JP7825541B2 - Fire containment method and fire containment unit - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a fire containment method and fire containment unit that quickly extinguishes and brings a fire to an end in a building or other structure.

When a fire breaks out in a building, it is extinguished by spraying a fire extinguishing agent onto the building. Fire extinguishers, sprinklers, and fire engines can also be used to spray fire extinguishing agent. However, when extinguishing a fire by spraying fire extinguishing agent onto a building, it is difficult to concentrate the spray on the source of the fire, and the agent may also get into areas where the fire is not occurring, resulting in greater damage to the building. Therefore, for example, the fire prevention and extinguishing equipment described in Patent Document 1 creates a temporary three-dimensional space around the building using a prefabricated frame and fire-resistant fabric, and extinguishes the fire by releasing nitrogen gas into the space to reduce the oxygen concentration.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-13478

The fire prevention and extinguishing equipment in Patent Document 1 creates a temporary three-dimensional space around a building using a prefabricated frame and fire-resistant fabric. This poses the problem of taking a long time to create the three-dimensional space, which delays the start of fire extinguishing in the building.

The present disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a fire containment method and fire containment unit that enable fires to be contained quickly.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the disclosed fire containment method includes the steps of arranging entrance and exit tunnels and exhaust tunnels around the fire site, forming a space by covering the fire site with a non-combustible sheet, connecting the space to the outside using the entrance and exit tunnels, connecting the space to the outside using the exhaust tunnels, and supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space.

The fire containment unit disclosed herein also includes a non-combustible sheet that can form a space by covering the fire site, an entrance/exit tunnel that connects the space to the outside and allows various equipment to move between the outside and the space, an exhaust tunnel that connects the space to the outside and can exhaust gas from the space to the outside, and a fire extinguishing agent supply device that can supply a fire extinguishing agent to the space.

The fire containment method and fire containment unit disclosed herein enable fires to be contained quickly.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fire extinguishing unit according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a fire containment unit. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the fire containment method of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fire containment method. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fire containment method. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a fire containment method.

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and when there are multiple embodiments, they also include configurations that combine the various embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments include those that would be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially identical, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range.

<Fire containment unit>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fire extinguishing unit according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the fire extinguishing unit.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fire containment unit 10 quickly brings a fire in a building 101 to an end when the fire breaks out in the building 101. In this case, the fire site is the building 101 where the fire broke out. However, the fire site is not limited to the building 101, but may also be a vehicle, aircraft, ship, forest, etc.

The fire containment unit 10 comprises a non-combustible sheet 11, an entrance/exit tunnel 12, an exhaust tunnel 13, and a fire extinguishing agent supply device 14.

The non-combustible sheet 11 is a sheet made of a non-combustible membrane material (such as glass fiber) that will not burn and maintain airtightness for a certain period of time. The non-combustible sheet 11 is cylindrical in shape, with an open bottom and a closed top. That is, the non-combustible sheet 11 has sides 11a and a ceiling 11b, with an opening 11c formed at the bottom. However, the non-combustible sheet 11 is not limited to this shape. For example, the non-combustible sheet 11 may be a rectangular or triangular sheet with an open bottom, or it may be a simple flat sheet or a spherical sheet with an open bottom.

The non-combustible sheet 11 covers the building 101 where the fire has occurred from above, forming a space 102 between the non-combustible sheet 11 and the building 101. The non-combustible sheet 11 can be lifted and transported by multiple transport drones (unmanned transport aerial vehicles) 21 and can be installed in a predetermined location. The transport drones 21 lift the non-combustible sheet 11 using a hoisting device 11d attached to the top of the non-combustible sheet 11. For example, the non-combustible sheet 11 is transported in a folded state by a vehicle (not shown) to the vicinity of the building 101. A worker unfolds the folded non-combustible sheet 11 and connects it to the transport drone 21 via the hoisting device 11d.

The worker operates multiple transport drones 21, and by flying the multiple transport drones 21, raises and hoists the non-combustible sheet 11. The worker flies the multiple transport drones 21 to move the non-combustible sheet 11 above the building 101. Here, the worker lowers the multiple transport drones 21 to lower the non-combustible sheet 11, places the building 101 inside the non-combustible sheet 11 through the opening 11c, and covers the building 101 with the non-combustible sheet 11.

