P33;

[26] a third deck foam valve V36 being fluid-communicated with the common valve V35;

[27] a third high expansion foam valve V37 being fluid-communicated with the common valve V35;

[28] a deck foam mixer 32 for mixing seawater introduced from the third deck foam valve

V36 and the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent introduced from the second deck foam valve V33 and for discharging the mixed deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent;

[29] a high expansion foam mixer 33 for mixing seawater introduced from the third high expansion foam valve V37 and the high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent introduced from the second high expansion foam valve V34 and for discharging the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent;

[30] a foam ejector valve V38 for controlling a discharge of the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent, the foam ejector valve V38 being fluid-communicated with the deck foam mixer 32; [31] a foam ejector 36 for ejecting the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent, the foam ejector 36 being install on a deck of the ship and it being fluid-communicated with the foam ejector valve V38;

[32] a sprayer valve V39 for controlling a discharge of the mixed high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent, the sprayer valve V39 being fluid-communicated with the high expansion foam mixer 33;

[33] a sprayer 37 for spraying the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent, the sprayer 37 being installed in an interior of the ship and it being fluid- communicated with the sprayer valve V39; and

[34] a control unit 35 for making a predetermined valve among the valves V31-V39 and a predetermined pump among the pumps P31,P33 operate in accordance with a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent or a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent.

[35] The control unit 35 makes it possible for the first deck foam valve V31, the second deck foam valve V33, the third deck foam valve V36, the common valve V35 and the foam ejector valve V38 to be opened when a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent is inputted to the control unit 35. At the same time, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first common pump P31 and the second common pump P33 to be operated so that the deck foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped by the first common pump 31 and seawater pumped by the second common pump P33 are mixed together within the deck foam mixer 32 and thereafter the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be discharged by means of the foam ejector 36. Alternatively, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first high expansion foam valve V32, the second high expansion foam valve V34, the third high expansion foam valve V37, the common valve V35 and the sprayer valve V39 to be opened when a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent is inputted to the control unit 35. At the same time, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first common pump P31 and the second common pump P33 to be operated so that the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped by the first common pump 31 and seawater pumped by the second common pump P33 are mixed together within the high expansion foam mixer 33 and thereafter the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be discharged by means of the sprayer 37.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[36] As described above, according to the combined fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce product costs and the number of steps in manufacturing of a deck foam fire extinguisher and a high expansion foam fire extinguisher. Also, it is possible to save space required by the deck foam fire extinguisher and the high expansion foam fire extinguisher. Brief Description of Drawings

[37] The above object and other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[38] FIG. 1 shows a construction of the deck foam fire extinguishing system for a ship according to a prior art;

[39] FIG. 2 shows a construction of the high expansion foam fire extinguishing system for a ship according to a prior art; and

[40] FIG. 3 shows a construction of the combined fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

[41] Hereinafter, the constitution and the operation of the combined fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing FIG. 3.

[42] As shown in FIG. 3, the combined fire extinguishing system for a ship according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly comprises a common foam storage tank, a plurality of valves, common pumps, a foam ejector, a sprayer and a control unit.

[43] At first, the common foam storage tank 31 stores a deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent and a high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent therein in a state that they are separated from each other by means of a central partition disposed within the common foam storage tank 31, which divide internal space thereof into two compartments for storing both fire extinguishing agents so as to prevent they from being mixed together.

[44] Because of this structure, a deck foam outlet 31a and a high expansion foam outlet

31b are separately formed at two compartments as described above.

[45] Meanwhile, a first deck foam valve V31 is fluid-communicated with the deck foam outlet 31a via a pipe 39. Likewise, a first high expansion foam valve V32 is fluid- communicated with the high expansion foam outlet 31b via the pipe 39. The V31 and V32 may comprise a predetermined valve that is commonly used in the related art, respectively. The pipe 39 may comprise a predetermined pipe is commonly used in the related art.

[46] Next, a first common pump P31 is adapted to act as a foam intake and discharge device for the deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent and the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent. For this purpose, an inlet of the first common pump P31 is fluid-communicated with the first deck foam valve V31 and the first high expansion foam valve V32.

[47] At this time, it is preferred that the inlet of the first common pump P31 is fluid- communicated with the valves V31 and V32 by using a Y-shaped pipe. In detail, one end among three ends of the Y-shaped pipe is fluid-communicated with the first common pump P31 and other two ends thereof are fluid-communicated with the first deck foam valve V31 and the first high expansion foam valve V32, respectively.

[48] In the meantime, an outlet of the first common pump P31 is fluid-communicated with a second deck foam valve V33 for controlling the discharge of deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent and a second high expansion foam valve V34 for controlling the discharge of high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent. At this time, it is preferred that the outlet of the common pump P31 is fluid-communicated with the valves V33 and V34 by using a Y-shaped pipe.

[49] Next, a second common pump P33 is adapted to act as a seawater intake and discharge device. For this purpose, an inlet of the second common pump P33 is fluid- communicated with a seawater inlet 41 of the ship. At this time, the second common pump P33 may comprises a fire pump, a bilge pump, a G/S pump or an emergency fire pump, which are well known in the related art.

