GB2633070A

GB2633070A - Fire suppression apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2633070A
Application number: GB2313280.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: COLTON Bradford; Ward Stephen; Hershberger Lee
Original assignee: Extinguish Ltd; Brimstone Fire Prot
Current assignee: Extinguish Ltd; Brimstone Fire Prot
Priority date: 2023-08-31
Filing date: 2023-08-31
Publication date: 2025-03-05
Also published as: GB202313280D0

Abstract

A fire suppression apparatus 100 is described for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a main body 110, water inlet 120, and a plurality of nozzles 132,133 for expelling water mist. In one aspect, the plurality of nozzles provides a flow rate of water mist with a range of 8 to 17 gallons per minute (0.5 to 1.1 litres per second) when water is delivered through the water inlet at a pressure of between 60 and 150 PSI (414 kPa to 1030 kPa). In another aspect, the nozzles are arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body. A fire suppression kit is also described having a fire blanket for covering a vehicle. The kit may have a pole that is detachably connectable to a periphery of the fire blanket. The kit may have a clamshell-type enclosure for storing the fire blanket.

Description

FIRE SUPPRESSION APPARATUS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatus for controlling, suppressing and/or extinguishing electric vehicle fires and particularly, although not exclusively, to a fire suppression apparatus and a fire blanket for use with the fire suppression apparatus.

Background

Due to environmental concerns such as carbon dioxide emissions and particulate pollution, governments around the world are adopting policies leading to the phase-out of fossil fuel motor vehicles, particularly road vehicles (e.g., those powered by fossil fuels such as petrol (gasoline) and diesel). The most popular replacement for these vehicles are electric vehicles, either fully electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (which use a combination of electric motors and an internal combustion engine for power). Both types of electric vehicles generally use a large number of rechargeable batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries) to store the required electrical power. These are typically arranged in banks which are disposed at the base of the vehicle.

However, the presence of large batteries presents a fire and explosion risk, for example in the event of a crash or collision involving an electric vehicle, or even a spontaneous event as the vehicle is charging or parked. For example, the batteries may suffer thermal runaway, wherein heat released by a battery event goes on to increase the risk of adjacent batteries or cells combusting, and cell rupture (which can release the harmful chemical components of the battery into the environment).

To deal with electric vehicle fires, the prevailing advice given to firefighters (e.g., see the National Fire Protection Association's electric vehicle emergency field guide) is to allow a battery pack to burn itself out or, if a battery pack fire needs to be extinguished, apply copious amounts of water to the battery case to cool adjacent battery cells to a point below their ignition temperatures. Specifically, the guidelines state that water should be continuously applied to the underside of a vehicle for up to one hour.

The present invention has been devised in light of the above considerations.

Summary of the Invention

At its most general, the present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling, suppressing and/or extinguishing electric vehicle fires, wherein the apparatus is configured to apply water to the battery pack of the vehicle at a much lower rate than conventional arrangements, while effectively cooling the battery pack to prevent thermal runaway. The apparatus may also be used in conjunction with a fire blanket, which brings further benefits to controlling and extinguishing fires in a cabin of the vehicle by helping to mitigate potential vapour cloud ignition.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fire suppression apparatus for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising a main body, a water inlet, and a plurality of nozzles arranged on the main body for expelling water mist; wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured such that the flow rate of water mist from the plurality of nozzles is in a range of 0.5 to 1.1 litres per second (8 to 17 gallons per minute) when water is delivered through the water inlet at a pressure of between 414 kPa and 1030 kPa (60 psi to 150 psi). The inventors have realised that the prevailing and conventional wisdom in the art, that a copious amount of water should be applied to electric vehicle battery fires, is incorrect, and that effective cooling of the battery packs may in fact be achieved whilst using a substantially lower flow rate of water, which reduces the water resource requirement for the fire fighter and may negate the need to connect the truck to a hydrant for additional water resource. This is achieved by providing an array of spray nozzles (which may be referred to herein as misters or sprayers) arranged on a body which is capable of fitting under the chassis of an electric vehicle. By providing effective cooling with a lower flow rate, the present invention reduces water use and thereby also reduces the amount of contaminated water run-off from the vehicle fire which enters the environment. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may operate at a flow rate of 10 gallons per minute (0.63 litres per second) at a pressure of 100 PSI (690 kPa), thereby providing 50 minutes of cooling from a fire truck, which may typically have a storage capacity of 500 gallons (1890 litres). In contrast, known arrangements would require the use of hydrants or multiple such fire trucks in order to supply the copious amounts of water recommended by literature, wasting water and resulting in a large amount of contaminated water run-off.

Optionally, the plurality of nozzles may be arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body. For example, the plurality of nozzles may be arranged to provide a 6-fold degree of rotational symmetry. In this way, the fire suppression apparatus may be introduced to the underside of the vehicle from substantially any direction for effective delivery of water mist.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fire suppression apparatus for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a main body, a water inlet, and a plurality of nozzles arranged on the main body for expelling water mist; wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body. For example, the plurality of nozzles may be arranged to provide a 6-fold degree of rotational symmetry. In this way, the fire suppression apparatus may be introduced to the underside of the vehicle from substantially any direction for effective delivery of water mist.

Optionally, the plurality of nozzles may be arranged to provide a substantially dome-shaped spray pattern of water mist. Such an arrangement provides the benefits of rotational symmetry as described above.

Optionally, the plurality of nozzles are configured to provide a spray pattern having a cross-section measuring at least 1.22 m (4 feet) in diameter at a distance of 7.6 cm (3 inches) above the main body, in a plane which is parallel with the main body. For example, the cross-section may measure at least 1.3 m, such as around 1.4 m in diameter at this distance. In this way, the fire suppression apparatus is configured to distribute water mist across a majority of the lower surface of the vehicle body when in use, even where the vehicle is close to the main body. In particular, such an arrangement ensures that even if water mist does not directly impact the surface of the vehicle, the water has momentum to flow along the underside of the vehicle, thereby covering additional area. Cooling is thereby provided across at least a majority of the surface of a battery pack of the vehicle. As a result, it is not necessary to raise the vehicle in order to provide appropriate cooling, and so the fire suppression apparatus is easier to use than known arrangements. Optionally, the fire suppression apparatus may deliver less than around 0.34 litres per second per square metre (0.5 gallons per minute per square foot) to the underside of the vehicle when water is delivered to the apparatus at a pressure of around 690 kPa (100 PSI), for example at least 0.1 litres per second per square metre, at a distance of 7.6 cm above the main body. The inventors have found that such water flow rates over these areas provide good cooling with reduced water use across the entire extent of the spray pattern.

Optionally, the main body may be generally circular (i.e., have a generally circular cross-sectional shape) or disc-shaped, and the plurality of nozzles may comprise a centre nozzle and a first group of nozzles arranged on an upper surface of the main body, and a second group of nozzles arranged on an edge surface of the main body. Such an arrangement provides improved and symmetrical distribution of water mist towards the underside of a vehicle.

Optionally, the first group of nozzles may comprise at least one nozzle directed upwards at an angle of between 40 and 50 degrees from the plane of the main body, and the centre nozzle may be directed upwards perpendicular to the plane of the main body. For example, each nozzle of the first group of nozzles may be directed upwards at an angled of 40 degrees, 45 degrees, or 50 degrees. In some examples, the nozzles of the first group of nozzles may not all be directed upwards at the same angle. Such an arrangement provides improved distribution of water mist towards the underside of a vehicle, and may help provide a dome-shaped spray pattern.

