DE20018073U1 - Flashover container - Google Patents

Description

DE 8051 Patent Attorney

Graduate Physicist

Reinfried Frhr. v. Schorlemer

Karthäuserstr. 5A 34117 Kassel Allemagne

Telephone/Telephone (0561) 15335

(0561)780031

Fax/Telecopier (0561)780032

Dipl.-Ing. Lothar Hügin, 34246 Velhnar
Flashover container

The invention relates to a flashover container of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1 for the training of firefighters.

Energy saving measures have become increasingly important, particularly in the construction industry. Official thermal insulation regulations (e.g. DIN 4109) have led to drastic reductions in energy consumption in residential and office buildings. However, this also has disadvantages, particularly when it comes to the occurrence and fighting of fires.

The course of a fire can be divided into four phases in terms of temperature and time: ignition phase, smoldering phase, heating phase and cooling phase. While the last two phases mentioned concern the fully developed fire, for the purposes of the present invention the first two phases mentioned are of particular importance, as they characterize the development of a fire. It is clear that oxygen is required above all for the development of a fire and for the combustion of fuel.

Because of the thermal insulation regulations mentioned above, buildings must be fitted with tightly fitting and sturdy windows so that it is almost impossible for the window panes to shatter as a result of fire. This means that if a fire breaks out in a closed room, the only oxygen available is the oxygen present in the room. If, for example, a full wastepaper basket catches fire, the available oxygen in the room is used up, so that a

Further spread of the fire is unlikely due to a lack of oxygen. However, the combustion of the burning material (wastepaper basket) creates a lot of smoke, which quickly fills the room with warm smoke gases and heats it up. At temperatures between 200 ⁰ C and 300 ⁰ C, which can be reached very quickly, other flammable materials in the room (e.g. curtains, wallpaper, furniture, carpets) are thermally processed, i.e. flammable gases (pyrolysis gases) are expelled from them, which completely fill the room.

As long as the room remains closed, the situation described is largely harmless. However, if the room is opened by a door or window, sufficient oxygen will enter, causing the flammable gases to ignite suddenly and a so-called firestorm or flashover (or smoke ignition) to occur.

Such flashovers are life-threatening for those who open doors or windows during a fire of the type described and often lead to severe burns or even death. As part of the training of their firefighters, fire departments have therefore begun to provide special flashover training in order to prepare firefighters for the development, danger, detection and, if necessary, combating of a flashover.

For this purpose, the professional fire department in Kassel converted a 40-foot steel container (length approx. 12.5 m) into a flashover container by equipping the container with a fire chamber that can be sealed airtight, an observation room adjacent to this with at least one air inlet, and a closure element located between this and the fire chamber that can be opened and closed. The purpose of this container is to cause a smoldering fire in the fire chamber and then to trigger a flashover by opening the closure element in order to be able to simulate the conditions in a building as realistically as possible. However, a major shortcoming of the container described is that a special permit is required for its operation, since every flashover triggering leads to environmental pollution depending on the type of combustible material used.

·

·

·

·

·

· m

-3-

The invention is therefore based on the technical problem of designing the container of the type described at the outset in such a way that environmental pollution cannot occur and a special permit for its operation is not required.

To solve this problem, the invention provides that the observation room is provided with at least one smoke extraction opening designed for connection to a smoke extraction and smoke washing system.

The invention ensures that the smoke produced during a flashover can first be extracted from the container using a mobile or stationary smoke extraction and smoke washing system that is connected to the smoke extraction opening and then cleaned to the extent necessary for the subsequent release of the residual gases into the environment, if existing regulations and laws are not to be violated. This means that the need for special permits can be avoided entirely.

Further advantageous features of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

The invention is explained in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings using an exemplary embodiment. They show:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a flashover container according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the flashover container according to Fig. 1 and 25

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged rear view of the flashover container according to Fig. 1.