[50] In the meantime, an outlet of the second common pump P33 is fluid-communicated with a one side of a common valve V35 via the pipe 39. At this time, the common valve V35 may comprise a predetermined valve that is well known in the related art. A third deck foam valve V36 and a third high expansion foam valve V37 are fluid- communicated with the other side of the common valve V35 by using a Y-shaped pipe as described above.

[51] A deck foam mixer 32 makes seawater introduced from a third deck foam valve V36 and a deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent introduced from the second deck foam valve V33 to be mixed and then it may allow the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent to be discharged.

[52] A high expansion foam mixer 33 makes seawater introduced from the third high expansion foam valve V37 and a high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent introduced from the second high expansion foam valve V34 to be mixed and then it may allow the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent to be discharged.

[53] The deck foam mixer 32 may comprise a predetermined mixer that is well known in the related art. Likewise, the high expansion foam mixer 33 may comprise a predetermined mixer that is well known in the related art.

[54] A foam ejector valve V38 can function to control the discharge of the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent. For this purpose, a one side of the foam ejector valve V38 is fluid-communicated with the deck foam mixer 32 and the other side thereof is fluid-communicated with a foam ejector 36.

[55] A sprayer valve V39 can function to control the discharge of the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent. For this purpose, a one side of the sprayer valve V39 is fluid-communicated with the high expansion foam mixer 33 and the other side thereof is fluid-communicated with a sprayer 37.

[56] The foam ejector 36 is installed on the deck of the ship and is fluid-communicated with the foam ejector valve V38 via the pipe 39. This foam ejector 36 can function to eject the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent to a place where a fire takes place. An example of this foam ejector is disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2008-0017159 filed with the title of "Foam ejector for a ship". Accordingly, detailed description of the foam ejector will be omitted herein.

[57] The sprayer 37 may be installed at a predetermined place such as an engine room or a pump room of the ship. It is fluid-communicated with a sprayer valve V39 via the pipe 39 and it can function to spray the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent to a place where a fire takes place. An example of this sprayer is disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2001-0022340 issued to Daeseong Industry Co., Ltd. on October 31, 2001 with the title of "High expansion foam generator for extinguishing a ship fire". Accordingly, detailed description of the foam ejector will be omitted herein.

[58] Finally, a control unit 35 makes a predetermined valve and a predetermined pump operate in accordance with a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent or a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent. The control unit 35 may comprise a general controlling device such as a microcomputer, a PLC, a PCB and so on, which are well known in the related art.

[59] When a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent is inputted to the control unit 35, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first deck foam valve V31, the second deck foam valve V33, the third deck foam valve V36, the common valve V35 and the foam ejector valve V38 to be opened.

[60] At the same time, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first common pump

P31 and the second common pump P33 to be operated. Then, the deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent pumped by the first common pump 31 and seawater pumped by the second common pump P33 are mixed together within the deck foam mixer 32. Thereafter, the mixed deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be discharged by means of the foam ejector 36.

[61] Alternatively, when a command that will signal the start of discharging the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent is inputted to the control unit 35, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first high expansion foam valve V32, the second high expansion foam valve V34, the third high expansion foam valve V37, the common valve V35 and the foam sprayer valve V39 to be opened.

[62] At the same time, the control unit 35 makes it possible for the first common pump

P31 and the second common pump P33 to be operated. Then, the high expansion foam- type fire extinguishing agent pumped by the first common pump 31 and seawater pumped by the second common pump P33 are mixed together within the high expansion foam mixer 33. Thereafter, the mixed high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent may be discharged by means of the foam sprayer 37.

[63] Meanwhile, it is possible to further install an over board valve V41 at the second common pump P33, which can function as a bypass valve so as to properly control a quantity of seawater and fire extinguishing foam in accordance with the pump capacity. Also, it is possible to further install a calibrating valve V42 at the second deck foam valve V33 or the second high expansion foam valve V34, which can function to properly control a quantity of seawater and fire extinguishing foam to be mixed within the mixers 32,33.

[64] Also, it is possible to further install a pressure control valve V43 for controlling a pressure required to discharge the fire extinguishing foam at the foam storage tank 31. Also, it is possible to further install a gauge 40 for ascertaining flow rates and a pressure at inlet and outlet sides of the mixers 32,33 and the first common pump P31 for the foam storage tank 31. At this time, the gauges 40,40c,40d can be commonly used as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[65] If the control unit 35 is provided with wireless communication devices, it can function as a wireless control unit 35'which is capable of performing a remote control. If a cleaning valve V45 is installed as shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to previously prevent malfunction of the fire extinguisher due to the mix of the deck foam-type fire extinguishing agent and the high expansion foam-type fire extinguishing agent during cleaning of the interior of the pipe 39, which can transfer different fire extinguishing foam together. The reference numeral "V44" designates a drain valve for discharging waste water generated within the fire extinguisher.

[66] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the above description or illustrated in the drawings.

[67] The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways by modifying the structure of piping in accordance with a kind of the ship. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. [68] While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.

[69] Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Industrial Applicability

[70] The present invention relates to a combined fire extinguishing system for a ship that is constructed by integrating a deck foam fire extinguisher and a high expansion foam fire extinguisher, which have been installed individually on board of a ship. So this present invention has a industrial applicability.