When it comes to firefighting, the first that comes to mind is using water to extinguish flames. However, no matter how much we innovate ways of extinguishing fires with water, refilling and transporting water is still a challenge. The task can cost lives, as there are situations such as narrow spaces and other factors to consider when carrying water. Until now, the only real alternatives to water were highly toxic foams, but new research has found a way to use air to firefight.
More than wind
The idea of using air is not entirely new, as various research has been done to make this work. Somewhat recently, soundwaves at specific frequencies were tested for firefighting. To stay burning, fire needs heat, fuel, and oxygen. Water is not strictly necessary to disrupt this balance. However, none of the previous attempts reached the masses.
Researchers at the University of Ohio have built a new system that uses air to firefight. This time, it’s based on vortex pulses of wind that convert oxygen into ozone. This means it changes an element that makes fire burn to reverse the process and prevent immediate re-ignition.
What’s different
The aerosols used in this research make all the difference from previous attempts. Before testing, various simulations took place to determine the most effective chemical reaction to suppress fires. Once ready, two prototypes were tested in real life which showed excellent results in terms of extinguishing the fires. Their simple design also ensures high scalability. Researchers mention plans to support AI recognition of fires and automatic extinguishing, which could be another step towards a safer future.
Right now, the prototypes have a range of about two meters. While these devices might not be ready to be used in real-crisis situations, the potential is there. They could certainly help in enclosed spaces where maneuverability is hard for the classic way. Still, it’s going to take a lot of improvements for them to become the main choice. We’re not going to replace water fully, not now, at least. However, we can start thinking of replacing those toxic foams to a safer solution.
YouTube: Pump Up the Bass to Douse a Blaze – Mason Students’ Invention Fights Fires
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Photo credit: The featured image is symbolic and has been taken by David Peinado. The images in the body of the article are owned by the researchers and were made available for press usage under MDPI Open Access with attribution.
Source: Physics World / Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute / Tatyana Woodall (Ohio State University News)
