Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA Application
Agent Ref, 76318/00011
1 FIRE SUPPRESSION GEL BLENDER AND
2 AIRBORNE DELIVERY SYSTEM
3
4 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The following invention relates to fire suppression systems and particularly
fire
6 suppression systems carried by aircraft, such as for use in fighting
wildfires. More particularly,
7 this invention relates to fire suppression gel blenders which mix a gel
concentrate with water
8 and systems which mount such fire suppression gel blenders upon an
airborne delivery system
9 for delivery of fire suppression gel from firefighting aircraft and other
platforms.
11 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
12 In the fighting of wildfires, a variety of fire suppression materials
are known, as well as
13 equipment for delivery of such fire suppression materials. Perhaps the
most common fire
14 suppression material is liquid water. Water can be delivered on a fire,
or a space which is to be
treated in advance to stop the progression of a fire, in a variety of
different ways. For instance,
16 hoses can deliver water from a stationary source such as a fire hydrant,
or from a mobile source
17 such as a fire truck. Water trucks are known which can deliver water
from tanks on the vehicle
18 to ground adjacent the vehicle, with or without use of hoses.
19 Aircraft can also be used for delivery of water for fire suppression.
While fixed wing
aircraft are sometimes used, most often water is delivered by rotating wing
aircraft. In a typical
21 such system, a bucket is suspended from a helicopter. The bucket can be
dipped into a water
22 reservoir to fill the bucket. The helicopter then transports the bucket
to an area to be treated
23 with the water. A floor or other portion of the bucket is openable to
drain the bucket of water
24 and treat the area beneath the bucket. The helicopter then repeats the
filling procedure for
additional treatment of areas with water. One such line of buckets is provided
by S.E.I.
26 Industries, Ltd. of Delta, British Columbia, Canada under the trademark
BAMBI BUCKET.
27 Fire suppression gels are known in the art to have a greater
effectiveness in suppressing
28 fire than water alone. Such gels typically begin in the form of a
concentrate which can be a
29 solid or a liquid having a high concentration of gel compositions
therein. This gel is hydrated to
a most desirable water and gel mixture ratio and then is applied to an area to
either directly
31 extinguish fire or to treat an area in advance of an approaching fire to
impede the progress of
32 the fire, or otherwise suppress fire in the area being treated. Such
fire suppression gels, when
33 mixed with water, greatly enhance the effectiveness of the water in
suppressing the fire. In
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1 particular, the water in the hydrated gel does not evaporate as quickly
as water alone, thus
2 maintaining a coating of the area to be treated and discouraging the
combustion of combustible
3 materials in the area being treated.
4 One such fire suppression gel is provided by Ansul Canada Limited of
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada (dba "Wildfire") under the trademark AFG FIREWALL in the form of a
liquid emulsion.
6 While the use of such fire suppression gels is known when treating an
area with fire
7 hoses either coupled to stationary sources of water or hydrated gel; or
from mobile ground
8 sources (such as tanker trucks), a need exists for an effective airborne
fire suppression gel
9 delivery system. While a bucket or other container filled with hydrated
gel could be utilized,
such an arrangement would be inefficient in that frequent return trips to a
source of hydrated gel
11 would be required. Accordingly, a need exists for a system for onboard
manufacture of such a
12 water and fire suppression gel mixture on an airborne platform.
13 Furthermore, water buckets and fixed tanks deliver water to an area to
be treated for fire
14 suppression in a rather imprecise manner, merely involving the opening
of a lower portion of the
bucket or tank. While generally effective for water having a lower fire
suppression capacity, with
16 the utilization of fire suppression gel is it desirable that a mixture
of water and fire suppression
17 gel be applied to an area to be treated in a precise manner to maximize
the fire suppression
18 capability of the gel and minimize the number of repeat trips required
and maximize the area
19 being treated by an airborne vehicle.
21 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
22 With this invention a fire suppression gel blender is provided suitable
for use in an
23 airborne delivery system to provide high efficiency delivery of fire
suppression gel in fire fighting
24 situations, where the urgency of the situation greatly benefits from
efficiency and effectiveness
of the delivery system. The overall delivery system includes known prior art
aircraft, and
26 particularly rotating wing aircraft, as well as water containing buckets
for suspension beneath
27 such aircraft or other known water containing structures. With this
invention, the aircraft is
28 modified to include a tank of gel concentrate or other gel source. The
bucket or other water
29 containing structure is modified to include a fire suppression gel
blender assembly adjacent
thereto.
