Fire Extinguishing Composition for Wetting Porous Burning Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire extinguishing agents are inefficient in extinguishing fires on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, particularly solid and porous materials like wood, and do not effectively block oxygen supply or reduce surface temperature.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, specifically 3-(3-hydroxypropyl)-heptamethyltrisiloxane ethoxylated hydroxyl terminated, and a deliquescent anionic salt, such as calcium chloride, with a specific concentration, which minimizes surface tension and contact angle, allowing for rapid spreading, penetration, and wetting without foaming, thereby blocking oxygen supply and reducing surface temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water is used as fire extinguishing medium, then cooling effect is achieved, but water evaporates and burning surface reignites
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (fire extinguishing composition containing surfactant and deliquescent salt) that mediates between water and burning surface. The composition forms a stable film that transfers heat from burning surface to water without evaporating, preventing reignition while maintaining cooling effect
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition principles by controlling the evaporation process. The deliquescent salt absorbs moisture from evaporating water, preventing complete vaporization and maintaining liquid film on burning surface, thus preventing reignition through controlled phase transition management
2Reliability
If foaming agents are used to prevent burning liquid vaporization, then fire extinguishing efficiency improves, but foaming prevents complete distribution on solid rough porous surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the extinguishing medium by using a deliquescent salt that absorbs moisture and forms a gel-like structure. This parameter change allows the composition to adapt to different surface types (solid, rough, porous) while maintaining fire extinguishing efficiency, eliminating the need for foaming agents
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fire extinguishing composition by combining surfactant and deliquescent salt in aqueous solution. This composite material exhibits properties that enable complete distribution on various surface types while maintaining fire suppression effectiveness, overcoming the limitations of conventional foaming agents
3Reliability
If conventional fire extinguishing agents are used, then fire suppression is achieved, but oxygen supply to burning surface is not effectively blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the surfactant to form a flexible thin film on the burning surface. This film acts as a barrier that blocks oxygen supply while allowing heat transfer to water, effectively suppressing fire by cutting off the oxygen component of the combustion triangle
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 solution effectively extinguishes fires on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces by blocking oxygen supply and rapidly reducing surface temperature, with minimal foaming and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The aqueous solution has extremely low surface tension (which means that water molecules have higher mobility and migrating properties) and a contact angle of 0° and so, it is very good in spreading, penetration and wetting
Implementation Method 2
the deliquescent anionic salt is present at a concentration of 5% by weight
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a composition for extinguishing fire, comprising an aqueous solution of a surfactant and a deliquescent anionic salt. A method for extinguishing fire is also disclosed. The method (100) comprises mixing a surfactant and a deliquescent anionic salt in water to form an aqueous solution (110) and spreading the aqueous solution over a burning surface (120).