University System of Maryland

Marino diMarzo

Paolo Ruffino

Amr M Baz

John Gunderson

A method and devices are described, in which a transformable fiber at a first crystal structure is shaped from its pre-determined configuration into a new shaped configuration. The new shaped configuration of the transformable fiber is inserted into a cavity of a heat and fire protective item. The new shaped configuration of the transformable fiber is heated to above its transformation temperature to a second crystal structure. The heating transforms the new shaped configuration to its pre-determined configuration, wherein the pre-determined configuration forms an air pocket within the heat and fire protective item. The transformable fiber is cooled below its transformation temperature to revert the transformable fiber back to the new shaped configuration at the first crystal structure.

Heat and fire protective items

A foam-generating assembly for use in generating a nitrogen-containing foam useful in preventing or extinguishing fires includes a foam generator, a first tank containing a foamable aqueous liquid and a second tank containing nitrogen gas, the foam generator including a header which is hollowed out to provide a swirl chamber defined by an outer cylindrical wall, an inner cylindrical wall and a floor, a spray nozzle in the center of the floor for spraying foamable aqueous liquid supplied from the first tank, and an orifice in the inner cylindrical wall to supply a tangential flow of nitrogen gas from the second tank into the swirl chamber and around the spray nozzle and the liquid spray emitted therefrom and provide a vortex flow of a mixture of foamable aqueous liquid and nitrogen gas. First and second foaming screens are provided through which the vortex flow passes to provide first a coarse nitrogen-containing foam and then a fine nitrogen-containing foam. The first foaming screen can be a inverted frustoconical element formed of three layers of metal mesh. The second foaming screen can be formed of two layers of metal mesh placed over a discharge outlet of the swirl chamber.

Foam-generating assembly and foam generator used therein

A sensor probe and method of use for determining the temperature, velocity, and/or liquid volumetric fraction of gas laden with droplets. In one variation, the probe includes a single heating element used in a well-characterized flow. The heating element is maintained above the Leidenfrost transition for the droplets, which prevents cooling effects from the droplets from impacting the temperature measurement. In another variation, the probe includes two or more heating elements arranged in similar flow environments. The property of interest is derived by relying on thermodynamic and heat transfer principles, which are not usable in conjunction with conventional devices. In one variation, the temperature is determined using a relationship function for characteristics of two heating elements, maintained at two different temperatures, along with the power needed to maintain constant temperature in each element, and by eliminating dependence on other variables for the determination, such as the velocity of the gas.

Growing community of inventors

Bethesda, MD, United States of America

Marino diMarzo