Atmospheric air monitoring for aircraft fire suppression
First Claim
1. A fire suppression system for a compartment of an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a sensor system located within the compartment, the sensor system including, at least, a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor configured to detect a visual obscuration level within the compartment and the second sensor configured to detect molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment;
a suppressant sensor configured to detect a fire suppressant concentration in the compartment;
at least one valve for regulating flow of a fire suppressant to the compartment; and
a controller configured to control a flow rate of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system and the suppressant sensor, the controller being configured to;
adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the first sensor detects atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor detects molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; and
subsequently;
continue to adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the first sensor continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor continues to detect molecular ionization of combustion products; and
maintain the flow rate of the fire suppressant when the first sensor continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor no longer detects molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fire suppression system for a compartment of an aircraft includes a sensor system, at least one valve, and a controller. The sensor system is located within the compartment and includes, at least, a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to detect atmospheric substances within the compartment and the second sensor is configured to detect combustion products within the compartment. The at least one valve is configured for regulating flow of a fire suppressant to the compartment. The controller is configured to control flow of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system. The controller provides instructions to discharge the fire suppressant if the first sensor detects atmospheric substances and the second sensor detects combustion products.
36 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A fire suppression system for a compartment of an aircraft, the system comprising:
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a sensor system located within the compartment, the sensor system including, at least, a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor configured to detect a visual obscuration level within the compartment and the second sensor configured to detect molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; a suppressant sensor configured to detect a fire suppressant concentration in the compartment; at least one valve for regulating flow of a fire suppressant to the compartment; and a controller configured to control a flow rate of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system and the suppressant sensor, the controller being configured to; adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the first sensor detects atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor detects molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; and subsequently; continue to adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the first sensor continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor continues to detect molecular ionization of combustion products; and maintain the flow rate of the fire suppressant when the first sensor continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and the second sensor no longer detects molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A fire suppression system for a compartment of an aircraft, the system comprising:
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a sensor system located within the compartment, the sensor system configured to detect a visual obscuration level within the compartment and molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; a suppressant sensor configured to detect a fire suppressant concentration in the compartment; at least one valve for regulating flow of the fire suppressant to the compartment; a controller configured to control a flow rate of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system and the suppressant sensor, the controller being configured to; adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the sensor system detects atmospheric substances exceeding a threshold visual obscuration level and molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; and subsequently; continue to adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the sensor system continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; and maintain the flow rate of the fire suppressant when the sensor system detects atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level but no longer detects molecular ionization of combustion products within the compartment; at least one filter configured to remove atmospheric substances from atmospheric air within the compartment; and at least one fan configured to draw the atmospheric air from the compartment towards the at least one filter and recirculate the atmospheric air into the compartment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of suppressing fire in a cargo compartment of an aircraft, the method comprising:
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monitoring atmospheric air in the cargo compartment utilizing input from a sensor system and a suppressant sensor, the sensor system configured to determine if atmospheric substances exceeding a threshold visual obscuration level are present in the atmospheric air and to determine if molecular ionization of combustion products are present in the atmospheric air, and the suppressant sensor configured to detect a fire suppressant concentration in the compartment; adjusting a flow rate of fire suppressant discharged into the cargo compartment, via at least one valve, based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the sensor system determines that atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level are present in the atmospheric air and molecular ionization of combustion products are present in the atmospheric air; and subsequently; continuing to adjust the flow rate of the fire suppressant based on the fire suppressant concentration detected by the suppressant sensor when the sensor system continues to detect atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level and molecular ionization of combustion products in the atmospheric air; and maintaining the flow rate of the fire suppressant when the sensor system detects atmospheric substances exceeding the threshold visual obscuration level but no longer detects molecular ionization of combustion products in the atmospheric air. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification