Composite Fire Shelter Structure for Extended Heat Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a portable fire shelter that can protect people from intense heat and fire for several hours, particularly in situations like brush or forest fires in densely populated areas, providing convenient and unassuming protection.
Innovation Solution
A shelter with walls and a roof made of a three-dimensional metal matrix embedded in insulation, enveloped by a continuous one-piece concrete layer, forming a fire-resistant seal, and equipped with fire-resistant doors and compressed air cylinders for ventilation, capable of withstanding temperatures over 600 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 hours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a portable fire shelter is designed to protect people from intense heat and fire for several hours, then the protection duration and temperature resistance are improved, but the shelter weight and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite wall structures combining metal matrices, insulation materials, and concrete layers. This multi-material composite approach provides extended fire protection duration while managing the weight through optimized material selection and layer thicknesses, directly addressing the contradiction between durability and portability
2Reliability
If a continuous one-piece concrete envelope is used to envelop the shelter structure, then fire resistance and structural integrity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concrete envelope is divided into multiple segments that can be separately manufactured and then assembled together. This segmentation reduces the complexity of casting a single large continuous piece while maintaining the fire-resistant seal through proper joining techniques, directly addressing the manufacturing complexity issue
3Temperature
If the shelter is designed to withstand temperatures over 600 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 hours, then the temperature resistance is improved, but the material requirements and construction complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the shelter structure utilize specialized materials and designs tailored to their specific thermal exposure conditions. For example, the concrete envelope thickness and insulation properties are optimized for local heat flux requirements, allowing the structure to achieve 600°F resistance for 2 hours without uniformly over-engineering the entire shelter
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 shelter effectively protects individuals from temperatures exceeding 600 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 hours, ensuring safety and comfort by maintaining a controlled environment with breathable air and insulation against heat and flames.
Implementation Method 1
a core made of a three-dimensional metal matrix embedded in insulation
Implementation Method 2
concrete forming a continuous one-piece concrete envelope enveloping the roof, the front wall, the right wall, the left wall and the rear wall
Implementation Method 3
open valves of compressed air cylinders in the shelter to flow the compressed air from the cylinders into the chamber of the shelter
Data Source
AI summary
A shelter for protecting a person from fire and heat. The shelter has an inner door and an outer door and an outer door. The shelter has a roof, and front, right, left, and rear walls, each of which having a core made of a three-dimensional metal matrix embedded in insulation with concrete positioned about the walls and the roof. The concrete forming a fire-resistant seal with the base about the walls, and roof which protects the person in the chamber from fire and heat at least more than 700 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 4 hours. A method for protecting a person from fire and heat. A method for building a shelter for protecting a person from fire and heat external to the shelter.