A flashover container 1 according to the invention is, according to Fig. 1 to 3, preferably designed as a semi-trailer for a semi-trailer truck (not shown), and is therefore provided with a front part 2 to be placed on the semi-trailer of the semi-trailer truck and an adjacent middle and rear section 3. The front part 2 encloses a fire room 4 and the middle and rear section 3 enclose an observation room 5. The fire room 4 or

its base is used to light a fire, especially a

-A-

Supporting fire 6, which is why at least the front part 2 is suitably constructed in multiple layers. The inner walls and the floor of the front part 2 consist, for example, of steel plates interlocked at the corners, which are suitably additionally braced by stainless steel threaded rods. On the outside, the inner walls and the floor are also covered with thermal insulation layers, which are covered on their outside with further steel sheet plates.

On the ceiling of the fire chamber 4, above the place where the fire 6 is lit, a grate 7 is mounted, which can be moved up and down in a vertical direction by means of a chain or otherwise (double arrow v in Fig. 1) and serves to hold additional combustible material or the like intended for the formation of pyrolysis gases. In addition, a flap 8 is pivotably mounted in a side wall of the fire chamber 4 at the level of the supporting fire 6, which is normally closed, but can also be brought into an open position (Fig. 2) in order to supply the fire chamber 4 with the air required for combustion through a passage in the side wall which is then released.

A closure element 9 is provided between the fire room 4 and the observation room 5, which in the exemplary embodiment is designed as a door with two wings 9a, 9b that can be moved in the direction of the double arrows (Fig. 2), by means of which the fire room 4 can be optionally opened or closed towards the observation room 5. The closure element should close so tightly that the desired smoldering fire can develop in the fire room 4 due to a lack of sufficient oxygen supply. The closure element 9 can be operated manually, but is preferably operated automatically with a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or other actuating means. In addition, the closure element 9, as shown in particular in Figs. 1 and 2, is attached in the area of a step 10 that is arranged in the floor of the observation room 5 closely behind the fire room 4. The step 10 is already present in semi-trailers and serves a purpose explained further below.

At the rear, the container 1 expediently has a rear opening that acts as an air inlet and can be closed with a single or double-leaf door 11. In addition, a ramp 12 is expediently hinged to the rear end of the container 1 and in the area of the floor, which can be swivelled into the position shown in Fig. 2 and then used to enter the observation room 5 or as an escape route for quick

Leaving the observation room 5. For the same purpose, additional doors 14 can be built into the side walls of the observation room 5. Alternatively, the ramp 12 can also be a loose part that can be stored in the container when not in use.

According to the invention, a smoke extraction opening 15, designed, for example, as a pipe socket, is provided at the rear of the container 1 or observation room 5 and above the door 11. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this is designed on the top of a box-shaped smoke collector 16 (or a scoop) which extends above the door 11 across the entire width of the container 1 and is open at the bottom. The smoke extraction opening 15 is used for connection to a smoke extraction and smoke washing system 17 and for this purpose is designed, for example, as a pipe socket which is provided with a conventional connector for a fire hose 18 or another line which serves to connect the smoke extraction opening 15 to the system 17. Further exhaust air openings 19 in the side walls or in the ceiling of the observation room 5 can also be connected to the smoke extraction and smoke washing system 17 via lines 20.

The smoke extraction and smoke washing system 17 can be mobile and separated from the container 1 by wheels 21 and, when not in use, can be moved into the observation room 5 via the ramp 12. Alternatively, it is possible to design it as a stationary structural unit connected to the container 1 and to attach it to the container 1 in such a way that it can be moved back and forth (e.g. pivoted) manually or with a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or other actuating means between a non-use position arranged in the container 1 and a working position arranged on the outside of the container when the door 11 is open. In particular, the system 17 could be arranged directly above the smoke collector 16 and connected to it to form a compact structural unit, whereby the wings of the door 11 opened by 90° could serve as supports. In addition, the smoke extraction and smoke washing system is equipped in the manner of conventional smoke or gas cleaning devices with a sufficiently powerful extraction pump and the necessary filters or the like so that the gases emitted by it through an opening (not shown) have the required degree of purity.