31 This blender assembly includes a water inlet for receiving water
contained within the
32 bucket or other container. A combiner adds concentrated fire suppression
gel from the source
33 of gel carried by the aircraft, such as by supplying the gel concentrate
along a conduit line
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1 extending from the aircraft down to the blender assembly within the
bucket. A pump is
2 provided, preferably downstream of the water inlet and gel inlet. This
pump both pressurizes
3 the water and gel mixture, as well as functioning to enhance the mixing
of the water and fire
4 suppression gel mixture.
The pressurized water and fire suppression gel mixture, referred to herein as
hydrated
6 gel, is then delivered to a discharge. This discharge is preferably in
the form of a nozzle,
7 typically adjacent the bucket and pointed generally downward. When the
blender assembly is
8 powered by powering of the pump, the hydrated gel is simultaneously
manufactured and
9 sprayed downward from the bucket. The aircraft can be flown at a variable
height to adjust a
width of lines being treated with fire suppression gel, a process called
"striping." When the
11 aircraft flies lower this line is narrower. When the aircraft flies
higher this line is wider. A density
12 with which hydrated gel is applied to the area to be treated can be
adjusted by adjusting a
13 speed at which the aircraft travels.
14 When the supply of water has been depleted, the aircraft returns to a
water reservoir to
refill the water container such as by dipping the bucket into the water
reservoir as is known in
16 the prior art. The aircraft can then be returned to the area to be
treated and the system again
17 commences operation. The aircraft most preferably carries a supply of
fire suppression gel
18 concentrate which lasts at least an amount of time similar to an amount
of time that a fuel
19 supply for the aircraft lasts. In this way, when the aircraft is
required to return to a base for
refueling, the source of gel concentrate can also be replenished.
21 While the preferred embodiment of this invention involves the
installation of the blender
22 assembly within or adjacent a water containing bucket, as an alternative
to such fitting within
23 existing buckets, a separate customized structure could be combined with
the blender assembly
24 to function according to this invention. Such an assembly could be
suspended below the
aircraft or mounted to an underside or other portion of the aircraft, or to
some other mobile
26 platform, such as a truck.
27 While the hydrated gel is preferably delivered from a nozzle having a
predictable spray
28 pattern emanating therefrom, other forms of discharges could be provided
downstream of the
29 pump. As an alternative, the pump could discharge back into the bucket
and the water and fire
suppression gel combination could be delivered by opening of the bucket as
water alone is
31 currently known to be dispensed from an aircraft borne bucket.
32 Other details of this invention and various embodiments of this
invention are described in
33 conjunction with the further written description of this invention
provided below.
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1
2 OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
3 Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a
fire suppression gel
4 delivery system which can be coupled to an aircraft and spray fire
suppression gel onto an area
to be treated.
6 Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire suppression
gel delivery
7 system which manufactures fire suppression gel by hydrating gel
concentrate onboard a mobile
8 platform immediately before discharge of the hydrated gel onto an area to
be treated.
9 Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for
fighting wildfires which
involves spraying fire suppression gel in stripes of varying densities and
widths upon an area to
11 be defended or directly around the fire perimeter itself.
12 Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for
blending and delivering
13 fire suppression gel from an airborne delivery platform.
14 Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire suppression
gel discharge
coupleable to a water containing bucket or other structure and with a water
and fire suppression
16 gel blender upstream of the discharge to utilize water from the
container to hydrate the fire
17 suppression gel before delivery from the discharge.
18 Another object of the present invention is to maximize the efficiency
with which water is
19 utilized by fire fighters in fighting fires.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire suppression gel
blender which
21 can be used on mobile platforms to blend water with gel concentrate
immediately before
22 spraying.
23 Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for
controlling a width and
24 density of striping of fire suppression gel upon an area to be treated
with fire suppression gel.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a careful
reading of the
26 included drawing figures, the claims and detailed description of the
invention.
27
28 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
29 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an environment where the system of
this invention is
being utilized to provide a fire suppression barrier line between a house and
an advancing
31 wildfire according to an embodiment of this invention.
