Fire extinguishing agent and method of preparation and use thereof

• US 6,202,755 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fidelity Holdings, Inc. (The Major Automotive Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fidelity Holdings, Inc. (The Major Automotive Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardge, Lawrence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US09/325,231
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 169/30, 169/43, 169/46-50, 169/54, 169/70, 169/71
• US Class Current: 169/71
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/62 with a single permanently pressurised container
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0009 Methods of extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire by cooling down or suffocating the flames

Abstract

A fire extinguishing agent includes an oxygen depleting agent, a heat removing endothermic agent, and a flame retarding agent. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the oxygen depleting agent is preferably a halon gas mixture of equal parts Halon 1211 and Halon 1301, the endothermic agent is preferably carbon dioxide, and the flame retarding agent preferably includes an aqueous solution of baking soda and a standard liquid flame retardant. The fire extinguishing agent, which may be provided in gas, liquid, or powder form, is preferably pressurized with nitrogen or another inert gas. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the Halon 1211 and Halon 1301 are forced through a diesel fuel filter prior to entering the pressurized container. The filter removes and collects reactive chlorofluorocarbon constituents from the halon gases. The fire extinguishing agent extinguishes a fire, removes heat from the fire and material which was burning, and retards reignition of the fire. In addition, the removal of reactive chlorofluorocarbon constituents permits the extinguishing agent to be relatively environmentally friendly. The halon gases extinguish the flames by removing oxygen from the fire, the carbon dioxide removes heat from the fire, and the flame retardant agent provides a coating which prevents oxygen from interacting with the fire.

Claims

1. A fire extinguishing agent, comprising:

a) an oxygen depleting agent includes a halon gas;

b) a heat removing agent; and

c) a flame retarding agent.

2. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said halon gas is at least one of CF₃Br and CF₂ClBr.

3. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said oxygen depleting agent includes a mixture of substantially equal parts CF₃Br and CF₂ClBr.

4. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat removing agent is carbon dioxide.

5. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said flame retarding agent includes baking soda.

6. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said flame retarding agent includes a liquid flame retardant.

7. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said fire extinguishing agent is in a substantially liquid form.

8. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein:

said fire extinguishing agent includes a powder.

9. A fire extinguishing agent, comprising:

a) an oxygen depleting agent;

b) a heat removing agent; and

c) a flame retarding agent,

wherein said fire extinguishing agent comprises approximately forty percent by weight of said oxygen depleting agent, approximately forty percent by weight of said flame retarding agent, and approximately twenty percent by weight of said heat removing agent.

10. A fire extinguishing agent, comprising:

a) an oxygen depleting agent;

b) a heat removing agent; and

c) a flame retarding agent,

wherein said fire extinguishing agent is in a substantially gaseous form.

11. A fire extinguishing agent, comprising:

a) an endothermic agent;

b) a flame retardant; and

c) at least one halon gas.

12. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said endothermic agent is carbon dioxide.

13. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said flame retarding agent includes baking soda.

14. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said flame retarding agent includes a flame retardant adapted to retard flame spread on fabrics, woods, and cellulosic materials.

15. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said fire extinguishing agent is in solid form.

16. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said at least one halon gas includes a mixture of CF₃Br and CF₂ClBr.

17. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said fire extinguishing agent comprises approximately forty percent by eight of said at least one halon gas, approximately forty percent by weight of said flame retarding agent, and approximately twenty percent by weight of said endothermic agent.

18. A fire extinguishing agent according to claim 11, wherein:

said fire extinguishing agent is adapted to extinguish A-class, B-class, and C-class fires.

19. A fire extinguisher, comprising:

a) a container; and

b) a fire extinguishing agent in said container, said fire extinguishing agent comprising an oxygen depleting agent including at least one halon gas, a heat removing agent, and a flame retarding agent.

20. A fire extinguisher according to claim 19, further comprising:

c) a pressurant in said container which pressurizes said fire extinguishing agent.

23. A fire extinguisher according to claim 19, wherein:

said container is a break-away container.

24. A fire extinguisher according to claim 19, wherein:

said container is an extinguisher tank provided with a nozzle, and said flame retarding agent includes baking soda.

21. A fire extinguisher according to claim 21, wherein:

said at least one halon gas is filtered prior to being placed into said container.

22. A fire extinguisher according to claim 21, wherein:

said at least one halon gas is filtered halon gas having reactive chlorofluorocarbon constituents substantially removed.

25. A method for preparing a fire extinguishing agent, comprising:

a) obtaining an oxygen depleting agent having reactive chlorofluorocarbon constituents; and

b) filtering said oxygen depleting agent through a filter to remove the reactive chlorofluorocarbon constituents.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein:

said filtering is through a diesel fuel filter.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein:

said oxygen depleting agent is at least one halon gas.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein:

said at least one halon gas is a mixture of CF₃Br and CF₂ClBr.

29. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

c) providing said filtered oxygen depleting agent into a container.

30. A method according to claim 29, further comprising:

d) obtaining a heat removing agent and providing said heat removing agent into said container.

31. A method according to claim 29, further comprising:

d) obtaining a flame retarding agent and providing said flame retarding agent into said container.

32. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

e) obtaining a heat removing agent and providing said heat removing agent into said container.