Patent Application
20230338762
This application relates to a spray nozzle and fan spray system to aid in the cooling and extinguishing of battery fires in electric vehicles fires and fires occurring in electric vehicle manufacturing plants.
Fires along the underside of a vehicle, and more specifically, an electric vehicle such as a car, bus, or tractor trailer, are difficult to safely contain due to the limited space provided beneath the vehicle for maneuvering. Currently, extinguishing fires along the underside of a vehicle usually results in fire fighters either lifting the vehicle off the ground to gain better access or spraying water along the top of the vehicle. Both these methods are problematic because the close proximity required to lift the vehicle threatens the safety of the fire fighters and spraying along the top, more often than not, doesn’t actually target the source of the fire. Further, evenly distributing water along the vehicle by either method is difficult to do when the source of water comes from a fire hose. With the growing popularity of electric vehicles, which often contain batteries that can ignite along the underside of the vehicle, a safer and more efficient method of controlling these fires is desirous.
In embodiments of the invention, an apparatus for containing electric vehicle fires is provided having a spray nozzle with a plurality of holes that evenly distribute fluid along the underside of a vehicle, and wherein the apparatus is configured to slide beneath the vehicle.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for containing electric vehicle fires is provided having a spray nozzle with a plurality of holes that evenly distribute fluid along the underside of a vehicle, and a spray nozzle configured to spray fluid above the vehicle.
In yet another embodiment, a method for containing an electric vehicle fire is disclosed comprising connecting a fan nozzle to a spray nozzle to form a system, sliding the system beneath the vehicle so that the spray nozzle is placed between the axles of the vehicle and the fan nozzle is disposed along the outside of the vehicle, and connecting the system to a water source.
In one embodiment, a spray nozzle for treating electric vehicle fires includes an elongated body, the elongated body having a proximal end comprising an inlet orifice, a closed distal end, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end; wherein the length of the elongated body has a thickness and a plurality of holes disposed through the thickness of the length; and wherein each of the plurality of holes are disposed through the thickness at a predetermined angle relative to a vertical axis disposed through a center of the elongated body. The nozzle further includes a cradle configured to receive the length of the elongated body; at least a first brace and a second brace attached to the cradle in a position substantially perpendicular to the length of the elongated body; and at least a first skid attached to the first brace and a second skid attached to the second brace; wherein the first skid and the second skid are substantially parallel to the length of the elongated body.
The plurality of holes may be disposed at a first side surface, top surface, and second side surface of the length of the elongated body, and wherein the predetermined angles of the plurality of holes are configured to be from 20° to -20° relative to the vertical axis of the elongated body. And, in one embodiment, the plurality of holes disposed from the first side surface to the top surface have predetermined angles of about 20° to about 29°, 30° to about 39°, about 40° to about 49°, about 50° to about 59°, about 60° to about 69°, about 70° to about 79°, and about 80° to about 89° relative to the vertical axis and the plurality of holes disposed from the second side surface to the top surface have predetermined angles of about -20° to about -29°, -30° to about -39°, about -40° to about -49°, about -50° to about -59°, about -60° to about -69°, about -70° to about -79°, and about -80° to about -89° relative to the vertical axis.
The spray nozzle may further include a cap that is configured to be removably attached to the distal end of the elongated body. And, the inlet orifice may have a diameter of about 0.20 inch to about 0.75 inch. The nozzle may further include a flow restrictor capable of being disposed within the inlet orifice of the proximal end of the elongated body, the flow restrictor comprising a body configured to fit within the inlet orifice and an opening through at least one surface of the body, wherein the opening is configured to reduce the diameter of the inlet orifice of the elongated body.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for containing electric vehicle fires includes a spray nozzle having an elongated body, the elongated body having a proximal end comprising an inlet orifice, a closed distal end, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end; wherein the length of the elongated body has a thickness and a plurality of holes disposed through the thickness of the length; and wherein each of the plurality of holes are disposed through the thickness at a predetermined angle relative to a vertical axis disposed through a center of the elongated body; a cradle configured to receive the length of the elongated body; at least a first brace and a second brace attached to the cradle in a position substantially perpendicular to the length of the elongated body; and at least a first skid attached to the first brace and a second skid attached to the second brace; wherein the first skid and the second skid are substantially parallel to the length of the elongated body. The apparatus may further include a fan nozzle disposed at the proximal end of the spray nozzle and configured to spray fluid in a vertical direction along and above the outside of the vehicle.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes at least one pipe configured to be attached to and extend between the proximal inlet end of the spray nozzle and a distal end of the fan nozzle.