32 Figure 2 is a full sectional view of a water bucket containing the gel
blender and
33 discharge nozzle coupled thereto, according to the Figure 1 embodiment
of this invention.
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1 Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the gel blender assembly of an
embodiment of
2 this invention shown separate from the bucket or related equipment.
3 Figure 5 is a front elevation view of that which is shown in Figures 3
and 4.
4 Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views from alternate perspectives of an
outlet nozzle
associated with the fire suppression gel delivery system of one embodiment of
this invention.
6 Figure 8 is a full sectional view of the bucket of Figure 2, but shown
with water being
7 delivered directly from the bucket in one alternative use according to
this invention.
8
9 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like
parts
11 throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral 10 is directed
to a delivery system for
12 manufacture and delivery of fire suppression gel. The delivery system 10
can be mounted
13 within a bucket 20 suspended from an aircraft A. The system 10
discharges fire suppression
14 gel from a nozzle 70 in the form of a spray S of hydrated fire
suppression gel. This spray S can
form a line L in a process referred to as "striping" to provide a barrier
between an advancing fire
16 F and a house H or other structure to be defended.
17 In essence, and with particular reference to Figure 2, basic details of
the fire suppression
18 gel blending and delivery system 10 of this invention are described,
according to a preferred
19 embodiment. The delivery system 10 and associated blender assembly 30
can be mounted to
various different water containing structures, but are most preferably
configured in this preferred
21 embodiment to be mounted to a bucket 20 configured to be suspended from
an aircraft A, such
22 as a helicopter (Figure 1).
23 The blender assembly 30 includes a combiner 40 which is configured to
receive water W
24 from the bucket 20 and gel concentrate from a gel reservoir, typically
borne by the aircraft A and
transported to the combiner 40 along a gel concentrate supply line 32. The
combiner 40 mixes
26 water with the gel concentrate upstream of a pump 50. The pump 50
pressurizes the now
27 hydrated gel as well as performing a mixing function to thoroughly mix
the water W and gel
28 concentrate to form the hydrated fire suppression gel ready for delivery
and use in fire
29 suppression. Various interconnect conduits 60 lead from the pump 50 to a
nozzle 70. The
nozzle 70 is a preferred form of discharge that includes a spout 80 pointing
generally downward
31 to provide the spray S of hydrated gel downward from the aircraft A, or
otherwise away from a
32 vehicle carrying the entire delivery system 10.
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1 More specifically, and with continuing reference to Figure 2, details of
the bucket 20 for
2 supporting the delivery system 10 of this invention, are described
according to this preferred
3 embodiment. While the delivery system 10 of this invention could be
mounted to other
4 structures, in this embodiment shown in Figures 1-8, the delivery system
10 is configured to be
mounted to a bucket 20 (or other container) which has been configured for fire
suppression by
6 dumping water W in an area to be treated.
7 In particular, the bucket 20 includes side walls 22 extending up from a
floor 24, so that
8 the bucket 20 has a generally cylindrical form. The walls 22 extend
approximately vertically
9 while the floor 24 extends approximately horizontally. A suspension
assembly 28, also referred
to as a "spider" holds open an upper end of the bucket 20 defined by a lip 26.
Suspension lines
11 29 are coupled to the bucket 20 and extend up to an aircraft A (Figure
1) such as a helicopter.
12 The bucket 20 is configured so that it can be dipped into a water
reservoir, such as a
13 river, pond, lake or the ocean. The bucket 20 falls over sideways and
water pours into the
14 bucket. Once the bucket 20 is full, the aircraft A can lift up and carry
the water to an area to be
treated. The floor 24 is coupled to an aperture control line 25 and an
aperture in the floor 24
16 can be opened by pulling on the aperture control line 25 (Figure 8).
This aperture control line 25
17 typically extends up to the aircraft A so that both suspension of the
bucket 20 and control of the
18 aperture in the floor 24 of the bucket 20 are provided from the aircraft
A.
19 With this invention, the aperture in the floor 24 of the bucket 20 is
typically not used.
