Abstract
<jats:p>The article addresses the urgent problem of improving the efficiency of ground wildfire suppression, which accounts for up to 99.4% of all ignitions in the forest regions of Russia. A new technical solution is proposed: a combined portable system based on a serial RLO-M backpack forest fire extinguisher and a battery-powered blower. The aim of the work was to develop and experimentally validate the parameters of a device that significantly enhances the tactical and technical characteristics of the RLO during suppression compared to standard equipment. The study involved an analysis of existing suppression methods and the development of a combined mixing nozzle design that enables the combined outflow of atomized water and an air stream. The optimal geometry of the elliptical nozzle outlet with a minor axis of 24-26 mm was determined experimentally, ensuring maximum spray coverage. Field tests confirmed the high efficiency of the developed system: the fire edge suppression rate reached 14.3 m/min, which is 4-8 times higher than the performance of the standard RLO-M. The continuous operation time was increased to 16 minutes, and the effective spray area increased by 18%. The blower's battery capacity is sufficient to suppress up to 600 linear meters of fire edge. The results are of practical importance for equipping forest fire units of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and can be used for the rapid containment of ground fires at an early stage.</jats:p>