In East Palestine, Ohio, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed on Feb. 3, and five trains containing vinyl chloride and other chemicals leaked, causing the spread of toxic vinyl chloride gas.
Figure 1 Vinyl Chloride Leakage
After the accident, the local government conducted an assessment and adopted a “controlled incineration” method to deal with it. Thick black smoke appeared at the scene, which further aggravated the panic of the local people about the danger of the accident.
Figure 2 Release of toxic chemicals from derailed tanker cars in Ohio begins
What is vinyl chloride?
Vinyl chloride is a very important basic chemical raw material, and its main use is to produce polyvinyl chloride resin.
Figure 3 Polyvinyl chloride
There are many production routes for vinyl chloride, such as the acetylene method, which uses the addition of acetylene and hydrogen chloride. It is an integral part of the chlor-alkali industry and often appears in high school examination questions. In the United States, the mainstream method is the ethylene method. Ethylene is first added to chlorine to obtain dichloroethane, and then the dichloroethane is dehydrochlorinated to obtain vinyl chloride.
Therefore, vinyl chloride is not a rare chemical reagent, but a substance that is widely used and mature in industry, and the research on it has been quite abundant.
Figure 4 Vinyl chloride molecular formula
However, Vinyl chloride is flammable and explosive when the concentration exceeds a certain critical value. Taking this into consideration, the handling of this accident was to ignite vinyl chloride and burn the vinyl chloride under controllable conditions.
Figure 5 Ignite vinyl chloride
After the vinyl chloride was ignited, the fire was very rapid. Due to the existence of these harmful substances and other items that might be carried, firefighters did not dare to step forward to put out the fire easily, and fire fighting became a big problem.
Figure 6 Huge flames and smoke after ignited vinyl chloride
According to the Associated Press, some areas have already used unmanned systems to fight the fire. This further reflects the value of fire-fighting robots, and we, Baijirobot, are specialized in the R&D, production and sales of fire-fighting robots. We have the most complete fire-fighting and rescue solutions to make rescue easier and safer.
Figure7 Fire fighting robot-Baijirobot
The following is an introduction about Baijirobot’s firefighting robot. We sincerely hope that more people can understand fire rescue robots, make every rescue safer, and let every brave firefighter return home safely. Home.
Introduction
Firefighting robots are used for firefighting when humans are unable to cool off the fire at any place. Fire is used by humans to do so many things like cooking and enjoying outside sitting beside the fire or it can be used to create a heat source in cold weather.
Sometimes when fire gets out of control we need to put it off we need firefighter robots.
Their importance cannot be forgotten because there are some places where it is very dangerous for humans to go and put out the fire, in these places firefighting robots are used that detect the fire and try to put it out by water or gas.
1. What Is a Firefighting Robot?
Firefighting robots are an important safety tool that is used to put out fires. In these robots, special sensors are used that can identify the presence of fire and alert the operator so that it can be controlled before causing harm.
Normally RF communication technology is used for communication to control these robots. In firefighting robots, sensory technologies like the ones used in cameras are used to detect the fire and water is used to cool off the fire and in some cases foam extinguishing is used.
Figure 8 Fire Fighting Robot climb the slope testing
2. How Does a Firefighting Robot Work?
Firefighting robots are mostly remote controlled and they can detect the fire by sensory detectors easily.
After detecting the signals they transfer the information to the operator by RF communication. Then the operator can spray water through them to extinguish the fire.
These firefighters are sometimes placed at a certain angle or they can even move according to the designs and the controllers.
There are firefighting robots that have sensors that detect fire and it also have codes that tell the robot how to act when certain kind of fire is detected and in this way the, robot can spray water to put out the fire by itself and without using the instructions from an operator.
3. What Are the Various Types of Firefighting Robots?
There are different types of firefighting robots that are used in different types of situations to eliminate the fire.
