Neutral pH Wetting Extinguishing Agent for Class B and K Fires

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wetting extinguishing agents are ineffective in extinguishing Class B and Class K fires, and they can cause environmental damage due to their corrosive nature and stability issues.

Innovation Solution

A wetting extinguishing agent composition comprising 5-15% metal carbonate, 1-10% urea, 3-10% freezing point lowering agent, 0.03-5% fluorine-based surfactant, 0.5-10% amphoteric surfactant, and 50-90% water, which maintains a pH between 6 and 9, prevents solution separation, and effectively lowers surface tension to enhance extinguishing performance across Class A, B, and K fires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a reinforced liquid extinguishing agent with high alkalinity (pH 11-12) is used to achieve strong extinguishing performance, then extinguishing ability is improved, but corrosion of containers and secondary damage occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextinguishing abilityVSAvoidcorrosion and secondary damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the pH parameter from highly alkaline (11-12) to neutral (6-9) by replacing traditional alkaline salts with metal carbonate and urea, thereby eliminating corrosion and secondary damage while maintaining extinguishing effectiveness through alternative chemical mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the previously harmful high alkalinity into a beneficial neutral pH composition, where metal carbonate and urea provide extinguishing performance through different chemical pathways that do not cause corrosion or environmental damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the concentration of hydrogen ions is reduced to reduce secondary damage, then environmental friendliness is improved, but precipitation and separation phenomena occur during storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecondary damageVSAvoidstorage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite chemical system combining metal carbonate, urea, and specific surfactants that work synergistically to maintain solution stability at neutral pH, preventing precipitation and separation while keeping the composition environmentally friendly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces surfactants as intermediary substances that stabilize the neutral pH composition, preventing the separation and precipitation issues that occur when simply reducing hydrogen ion concentration in traditional formulations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a wetting extinguishing agent with neutral pH is used to achieve environmental friendliness, then corrosion is reduced, but extinguishing effect is poor in Class B and Class K fires

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecorrosionVSAvoidextinguishing effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing metal carbonate and urea in specific ratios, enabling neutral pH formulations to achieve effective extinguishing performance in Class B and Class K fires through enhanced cooling and oxygen displacement mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal extinguishing composition that effectively handles multiple fire classes (A, B, and K) while maintaining neutral pH, making the agent both environmentally friendly and broadly effective across different fire types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 composition demonstrates excellent extinguishing ability across Class A, B, and K fires, is environmentally friendly, and does not cause soil contamination, as it decomposes into harmless components, providing effective cooling and oxygen-blocking effects.

Implementation Method 1

The wetting extinguishing agent composition according to the present invention has an excellent extinguishing ability... there is an effect that the cooling effect of lowering the temperature of the ignition point is excellent, and there is an effect of blocking the oxygen from the flame source by continuously generating bubbles resistant to the flame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDecomposition: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 2

The wetting extinguishing agent composition comprising 5-15% by weight of a metal carbonate; 1-10% by weight of urea; 3-10% by weight of a freezing point lowering agent; 0.03-5% by weight of a fluorine-based surfactant; 0.5-10% by weight of an amphoteric surfactant... in order to increase water permeation ability, dispersing ability, emulsifying ability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 3

3-10% by weight of a freezing point lowering agent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFreezing point depression: Freezing

Implementation Method 4

there is an effect that the cooling effect of lowering the temperature of the ignition point is excellent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporative cooling: Evaporative Cooler

Data Source

PatentUS11712592B2Wetting agent composition for extinguishing fires
Publication Date: 2023.08.01 HWANG IN CHEON

AI summary

The present invention relates to a wetting extinguishing agent composition, comprising a metal carbonate; urea; a freezing point lowering agent; a fluorine-based surfactant; an amphoteric surfactant; and water, wherein the wetting extinguishing agent composition has excellent extinguishing ability not only for Class A fires, which are general fires, and Class B fires, which are oil-based fires, but also for Class K fires, which are kitchen fires.