Optionally, the first group of nozzles may be arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the main body, for example in a rotationally symmetrical manner. For example, the first group of nozzles may comprise six nozzles, all spaced apart by 60 degrees about the central axis of the main body.

Optionally, each nozzle of the second group of nozzles may be directed upwards at an angle of between 25 degrees and 35 degrees from the plane of the main body. For example, each nozzle of the second group of nozzles may be directed upwards at an angle of 25 degrees, 30 degrees, or 35 degrees. In some examples, the nozzles of the second group of nozzles may not all be directed upwards at the same angle. Such an arrangement provides improved distribution of water mist towards the underside of a vehicle, and may help provide a dome-shaped spray pattern.

Optionally, the second group of nozzles may be arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the main body. For example, the second group of nozzles may comprise 8 nozzles, all spaced apart by 45 degrees about the central axis of the main body. Such an arrangement provides improved and symmetrical distribution of water mist towards the underside of a vehicle.

Optionally, the plurality of nozzles may be configured to expel water mist wherein 90% of the volume of the water mist is in droplets having a droplet diameter of 300 microns or less, at a water inlet pressure of 690 kPa (100 PSI). This may be referred to as a Dv90 droplet size of 300 microns. Water mist having a droplet diameter in this range may be particularly useful to prevent or mitigate any vapour cloud ignition which may occur as a result of gas mixtures in air (e.g., including additional gases generated or given off by battery fire and/or heating). Droplet size in water mist may be measured, for example, by a spray droplet size measurement system, which uses laser diffraction (in particular, Mie and Fraunhofer scattering analysis) for measuring the size of droplets. For example, the water mist may have a Dv10 droplet diameter of 50 microns or less (i.e., 10% of the volume of the water mist may be in droplets having a droplet diameter of 50 microns or less).

While significantly increasing pressure can result in achieving smaller droplet sizes, fire trucks will typically operate at 60 to 150 psi at the truck water outlet, with a lower pressure resulting at the nozzle inlet due to friction losses through the hose and valve. Therefore, low-pressure water mist nozzles may be used.

Optionally, the plurality of nozzles may be configured to generate a range of droplets sizes, wherein droplets below 50 micron in diameter and droplets having a diameter of between 600 and 800 microns will both be present, when water is delivered through the plurality of nozzles at a water inlet pressure of 100 PSI (690 kPa). Water mist having a mixture of droplet sizes in this way may be particularly useful to prevent or mitigate any vapour cloud ignition, for example as the larger droplets may absorb energy from any such ignition and the smaller droplets may extract heat through evaporation.

Optionally, the main body may have a height of no more than about 10 cm (4 inches), for example around 7.6 cm (3 inches), and a width of no more than 28 cm (11 inches). This may ensure that the apparatus is able to fit beneath a vehicle without requiring the vehicle to be lifted or raised, and is easy to transport and use.

Optionally, each of the plurality of nozzles may be configured to generate water mist in a full cone spray pattern, having a spray angle in a range of between 40° and 55°, for example between 43° and 53°, such as 45°. Such an arrangement may ensure that water mist is suitably spread over the entire area covered by the spray pattern expelled from the fire suppression apparatus, to provide good coverage of an underside of a vehicle.

Optionally, the main body may be made of cast aluminium. This may ensure a lightweight and durable construction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fire suppression kit comprising a fire suppression apparatus as described above with respect to either the first or second aspects of the invention, and a fire blanket for covering a vehicle. The fire suppression kit may be particularly effective at addressing electric vehicle fires due to the advantageous cooling effects of the first suppression apparatus while using a reduced volume of water, as described above, and, by delivering a water mist into an enclosed space defined by the fire blanket enclosing or covering a vehicle, vapour cloud ignition events may be mitigated. For example, use of the fire blanket may help water mist from the fire suppression apparatus to penetrate the cabin of the vehicle to prevent or mitigate vapour cloud ignition.

Optionally, the fire suppression kit may further comprise a pole having an attachment means at a first end, and wherein the fire blanket comprises a connector at a periphery thereof for detachable connection with the pole. This may help to use the fire blanket to cover or enclose tall vehicles such as SUVs, trucks or the like.

Optionally, a fire suppression kit may be provided comprising the fire suppression apparatus and a fire blanket for covering the vehicle. The fire blanket enables the fire to be further suppressed by smothering.

Battery fires emit highly flammable toxic gases. In certain circumstances, e.g. in enclosed spaces, the concentration of gases can increase to form a vapour cloud which, if ignited, will cause an explosion.

Such an enclosure may be formed by placing a fire blanket onto a vehicle. Therefore, although a fire blanket can help to suppress a fire, it can also increase the risk of an explosion occurring. The provision of a fire suppression apparatus in conjunction with the fire blanket provides a synergistic effect, by enabling the fire to be further suppressed whilst also using the fire suppression apparatus to lower the temperature/pressure within the enclosure and thereby reduce the risk of vapour cloud ignition.

This may be particularly advantageous in embodiments where the fire suppression apparatus is configured to expel water mist comprising water droplets having a droplet size of less than 50 microns as well as water droplets having a droplet size of between 600 microns and 800 microns. In such arrangements, the large droplets (600-800 microns) help to absorb energy and thereby reduce the pressure in the enclosure. Meanwhile, the small droplets (less than 50 microns) help to extract heat via evaporation and may penetrate into the cabin itself.

Optionally, the fire suppression kit may further include a pole having an attachment means at a first end. The fire blanket may comprise a connector at a periphery thereof for detachable connection with the pole. The pole can therefore be held by a user to lift the fire blanket to a greater height, thereby facilitating use of the fire blanket with tall vehicles, e.g. vans or SUVs. This may be particularly beneficial for use in the US, where vehicles are (on average) taller than vehicles in other (e.g. European) markets.

Optionally, the fire blanket and pole may be provided in combination, with or without the (optional) fire suppression apparatus. Thus, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fire suppression kit comprising: a fire blanket for covering a vehicle; and a pole having an attachment means at a first end; wherein the fire blanket comprises a connector at a periphery thereof for detachable connection with the pole. The fire blanket may have any of the features discussed above in relation to the previous aspect.

As used herein, the term "periphery" may refer to any region at or near the perimeter of the fire blanket. For example, the periphery may include a region within the outermost 20% of the fire blanket, optionally within the outermost 10% of the fire blanket (measured along either dimension). In some embodiments, the fire blanket may have dimensions of approximately 6 metres (e.g. along a front and/or rear edge thereof) by 8 metres (e.g. along side edges thereof). The periphery may include a region within the outermost 1.5 metres of the fire blanket, optionally within the outermost 1.3 metres, optionally within the outermost 1 metre of the fire blanket (along either dimension).

Optionally, the fire blanket may have a rectangular shape, and the connector may be located anywhere at or near an edge or corner thereof. As used herein, a "corner" refers to a region at the intersection of two edges. A connector located at or near a corner (e.g. within 1.5 metres of a corner, e.g. within 1.3 meters, e.g. within 1 metre, e.g. within 50 cm) of the fire blanket may be particularly advantageous to allow the corners of the blanket to be lifted over the vehicle, while the remainder of the blanket is pulled/dragged behind. Optionally, the connector may be offset from its closest corner so that the connector is closer to one edge (that is adjacent the corner) than another edge (that is adjacent the corner). Optionally, the connector may be located along one edge (a "front edge") of the fire blanket and located further from an adjacent edge ("side edge") of the fire blanket within the periphery of the adjacent (side) edge. For example, the connector may be located within 50 cm, optionally within 30 cm, optionally within 10 cm of the front edge, and may be located further from the side edge but within 1.3 metres (e.g. within 1 metre) of the side edge. In use, the front edge will be initially pulled over the vehicle. This arrangement has been determined to be easier for blanket deployment over tall vehicles.

