Autonomous fire-fighting agent

Abstract

An autonomous fire-fighting agent (10) formed from a material with fire-extinguishing properties. The material includes: microcapsules with a fire-extinguishing composition, the microcapsules having sizes of from 2 to 100 m and being in the form of a halocarbon enclosed in a polymeric shell consisting of polyurea and/or polyurethane; and a binder. The binder includes a composite material having a polymeric component and mineral fibers and/or particles. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an autonomous fire-fighting agent (10) and an object which uses the autonomous fire-fighting agent (10) to fight a fire 10-20 s after ignition.

Claims

1. An autonomous firefighting agent for fire extinguishing, the autonomous firefighting agent comprising: a composite material, said composite material having fire extinguishing properties, the composite material comprising microcapsules, the microcapsules having a size from 2 to 95 m and containing a halocarbon fire extinguishing agent surrounded by a polymer shell composed of polyurea and/or polyurethane based on a polyisocyanate prepolymer, said microcapsules being dispersed in a binding composition comprising a polymer component as a polymer base and mineral fillers in a form of mineral fibers and/or particles, wherein the composite material is in the shape of a plate, said composite material comprising a glue layer applied onto one side of said plate and coated with a detachable protective film.

2. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 1, wherein the halocarbon comprises one of the following first substances: 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodibromoethane; 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane; and 2-iodo-1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, and/or a mixture thereof with other halocarbons.

3. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 2, wherein the other halocarbons in the mixture comprises one of the following second substances: 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1-difluoro-2,2,2-trichloroethane; 1,2-difluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluoro-1,2-dichloroethane; 1,2-difluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1,1-difluoro-1-chloroethane; 1-fluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1-fluoro-2-chloroethane; pentafluorochloroethane; 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodichloroethane; 1,1,1-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluorotetrachloroethane; and 1,2-difluorotetrachloroethane.

4. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 1, wherein the mineral fibers contain at least one of the following materials: glass fibers; basalt fibers; fibers of natural minerals; and fibers of synthetic minerals.

5. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 1, wherein mineral particles contain at least one of the following materials: calcite; marble; chalk; natural minerals; and synthetic minerals.

6. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 1, wherein the polymer base comprises at least one of the following substances: acrylic resin; alkyd resin; glyptal resin; latex resin; pentaphthalic resin; epoxide resin; polyurethane; polyurea; polyvinyl alcohol; and polyvinyl acetate.

7. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 1, wherein the composite material is provided in at least one of an electrical switchboard, an electrical box, an engine compartment of a vehicle, a transformer station, a server station, an electrical switch gear and a power unit.

8. An autonomous firefighting agent for fire extinguishing, the autonomous firefighting agent comprising: a composite material, said composite material having fire extinguishing properties, said composite material comprising microcapsules, said microcapsules having a size from 2 to 95 m, said microcapsules comprising a halocarbon fire extinguishing agent and a polymer shell composed of polyurea and/or polyurethane based on a polyisocyanate prepolymer, said polymer shell surrounding said halocarbon fire extinguishing agent, said microcapsules being dispersed in a binding composition comprising a polymer component as a polymer base and mineral fillers in a form of mineral fibers and/or particles, wherein said composite material is plate-shaped, said composite material comprising a glue layer applied onto one side of said plate and coated with a detachable protective film, the composite material being configured to extinguish a fire upon the composite material reaching a predetermined temperature.

9. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 8, wherein the halocarbon comprises one of the following first substances: 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodibromoethane; 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane; and 2-iodo-1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, and/or a mixture thereof with other halocarbons.

10. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 9, wherein the other halocarbons in the mixture comprises one of the following second substances: 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1-difluoro-2,2,2-trichloroethane; 1,2-difluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluoro-1,2-dichloroethane; 1,2-difluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1,1-difluoro-1-chloroethane; 1-fluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1-fluoro-2-chloroethane; pentafluorochloroethane; 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodichloroethane; 1,1,1-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluorotetrachloroethane; and 1,2-difluorotetrachloroethane.

11. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 8, wherein the mineral fibers contain at least one of the following materials: glass fiber; basalt fiber; fibers of natural minerals; and fibers of synthetic minerals.

12. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 8, wherein mineral particles contain at least one of the following materials: calcite; marble; chalk; natural minerals; and synthetic minerals.

13. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 8, wherein the polymer base comprises at least one of the following substances: acrylic resin; alkyd resin; glyptal resin; pentaphthalic resin; epoxide resin; polyurethane; polyurea; polyvinyl alcohol; and polyvinyl acetate.

14. An autonomous firefighting agent of claim 8, wherein the composite material is provided in at least one of a an electrical switchboard, an electrical box, an engine compartment of a vehicle, a transformer station, a server station, an electrical switch gear and a power unit.

15. An object, comprising: an autonomous firefighting agent for putting out fire, said autonomous firefighting agent comprising a composite material, said composite material comprising microcapsules with a size from 2 to 95 m, said microcapsules containing a halocarbon fire extinguishing agent surrounded by a polymer shell composed of polyurea and/or polyurethane based on a polyisocyanate prepolymer, said microcapsules being dispersed in a binding composition comprising a polymer component as a polymer base and mineral fillers in a form of mineral fibers and/or particles, wherein the composite material is plate shaped, said composite material comprising a glue layer applied onto one side of said plate and coated with a detachable protective film.

