1. Material Requisition for an Autonomous Robotic Fire
Suppression System for Weather Decks
System Overview:
General System Description
The specifications herein are for a fully autonomous robotic fire suppression system for the fire
protection of an open vehicle weather deck. The system’s fixed fire detection system and robotic
nozzle (monitor) shall meet or exceed the requirements of the applicable SOLAS and the Fire Safety
Systems Code.
The system shall be capable of rapid and accurate fire detection and targeted fire suppression by
means of a two-inch
(
2”) robotic nozzle or fire water monitor without any human intervention
required. The system shall also be capable of being remote controlled by a human operator at any
time, regardless of whether autonomous suppression has been initiated.
Further details of the system are described below.
System Capabilities
The system shall be capable of autonomously:
• rapidly detecting up to 4 fires simultaneously; and
• accurately determining the fire’s (or fires’) position(s); and
• Opening the system’s valve and commencing fire suppression within 30 seconds from the time
a fire is detected; and
• if more than one fire is detected, suppressing the fires in the order in which they are detected;
and
• dynamically aiming the robotic nozzle so as to contain and suppress the detected fire(s) and its
immediate surroundings; and
• closing the system’s valve and stowing the robotic nozzle after a programmable amount of time
after the fire is no longer detected, but continuing to detect for fires and reacting if a new fire is
detected; and
• allowing a human operator to take over control at any time by means of one or more remote
control device.
Fire detection shall be achieved by means of one or more fire detectors, each of which can provide
reasonably accurate information about the location of the fire(s). The system shall be modular and
designed to maximise ease of installation. The system shall have been tested and have a low rate of
false alarms.
Minimum Technical Specifications:
Flame Detection System:
The flame detection system shall be comprised of one or more triple-IR
(
3IR
)
flame detectors with the
following features and capabilities:
• The detectors shall meet or exceed the requirements of SOLAS Chapter II
-
2 Part G, Regulation
20, paragraph 4.1.4; and
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2. • each flame detector shall be capable of detecting and locating the position of up to four
(
4
)
fires simultaneously within its field of view on a coordinate system; and
• have a very low rate of false alarms; and
• have a detection range of at least 50 meters; and
• have a stainless steel housing; and
• be appropriate for long-term operation under the harsh environment of an open weather deck;
and
• have industry-recognized third-party approvals.
Robotic Nozzle
(
Remote Control Fire Monitor) Specifications
The system’s robotic nozzle (aka fire monitor) shall meet the following minimum specifications:
• The robotic nozzle (fire monitor) shall meet or exceed the minimum requirements of described
in SOLAS Chapter II
-
2, Part G, Regulation 20, Paragraph 6.2 and FSS Code Chapter 7 Paragraph
2.5.2
• be capable of operating effectively at a flow of 1250 liters per minute at 5 bars of pressures,
with a maximum operating flow of 2000 liters per minute at 10 bars of pressure;
• the chassis shall be made of stainless steel 316L and shall be modular for easy replacement of
all major components and pipe sections;
• the robotic nozzle shall have fully enclosed, electric, 24 Volt brushless DC
(
BLDC
)
motors for
controlling its horizontal rotation and vertical movements;
• shall have a maximum horizontal range of movement of not less than 360º, and a maximum
vertical range of movement of not less than 180º, which ranges can be adjusted and set via the
system’s software and calibration process;
• shall have an adjustable jet/fog firefighting nozzle tip with an integrated 24 Volt brushless DC
(
BLDC
)
motor, and have an adjustable spray angle from straight stream to a full fog/cone spray;
• shall have fully integrated and enclosed worm gears;
• shall require minimal maintenance and not require re-greasing;
• shall be of high quality, CE marked, and manufactured at ISO certified facilities.
Electronics & Software Capabilities
The system’s electronics and software
(
PLC
)
shall meet the following minimum requirements. The
flame detectors shall:
• be contained in an IP66 enclosure; and
• be capable of taking in signals from one or more flame detectors, including the fire’s
coordinates; and
• when two or more detectors are used, be capable of triangulating the three-dimensional size
and location of the fire (or fires); and
• be able of processing up to four fires simultaneously; and
• be capable of controlling a valve for automatic opening during a fire, and closing automatically
after programmable delay from the time fire is no longer detected; and
• be capable of autonomously and accurately aiming the robotic nozzle so as to effectively
contain and suppress the fire(s); and
• be capable of allowing for remote control from one or more remote control devices and/or
computers; and
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3. • be capable of self-testing and providing the status of the system’s components; and
• have the ability to perform system setup, calibration, view system status information and
perform remote technical support and software updates by means of a user-friendly Graphical
User Interface
(
GUI
)
; and
• shall have been tested to EMCD 2014/30/EU.
Remote Control Devices & Capabilities
The system shall be supplied with the following remote control devices:
• a tethered CANbus joystick that can be placed up to 200 meters away from the robotic nozzle’s
PLC; and
• a wireless remote control device; and
• an interface allowing the robotic nozzle to be controlled from a computer located in a safe
position of up to 200 meters.
Each remote control device shall have be capable of:
• turning the system on and off; and
• simultaneously controlling the robotic nozzle’s movements horizontally and vertically; and
• varying the velocity of the robotic nozzle’s movements, both horizontally and vertically, from
very slow to rapid movement; and
• the ability to change the nozzle tip’s spray pattern from a jet stream to a full fog/cone pattern,
and everything in between; and
• the ability to dynamically record a sequence and play it back on demand; and
• the ability to send a signal to the system’s valve to open and close the valve; and
• the ability to program a stow position and place the robotic nozzle into the stow position after
use.
[
End of Document.]
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