Optionally, the fire blanket may have a plurality of connectors configured in any manner discussed herein. For example, optionally, the fire blanket may have a connector at each corner (not offset relative thereto) as well as one or more connectors near each corner (offset on either side thereof). For example, the fire blanket may comprise six connectors on each side of the fire blanket, e.g. one connector at each corner, as well as two pairs of connectors offset from each corner. This provides improved flexibility to suit different sizes of vehicles.

Optionally, the pole may be extendable. This allows the pole to have a compact configuration during storage. For example, the pole may have a minimum (non-extended) length of less than 1 metre, optionally less than 80 cm, optionally less than 60 cm. The pole may have maximum (extended) length of greater than 60 cm, optionally greater than 80 cm, optionally greater than 1 metre, optionally greater than 1.2 metres. In one embodiment, the pole may have a retracted length of approximately 73 cm (29") and an extended length of 122 cm (48").

The pole may be extendable in any suitable manner, e.g. the pole may be telescopic or hinged.

In variant embodiments, the pole may not be extendable. Accordingly, the length of the pole may be permanently fixed e.g. at any of the lengths discussed above.

The connector and attachment means may be configured in any suitable manner to provide detachable engagement with each other.

For example, in some embodiments, the connector may comprise a loop of material (e.g. fabric or metal). The connector may comprise a relatively small loop (e.g. less than 5 cm long), to provide a close engagement with the attachment means and thereby maximise the height to which the blanket can be lifted using the pole. The attachment means may comprise a hook or clip (e.g. carabiner clip) for securing onto the loop. Conversely, the opposite configuration is also possible, with the fire blanket comprising a hook or clip whilst the pole comprises the loop.

In other embodiments, the connector may comprise an aperture (e.g. within a grommet) in the fire blanket. The attachment means may comprise a post (e.g. a knurled post) that is secured to the pole at one end and configured to fit through the aperture at another (protruding) end. The attachment means may further comprise, a cap (e.g. a silicone cap) configured to fit securely over the (protruding end of the) post. The cap may be dimensioned (e.g. in size or shape) to ensure that it will not slide through the aperture, thereby retaining the post within the aperture until the cap is removed. Various other structures will also be possible.

Optionally, the pole may comprise a glass breaker at an end thereof. As used herein, the term "glass breaker" refers to a tool configured to break through window glass in an emergency. This can allow any occupants who may be trapped inside the vehicle to escape. Additionally, this can allow a fire suppression apparatus (e.g. the fire suppression apparatus described above) to be inserted inside the vehicle cabin to help further suppress the fire.

The glass breaker may comprise a hammer or mallet. Alternatively, the glass breaker may be a spring-loaded glass breaker. The glass breaker may be fixed to (e.g. integrally formed with) the pole, or may be removably attached to the pole.

The glass breaker may comprise a relatively dense material compared to the material of the rest of the pole. For example, the glass breaker may comprise a steel tip for breaking glass, whereas the rest of the pole may be formed of a lighter material (e.g. plastic).

Optionally the pole has a glass breaker at a second end thereof. The "second end" of the pole corresponds to an end of the pole opposite the first end. In use, when positioning the fire blanket over a vehicle, the first end of the pole (which has the attachment means) will be nearest to the fire blanket (furthest from the vehicle), whilst the second end of the pole will be nearest to the vehicle (furthest from the fire blanket). The provision of a glass breaker at the second end of the pole therefore advantageously provides the ability to break a window during positioning the fire blanket, if required.

Optionally, the fire suppression kit may include two or more of said poles. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise two or more of said connectors. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise two connectors located at opposing ends (corners) of an edge of the fire blanket. Optionally, there may be a plurality of connectors positioned along one or more sides (e.g. each side) of the blanket to allow the user to identify the most effective location to place the poles based on the relative size and height of the vehicle. Testing has shown that for taller vehicles, a pole attached at the corner is not as beneficial as having the pole attached inward (e.g. up to 1 m inward) along a side edge. This provides a convenient arrangement allowing two or more users to lift and position the blanket, from opposing sides of a vehicle.

The fire blanket may be substantially rectangular, to generally correspond with the shape of a vehicle.

Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise four corners, with a respective connector at each corner for detachable connection with the pole. Typically, fire blankets are positioned on a car by first placing the blanket on the ground near the car and then pulling the blanket towards and over the car. Accordingly, the blanket may only be lifted along one (front) edge thereof, dragging an opposing (rear) edge of the blanket behind it. By providing a connector at each corner of the fire blanket, a pole can be easily connected to the blanket in any orientation, without first requiring rotation of the fire blanket in order to attach the pole to a specific corner of the blanket. This arrangement therefore helps to increase the speed of deploying the blanket, by providing redundancy in the number of connectors and by positioning them conveniently at the corners of the blanket.

In some embodiments, rather than using a pole, a user may prefer to grab onto the fire blanket directly to pull it over the vehicle. For example, this may be particularly useful to save time when deploying the fire blanket over shorter vehicles. Accordingly, optionally, the fire blanket may comprise one or more handles configured to be held by a user. For example, the (or each) handle may comprise a loop of material (e.g. fabric) sized to allow a user to fit their hand therethrough. For example, when in a flattened (fully stretched) configuration, the loop of fabric may have a length of 10 cm or more, optionally 15 cm or more.

Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise four corners, with a respective handle at each corner. Again, this allows the blanket to be grabbed from any direction without first requiring rotation thereof.

Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise a pair of handles adjacent to one another at a periphery (e.g. edge or corner) of the fire blanket. This helps a user to pull the blanket easily, using both hands. In this context, the term "adjacent" refers to the handles being located in close proximity (e.g. within 50 cm of each other) to enable double handed use by a single user. For example, the pair of handles may be arranged back-to-back at the same peripheral region (e.g. edge or corner) of the fire blanket. Optionally, the fire blanket comprises four corners, with a respective pair of adjacent handles at each corner.

Optionally, the one or more handles may be located at the same region of the fire blanket as the connector for detachable connection with a pole. Optionally, the connector may be integrally formed with one of the handles, e.g. formed from the same loop of fabric.

Optionally, the fire suppression kit may include one or more tie-down straps, e.g. ratchet straps. This can help to secure the fire blanket over the vehicle, even in windy conditions. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise a connector for detachable connection with a tie-down strap. As used herein, the connector for connecting to the tie-down strap may also be referred to as a "strap-connector", while the connector for attaching to the pole may also be referred to as a "pole-connector". The strap-connector may comprise a loop of fabric, for engaging with a hook or clip (e.g. caribener clip) of the tie-down strap. The strap-connector may comprise a relatively small loop of fabric (e.g. less than 5 cm when fully stretched), to provide a close engagement with the tie-down strap.

The strap-connector may be located at a central region of an edge of the fire blanket. As used herein, the term "central region of an edge" may refer to a zone within the centralmost 30% of an edge (e.g. straight edge) of the blanket (when unfolded / unrolled), e.g. within the centralmost 20%, e.g. within the centralmost 10%, e.g. at the centre (as measured between two ends/corners of the edge). For example, the fire blanket may be rectangular, having four edges, with a strap-connector at a central region (e.g. a centre) of one or more of the edges (e.g. two opposing edges, or all four edges). By providing the strap-connector at a central region (e.g. centre) of an edge, the strap connector may assist with alignment of the fire blanket over the vehicle, as well as helping to secure the fire blanket evenly over the vehicle. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise a plurality of strap-connectors positioned along one or more sides (e.g. each side) of the blanket to allow the user to identify the most effective location to place the poles based on the relative size and height of the vehicle.