-6-

The operation of the described flashover container 1 is, for example, as follows:

First, the grate 7 is lowered through the opened closure element 9, filled with a selected, solid fuel and then pulled up again. Additional fuel is placed under the grate 7 on the floor of the fire room 4 and ignited. By at least partially opening the flap 8 and the closure element 9 and/or a wing 9a, 9b, it can now be ensured that the supporting fire 6 is properly lit and that the fuel is heated up on the grate 7 with the formation of pyrolysis gases. If the fire is burning properly, the flap 8 and the closure element 9 are closed so that further entry of air or oxygen into the fire room 4 is largely prevented. In addition, the firefighters in training can now lie down on the floor of the observation room 5 immediately behind the step 10 after putting on the necessary protective clothing, breathing apparatus, etc. The development of the fire could possibly be observed through a hatch (not shown) which is installed in a side or partition wall of the fire compartment 4 and is closed with a fire-resistant, transparent material.

If sufficient combustible gases have formed in the fire room 4, the closure element 9 is preferably opened automatically when the door 11 is also open, which results in a sudden smoke flashover because large quantities of air are introduced into the fire room 4 through the open door 11, which acts as an air supply opening. The smoke entering the observation room 5 is extracted via the smoke collector 16, the smoke extraction opening 15 and, if applicable, the other exhaust air openings 19, washed and cleaned in the smoke extraction and smoke washing system 17 and then released into the open air.

The detection and danger of a flashover can be observed both by people standing outside through the open door 11 and by people lying on the floor of the observation room 5, over whom the resulting fire roller moves due to the level 10. Various flashover situations can be simulated or controlled using the flap 8, the closure element 9, the combustible material used and the choice of the extraction speed, particularly with regard to the speed and quantity of smoke. It is also possible to :;·. *:·· .1.1

to apply short bursts of water using a spray jet to the flammable smoke layer from level IO, whereby small amounts of water, e.g. one litre, are sufficient to avert the danger of a flashover, after which a new flammable mixture must first be built up again. In this way, the fight against a flashover can be trained. Finally, the container 1, which is conveniently equipped with wheels 22, can be driven to any training location using a semi-trailer, which enables considerable cost savings in the training of firefighters.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described, which could be modified in many ways. This applies in particular to the shape and/or size of the container 1 described, which should, however, have a length of at least approximately 12.5 m in order to effectively form a flashover. For the same reason, the smoke extraction opening 15 should be arranged as far away from the fire room 4 as possible, since if the observation room 5 is too short, a sufficiently effective flashover may not develop. Furthermore, the design of the fire room and the observation room 5 can be carried out in a manner other than that shown. The same applies to the smoke extraction and smoke washing system. Commercially available smoke gas fans are suitable for this, which are used, for example, in structural fire protection and can withstand high temperatures. For smoke washing, the smoke gases can either be extracted via temperature-resistant filters or passed through several filters (e.g. activated carbon) in a wet process. The entire smoke extraction and smoke washing system can be selected according to the requirements of the individual case and the pyrolysis gases produced. Finally, it goes without saying that the various features can also be used in combinations other than those shown and described.

Claims (6)

1. Flashover container for the training of firefighters, with a lockable fire room ( 4 ), an observation room ( 5 ) adjacent to this and having at least one air supply opening, and an openable and closable closure element ( 9 ) located between this and the fire room ( 4 ), characterized in that the observation room ( 5 ) is provided with at least one smoke extraction opening ( 15 ) designed for connection to a smoke extraction and smoke washing system ( 17 ). 2. Flashover container according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a rear opening which can be closed with a door ( 11 ) as an air supply opening and a smoke collector ( 16 ) having the smoke extraction opening ( 15 ) is arranged above the rear opening. 3. Flashover container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the smoke extraction and smoke washing system ( 17 ) is movably mounted on it and can be moved back and forth between a non-use position arranged in the observation room ( 5 ) and a working position arranged outside the observation room ( 5 ). 4. Flashover container according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a rear opening which can be closed with a door ( 11 ) and the smoke extraction and smoke washing system ( 17 ) can be pivoted into the working position when the door ( 11 ) is open. 5. Flashover container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises means for automatically actuating the closure element ( 9 ). 6. Flashover container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is designed as a semi-trailer, wherein a front part ( 2 ) forming the supporting part is designed as a fire compartment ( 4 ) and a remaining middle and rear section ( 3 ) separated from the front part ( 2 ) by a step ( 10 ) is designed as an observation compartment ( 5 ).