Note that the movement of the non-combustible sheet 11 is not limited to the transport drone 21. For example, the non-combustible sheet 11 may be lifted and transported by a crane and then installed in a predetermined location.

The multiple transport drones 21 hover at a predetermined height, maintaining the cylindrical shape of the non-combustible sheet 11. At this time, the lower part of the non-combustible sheet 11 is grounded to the ground 103. As a result, a space 102 is formed between the non-combustible sheet 11, the building 101, and the ground 103. In this case, weights may be attached to the lower part of the entire periphery of the non-combustible sheet 11 so that the lower part is grounded to the ground 103 without any gaps. The lower part of the non-combustible sheet 11 may also be fixed to the ground 103 with a fixture or the like.

The entrance/exit tunnel 12 connects the outside of the non-combustible sheet 11 with the space 102 inside the non-combustible sheet 11. The entrance/exit tunnel 12 is installed on the ground 103 to form a passage 12a with a semicircular cross-section. However, the passage 12a is not limited to this shape. Various equipment can be moved between the outside of the non-combustible sheet 11 and the space 102 via the entrance/exit tunnel 12. The entrance/exit tunnel 12 is placed on the ground 103 around the building 101 in advance. When the non-combustible sheet 11 is lowered and its lower part comes into contact with the upper part of the entrance/exit tunnel 12, there is no gap between the lower part of the non-combustible sheet 11 and the entrance/exit tunnel 12. In addition, the entrance/exit tunnel 12 has an opening/closing door 12b on the exterior side of the passage 12a. When the opening/closing door 12b is opened, the entrance/exit tunnel 12 connects the outside of the non-combustible sheet 11 with the space 102. On the other hand, the entrance/exit tunnel 12 has a sealed space 102 that can be sealed by closing the opening/closing door 12b.

The exhaust tunnel 13 connects the space 102 inside the non-combustible sheet 11 to the outside of the sheet. The exhaust tunnel 13 is installed on the ground 103 to form a passage 13a with a semicircular cross-section. However, the passage 13a is not limited to this shape. The exhaust tunnel 13 is capable of discharging gas (air) from the space 102 to the outside. The exhaust tunnel 13 is placed on the ground 103 around the building 101 in advance. The non-combustible sheet 11 is lowered so that its lower part comes into contact with the upper part of the exhaust tunnel 13, eliminating the gap between the lower part of the non-combustible sheet 11 and the exhaust tunnel 13. The exhaust tunnel 13 also has an opening/closing door 13b on the exterior side of the passage 13a. By opening the opening/closing door 13b, the exhaust tunnel 13 connects the space 102 to the outside of the non-combustible sheet 11. Meanwhile, the space 102 of the discharge tunnel 13 is sealed by closing the opening/closing door 13b. However, the opening/closing door 13b may also be a door equipped with a check valve that can discharge gas (air) from the space 102 to the outside.

The fire extinguishing agent supply device 14 is capable of supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space 102 inside the non-combustible sheet 11. In this embodiment, the fire extinguishing agent is preferably an inert gas, but it may also be water, a reinforced liquid, foam, etc. Examples of inert gases that can be used include nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, but a mixture of two or more gases may also be used, such as inergen gas (a mixture of nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, and argon).

The fire extinguishant supply device 14 is a fire extinguishant cylinder filled with fire extinguishant. A transport robot (unmanned transport vehicle) 22 can carry the fire extinguishant supply device (fire extinguishant cylinder) 14. A worker can operate the transport robot 22 to move and transport the fire extinguishant supply device 14. After the non-combustible sheet 11 and entrance/exit tunnel 12 are installed, the transport robot 22 carrying the fire extinguishant supply device 14 can move from outside the non-combustible sheet 11 through the entrance/exit tunnel 12 to the space 102. Then, a worker can operate the transport robot 22 to open the fire extinguishant cylinder serving as the fire extinguishant supply device 14 and supply nitrogen gas to the space 102. However, the transport robot 22 carrying the fire extinguishant supply device 14 may also be moved to a position that will become the space 102 before the non-combustible sheet 11 is installed.

