Provided herein are devices, systems and methods utilizing flow of a medically safe inert gas to prevent fires in operating rooms during electrosurgical procedures. A device is disposed around or proximate to or integrated into the tip of an electrosurgical instrument or tool and is in fluid contact with a source of a medically safe inert gas. The gas is flowed around or envelopes the tip as the electrosurgical instrument or tool is utilized. The presence of the medically safe inert gas displaces oxygen, thereby preventing or suppressing fires that may be ignited by sparks generated during use of the tool.

A fire suppression method and system in an aircraft involves a pressurized first-stage agent, and a pressurized second-stage agent. The first-stage agent or the second-stage agent includes trifluoromethyl iodide (CF.sub.3I). A plurality of outlets discharge the first-stage agent during a first duration and the second-stage agent during a second duration. An opening of each of the plurality of outlets is located in a lower quarter of a height of a cargo compartment.

A fire suppression system for an aircraft (cargo) compartment comprises a source of fire suppression agent and a supply line for conducting the fire suppression agent to the compartment. The supply line comprises a pressure regulating device arranged between the source and the compartment and a pressure relief valve arranged downstream of the pressure regulating device. The pressure relief valve has an outlet which distributes the agent externally of the cargo compartment.

A method of fire suppression may include injecting a reactive agent into a reaction zone to produce a catalytically active species for fire suppression and conveying the catalytically active species to a fire to catalytically interfere with flame chemistry of the fire. Fire in a fuel tank may be suppressed by injecting the reactive agent into a convective flow of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer in a fuel tank, the reactive agent reacting in the fuel tank to release a species which catalytically interferes with flame chemistry to suppress fire in the fuel tank. Fire at an airplane crash may be suppressed by releasing the reactive agent from the container at the crash site to produce an active species to catalytically interfere with a fire at the crash site.

An object handling system is described, the system having two substantially perpendicular sets of rails forming a grid above a workspace, the workspace having a plurality of stacked containers. The system includes a series of robotic load handling devices operating on the grid above the workspace, the load handling devices having a body mounted on wheels. The robotic devices can move around the grid under instruction from a computing device, the robotic devices being moved to a point on the grid above a stack of containers and then, using a lifting device, engage and lift a container from the stack. The container is then moved to a point where the objects in the container can be accessed. Modifications to the workspace and grid are described that allow vehicles and roll cages to be used to move stacks from the workspace to a point outside the workspace or from outside the workspace into the workspace.

A fire engine including a vehicle frame, a liquid nitrogen storage tank, a liquid nitrogen conveying pipeline, a gasification device, a plurality of electric valves, a water pipe adapter, a liquid nitrogen spray gun, and a mixed spray gun. The liquid nitrogen conveying pipeline includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline. The first pipeline connects the lower part of the liquid nitrogen storage tank, the gasification device, and the upper part of the liquid nitrogen storage tank sequentially in that order. The second pipeline connects the liquid nitrogen storage tank, an input end of the liquid nitrogen spray gun, and a first input end of the mixed spray gun. The mixed spray gun includes a first input end, a second input end, a liquid nitrogen nozzle, and a spray pipe. The spray pipe includes a contraction section, an expansion section, and an acceleration section.

A method of fuel tank inerting includes separating process air into nitrogen-enriched air and oxygen-enriched air with an air separation membrane. A vacuum is applied to the air separation membrane to produce a pressure differential across the air separation membrane. The vacuum is manipulated to vary the pressure differential and vary purity of the nitrogen-enriched air.

An enclosure for safe transportation and storage of a battery or a collection of batteries. The enclosure contains a plurality of batteries held together by a polymer structure, wherein the polymer structure contains s pockets capable of encapsulating at least one fire extinguishing fluid. Sensors deployed on a surface of each battery in the plurality of batteries are capable of monitoring surface temperature and volume expansion of each battery in the enclosure and providing signal output. The enclosure also contains a toxic gas release management and containment system.

Described herein are zonal fire suppression systems and methods of using such systems for suppressing fires in cargo aircraft. A system is configured to individually monitor the temperature in each of multiple cargo zones in the cargo area. The system is also configured to selectively activate one or more of multiple zone distribution components to distribute a fire suppressant material, based at least on the temperature monitoring. The zonal approach to the temperature monitoring and to the fire suppressant material distribution allows reducing the fire suppressant material amount needed on the cargo aircraft, which, in turn, reduces the aircraft load. Furthermore, in some examples, the zonal approach eliminates unnecessary contact between the cargo (e.g., in the zones unaffected by fire) and the fire suppressant material. In some examples, this fire suppression involves depressurizing of the cargo area, in addition to or instead of the fire suppressant material distribution material.

A sparging evaporator for an inerting system including an outer vessel, an inner vessel within the outer vessel, and a plenum formed between the inner and outer vessels. The outer vessel includes a gas inlet for receiving inlet gas into the plenum, and a liquid inlet for receiving liquid fuel into the plenum. The inlet gas in the plenum generates a gas pressure that is exerted against a free surface of the liquid fuel in the plenum thereby forcing the liquid fuel and the inlet gas through an inlet of the inner vessel. The inner vessel contains a structure that promotes liberation of fuel vapor from the liquid fuel and enables the inlet gas in the liquid fuel to sparge the fuel vapor in the liquid fuel, thereby forming a fuel-enriched gas mixture that can be fed to a reactor of the inerting system.