There are two main types of technologies that are involved in the making of the different types of firefighting robots. These technologies include
a. Remote Controlled Firefighting Robots
There are firefighting robots that use technology which they sense the fire and then alert their operator that is the main person that decides to spray water and put out the fire.
The remote-controlled firefighting robots are sometimes even able to move around and have tires that help them to cover distance too.
b. Artificially Intelligent Firefighting Robot
In the artificially intelligent robots there are different codes that act as a little brain.
In the artificially intelligent firefighting robot when sensory sensors detect the fire they send signals to their artificial brain that has the codes that tell the robot to spray water in the right direction till the fire is cooled off.
Following these two technologies, there are some types of firefighting robots that are:
- Thermite Robot
This high-power firefighting robot can be used to throw 500-gallon water, there are cameras attached to it so that it can be controlled easily by a remote control to cool off the fire.
It was created for wars and military but it can also be used in fires that are on a larger scale like wildfires and industrial fires because they are very dangerous for humans.
Figure 9 Thermite Robot
- Fire OX
This type of firefighting robot is like a vehicle with water storage. It is used to assist in rescuing and eliminating fires. You can control it with a controller from more than 199 miles away.
These vehicles like firefighter robots are responsible for controlling fire and dangerous situations. Fire OX also has a hose for throwing water and water storage, it was previously used by the armed forces for their help.
- Terbine Aided Firefighting Machine
This amazing firefighter robot can remove the obstacles that come in its way due to the presence of a bulldozer cutter. Its size allows it to enter spaces that cannot be accessed with big firefighter robots.
This firefighting robot has a turbine. The turbine in this firefighter robot can help in clearing smoke and eliminating small and larger fires.
- Drone Firefighters
There are many types of drone firefighters that are used in forest fires and blasts in industries for putting out a fire. The drones are also remote-controlled and this way you can control the process of putting the fire out.
The high definition camera’s that are present in the drones help you to see the possible causes of a mishap and the way you are going to extinguish it in the base area.
There are many types of drones that include aerones, Yuneeq,, Zenmuse z30, and Zenmuse.
- Tactical Hazardous Operation Robot (THOR)
THOR was also originally created for the armed forces of the navy so that it can help in areas where it is dangerous for humans. This type of firefighting robot can also open a door and use its hose to spray water on the fire to put it out.
It is basically a remote-controlled firefighting robot that is now also being used to eliminate fires in compartments that are difficult for humans to reach.
Figure 10 Baijirobot’s Firefighting robot in fire station
4. What Are the Components of a Firefighting Robot?
The firefighting robots are like all other machines composed of some important parts and components that act to perform different functions for the proper functioning of firefighter robots.
The important components are:
- Infrared Cameras
These cameras are used to check if any animal alive is living in the burning part of the forest so that it can be saved.
- Sensors
There are different types of sensors that are performing functions to keep firefighters in working these sensors are smoke sensors, flame sensors, and ultrasonic sensors.
- Water Pump
A water pump is another important part of the firefighting robot. It is used to spray water on the fire to stop it from spreading.
- Global System for Cell Phone
It is another important part of a firefighting robot. It is used for controlling the robot and signaling the control room.
- Control Unit or Remote Control
Firefighting robots are used to extinguish the light by the remote or control unit and therefore it is an important part.
- Material of Extinguishing Products
There are extinguishing products that can help put out the fire and these are powder, water, foam, and special liquid.
Figure 11 Firefighting Robot Working
5. What Are the Features of a Firefighting Robot?
The main features of firefighting robots by Baiji robots are high in quality. The features of firefighting robots are:
- The firefighting robots can climb upward
- High power
- It can cross water when in action
- Can move up on slopes
- Adaptable to different types of lands like sand, snow, and tunnels etc
- Remote control option available
- You can customize it the way you want
- The firefighting robot by Baijirobot has a very intelligent design
- Remote control of this robot can work at a distance of 1000 meters
- It can move vertically as up as 63 cm
- It can detect smoke and high temperature that is fire
These are some of the features that are needed for a proper firefighter.