In variant embodiments, the fire blanket may not comprise any strap-connectors. Rather, the tie-down strap(s) may tie around the blanket (e.g. connecting to themselves) to secure the blanket onto the vehicle. The tie-down strap(s) may therefore be relatively long (e.g. with the strap(s) having a total length that is substantially equal to a perimeter of the blanket) to allow the straps to wrap around the vehicle and blanket in use. This enables greater flexibility in the position of the straps in use, to suit different vehicle sizes. As will be discussed further below, optionally, the tie-down straps may be rolled-up together with the blanket in storage.

Optionally, the fire blanket comprises one or more reflective elements. This improves the ease of use in areas of low-lighting, e.g. during night-time or in a tunnel. Optionally, the one or more reflective elements may be located along a periphery (e.g. corner or edge) of the fire blanket. Optionally, the fire blanket includes a reflective element integrated into at least one of: the connector for the pole, the handle (if present), or the connector for a tie-down strap (if present). For example, any of these connectors/handles may be formed of reflective material (e.g. reflective fabric). This further facilitates operation in dark conditions, by ensuring that the structure of the fire blanket which is intended to be grabbed or connected onto is easily visible.

Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise a plurality of reflective elements spaced (e.g. evenly spaced) around a perimeter of the blanket. This assists with aligning the fire blanket over the vehicle in dark conditions. For example, the fire blanket may have a plurality of edges (e.g. four edges), with reflective elements arranged along each edge. Optionally, each edge may have a reflective element at or near a centre thereof. Each edge may also have a reflective element at or near one or both ends thereof (i.e. at one or more corners of the fire blanket).

Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise a pair of reflective elements located at perpendicular angles to each other, the pair of reflective elements including a first reflective element extending parallel to an edge of the fire blanket, and a second reflective element extending perpendicular to the edge of the fire blanket. This arrangement further assists with visualising whether the blanket is well-centred on the vehicle, by using the angular reference provided by the perpendicular reflective elements. The pair of reflective elements may intersect one another, e.g. at a centre of the first reflective element. The pair of reflective elements may be located at a central region (e.g. the centre) of the edge of the fire blanket.

The second reflective element may extend toward a centre of the blanket. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise two of said pairs of reflective elements, at opposing edges of the blanket. Optionally, the fire blanket may comprise four of said pairs of reflective elements, with each pair at a respective edge of the blanket.

Optionally, the fire blanket is a bright colour, e.g. white. This helps to provide greater visibility at night compared to conventional blankets, which are typically grey or black.

The fire blanket may be formed from any fire resistant material, e.g. fiberglass with a silicone coating.

The fire blanket may be provided in combination with a storage enclosure (e.g. bag) that is configured to facilitate quick deployment of the blanket from a storage configuration (inside the enclosure) to a deployed configuration (covering the vehicle). Thus, optionally, the fire suppression kit includes an enclosure for storing the fire blanket; wherein the enclosure comprises a first panel and a second panel for providing a clamshell-type enclosure around the fire blanket when the fire blanket is stored therein. As used herein, the term "clamshell-type enclosure" takes its normal meaning to refer to a type of enclosure in which two panels can be pivoted (folded) apart from each other to reveal the contents of the enclosure.

The panels may have substantially the same dimensions as one another. The enclosure may be configured to lie substantially flat when opened.

A clamshell-type enclosure advantageously enables the fire blanket to be easily and quickly deployed, compared to existing fire suppression kits which utilise top-opening enclosures that require the fire blanket to be dumped out of the bag onto the ground before unfolding and deploying. By utilising a clamshell-type enclosure, the fire blanket can be more easily deployed, saving crucial time in an emergency.

The first panel may be joined (e.g. permanently fixed or integrally formed) along an edge thereof to the second panel. The remaining periphery of the first panel may comprise a releasable attachment means for releasably attaching to corresponding attachment means (e.g. as a zipper) along a remaining periphery of the second panel.

The fire blanket and enclosure may be provided with or without the fire suppression apparatus, pole connector, and/or pole. Thus, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fire suppression kit comprising: a fire blanket for covering a vehicle; and an enclosure for storing the fire blanket; wherein the enclosure comprises a first panel and a second panel for providing a clamshell-type enclosure around the fire blanket when the fire blanket is stored therein.

Optionally, the enclosure may be formed from fabric. The enclosure may also be referred to as a bag.

Optionally, the enclosure is formed from self-extinguishing material, e.g. a self-extinguishing nylon. For example, the enclosure may comprise a nylon that may melt if heat is applied, but will not continue to burn once the flame is removed. The self-extinguishing material of the enclosure, in combination with its clamshell-type structure, enables a further increase in the speed of deployment since the enclosure can be left under the fire blanket during the fire. It is therefore not necessary to fully remove the fire blanket from the enclosure before use. Rather, the clamshell-type enclosure can be opened to fully reveal the blanket, which can then be swiftly deployed over the vehicle while leaving the enclosure on the ground.

In small fires, the enclosure and fire blanket may even be placed together on top of the vehicle for even quicker deployment, leaving the enclosure on the vehicle once the blanket is deployed.

Optionally, the enclosure includes a skid plate affixed to a surface thereof. The skid plate may be formed of an abrasion-resistant material (e.g. metal). The skid plate helps to reinforce the enclosure to enable the kit to be dragged along the ground in use, without requiring excess weight or bulk associated with e.g. providing wheels on the enclosure or forming the enclosure entirely of abrasion-resistant material.

Optionally, the kit further includes a pull-strap configured to be rolled up with the fire blanket into a storage configuration in which the fire blanket and pull-strap form a bundle within the enclosure. Because the pull-strap is rolled up with the fire blanket, in the storage configuration, the pull-strap spirals into the bundle (towards a centre thereof), between adjacent layers of the rolled-up fire blanket. This allows the fire blanket to be swiftly unrolled from the storage configuration by simply pulling on the pull-strap to cause the bundle to unravel. The fire blanket may therefore be unrolled very quickly, which is particularly advantageous during a fire emergency.

In some embodiments, the kit may include a plurality of pull-straps. In total, the one or more pull-straps may have a length that is substantially equal to or greater than a width of the fire blanket. For example, in embodiments having the same number of pull-straps as bundles (e.g. two pull-straps, one for each bundle), each pull-strap may have a length that is substantially equal to or greater than the length of its bundle (in an unrolled configuration). This allows the pull-strap(s) to be fully rolled-up inside the/each bundle. Further, any excess length of the pull-strap provides a useful handle to grab onto by a user.

In variant embodiments, the pull strap(s) may have a total length that is less than a length of the (unrolled) bundle(s). In such embodiments, the pull strap may not extend to the centre of the bundle(s) when in a storage configuration.

Optionally, the fire blanket and enclosure are mutually dimensioned for the fire blanket to be rolled into two side-by-side bundles within the enclosure. Rolling the fire blanket into two side-by-side bundles facilitates easy deployment by two users on opposing edges of the blanket. This allows for easier and quicker deployment compared to existing arrangement in which fire blankets are either rolled into a single bundle (which needs to be dumped out of a bag and repositioned before unravelling) or are folded (which requires time to unfold each layer).

Optionally, the kit includes two pull-straps, wherein each pull-strap is configured to be rolled-up with the fire blanket into a respective bundle. This enables the bundles to be unravelled in opposite directions in a balanced manner, thereby helping prevent the fire blanket from slipping during deployment.

