Fire Extinguisher Vessel Retrofit With Composite Wrap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft fire suppression systems are limited in their ability to accommodate sufficient volumes of less efficient fire extinguishing agents due to their design, which was optimized for Halon, leading to the need for larger vessels or increased agent volumes when transitioning to agents like nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or HFC125.
Innovation Solution
A retrofit solution involving a high-strength fiberglass wrap, such as carbon fiber nano-tubes, is applied to existing fire extinguisher vessels to increase agent fill density, allowing for a higher volume of less efficient agents without altering the vessel's size or installation compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fire extinguisher vessels are designed to accommodate Halon, then the vessel size is minimized, but the vessel cannot contain sufficient volumes of less efficient fire extinguishing agents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing a wrap around the fire extinguisher vessel, creating a nested structure where the wrap is contained within the spatial envelope of the vessel. This allows the vessel to effectively contain a greater volume of fire extinguishing agent by utilizing the wrap's ability to withstand external pressure, thereby resolving the contradiction between increasing agent volume and maintaining vessel size constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining the fire extinguisher vessel with a wrap made of high-strength materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic or fiberglass. This composite structure enables the system to withstand higher pressures and contain greater volumes of less efficient fire extinguishing agents without increasing the external dimensions of the vessel, thus resolving the contradiction between agent quantity and vessel size.
2Quantity of substance
If the vessel size is increased to accommodate less efficient agents, then sufficient agent volume is achieved, but the installation space and mounting compatibility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The wrap is nested around the existing vessel in such a way that the outer dimensions of the assembled fire extinguisher system remain unchanged. This nesting approach allows the vessel to hold greater agent volume while maintaining the same installation footprint and mounting compatibility, thus resolving the contradiction between agent quantity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter by utilizing the wrap's ability to withstand external atmospheric pressure, allowing the vessel to contain greater volumes of less efficient fire extinguishing agents. This parameter change enables the system to maintain installation compatibility while achieving sufficient agent volume, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
3Quantity of substance
If a wrap is added to increase agent capacity, then fire protection level is maintained, but the vessel complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the fire extinguisher system into two distinct components: the original vessel and the add-on wrap. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, with the wrap being produced through techniques like resin transfer molding or pultrusion, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the increased functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrap is manufactured using composite materials through established industrial processes such as resin transfer molding, pultrusion, or filament winding. These are well-developed manufacturing techniques that, while adding a step to the process, do not significantly increase overall complexity and enable the wrap to achieve the required mechanical properties for pressure containment.
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 retrofitting process enhances the fire extinguisher vessel's capacity to hold more efficient agents, maintaining fire protection levels while accommodating less efficient agents, and allows for cost-effective and time-efficient maintenance by enabling the use of existing installation brackets and minimizing the need for space modifications.
Implementation Method 1
a wrap made up of a high strength fiberglass material such as carbon fiber reinforced fiberglass
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A fire extinguisher vessel includes a hollow body made of stainless steel, a fill port attached to a first end of the body, a discharge outlet attached to a second end of the body, a mechanical attachment lug attached to the body between the first end of the body and the second end of the body, a pressure switch attached to the body between the mechanical attachment lug and the discharge outlet, and a wrap covering the body. The wrap is flush with the fill port, the discharge outlet, the mechanical attachment lug, and the pressure switch.