Container Fire Suppression With Movable Piercing Nozzle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in detecting and suppressing fires within cargo containers, particularly in vehicles like aircraft, where limited fire suppressant supply, remote operation, and difficulty in accessing cargo areas complicate timely and targeted fire suppression, risking spread and cargo damage.
Innovation Solution
A system with a support structure, deployment structure, and penetrator assembly is mounted inside a vehicle to detect fires using sensors and deliver fire suppressant through a nozzle that pierces the container, allowing targeted fire suppression with minimal weight and interference to cargo operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fire suppressant is released throughout the entire cargo area, then the fire suppression coverage is improved, but the weight carried by the aircraft increases and cargo not in need of suppression is exposed to harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies fire suppressant locally to the specific container where a fire is detected, rather than flooding the entire cargo area. The penetrator assembly targets a specific location on the container wall, and the suppressant is delivered only to that localized area, reducing overall suppressant usage and weight while maintaining effective fire suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo area is divided into individual containers, each with its own fire suppression capability. The system segments the fire suppression function by equipping different containers with detection and suppression components, allowing independent response to fires in specific containers rather than treating the cargo area as a single zone.
2Device complexity
If manual operation of fire extinguishing bottles is used, then the system complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to remote cargo areas being inaccessible to flight crews
Solution Approach 1:
The fire suppression system operates autonomously without requiring manual intervention from flight crews. When a fire is detected by the sensor, the system automatically activates the penetrator assembly to pierce the container wall and releases the fire suppressant into the affected container, eliminating the need for crew members to physically access remote cargo areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The penetrator assembly serves as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the gap between the fire suppressant bottle and the container interior. It automatically pierces the container wall and channels suppressant into the affected area, eliminating the need for manual operation while maintaining system reliability.
3Reliability
If fire suppressant is released into containers not experiencing fire, then the fire suppression effectiveness is improved by pre-positioning suppressant, but the cargo spoilage increases due to harmful effects of suppressant on non-affected cargo
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies fire suppressant locally only to the container where a fire is detected, rather than pre-positioning and potentially releasing suppressant in all containers. The penetrator assembly targets a specific location on the affected container, ensuring suppressant contact is limited to the fire area and preventing harmful effects on surrounding cargo.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect fires and provides feedback to the control system, which then activates suppression only in the affected container. This feedback mechanism ensures that suppressant is released only when and where needed, preventing unnecessary exposure of non-affected cargo to harmful suppressant effects.
4Device complexity
If the penetrator assembly is fixed in position, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates as the system cannot respond to fires in different container locations
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrator assembly is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned at different locations on the container wall as needed. The assembly can be extended or repositioned to reach various fire locations, providing adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device architecture through controlled movement rather than multiple fixed components.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for suppressing fire inside a container includes a support structure configured to be mounted inside a vehicle at a position associated with at least one location configured to receive a container. The device further includes a deployment structure coupled to the support structure and a penetrator assembly coupled to the deployment structure. The penetrator assembly includes a nozzle having a tip configured to pierce a container and an actuator associated with the nozzle. The actuator is configured to extend the tip of the nozzle such that it pierces a container. The support structure and the deployment structure are configured such that the penetrator assembly is movable in at least one plane with respect to the support structure, and the penetrator assembly is configured to receive fire suppressant and direct the fire suppressant into the container.