Each pull strap may have any of the features discussed above. For example, each pull-strap may have a length that is substantially equal to or greater than half a length of the fire blanket (in an unfolded/unrolled configuration), to provide a length that is substantially equal to or greater than the length of its respective bundle.

Optionally, the kit includes a single pull-strap, which is configured to be rolled-up with the fire blanket into a pair of bundles. Accordingly, the single pull strap may have a length that is substantially equal to or greater than twice the width of the fire blanket. For example, the pull-strap may have a length that is within 20% of twice the width of the fire blanket (in an unrolled/unfolded configuration), e.g. within 10%, e.g. within 5%. Any excess length can be used as a handle outside the rolled-up fire blanket during deployment. The pull-strap may have a length of greater than 8 metres, optionally greater than 10 metres, optionally greater than 12 metres, optionally greater than 15 metres.

Optionally, the one or more pull-strap(s) may also provide a dual-purpose of be wrapped around the vehicle to cinch the blanket into place. For example, the pull-strap(s) may have any of the features discussed above in respect to the tie-down straps (that is, a tie-down strap may be utilised as a pull-strap). This can assist with keeping the blanket secure in windy conditions. Accordingly, the one or more pull-straps may have fastening means (e.g. a clip) for securing to the blanket and/or for securing to another strap. In such arrangements, it may be particularly advantageous to have a relatively long pull-strap, e.g. a single pull-strap as discussed above.

Optionally, the fire blanket may be dimensioned to be folded as well as rolled for storage in the enclosure. For example, the fire blanket may be dimensioned to be folded along a first dimension and rolled in a second dimension (perpendicular to the first dimension). The folding can help to reduce the overall storage size of the fire blanket, while the rolled arrangement facilitates rapid deployment. For example, the fire blanket may have a length (along the first dimension) which is approximately (slightly less than) four times the height of the enclosure. The blanket can therefore be folded into four sections before rolling into the enclosure. This helps to provide compact storage while also balancing this with the need for quick deployment. In other embodiments, the blanket may be dimensioned differently, e.g. with a first dimension that is approximately (slightly less than) two, three, or five times the height of the enclosure.

This affects the number of times that the blanket will require unfolding for deployment, as well as affecting the size of the blanket / enclosure.

The invention includes the combination of the aspects and optional features described except where such a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided.

Summary of the Figures

Embodiments and experiments illustrating the principles of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a fire suppression apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a top view of the fire suppression apparatus of Fig. 1; Figures 3A and 3B show cross-section views of the fire suppression apparatus of Fig 1; Figure 4 shows a schematic of a spray pattern expelled from the fire suppression apparatus of Fig. 1; Figure 5 shows a pipe for connecting to a fire suppression apparatus; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a fire blanket in an open (unrolled / unfolded) configuration, according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows the fire blanket of Figure 6 connected to a pair of poles for lifting the fire blanket; Figures 8A and 8B show a closer view of the connection between the fire blanket and one of the poles from Figure 7, before and after securing the pole to the fire blanket; Figure 9 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a pole for connection to the fire blanket of Figure 6; Figure 10 shows a pair of handles adjacent to one another at a corner of the fire blanket of Figure 6; Figure 11 shows a connector for detachable connection with a tie-down strap at an edge of the fire blanket of Figure 6; Figure 12 shows an embodiment fire suppression kit including a fire blanket and an enclosure for storing the fire blanket; Figure 13 shows an embodiment fire suppression kit including a fire blanket and an enclosure that has a skid plate; Figures 14A to 14D show an embodiment fire suppression kit having a pull-strap during successive stages of deployment to remove the fire blanket from an enclosure; Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of the pull-strap and fire blanket, in the position of Figure 14A before deployment; Figure 16 shows a top-down view of an embodiment pull-strap and fire blanket before being rolled up for storage in an enclosure; and Figure 17 shows a schematic of a testing apparatus.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All documents mentioned in this text are incorporated herein by reference.

A fire suppression apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1-4, wherein Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the fire suppression apparatus, Fig. 2 shows a first cross-section view, Fig. 3 shows a top view, and Fig. 4 shows a further cross-section view. The fire suppression apparatus 100 is particularly suitable for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle. Specifically, the fire suppression apparatus 100 may be used for electric vehicle fires, where the apparatus 100 may be used to apply water to a battery pack of the vehicle over a prolonged period of time (for example, up to an hour) to ensure that batteries do not suffer thermal runaway, and the apparatus 100 is able to provide such a cooling effect while using less water than conventional wisdom in the art suggests (e.g., less than the 'copious' amount of water recommend by the National Fire Protection Association's electric vehicle emergency field guide) and can effectively cool the entire battery pack when delivered to the underside of the vehicle from any direction, as the apparatus 100 provides a rotationally symmetrical spray pattern.

The fire suppression apparatus 100 comprises a main body 110 which defines an internal chamber 115 into which water is delivered via a water inlet 120. The water inlet 120 comprises a connector (e.g., such as a threaded connector or the like) for connection to a hose or a pipe for delivery of water to the apparatus 100. The main body 110 is generally circular (e.g., as seen from above as shown in Fig. 3) or disc-shaped, with a diameter of 28 cm (11 inches) and a height of 3 inches (7.6 cm, indicated by arrow 112). The main body 110 is made of cast aluminium in this embodiment, but it will be appreciated that any suitable material may be used. By being configured in this way, the apparatus 100 may be easy to handle (e.g., the aluminium construction may ensure that the main body 110 is lightweight compared with other metals, and the size also reduces weight and makes it easy to hold and carry), and can be easily positioned under a vehicle when used. For example, the height of the main body 110 may allow the apparatus 100 to be positioned under a vehicle without requiring the vehicle to be lifted by a jack or the like. This may allow the apparatus 100 to be deployed quickly and safely.

In order to provide water to the underside of a vehicle in use, the apparatus 100 comprises a plurality of nozzles which are arranged on the main body 110. Specifically, the plurality of nozzles comprises a centre nozzle 131 and a first group of nozzles 132 which are arranged on an upper surface 113 of the main body 110, and a second group of nozzles 133 which are arranged on an edge surface 114 of the main body 110. The plurality of nozzles are arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body 110, in particular about a central axis 116 of the main body 110. This allows the apparatus 100 to be introduced under the body of a vehicle from any direction and still effectively target the battery pack.

As shown in Fig. 2, the centre nozzle 131 is directed upwards perpendicularly to the plane of the main body 110 (i.e., parallel with the central axis 116), each of the first group of nozzles 132 are directed upwards at an angle 134 of 45° from the plane of the main body 110 (i.e., an angle of 45° from the central axis 116), and each of the second group of nozzles 133 are directed upwards at an angle 135 of 30° from the plane of the main body 110 (i.e., an angle of 60° from the central axis 116). The plurality of nozzles are thereby arrange to provide a substantially dome-shaped spray pattern of water mist when water is delivered through the water inlet 120. Such a spray pattern ensures that the apparatus 100 can be introduced beneath the vehicle from any direction and water will reach the entire underside of the vehicle, either directly from the plurality of nozzles or by momentum causing water to flow along the underside of the vehicle.

The centre nozzle 131 is substantially aligned with the central axis 116, and, as shown in Fig. 3, the remainder of the plurality of nozzles are arranged symmetrically about the central axis 116 of the main body 110. The first group of nozzles 132 comprises six nozzles, with each nozzle being spaced apart by an angle 136 of 60° about the central axis 116. The second group of nozzles 133 comprises eight nozzles, with each nozzle being spaced apart by an angle 137 of 45° about the central axis 116. Such an arrangement helps to provide a rotationally symmetrical spray pattern (in particular, a substantially dome-shaped spray pattern) about the central axis 116.