The extinguishing agent supply device 14 is not limited to an extinguishing agent cylinder. The extinguishing agent supply device 14 may also be composed of an extinguishing agent cylinder, a supply hose, and an on-off valve. The extinguishing agent cylinder is placed outside the non-combustible sheet 11, and the tip of the supply hose connected to the extinguishing agent cylinder is placed in the entrance/exit tunnel 12. Then, by opening the on-off valve, the extinguishing agent in the extinguishing agent cylinder can be supplied from the supply hose through the entrance/exit tunnel 12 to the space 102.

The exhaust tunnel 13 is also equipped with a suction device 15. The suction device 15 exhausts gas from the space 102 to the outside through the exhaust tunnel 13. The suction device 15 includes a vacuum pump 23 and an exhaust hose 24. The vacuum pump 23 is installed on the outside side of the exhaust tunnel 13. The exhaust hose 24 is connected to the vacuum pump 23, and its other end is connected to the exhaust tunnel 13. When the vacuum pump 23 is operated, a suction force acts on the space 102 through the exhaust hose 24, allowing gases such as air in the space to be exhausted to the outside. A filter may be installed in the system including the vacuum pump 23 to remove smoke and other contaminants contained in the gas exhausted.

The surveillance drone (unmanned surveillance aircraft) 25 is equipped with monitoring equipment 26. The monitoring equipment 26 may include, for example, a camera 27, an oxygen concentration sensor 28, and a temperature sensor 29. A worker can remotely control the surveillance drone 25 to fly it. However, the surveillance drone 25 may also be automatically operated according to a set program. After the non-combustible sheet 11 and the entrance/exit tunnel 12 are installed, the surveillance drone 25 can move from outside the non-combustible sheet 11 through the entrance/exit tunnel 12 to the space 102. The worker can then operate the monitoring equipment 26 by operating the surveillance drone 25. However, the operation of the monitoring equipment 26 may also be automatically operated according to a set program. At this time, the camera 27 photographs the fire situation in the building 101 in the space 102, the oxygen concentration sensor 28 measures the oxygen concentration in the space 102, and the temperature sensor 29 measures the temperature in the space 102. The monitoring device 26 transmits to the outside information such as the captured image (or video) of the space 102, the oxygen concentration in the space 102, and the temperature of the space 102.

The control unit 31 is located near the building 101, outside the fire-retardant sheet 11. The control unit 31 is connected to an operation unit 32 and a display unit 33. The control unit 31 also receives information from the monitoring equipment 26, such as the camera 27, oxygen concentration sensor 28, and temperature sensor 29. In this case, the control unit 31 and the monitoring equipment 26 are equipped with a communication device (not shown) that wirelessly transmits and receives various information (signals).

The control unit 31 is a controller, and is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit) executing various programs stored in the memory unit using RAM as a work area. The operation unit 32 can be operated by an operator. When operated by an operator, the operation unit 32 can input various command signals to the control unit 31. The operation unit 32 is, for example, a keyboard or a touch-type display. The display unit 33 displays the contents processed by the control unit. The display unit 33 is, for example, a monitor. The control unit 31, operation unit 32, and display unit 33 may be integrated or may be separate entities. However, a series of operations or part of the operations may be automated according to a set program.

The control unit 31 receives an image of the space 102 (building 101) captured by the camera 27 and displays it on the display unit 33. The control unit 31 receives the oxygen concentration of the space 102 measured by the oxygen concentration sensor 28. The control unit 31 adjusts and controls the amount or type of extinguishing agent supplied by the extinguishing agent supply device 14 based on the oxygen concentration of the space 102. In the specific explanation below, the control unit 31 is described as adjusting and controlling the amount of extinguishing agent supplied by the extinguishing agent supply device 14 based on the oxygen concentration of the space 102. When the space 102 is occupied, the control unit 31 adjusts the amount of nitrogen gas supplied from the extinguishing agent supply device 14 to the space 102 so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is in the range of 12% to 15%, in order to extinguish the fire while ensuring human life. However, the range of oxygen concentration in the space 102 may be changed slightly (e.g., 13% to 15%). Furthermore, when the space 102 is unoccupied, the control unit 31 adjusts the amount of extinguishing agent supplied from the extinguishing agent supply device 14 to the space 102 so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less. The oxygen concentration was set at 15% because the limiting oxygen index is approximately 16.5%, so 15% was set to be on the safe side of approximately 16.5%. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) is the minimum concentration of oxygen required for polymer combustion, expressed as a percentage.

