DESCRIPTION FIRE EXTINGUISfflNG WITH HELICOPTERS

BY MEANS OF THE RAINSTORM METHOD The Purpose of the Patent, which henceforth will be mentioned for brevity as the RAINSTORM Method, is to create, by means of Fire Fighting helicopters, conditions of an artificial heavy rainstorm equivalent to a real rainstorm, which one would have wished to break out in reality during the fire.

The Technical Implementation Field of the RAINSTORM Method is the fire fighting even in locations where firefighting helicopters can not, or are not permitted to operate, i.e. the fringes of inhabited areas, isolated residencies in tree lines, areas with High Voltage transportation pylons, areas with trapped vehicles, people, animals, farming installations, areas where Land Forces operate and in general where there is no risk of damage and loss of life by creating an artificial rain phenomenon of controlled intensity and duration.

Present Day Situation: Two types of helicopters are used for fire fighting are under use today: Those which carry water inside the fuselage, similar to the equivalent airplanes, and those which use suspended buckets. In both cases dropping of water takes place in a few seconds with the form of a waterfall and, if we take into consideration, in many cases, the unfavorable conditions of visibility, it is very likely and/or inevitable to miss the target, which is translated in loss of the entire water load as well as in precious time, within which the fire gains ground. Moreover this way of fire fighting, with great volumes of water falling with high speed to the ground, which cannot be applied in the above mentioned cases, has also the basic disadvantage that only a small percentage of the falling water is used for fire fighting.

Furthermore, during the violent drop of the water, a vacuum is created attracting air with the form of siphon which revives the fire.

It must be mentioned and pointed out that the biggest effectiveness of water, when it is used for fire fighting, is achieved with the uniform rainfall above the fire area under form of droplets, so as these to have the largest surface in order to evaporate very rapidly, absorbing from the fire the biggest amount of heat, decreasing respectively the temperature of the area, which in combination with the rarefaction of oxygen, due to the interjection of water vapors, will contribute in the repression and the extinguishment of Fire in the smallest possible time.

Finally it must also be pointed out that the helicopters, despite their relatively small carrying capacity compared to the Fire fighting airplanes, have two basic and undeniable advantages: Fly with very small speeds - up to hovering speed, as well as to be able to land/descend vertically, in order to be supplied with water and fuel, in relatively very small spaces.

Fire fighting by means of the RAINSTORM Method.

The RAINSTORM method was devised, studied and engineered in such a way in order to avoid all disadvantages and weaknesses that we face today during fire fighting with helicopters, and at the same time to exploit in the biggest possible degree the particular abilities of helicopters, as well as, and the fire fighting capabilities of water:

The Key for confronting the above mentioned disadvantages in the present situation, as well as the combined exploitation of helicopter and water capabilities in fire fighting, in order to obtain the biggest fire fighting Result, constitutes:

The Water Reservoir with the Artificial Rain Creation Mechanism

It is a cylindrical reservoir, in the rear side of which the artificial rain creation and dousing mechanism is adapted.

The Schematic Diagrams of the Reservoir and the artificial rain creation mechanism are shown in Drawings (A) and (B).

The dimensions of the reservoir and its capacity are standardized in sizes respectively with the lifting capability of helicopters used for fire fighting.

The reservoirs are suspended from the helicopters by means of three wire ropes - belts, which are fixed (Dwg. As), with couplers easy to dismantle, in three points of the reservoir (∑Ai), (σA2), (σA3), in triangular arrangement, two (σAi, σA2) in the sides of reservoir and the third (σA3) in its rear side.

The suspended reservoir has two main components connected to each other with a watertight flange, (Dwg. Be), as follows:

- The Water Reservoir Unit which is a cylindrical reservoir (Dwg. Ai), manufactured from material durable in marine water, having a powerful frame in order to withstand all load strains and vibrations caused by the various helicopter manoeuvres especially during the dousing phase.

In the upper front compartment of the reservoir there is a specifically shaped and elevated intake orifice (Dwg. A4) used for the replenishment of the reservoir with water, which, if required, opens and closes automatically during the three phases of operation of the reservoir, i.e.: Water filling

(Open), Transportation of water (Closed) and fire fighting (Open). The caudal reinforcing fin (Dwg. A3) is fixed in the upper rear side of the reservoir. This fin retains the rain creation mechanism from above, in the top of which exists the third point of suspension (σA3). - The Rain Creation / Dousing Unit (Dwg. A2, Dwg. B), manufactured from stainless material, which includes:

- The Conical Pipe which channels the water to the Hydraulic Mechanism (Dwg. Bi).

- The Hydraulic Mechanism-Water Turbine of the propeller (Dwg. B2) which is fitted with the bladed trunnion with ports for channelling the pressurized water to the rain creation mechanism (propeller), and

- The Rain Creation Mechanism (Dwg. B3), which consists of the hollow propeller, that is water tightly connected to the trunnion of the

Hydraulic Mechanism- Water Turbine. The hollow propeller has sufficient number of nozzles in each blade (Dwg. Bs) having the appropriate diameter, in order that in correlation with the speed and the flight height of the helicopter, the desired diameter and density of the rain droplets in the umbrella that will take shape in the dousing phase will be achieved, thus ensuring, after experimenting, the biggest fire fighting result (Creation of Tables).