Each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to generate water mist in a full cone spray pattern, having a spray angle of 45°. However it will be appreciated that the arrangement of the plurality of nozzles may be effective with any suitable spray angle, and the spray angle may, for example, be in a range of 43° to 53°.

Specifically, each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to generate water mist at an output flow rate of 0.042 litres per second (0.66 gallons per minute) when water is delivered through the water inlet 120 at a pressure of 690 kPa (100 PSI). As the apparatus 100 comprises 15 such nozzles in total (the central nozzle, six nozzles in the first group of nozzles, and eight nozzles in the second group of nozzles), this provides a total flow rate of water mist from the plurality of nozzles of 0.63 litres per second (10 gallons per minute). The inventors have found that, contrary to prevailing wisdom, such a flow rate is effective at cooling the battery pack of a vehicle, and so may be used to suppress electric vehicle fires with a lower water use than conventional methods, thereby also reducing the volume of contaminated water run-off from the vehicle fire which may enter the environment. Each nozzle is also configured to expel water mist wherein 90% of the volume of the water mist is in droplets having a droplet diameter of 300 microns or less at a water inlet pressure of 690 kPa (100 PSI). The distribution of droplet diameters also includes droplets below 50 microns in diameter, as well as droplets having a diameter of between 600 and 800 microns. Water mist having a mixture of droplet sizes in this way may be particularly useful to prevent or mitigate any vapour cloud ignition, for example as the larger droplets may absorb energy from any such ignition and the smaller droplets may extract heat through evaporation.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a spray pattern 150 of mist expelled from the fire suppression apparatus 100 as described above. The arrangement of the plurality of nozzles provides a substantially dome-shaped spray pattern 150, wherein at a distance 152 of 7.62 cm (3 inches) above the main body 110 the diameter 154 of the spray pattern 150 is 1.37 m (4.5 feet) in diameter. Specifically, the diameter is measured across a plane which is parallel to the plane of the main body 110 (i.e., perpendicular to the central axis 116). In this way, the fire suppression apparatus 100 is configured to distribute water mist across a majority of the lower surface of the vehicle body when in use, even where the vehicle is close to the main body. The fire suppression apparatus 100 may thereby provide effective cooling across the entire surface of a battery pack of an electric vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a pipe 200 which may be connected to a fire suppression apparatus (such as the fire suppression apparatus 100 described above with respect to Figs. 1-4) in order to supply water between a hose and a main body of the apparatus. The pipe 200 may also be used to help push the fire suppression apparatus beneath a vehicle to a suitable position for the delivery of water.

The pipe 200 comprises a connector 210 at a first end thereof and a valve 220 at a second end thereof The connector 210 is configured to connect the pipe 200 to a water inlet of a fire suppression apparatus (such as water inlet 120), and so comprises a corresponding attachment mechanism (such as an opposing threaded connection). In some cases, the connector 210 may be used to connect the pipe 200 to a further pipe section (which may itself be connected to another pipe section, or to a fire suppression apparatus), which may help to extend the reach of the pipe section to allow the fire suppression apparatus to be easily pushed underneath a vehicle from a safe distance. The valve 220 is a ball valve in the depicted example, but it will be appreciated that any suitable valve may be chosen. The valve 220 may be used to control water flow through the pipe 200 and into the fire suppression apparatus.

The pipe 200 further comprises an anti-twist connection 230, also referred to as a full-time swivelThis allows the fire suppression apparatus to be spun by hand to be properly aligned with the ground for deployment. It also assists in keeping the deployed fire suppression apparatus in proper position after deployed when there is movement or twisting of the water supply hoseline. Specifically, the anti-twist connection 230, allows the pipe 200 to be rotated when the connections (e.g., to a hose, to a further pipe section, to the fire suppression apparatus etc.) are tight, allowing for rotation as needed. For instance, if the fire suppression apparatus is upside down when connected to the water supply, the anti-twist connection 230 allows the fire suppression to be rotated to an upright position without untightening any fittings.

Figure 6 shows a fire blanket 300 for covering a vehicle, in an entirely opened (unrolled and unfolded) configuration. In this configuration, the fire blanket 300 has a rectangular shape, including four side edges 302 and four corners 304. Along the periphery of the fire blanket 300, there are various connectors and handles to facilitate in positioning the fire blanket 300 over a vehicle, as will be discussed in further detail below.

As is best shown in Figures 7 to 8B, in this embodiment, the fire blanket 300 includes a connector 306 ("pole-connector") at each corner 304 for detachable connection with a pole 400. As shown in Figures 8A-8B, in this embodiment, the connector 306 comprises a grommet in the fire blanket 300, which defines an aperture therethrough. The pole 400 includes a first end 402 having attachment means for securing to the connector. The attachment means comprises a post that is insertable through the grommet, and a cap that is configured to fit over an end of the post to secure the pole to the grommet. In this embodiment, the cap comprises a flexible material, e.g. silicone, and the cap is knurled to provide a stronger gripping surface for the flexible cap.

Figure 9 shows a pole 400 for connection with the blanket 300 according to another embodiment. The pole 400 includes a first end 402 and a second end 404. The first end 402 includes attachment means 406 for detachably connecting to one of the connectors 306. In this embodiment, the attachment means 406 comprises a hook for engaging with the connector 306. In variant embodiments, the attachment means 406 may be configured in the same manner as in Figures 8A-8B, for a more secure connection to the fire blanket. Alternatively or in combination, the attachment means and/or connector may comprise a locking D-ring or carabiner.

As shown in Figure 9, the pole 400 is extendable to selectively vary the length between the first end and second end. The extendibility is provided by the pole having a plurality of (e.g. two) telescoping sections including an inner section 408 which is slidable relative to and within an outer section 410 to vary the length of the pole 400.

The pole 400 includes a glass breaker 412 at its second end 404. In this embodiment, the glass breaker 412 is configured as a hammer or mallet, which protrudes from a longitudinal axis of the pole 400. The glass breaker 412 is formed from metal (e.g. steel), whereas the telescoping sections 408 and 410 are plastic.

As shown in Figure 7, in use, two users may attach a pair of poles 400 to connectors 306 at opposing ends (corners 304) of an edge 302 of the blanket 300. The two users can then walk along opposite sides of the vehicle (not shown), lifting the poles 400 to pull the fire blanket 300 over the vehicle.

In some instances (e.g. with shorter vehicles), a user may prefer to pull directly on the fire blanket 300 rather than using poles 400. Accordingly, the fire blanket 300 also includes handles along a periphery thereof. As shown in Figure 10, a corner 304 of the fire blanket 300 includes a pair of handles 308A-B ("double handles") that are adjacent to one another, to facilitate double-handed pulling of the blanket by a user. The pair of handles 308A-B are arranged back-to-back, overlying each other at the corner 304 of the fire blanket 300. Each handle 308A and 308B is formed from a loop (strap) of material. In this embodiment, the material comprises a reflective strip, thereby integrating a reflective element into each handle.

Although only one corner 304 of the fire blanket 300 is shown in Figure 10, it will be appreciated that a plurality (e.g. each) of the corners may comprise one or more handles 308A-B configured in a similar manner.

Figure 11 shows the fire blanket 300 with a tie-down strap 500 for securing the fire blanket 300 over a vehicle. The fire blanket 300 includes a connector 310 ("strap-connector") for detachable connection with the tie-down strap 500. The strap-connector 310 is formed as a loop of fabric onto which a clip 502 of the tie-down strap can be fastened. As can be seen from Figure 6, the strap-connector 310 is located at a central region (e.g. a centre) of an edge 302 of the fire blanket 300. The remaining edges 302 of the fire blanket may also include strap-connectors 310 configured in a similar manner.

