Development of a Prototype Fire Detection and Suppression Robot for Industrial Facilities in Rivers State

Industrial fires in oil and gas facilities and petrochemical plants in Rivers State represent a major safety and economic hazard, and conventional firefighting approaches expose human responders to serious risks. This project presents the development of a prototype fire detection and suppression robot capable of autonomous navigation toward fire sources within indoor industrial environments. The robot integrates an ultraviolet and infrared dual-sensor fire detection module, an ultrasonic obstacle avoidance system, and a water-mist suppression nozzle mounted on a wheeled mobile chassis. An Arduino Mega microcontroller interprets sensor fusion data to localize and approach fire sources while avoiding obstacles. A 12-volt DC water pump pressurizes the suppression nozzle when the fire detection threshold is exceeded. The robot was tested in a controlled environment simulating a small oil-storage room, using candle flame arrays as fire sources. Detection was achieved within 4 seconds of fire initiation, and suppression commenced within 8 seconds of detection across all 20 test trials. Navigation accuracy was evaluated over obstacle-laden corridors, achieving a path success rate of 91 percent. Limitations including limited water reservoir capacity and sensitivity to smoke-induced sensor interference are documented, with design improvements proposed for subsequent iterations. The study recommends the robot as a first-response unit to be deployed alongside human firefighters in high-risk industrial zones across the Niger Delta region. Keywords: fire suppression robot, autonomous navigation, industrial safety, sensor fusion, Rivers State