UNMANNED EXTINGUISHING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTAINING OR EXTINGUISHING FORESTLAND FIRES

The device and method of the present invention compared to the hitherto existing methods and means of fighting forest fires has the following advantages:

Zero manpower risk as all operations will be carried out remotely by the user and from a safe distance from the fire.

Ability to operate at night, with advanced technology cameras and prior detailed mapping and study of the terrain as well as operator training with simulations of possible fire scenarios in the duty areas.

Strong possibility to immediately extinguish or contain even large fires due to the increased volume of water that each device will discharge.

Significantly lower costs of equipment and operations compared to the current method ones (cost of aircraft and ground vehicles and their operations, damage compensation, etc.).

The methods do not require permanent constructions, installations or interventions in forest lands. They will remain unchanged and only during extinguishing operations temporary constructions will be placed which will be removed after the end of the operations.

Operations will be able to be carried out in difficult and inaccessible places where it is difficult for the fire brigade to access.

DEVICE

An unmanned device, connected by a rubber hose to one or more ground high-pressure pumps or similar water supply methods connected to portable or fixed ground water tanks. These high pressure pumps will be capable of supplying water to the device at its nozzles with such pressure as to create a thrust that will lift it to a great height and distance.

This large volume of water that the device will discharge to lift it, will have as indirect effect the effective treatment of the fire, creating conditions of rain and aiming from above or sideways at the fire foci to contain or even extinguish the fire.

The device will have at its center the framework, 2 at least movable ends extending there from with at least one nozzle attached at the lower part of each end. The ends of the device will be able to move and take the desirable inclination.

At its bottom, the device will have at least one water inlet connection by means of a rubber hose to the station pump to supply water to the device. The water entering the device under pressure will enter a pipe and, either with a separator or with a special pipe construction, it will be transferred to the ends of the device, where the nozzles are placed. This will provide the desired thrust to all ends to lift the device, and by controlling the amount of flow at each nozzle, by means of hydraulic flow valves or similar means of controlling the amount of water coming out of the nozzles, we will be able to control the correct alignment of the device and give it the desired directions.

This will be achieved by means of powerful pumps, such as turbine engines, similar to those found on marine vessels or equally powerful ones. What really provides the required power and thrust, however, is the nozzle. The nozzle reduces the size of the line and causes the water speed to increase. This accelerated blast of water then pushes the device in the opposite direction to that the nozzles eject the water resulting in lifting the device to the desired height. However, if left alone, this force will simply push the device upwards. To direct the device, one way is that the remote operator gives the desired tilt, by commanding the drive motors, towards the ends of the device where the nozzles are attached. For example, if we want that the device moves forward, the operator will command some ends of the device to take a corresponding tilt to shoot the water from the nozzles towards the back of the device.

Alternatively the remote operator will have the option to also control the amount of output flow at each of the nozzles to give the device the desired direction.

The device will be powered on the ground with electricity to power the systems that the device carries thereon, but also to power either the supporting aerial vehicles, or to supply energy to subsequent intermediate stations that may need to be placed for enhancing the flow of water farther or higher.

The device will be able to operate day and night as it will carry advanced technology cameras (thermal, night, etc.). It will also have high- intensity flashlights, as well as lamps, for the device to be visible from other media. The devices will also have built-in GPS satellite tracking system to make its exact location known to the user.

METHOD Depending on the altitude or the distance of the fire from the home base where the extinguishing operation will begin, mobile intermediate stations may be deemed necessary to be transported and placed by other aerial means, manned or unmanned, in-between this distance.

These mobile stations will include at least one extinguishing device, mobile tanks and high pressure pumps to supply the device with water or to reinforce and supply water and power to the next station.

The mobile tanks will be transported to the place selected by the team, without water, for less strain on the supporting means during their transport.

The mobile stations will have a rubber hose connection of the inlet of the mobile station tank with the outlet of the high pressure pump of the home base or the preceding mobile station. A connection of the mobile tank outlet to the pump inlet of the mobile station. Two connections at the pump outlet of the mobile station, of which one outlet will be connected to the fire extinguishing device and the second one to the tank inlet of the next mobile station. Thus, we will be able to successively extend the operational range to large distances or heights and at the same time we will be able to create an effective fireproof zone against the fire.

In some cases and depending on the distance, the terrain morphology or other factors that will make it difficult or even impossible for the device to reach the desired place, then one or more UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicle Systems) or other aerial vehicles capable to lift heavy weight, powered by the device or by ground supply or self-powered and controlled remotely by the operator, will be used to transport the necessary for the operation equipment and mobile stations to the desired points.

These aerial supporting means will also be used to support the extinguishing devices, by lifting the rubber hose at the intermediate points along the distance from the station to which the device will be connected and the operating device itself.