Water blanket deluge system

Claim 1

A liquid deluge device for delivering a continuous layer of liquid over the surface of a metal tank to keep it cool comprising: a liquid discharge header of one or more fluid conducting conduits rigidly mounted on and above the top surface of the tank and extending longitudinally thereof, said header being perforated at intervals along its length for discharging liquid directly onto the top surface of the tank, an apron comprising two portions one extending downwardly from each side of said header toward the tank on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis to a level below the surface of said header and said perforations juxtapositioned to the tank, said portions extending substantially the full length of the header, whereby liquid under pressure released by said perforations strikes the surface of the tank at substantially a right angle thereto, rebounds angularly away therefrom within said aprons, the liquid substantially filling the inside of said aprons being discharged therefrom in a continuous sheet through the spacing between the edges of said portions of the apron juxtapositioned to the tank and the surface of the tank and flowing over and hugging the surface of the tank to substantially the bottom of the tank where it drops away therefrom.