Sonic Fire Tech's test installations successfully extinguish flames from a distance of up to 7.5 meters.
California company Sonic Fire Tech is completing the installation of 50 test fire suppression systems in the homes of volunteers who would like to replace water in the fight against fire with something more effective. For example, infrasound radiation – this technology was developed by the company's founder, Jeff Bruder. During his time as a NASA engineer, he researched the conversion of thermal energy and knows how to most simply extinguish a flame. It only takes cutting off the oxygen from contact with the fuel.
The principle of acoustic fire suppression has been known for a long time; it relies on an understanding of combustion dynamics. If you affect the oxygen molecules with vibration, they will "scatter" in space instead of landing on surfaces vulnerable to ignition. And without oxygen, combustion is impossible, so the flame will extinguish itself. The challenge lies in the practical implementation of such fire suppression systems.
It is known that DARPA experimented with acoustic systems for remote flame control from 2008 to 2011. Similar setups were created by various researchers, but they used vibrations at frequencies from 30 to 60 Hz, which is not very pleasant for the human ear. Infrasound is inaudible and spreads further without distortion.
Sonic Fire Tech's test installations successfully extinguish flames from a distance of up to 7.5 meters. It is expected that they will be used to protect buildings directly, which will be equipped with sensors so that the system activates only when fire approaches and for a short time. Fighting wildfires in this way is useless – there are too powerful thermal flows and vortices that cannot be disrupted by any vibrations.
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