UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

Faculty of Engineering and The Built Environment

Department of Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering

Name of student : LISTEN MUTASHU

Registration number : R201957K

Program Code : AEROVM

Supervisor Name : Ms Nyaruwata

Project Title : Design and Fabrication of an extinguisher fluid tank for a veld fire
fighting aircraft
Introduction

The veld fire season which spans from end of July to end of October is a period when
biomass is dry and it is windy providing a conducive environment for wild, uncontrolled and
runaway fires which are destructive to the environment, life property, agricultural produce
and animal habitats (veld fires). Displaced animals encroach on settled areas and this causes
incidents of slaughtering of endangered animals or death of people. In a bid to curb the
problem of veld fires the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has made use of
initiatives such as taking to social media and community engagement to raise awareness on
the causes of veld fires and safe practices to prevent the starting of veld fires. Furthermore the
construction of fire guards and harvesting of bundles of grass to reduce biomass have been
some of the initiatives introduced by EMA but in the event of a veld fire people have little to
no ability to stop the spread of the flames. Implementation of archaic methods such burning
back have proven to be ineffective and this has led to uncontrolled and unchecked fires
raging and destroying land worse off in barren areas where water sources are few and far
between. Hence it is imperative to introduce a method for putting out veld fires which is both
effective, fast and does not put people in danger which is the use of fire fighting aircrafts to
deliver extinguishing fluids and retardants to prevent the spread of the fires in Zimbabwe.
The use of a Single Engine Air tanker which has better manoeuvrability as compared to other
fire fighting aircrafts is the recommended option but it has the drawback of a limited and low
extinguishing fluid capacity of 800 gallons as compared to the other larger Air tankers which
can carry over 1000 gallons.

Background

Due to the need for a more effective and safer method of veld fire fighting the use of aircrafts
came into being as a way of fighting fires faster. Aircraft used for fire fighting are categorised
into : Single Engine Air tanker (SEAT), Large Air tankers (LATs), Very Large Air tankers
(VLAT), Water Scoopers, Smokejumper Aircraft from which fire fighters parachute from or
rappel down from in an effort to coordinate the effort to out the fire or to save any people
trapped in the region where the fire is located, Lead Planes to guide the larger air tanker and
to mark areas where the air tanker is to drop its payload and Air Attack Planes Air attack
planes are primarily for tactical purposes. Apart from the pilot, the planes also carry the
person who calls the shots in the firefighting operation (Air Tactical Group Supervisor).This
plane does not only help with aerial reconnaissance surveys, they also dictate the point of
accessing the fire as well the point where the retardant must be dispensed. Quickness and
lightness are prime characteristics of these planes. The single-engine air tanker, also called
the type III SEAT, is the smallest category among firefighting planes. The plane holds not
more than 800 gallons of water. Their small size makes them very easy to maneuver in
rugged terrain. Besides, they do not require a long runway for them to take off. These aircraft
are best for wildfires caused by light fuels in small areas. They function mainly by targeting
the fire hotspots, immediately checking their spread. Large Airtankers are very efficient in
putting out the fire even when there is a forest canopy due to their higher coverage. They
have a larger capacity than the SEATs, holding between 2000 to 4000 gallons of fluids for
firefighting.They cover a much larger area than its preceding type and offer good support to
firefighters on the ground. Their large size reduces their maneuverability. Firefighting planes
in the Very Large Air tankers category come in handy when fighting wildfires in countrified
environs. They carry a massive quantity of water and fire retardants above 8000 gallons.
Some, like the Boeing 747 Supertanker can even hold up to 24,000 gallons of fire
suppressants. These planes have superior and powerful engines, with robust structures to
support the enormous weight of fluid they carry and fly fast at the same time. Unfortunately,
despite the high functionality of this plane, it is less maneuverable so it is not best for rugged
terrain. Water scoopers can hover over a water body for as long as they need to refill their
tanks. In other words, they do not have to return to their base or a refilling station for a refill.
Some refill using pumps let down into the water as they hover over a water body. Their
holding capacity is about 1600 gallons, which is perfect for quick refilling and multiple
bombardments of fire. The aircraft’s special build allows it to fly for up to four hours in a
single mission.

The major noticeable pitfall of the larger aircrafts used for firefighting purposes is
maneuverability which is quite essential when it comes to rapidly advancing fires.
Maneuverability refers to the ease with which a aircraft can be controlled in its six degrees of
freedom. A single engine air tanker has the highest maneuverability amongst all the veld fire
fighting aircraft which makes it widely applied in veld fire control, oits advantageousness is
reflected in the Henderson fire statistics according to the Nebraska Forest Services.

2007 Henderson Fire (without SEAT) 2016 Henderson Fire (with SEAT)
 Total costs: $875,000 Total costs: $98,222
1,000 acres burned 50 acres burned
Fully suppressed after 96 hours with help of Fully suppressed after 30 hours
rain
175 firefighters, 40 engines from 15 VFDs 40 volunteer firefighters, 15 engines
$395,808 of labor $28,272 of labor
$480,000 engine costs $56,250 engine cost
$13,700 SEAT cost

but its major drawback is its carrying capacity of 800gallons. The use of SEATs is limited to
small scale fires and without access to larger tankers may prove to ineffective in handling the
fires and the fire may spread leading to loss of lives, damage to property and scarring of
land . Large airtankers require more fuel, longer runways and low maneuverability thus the
widespread use of single engine air tankers but its low capacity makes its use limited, thus the
need for another tank to be fastened on the aircraft to increase its fire fighting capability.

