Portable Fire Extinguisher with Internal Heat Detector for Shipping Containers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire extinguishing systems for shipping containers are inefficient, particularly when dealing with flammable cargo, as they are cumbersome, expensive, and difficult to reach, and traditional water-based systems are ineffective for oil, chemicals, or batteries, and previous portable solutions are prone to breakage and unsuitable for confined spaces.
Innovation Solution
A portable fire extinguisher with a housing containing a temperature-responsive extinguishant unit activator, discharge pipes, and mounting magnets, which operates without external energy, using a heat detector chamber and electric pulse trigger to release a solid-state extinguishing chemical that converts to a gaseous aerosol, ensuring controlled discharge outside the housing and preventing interference with internal devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanently mounted fire extinguishers are installed in transport containers, then fire protection is provided, but the equipment is expensive, cumbersome to install, and reduces space available for cargo
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs portable fire extinguishers that can be easily removed and replaced, rather than permanently mounted expensive systems. These portable units serve the fire protection function during transport and can be discarded or relocated when no longer needed, eliminating installation complexity and space constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire extinguishing function is extracted from the container structure itself and implemented as separate portable units. This allows the fire protection capability to be added without modifying the container or reducing cargo space, as the extinguishers are standalone devices that can be positioned anywhere needed.
2Reliability
If permanently mounted fire extinguishers are installed in transport containers, then fire protection is provided, but the equipment cannot be easily removed and unnecessarily takes up space when cargo is not flammable
Solution Approach 1:
The fire protection system transitions from a static permanently mounted configuration to a dynamic portable system. The extinguishers can be moved, removed, or repositioned based on the cargo being transported and specific risk assessments, providing adaptability while maintaining fire protection capability when needed.
3Reliability
If water-based fire extinguishing systems are used in shipping containers, then fire suppression capability is provided, but the system is ineffective for oil, chemicals, or batteries and difficult to reach individual containers
Solution Approach 1:
The portable fire extinguishers are designed to handle multiple types of fires including oil, chemicals, and battery-related incidents. The extinguishing agents and mechanisms are selected to be universally effective across different fire classes, replacing the specialized water-based systems that could only address specific fire types.
4Extent of automation
If heat-sensitive valve is located outside the housing, then the fire extinguisher can respond to external heat, but the valve and nozzles are susceptible to breakage and ill-suited for confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-sensitive activation mechanism is nested inside the housing rather than mounted externally. The flow channel penetrates the housing wall to allow external hot gas to reach the internal activator, protecting the mechanical components from physical damage while maintaining automatic heat response capability suitable for confined spaces.
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 solution provides a reliable, mechanically durable, and scalable fire extinguishing system that can be easily installed in shipping containers and other enclosed spaces, effectively extinguishing fires without external energy sources and minimizing space usage, while ensuring the extinguishing agent only affects the external environment.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature of the air outside the housing rises and the heated air is connected via the flow channel to the activator, which triggers the fire extinguisher
Implementation Method 2
releasing the extinguishing aerosol into the surrounding space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The portable fire extinguisher comprises a housing (10) with a wall, an extinguishant unit (12) containing an extinguishing agent within the housing, a temperature-responsive extinguishant unit activator (14), and at least one extinguishing agent discharge pipe (16) leading from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing. An activator is inside the housing and the housing has a flow channel for conducting external air to the activator. In the event of a fire, the temperature of the air outside the housing rises and the heated air is connected via the flow channel to the activator, which triggers the fire extinguisher.