In another embodiment, a method of containing an electric vehicle fire includes providing a spray nozzle having an elongated body, the elongated body having a proximal end comprising an inlet orifice, a closed distal end, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end; wherein the length of the elongated body has a thickness and a plurality of holes disposed through the thickness of the length; and wherein each of the plurality of holes are disposed through the thickness at a predetermined angle relative to a vertical axis disposed through a center of the elongated body; a cradle configured to receive the length of the elongated body; at least a first brace and a second brace attached to the cradle in a position substantially perpendicular to the length of the elongated body; and at least a first skid attached to the first brace and a second skid attached to the second brace; wherein the first skid and the second skid are substantially parallel to the length of the elongated body. The method may further include attaching the spray nozzle to a water source; positioning the spray nozzle below an underside of the vehicle; and delivering water through the plurality of holes so that the water is directed to the underside of the vehicle at a plurality of predetermined angles.
The method further includes providing a fan nozzle configured to spray water along and above the outside of the vehicle, attaching a length of pipe between a distal end of the fan nozzle and the proximal inlet end of the spray nozzle; and wherein the water source is attached to the proximal inlet end of the spray nozzle through the length of pipe and the fan nozzle.
A spray nozzle 100 for use to cool and/or extinguish vehicle fires is provided. As shown in
Fluid, such as water, may enter the spray nozzle 100 through the inlet end 130a of the body 110, and exit the body 110 through the plurality of holes 120. The plurality of holes 120 may be configured to allow the fluid to exit the body 110 at desired angles, resulting in a wide and targeted range of spray. In one embodiment, the holes 120 are machined into and through length of the elongated body 110 at predetermined angles. In another embodiment, the elongated body 110 may be formed with the holes 120 formed therein, such as with 3D printing technology. When placed under a vehicle, the spray is accurately distributed over the underside of the vehicle. For electric vehicles with batteries along the underside of the vehicle, this spray distribution may aid in cooling and/or extinguishing a battery fire.
In one embodiment, the elongated body 110 may be shaped and sized to distribute spray in a desired array, such as a cylindrical shape. In one example, the body 110 has a tubular shape with an outer wall having a thickness and a diameter 214, the diameter 214 being about 20-50 mm, an in one embodiment about 40 mm. “About” as used in this embodiment is +/- 3 mm. The elongated body 110 may also have a length 218 that may be about 170-200 mm, and in one embodiment, about 185 mm. It should be understood that the elongated body may be any suitable size or shape, such as a cylinder, elongated oval, or rectangle.
The elongated body 110 may be made of any sturdy material that keeps shape and can withstand the heat of a battery fire, such as aluminum, stainless steel, steel, etc. It should be appreciated that alternate shapes, sizes, and materials may be used for the elongated body 110 depending on the desired array of spray.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the flow rate through the orifice 130b may be controlled by adding inserts (or flow restrictors) or additional holes in the inlet end 130a or the cap disposed at the inlet end 130a. The flow restrictors 134, as shown in
In one embodiment, the inlet end 130a includes a plurality of threads machined into the outer surface of the inlet end 130a, as shown in
Referring now to
In one embodiment, as shown in
The skids 140 are attached perpendicularly to the braces 160 such that they are substantially parallel to the elongated body 110. They offer further support to the elongated body 110, aiding in positioning the elongated body 110 in the desired location on the ground. In one embodiment, the skids 140 may be the only elements of the spray nozzle 100 to touch the ground, allowing the spray nozzle to slide over the ground with little resistance. The braces 160, cradle 150, and skids 140 may be made of any suitable materials, such as aluminum, stainless steel, steel, etc.
