China - a pioneer in the fight against fire
In order to better protect the densely populated state of China from fires, the government has been pushing the development and use of innovative firefighting solutions (both stationary and mobile) for years. This trend is also reflected in the high number of extinguishing robots we sell to China.
Extinguishing robots are very versatile compared to many traditional extinguishing methods. They are particularly valuable in the case of fires that are difficult to access or dangerous, since in these cases the tracked vehicle can be controlled by remote control from a safe distance (up to 300 m) to the scene of the fire. This means that the firefighters themselves do not have to go into the immediate danger zone.
Another essential aspect for the versatility of the extinguishing robot is the water mist turbine. Water mist cools and extinguishes fires very efficiently while requiring a smaller amount of water. In addition, the turbine also has a very high efficiency in the field of pollutant precipitation, which is why the extinguishing robot is often used in chemical plants and refineries.
Versatility is Key
The example of China shows very clearly how versatile the extinguishing robot can be used. For example, the fire department of Xiamen City, Fujian Province has six TAF35 firefighting robots at its disposal, which were primarily purchased for fires in tunnels. In tunnel fires, smoke development is usually very strong, and in these cases the turbine of the extinguishing robot is ideally suited for ventilation. In addition, the high cooling effect of the water mist is a great advantage, as well as the remote controllability of the extinguishing robot.
In Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province as well as in Nanchang, the EmiControls extinguishing robots are mainly used for subway stations. Fires in subways are usually a very difficult undertaking, as even getting to the fire point is a major challenge. The extinguishing robots in Wuxi as well as Nanchang are equipped with their own rail system, which allows them to approach directly over the tracks.
In Shanghai Municipality, Shandog Province, the extinguishing robots are often used for fires at chemical plants. In addition, the Baoshan District of the port city of Shanghai is an important location for steel producers. In the event of a fire, steel leads to extreme heat and smoke formation, and subsequently to rapid spread of the fire as well as strong heating of the surrounding area. The high cooling effect of water mist is also extremely beneficial in this case.
Graphic: This map impressively shows the distribution of our firefighting robot TAF, especially in the densely populated southeast of China.
Another feature of our firefighting robots is their maneuverability and compact size. Many alleys and streets in China's cities are very narrow and hardly passable for conventional firefighting vehicles.
The increasing number of electric vehicles is also a major issue in China. If an electric car catches fire, it must be cooled continuously. Water mist has an excellent cooling effect and also does not conduct electricity.
Left: First exercises after handover in Shanghai
Right: First demonstration of the TAF in Changsa with a burning oil tank (approx. 100,000 m³)
Handover of two fire engines in Wuxi City
First exercises with the newly delivered TAF35 in Shanghai
