Patent Publication Number: US-2010116513-A1

Title: Storage tank fire suppression system

Description:
This invention autonomously suppresses storage tank fires where previous conflagration needed human intervention i.e., gasoline, oil or any combustible material storage in tanks. 
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to storage tank fire suppression system and more particularly to a mounted, self contained fire suppression device serving as a storage tank fire suppression unit. This invention autonomously suppresses storage tank fires where previous conflagration needed human intervention. 
     2. Background 
     The photo on the right was taken by Fire units from Sour Lake Fire, Pine Ridge Fire, Pinewood Fire, Bevil Oaks Fire, Nome Fire, China Fire, Lumberton Fire, SUNOCO Transfer/Storage Station and Milstead environmental battled an oil tank battery fire in the pouring rain. 

 
     Unlike previous responses when a fire extinguisher could be used to extinguish this type of fire, lightning had blown the roof off of one of the tanks and ignited the oil inside. The fire quickly spread to a second of six tanks located inside the tank containment levee. With the roof missing from one of the involved tanks combined with the fire and heavy rain, the primary concern was the potential for a boil over explosion. (A boil over explosion is when the water below the oil turns to steam and erupts like an oil volcano.) Further compounding the problems surrounding this fire was the remote location of the incident and the lack of water supply making these fires an overwhelming event. If the storage tank containing the flammable or combustible materials had the complete fire suppression unit installed the subsequent lightning event would have immediately released the “Aqueous Film Forming Foams” (AFFF) material depriving the fire of the necessary oxygen needed for fueling the fire, thereby extinguishing the blaze within seconds. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention provides a self contained, autonomously sensory activation fire extinguishing system designed specifically for storage tank fire suppression. It is the primary objective of the system to be mounted on the external portion of the storage tank, thereby providing protection against unintended fires where a human presence is unavailable to detect such fires. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to construct the AFFF containment system in a manner that utilizes well known principles of science to physically contain and extinguish the blaze within seconds. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to use heat activated sensors to release AFFF material into the storage tank fire depriving the fire of oxygen needed for fueling the fire, thereby extinguishing it. 
     In Operation
         It is a further objective of the invention to follow a sequence of deployment as follows:   1. Calculate the diameter of the storage tank   2. Fill the containment cylinder with the correct portion of AFFF material needed to suppress the fires for the diameter of the storage tank calculated   3. Fill the compressed gas bladder inside the containment cylinder creating a sealed pressurized system   4. Mount the self contained fire suppression unit to the top outside part of the storage tank (See  FIG. 1-1  page 10)   5. Fit the dispensing pipe to the fire suppression unit, extending the pipe into the storage tank   6. Mount the heat sensor to the nozzle of the dispensing outlet mounted at the top of the storage tank, above the maximum level of flammable material.       

     It is a further object of the invention to follow the below deployment sequence to initialize the suppression sequence:
         1. With the breakdown of the heat sensor,   2. The pressurized containment cylinder drives AFFF material through a dispensing pipe,   3. Deployment of the AFFF material is through the nozzle and into the oil storage tank,   4. Forming a blanket of AFFF material,   5. Cessation of oxygen to the flame, and   6. Extinguishes the blaze within seconds       

     The following are the general specifications for the first embodiment of the invention: 
     1. ( FIG. 1-1 ) 1  The side mounted AFFF containment cylinder as depicted will vary in size depending on the volume of the storage tank and the necessary amount of AFFF material needed to suppress a fire for the diameter and volume of the storage tank itself.  1  Page 10 
     2. ( FIG. 1-2 ) 2  The AFFF containment cylinder will vary in size to meet the need of the specific storage tank.  2  Page 11 
     3. ( FIG. 1-3 ) 3  The heat sensor mount will vary in size depending on the nozzle size needed for suppressing the fire for the storage tank size and volume. The pressurized tank and dispensing pipe will seat the sensor and seal the AFFF from leakage, once heat causes the breakdown of the sensor the AFFF material will be released into the storage tank, thereby extinguishing the blaze within seconds.  3  Page 12 
     4. ( FIG. 1-4 ) 4  Dispensing outlet pipe will vary in size again depending on the amount of AFFF material needed to pass through the pipe for suppressing fires for the size and volume of the storage tank.  4  Page 13