ATMOSPHERIC AIR MONITORING FOR AIRCRAFT FIRE SUPPRESSION

• US 20180229062A1
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Meis, Charles, Darr, Rachel
• Granted Patent: US 10,265,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/04 Removing or cutting-off the supply of inflammable material
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/002 for warehouses, storage areas or other installations for storing goods
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/44 only the sensor being in the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0018 using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/009 Fire detection or protection; Erosion protection, e.g. from airborne particles

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.

Claims

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 atmospheric substances within the compartment and the second sensor configured to detect combustion products within the compartment;

at least one valve for regulating flow of a fire suppressant to the compartment; and

a controller configured to control flow of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system, the controller providing instructions to discharge the fire suppressant if the first sensor detects atmospheric substances and the second sensor detects combustion products.

2. The fire suppression system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm capable of providing an alarm signal to an operator, and

wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the alarm to provide the alarm signal to the operator if the first sensor detects atmospheric substances and the second sensor detects combustion products.

3. The fire suppression system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a photoelectric sensor configured to detect atmospheric substances by sensing a difference in obscuration level within the compartment due to existence of atmospheric substances.

4. The fire suppression system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is an ionization sensor configured to detect combustion products.

5. The fire suppression system of claim 1, including a filtration system associated with the compartment and configured to remove combustion products from the compartment.

6. The fire suppression system of claim 5, wherein the filtration system includes:

a filter configured to remove combustion products from atmospheric air within the compartment;

a fan to draw the atmospheric air from the compartment towards the filter and recirculate the atmospheric air into the compartment.

7. The fire suppression system of claim 1, further comprising at least one suppressant sensor configured to determine concentration of the fire suppressant within the compartment, and

wherein the controller is operatively associated with the at least one suppressant sensor and the instructions to discharge the fire suppressant are determined, by the controller, based, at least in part, on the concentration of the fire suppressant within the compartment.

8. The fire suppression system of claim 7, wherein the fire suppressant is Halon-1301 and the at least one suppressant sensor is configured to determine concentration of Halon-1301 within the compartment.

9. The fire suppression system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to compare the concentration of the fire suppressant within the compartment with a desired concentration of the fire suppressant for the compartment, and

wherein the instructions to discharge the fire suppressant are determined, by the controller, based, at least in part, on the comparison of the concentration of the fire suppressant within the compartment and the desired concentration of the fire suppressant for the compartment.

10. A fire suppression system for a compartment of an aircraft, the system comprising:

a sensor system located within the compartment, the sensor system configured to detect combustion products within the compartment while being capable of differentiating between combustion products and a fire suppressant existing in the compartment;

at least one valve for regulating flow of the fire suppressant to the compartment;

a controller configured to control flow of the fire suppressant, via the at least one valve, in response to input from the sensor system, the controller providing instructions to discharge the fire suppressant if the sensor system detects combustion products within the compartment;

at least one filter configured to remove combustion products 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.

11. The fire suppression system of claim 10, wherein the at least one filter includes a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.

12. The fire suppression system of claim 11, wherein the HEPA filter is configured such that it filters combustion products out of the atmospheric air, while allowing a substantial majority of particles of the fire suppressant to pass through the HEPA filter and recirculate into the compartment.

13. The fire suppression system of claim 12, wherein the fire suppressant is Halon-1301 and wherein the HEPA filter is configured such that it allows a substantial majority of Halon-1301 particles to pass through the HEPA filter and recirculate into the compartment.

14. The fire suppression system of claim 10, wherein the at least one fan is proximate to a compartment ceiling of the compartment and the at least one fan draws the atmospheric air into a filtration compartment disposed, in part, above the compartment ceiling,

wherein the at least one filter is disposed upstream of the at least one fan and within the filtration compartment, and

wherein, after passing through the filter, the atmospheric air is recirculated into the compartment, from the filtration compartment, via an exit of the filtration compartment.

15. A method of suppressing fire in a cargo compartment of an aircraft, the method comprising:

monitoring atmospheric air in the cargo compartment utilizing input from a sensor system, the sensor system configured to determine if atmospheric substances are present in the atmospheric air and to determine if combustion products are present in the atmospheric air; and

discharging a fire suppressant into the cargo compartment, via at least one valve, if the sensor system determines that atmospheric substances are present in the atmospheric air and combustion products are present in the atmospheric air.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising continuing to monitor the atmospheric air in the cargo compartment if the sensor system detects atmospheric gas and does not detect combustion products.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising activating an alarm if the sensor system determines that atmospheric substances are present in the atmospheric air and combustion products are present in the atmospheric air.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring concentration of the fire suppressant within the atmospheric air, using a fire suppressant sensor;

and

adjusting flow of the fire suppressant to the cargo compartment, via the at least one valve, if input from the fire suppressant sensor indicates that a current fire suppressant concentration deviates from a desired fire suppressant concentration.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising activating a filtration system, if the sensor system determines that atmospheric substances are present in the atmospheric air and combustion products are present in the atmospheric air.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising directing the atmospheric air, at least in part, towards a filter of the filtration system, using a fan of the filtration system;

filtering the combustion products, at least in part, out of the atmospheric air, using the filter; and

recirculating filtered atmospheric air into the cargo compartment via airflow generated by the fan.