Design of an Integrated Monitoring and Fire Fighting System for Heavy Vehicles

Vehicle fires, especially those involving heavy-duty vehicles, like trucks and trailers, produce substantial economic and safety risks due to their relatively low but notable occurrence rates. Understanding the causes, characteristics, and consequences of these fires is essential for effective prevention and mitigation. This paper outlines the design and development of an innovative system (T-Fire) aimed at monitoring potential ignition points on heavy vehicles and extinguishing the subsequent fires. To address existing gaps in current firefighting technologies, the T-Fire system integrates IoT solutions for continuous vehicle status monitoring and employs an environmentally sustainable extinguishing agent. Furthermore, the paper discusses the requirements for a novel firefighting system tailored for trucks and heavy vehicles based on their characteristic design and operational challenges. The selection criteria for firefighting foams have prioritized environmental sustainability and effectiveness in extinguishing various fire types. The foaming agent meeting these criteria, also offers high expansion capacity, water retention, and environmental compatibility. Additionally, the paper outlines the certification procedures undertaken to ensure compliance of T-Fire system with stringent European and national regulations, to prove its commitment to safety and environmental standards, and the development of a semi-automatic production line for the system, which aims at both optimizing production standards and minimizing environmental impact. Overall, the development of this innovative fire prevention system represents a significant advancement in enhancing safety and reducing economic losses associated with vehicle fires, particularly on heavy-duty vehicles.