BurnBot offers several automated fuel treatment services to prevent destructive wildfires. The BurnBot’s RX1 prescribed fire system, protects against destructive wildfire by amplifying workforce capacity to establish fuel breaks, firebreaks, and defensible space. RX1 system technology uses remote-controlled unmanned machine for safe wildfire mitigation—all while maintaining the smallest ecological and logistical footprint possible.
What is it?
BurnBot RX1 is a remote-controlled unmanned moving vehicle towing mobile burn chamber that lays down blacklines as it travels. It integrates ignition, containment, smoke management, and mop-up in a continuous sequence. The RX1 does prescribed burns in most weather or terrain conditions. It enables controlled prescribed burns to be done with a relatively small crew. It leads to very precise, clean and safe prescribed burns. This equipment can be used in and out of season as it can burn very wet or very dry material.
How it works?
1. Analyse and pretreat fuel: Sensors analyse fuel loads on fly, to continuously update treatment plan. Mow, mulch or chop heavier fuels for biochar.
2. Controlled ignition: Computer controlled array of torches use clean fuel and high oxygen combustion to quickly consume fuel in a mobile chamber.
3. Confine and contain: Burn area remain enclosed so all ignition processes unfold in the chamber. An air suction is created in the chamber to further contain runaway flames and embers.
4. Trap and filter smoke: Residue smoke is trapped and redirected through a multistage filter that reduces particulate matter that are 2.5 microns (PM2.5) and hazardous smoke particles to meet clean emission standards.
5. Extinguish and clean-up: Thermal camera sensors help target foam and liquid nitrogen sprays to smoulder embers and ensure no fire propagates. Burnt fuel is further mulched and compacted to reduce access to air further preventing reignition.
Other interesting information
BurnBot addresses the scaling challenges of prescribed fire:
Force multiplier: BurnBot RX1 serves as a workforce multiplier for prescribed burns, it has proven to replace labour intensive prescribed burn operations. It can be towed by a remote-controlled unmanned carrier.
All-weather: Enables more days and windows to treat fuel build up, take away the weather dependency of prescribed burn operations
Clean: Enables treatment near communities and infrastructure, has proven to be much efficient in reducing pollution and reducing the risk of fire escape.
Safe: Reduces risk of escape and liability while expanding use of prescribed fire to protect the Wildland Urban Interface.
For more information visit: Burnbot