Problem Statement

In light of the destruction that uncontrolled veld fires cause there is need for a modernised
and effective approach to curbing veld fires hence the need for manoeuvrable Veld Fire
fighting Aircrafts capable of carrying sufficient amounts of extinguisher fluid.

Aim

To design an extinguishing fluid tank for a Veld Fire fighting Aircraft

Objectives
 • To design an external tank capable of storing a maximum of 1000l of extinguishing
fluid to be fastened below a veld fire fighting aircraft.

• To design a refill mechanism for the extinguishing fluid tank

Justification

Implementation of archaic methods of prevention and veld fire fighting such as burning back
and firebreaks put people in danger and have subsequently led to destruction of property,
wildlife, harvests and land degradation as shown by Table 1, because these methods are
ineffective and do not always stop the fires so cannot be solely relied on to fight veld fires
hence there is a great need for a modern, safe and effective method of veld fire
control/extinguishing which is the use of a fire fighting aircraft. By use of veld fire fighting
aircraft out of control fires can be put out faster thereby lessening damage to farm
infrastructure and also grazing pastures which is very important and beneficial to farmers and
land owners whose livelihood is centred around their crop yield and pastures. In addition to
that, the putting out of fires faster and more efficiently means people are not put at risk of
death as they try to fight the flames and also reduces the risk of death of livestock as fires are
controlled and put out earlier. The timber industry, a growing and very lucrative industry,
which is at high risk from veld fires stands to benefit a great deal from the fast extinguishing
of fires before they ravage forests or land with the valuable trees in it. The wildlife sector is
put at great risk by veld fires, a faster and more effective method of veld fire extinguishing
assists in prevention of the disturbance of the natural ecosystem when fires destroy habitats,
death of wild animals and disturbance of the food chain, all these being devastating effects of
veld fires. The effective and timely extinguishing of veld fires prevents severe land
degradation caused by veld fires and also preserves the aesthetic value of lands because
scorched land is an eye sore.

METHODOLOGY

This is a description of all the activities and procedures which will be undertaken during the
course of the research. The aim of this research is to develop an aircraft for fighting purposes
for use in putting out and controlling veld fires.
PROBLEM ANALYSIS

The research project will make use of research and content analysis of online resources and
Environmental Management Agency records so as to foster a deeper understanding of the
problem of veld fires and on the effectiveness of presently active methods of veld fire control
so as to better understand the nature of the problem and hence effectively develop a solution.

LITERATURE REVIEW
According to (Sidhu, 2000) literature review implies locating, studying and evaluating reports
of relevant researches. Cooper (1988) literature review helps the researcher develop a good
understanding and insight into the relevant previous researches and trends that have emerged.
So as to corroborate the study, relevant past documentation will be located.

CONCEPTUALISATION
Taking into account available technologies and the aim of the study conceptual designs will
be developed.

MODELLING AND SIMULATION

a) C.A.D MODELS
The research will make use of CAD software to produce models for the fire fighting aircraft.
CAD software has been chosen because it allows for a cost effective, comprehensive and
effective development of aircraft models.

b) C.F.D SIMULATION
The research will also make use of CFD simulation to gather data on the tank’s behaviour
under fluid stresses and aerodynamic forces.
FABRICATION

A prototype of the fire fighting aircraft tanks and will be developed as a scale representation
of how the tank and would look and behave.

Testing

Making use of the prototype, the functionality of the tank and will be displayed

TIMELINES

The project will be conducted over a series of 11 months as depicted by the Gantt chart.
 GANTT CHART
22-Aug-22 11-Oct-22 30-Nov-22 19-Jan-23 10-Mar-23 29-Apr-23 18-Jun-23

PROJECT PROPOSAL

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

LITERATURE REVIEW

CONCEPTUALISATION

DESIGN TANK MODELS USING CAD

DESIGN LIQUID DELIVERY MECHANISM USING START DATE

CAD DAYS TO COMPLETE

SELECTION OF EXTINGUISHING FLUID

TEST OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS USING CFD

RECORD RESULTS

FABRICATE TANK AND DELIVERY MECHANISM

MODELS

TEST LIQUID DELIVERY MECHANISM

RECORD RESULTS
Conclusion

In the spirit of embracing safer and better technologies to make life easier, the prevalent
methods of veld fire control are both ineffective and tedious in their operation and
furthermore are outdated, it therefore brings to light the gap that exists in land conservation in
terms of veld fire prevention and control. The introduction of Fire fighting Aircraft is a step
towards catching up in a technological race we are currently trailing in and use of effective
and safe methods of putting out and controlling veld fires.
References

Sidhu, K.S. (1983): Methodologgy of research in education, Sterling Publishers, New Delhi

Timber worth US$5 million destroyed by veld fires in Manicaland : EMA, Munyoro F. 6
September 2021, Accessed 18 August 2022 https://nehandaradio.com/2021/09/06/timber-
worth-us5-million-destroyed-by-veld-fires-in-manicaland-ema/

Nebraska’s Single Engine Air Tanker , Peterson S, 17 May 2017 Accessed on 1 September 2022,
https://nfs.unl.edu/publications/single-engine-air-tanker