Fire Suppression System

• US 20120168184A1
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Armand Sr. Enk
• Original Assignee: William Armand Sr. Enk
• Inventors: Enk, William Armand Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/14
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/023 the extinguishing material being expelled by compressed gas, taken from storage tanks, or by generating a pressure gas for foam generation A62C5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/44 only the sensor being in the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 5/02 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 5/024 Apparatus in the form of pipes jet-pipes for foam A62C31/12

Abstract

A fire suppression system for a container including a first tank containing a first liquid component of a two-part foam and a second tank containing a second liquid component of the foam. The system also includes at least one liquid component release device configured to be selectively capable of releasing the first and second components from their respective containers upon receipt of a signal from a fire detector upon detection of a fire. The two-part foam components are propelled through the system by a pressurized propellant that, upon release of the release device, causes the exit of the foam components from their respective tanks, through a mixing conduit to at least one nozzle. The nozzle is configured to spray the liquid component foam mixture into the container wherein the foam cures into a substantially semi-rigid, closed cell foam that is substantially impermeable and may have charring and/or intumescence properties.

Claims

1. A fire suppression system for a container comprising:

a first component container containing a first liquid foam component of a two-part foam;

a second component container containing a second liquid foam component of said two-part foam;

at least one component release device in fluid communication with said first component container and said second component container, said component release device being configured to be selectively capable of releasing said first and second components from said first and second component containers;

a sensor in electric communication with said release device, wherein said sensor electronically signals for the release of said first and said second liquid foam components upon detection of a fire;

a propellant in fluid communication with said first and said second foam component wherein the activation of said release device results in a unrestrained positive pressure applied upon said first foam component and said second foam component by said propellant thereby causing the exit of said first foam component from said first component tank and the exit of second foam component from said second component tank;

a mixing conduit in fluid communication with said first and second component tanks and configured to receive said first and said second foam components and cause mixing thereof; and

at least one nozzle in fluid communication with said mixing conduit and configured to spray said mixed first and second foam components into said container.

2. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said first foam component is pressurized in said first component container and said second foam component is pressurized in said second component container.

3. The fire suppression system of claim 2 further comprising a control panel in electronic communication with first and said second component containers to monitor the pressure of the component therein.

4. The fire suppression system of claim 2 wherein said first and said second component tanks are internally pressurized through pressurized insertion of said propellant into said tanks.

5. The fire suppression system of claim 2 further comprising a pressure tank in fluid communication with said first and said second component containers wherein said pressure tank contains a volume of said propellant under positive pressure.

6. The fire suppression system of claim 5 further comprising a propellant supply conduit in fluid communication with said at least one nozzle to froth said mixed first and second foam components prior to exiting said at least one nozzle and so that propellant may be released through said at least one nozzle in to said container.

7. The fire suppression system of claim 1 further including a first pressure regulator that controls the pressure at which said first foam component exits said first component container.

8. The fire suppression system of claim 7 further including a second pressure regulator that controls the pressure at which said second foam component exits said second component container.

9. The fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising a device to monitor the conditions of said propellant.

10. The fire suppression system of claim 9 wherein said device is a gauge or a switch.

11. The fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising a first device to monitor the conditions of said first liquid foam component and a second device to monitor the conditions of said second liquid foam component.

12. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said component release device is a servo valve or a squib-rupture disk assembly.

13. The fire suppression system of claim 1 further comprising a control panel in electronic communication with said system to monitor the conditions of said system and relay conditions to a display device.

14. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said sensor detects at least smoke and heat.

15. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of any noble gas, Argon, HFC-227ea (MH227, FM-200), Novec 1230, HFC-125 (ECARO-25), FS 49 C2, Argonite/IG-55 (ProInert), CO₂ carbon dioxide, nitrogen, IG-541 Inergen, IG-100 (NN100), FE-13, FE-227, FE-25, MH227, FM-200, Halons, Halon 1301, Freon 13T1, NAF P-IV, NAF S-III, and Triodide (Trifluoroiodomethane).

16. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said two-part foam cures in to a semi-rigid closed cell foam that forms a substantially impermeable layer having insulative properties.

17. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said cured two-part foam forms a char layer when exposed to flames or elevated temperature.

18. The fire suppression system of claim 1 wherein said cured two-part foam has intumescence properties proximate said char layer.

19. A unit load device used in air freight including a removable fire suppression system, said fire suppression system comprising:

an exterior case including a removable top lid, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a front and a back, said top lid, said bottom, said first side, said second side, said front and said back defining an interior volume;

a first component container mounted within said interior volume of said exterior case, said first component container containing a first liquid foam component of said two-part foam;

a second component mounted within said interior volume of said exterior case, said second container containing a second liquid foam component of a two-part foam;

at least one component release device mounted within said interior volume, said release device in fluid communication with said first component container and said second component container, said component release device being configured to be selectively capable of releasing said first and second components from said first and second component containers;

a fire detector operably connected to said top lid of said exterior case, said fire detector in electric communication with said release device, wherein said fire detector electronically signals for the release of said first and said second liquid foam components upon detection of smoke and/or heat;

a propellant in fluid communication with said first and said second foam component wherein the activation of said release device results in a unrestrained positive pressure applied upon said first foam component and said second foam component by said propellant thereby causing the exit of said first foam component from said first component tank and the exit of second foam component from said second component tank;

a mixing conduit within said interior volume, said mixing conduit in fluid communication with said first and second component tanks and configured to receive said first and said second foam components and cause mixing thereof; and

at least one nozzle operably connected to said exterior case, said at least one nozzle in fluid communication with said mixing conduit and configured to spray said mixed first and second foam components into said unit load device.

20. The unit load device of claim 19 wherein said first foam component is pressurized in said first component container and said second foam component is pressurized in said second component container.

21. The unit load device of claim 20 wherein said first and said second component tanks are internally pressurized through pressurized insertion of said propellant into said tanks.

22. The unit load device of claim 19 further comprising a pressure tank in fluid communication with said first and said second component containers wherein said pressure tank contains a volume of said propellant under positive pressure.

23. The unit load device of claim 19 further including a first pressure regulator that controls the pressure at which said first foam component exits said first component container.

24. The unit load device of claim 23 further including a second pressure regulator that controls the pressure at which said second foam component exits said second component container.

25. The unit load device of claim 19 wherein said two-part foam cures in to a semi-rigid closed cell foam that forms a substantially impermeable layer having insulative properties.

26. The unit load device of claim 19 wherein said cured two-part foam forms a char layer when exposed to flames or elevated temperature.

27. The unit load device of claim 26 wherein said cured two-part foam has intumescence properties proximate said char layer.

28. The unit load device of claim 19 further comprising a device to monitor the conditions of said propellant.

29. The unit load device of claim 28 wherein said device is a gauge or a switch.

30. The unit load device of claim 19 further comprising a first device to monitor the conditions of said first liquid foam component and a second device to monitor the conditions of said second liquid foam component.

31. The unit load device of claim 19 further comprising a control panel in electronic communication with said system to monitor the conditions of said system and relay conditions to a display device.

32. A method for suppressing a fire in a container comprising:

detecting the presence of a fire;

signaling the presence of a fire to a component release device;

releasing a first foam component from a first component tank;

releasing a second foam component from a second component tank substantially simultaneously with said first foam component;

mixing said first foam component with said second foam component to form a liquid foam mixture in a liquid foam delivery system;

distributing said liquid foam mixture to at least one nozzle;

spraying said liquid foam mixture into said container wherein said liquid foam mixture expands and cures into a substantially semi-rigid foam layer substantially enclosing and substantially suffocating said fire.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising additionally suppressing said fire through a charring zone of said foam layer exposed the flame or elevated heat of said fire.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising additionally suppressing said fire through the intumescence of said foam layer adjacent to said charring zone.