Note: The direction of water centrifugation can be combined with the helicopter propeller in order to obtain a better interaction. The fire fighting process with the RAINSTORM Method includes the following stages (Dwg. C):

- Filling up of the Reservoir with Water (Dwg. Ci). This is achieved with the following ways:

- From the Sea, Lakes and rivers, as the current practice. - From man made Reservoirs of large capacity, having a depth of at least 2.5 m, which either exist or will be constructed near specifically protected areas as: archaeological sites, open air theaters, zoos, gardens, mountains etc.

- In the above two cases the helicopter is flown over the supply source and with the help of a winch, operated from within the helicopter, the third wire rope which is hooked to the caudal fin is set into operation (Dwg. σA3) (Dwg. As), lifting thus the tail of the reservoir until its longitudinal axis reaches an angle of approx. 45 °

to the water level (Dwg. Ci). The helicopter is then lowered progressively and the reservoir sinks under its own weight, and starts to fill up from the wide orifice located at the elevated front end (Dwg. A4). As soon as the replenishment of the reservoir is completed within a few seconds the caudal wire rope is lifted, the reservoir assumes the horizontal position (Dwg. C2), the helicopter is lifted and flies to the fire.

- In addition to the above mentioned methods, the RAINSTORM Program gives the possibility to transport backup reservoirs near the fire, placing them in open areas (stadiums, fields etc.). These backup reservoirs will be filled up by water tank vehicles of the local authorities and/or private individuals. In this way the helicopters will leave the empty reservoirs for replenishment and pick up in minimum time the filled ones in order to return very rapidly to the fire, thus multiplying the fire fighting force of the helicopters. This is equivalent to a bigger helicopter fleet.

- Flying to the Scene of Fire. During this phase, the reservoir is at the horizontal position (Dwg. C2), in order not to waste any water during transportation from the filling orifice, which is also equipped with a non return mechanism, as well from the rain creating mechanism which is located over the highest water level of the reservoir.

- Rain Creation and Fire Fighting. As soon as the helicopter approaches the scene of fire and assumes the proper flight height, the caudal wire rope is slackened until the reservoir assumes the vertical position and the rain creating mechanism horizontal (Dwg. C3).

In this position, under the pressure of the, above water column, the Hydraulic Mechanism Water Turbine is set into automatic operation (Dwg. B2) simultaneously setting the propeller into rotation, while at the

same time the incoming water is channelled towards the counterbalancing nozzles (Dwg. B5 Dwg Ae) and dashes out through them with great momentum intensifying the propellers rotation, and contributing thus in the better centrifugation of water and in the enlargement of shaped rain umbrella (Dwg. C3).

Note: The relative experiments will show which is the optimum number of nozzles, their diameter as well as the reservoir water drop duration, so that in function with the flight level and the helicopters speed, to achieve maximum firefighting results in the ground. Fire Fighting Helicopter Method of Operation

In order to have the best possible results in fire fighting with the RAINSTORM Method, the helicopters must operate in a Systematic Manner, depending on the pattern, the extend and the intensity of the fire.

The way of operation will be decided each time by the responsible person in charge of the Command and Control Center, according to the relative information reported.

As an example, when the front of the fire is relatively narrow, then the helicopters (2 or 3) will attempt one behind the other, maintaining a safety distance, and will fly in a row above the fire front. If however the width of fire front is relatively wide, then the helicopters will fly in shapes, in such a way that the rain umbrellas will cover the whole rain front, Le. in triangular arrangement with one helicopter in front and two behind, or two helicopters in front and three behind and so on.

What has particular importance and must be enforced during all the air missions is the detailed coordination in order to achieve best results with minimum cost. This of course must not go against all security measures, which must at any rate be applied in order to minimize possible disasters and loss of life.

Drawings:

Drawing A, page 1: Reservoir Schematic Diagram of RAINSTORM

Mechanism.

Drawing B, page 2: Rain Creating Mechanism Analysis. Drawing C, page 3: The three (3) utilization phases of the reservoir.

Drawing Analysis

Drawing A

Dwg. Ai: The Cylindrical Water Reservoir Dwg. A2: The Rain Creation Dousing Mechanism

Dwg. A3: The Reinforcing Caudal Fin

Dwg. A*: The Reservoirs Filling up Orifice

Dwg. As: The Reservoirs Suspension Points σAi, σA2, σA3

Dwg. At: The Hollow Propeller with Counterbalancing Nozzles

Drawing B

Dwg. Bi: The Conical Shaft bringing Water into the Water Turbine

Dwg. B2: The Propellers Hydraulic Mechanism

Dwg. B3: The Finned Trunnion of the Water Turbine Dwg. B4: The Reservoirs Filling up Orifice

Dwg. Bs: The Counterbalancing Nozzles of the Hollow Propeller

Dwg. Be: The Connecting Flange to the Reservoir

Drawing C Dwg. Ci: Water Reservoir Replenishment (from Sea Lakes etc.) Dwg. C2: Transportation to & From the Scene of Fire Dwg. C3: Dousing Fire Fighting (Water Umbrella Creation)