Surrogate foam test system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11478671-B2
Application number	US-202016944470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A fluid distribution system includes a water line configured to receive water from a water source, an agent line configured to receive agent from an agent source, a flush line configured to receive the water from the water source and connecting to the agent line at a junction, a flush valve positioned to selectively prevent the water from flowing along the flush line, an agent valve positioned to selectively prevent the agent from flowing along the agent line, a first flow meter positioned along the agent line downstream of the junction, a second flow meter positioned downstream of the first flow meter, 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, and a controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid distribution system for a fire apparatus that is selectively operable in a testing mode and an operating mode, the fluid distribution system comprising:
a water line configured to receive water from a water source;
an agent line configured to receive agent from an agent source;
a flush line configured to receive the water from the water source, the flush line connecting to the agent line at a junction;
a flush valve positioned to selectively prevent the water from flowing along the flush line downstream of the flush valve;
an agent valve positioned to selectively prevent the agent from flowing along the agent line 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, the second flow meter configured to obtain a second flow rate of the fluid flow;
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; and
a controller configured to selectively operate the fluid distribution system in the testing mode, wherein, during the testing mode, the controller is configured to:
acquire the first flow rate of the water flowing through the first flow meter and the second flow rate of the water flowing through the second flow meter;
determine a performance characteristic based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate;
modulate a current setting of the metering valve from a first setting to a second setting; and
conduct the testing mode sequence again at the second setting of the metering valve to verify the fluid distribution system is performing properly.

2. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising a water tank, wherein the water tank is the water source.

3. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising an agent tank, wherein the agent tank is the agent source.

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

5. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein, during the testing mode, the controller is configured to:
close the agent valve to prevent the agent from flowing through the agent valve along the agent line to the junction; and
open the flush valve such that the water source 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.

6. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
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 the performance characteristic; and
determine the fluid distribution system is performing properly based on the performance characteristic being in a predetermined range.

7. The fluid distribution system of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined range is based on the current setting of the metering valve.

8. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate the fluid distribution system in the operating mode.

9. The fluid distribution system of claim 8 , wherein, during the operating mode, the controller is configured to:
close the flush valve to prevent the water from flowing through the flush valve; and
open the agent valve such that the agent source is in direct fluid communication with the agent valve, the agent line, and the eductor.

10. The fluid distribution system of claim 8 , wherein, during the operating mode, the controller is configured to modulate the metering valve to provide a target amount of agent to the eductor to mix with the water to provide a fluid mixture having a target agent-to-water ratio.

11. A fluid distribution system for a fire apparatus that is selectively operable in a testing mode and an operating mode, the fluid distribution system comprising:
an agent line configured to receive agent from an agent source;
a flush line configured to receive water from a water source, the flush line connecting to the agent line at a junction;
a flush valve positioned to selectively prevent the water from flowing along the flush line downstream of the flush valve;
an agent valve positioned to selectively prevent the agent from flowing along the agent line 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, the second flow meter configured to obtain a second flow rate of the fluid flow;
a discharge positioned downstream of the second flow meter, the discharge configured to selectively receive (i) the water from the second flow meter during the testing mode and (ii) a mixture of the water and the agent from the second flow meter during the operating model;
a metering valve positioned downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of the second flow meter; and
a controller configured to selectively operate the fluid distribution system in the testing mode, wherein during the testing mode, the controller is configured to:
acquire the first flow rate of the water flowing through the first flow meter and the second flow rate of the water flowing through the second flow meter;
determine a performance characteristic based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate;
modulate a current setting of the metering valve from a first setting to a second setting; and
conduct the testing mode sequence again at the second setting of the metering valve to verify the fluid distribution system is performing properly.

12. The fluid distribution system of claim 11 , further comprising a water tank, wherein the water tank is the water source.

13. The fluid distribution system of claim 11 , further comprising an agent tank, wherein the agent tank is the agent source.

14. The fluid distribution system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a water line configured to receive the water from the water source; and
an eductor coupled to the agent line and the water line downstream of the first flow meter and upstream of the second flow meter.

15. The fluid distribution system of claim 14 , further comprising a pump positioned downstream of the eductor and upstream of the second flow meter.

16. The fluid distribution system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate the fluid distribution system in the operating mode, and wherein, during the operating mode, the controller is configured to modulate the metering valve to provide a target amount of agent to the eductor to mix with the water to provide a fluid mixture having a target agent-to-water ratio.

17. A fire apparatus comprising: a chassis;
a discharge system; and
a fluid distribution system coupled to the discharge system, the fluid distribution system is selectively operable in a testing mode and an operating mode, the fluid distribution system including:
a water line configured to receive water from a water source;
an agent line configured to receive agent from an agent source;
a flush line configured to receive the water from the water source, the flush line connecting to the agent line at a junc

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A62C37/04

  with electrically-controlled release · CPC title

• A62C5/02

  of foam · CPC title

• A62C5/002

  Apparatus for mixing extinguishants with water · CPC title

• A62C27/00

  Fire-fighting land vehicles · CPC title

• A62C37/50 Primary

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