Fire in Orbit: Equipping the Commercial Spaceflight Industry for Fighting Fire in Micro-Gravity

Autor/innen

  • Trent Cybela University of Wisconsin-Platteville

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17307/wsc.v0i0.153

Schlagworte:

Fire, Combustion, Commercial Space, Micro-Gravity, Fire Extinguisher, PFE

Abstract

For several years, Orbital Technologies (ORBITEC) has had keen interest in the
development of a portable fire suppression system intended for use in commercial
spaceflight applications. With the aid of recent developments in fine water mist (FWM)
atomization technologies, and partnerships with the University of Wisconsin – Platteville,
a portable fire extinguisher (PFE) prototype has been developed and constructed. The
commercial extinguisher is capable of operation in both gravity and microgravity
environments regardless of orientation, and eliminates the use of toxic carbon dioxide as
a fluid suppressant. Preliminary testing of the PFE prototype has demonstrated promising
discharge ranges and rates at various pressures. Testing has also confirmed the
prototype’s ability to extinguish stored energy fires, in the form of lithium ion batteries.

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Veröffentlicht

2016-02-11

Zitationsvorschlag

Cybela, T. (2016). Fire in Orbit: Equipping the Commercial Spaceflight Industry for Fighting Fire in Micro-Gravity. Proceedings of the Wisconsin Space Conference. https://doi.org/10.17307/wsc.v0i0.153

Ausgabe

Rubrik

Physics and Engineering