Dual Fire Suppression Emitter Atomizing Liquid Gas via Shock Fronts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire suppression systems face inefficiencies due to large water droplets causing damage, limited heat absorption, and inadequate oxygen displacement, while gas-only systems pose hazards to humans by reducing oxygen levels below safe concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A fire suppression system using an emitter that atomizes and entrains both liquid and gaseous extinguishing agents, with controlled pressure and flow rates, forming shock fronts and diamonds to create a high-velocity, small-particle liquid-gas stream effective at overcoming fire plumes and maintaining safe oxygen levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional sprinkler heads release large water droplets, then water damage is caused to furnishings and goods, but fire suppression effectiveness is limited due to small total surface area for heat absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of water droplets by using resonance tubes to atomize water into much smaller droplets (10-100 micrometers) compared to traditional sprinkler heads. This parameter change increases the total surface area by factors of 10-100 times, enabling efficient heat absorption while reducing water damage through more uniform distribution and faster evaporation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs acoustic vibration through resonance tubes that use oscillatory pressure waves to atomize water. The vibration frequency is tuned to resonate with the water flow, breaking it into fine droplets without requiring high pressure. This mechanical vibration approach enables effective atomization while maintaining system reliability.
2Shape
If resonance tubes atomize liquid using acoustic energy, then water particle size is reduced, but water particles have low velocities and are decelerated within 8-16 inches, unable to overcome fire plume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two atomization mechanisms: acoustic resonance for size reduction and high-velocity gas jet for momentum. The combination produces droplets that are both small (for heat absorption) and fast-moving (to penetrate fire plume), resolving the contradiction between particle size and velocity that plagues single-mechanism systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a composite flow structure combining liquid water droplets with high-velocity gas. This composite approach allows the gas to provide momentum while the liquid provides fire suppression, enabling droplets to maintain velocity through the fire plume while remaining small enough for effective heat absorption.
3Stress or pressure
If resonance tubes use high pressure gas volumes, then atomization occurs, but unstable gas flow generates significant acoustic energy and separates from deflector surfaces, leading to inefficient atomization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic backpressure control where the resonance tube system automatically adjusts gas flow conditions to maintain optimal pressure. This dynamic adjustment prevents flow separation and instability, maintaining high atomization efficiency across varying fire conditions without requiring excessively high fixed pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates acoustic feedback mechanisms where the resonance tube responds to the acoustic field generated by gas flow. This feedback stabilizes the gas flow by tuning the resonance frequency to match the flow conditions, preventing separation from deflector surfaces and maintaining efficient atomization across a range of pressures.
4Productivity
If gas-only systems reduce oxygen concentration to extinguish fire, then fire is suppressed, but oxygen levels drop below safe breathable limits for persons without breathing apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water droplets as a complementary mechanism to gas, copying the fire suppression function through a different physical pathway (heat absorption and vaporization rather than oxygen displacement alone). This allows fire extinction at higher oxygen levels, maintaining breathable atmosphere for occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fire suppression parameter from pure oxygen displacement to a combination of heat absorption and moderate oxygen reduction. Water droplets absorb heat through evaporation, raising the energy barrier for combustion without requiring oxygen levels to drop below safe limits, thus protecting both property and human life.
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 suppresses fires with smaller gas volumes and lower pressures, maintaining safe oxygen levels and achieving efficient heat absorption and displacement, reducing damage and hazards.
Implementation Method 1
A fire suppression system using an emitter that atomizes and entrains both liquid and gaseous extinguishing agents
Implementation Method 2
forming shock fronts and diamonds to create a high-velocity, small-particle liquid-gas stream effective at overcoming fire plumes
Data Source
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AI summary
A fire suppression system is disclosed. The system includes a gaseous extinguishing agent and a liquid extinguishing agent. At least one emitter is in fluid communication with the liquid and gas. 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.