Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Advanced Portable Fine Water Mist Fire Extinguisher for Spacecraft
Project Description
Fine water mist (FWM) is a promising replacement technology for fire suppression on the next generation of manned spacecraft. It offers advantages in performance, ease of cleanup, compatibility with on-board environmental systems, and ability to recharge during a mission. ADA Technologies has designed and built a prototype hand-held extinguisher that successfully extinguished test fires in an atmosphere of 34% oxygen and 8 psia total pressure, representing manned spacecraft environments. In this Phase II SBIR project ADA proposes to advance this FWM prototype toward production status by incorporating design improvements compatible with space-based operation and validating the new configuration in fire tests in the spacecraft environment chamber (34% O2 & 8 psia) operated by team member Colorado School of Mines. We will also plan for microgravity (aircraft) testing and prepare a Flight Qualification Test Plan to be used to estimate costs for flight qualification of the hardware. Finally, the production prototype will be tested against UL standard 711 class 2B and 5B flammable liquid fires. A comprehensive specification and drawing package will be prepared. All Phase II project activities will be directed toward advancing the TRL of the technology to Level 8. In Phase II we have added a partner experienced in the production and qualification of flight test fixtures and experiments. ADA has also initiated discussions with a NASA contractor for spacecraft as well as with a commercial supplier of fire protection equipment to take this technology into the broader commercial marketplace, targeting aerospace and flammable fuels storage as early market segments.
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Anticipated Benefits
Significant market opportunities exist outside the base applications within NASA. ADA will leverage these to create a commercial opportunity for our FWM technology that is of significant potential impact to the company while satisfying the NASA need/requirement. Aerospace applications (airlines) constitute one major opportunity. Airplanes are currently equipped with halon extinguishers both automatic and handheld. However, halon is no longer in production and the European Union is mandating its replacement even prior to the depletion of Halon stockpiles. FWM is an excellent candidate for this application as it is very effective, safe for human exposure, and environmentally friendly. ADA's fine water mist system is also a great fit for fire protection in vehicle and enclosed space applications. Military vehicles, subway trains, museums, passenger and merchant ships, hotels, data centers, flammable fuel storage locations are among promising markets. Overall, this is a several hundred million dollar market opportunity, and FWM will have a positive impact on safety, human health, and the environment. ADA has begun discussions with companies that have existing fire protection products and market share to update their product lines and increase market opportunities. ADA's strong grasp and intellectual property in this emerging technology make us an ideal partner for firms seeking to deploy new and improved products into the fire protection market.
Fine Water Mist (FWM) is a versatile fire suppression technology ideal for application in manned spacecraft and planetary habitats. It is effective and efficient, with a small mass and volume impact. NASA recently identified FWM as a leading candidate technology for fire protection on the Altair lunar lander. The ADA prototype design can be operated in any gravity environment, including microgravity, and with the gravity vector in any orientation with respect to the extinguisher. The ADA FWM extinguisher is rechargeable on-station, a key feature for extended lunar and planetary missions. In addition, FWM is fully compatible with spacecraft systems, using only water and nitrogen as agents which offer no adverse impact to human health. ADA has identified two candidate partners to advance our technology through flight qualification to supply hardware for Constellation family of manned spacecraft. Fine Water Mist Fire Suppression is also useful and effective in a range of applications in NASA facilities and Ground Support Equipment. ADA has designed, built, and tested specialized FWM systems for use in hazardous environments on board US Air Force aircraft, and has worked on conceptual designs for such applications as flammable liquid storage and ground protection of aircraft. We believe that Fine Water Mist would prove ideal for many NASA fire protection situations. ADA plans to partner with a commercial supplier of fire suppression equipment to bring this technology to market. More »
Fine Water Mist (FWM) is a versatile fire suppression technology ideal for application in manned spacecraft and planetary habitats. It is effective and efficient, with a small mass and volume impact. NASA recently identified FWM as a leading candidate technology for fire protection on the Altair lunar lander. The ADA prototype design can be operated in any gravity environment, including microgravity, and with the gravity vector in any orientation with respect to the extinguisher. The ADA FWM extinguisher is rechargeable on-station, a key feature for extended lunar and planetary missions. In addition, FWM is fully compatible with spacecraft systems, using only water and nitrogen as agents which offer no adverse impact to human health. ADA has identified two candidate partners to advance our technology through flight qualification to supply hardware for Constellation family of manned spacecraft. Fine Water Mist Fire Suppression is also useful and effective in a range of applications in NASA facilities and Ground Support Equipment. ADA has designed, built, and tested specialized FWM systems for use in hazardous environments on board US Air Force aircraft, and has worked on conceptual designs for such applications as flammable liquid storage and ground protection of aircraft. We believe that Fine Water Mist would prove ideal for many NASA fire protection situations. ADA plans to partner with a commercial supplier of fire suppression equipment to bring this technology to market. More »
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADA Technologies, Inc. | Lead Organization | Industry | Littleton, Colorado |
Glenn Research Center
(GRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Colorado
-
Ohio
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This is a historic project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1, 2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active projects.