FireOut

What it does

FireOut is a system designed with an aim to control wildfires in regions suffering from recurring outbreaks to protect life and land by adopting environment-friendly techniques.

Your inspiration

The journey began as a coursework for B49CB Business Awareness, Safety and Sustainability which was affiliated to EWB UK and Ireland. Upon research, we found that the area suffers from bushfires in the dry season and receives a large amount of rainfall in the wet season. Therefore, we thought of storing rainwater in the wet season to use it for controlling bushfires in the dry season by developing an appropriate system and trying to keep the design environment conscious by powering it with solar panels. However, we later found that this idea could be of use in various regions of the world that suffer from wildfires and get high rainfall.

How it works

Upon fire detection by the sensor camera at the main station, the data is transmitted to the control room and the substation at the location of the wildfire over radio modules aided by antennas. At the substation, upon receiving signals, the controllers automatically operate the pump, pumping the collected rainwater from the tower to the sprinklers that use it to bring the fires under control till the first responders arrive. After the fire, the pumps can be closed manually or automatically from the control room. These towers that collect rainwater are also equipped with retractable roofs that shut when the towers are at their maximum capacity indicated by the water level sensors that are placed in them.

Design process

The design was developed after conducting extensive research and backing it up with calculations to ensure smooth function. Various other designs were also discussed and were critically assessed for the issue at hand before completely ruling them out. The design was finalized only after it was deemed feasible for the environment it was to be placed in. CAD models were made to visualize the layout of the design and stress analysis was carried out on the tower to make sure that it can withstand the pressure of water stored in it for the safety of the surroundings. A scaled down prototype was also made using materials and techniques readily available to test out the idea allowing to see if the design required any further reconsiderations for better functioning.

How it is different

Most systems devised usually only detect wildfires and wait for first responders to arrive to the scene which causes the fire to spread causing more loss to land and lives. Added to this the first responders often have limited water supply which adds to the time taken to extinguish the fire. Therefore, with the design having a rainwater storage system along with the sensor camera and a good communication system, large quantities of rainwater can be stored and can be pumped to sprinklers when needed so the extinguishing process can start well before the first responders arrive saving time, life, and land. Moreover, it can be tricky to reach certain regions of the forest to put off these wildfires which can pose as a threat to the life of first responders. So, building the system can also help control the intensity and spreading of the fire preventing complete obstruction of those regions.

Future plans

We see the design being implemented and being of help to all forms of life and protecting forests to reap the fruits of the design and optimize the design to be completely self-reliant so that wildfires can be put out without the intervention of the first responders. We also plan for the design to be modified and expand to more than wildfire applications.

Awards

Grand Finalists for Engineering for People Design Challenge 2022, EWB UK and Ireland.