Discussion of aerial water diffuser systems operated by helicopters for fighting bushfires and forest fires

Abstract

Bushfires and forest fires have caused severe damage to many countries including Australia. Ground force is basic to fight Bushfires and forest fires, while aerial means is needed to supplement fighting these fires in severe conditions. Commonly helicopters release water through openings at the bottom of suspended containers. A large amount of water released go onto the ground with little fire fighting effect. A patented “airborne water diffuser” will effectively disperse water : - helicopters will normally hover at about 200 metre above the fire, eliminating the risk of hit by the rising plume, allowing pilots to use auto-gyration technique to land the helicopter safety should the engine fails-suitable spraying nozzles, supplied by water more than 10 metre above via flexible hose, will release water downwards like heavy rainy drops of 4 mm in diameter -the water container is suspended from the helicopter by a steel rope, which continues to suspend the flexible hose and nozzle array, by using potential energy due to gravity to push water through the selected nozzles to disperse water in large drops typically about 4 mm in diameter, simulating heavy rain fall A helicopter will deliver 3 000 litre of water, over a burning area of 500 square metre in 1 minute. Water spraying density will be about 6 mm per minute, like heavy rain in nature. Similar helicopter operations coming one after another will assist greatly the ground force in controlling the bushfires and forest fires. Furthermore, heavy rain drops dispersed will not cause injury to ground force, and the large water drops sprayed from above can be used to protect them in certain situations. This system can be used to fight fires of large warehouses, housing estates, ships , oil farms, large areas in which aerial application of fire fighting agents are most effective, to complement ground fire fighting means. Also this aerial water diffuser system can be used to apply water-based agents such as fertilizers, nd insecticides in a agent-efficient manner over agricultural lands, or with oil-control agent over large water surface areas of oil spill.