Box Alarm fire in Vernon Hills, 7-20-14

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Sunday evening, July 20th, 2014, turned out to be quite eventful for the Countryside Fire Department. Around 8:40 PM, they received a call about potential smoke inside a townhouse located at 821 Faulkner Place in Vernon Hills. What began as an initial investigation quickly escalated into a full-blown fire. The situation became so critical that it was upgraded to a working fire, and soon after, a Box Alarm was issued. I got hold of some photos taken by Sam Borcia, which give a good sense of the chaos and urgency of the situation. Thanks to Sam for sharing these visuals. [Link to the photos on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.684353098313590.1073741907.229793033769601&type=1] Interestingly, Larry Shapiro managed to capture some additional images later in the night when he arrived. His shots offer a different perspective and highlight various aspects of the firefighting efforts. One particularly striking image shows firefighters using high expansion foam to combat a fire in the basement. A hole had been cut into the kitchen floor to allow the foam to be dispensed directly into the affected area. Another powerful photo captures the rear of the unit that caught fire, with a warning sign posted at the fire unit clearly indicating dangerous conditions. As the night progressed, the firefighters remained vigilant. Around 1:40 AM, while one engine, investigators, and the shift commander were still at the scene, they discovered smoke in the adjoining residence. This led to a full still alarm response, as they uncovered a fire in the void space between the two units. Highwood Truck 37, which had been temporarily stationed in Vernon Hills due to a change of quarters, responded swiftly. They set up their aerial ladder and deployed to the roof. By around 3 AM, companies were finally released from the scene, marking the conclusion of a long and challenging night for the firefighters involved. Larry Shapiro’s collection also includes images of Highwood Truck 37 on the roof, firefighters immersed in high expansion foam, and the impressive new decals and striping on the refurbished fire truck. One final shot captures Countryside firefighters on the rear deck of the original fire unit, diligently wetting down the common wall to prevent further spread of the fire. It’s moments like these that truly demonstrate the dedication and skill of our local fire departments. While the night was undoubtedly exhausting, the outcome could have been far worse if not for their swift action and teamwork.

Heat Exchange Unit

Heat exchange units, also known as heat exchangers, are devices designed to transfer heat between two or more fluids without mixing them. They are widely used in various industries, including HVAC, power generation, chemical processing, and refrigeration. Below is a classification of heat exchange units based on their design and operation:

1. Based on Flow Arrangement

  • Parallel Flow (Co-current Flow):

    • Both fluids flow in the same direction.

    • Temperature difference is highest at the inlet and decreases along the length.

  • Counter Flow (Counter-current Flow):

    • Fluids flow in opposite directions.

    • Maintains a more uniform temperature difference, leading to higher efficiency.

  • Cross Flow:

    • Fluids flow perpendicular to each other.

    • Commonly used in air-cooled heat exchangers.

      2. Based on Construction and Design

      • Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger:

        • Consists of a series of tubes enclosed in a shell.

        • One fluid flows through the tubes, and the other flows outside the tubes within the shell.

        • Suitable for high-pressure and high-temperature applications.

      • Plate Heat Exchanger:

        • Uses thin, corrugated plates stacked together to create channels for fluid flow.

        • Compact design with high heat transfer efficiency.

        • Ideal for low to medium-pressure applications.

      • Plate and Frame Heat Exchanger:

        • A type of plate heat exchanger with a frame to hold the plates together.

        • Allows for easy cleaning and maintenance.

      • Plate-Fin Heat Exchanger:

        • Uses fins sandwiched between plates to increase surface area for heat transfer.

        • Common in aerospace and cryogenic applications.

      • Spiral Heat Exchanger:

        • Consists of two spiral channels wound around a central core.

        • Compact and efficient for handling viscous fluids or slurries.

      • Double Pipe (or Hairpin) Heat Exchanger:

        • Simplest design with one pipe inside another.

        • Suitable for small-scale applications or high-pressure scenarios.

          3. Based on Heat Transfer Mechanism

          • Direct Contact Heat Exchanger:

            • Fluids come into direct contact with each other.

            • Example: Cooling towers.

          • Indirect Contact Heat Exchanger:

            • Fluids are separated by a solid barrier (e.g., tubes or plates).

            • Example: Shell and tube, plate heat exchangers.

          • Regenerative Heat Exchanger:

            • Uses a heat storage medium to transfer heat between fluids.

            • Example: Rotary regenerators or fixed-matrix regenerators.

              4. Based on Application

              • Air Cooled Heat Exchanger:

                • Uses air as the cooling medium.

                • Common in power plants and refineries.

              • Liquid Cooled Heat Exchanger:

                • Uses liquid (e.g., water or oil) as the cooling medium.

              • Condensers:

                • Converts vapor into liquid by removing heat.

              • Evaporators:

                • Converts liquid into vapor by adding heat.

              • Boilers:

                • Generates steam by heating water.

                  5. Based on Phase Change

                  • Single-Phase Heat Exchanger:

                    • Both fluids remain in the same phase (liquid or gas) throughout the process.

                  • Two-Phase Heat Exchanger:

                    • Involves a phase change (e.g., condensation or evaporation) in one or both fluids.

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