Fire Spike Nozzle Geometry for Ventilation-Limited Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern fires in buildings burn with higher heat release rates and require more oxygen for combustion, leading to rapid deterioration of fire conditions and increased risks for firefighters, necessitating effective application of fire suppressants without introducing air.
Innovation Solution
Fire spike assemblies and tips that penetrate barriers to distribute fire suppressants like water, minimizing oxygen introduction by using orifices angled to intersect and create a misting effect for enhanced fire suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water or fire suppressant is applied to a fire-containing compartment, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but oxygen is introduced which can cause ventilation-induced flashover
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle distributes water through multiple orifices positioned at different locations and angles, creating localized spray zones throughout the compartment without requiring bulk air movement. Each orifice delivers suppressant directly to target areas, achieving effective fire suppression while minimizing overall oxygen introduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pressurized water flow through specially designed orifices to create a misting effect. The hydraulic design ensures water is delivered as fine droplets that can penetrate and suppress fire effectively without requiring mechanical ventilation or large volumes of air to carry the suppressant.
2Power
If more water is used to control high heat-release-rate fires, then fire control capability is improved, but water availability is limited due to absent or damaged hydrant systems
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle transforms water from a bulk liquid into a fine mist through multiple small orifices. This parameter change in water delivery (from stream to mist) increases the surface area and effectiveness of each unit of water, allowing limited water supplies to achieve better fire control capability on high heat-release-rate fires.
Solution Approach 2:
The water flow is segmented into multiple separate streams through numerous orifices rather than delivered as a single stream. This segmentation distributes the limited water supply across multiple target zones simultaneously, maximizing the effectiveness of available water resources.
3Device complexity
If traditional nozzle patterns are used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but fire suppressant distribution effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle incorporates multiple orifices arranged in specific patterns on different surfaces of the body. This segmentation of the spray function across multiple openings improves suppressant distribution effectiveness while maintaining relative structural simplicity, as each orifice is a basic geometric feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifices are positioned on multiple surfaces of the nozzle body (front, rear, and lateral surfaces), utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement to achieve comprehensive coverage. This multi-dimensional orifice placement improves distribution effectiveness without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
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
Prevents ventilation-induced flashover, reduces water requirements, thermal and smoke damage, and lowers risks to firefighters by effectively suppressing fires within compartments.
Implementation Method 1
directing a second plurality of flows of the fluid in a second direction... impacting at least some of the first plurality of flows with at least some second plurality of flows to thereby generate the fire-suppressing mist of fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Fire spikes and fire spike tips adapted to penetrate a surface and distribute a fire suppressant, such as, water, on the opposite side of the surface are provided. The fire spike tips include a cylindrical body having a first end adapted to be received by a conduit and a second end having a pointed projection adapted to penetrate the surface; an internal cavity in the cylindrical body having an open first end and a closed second end; a plurality of first orifices in the body, each of the plurality of first orifices directed in a first substantially radial direction; and a plurality of second orifices in the body, each of the plurality of second orifices directed in a second direction which at least partially intersects with the first direction of the plurality of first orifices. Kits for the fire spikes and methods of suppressing fire are also provided.