| 摘要 |
<p>Apparatus for extinguishing or controlling fires in the cargo bay (6) of aircraft is disclosed. Water from a tank (8) is used as the extinguishing agent. An initial fire hazard may be detected by means of a smoke detector which activates a control unit (14) to cause an initial relatively short-duration water spray discharge into the cargo bay (6) through one or more spray lines (12). One or more parameters within the cargo bay (6) are then thereafter monitored (for example, temperature, infrared radiation, concentration of one or more particular gases) so as to detect if and when a fire hazard re-arises. When this is detected, a further relatively short-duration water spray discharge takes place. In this way, smouldering fires, which are the most common types of fire in an aircraft's cargo bay and which are difficult to extinguish completely while the aircraft is in flight (because of the limited quantity of extinguishant which can be carried), can at least be controlled until the aircraft lands.</p> |
