Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression via Inert Atmosphere
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extinguishing house fires, such as spraying water, are often ineffective as they cannot reach fires behind walls or in ceilings, and result in significant property damage from water.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing Dry Ice or Carbon Dioxide to extinguish fires by creating a suffocating environment through the expansion of Carbon Dioxide gas, which displaces oxygen and prevents fires from propagating, using drones or manual delivery to spread the Dry Ice or spray Carbon Dioxide gas into the fire area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If water is sprayed on house fires, then firefighters can directly attack the fire, but the water cannot reach fires behind walls or in ceilings and causes property damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses carbon dioxide gas (a pneumatic substance) instead of water to extinguish fires. The CO2 gas is released through hoses and directs the gas flow toward the fire, allowing it to reach inaccessible areas behind walls and ceilings without the limitations of liquid water spray.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment by releasing carbon dioxide gas around the fire. CO2 is an inert gas that displaces oxygen in the air, suffocating the fire by removing the oxygen necessary for combustion, thereby extinguishing the fire without direct contact with the fuel source.
2Ease of operation
If water is sprayed on house fires, then firefighters can see the fire being attacked, but the fire continues burning and valuable things are damaged by water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces liquid water with carbon dioxide gas, which can be directed through hoses to reach the fire without the harmful effects of water. The gas flows through the air and settles around the fire, providing a non-damaging method of fire suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
By creating an inert carbon dioxide atmosphere around the fire, the patent extinguishes the fire through oxygen displacement rather than direct water contact. This method eliminates the harmful effects of water damage to property while still effectively suppressing the fire.
3Reliability
If dry ice is thrown into the house, then carbon dioxide spreads to inaccessible fire areas, but the dry ice packages must be disposed of after use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses carbon dioxide gas stored in cylinders and delivered through hoses, eliminating the need for disposable dry ice packages. The gas can be continuously supplied from the cylinder through the hose system, providing a reusable and non-disposable delivery method.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding used dry ice packages, the patent recovers and reused the carbon dioxide gas by storing it in reusable cylinders. The gas can be refilled and reused multiple times, eliminating waste and reducing the complexity of disposal operations.
4Reliability
If carbon dioxide gas is sprayed into the fire area, then oxygen is displaced and fire is extinguished, but the system requires specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses standard pneumatic equipment (hoses, nozzles, and gas cylinders) that is already familiar to firefighters. The carbon dioxide gas is delivered through conventional pneumatic delivery systems, making the technology accessible without requiring entirely new specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The carbon dioxide gas system serves multiple functions: it extinguishes fires through oxygen displacement, cools the fire area through evaporation, and can be used on various types of fires. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized equipment systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively extinguishes fires by depriving them of oxygen, without causing damage to property and can reach fires in inaccessible areas, offering a more efficient and effective alternative to traditional water-based firefighting techniques.
Implementation Method 1
Dry Ice is frozen Carbon Dioxide. It sublimates (evaporates directly into gas) at −78.5 degrees Celsius or −109.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
Implementation Method 2
as it gets hotter, it expands. This cools the temperature of the scene of the fire.
Implementation Method 3
Before the carbon dioxide gas gets to the Standard Temperature (0 degree Celsius), it absorbs the heat from the scene of the fire and as it gets hotter, it expands.
Data Source
AI summary
This patent is about fighting House/Apartment/Condo/Building fires by using Dry Ice and/or Carbon Dioxide Gas. By the time people call the authorities, the fire has grown so big that it is difficult to control or to extinguish by ordinary fire fighting techniques. Traditional house fire fighting is to spray water into the house so that the flames would disappear and stop burning. This patent involves two methods: 1) throwing, spraying or spreading powder or flakes or pellets of Dry Ice on or near the fire or around the fire so that the Carbon Dioxide sublimating from it diffuses and expands to get to the fire or to fill up the house or around the house so that Oxygen cannot get into the fire to continue burning; 2) spraying Carbon Dioxide gas into the house, apartment or building to bring down the Oxygen level to stop the fire.