Patent ID: 8307907

Claim:
A hybrid foam system comprising: a low flow foam proportioning system that mixes foam and water, the low flow foam proportioning system includes: a first conduit for receiving a supply of water at an inlet, a foam pump in fluid communication with the first conduit, a selector valve having: a first inlet connected to a first foam tank, a second inlet connected to a second foam tank, and a selector valve outlet in fluid communication with the foam pump, and an outlet of the first conduit positioned downstream the foam pump; and a high flow foam proportioning system that mixes foam and water, the high flow foam proportioning system comprising: a second conduit for receiving a supply of water at an inlet, a venturi based foam proportioner for introducing foam into the second conduit, a bypass conduit having: an inlet in fluid communication with the second conduit and positioned upstream of the venturi based foam proportioner, and an outlet in communication with the second conduit and positioned downstream of the venturi based foam proportioner, wherein the high flow foam proportioning system is operatively associated with the low flow foam proportioning system; a water source connected to the inlet of the first conduit and the inlet of the second conduit to supply water to the low flow foam proportioning system and the high flow foam proportioning system, respectively; a system controller operatively in communication with the low flow and the high flow foam proportioning systems; and a discharge unit in communication with the low flow and the high flow foam proportioning systems.