Surrogate foam test system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758759-B2
Application number	US-201815890477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

An agent distribution system includes a water tank, a flush line, a flush valve, an agent storage tank, an agent line, an agent valve, a first flow meter, and a second flow meter. The flush line receives water from the water tank. The flush valve is configured to selectively prevent water from flowing along the flush line downstream of the flush valve. The agent line receives agent from the agent tank. The agent valve is configured to selectively prevent agent from flowing along the agent line downstream of the agent valve. The flush line extends into the agent line at a junction. The junction is disposed downstream of the agent valve. The first flow meter is positioned along the agent line downstream of the junction. The second flow meter is positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of a discharge system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agent distribution system for a fire apparatus, the agent distribution selectively operable in a testing mode and an operating mode, the agent distribution system comprising:
a water tank including a first water outlet and a second water outlet, the water tank configured to store water;
a flush line coupled to the first water outlet such that the flush line receives water from the water tank;
a water line coupled to the second water outlet of the water tank;
a flush valve positioned along the flush line, the flush valve configured to selectively prevent water from flowing along the flush line downstream of the flush valve;
an agent storage tank including an agent outlet, the agent storage tank configured to store agent;
an agent line coupled to the agent outlet such that the agent line receives agent from the agent tank;
an agent valve positioned along the agent line, the agent valve configured to selectively prevent agent from flowing along the agent line downstream of the agent valve, wherein the flush line extends into the agent line at a junction, wherein the junction is disposed downstream of the agent valve;
a first flow meter positioned along the agent line downstream of the junction, the first flow meter configured to obtain a first flow rate of a fluid flow;
a second flow meter positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of a discharge system, the second flow meter configured to obtain a second flow rate of the fluid flow entering the discharge system;
an eductor coupled to the agent line and the water line downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of the second flow meter;
a metering valve positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of the eductor, the metering valve configured to facilitate metering the fluid flow entering the eductor along the agent line; and
a controller configured to selectively operate the agent distribution system in the testing mode, wherein, during the testing mode, the controller is configured to:
close the agent valve to prevent agent within the agent tank from flowing through the agent valve along the agent line to the junction;
open the flush valve such that the water tank is in direct fluid communication with the flush valve, the flush line, the agent line, the first flow meter, the metering valve, the eductor, and the second flow meter;
evaluate the first flow rate of water flowing through the first flow meter;
evaluate the second flow rate of water flowing through the second flow meter;
determine a flow percentage by dividing the first flow rate by the second flow rate;
compare the flow percentage to a target flow percentage to determine an agent distribution performance characteristic;
determine the agent distribution system is performing properly based on the agent distribution performance characteristic being in a predetermined range, wherein the predetermined range is based on a current setting of the metering valve;
modulate the current setting of the metering valve from a first setting to a second setting; and
conduct the testing mode sequence again to verify the agent distribution system is performing properly at the second setting of the metering valve.

2. The agent distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump positioned downstream of the eductor and upstream of the second flow meter.

3. The agent distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate the agent distribution system in the operating mode, wherein the controller is configured to (i) close the flush valve to prevent water from the water tank from flowing through the flush valve and (ii) open the agent valve such that the agent tank is in direct fluid communication with the agent valve, the agent line, and the eductor when the agent distribution system is selectively operated in the operating mode.

4. A method for performing a testing mode of an agent distribution system, the method comprising:
closing, by a controller, a first valve positioned along a first fluid line between an agent tank and a junction between the first fluid line and a second fluid line to prevent an agent from flowing through the first valve to the junction;
opening, by the controller, a second valve positioned along the second fluid line between a water tank and the junction such that water flows into the junction;
receiving, by the controller from a first flow meter, a first flow rate of the water flowing through the first flow meter, the first flow meter positioned along the first fluid line downstream of the junction;
receiving, by the controller from a second flow meter, a second flow rate of the water flowing through the second flow meter, the second flow meter positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of a discharge system;
determining, by the controller, the agent distribution system is performing properly based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate, wherein determining the agent distribution system is performing properly based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate includes:
determining, by the controller, a flow percentage by dividing the first flow rate by the second flow rate;
comparing, by the controller, the flow percentage to a target flow percentage to determine a performance characteristic; and
determining, by the controller, the agent distribution system is performing properly based on the performance characteristic being in a predetermined range, wherein the predetermined range is based on a current setting of a metering valve, the metering valve positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of the second flow meter;

modulating, by the controller, the current setting of the metering valve from a first setting to a second setting; and
conducting, by the controller, the testing mode sequence again to verify the agent distribution system is performing properly at the second setting of the metering valve.

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Shively Jason
• Nelson Tim
• Kay David
• Newlin Seth

Classifications

• A62C5/002

  Apparatus for mixing extinguishants with water · CPC title

• A62C5/02

  of foam · CPC title

• A62C37/50 Primary

  Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment · CPC title

• A62C27/00

  Fire-fighting land vehicles · CPC title

• A62C37/04

  with electrically-controlled release · CPC title