Generally, the oxygen concentration in the air is usually around 21%, with 18% being the generally safe lower limit for the human body. When the oxygen concentration falls below 16%, breathing and pulse rates increase, and headaches and nausea occur. When the oxygen concentration falls below 12%, dizziness and nausea occur, and when the oxygen concentration falls below 10%, the person turns pale, loses consciousness, and vomits. When the oxygen concentration falls below 8%, the person faints and dies within seven to eight minutes. When the oxygen concentration falls below 8%, the person instantly collapses, stops breathing, experiences convulsions, and dies within six minutes.

Therefore, if the space 102 is occupied, the control unit 31 adjusts the amount of nitrogen gas supplied so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is in the range of 12% to 15%, and if the space 102 is unoccupied, the control unit 31 adjusts the amount of fire extinguishing agent supplied so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less. Here, the determination of whether the space 102 is occupied is made from information obtained when a fire breaks out in the building 101, or from images captured by a camera 27 attached to the surveillance drone 25, audio from a sound collector (microphone), etc.

The control unit 31 receives the temperature of the space 102 measured by the temperature sensor 29. The control unit 31 determines whether the fire in the building 101 has been extinguished, i.e., whether the fire has been contained, based on the temperature of the space 102, etc. When the control unit 31 determines that the fire in the building 101 in the space 102 has been contained, it stops the supply of extinguishing agent from the extinguishing agent supply device 14 to the space 102. In this case, to prevent the fire from re-igniting, it is preferable to stop the supply of extinguishing agent a predetermined time after determining that the fire has been contained.

<Fire containment methods>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the fire containment method of this embodiment, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are schematic diagrams for explaining the fire containment method.

As shown in Figure 1, the fire containment method includes the steps of placing entrance and exit tunnels 12 and exhaust tunnels 13 around a building 101 where the fire occurred, forming a space 102 by covering the building 101 with a non-combustible sheet 11, connecting the space 102 to the outside using the entrance and exit tunnels 12, connecting the space 102 to the outside using the exhaust tunnels 13, and supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space 102.

A fire containment method using the fire containment unit 10 will now be described in detail. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when a fire 104 breaks out in a building 101 in step S11, it is checked in step S12 whether there are any people (survivors) inside or near the building 101. It is desirable to check the presence or absence of people in the building 101 by taking into consideration information from residents of the building 101 and people in the neighborhood. However, it is also possible to fly a surveillance drone 25, have the surveillance drone 25 enter the building 101, and make a judgment based on images captured by a camera 27 attached to the surveillance drone 25.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, in step S13, entrance and exit tunnels 12 are placed around the building 101, and in step S14, exhaust tunnels 13 are placed around the building 101. At this time, a suction device 15 is placed in the exhaust tunnel 13. Note that it is preferable that the entrance and exit tunnels 12 and the exhaust tunnel 13 are located at a distance from each other. Then, in step S15, a non-combustible sheet 11 is prepared, multiple transport drones 21 are connected to the non-combustible sheet 11, the multiple transport drones 21 are flown, and the multiple transport drones 21 raise and lift the non-combustible sheet 11. The multiple transport drones 21 then move the non-combustible sheet 11 above the building 101, and the non-combustible sheet 11 is lowered to cover the building 101 with the non-combustible sheet 11.

As shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the non-combustible sheet 11 then lands on the ground 103, forming a space 102 between the non-combustible sheet 11 and the building 101. The entrance/exit tunnel 12 connects the space 102 to the outside, and the discharge tunnel 13 connects the space 102 to the outside.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, in step S16, the transport robot 22 equipped with the fire extinguishing agent supply device 14 is operated, and the transport robot 22 enters the interior of the non-combustible sheet 11 from the entrance/exit tunnel 12, and transports the fire extinguishing agent supply device 14 to the space 102. However, the transport robot 22 equipped with the fire extinguishing agent supply device 14 may be moved to a position that will become the space 102 before the non-combustible sheet 11 is installed. In step S17, the monitoring drone 25 equipped with the monitoring device 26 is flown, and the monitoring drone 25 enters the interior of the non-combustible sheet 11 from the entrance/exit tunnel 12, and transports the monitoring device 26 to the space 102. Then, the opening/closing door 12b of the entrance/exit tunnel 12 is closed. However, the monitoring drone 25 may be moved to a position that will become the space 102 before the non-combustible sheet 11 is installed. Furthermore, the monitoring device 26 need not be provided.