16. An object in accordance with claim 15, wherein the composite material is provided in at least one of an electrical switchboard, an electrical box, an engine compartment of a vehicle, a transformer station, a server station, an electrical switch gear and a power unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic general side view of the autonomous firefighting agent;

(3) FIG. 2 is a microphotographic view of the structure of a composite fire-extinguishing material;

(4) FIG. 3 is a view of a specific example of the claimed agent placed on an object to be protected, in particular the agent placed in an electrical socket box;

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the application of the agent in an electrical switchboard; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of an exemplary sequence of steps of the method for manufacturing an autonomous firefighting agent of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) In its first embodiment, the invention relates to an autonomous firefighting agent 10 cut out of a sheet 1 of a composite material having fire-extinguishing properties. The material comprises microcapsules 2 of a fire-extinguishing composition having a size of 2 to 100 m (that is, from 2.Math.10.sup.6 m to 10.sup.5 m) selected from halocarbons, such as 1,1,2,2tetrafluorodibromoethane, and/or 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane, and/or 2-iodo-1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, and/or a mixture thereof with other halocarbons, enclosed in a polymeric shell of polyurea, and/or polyurethane on the basis of a polyisocyanate prepolymer.

(8) The aforesaid halocarbons may be used in a mixture with the following halocarbons: 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane; 1,1-difluoro-2,2,2-trichloroethane; 1,2-difluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluoro-1,2-dicloroethane; 1,2-difluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1,-difluoro-1-chloroethane; 1 fluoro-1,1-dichloroethane; 1-fluoro-2-chloroethane; pentafluorochloroethane; 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodichloroethane; 1,1,1-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1,2-trifluorotrichloroethane; 1,1-difluorotetrachloroethane; 1,2-difluorotetrachloroethane; and so on.

(9) Microcapsules 2 are distributed in a binder 3, which is a composite polymeric material comprising a polymeric component and a mineral component 4 in the form of fibers 5 and/or particles. Natural and artificial minerals may be used as mineral component 4 in the binder. Glass fiber, basalt fiber, and other fibers may be used as mineral fibers 5. Calcite, marble, chalk, and other particles may be used as mineral particles.

(10) The polymeric component may be chosen from acrylic, and/or alkyd, and/or glyptal, and/or latex, and/or pentaphthalic, and/or epoxy resins, and/or polyurethane, and/or polyurea, and/or polyvinyl alcohol, and/or polyvinyl acetate.

(11) An adhesive layer 6 covered with a protective film 7 (FIG. 1) is applied to one side of the formed composite material 1 to attach the same to the surface of an object to be protected.

(12) According to its second embodiment, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing (100) an autonomous firefighting agent 10.

(13) Microcapsulized halocarbons are obtained by polymerization on the interface of the phases. For this purpose, a first mixture of a fire-extinguishing agent and polyisocyanate is prepared (101). The resulting first mixture is poured into an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol to obtain (102) an emulsion. An aqueous solution of polyethylene polyamine is added (1020) to the emulsion to obtain (103) a suspension to form the shells of microcapsules 2. The suspension of microcapsules 2 and the fire-extinguishing agent is mixed with binder 3 to obtain (104) a second mixture.

(14) The resulting second mixture mass is placed (1040) in a pan designed for this purpose to solidify and dry (105). The solidified and dried composite material 1 is cut up (106) into pieces of desired shape that are used as agent 10 having fire-extinguishing properties. For agent 10 to be affixed to the surface of objects to be protected, one side of the agent is coated (107) with an adhesive layer 6 that is covered (108) with an easily detachable protective film 7.

(15) FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically an example of a possible sequence of aforesaid steps of the method for manufacturing (100) an autonomous firefighting agent according to the invention by: preparing (101) a first mixture of a fire-extinguishing agent and polyisocyanate; obtaining (102) an emulsion of the first mixture in an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol; adding (1020) the resulting emulsion to an aqueous solution of polyethylene polyamine; obtaining (103) a suspension of microcapsules in water; preparing (104) a second mixture of the suspension and a binder; shaping (1040) the second mixture into plates of desired thickness; drying (105) the plates; applying (107) an adhesive layer 6 to one side of a plate; covering (108) the adhesive layer with a detachable protective film 7; and cutting up (106) the plates into pieces of desired size.

(16) According to its third embodiment, the invention relates to an object 11 and 12 using autonomous firefighting agent 10 of the invention to put out fire within 10 to 20 seconds after ignition. In use, autonomous firefighting agent 10 is placed at a potentially fire-hazardous point and puts out the fire upon ignition at an early stage thereof. Fire is extinguished by halocarbon vapors released profusely when the agent is heated to a temperature above 110 C. as the microcapsule shells are broken up. Fire is put out within 10 to 20 seconds after ignition, preventing the objects protected from being destroyed. The agent is effective in protecting electrical switchboards 11 (FIG. 4) and boxes (FIG. 3), vehicle engine bays, transformer and server stations, and other electrical switchgear and power units from fire.

(17) The invention of this patent application produces a highly efficacious firefighting agent 10 that releases intensively a fire-extinguishing agent and is flexible, strong, durable, reliable, and easy to use.

(18) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.