Steamexfire in action

The Steamexfire is a high flow inert gas generator and or a inert gas generator that produces an inert gas consisting of nitrogen and CO2, steam and water vapour. With this, a closed space can be made low in oxygen to extinguish, for example, a silo fire, tunnel fire, mine fire, container fire, ship fire or cocoa fire.[1]

Principle

The Steamexfire is driven by a jet engine, in which air is compressed into a combustion chamber where fuel (kerosene) is injected. The flammable mixture of fuel and air is ignited by a sparkplug, and the gases expand as a result of the combustion process. The gases are forced into a turbine which drives a compressor. The exhaust gas of a jet engine contains approx. 17% oxygen . In a second stage combustion chamber, more fuel is injected and ignited. As a result of this process, all oxygen is consumed, and what remains is an inert gas. This process takes place in a 7-meter-long combustion tube, which is cooled by water. The heated water is injected at the end of the cooling tube, and consequently the water is turned into water vapor and steam. As a result, the Steamexfire produces up to 25 cubic meters of inert steam and water vapor per second. The fore runner of the Steamexfire is called the GAG unit.[2]

Underground mine fires

The Steamexfire has been deployed to fight underground mine fires at the Goedehoop mine fire in South Africa and at the Svea Nord mine fire on Spitsbergen Island.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Steamexfire - Liberty Gasturbine Holland" (in Dutch). 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  2. ↑ "Mine Emergency Exercise - Department of Natural Resources and Mines" (PDF). 2014.
  3. ↑ "Taking jet engine technology underground". www.miningmonthly.com. 2006-02-03. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
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