Rather, the blender assembly 30 fits within the bucket 20 and pumps water out
of the bucket 20
21 and hydrated gel is sprayed from the delivery system 10 mounted on the
bucket 20. Typically,
22 the aperture control line 25 would not be disabled when utilizing the
bucket 20 with the delivery
23 system 10 of this invention. Thus, should it be desired to dump
remaining water W from the
24 bucket 20, such as after fire suppression gel concentrate has been
depleted, the aperture
control line 25 can still be utilized to open the floor 24 and allow release
of water W from the
26 bucket 20.
27 As an alternative to the bucket 20, the aircraft A can be fitted with
fixed tanks for
28 containing water. Such tanks are known which are filled by a snorkel
pump extending down
29 from the aircraft A and dipped into a water reservoir, such as a pond,
lake or river. The blender
assembly 30 would be installed within such a tank or adjacent thereto with
access to water from
31 the tank. The blender assembly in such a fixed tank embodiment could be
within or adjacent
32 the tank. As another alternative, the snorkel pump could be replaced by
the blender assembly
33 30 appropriately modified. In such an embodiment, the pump motor 58
would be sized to lift the
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1 water up the snorkel to the tank. Gel concentrate could be added to the
pump so that the fixed
2 tank stores hydrated gel.
3 With continuing reference to Figure 2, as well as Figures 3-5, details
of the blender
4 assembly 30 of the delivery system 10 of the preferred embodiment are
described. This blender
assembly 30 is shown mounted within the bucket 20, but could alternatively be
located within a
6 tank of water W mounted to either an aircraft A or some other mobile or
stationary platform.
7 The blender assembly 30 could be permanently affixed to the bucket 20 or
integrally formed
8 within the bucket 20, but most preferably is removably attachable to the
bucket 20 so that the
9 blender assembly 30 can be moved from one bucket 20 to another bucket 20
when desired.
Attachment of the blender assembly 30 to the bucket 20 is sufficiently adapted
to work with the
11 bucket 20 so that the bucket 20 does not require modification and is not
damaged or altered by
12 removal of the blender assembly 30 from the bucket 20.
13 The blender assembly 30 includes a series of lines which supply power
and materials for
14 utilization of the blender assembly 30. In particular, a gel concentrate
supply line 32 extends
from the blender assembly 30 to a source of gel concentrate. Typically this
source of gel
16 concentrate is adjacent the aircraft A, such as in a tank mounted to or
carried within or under
17 the aircraft A. Thus, the gel supply line 32 typically extends
vertically up from the blender
18 assembly 30 within the bucket 20 up to the aircraft A. Hydraulic lines
34 are preferably utilized
19 to power a hydraulic motor which drives the pump 50. The hydraulic lines
34 preferably include
a supply and return line bundled together and also extend up to the aircraft A
where pressurized
21 hydraulic fluid from the aircraft A can be utilized to drive the motor
58 of the pump 50. Typically,
22 also a color dye line 75 extends down to the bucket 20 from the aircraft
A. The color line 75
23 supplies a colorant which can be added to the hydrated gel before being
sprayed from the
24 discharge, such as in the form of the nozzle 70, so that areas that have
been treated can more
easily be seen.
26 The blender assembly can include a mounting bracket 36 for attachment of
the blender
27 assembly 30 to adjacent structures or for mounting of auxiliary
equipment to the blender
28 assembly 30. Preferably, a plate with a bungee hole 35 therein is
provided as part of the
29 blender assembly 30. A bungee cord or other line can pass through this
bungee hole 35 and
secure the blender assembly 30 to a side of the bucket 20 so that the blender
assembly 30 is
31 prevented from flopping around too much within the bucket 20.
32 A hose support arch 38 is configured along with the blender assembly 30
which is
33 generally in the form of a truss and helps to hold an outlet hose from
the blender assembly 30
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1 relative to other portions of the blender assembly 30. The hose support
arch 38 is carried at an
2 upper end by a spider tube 36 which can have a leg of the spider assembly
28 passing
3 therethrough so that the entire blender assembly 30 can be suspended from
one of the spider
4 legs of the suspension assembly 28. The hose support arch 38 extends down
from this spider
tube 39 and various different portions of the blender assembly 30 are carried
by the hose
6 support arch 38.
