Fighting wildfires

IFFC LLC

IFFC LLC

IFFC LLCIFFC LLC

  steve.shoap@alum.mit.edu    Twitter @steveshoap

Nozzle Connects to Hose or PVC

IFFC has developed a SprayNozzle that can protect homes from EMBERS and RADIANT HEAT. 


One version of the SprayNozzle connects to a fire resistant hose that is deployed on the ground around a home.


Another version of the SprayNozzle connects to PVC which can be permanently attached to the roofline of a house.

Such a  PVC based system would be an EXTREMELY low cost way to protect the roof and the siding of a home.

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SprayHose Protects a Home from Grassfires and embers

 

These inventions are protected by 

US Patents 7,819,345,  7,942,350 and 9,561,393, and Canadian patents 2,693,158, and 2,891,833.


The figure above shows a home being protected by a wall of water created by the new SprayHose.



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200 foot SprayHose



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200 foot SprayHose spraying 300 gpm @70 PSI



video of 200 ft spray

irrigation sprinklers vs. SprayHose for protecting a home

Today, the most commonly used devices to protect homes from wildfires are irrigation sprinklers.They are expensive and take a long time to deploy.


The SprayHose is much lower in cost and deploys more quickly.


Unlike sprinklers, the SprayHose has no moving parts which can be damaged during deployment.


The spray nozzle can send water straight up.

Sprinklers cannot do that.





MUST SEE VIDEO BELOW!!!!!

Fire Resistant Hose

The photo above shows the HFX hose from All American Hose.

A propane torch burns at over 3000 degrees F.

After 1 minute of flame exposure the top layer of the spray nozzle was badly burned.. The right side of the burned section was cut with a knife to see the damage to the PVC underneath. Note that the printing on the PVC is only slightly affected. 

The hose is extemely flame resistant.

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Pump Information

The pump shown above can supply water to 50 feet SprayHose.

Longer hoses will require larger pumps.


An Australian company sells a diesel powered pump that can be started via a cell phone app. This allows a homeowner to evacuate when a fire is coming, and then start the pump spraying when the fire arrives. Firefighters in planes, or drones can broadcast where the fire is located in real time. The homeowner can turn on the spray when to fire is reported to be near the home.


It is also possible to use an Infrared Detector to start the pump when the fire comes near the house.

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Water Supply Information

The SprayHose requires much more water than a household garden faucet can supply.

The water tank shown above can supply the needed water at low cost.

 A typical single spray nozzle can deliver 15 gallons per minute of water.


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