Tubular Fire Suppression Container with Thermal Fracture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire suppression systems are not typically integrated into mobile transport units like transport refrigeration vehicles, leaving them vulnerable to thermal events such as electrical, grease, and fuel fires within the engine compartment, which can cause significant damage.
Innovation Solution
A fire suppression system featuring a tubular container with a predetermined fracture location that releases a fire suppressant, such as mono-ammonium phosphate powder, upon reaching a critical temperature, strategically positioned near the engine compartment to quickly contain and extinguish fires within the transport refrigeration unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fire suppression system is integrated into the transport refrigeration unit, then fire protection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire suppression system is divided into multiple tubular containers, each with predetermined fracture locations positioned at different zones within the engine compartment. This segmentation allows the system to protect different areas independently while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular containers are designed with predetermined fracture locations that automatically rupture when exposed to fire temperatures, eliminating the need for external sensors, actuators, or control systems. The system activates itself through the thermal properties of the container material.
2Productivity
If the tubular container is positioned to quickly suppress fire at origin, then fire suppression effectiveness is improved, but response time for system activation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular containers are pre-positioned within the engine compartment in strategic locations where fires are most likely to originate. The predetermined fracture locations are pre-engineered to rupture at specific temperature thresholds, ensuring immediate suppression response without requiring detection or decision-making time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical detection and activation mechanisms with a passive thermal-responsive design. The container material itself serves as the detection and activation mechanism, rupturing automatically when fire temperatures are reached, thereby eliminating delays associated with electronic sensors and control systems.
3Extent of automation
If the predetermined fracture location is designed to rupture at critical temperature, then automatic fire response is improved, but control over suppression timing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses changes in physical parameters (temperature) to trigger automatic suppression. The predetermined fracture locations are designed with specific material properties that cause them to rupture at critical fire temperatures, providing automatic response based on thermal conditions rather than temporal control.
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 and efficiently suppresses fires by passively releasing the fire suppressant into the engine compartment, minimizing damage to the unit and surrounding structures by addressing thermal events at their origin.
Implementation Method 1
a predetermined fracture location of the tubular container configured to rupture upon reaching a critical temperature to expel the fire suppressant
Data Source
AI summary
A fire suppression system includes a transport refrigeration unit configured to cool a transport container. Also included is a tubular container having a fire suppressant stored therein, the tubular container disposed within the transport refrigeration unit. Further included is a predetermined fracture location of the tubular container, wherein the predetermined fracture location is configured to rupture upon reaching a critical temperature to expel the fire suppressant.