Flame suppressant aerosol generant

• US 20050242319A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Clark, Mark L., Posson, Philip L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,407,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/2
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 1/06 containing gas-producing, chemically-reactive components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 149/115 Organic fuel

Abstract

The present invention is directed to pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppression compositions that burn rapidly, but coolly. The rapid burning of the compositions of the present invention produces a voluminous flame-suppressive aerosol that is useful in suppressing and/or extinguishing both small and large fires. The compositions of the invention contain at least one oxidizer and a fuel component comprising at least one organic acid salt, which combination produces a rapid burning composition that burns at low temperatures with little or no flame.

Claims

1. A pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppression composition comprising:

an oxidizer represented by the formula M(XO_x)_y, wherein M is selected from a Group IA atom, a Group IIA atom, and a Group IIIA atom, X is selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I, x is 1-4, and y is 1-3; and

a fuel component comprising melamine cyanurate, a Group IA or Group IIA salt of an organic acid, or a mixture thereof,

wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of cyanuric acid, isocyanuric acid, barbituric acid, hydroxyacetic acid

wherein n is 0 to 4; and

wherein the oxidizer is present in a greater amount by weight percent than the fuel component.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of lithium, potassium, sodium, strontium, magnesium, and aluminum.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein XO_x is selected from the group consisting of a chlorate, a bromate, an iodate, a perchlorate, and a chlorite.

4. The composition of claim 3, wherein XO_x is a bromate.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein M(XO_x)_y is selected from the group consisting of sodium bromate, potassium bromate, and mixtures thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer is present in an amount of about 70 percent or less by weight of the total composition.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fuel component is melamine cyanurate;

a Group IA or Group IIA salt of cyanuric acid, isocyanuric acid, hydroxyacetic acid, or tartaric acid;

or a mixture thereof.

8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the fuel component is selected from the group consisting of melamine cyanurate, potassium cyanurate, potassium isocyanurate, potassium barbiturate, potassium hydroxyacetate, potassium tartrate, magnesium cyanurate, magnesium isocyanurate, magnesium barbiturate, magnesium hydroxyacetate, magnesium tartrate and mixtures thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein fuel component is present in an amount of about 40 percent or less by weight of the total composition.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of oxidizer to fuel component is from about 3:

2 to about 4;

1.

11. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a binder selected from the group consisting of a silicate, a cellulose derivative, a cellulose ether, an alginic binder, a gum, a gel, a pectin, a starch, a polyvinyl compound, and a mixture thereof, and optionally a polyol selected from the group consisting of a glycerol or a glycol.

12. A method of suppressing a flame comprising the steps of:

i) providing a pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition by combining an oxidizer represented by the formula M(XO_x)_y, wherein M is selected from a Group IA atom, a Group IIA atom, a Group IIIA atom, X is selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I, x is 1-4, and y is 1-3; and

a fuel component comprising melamine cyanurate, a Group IA or Group IIA salt of an organic acid or a mixture thereof,

wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of cyanuric acid, isocyanuric acid, hydroxyacetic acid, and

wherein n is 1 to 4 and the oxidizer is present in a greater amount by weight percent than the fuel component;

ii) igniting the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition and generating an aerosol comprising a plurality of combustion products, wherein the aerosol has a velocity; and

iii) applying the aerosol to a flame in an amount sufficient to suppress the flame.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of sodium bromate, potassium bromate, and mixtures thereof, and the fuel component is selected from the group consisting of melamine cyanurate, potassium cyanurate, potassium isocyanurate, potassium barbiturate, potassium hydroxyacetate, potassium tartrate, magnesium cyanurate, magnesium isocyanurate, magnesium barbiturate, magnesium hydroxyacetate, magnesium tartrate, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the combustion products are selected from the group consisting of H₂O, CO₂, nitrogen, a halide salt, a carbonate salt, and a mixture thereof.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the heat of combustion of the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppression composition is between about 250 calories per gram to about 600 calories per gram.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the weight ratio of the oxidizer to the fuel component is from about 3:

2 to about 4;

1.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein less than about 15 weight % of the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition remains as residue after combustion.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition has a burn rate of about 5 to about 60 seconds per inch.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition further comprises a binder.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition is pressed into at least one shaped solid unit, wherein the at least one shaped solid unit is a cylinder, a slab, a block or a cone.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one shaped solid unit is arranged within a vessel or casing having at least one opening or vent and an ignition assembly.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one portion of the ignition assembly initiates the ignition of the at least one shaped solid unit.

23. A method of suppressing a flame comprising the steps of:

i) providing a pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition by combining an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of sodium bromate, potassium bromate, and mixtures thereof, and a fuel component selected from the group consisting of melamine cyanurate, potassium cyanurate, potassium isocyanurate, potassium barbiturate, potassium hydroxyacetate, potassium tartrate, magnesium cyanurate, magnesium isocyanurate, magnesium barbiturate, magnesium hydroxyacetate, magnesium tartrate, and mixtures thereof,

wherein the weight ratio of the oxidizer to the fuel component is from about 3;

2 to about 4;

1;

ii) igniting the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition and generating an aerosol comprising a plurality of combustion products, wherein the aerosol has a velocity; and

iii) applying the aerosol to a flame in an amount sufficient to suppress the flame.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the pyrotechnic aerosol fire suppressant composition has a burn rate of about 5 to about 60 seconds per inch.