Dual-Phase Wildfire Sprinkler Defense for WUI Home Construction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wildfire defense methods are inadequate for protecting homes and construction sites in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) regions, leading to significant property damage and insurance challenges, as they are either ineffective, costly, environmentally unsustainable, or require extensive manual maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A dual-phase automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system is deployed during and after construction, using a trailer-mounted system for proactive spraying of environmentally-clean fire inhibitors, followed by a permanently installed system to protect homes and construction sites from hot embers and flames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional firebreak spray systems are used to coat structures with liquid fire retardants, then structures are protected from catching fire when wildfires approach, but the systems are expensive to install and use liquid fire retardants that are less than optimal from performance criteria and environmental sustainability perspective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the fire retardant from conventional liquid formulations to a specialized composition containing potassium salt crystalline coatings combined with hydrogel. This parameter change improves both performance (better fire protection effectiveness) and environmental sustainability while reducing installation costs through automated sprinkler-based application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite fire retardant material combining potassium salt crystalline coatings with hydrogel in a unified composition. This composite material provides superior fire protection effectiveness while being more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective to install compared to conventional liquid fire retardants.
2Duration of action of moving object
If hydrogels are used to cool the source of fire by retaining water close to the flame, then immediate extinguishing effect is achieved, but long-term effect is poor as hydrogels can dry and rapidly lose their effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hydrogel with potassium salt crystalline coatings in a composite fire retardant composition. The hydrogel provides immediate extinguishing effect by retaining water near the flame, while the potassium salt crystalline coatings provide long-term fire-retarding effect, thus resolving the contradiction between immediate and long-term effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the fire retardant composition by incorporating potassium salt crystalline structures that remain stable and effective over time, complementing the hydrogel's immediate action. This parameter change in the chemical composition ensures both immediate extinguishing capability and sustained long-term fire protection.
3Reliability
If proactively spraying homes and buildings with chemical fire retardants is used to defend against hot flying embers, then protection is provided during wildfire events, but the methods are becoming unsustainable due to increasing financial losses and insurance industry withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fire retardant composition to potassium salt crystalline coatings combined with hydrogel, which provides enhanced fire protection effectiveness at lower costs. This parameter change in the chemical formulation makes the system financially sustainable and attractive to insurance industries, preventing withdrawal from WUI regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an automated sprinkler-based system that applies fire retardant composition cost-effectively and can be deployed as needed. This approach provides sustainable financial viability for insurance companies while maintaining reliable wildfire defense capability through proactive spraying.
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
Significantly reduces the risk of wildfire damage by providing continuous protection, ensuring insurance viability and sustainability, while using eco-friendly chemicals that maintain fire resistance without water dependency.
Implementation Method 1
When the minimum film formation temperature is reached for the biochemical composition, the potassium cations can inter diffuse within the triethyl citrate coalescing agent and water molecule matrix that is supported on the surface that has been sprayed and to be proactively treated with fire inhibiting properties
Implementation Method 2
the potassium cations can inter diffuse within the triethyl citrate coalescing agent and water molecule matrix... to form a thin film of tripotassium citrate salt crystalline structures
Implementation Method 3
spraying the exterior surfaces of all wood framed and/or mass-timber material surfaces of the wood-framed and/or mass-timber buildings, and providing Class A fire protection thereto
Implementation Method 4
automated AI-based smoke and/or wildfire ember detection system/network deployed within a WUI region
Data Source
AI summary
A wildfire defense system trailer and method of installing an automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system on a home construction site before the starting of the construction phase of a home building project in a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region. The first commissioned automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will continue in operation all during the home building construction phase, and will only be decommissioned from operation, and removed from the premises (including the job-site wildfire defense system trailer being removed from the property) when construction of the wood home building project is totally completed, and the wood home building is ready for occupation. At the same time when the first system is decommissioned, a second permanently-installed automated sprinkler-based wildfire defense system will be completely installed within the new home construction, independent from the first system, and ready for commissioning to provide a new proactive measure of defense against a wildfire storm occurring after home building construction has been completed, thereby protecting all wood and combustible surfaces on the home and surrounding property, and preventing fire ignition and flame spread until the wildfire storm passes through the WUI region. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to significantly reduce the risk of wood home building construction projects occurring within a wildfire urban interface (WUI) region, and better support the underwriting of home construction and ownership insurance policies within such regions.