Travel distance of one mile--closed course if possible.
Each tanker will be allowed two personnel.
Winner will be determined by the total gallons of water delivered within the two hour period.
Host fire department will provide judges.
How can we make a challenge like this? Easy--lets look at some facts:
A Water Master™ 3500 gallon unit will deliver about 350 GPM in a two mile round trip water shuttle. This is by itself with only a suction hose and strainer at the fill site.
It would actually take three conventional fire apparatus--two tankers with a class A pumper filling them, to exceed the GPM delivery rate of one Water Master™ 3500. The Water Master™ challenge is against two conventional fire apparatus.
Let's analyze this a little bit …Travel Time:
The actual travel time for the vacuum and conventional units would be very close to the same, the computed time, exactly the same.
The ISO™ travel time formula is: .65 + 1.7 X D
.65 = accelerating and braking time.
1.7 = factor for 35 MPH (60 seconds divided by 35 MPH).
D = total distance.
So the travel time for two miles is: 2 x 1.7 + .65 = 4.05 minutes.
Trying to deliver more GPM with a tanker by driving faster is futile and dangerous. Driving a distance of two miles at 55 MPH vs. 35 MPH would save about one minute and yield about 20 GPM.
The effective way to deliver more water is to spend less time at the fill site and dump site--this is where the Water Master™ really shines.
Fill and Dump Times:
The timing of fill site or dump site evolutions starts when the tanker is 200 feet away from the site and includes the maneuvering into position then filling or dumping. The clock is stopped when the tanker has moved 200 feet away.
The Water Master™ 3500 will accomplish the filling and dumping evolution in three minutes each (or less ... these are not our best times).
So add the numbers, fill time (3) + dump time (3) + travel time (4.05) = 10.05 minutes. Now divide the tank size (3,500) by the total time (10.05) = 348 GPM.
In two hours the Water Master™ will deliver 41,760 gallons of water in this scenario.
Now let's look at the complicated conventional tanker system.
As we have determined above, travel time will be the same for vacuum and conventional tankers.
Here is where things get complicated … the conventional tanker has to have a pressure source at the fill site. This is usually accomplished by using a class A pumper. The class A pumper drafts from the water supply and fills the tanker through a supply hose or hoses.
Now let's suppose that a 3500 gallon conventional tanker would be filled at 1,000 GPM. The ISO™ fill time would be about 4.2 minutes and the dump time would be about 3.5 minutes.
So let's do the numbers again, fill time (4.2) + dump time (3.5) + travel time (4.05) = 11.75 minutes. Now divide the tank size (3,500) by the total time (11.75) = 298 GPM.
In two hours the conventional tanker will deliver 35,760 gallons of water in this scenario. But wait, we are not through--ISO™ deducts 10% from the conventional tanker for incomplete filling, spillage and incomplete dumping. So, 35,760 - 10% = 32,184 gallons.
Let's see now, 41,760 - 32,184 = 9,576 gallons more delivered by the Water Master™ than by the conventional tanker system.
Now we'll figure the cost of each GPM delivered:
One conventional tanker @ $175,000.00 + one Class A pumper @ $175,000.00 = $350,000.00 divided by 32,184 gallons of water = $10.87 for each GPM delivered.
One Water Master™ vacuum tanker @ $156,000.00 divided by 41,760 gallons of water = $3.74 for each GPM delivered.
And we haven't even talked about the personnel requirements …
So now you see why we are willing to offer the "Water Master™ TWO to ONE Challenge". By the way, the Water Master™ 3500 has already proven itself in an actual demonstration against two conventional fire apparatus.
Send an E-mail to: drridgway@aol.com to accept the Water Master™ Challenge or to request a free demonstration in your area.
Note: The Water Master™ Challenge was issued to bring attention to the effectiveness of the Water Master Fire Service Vacuum Tanker™ in rural water supply operations. The challenge is not directed against any person, fire department or apparatus company.
TM