Aeronautics and astronautics – Landing field arrangement
Patent
1987-09-18
1988-12-06
Barefoot, Galen
Aeronautics and astronautics
Landing field arrangement
52 11, 52 14, 404 2, B64F 100
Patent
active
047891165
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a landing deck for aircraft, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a helicopter deck of the type used on seagoing vessels and installations, such as offshore platforms.
2. The Prior Art
It is desirable to protect such decks against fire. There is always a danger of accidents and damage, to a larger extent than on airfields, because of adverse weather conditions and because the deck follows the movements of the vessel or platform. In an accident fuel from a helicopter may leak out and to be spread along the deck, and the fuel may be set on fire. The ignition may lead to a serious fire, and the combustion intensity may be very high when the fuel is spread out on a relatively smooth surface, because the fuel presents a large surface to the air. It is of course desirable to limit and to stop such a fire as soon as possible, and it is known to provide systems adapted to coat the deck with foam in order to stop the fire. It is of course also known to place extinguishing equipment, such as foam extinguishers, on or near the decks, and, moreover, it is known to provide channels in the runways of airfields, for spraying of foam. In Norwegian Acceptance Print No. 139.526 is described means adapted to coat a helicopter deck with foam in order to stop a fire, whereby a framework is placed above a planar deck and a lattice work above the framework. In the cavities thereby formed below the lattice work are provided apertures for spraying of foam. The purpose of this is among else to prevent that the foam being sprayed is blown away without giving any fire-extinguishing effect.
Thus, the known systems first of all concern means for extinguishing a fuel fire which has been spread along a deck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide means leading to a reduced intensity and duration of a possible fire on a deck, such means being "passive" means included in the deck, i.e., means which without any action are operative in case of a fire, without the need of starting the operation of an extinguishing system. The invention is, however, not restricted to the use of such means separately, and "active" means, such as a foam spraying system, may be used additionally.
The invention is among else based upon the fact that the combustion intensity by the combustion of a certain amount of combustible liquid usually increases with the size of the free surface of the liquid, and that the intensity is not influenced by the depth of the liquid below the free surface. Thus, it is in the principle possible to restrict the intensity of the combustion by restricting the free surface.
Moreover, the combustion intensity of a liquid in a container which is open at the top will depend on the ratio between the size of the upper aperture of the container and the distance from the aperture to the liquid surface. When the container aperture is sufficiently small relatively to this distance, combustion on the liquid surface will extinguish by itself after a short time. In containers having equally large upper apertures, the combustion intensity will decrease with increasing distance to the liquid surface.
A main idea on which the invention is based is to take advantage of these facts by providing grooves in at least some of the beams of the deck in order to reduce the combustion intensity. Another main idea is to drain the liquid rapidly from the deck during a fire in order to reduce the amount of liquid set on fire.
Thus, when combustible liquid, such as helicopter fuel, is spread on a deck constructed in accordance with the present invention and set on fire, the liquid will very rapidly flow down into the grooves. Only portions of the beams remaining between the grooves will be wetted by liquid, and this liquid will either burn or vaporize. Most of the liquid will flow down into the grooves. There, the liquid may burn, but with a much lower intensity than when burning on a planar deck surface without grooves. Moreover, the
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A/S Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikker
Barefoot Galen
Fiorito Lynn M.
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