In step S18, the transport robot 22 opens the extinguishing agent cylinder serving as the extinguishing agent supply device 14 and supplies the extinguishing agent to the space 102. Simultaneously, in step S19, the suction device 15 is activated to discharge the gas in the space 102 to the outside. However, this step may be omitted depending on the installation and operation status of the suction device 15. In step S20, the control unit 31 determines whether or not there is an occupant inside the space 102 (building 101). Here, if the control unit 31 determines that there is an occupant inside the space 102 (building 101) (Yes), then in step S21, the control unit 31 sets the oxygen concentration setting value for the space 102 to a range of 12% to 15%. On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that there is no occupant inside the space 102 (building 101) (No), then in step S22, the control unit 31 sets the oxygen concentration setting value for the space 102 to 15% or less.

In step S23, the oxygen concentration sensor 28 in the monitoring device 26 measures the oxygen concentration in the space 102 and outputs the result to the control unit 31. In step S24, the control unit 31 adjusts the amount of extinguishing agent supplied by the extinguishing agent supply device 14 based on the oxygen concentration in the space 102. That is, when the space 102 is occupied, the amount of extinguishing agent supplied is adjusted so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is in the range of 12% to 15%. On the other hand, when the space 102 is unoccupied, the amount of nitrogen gas supplied is adjusted so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less. However, even when the space 102 is occupied, once rescue is completed, the amount of extinguishing agent supplied is adjusted so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less. Note that rescue operations are the highest priority and are therefore carried out at any time when operations are possible, regardless of the flowchart shown in Figure 3.

In the space 102 formed by the non-combustible sheet 11, the oxygen concentration decreases due to the fire extinguishing agent supplied by the fire extinguishing agent supply device 14. The oxygen concentration also decreases due to combustion associated with the fire. When the oxygen concentration decreases below approximately 15%, it reaches the flammability limit of the fire 104, and combustion is suppressed and the fire is extinguished. If the space 102 is occupied, maintaining the oxygen concentration in the space 102 in the range of 12% to 15% reduces health damage to people remaining in the space 102. On the other hand, if the space 102 is unoccupied, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 drops below 15%, allowing the fire 104 in the building 101 to be contained quickly.

In step S25, the temperature sensor 29 in the monitoring device 26 measures the temperature of the building 101 (space 102) and outputs the result to the control unit 31. In step S26, the control unit 31 determines whether to extinguish the fire 104 based on the temperature of the building 101 (space 102), etc. In other words, the control unit 31 determines that the building 101 is still on fire by determining (No) that the temperature of the building 101 is higher than the preset extinguishing temperature, and returns to step S20 to continue processing. Also, if rescue from the space 102 has not been completed and there are still people present, the control unit 31 returns to step S20 to continue processing.

On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that the fire in the building 101 has been extinguished (Yes) and rescue is complete, in step S27, it stops the supply of extinguishing agent by the extinguishing agent supply device 14. In addition, in step S28, it stops the exhaust of gas from the space 102 by the suction device 15. Then, in step S29, it clears away various pieces of equipment, such as the non-combustible sheet 11, entrance/exit tunnel 12, exhaust tunnel 13, extinguishing agent supply device 14, and suction device 15.

[Effects of this embodiment]
The fire containment method according to the first aspect includes the steps of arranging entrance/exit tunnels 12 and exhaust tunnels 13 around a building 101 where the fire occurred, forming a space 102 by covering the building 101 with a non-combustible sheet 11, connecting the space 102 to the outside using the entrance/exit tunnels 12, connecting the space 102 to the outside using the exhaust tunnels 13, and supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space 102.

According to the fire extinguishing method of the first aspect, a space 102 is formed by covering a building 101 with a non-combustible sheet 11, various equipment is carried into the space 102 using an entrance/exit tunnel 12, and a fire extinguishing agent is supplied to the space 102, while the gas in the space 102 is exhausted through an exhaust tunnel 13. As a result, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 decreases, and the fire 104 in the building 101 is quickly extinguished. As a result, the fire 104 in the building 101 can be quickly extinguished.

