During firefighting missions, the darkness and heavy smoke in fire sites are the silent killers for firefighters especially when firefighters’ lighting equipment such as headlights and flashlights don’t provide sufficient light. Without adequate illumination, firefighting and rescuing become challenging and risky.
In order to assist firefighters and improve their safety, scientists in ITRI (Industrial Technology ResearchInstitute) develop the Fluid-Driven Emergency Lighting technology and create two different lighting devices. One is a nozzle light that can be mounted on a fire nozzle. The other is a sprinkler light which can be attached to an indoor fire sprinkler.
Photo courtesy: ITRI Apr. 7, 2016 Retrieved from http://bit.do/bVgQK
Simply stated, the lighting devices can turn the hydropower from a fire nozzle or a fire sprinkler into light. When firefighters spray water with fire nozzles, the mounted nozzle lights will turn the hydropower into electricity and generate light. In addition, this mounted devices can also storge the electricity into the rechargeable battery as the backup power. Even if firefighters stop spraying, the nozzle lights will still work.
FDNL
Photo courtesy: wii.tw Apr. 7, 2016 Retrieved from http://wii.tw/~fogerdis/viewthread.php?tid=41603&extra=page%3D11
The man who builds this technology is Dr. Liao Wing Wong, a scientist in ITRI. His purpose of developing this technology is, “I have some friends devoted in firefighting and I realize their work has never been easy. I always want to do something for those life-saving heroes.”
He further explained the technology, ” Whenever water jet runs through the turbine blade within the micro-generator, a small part of the energy is converted to electricity to power the light. We will continuously upgrade this device; it has been upgraded to the fourth generation model and weighed only 800 grams. The light is about 10 times stronger than the general headlights. A nozzle light can be assembled with a standard fire nozzle within 30 seconds.”
This technology can also combine with indoor fire sprinkler device. "We can install our device on an existing fire sprinkler. When water flows through the device to extinguish a fire, it uses the power to generate a laser light or LED light which can provide a visible fire escape route for people.”
This new technology will both help firefighters to rescue victims effectively and help people to escape from fire sites. In the near future, this technology will influence the world and save more people and families.
Reference: http://www.itritech.net/blog/151102