7 Preferably, the spider tube 39 is coupled to the hose support arch 38
through a pivotable
8 connection, such as with a series of concentric tubes with a pin passing
therethrough and with
9 cotter pins to capture this pin within these co-linear tubes. One of the
tubes has the spider tube
39 coupled thereto, one of these tubes is at an upper end of the hose support
arch 38 and one
11 of these tubes is coupled to an upper elbow 66 of interconnect conduits
60 that join the blender
12 assembly 30 to the nozzle 70. The pivotable attachment of these parts
together allows for the
13 blender assembly 30 to pivot somewhat to a desired position and
accommodate slightly different
14 geometries for the side walls 22 of the bucket 20 and otherwise avoid
damage when bumping or
jostling of the blender assembly 30 occurs, such as during dipping of the
bucket 20 to fill the
16 bucket 20 with water W.
17 The blender assembly 30 generally includes a combiner 40 and a pump 50.
The
18 combiner 40 provides the basic function of bringing together water W and
gel concentrate for
19 hydrating of the gel concentrate to form the fire suppression gel to be
utilized by the delivery
system 10 of this invention. The combiner 40 is generally in the form of a "T"
junction conduit
21 48 that allows two pathways to come together to form a single pathway.
In this most preferred
22 embodiment, this combiner 40 includes a gel inlet conduit 42 and a water
inlet 44. A debris
23 preclusion screen 46 is preferably provided surrounding the water inlet
44. The junction conduit
24 48 acts to bring the gel concentrate inlet conduit 42 together with the
water inlet 44 and join the
water W with the gel concentrate to allow for hydration of the gel
concentrate. This junction
26 conduit 48 is preferably provided upstream of the pump 50 on a suction
side of the pump 50.
27 The pump 50 includes an inlet 52 and outlet 56. Both the inlet 52 and
outlet 56 are
28 joined to an impeller housing 54 therebetween. The motor 58 drives an
impeller within the
29 housing 54 between the inlet 52 and the outlet 56. A drive sleeve 59
extends between the
motor 58 and the impeller housing 54 to space the motor from the impeller
housing 54.
31 The pump 50 in this preferred embodiment is a centrifugal pump. In one
embodiment
32 the pump 50 has a flow rate of 400 gallons per minute. The impeller
includes a series of vanes
33 which rotate and change the fluid from extending axially at the inlet 52
to extending
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1 circumferentially at the outlet 56, by action of the impeller blades on
the fluid within the housing
2 54. By providing the pump 50 at least as a dynamic style pump, and most
preferably as a
3 centrifugal pump, the impeller blades of such a dynamic pump 50 both act
to pressurize the
4 hydrated gel, but also act to promote mixing of the water with the gel
concentrate to form the
hydrated gel as a substantially homogeneous mixture. While less desirable, a
positive
6 displacement pump, such as a piston pump, could also conceivably be
utilized.
7 Hydraulic fluid is supplied from the aircraft A down the hydraulic lines
34 to drive the
8 motor 58. The motor 58 in turn causes the impeller to move within the
impeller housing 54 so
9 that the pump 50 causes water to be drawn into the pump 50. A typical
flow rate for the pump
50 is four hundred gallons per minute, but could be scaled to meet the
capacity of the aircraft
11 and the needs of the user. If beneficial, multiple blender assemblies 30
could be used in
12 parallel to optimize such scaling of this technology. While the motor 58
is disclosed as a
13 hydraulic motor, an electric motor could alternatively be utilized, or
conceivably an internal
14 combustion motor.
The water W mixes with the gel concentrate to form hydrated gel which then
passes out
16 of the outlet 56 of the pump 50. Because the motor 58 is a hydraulic
motor, it is inherently
17 submersible without complex seals being required. By placing the pump 50
downstream of the
18 combiner 40 the pump 50 pulls the water W into the inlet 44 and pulls
gel concentrate into the
19 gel inlet 42. To ensure the proper gel concentrate to water mixture
ratio, the gel concentrate is
preferably supplied by a positive displacement pump, such as a gear pump. The
speed of this
21 gear pump is preferably adjustable to meet the needs of the user. Such
speed adjustment in
22 turn modifies the hydrated gel viscosity.