When using the spray nozzle 100 to cool and/or extinguish a battery fire in an electric vehicle, the spray nozzle 100 is positioned beneath the vehicle between the axles and sides of the vehicle. In the embodiment discussed above, the holes 120 are spaced, shaped, and sized are configured to spray fluid from about 10° to about 81° from the center point of origin. In a further embodiment, when a spray nozzle 100 with holes configured the same is positioned beneath the vehicle between its axles and sides, the spray nozzle 100 may spray every 3 square foot of the underside of the vehicle.
Referring now to
When using the fan nozzle 330 to cool and/or extinguish a battery fire in a vehicle, the fan nozzle 330 is positioned outside the vehicle, directing spray towards the vehicle. In one embodiment the spray is directed towards the side of the vehicle. This offers a cooling and/or extinguishing spray to the outer body of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the spray is directed above the vehicle. This offers a heat shield for people on the other side of the spray. For example, the partial “wall” of spray of fluid exiting the fan nozzle 330 may form a barrier outside the vehicle which slows or prevents heat from emitting through the spray.
When the fan nozzle 330 is attached to the spray nozzle 100, the two nozzles may form a system 300 that sprays fluid in each nozzle’s spray pattern simultaneously. In one embodiment the system 300 is used to extinguish a vehicle fire. In this embodiment, the spray nozzle 100 is placed beneath a vehicle, and the fan nozzle 330 is directed above the vehicle. When used with electric vehicles, the system 300 may cool/extinguish battery fires underneath the vehicle, while forming a heat shield for people outside the vehicle on the other side of the fan nozzle 330 spray. This method of cooling/extinguishing fires requires less fluid than typical extinguishing means, such as by a fire hose, thus resulting in less run off and less contamination of the surrounding area.
The fan nozzle 330 may be attached to the spray nozzle 100 through any suitable means. In one embodiment, piping 380 connects the two nozzles. The piping 380 may be sized to create the desired distance between the nozzles. For example, multiple pipes 380a and 380b may be connected, which may ease storage, transport, and maintenance. In one embodiment the piping 380a and 380b are sized at 30 in. in length each. The piping 380 may connect the base 340 of the fan nozzle 330 to the inlet end 130a of the spray nozzle 130a. Accordingly, as fluid flows into the fan nozzle 330, fluid exits the elongated opening 350 of the fan nozzle 330 simultaneously as it flows through the piping 380, where the fluid enters the spray nozzle 100 through the inlet orifice 130b of the inlet end 130a and exits the holes 120 of the body 110.
The piping 380 may be removably attached to each nozzle and to other piping by any suitable means, preferably by removable means, such as using machined threading. In one embodiment the nozzles 100 and 330 are attached to the piping 380 by quick release couplings 400 and 410. Additionally, braces and/or skids may be attached to the piping to stabilize the piping and maintain the orientation of the nozzles.
In another embodiment, rather than attaching a fan nozzle to the inlet end 130a, as discussed above, the same methodology could be used to attach additional spray nozzles 100 in sequence to allow the user to treat or combat fires on larger vehicles, such as SUVs, buses, tractor trailers, or airplanes, or along long stretches of factory floors.
In yet another embodiment, upstream from the spray nozzle 100, a mechanism may be attached to the piping 380 and/or inlet end 130a that adds additives to the fluid through dosing before the fluid enters the elongated body 110 and exits the holes 120. In one embodiment, the mechanism adds an insulating compound to the fluid stream and surfactants. One such example compound is water soluble vermiculite. When placed under a vehicle, the insulating compound and fluid mixture exits the spray nozzle 100 and coats the underside of the vehicle. As water evaporates, this will provide insulation around the heated elements of the vehicle, thus also minimizing the risk of adjacent materials (such as batteries) combusting and also aiding in containing the fire. In one embodiment, the dosing mechanism is a block containing an additive, where the dosing rate is about 1000 gallons of water per application of additive. “About” in this embodiment means +/- 50 gallons. The block may be any suitable size, such as 200 mm x 100 mm x 50 mm. It should be appreciated that the dosing mechanism may be other shapes and sizes.
In one example, as shown in
This written description sets forth the best mode of carrying out the invention and describes the invention so as to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The detailed descriptions of those elements do not impose limitations that are not recited in the claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/334748, entitled “Electric Vehicle Under Body Spray Nozzle,” filed on Apr. 26, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63334748 | Apr 2022 | US |
