Other

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Firetrace Usa, LLC

N2 Towers Inc.

Joseph Michael Bennett

Adam Tartar Richardson

A fire control system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an extinguishant configured to absorb heat from the fire. In one embodiment, the extinguishant is configured to absorb thermal radiation from the fire and inhibit reflection of thermal radiation from the extinguishant and/or other surfaces back into the fire. In additional and alternative embodiments, the extinguishant includes a thermal absorbant may be configured to transfer heat into the surface and/or interior of suppressant particles or droplets to promote activation of the suppressant.

Methods and apparatus for extinguishing fires

A device for protecting flammable fluid reservoirs, or the regions in immediate proximity thereof, from the hazards due to impact and reservoir rupture, and subsequent potential of fire, corrosion or other damage or injury due to contact with reactive fluids. Such impacts may arise from collisions, such as encountered in transportation systems, or structural or thermal failure and/or rupture of components and systems, or separation of system components. Such a device may be formed as a close-fitting shroud over such components, or surrounding fittings and junctions of mating components in such systems, or mounted near the location of such components in the direction of impact or failure. Such a device may have a pattern of pre-scored lines to facilitate break-up of the device upon impact or thermal stress. Upon activation, the device shall discharge material contents that prevent or extinguish fires, neutralize corrosive or caustic materials, or otherwise protect equipment and personnel of the hazards from the protected component or system fluid contents. Such a device may be constructed of more than one individual component to optimize outer surface break-up behavior while accommodating desired cost, thickness and weight goals achievable by the use of other materials that comprise the remaining components of the device.

Methods and apparatus for controlling hazards

A fire suppression apparatus includes a canister containing a non-azide solid propellant chemical that generates an oxygen-displacing gas mixture when ignited; a pyrotechnic device associated with the canister for initiating ignition of the solid propellant chemical to generate the oxygen-displacing gas mixture; and at least one filter associated with the canister for filtering out contents of the oxygen-displacing gas mixture to result in a clean agent fire suppressant deliverable into a space. The fire suppression apparatus is preferably configured for use in fire suppression systems for normally occupied spaces.

System and method for suppressing fires

A fire control system according to various aspects of the present invention includes an extinguishant having a suppressant and a thermal absorbant. The suppressant is configured to suppress the fire. The thermal absorbant is configured to absorb heat from the fire. In one embodiment, the thermal absorbant is configured to absorb thermal radiation from the fire and inhibit reflection of thermal radiation from the suppressant and/or other surfaces back into the fire. In additional and alternative embodiments, the thermal absorbant may be configured to transfer heat into the surface and/or interior of suppressant particles or droplets to promote activation of the suppressant.

A hazard control system according to various aspects of the present invention comprises a housing configured to contain a control material and deliver the control material to neutralize a hazard in response to a trigger event. In one embodiment, the control material is an extinguishant for retarding fire. The housing contains the extinguishant and includes at least one surface configured to rupture in response to a trigger event, such as an impact. The housing may also include a surface configured to substantially mate with a surface of a vehicle, such as a fuel tank surface.

Methods and apparatus for controlling hazardous and/or flammable materials

A method and apparatus for suppressing in a space includes structure and/or function for generating a first oxygen displacing fire suppressing gas mixture from at least one non-azide solid propellant chemical, the first fire suppressing gas mixture having at least a first gas. The first gas comprises nitrogen. At least the first gas is delivered into the space, thereby delivering a clean agent fire suppressant into the space that reduces the concentration of oxygen in the space to below a level necessary to sustain combustion. Preferably, the method and apparatus are used in inhabited spaces.

A system for protecting individuals and property exposed to potential ignition and fires resulting from the release of high-oxygen concentration gas blends from oxygen systems used for breathing assistance. Said system comprises an oxygen storage container and delivery mechanism, said container filled with a blend of above-atmospheric oxygen and inert gases of appropriate composition and capacity to prevent the onset of ignition and fire when discharged and encountering ignition sources and combustibles, yet suitable for breathing by recipients and users of the system. Alternative embodiments can comprise covers over said oxygen containers, filled with materials suitable to prevent the ignition of combustibles encountering the high-oxygen blends from said oxygen containers, when both the blends and materials are dually discharged due to rupture of their respective containers after experiencing an impact.

Method of inerting high oxygen concentrations

A method and apparatus for suppressing a fire utilizing non-azide solid gas propeilant generation to produce and transport a suitable gas for suppressing a fire in a normally occupied area. The nitrogen gas produced by the solid propellant gas generation is optionally treated to remove undesirable elements such as water and/or carbon dioxide from the product gas prior to the delivery of the product gas to the protected hazard area.

