Firefighting Gas Apparatus Dome Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current firefighting methods are inadequate in effectively suppressing and extinguishing wildfires, particularly due to the emergence of dangerous phenomena like fire whirls, which cause extensive destruction and pose hazards to personnel, and traditional methods often result in environmental damage and loss of life.
Innovation Solution
A firefighting gas releasing apparatus that deploys a dome-shaped gaseous fog or cloud enclosure using carbon dioxide, formed by releasing the gas above a fire through a containment shell with interfaceable sections and a retainer piston mechanism, to suppress and extinguish the fire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional firefighting methods are used, then fires can be suppressed, but environmental damage and loss of life occur due to inadequate effectiveness and hazardous conditions like fire whirls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs carbon dioxide gas to create an inert atmospheric environment that displaces oxygen, thereby suppressing fire combustion. The CO2 forms a dome-shaped enclosure that blankets the fire area, reducing oxygen concentration below the level needed to sustain combustion, thus extinguishing the fire without causing environmental damage or harm to personnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment shell is divided into multiple interfaceable sections that can be assembled together to form a complete dome structure. This segmentation allows for easier transport, deployment, and assembly of the fire suppression system while maintaining the integrity of the enclosed inert atmosphere when sections are properly connected.
2Reliability
If a dome-shaped gaseous enclosure is formed using carbon dioxide, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to the containment shell with multiple sections and retention mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The containment shell is divided into multiple interfaceable sections that can be assembled together to form a complete dome structure. This segmentation allows for easier transport, deployment, and assembly of the fire suppression system while maintaining the integrity of the enclosed inert atmosphere when sections are properly connected.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention members and retention strap create a dynamic yet simple mechanism for assembling and disassembling the containment shell sections. The shell retention members engage with the interfaceable sections to hold them together during deployment, while the retention strap provides a simple means to secure the assembly, allowing for quick deployment without complex fastening systems.
3Ease of operation
If the containment shell is made with interfaceable sections, then ease of deployment is improved, but reliability of maintaining sealed enclosure is worsened due to potential gaps at interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The containment shell is divided into multiple interfaceable sections that can be assembled together to form a complete dome structure. This segmentation allows for easier transport, deployment, and assembly of the fire suppression system while maintaining the integrity of the enclosed inert atmosphere when sections are properly connected.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention members and retention strap create a dynamic yet simple mechanism for assembling and disassembling the containment shell sections. The shell retention members engage with the interfaceable sections to hold them together during deployment, while the retention strap provides a simple means to secure the assembly, allowing for quick deployment without complex fastening 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 apparatus effectively forms a gaseous enclosure that blocks oxygen flow, suppressing and extinguishing fires while minimizing environmental impact and potential hazards to personnel, potentially reducing property damage and wildlife displacement.
Implementation Method 1
a fire-suppressing gas such as carbon dioxide is released above at least a portion of at least one fire to form a dome-shaped gaseous fog or cloud enclosure which encloses, suppresses and extinguishes the fire
Data Source
AI summary
Firefighting gas releasing apparatuses may include a trigger housing. A containment shell having a plurality of interfaceable shell sections may be carried by the trigger housing. The shell sections may be positional in a closed shell configuration and an open shell configuration. A shell interior may be formed by the shell sections in the closed shell configuration of the containment shell. The shell interior may be configured to contain a supply of at least one fire-suppressing gas. A plurality of shell retention members may removably engage the shell sections. A shell retention strap may releasably engage the shell retention members. The shell retention strap and the shell retention members may retain the shell sections in the closed shell configuration of the containment shell. A retainer piston may be disposed in the trigger housing. The retainer piston may be selectively positional in a strap-retaining configuration engaging the shell retention strap and a strap-releasing configuration disengaging the shell retention strap. The retainer piston may be configured to engage the shell retention strap and maintain the shell sections of the containment shell in the closed shell configuration and disengage the shell retention strap for release of the shell retention strap from the shell retention members, disengagement of the shell retention members from the shell sections and disengagement of the shell sections from each other in deployment of the containment shell to the open shell configuration.