Each strap-connector comprises reflective material, in a similar manner to the handles 308.

Each edge 302 of the fire blanket 300 also includes a pair of reflective elements 312 and 314 at a central region thereof. The pair of reflective elements includes a first reflective element 312 extending parallel to the (respective) edge 302 of the fire blanket 300, and a second reflective element 314 extending perpendicular to the (respective) edge 302 of the fire blanket 300. The first and second reflective elements 312 and 314 intersect one another to form a T-shape. As shown in Figure 11, one of the reflective elements (e.g. the second reflective element 314) may terminate in the strap-connector 310, which may be integrally formed therewith.

Figure 12 shows an enclosure (bag) 600 for storing the fire blanket 300. For storage, the fire blanket is folded along one dimension, e.g. into quarters, and then rolled along another (perpendicular) dimension to form a pair of bundles 316A-B for side-by-side storage within the enclosure 600. The enclosure 600 has a first panel 602 and a second panel 604 that are permanently joined (e.g. integrally formed) along a mutual edge 606 thereof and are releasably closable via a zipper 608 along a remaining perimeter thereof. The panels 602 and 604 form a clamshell-type enclosure that, when opened, reveals the pair of bundles 316A-B along their entire length. Therefore, when the enclosure 600 is opened (by unzipping and lifting the first panel 602), the bundles 316A-B can be unrolled directly from the open enclosure 600, while remaining on top of the second panel 604.

To assist with carrying the enclosure 600, the enclosure 600 may include one or more handles 610. In this embodiment, the enclosure 600 is substantially rectangular (each panel 602 and 604 is substantially rectangular) and includes two handles 610 distributed at two perpendicular edges of the second panel 604. The two perpendicular handles 610 allow the enclosure 600 to be carried in either an upright or sidewards configuration.

Figure 13 shows another embodiment of an enclosure 600 for a fire blanket 300, with the enclosure 600 being shown in an open position to reveal the side-by-side bundles 316A-B of the folded and rolled-up fire blanket 300. The enclosure 600 of Figure 13 is similar to that of Figure 12, but differs primarily in that the enclosure 600 of Figure 13 further includes a skid plate 612 affixed to a surface thereof. In particular, the skid plate 612 is affixed at an opposite edge of the second panel 604 from a handle 610. This arrangement facilitates dragging/pulling of the enclosure 600 (with the fire blanket 300) along the ground to a desired location before use.

Figures 14A to 14D show successive stages during the deployment of a fire blanket 300 from an enclosure 600 according to an embodiment of the invention. Before deployment, the fire blanket 300 is rolled up together with a pair of pull-straps 614A-B in a storage configuration. Figure 15 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the fire blanket 300 and pull-straps 614A-B in the storage configuration, to show the manner in which each pull strap 614A-B spirals into a respective rolled-up bundle 316A-B of the fire blanket 300. In this embodiment, each pull-strap 614A-B has a length that is greater than a length of its bundle 316A-B, i.e. greater than half the length of the unrolled fire blanket 300. This allows each pull-strap 614A-B to extend fully to an innermost layer of its respective bundle 316A-B, while retaining a free end outside of the bundle 300.

In use, as shown in Figure 14A, with the enclosure 600 in an open state, two users may stand on opposing sides of the rolled-up bundles 316A-B, with a first user being nearer to a first bundle 316A and a second user being nearer to a second bundle 316B. Each user may grab a free end of the pull-strap 614A-B for the bundle 316A-B which is nearer to his/herself. The users may then walk apart from each other, while continuing to hold their respective pull-strap 614A-B. As shown in Figures 14B-D, this motion will cause the bundles 316A-B to unroll (unravel). Once the bundles 316A-B are fully unrolled (as shown in Figure 14D), the users may then unfold the fire blanket 300 along its other dimension (i.e. perpendicular to the direction in which it was rolled). Using the handles 308 and/or the poles 400, the blanket 300 can then be moved and adjusted over the vehicle.

Figure 16 shows a top-down view of the fire blanket 300 with a (single) pull-strap 614 according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, there is only a single pull strap 614, which has a length that is substantially equal to twice the width of the fire blanket 300. Figure 16 shows the blanket 300 in a folded configuration before rolling up for storage, with the front and rear edges of the fire blanket having been folded inwardly towards each other, while the side edges of the fire blanket remain unfolded / unrolled (similarly to the configuration of Figure 14D). In Figure 16, the pull strap 614 is positioned on top of the fire blanket, looped back on itself with the ends located towards the centre of the folded blanket 300. The side edges of the fire blanket 300 may then be rolled towards the centre to produce a pair of bundles (similarly to the bundles of Figure 15). Thus, in this embodiment, only a single pull-strap is rolled up in the pair of bundles. After deploying the fire blanket, the pull-strap may be used to cinch the blanket 300 into place over the vehicle. Thus, the pull-strap may comprise a fastener at one or both ends thereof (e.g. a buckle or clip) for securing onto itself Test Results To evaluate the cooling efficiency of a fire suppression apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and in particular to compare this apparatus with known arrangements, testing of an apparatus was performed on a model vehicle undercarriage.

Fig. 17 shows a schematic diagram of the testing apparatus. The testing apparatus is based on a Tesla ® S85 battery tray 700, which is made of aluminium, which comprises the undercarriage of the vehicle and typically holds 16 batteries. To represent heat release from battery modules undergoing thermal runaway, propane torches 710a, 710b, 710c were positioned in locations where battery modules would be located. In order to replicate the storage of heat, a 0.25 inch carbon steel plate, 24 inches in length and 10.5 inches in width was placed into each of the sixteen battery module locations. This allowed for a K-type thermocouple TC1, TC1 b.... TC7, TC7b to be placed between the steel plate and the aluminium battery tray 700. A further thermocouple (TCB, not shown) is positioned on the underside of the tray, aligned with TC4. Each fire suppression apparatus was positioned beneath the tray at a position generally indicated by icon 720. Each propane torch 710a, 710b, 710c was positioned at a distance of 6.5 inches above the corresponding steel plate, and arranged to direct flame downwards toward the steel plate. The battery tray 700 was mounted on jacks in order to simulate different vehicle clearance heights. Specifically, ground clearances of 5 inches, 8 inches, and 15 inches were tested, measured between ground level and a point at the centre of the underside of the battery tray 700.

The arrangements tested are described in Table 1. Apparatus 1 is a fire suppression apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, as describe above with respect to Figs. 1-4. Apparatus 2 and 3 deliver water at large flow rates, in accordance with understanding drawn from the NFPA Electric Vehicle Emergency Field Guide, and NFPA's 2018 Alternative Fuel Vehicles Emergency Field Guide, which each recommend that a large, sustained volume of water (e.g., over 2600 gallons) should be applied to suppress electric vehicle fires. It will be appreciated that, in comparison with these arrangements, the present invention uses substantially less water.

