Method and apparatus for suppression of fires
First Claim
1. A fire suppression apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening;
a gas-generating device located and configured to provide a flow of a first gas into the flow path such that the flow of the first gas draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path; and
at least one oxygen-getting device disposed in the flow path, wherein the oxygen-getting device is configured to reduce a level of oxygen in the volume of ambient air as it flows therethrough.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, system and method for suppression of fires are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a housing is provided with a first opening (or set of openings), a second opening (or set of openings) and a flow path defined between the first and second openings. A fire-suppressing gas is produced, such as from a solid propellant composition, and is introduced into the flow path in such a way that a volume of ambient air is drawn from a location external to the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path. The volume of ambient air may be subjected to an oxygen-reducing process and mixed with the fire-suppressing gas to form a gas mixture. The gas mixture is discharged from the flow path through the second opening and into an associated environment for suppression of a fire located therein.
133 Citations
87 Claims
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1. A fire suppression apparatus comprising:
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a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening; a gas-generating device located and configured to provide a flow of a first gas into the flow path such that the flow of the first gas draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path; and at least one oxygen-getting device disposed in the flow path, wherein the oxygen-getting device is configured to reduce a level of oxygen in the volume of ambient air as it flows therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A fire suppression apparatus comprising:
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a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening; a gas-generating device located and configured to provide a flow of a gas into the flow path such that the flow of the gas draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path, the gas-generating device including a nozzle through which the gas flows into the flow path; a diffuser disposed within the flow path located and configured to alter a velocity of the first gas and to effect mixing of the gas with the volume of ambient air drawn into the flow path and thereby form a gas mixture; and at least one conditioning apparatus disposed within the flow path wherein the at least one conditioning apparatus includes a heat transfer device disposed between the diffuser and the second opening.
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36. A fire suppression system comprising:
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at least one fire suppression apparatus comprising; a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening; a gas-generating device located and configured to provide a flow of a first gas into the flow path such that the flow of the first gas draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path; at least one oxygen-getting device disposed in the flow path, wherein the oxygen-getting device is configured to reduce a level of oxygen in the volume of ambient air as it flows therethrough; and a controller configured to generate a signal and transmit the signal to the at least one fire suppression apparatus upon the occurrence of a specified event, wherein the gas-generating device is configured to provide the flow of the first gas upon receipt of the signal from the controller. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A fire suppression system comprising:
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at least one fire suppression apparatus comprising; a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening; a gas-generating device located and configured to provide a flow of a gas into the flow path such that the flow of the gas draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path, wherein the gas-generating device further includes a nozzle through which the first gas flows into the flow path; a diffuser disposed within the flow path located and configured to alter a velocity of the gas and to effect mixing of the gas with the volume of ambient air drawn into the flow path and thereby form a gas mixture; and at least one conditioning apparatus disposed within the flow path wherein the at least one conditioning apparatus includes a heat transfer device disposed between the diffuser and the second opening; and a controller configured to generate a signal and transmit the signal to the at least one fire suppression apparatus upon the occurrence of a specified event, wherein the gas-generating device is configured to provide the flow of the gas upon receipt of the signal from the controller.
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64. A fire suppression apparatus comprising:
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a housing defining a first opening therein, a second opening therein and a flow path providing fluid communication between the first opening and the second opening; a gas-generating device including a solid propellant composition disposed within a housing, wherein the solid propellant composition is configured to produce a gas upon combustion thereof; an igniting device configured to ignite the solid propellant composition; a nozzle coupled with the gas-generating device, wherein the nozzle is located and configured such that the gas flows through the nozzle into the flow path and also draws a volume of ambient air from a location outside the housing, through the first opening and into the flow path; a filter disposed between the solid propellant composition and the nozzle; a diffuser disposed within the flow path located and configured to alter a velocity of the gas and to effect mixing of the gas with the volume of ambient air drawn into the flow path and thereby form a gas mixture; and at least one conditioning apparatus disposed within the flow path including at least one oxygen-getting device configured to reduce a level of oxygen from the volume of ambient air. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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67. A method of suppressing fires, the method comprising:
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providing a housing with a first opening and a second opening; defining a flow path between the first opening and the second opening; producing a fire-suppressing gas; introducing the fire-suppressing gas into the flow path; aspirating a volume of ambient air from a location external of the housing through the first opening and into the flow path; mixing the volume of ambient air with the fire-suppressing gas to produce a gas mixture; reducing a level of oxygen contained within the volume of ambient air including flowing the volume of ambient air over an oxygen reactive material; and discharging the gas mixture through the second opening. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A method of suppressing fires, the method comprising:
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providing a housing with a first opening and a second opening; defining a flow path between the first opening and the second opening; producing a fire-suppressing gas; introducing the fire-suppressing gas into the flow path; aspirating a volume of ambient air from a location external of the housing through the first opening and into the flow path; mixing the volume of ambient air with the fire-suppressing gas to produce a gas mixture; flowing the gas mixture through a conditioning device, wherein flowing the gas mixture through a conditioning device further comprises flowing the gas mixture through an oxygen-getting device; and discharging the gas mixture through the second opening.
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87. A method of suppressing fires, the method comprising:
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providing a housing with a first opening and a second opening; defining a flow path between the first opening and the second opening; producing a fire-suppressing gas; introducing the fire-suppressing gas into the flow path; aspirating a volume of ambient air from a location external of the housing through the first opening and into the flow path; mixing the volume of ambient air with the fire-suppressing gas to produce a gas mixture; flowing the gas mixture through a conditioning device, wherein flowing the gas mixture through a conditioning device further comprises flowing the gas mixture through a heat transfer device; and discharging the gas mixture through the second opening.
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Specification