Fire Suppression Emitter Using Low Pressure Gas Jet Atomization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire suppression systems using resonance tubes are inefficient due to inadequate fluid flow characteristics, large water particle size, and low velocities, which fail to effectively reach the fire source and suppress fires, especially in unheated areas where dry systems are used to prevent freezing issues.
Innovation Solution
A fire suppression system with a high velocity, low pressure emitter that uses a convergent nozzle and deflector surface to atomize water into small particles, maintaining significant momentum and overcoming the fire smoke plume, while using a control system to manage gas and liquid flow and pressure, and a plurality of compressed gas tanks for stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If resonance tubes are used to atomize liquid, then atomization is achieved, but the water particles have low velocity and cannot overcome the fire smoke plume
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static resonance tube atomization to dynamic high-velocity gas jet atomization. The gas jet is continuously supplied at controlled pressures (5-50 psi) to maintain sustained high-velocity water particles that can penetrate and overcome the fire smoke plume, ensuring reliable fire suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the key parameter of gas pressure from high pressure (required by resonance tubes) to low pressure (5-50 psi for the gas jet system). This parameter change enables the generation of high-velocity water particles through efficient gas-liquid interaction without requiring excessive gas pressure, thereby achieving both high speed and reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If resonance tubes operate at high pressure with large gas volumes, then atomization occurs, but the gas flow becomes unstable and separates from deflector surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system inverts the pressure parameter from high pressure to low pressure operation (5-50 psi). This parameter change stabilizes the gas flow, preventing separation from deflector surfaces, while simultaneously maintaining or improving atomization efficiency through optimized gas-liquid interaction at lower pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses controlled pneumatic gas flow at low pressure to achieve stable atomization. The gas jet is precisely regulated through pressure control mechanisms, ensuring stable flow that adheres to deflector surfaces and maintains consistent atomization performance without the instability problems of high-pressure resonance tube systems.
3Productivity
If traditional sprinkler heads release large water droplets, then water is readily available, but the droplets do not efficiently absorb heat or block radiative heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments water into fine particles through gas jet atomization, creating a large number of small droplets instead of large droplets. This segmentation dramatically increases the total surface area of water, enabling efficient heat absorption and radiative heat transfer blocking while using less water overall, as the increased surface area provides greater contact with the fire.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition from liquid water to water vapor through efficient heat absorption. The fine particle size enables rapid evaporation and phase change, which absorbs significant heat from the fire environment. This phase transition mechanism allows the system to achieve superior fire suppression with reduced water consumption compared to traditional large-droplet systems.
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 system effectively projects small water particles with significant downward momentum to the fire source, achieving efficient fire suppression by absorbing heat, displacing oxygen, and blocking radiative heat transfer, while using less gas and water than traditional systems, and maintaining stability without producing significant acoustic energy.
Implementation Method 1
a gas jet...entrains a liquid that is injected into its path
Implementation Method 2
devices, such as resonance tubes, which atomize a fire suppressing liquid
Implementation Method 3
A first shock front is established between the outlet and the deflector surface
Implementation Method 4
The water spray...does not efficiently absorb heat and therefore cannot operate efficiently to prevent spread of the fire by lowering the temperature of the ambient air around the fire
Implementation Method 5
Large droplets also do not block radiative heat transfer effectively
Implementation Method 6
The spray furthermore does not efficiently displace oxygen from the ambient air around the fire
Data Source
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Figure 3~6
AI summary
A fire suppression system is disclosed. The system includes a source of pressurized gas and a source of pressurized liquid. At least one emitter is in fluid communication with the liquid and gas sources. The emitter is used to establish a gas stream, atomize and entrain the liquid into the gas stream and discharge the resulting liquid-gas stream onto the fire. A method of operating the system is also disclosed. The method includes establishing a gas stream having first and second shock fronts using the emitter, atomizing and entraining the liquid with the gas at one of the two shock fronts to form a liquid-gas stream, and discharging the stream onto the fire. The method also includes creating a plurality of shock diamonds in the liquid-gas stream discharged from the emitter.