The fire extinguishing method according to the second aspect is the fire extinguishing method according to the first aspect, and further comprises adjusting the amount of extinguishing agent supplied so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is in the range of 12% to 15% when the space 102 is occupied, and adjusting the amount of extinguishing agent supplied so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less when the space 102 is unoccupied. As a result, when the space 102 is occupied, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is maintained in the range of 12% to 15%, thereby minimizing health damage to people remaining in the space 102, while when the space 102 is unoccupied, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is kept at 15% or less, allowing the fire 104 in the building 101 to be extinguished quickly.

The fire containment method according to the third aspect is the fire containment method according to the second aspect, and further comprises the step of sucking the gas in the space 102 to the outside through the exhaust tunnel 13 when supplying the fire extinguishing agent to the space 102. This allows the oxygen concentration in the space 102 to be quickly reduced to an appropriate value.

The fire containment method according to the fourth aspect is a fire containment method according to any one of the first to third aspects, and further comprises transporting a non-combustible sheet 11 using a transport drone (unmanned transport aerial vehicle) 21 to cover the building 101, thereby forming a space 102. This eliminates the need to prepare and install large heavy machinery to transport the non-combustible sheet 11 or cover the building 101, thereby reducing work costs and time required for the work.

The fire containment method according to the fifth aspect is a fire containment method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and further comprises a non-combustible sheet 11 having a cylindrical shape with an open bottom and a closed top. This allows the non-combustible sheet 11 to efficiently cover the building 101. However, the non-combustible sheet 11 is not limited to this shape.

The fire containment method according to the sixth aspect is a fire containment method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and further comprises a transport robot (unmanned transport vehicle) 22 carrying a fire extinguishant cylinder, moving from the outside to the space 102 via the entrance/exit tunnel 12, and opening the fire extinguishant cylinder to supply the fire extinguishant to the space 102. This eliminates the need for large equipment such as a fire engine to supply the fire extinguishant to the space 102, thereby reducing operating costs.

The fire extinguishing method according to the seventh aspect is a fire extinguishing method according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising: a monitoring drone (unmanned aerial vehicle for surveillance) 25 equipped with an oxygen concentration sensor 28; the drone moves from the outside to the space 102 via the entrance/exit tunnel 12; the oxygen concentration sensor 28 measures the oxygen concentration in the space 102 and transmits the results to the outside; this allows environmental information about dangerous areas that are off-limits to humans to be obtained from the outside, thereby improving work efficiency.

The fire containment unit of the eighth aspect comprises a non-combustible sheet 11 capable of forming a space 102 by covering a building 101, which is the site of a fire outbreak; an entrance/exit tunnel 12 that connects the space 102 to the outside and allows various equipment to move between the outside and the space 102; an exhaust tunnel 13 that connects the space 102 to the outside and allows gas in the space 102 to be exhausted to the outside; and a fire extinguishing agent supply device 14 that can supply a fire extinguishing agent to the space 102. As a result, the space 102 is formed by covering the building 101 with the non-combustible sheet 11, various equipment is carried into the space 102 using the entrance/exit tunnel 12, and fire extinguishing agent is supplied to the space 102, while the gas in the space 102 is exhausted from the exhaust tunnel 13. Therefore, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 decreases, allowing the fire 104 in the building 101 to be extinguished quickly. As a result, the fire 104 in the building 101 can be contained quickly.

In the fire containment unit of the eighth aspect, a space 102 is formed by covering a building 101 with a non-combustible sheet 11, various equipment is carried into the space 102 using an entrance/exit tunnel 12, a fire extinguishing agent is supplied to the space 102 by a fire extinguishing agent supply device 14, and gas in the space 102 is exhausted through an exhaust tunnel 13. As a result, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 decreases, allowing the fire 104 in the building 101 to be extinguished quickly. As a result, the fire 104 in the building 101 can be contained quickly.

The fire extinguishing unit of the ninth aspect is the fire extinguishing unit of the eighth aspect, further comprising an oxygen concentration sensor 28 that measures the oxygen concentration in the space 102 and a control unit 31 that adjusts and controls the amount of extinguishing agent supplied by the extinguishing agent supply device 14 based on the oxygen concentration in the space 102. When the space 102 is occupied, the control unit 31 controls the extinguishing agent supply device 14 so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is in the range of 12% to 15%, and when the space 102 is unoccupied, controls the extinguishing agent supply device 14 so that the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is 15% or less. As a result, when the space 102 is occupied, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is maintained in the range of 12% to 15%, thereby minimizing health damage to people remaining in the space 102. Meanwhile, when the space 102 is unoccupied, the oxygen concentration in the space 102 is kept at 15% or less, allowing the fire 104 in the building 101 to be extinguished quickly.

