Fluid delivery system for a fire apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11813489-B2
Application number	US-202117531017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 14, 2017
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A fluid system includes a ratio controller. The ratio controller includes a housing, a nozzle, and a diffuser. The housing defines a mixing chamber, a first inlet positioned at a first end of the mixing chamber, an outlet positioned at an opposing second end of the mixing chamber, and a second inlet positioned at a location around a periphery of the mixing chamber between the first inlet and the outlet. The first fluid is configured to receive a first fluid input. The second inlet is configured to receive a second fluid input. The nozzle includes a nozzle inlet positioned proximate the first inlet and a nozzle outlet positioned within the mixing chamber. The diffuser extends from the outlet and outward from the housing. The diffuser includes a diffuser inlet positioned within the mixing chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid system for a fire apparatus, the fluid system comprising:
a ratio controller configured to receive water from a water circuit and an agent from an agent circuit, the ratio controller configured to provide an agent-water solution to one or more outlets of the fire apparatus, the ratio controller including:
a housing defining a mixing chamber, the housing having:
a water inlet configured to receive the water from the water circuit;
an agent inlet configured to receive the agent from the agent circuit;
an outlet configured to output the agent-water solution;
a first pressure port extending through a sidewall of the housing at a first position proximate the water inlet; and
a second pressure port extending through the sidewall of the housing at a second position proximate the mixing chamber;

a nozzle extending at least partially into the mixing chamber, the nozzle including a nozzle inlet positioned proximate the first pressure port and a nozzle outlet positioned within the mixing chamber; and
a diffuser extending from the outlet outward from the housing, the diffuser including a diffuser inlet positioned within the mixing chamber and a diffuser outlet, wherein the nozzle outlet of the nozzle and the diffuser inlet of the diffuser are spaced a distance that is less than a width of the mixing chamber.

2. The fluid system of claim 1 , wherein the agent inlet is a first agent inlet, and wherein at least one of (i) the housing has a second agent inlet configured to receive the agent from the agent circuit or (ii) the first agent inlet and the second agent inlet are positioned on opposing sides of the mixing chamber.

3. The fluid system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure port is positioned between the water inlet and the nozzle inlet.

4. The fluid system of claim 1 , wherein the ratio controller includes a pressure manifold coupled to an exterior of the housing, wherein the pressure manifold defines a first chamber positioned to align with the first pressure port and a second chamber positioned to align with the second pressure port.

5. The fluid system of claim 1 , further comprising a flow meter configured to couple to the first pressure port and the second pressure port to monitor (i) an inlet pressure of the water entering the ratio controller and the nozzle and (ii) an intermediate pressure within the mixing chamber to facilitate determining a water flow rate of the water.

6. The fluid system of claim 5 , further comprising the water circuit and the agent circuit, the water circuit including a water pump configured to pump the water from a water source, the agent circuit including an agent pump configured to pump the agent from an agent source and an agent metering valve positioned to receive the agent from the agent pump and variably restrict a flow of the agent, wherein the agent metering valve is upstream of and spaced from the ratio controller.

7. The fluid system of claim 6 , wherein the agent circuit includes a valve controller configured to adjust the agent metering valve based on the water flow rate and a preselected agent-to-water ratio for the agent-water solution exiting the ratio controller.

8. The fluid system of claim 7 , wherein the agent metering valve includes a flow restrictor, and wherein the flow restrictor includes (i) a ball having an elongated notch extending at least partially along a periphery thereof or (ii) a plunger including a plunger head having a non-uniform V-shaped profile.

9. The fluid system of claim 8 , wherein the flow restrictor includes the plunger.

10. The fluid system of claim 8 , wherein the flow restrictor includes the ball, and wherein the elongated notch has a first end having a first size and a second end having a second size greater than the first size such that the elongated notch tapers between the first end and the second end.

11. A fluid system for a fire apparatus, the fluid system comprising:
a ratio controller including:
a housing having a sidewall, the housing defining:
a water inlet positioned at a first end of the housing and configured to receive water;
an agent inlet positioned along the sidewall and configured to receive agent;
an outlet positioned at an opposing second end of the housing and configured to output an agent-water solution;
a mixing chamber positioned between the water inlet and the outlet;
a first pressure port positioned along and extending through the sidewall proximate the water inlet; and
a second pressure port positioned along and extending through the sidewall proximate the mixing chamber; and

a nozzle extending at least partially into the mixing chamber, the nozzle including a nozzle inlet positioned proximate the first pressure port and a nozzle outlet positioned within the mixing chamber.

12. The fluid system of claim 11 , further comprising a diffuser extending from the outlet and outward from the housing.

13. The fluid system of claim 12 , wherein the diffuser includes a diffuser inlet positioned within the mixing chamber such that the nozzle outlet of the nozzle and the diffuser inlet of the diffuser are spaced a distance that is less than a width of the mixing chamber.

14. The fluid system of claim 11 , wherein the first pressure port is positioned between the water inlet and the nozzle inlet.

15. The fluid system of claim 11 , wherein the agent inlet is a first agent inlet, and wherein the housing defines a second agent inlet positioned along the sidewall at a position opposite the first agent inlet, the second agent inlet configured to receive the agent.

16. The fluid system of claim 11 , wherein the agent inlet is a first agent inlet, and wherein the housing defines a second agent inlet positioned along the sidewall at a position offset from the first agent inlet, the second agent inlet configured to receive the agent.

17. The fluid system of claim 13 , further comprising a flow meter configured to couple to the first pressure port and the second pressure port to monitor (i) an inlet pressure of the water entering the ratio controller and the nozzle and (ii) an intermediate pressure within the mixing chamber.

18. A fluid system comprising:
a ratio controller including:
a housing defining:
a mixing chamber;
a first inlet positioned at a first end of the mixing chamber, the first inlet configured to receive a first fluid input;
an outlet positioned at an opposing second end of the mixing chamber; and
a second inlet positioned at a first location around a periphery of the mixing chamber between the first inlet and the outlet, the second inlet configured to receive a second fluid input;
a third inlet positioned at a second location around the periphery of the mixing chamber that is different the first location and between the first inlet and the outlet, the third inlet configured to receive the second fluid input;

a nozzle including a nozzle inlet positioned proximate the first inlet and a nozzle outlet positioned within the mixing chamber; and
a diffuser extending from the outlet and outward from the housing, the diffuser including a diffuser inlet positioned within the mixing chamber.

19. The fluid system of claim 18 , wherein the second location is located around the periphery of the mixing chamber at a position opposite the first location.

20. The fluid system of claim 18 , wherein the housing defines:
a first pressure port positioned along and extending through a sidewall of the housing proximate the first inlet; and
a second pressure port positioned al

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Fieber David
• Piller Brian
• Trinkner Chad

Classifications

• A62C37/00 Primary

  Control of fire-fighting equipment (heat-sensitive devices G01K) · CPC title

• A62C5/002 Primary

  Apparatus for mixing extinguishants with water · CPC title

• A62C27/00

  Fire-fighting land vehicles · CPC title