Hybrid cargo fire-suppression agent distribution system

• US 8,733,463 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Meier, Oliver C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorman, Darren W
• Application Number:
  US13/011,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20120186835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,220 Days
• Field of Search: 169/11, 169/12, 169/16, 169/43, 169/46, 169/53, 169/56, 169/60, 169/61, 169/62, 244/129.2
• US Class Current: 169/46
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0018 using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide

Abstract

A hybrid cargo-fire-suppression agent distribution system and method is disclosed. The hybrid cargo-fire-suppression agent distribution system comprises vehicle ducting means operable to distribute at least one fire-suppression agent. Further, preliminary fire-suppression supply source means is coupled to the vehicle ducting means and is operable to provide a high volume flow of a preliminary fire-suppression agent.

Claims

1. A hybrid cargo fire-suppression agent distribution system, comprising:

vehicle ducting means operable to distribute at least one fire-suppression agent;

at least one stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG) coupled to the vehicle ducting means and operable to burn during a slow-discharge time-frame and generate only directly from the at least one stand-alone slow-burning SPGG an initial burst of a high volume flow of a preliminary fire-suppression agent providing an increased quantity of gas needed to suppress a fire initially; and

at least one secondary fire-suppression supply source separate from the stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG) and coupled to the vehicle ducting means and operable to provide a low volume flow of a secondary fire-suppression agent for sustaining suppression of the fire after the initial burst.

2. The system of claim 1, a combustion rate of the SPGG is based on an amount of active chemical present in the SPGG, a surface area exposed for combustion, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary fire-suppression supply source comprises at least one fire-suppression supply source selected from the group consisting of:

a nitrogen generation system (NGS), an HFC-125 supply source, a Pentafluoroethane (CF₃CHF₂) supply source, a Nitrogen supply source, an Argon supply source, a Helium supply source, an aerosolized liquid mist supply source, an FK 5-1-12 (C₆F₁₂O) supply source, a water supply source, and a Halon supply source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle ducting means is coupled to a contained volume.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG) is operable to suppress a fire within the contained volume.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the slow-discharge time-frame comprises about 1 minute to about 2 minutes.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to initiate distribution of the at least one fire-suppression agent in response to receiving a fire-warning signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to terminate distribution of the at least one fire-suppression agent in response to receiving a fire-suppressed signal.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to command an open state in response to receiving a fire-warning signal, wherein a control valve is operable to open thereby allowing distribution of the at least one fire-suppression agent.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to command a closed state in response to receiving a fire-suppressed signal, wherein a control valve is operable to close thereby blocking distribution of the at least one fire-suppression agent.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the vehicle ducting means to a contained volume.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising suppressing a fire within the contained volume using the preliminary high volume flow fire-suppression agent.

11. A hybrid cargo fire-suppression agent distribution method, the method comprising:

providing vehicle ducting means coupled to at least one stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG);

distributing an initial burst of a preliminary high volume flow fire-suppression agent only from the at least one stand-alone SPGG to provide an increased quantity of gas needed for suppressing a fire initially; and

distributing a secondary low volume flow fire-suppression agent from at least one secondary fire-suppression agent supply source separate from the stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG) after the initial burst.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring a combustion rate of the SPGG based on an amount of active chemical present in the SPGG, a surface area exposed for combustion, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising discharging a secondary fire-suppression agent a pre-determined time delay after the initial burst from the at least one stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG).

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising discharging a secondary fire-suppression agent substantially simultaneously with discharging the preliminary fire-suppression agent.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising initiating distribution of the preliminary high volume flow fire-suppressant agent in response to receiving a fire-warning signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising terminating distribution of the preliminary high volume flow fire-suppression agent in response to receiving a fire-suppressed signal.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one secondary fire-suppression supply source comprises at least one fire-suppression supply source selected from the group consisting of:

a nitrogen generation system (NGS), an HFC-125 supply source, a Pentafluoroethane (CF₃CHF₂) supply source, a Nitrogen supply source, an Argon supply source, a Helium supply source, an aerosolized liquid mist supply source, an FK 5-1-12 (C₆F₁₂O) supply source, a water supply source, and a Halon supply source.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one stand-alone slow-burning solid propellant gas generator (SPGG) is operable to burn during a slow-discharge time-frame of about 1 minute to about 2 minutes.