The fire containment unit according to the tenth aspect is the fire containment unit according to the eighth or ninth aspect, and further includes a suction device 15 that exhausts gas from the space 102 to the outside through an exhaust tunnel 13. This allows the oxygen concentration in the space 102 to be quickly reduced to an appropriate value.

10 Fire containment unit 11 Non-combustible sheet 12 Entrance/exit tunnel 13 Discharge tunnel 14 Fire extinguishing agent supply device 15 Suction device 21 Transport drone (transport unmanned aerial vehicle)
22. Transport robot (unmanned transport vehicle)
23 Vacuum pump 24 Discharge hose 25 Surveillance drone (surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle)
26 Monitoring equipment 27 Camera 28 Oxygen concentration sensor 29 Temperature sensor 31 Control unit 32 Operation unit 33 Display unit 101 Building 102 Space 103 Ground 104 Fire

Claims (8)

A fire containment method for covering and extinguishing a fire site, comprising:
a step of arranging an entrance tunnel for carrying a fire extinguishing agent supply device into the covered space and an exhaust tunnel for exhausting gas from the space around the fire site;
a step of lifting a cylindrical non-combustible sheet with a roof by a transport unmanned aerial vehicle or a crane and transporting it to the fire site;
a process of lowering the non-combustible sheet using the transport unmanned aerial vehicle or the crane to land the lower part on the ground and maintaining the cylindrical shape of the non-combustible sheet to cover the fire site with the non-combustible sheet and form a space , thereby connecting the outside to the space through the entrance/exit tunnel and connecting the space to the outside through the discharge tunnel;
supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space using the fire extinguishing agent supply device carried in through the entrance tunnel;
A fire containment method comprising: controlling the amount of extinguishant supplied by the extinguishant supply device so that the oxygen concentration in the space is in the range of 12% to 15% when the space is occupied, and so that the oxygen concentration in the space is 15% or less when the space is unoccupied;
A fire containment method according to claim 1. When supplying the fire extinguishing agent to the space, the gas in the space is discharged to the outside through the discharge tunnel by a suction device.
The fire containment method according to claim 2. the fire extinguishant supply device is an unmanned transport vehicle equipped with a fire extinguishant cylinder, moves from the outside to the space through the entrance/exit tunnel, and opens the fire extinguishant cylinder to supply the fire extinguishant to the space.
A fire containment method according to claim 1. An oxygen concentration sensor is attached to a monitoring unmanned aerial vehicle, which moves from the outside to the space through the entrance/exit tunnel, measures the oxygen concentration in the space using the oxygen concentration sensor, and transmits the measured oxygen concentration to the outside.
A fire containment method according to claim 1. A cylindrical non-combustible sheet with a roof that can form a space by covering the fire site;
a transport unmanned aerial vehicle or a crane for lifting the non-combustible sheet and transporting it to the fire site, and for lowering the non-combustible sheet so that its lower part lands on the ground, thereby maintaining the cylindrical shape of the non-combustible sheet ;
a fire extinguishing agent supply device for supplying a fire extinguishing agent to the space;
an entrance tunnel for carrying the fire extinguishing agent supply device into the space from the outside;
an exhaust tunnel for exhausting gas from the space to the outside;
A fire containment unit equipped with: The fire extinguisher further includes an oxygen concentration sensor that measures the oxygen concentration in the space, and a control unit that adjusts and controls the amount of fire extinguishant supplied by the fire extinguisher supply device based on the oxygen concentration in the space, wherein the control unit controls the amount of fire extinguisher supplied by the fire extinguisher supply device so that the oxygen concentration in the space is in the range of 12% to 15% when the space is occupied, and so that the oxygen concentration in the space is 15% or less when the space is unoccupied.
7. The fire containment unit of claim 6 . Further provided is a suction device for discharging the gas in the space to the outside through the discharge tunnel.
8. A fire containment unit according to claim 6 or claim 7 .