Apparatus Water Flow Rate Nozzle/Outlet Type Observations 1 -present invention 9.9 gallons per minute at 100 PSI 15 water mist nozzles Dome-shaped spray pattern with fine droplets 2 150 gallons per minute at 100 PSI 3 large orifice spinners Spray pattern focussed and triangular 3 70 gallons per Variety of geometric Low rectangular spray pattern minute at 100 PSI holes for low vehicle clearances, and second centre spray pattern It is expected that thermal runaway will occur when a heated cell temperate reaches between 148°C and 184°C (298°F to 363°F). Delivery of water was started when the propane torches 710a, 710b, 710c caused the temperate of the thermocouple TC8 (positioned on the underside of the battery tray 700 in alignment with thermocouple TC4) reaches 215°C, with the propane torches 710a, 710b, 710c remaining on during delivery of water. The temperatures of thermocouples TC3, TC4 and TC5 were measured during the test, and a stable minimum temperature recorded. A minimum temperature of less than 148°C is considered useful to create a temperature delta that would provide cooling to battery modules in order to prevent thermal runaway.

Results of the testing are shown in Table 2.

Apparatus Ground Lowest Temperature During Water Average Clearance Delivery Period Temperature, °C (inches) TC3, °C TC4, °C TC5, °C 1 5 82 82 77 80 2 5.5 62 96 48 68 3 5 62 100 52 72 1 8 66 67 42 58 2 8 46 78 47 57 1 15 54 46 48 49 2 15 42 43 31 39 3 15 91 80 63 78 As will be appreciated from Table 2, the fire suppression apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention achieved effective cooling levels while using significantly less water than the other arrangements. The effectiveness of the embodiment of the present invention goes against the present understanding in the art, that copious amounts of water need to be applied to the underside of vehicles in order to achieve desirable cooling levels. In particular, when looking at the 5 inch and 5.5 inch clearance level, the embodiment of the present invention has only a slightly higher average temperature than the other two options. At the 8 inch clearance level, apparatus 3 was not tested, but the embodiment of the present invention and apparatus 2 performed fairly equally. At the 15 inch clearance level, apparatus 3 had the lowest performance, likely due to spray patterns not impacting the undercarriage of the vehicle. Whilst this height results in the lowest coverage per unit area for the embodiment of the present invention, the performance is still good.

Furthermore, due to the difference in water use, the testing also revealed a large difference in water run-off. Reducing water run-off is desirable to avoid waste water entering the environment. For example, for apparatus 3 the water flow rate is approximately seven times higher than the embodiment of the present invention, and so a significant amount of water flowing off the undercarriage. For apparatus 2, comprising 3 large orifice spinner nozzles (which rotate in use), for half of the rotation of each nozzle the spray is either horizontal or directed towards the ground. Therefore, more than half of the flow of water (more than gallons per minute) becomes run-off, contaminating the environment.

When considering a 500-gallon fire truck, the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention provides up to 50 minutes of protection, whereas, apparatus 2 would provide cooling for approximately a 4 minute period, and apparatus 3 would provide cooling for approximately 7.5 minutes.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" and "include", and variations such as "comprises", "comprising", and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and/or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term "about" in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example +/-10%.

Claims

Claims: 1. A fire suppression apparatus for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a main body, a water inlet, and a plurality of nozzles arranged on the main body for expelling water mist; wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured such that the flow rate of water mist from the plurality of nozzles is in a range of 8 to 17 gallons per minute (0.5 to 1.1 litres per second) when water is delivered through the water inlet at a pressure of between 60 and 150 PSI (414 kPa to 1030 kPa).
2. The fire suppression apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body.
3. A fire suppression apparatus for delivering water to an underside of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a main body, a water inlet, and a plurality of nozzles arranged on the main body for expelling water mist; wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged to provide a spray pattern which is substantially rotationally symmetrical about the main body.
4. The fire suppression apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the plurality of nozzles are arranged to provide a substantially dome-shaped spray pattern of water mist.
5. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to provide a spray pattern having a cross-section measuring at least 4.0 feet (1.22 m) in diameter at a distance of 3 inches (7.62 cm) above the main body, in a plane which is parallel with the main body.
6. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the main body is generally circular, and wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a centre nozzle and a first group of nozzles arranged on an upper surface of the main body, and a second group of nozzles arranged on an edge surface of the main body.
7. The fire suppression apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first group of nozzles comprises at least one nozzle directed upwards at an angle of between 40 degrees and 50 degrees from the plane of the main body, and wherein the centre nozzle is directed upwards perpendicularly to the plane of the main body.
8. The fire suppression apparatus of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the first group of nozzles are arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the main body.
9. The fire suppression apparatus of any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein each nozzle of the second group of nozzles is directed upwards at an angle of between 25 degrees and 35 degrees from the plane of the main body.
10. The fire suppression apparatus of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the second group of nozzles are arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the main body.
11. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to expel water mist wherein 90% of the volume of the water mist is in droplets having a droplet diameter of 300 microns or less at a water inlet pressure of 100 PSI (690 kPa).
12. The fire suppression apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to generate a range of droplets sizes, wherein droplets below 50 micron in diameter and droplets having a diameter of between 600 and 800 microns will both be present, when water is delivered through the plurality of nozzles at a water inlet pressure of 100 PSI (690 kPa).
13. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the main body has a height of no more than 4 inches (10 cm), and a width of no more than 11 inches (28 cm).
14. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles is configured to generate water mist in a full cone spray pattern, having a spray angle in a range of between 40° and 55°.
15. The fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the main body is made of cast aluminium.
16. A fire suppression kit comprising the fire suppression apparatus of any preceding claim, and a fire blanket for covering a vehicle.
17. The fire suppression kit of claim 16, further comprising a pole having an attachment means at a first end, and wherein the fire blanket comprises a connector at a periphery thereof for detachable connection with the pole.
18. A fire suppression kit comprising: a fire blanket for covering a vehicle; and a pole having an attachment means at a first end; wherein the fire blanket comprises a connector at a periphery thereof for detachable connection with the pole.
19. The fire suppression kit of claim 17 or 18, wherein the pole is extendable.
20. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the pole has a glass breaker at a second end thereof
21. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the fire blanket comprises four corners, with a respective connector at or near each corner for detachable connection with the pole.
22. The fire suppression kit of claim 21, wherein at least one of the connectors is offset from its respective corner so that the connector is closer to one edge that is adjacent the corner than another edge that is adjacent the corner.
23. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein the fire blanket comprises a pair of handles adjacent to one another at a periphery of the fire blanket.
24. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the fire suppression kit further includes a tie-down strap for securing the fire blanket over the vehicle.
25. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the fire blanket comprises a reflective element integrated into at least one of: (i) the connector for detachable connection with the pole; (ii) the handle; or (iii) the connector for detachable connection with the tie-down strap. 25
26. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 16 to 25, wherein the fire blanket comprises a pair of reflective elements located at perpendicular angles to each other, the pair of reflective elements including a first reflective element extending parallel to an edge of the fire blanket, and a second reflective element extending perpendicular to the edge of the fire blanket.
27. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 16 to 26, further comprising an enclosure for storing the fire blanket; wherein the enclosure comprises a first panel and a second panel for providing a clamshell-type enclosure around the fire blanket when the fire blanket is stored therein.
28. A fire suppression kit comprising: a fire blanket for covering a vehicle; and an enclosure for storing the fire blanket; wherein the enclosure comprises a first panel and a second panel for providing a clamshell-type enclosure around the fire blanket when the fire blanket is stored therein.
29. The fire suppression kit of claim 27 or 28, wherein the enclosure is formed from self-extinguishing material.
30. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein the enclosure includes a skid plate affixed to a surface thereof
31. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 27 to 30, further comprising a pull-strap configured to be rolled up with the fire blanket in a storage configuration in which the fire blanket and pull-strap form a bundle within the enclosure.
32. The fire suppression kit of any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein the fire blanket and enclosure are mutually dimensioned for the fire blanket to be rolled into two side-by-side bundles within the enclosure.