Experimental Refinement of Actual Hydraulic Characteristics of the Hydraulic Ejector to Ensure Water Intake Reliability

The article discusses the problem of ensuring an uninterrupted supply of extinguishing agents when extinguishing fires in conditions of shortage or unavailability of sources of fire-fighting water supply. The particular significance of hydroejector systems is substantiated as one of the key technical means for drawing water from open sources, including from great depths, at considerable distances, and with a minimal water intake layer. It is noted that existing regulatory and reference data contain characteristics of the G-600 hydroejector only for a single fixed operating mode, leaving its parameters undefined under other regimes. This complicates accurate fire-tactical calculations, reduces the reliability of water supply, and can lead to failure of the hydroejector system. To address this gap, the study experimentally refines the hydraulic characteristics of the G-600 hydroejector. The experiments were conducted on a specialized test bench using electronic pressure gauges and electromagnetic flow meters. Actual values of pressure head, flow rate, and delivery were obtained under various operating conditions. It was established that the nominal delivery declared by the manufacturer is achieved at inlet pressure heads of 57–82 m. At the same time, a significant limitation was revealed: at a water intake depth of 20 m, the pressure head downstream of the hydroejector in all studied modes does not exceed 8.1–12.0 m, which is insufficient to overcome hydrostatic resistance without accounting for the lift height of water to the fire truck level and head losses in the hose line. The impossibility of water intake at a maximum distance of 100 m from the pump to the source was also confirmed. The obtained data allow for refining fire-tactical calculation methods, improving their accuracy and reliability, which directly affects the dependability of water intake during firefighting. The results can be used by the federal fire service in operational planning, personnel training, and the updating of regulatory documents and recommendations for the operation of fire-fighting equipment.