23 While the hydrated gel could conceivably be delivered to some form of
storage vessel,
24 most preferably the hydrated gel is immediately utilized after
manufacture by the blender
assembly 30. In particular, interconnect conduits 60 are provided to direct
the hydrated gel from
26 the outlet 56 of the pump 50 to the nozzle 70. These interconnect
conduits 60 include a lower
27 elbow 62 adjacent the impeller housing 54 which converts the hydrated
gel from traveling
28 horizontally to traveling vertically adjacent the pump 50. A riser hose
54 then extends up from
29 the lower elbow 62 up to a top of the bucket 20. An upper elbow 66 is
coupled to the riser hose
64 and transitions the flow of the hydrated gel from vertical travel to
substantially horizontal
31 travel. The upper elbow 66 is preferably pivotably coupled to the
suspension assembly 28 of
32 the bucket 20 along with the spider tube 39 and hose support arch 38. A
lateral hose 68
33 extends from the upper elbow 66 across a top of the bucket 20, typically
from one side of the
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1 bucket 20 to an opposite side of the bucket 20. The interconnect conduit
60 terminates at the
2 nozzle 70 where the lateral hose 68 joins with the inlet elbow 72 of the
nozzle 70.
3 With particular reference to Figures 6 and 7, details of the nozzle 70,
providing a
4 preferred form of discharge for the hydrated gel, is described according
to this preferred
embodiment. The nozzle 70 acts to direct the hydrated gel downward for
treatment of an area
6 below the aircraft A, or otherwise function to direct the hydrated gel
from the blender assembly
7 30 to an area to be treated. The nozzle 70 begins with an inlet elbow 72
which redirects the
8 hydrated gel from traveling horizontally to traveling downward typically
substantially vertically.
9 A support bracket 74 includes an inner plate 76 parallel with and
opposite an outer plate
78. The inner plate 76 and outer plate 78 are spaced apart sufficient to allow
them to straddle
11 the lip 26 of the bucket 20 so that the support bracket 74 can merely
rest upon the lip 26 of the
12 bucket 20 with the nozzle 70 outboard of the bucket 20. If desired,
mechanical fasteners can
13 also be utilized.
14 The inlet elbow 72 is coupled to a spout 80 of the nozzle 70. This spout
80 is typically a
generally rectangularly cross-sectioned elongate tube extending from the inlet
elbow 72 down to
16 an outlet 82. The outlet 82 and associated spout 80 have a shape which
cause the hydrated gel
17 to exit the nozzle 70 as a spray S which is generally in the form of a
fan having a substantially
18 constant thickness and diverging width (Figure 1).
19 A width of a lower end of this fan of the spray S can be controlled by
adjusting the
elevation of the aircraft A. As an alternative, the spout 80 could be attached
to other portions of
21 the nozzle 70 through a quick connect coupling and different spouts 80
could be substituted for
22 each other to change spray patterns for the spray S discharged from the
nozzle 70.
23 Most preferably, a color port 73 is provided adjacent the inlet elbow
72. A color line 75 is
24 coupled to this color port 73. A source of colorant, such as a colored
dye liquid is preferably
supplied onboard the aircraft A or adjacent the aircraft A. This source is
preferably delivered by
26 a gear pump or other adjustable positive displacement pump. This pump
mixes an appropriate
27 amount of colorant to the hydrated gel. In this way, the hydrated gel is
colorized and a line L of
28 hydrated gel (Figure 1) that has been applied to the treatment area can
be readily visually
29 identified.
The striping technique disclosed herein can be performed from aircraft fitted
with fixed
31 tanks or a bucket with appropriate modification of mounting hardware.
The striping technique
32 could be used with hydrated gels of various concentrates, and also could
be used with water
33 only if desired. This disclosure is provided to reveal a preferred
embodiment of the invention
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1 and a best mode for practicing the invention. Having thus described the
invention in this way, it
2 should be apparent that various different modifications can be made to
the preferred
3 embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention
disclosure. When
4 structures are identified as a means to perform a function, the
identification is intended to
include all structures which can perform the function specified. When
structures of this
6 invention are identified as being coupled together, such language should
be interpreted broadly
7 to include the structures being coupled directly together or coupled
together through intervening
8 structures. Such coupling could be permanent or temporary and either in a
rigid fashion or in a
9 fashion which allows pivoting, sliding or other relative motion while
still providing some form of
attachment, unless specifically restricted.
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