New Portable Device to Revolutionize Fire Suppression Techniques

Researchers at Ohio State University unveil a pioneering firefighting tool leveraging conductive aerosols and vortex rings, poised to significantly enhance fire suppression techniques and firefighter safety.

In a recent development, researchers at The Ohio State University have unveiled a portable and efficient firefighting tool that uses conductive aerosols and vortex ring technology to suppress flames. This innovation could revolutionize the way firefighters combat fires, making it a safer and more efficient process.

Developed as an alternative to traditional firefighting methods, the device aims to mitigate the drawbacks associated with toxic chemical foams and the significant water usage of hydrants.

“Using a combination of electricity and this vortex ring technology, we found a more efficient way of solving an environmental problem that will improve our quality of life,” lead author John LaRocco, a research scientist in psychiatry at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, said in a news release.

The device operates by generating vortex rings — donut-shaped bands of air — that carry conductive aerosols. When these aerosols are propelled towards a fire, they create short bursts of wind, converting the nearby oxygen into ozone. This accelerated airflow produces rapid turbulence, disrupting the fire’s combustion process and extinguishing it swiftly.

The design of the device is user-friendly, resembling a small bucket mounted on an arm brace. Firefighters direct the bucket towards the blaze, and it uses bursts of compressed air or an elastic diaphragm to deliver the aerosols in an electric arc to combat the fire.

Co-author Qudsia Tahmina, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at The Ohio State University, explained that the device was initially conceived to refine current fire management strategies.

Extensive testing led the researchers to select a coarse copper solution as the most effective aerosol for the vortex rings. They developed two prototypes: a compressed air launcher with a conical muzzle and an elastic diaphragm launcher with a square-edged muzzle. Both prototypes demonstrated an effective range of nearly 2 meters, or about 6.5 feet.

“In both instances, we were blown away by the invention,” LaRocco added.

The simplicity and scalability of the design are key features of the device, according to co-author John Simonis, an undergraduate student in electrical and computer engineering at The Ohio State University.

“One of the benefits of that simplicity is it’s also very scalable. It’s maneuverable in tight spaces so that you can walk through doors and indoor environments, but also large enough to have the practical benefits of generating those vortex rings.”

An essential advantage of vortex rings is their ability to maintain their shape over longer distances, enabling the aerosol payload to reach farther and reducing the need for firefighters to get dangerously close to the flames.

Published in the journal Technologies, the study suggests integrating multimodal sensors and computer vision for further enhancement.

Simonis highlighted the potential for the device, adding, “There are lots of applications for our device to make a difference.”

Future applications are vast, spanning industrial automation and aerospace technologies, where the device could safeguard military vehicles and spacecraft interiors from fire hazards.