A platform, housing, conduit, exhaust duct or other structural element that encloses or supports a hot operating engine or other machinery is described wherein a pattern of micro-cavities is defined on the outer surface of the structure for mitigating ignition of a flammable liquid that comes into contact with the structure, the micro-cavities being sized to minimize seepage into the cavities of the liquid because of its surface tension, thereby preventing wetting of the interior of the cavities by the liquid.

Mitigating ignition of fluids by hot surfaces

A system is disclosed comprising a flexible tube attached to a reservoir containing a hazardous material neutralizing substance, and possibly pressurized with air or another gas. The tube is routed around the perimeter of a region where one or more hazardous material containers are stored. In the event of a leak that spreads to the perimeter of the tube, the tube material type is so selected to degrade structurally in response to contact with the hazardous material, thereby rupturing and releasing the neutralizing substance stored within the tube and attached reservoir. The neutralizing material used is selected to neutralize the hazardous material released, to mitigate further damage or eliminate the hazard completely, or at least until intervening personnel can arrive. When a perimeter tube is ruptured, the released internal pressure drop may also activate an alarm, that is either audible, or uses a wire or cellular line to contact authorities as concerning the nature of the spill, be it fire or police departments, or maintenance or property personnel. The system can be used without the assistance of electrical power or electronics (or with sources like a lithium battery for the alarm), in an inexpensive package that requires no direct human monitoring, and can be employed in very remote installations.

Method of automatically monitoring and neutralizing hazardous material spills

System and method for pressurizing and dispersing fire retardant from an aircraft, particularly aircraft structured and equipped for retarding or extinguishing forest fires, that includes a small power pack having a plenum operatively interconnecting a plurality of individual solid propellant gas generator devices each containing solid propellant materials that react pyrotechnically when initiated electrically to generate large quantities of high-pressure gas in a few seconds for discharging a liquid retardant reservoir.

Airborne fire fighting system

In accordance with the foregoing principles and objects of the invention, the mitigation of fires in machinery enclosures is achieved by strategic placement of thin narrow strips of intumescent material within the ventilated space between the machinery and a housing enclosing the machinery, whereby, in the event of a fire, the resulting flame contacts the intumescent material causing it to swell and to effectively block air flow through the ventilated space.

Machinery fire mitigation system and method

A compact, affordable fire extinguishing system utilizes a combination of compressed inert gas tanks and solid propellent gas generator s to provide a blend of inert gasses to extinguish fires in an enclosure. The compressed inert gas tanks may contain gasses such as argon or carbon dioxide or a combination thereof The solid propellent gas generators may generate upon initiation either nitrogen or carbon dioxide or a combination thereof. The inert gasses from both sources are blended into a composition that will extinguish fires at concentrations that will allow human occupancy during discharge. Such a system can be constructed at a substantially smaller size than conventional compressed gas systems, due to the greater density of the inert gasses in the propellent foii in storage, which allows greater utility and affordability where installation space is limited or retrofit is desired into prior fire protection systems.

Compact affordable inert gas fire extinguishing system

A linear fire extinguisher system is described that includes a flexible, substantially closed plastic tube containing an extinguishant, the tube containing a multiplicity of selectively weakened pre-scored orifices at preselected spacing along the tube length, whereby sufficient heat from a fire contacting the tube will weaken and rupture the tube predictably and facilitate efficient discharge of the extinguishant directly onto the fire. The structure of the invention may include two coaxial inner and outer tubes, each tube containing extinguishant wherein the outer tube may initially rupture upon heating and discharge extinguishant onto the fire, the inner tube being available for rupture and discharge onto the fire upon re-ignition or if the discharge of the outer tube is insufficient to extinguish the fire.

Linear fire extinguisher

A compact, affordable fire extinguishing system utilizes a combination of compressed inert gas tanks and solid propellent gas generators to provide a blend of inert gases to extinguish fires in an enclosure. The compressed inert gas tanks may contain gases such as argon or carbon dioxide or a combination thereof. The solid propellent gas generators may generate upon initiation either nitrogen or carbon dioxide or a combination thereof. The inert gases from both sources are blended into a composition that will extinguish fires at concentrations that will allow human occupancy during discharge. Such a system can be constructed at a substantially smaller size than conventional compressed gas systems, due to the greater density of the inert gases in the propellent form in storage, which allows greater utility and affordability where installation space is limited or retrofit is desired into prior fire protection systems.

Growing community of inventors

Huber Heights, OH, United States of America

Joseph Michael Bennett