6. What Are the Advantages of a Firefighting Robot?
Firefighting robots are the most important in saving lives and the places where a fire is on. The benefits of firefighting robots are:
You can get a barrier against the fire and yourself when there is a robot present in the middle throwing water and shielding you.
The firefighting robot can save the firefighters from dangerous situations by entering there and extinguishing the fire there so that no human can be harmed.
Some type of firefighter robots can throw almost 500 gallons of water and that can help you extinguish fire in less time than needed to put out the fire by humans.
The firefighter robots are very simple to operate and that is a big advantage because in the fire there is very less time to operate a difficult machine.
There are places where the fire we need to extinguish is dangerous for humans like fire in industries where different chemicals are present to cause burns or breathing problems so it is best to use firefighter robots to save human beings from danger.
There is another case where building where fire is burning is dangerous for human firefighters it can collapse anytime then the best option is to use firefighting robots so that you can save humans.
Figure 12 Firefighting Robot driving in mud
7. What Tasks Can a Firefighting Robot Carry out?
There are some firefighting robots that can destroy the stuff that comes between them and the fire, you can also get firefighting robots with wheels that move that are very helpful in moving around so you don’t have to carry it here and there.
They can spray water to extinguish the fire and different models have different qualities like one can fit in small spaces, one has a large bulldozer, and now there are some models that can even walk.
The firefighting robot can help you by contacting the operating people so that they can provide whole rescue solutions to the firefighters where the robots are working.
The firefighting robot is a thing we can use to increase the efficiency of the process of fire extinguishing making it a speedy process with very less risks.
8. Are Firefighting Robots Autonomous or Remote-Controlled?
Autonomous firefighters robots are the ones that can take the decision of where to turn and how much waters to sprinkle by themselves.
There are models of firefighting robots that have artificial intelligence, so that they can act on their own to put out the fire. The use of autonomous robots is not very practical even in developed nations like America.
The most used technology of firefighting robots is the ones that are remote-controlled. You can get them controlled by an operator so that we can judge how much water is going to be used to put out the fire.
9. What Is the Future of Firefighting Robots?
The future of firefighting robots is very bright and more and more researchers have increased the quality of robots made to help humans extinguish the fire. These qualities of Baijirobots make them the future of firefighting robots.
•Artificial Intelligence firefighting robots (AI Robots)
AI stands for artificial intelligence and this technology in firefighting robots helps in the detection of fire and life in a life-threatening fire. You can use the firefighting robot to check if there is a living being in a fire so that it can be rescued.
The best thing about these robots is that they can detect the source of the fire by their sensory sensors and that helps in extinguishing fire more effectively and quickly.
•Adaptability
The tire design of the firefighting robots can make them adaptable to different terrains like mountains, snow, muddy areas, jungles, tunnels, stairs, trenches, deserts, and petrochemical areas.
This kind of adaptability can help the firefighting robots to be useful in future, because they can save lives in many areas and mover around easily.
•Large load capacity
This feature of Baijirobots can make them a useful gadget for use in future because they can carry large loads of fire extinguishing material that can be water or foam. Both are used to put out fires and cool the place off.
•High power
Firefighting robots with high-power of battery are the future of robots. Lithium batteries can make robots work for long hours. Firefighting robots from Baijirobots can move up to 100 kilometers which makes them highly powered firefighting robots.
10. Will Robots Take The Place Of Firefighters?
Firefighting robots are important in fire fighting but they cannot replace human firefighters. There are many decisions that only humans can take when they are in dangerous situations.
Firefighting robots are helpful for humans and they are controlled by humans to safely put out fire and save lives and infrastructure.
Conclusion
Fire fighting robots are very useful tools in shielding humans from the dangerous situations of fire accidents. These machines are very important and useful in the process of fire extinguishing.
Baijirobot have the best range of firefighting robots that are made according to the recent testing and are proven perfect in putting off fires.
