Airborne water diffuser

Abstract

An apparatus is for use with a container of liquid that is suspended from an aircraft flying over a ground target area. The container has an outlet through which the liquid is dropped from the container. The apparatus includes a diffuser configured to diffuse the liquid exiting the container outlet horizontally outward beyond the container into the air above the ground target area, whereby the liquid is diffused over a correspondingly wide area. The liquid can be fire extinguishing liquid, and the ground target area can be a forest fire.

1 . An apparatus for use with a container of liquid that is suspended from an aircraft flying over a ground target area, the container having an outlet through which the liquid can exit the container, said apparatus comprising: 
 a diffuser configured to diffuse the liquid exiting the container outlet horizontally outward beyond the container into air above the ground target area;    said diffuser including a diffuser inlet for receiving the liquid and diffuser outlets for discharging the liquid into the air, said diffuser outlets being spaced horizontally from each other;    said diffuser further including a hydraulic line having first and second ends, said first end being configured to be connected to the container outlet, and said second end being configured to be connected to a second aircraft, and wherein said diffuser outlets are spaced apart along said hydraulic line.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a container configured to be suspended from an aircraft flying over a ground target area, said container having a container outlet and being vented to enable liquid contents of said container to exit said container through said container outlet by the force of only gravity; and    a diffuser configured to diffuse the liquid, by the force of only gravity, from said container outlet into air above the ground target area throughout an area extending horizontally outward from said container;    said diffuser including a hydraulic line with a first end configured to be connected to the container outlet, a second end configured to be connected to a second aircraft, and a plurality of diffuser outlets spaced apart along said hydraulic line.    
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein said container is free of an outlet valve at said container outlet, whereby said diffuser is permanently open to a gravitational flow of the liquid from said container.